UF partnership brings robotic fish to Florida classrooms to spark young scientists

Elementary school students across Florida are using robotic fish to learn one of science’s most fundamental skills: asking questions. A partnership between the University of Florida Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and the Thompson Earth Systems Institute at the Florida Museum of Natural History is developing hands-on classroom kits that help students investigate scientific concepts through experimentation and engineering. 

Patrick Musgrave Ph.D., an assistant professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering is leading the effort. He brings expertise in bio-inspired underwater robotics and adaptive systems, while the Thompson Earth Systems Institute, or TESI, works with elementary science teachers to develop engaging classroom lessons. Together they are creating practical learning kits that use robotic fish to introduce students to science, engineering and the process of experimentation.  

From research lab to classroom 

Musgrave’s lab develops soft robotic swimmers modeled after the movement of biological fish, with applications ranging from coastal monitoring to environmental sensing. This research will be translated, in part, to classroom curriculum centered on the scientific method.  

Measuring about 12 inches long, the robotic swimmers contain a small motor and flexible tail that mimics the movement of real fish. Students will manipulate variables like tail speed and motion using controls built into the robot, then test how those changes affect swimming performance.  

Students will race robotic fish across classroom tanks, test their designs against store-bought swimming pool toys, and experiment with how different changes affect performance. They will even design, cut out, and attach their own caudal fins — the tail fin that propels a fish through the water — to see how shape and size influence speed and movement. By making predictions, testing ideas, and comparing results, students will experience science as a process of discovery rather than a lesson in a textbook alone. 

“This becomes part of the scientific method,” Musgrave said. “How do you hypothesize what’s going to happen and then test whether it did? This platform gives students simple variables they can change and directly see how well it works. By using robotic fish and having the students get hands-on and interacting with it, it makes them more excited and more engaged.” 

Bringing educators and researchers together 

TESI serves as the outreach and education partner for the project, coordinating teacher recruitment, workshop logistics, curriculum collaboration, and educational assessment through their program Scientist in Every Florida School. 

"We bring teachers and scientists together," said Stephanie Killingsworth, K-12 education and outreach coordinator for Scientist in Every Florida School. A former middle school science teacher and paleontologist, Killingsworth connects educators with scientists across Florida through classroom visits, virtual programs and professional development opportunities.  

"We love to provide opportunities for teachers to learn and grow and build content knowledge and then collaborate to design lessons around that content," Killingsworth said. And that’s exactly what happened. The energy in the room was one of excitement and collaboration as teachers not only learned but also imagined how they would bring the same enthusiasm to their students. 

The connection to real-world science quickly allowed ideas to start flowing. Alicia Prine, a fourth-grade teacher from Lafayette County in her 19th year of teaching, asked if select caudal fin designs could be sent back to Musgrave’s lab, so that photos of scientists testing them could be shared with students.  

“They would find that so cool,” she said. “A real scientist using their design to study and learn.” 

For Laurie Kemble, a Sarasota County elementary science teacher in her 22nd year of teaching, the workshop aligned closely with one of her biggest classroom goals: helping students understand the process scientists use to investigate questions and build knowledge. 

“I try to weave Nature of Science into everything we do,” Kemble said. “It's analyzing the data, making and reading graphs, drawing conclusions, and then continuing on. It's easy for kids to think, ‘We did the experiment, and now we're done.’ I want them to see there are more questions now, so we keep going.”

TESI's role extends beyond the workshop itself.  Killingsworth will continue working with participating teachers as they move forward with lessons in their classrooms, coordinating scientist interactions and collecting feedback to fine tune the curriculum. The project is expected to include additional teacher cohorts in subsequent years, expanding its reach to more classrooms across the state. 

Engineering solutions for Florida's future 

Funded by a National Science Foundation award, the robotic fish project bridges the gap between advanced university research and K-12 classrooms. While young students learn the engineering basics, Musgrave’s lab is looking toward the future — developing soft robotic swimmers to monitor vital coastal conditions, track harmful algal blooms and gather data for hurricane modeling.  

By connecting classroom activities to these real-world challenges, the project aims to inspire the next generation of innovators who will help protect Florida’s environment.