Due to the long construction, you need to be careful with time in this lesson. Don’t let the students spend too much time building. If you think you can manage it, you may let them find their own sheet music and adapt it, but we recommend sticking to the short section from Ode to Joy as shown in the tutorial. This melody also serves as preparation for the next lesson, where a ready melody will again be needed. Here’s what the program looks like:
This Tutorial is used in the following courses and lessons
This is the fifth level of the LEGO Robotics Curriculum, designed for students in second, third, or fourth grade.
Musical Instruments Level: Each lesson has a theme connected to music and instruments. Students explore Pitch, Volume, and Duration of sounds, as well as how to read and program musical notes on the SPIKE Prime hub. Many new blocks are introduced, building on the students’ existing knowledge.
In this lesson, we will create a music box robot. But first - what is a music box? Have you ever seen one?
The music box originated in Switzerland in the late 18th century, when watchmakers adapted clockwork mechanisms to pluck tuned metal combs. Early models were luxury items, often built into snuffboxes, watches, and elaborate furniture. By the 19th century, mass production made music boxes more affordable, spreading their popularity across Europe and America. Though largely replaced by phonographs and modern devices, they remain cherished collectibles and symbols of craftsmanship and nostalgia.