For 3 weeks the 1st graders have been going to the code.org website and learning about programming. They are learning the concept of sequencing as they "program" an angry bird to land on a pig. Week 4 we headed to the STEAMworks lab to program BeeBots. The bots have forward, backward, left & right on the bee's back. We created mats for them to roll around on. The students program the bots to go from one letter to another by inputing a sequence of directional commands. The younger students (PreK-1st) pretty much have to hold the bee and carry it along the path in order to experience it from the bee's perspective. As they get better at their lefts and rights and hopefully after doing this many times they might be able to stand on the side of the mat, not follow the path themselves, and visualize which way the bot has to turn - the bots' left and right, not theirs! Then as a 3-5th grader look at a grid on a piece of paper visualize the bee's path, write down a series of directional commands, then go to the bot, program it and test it.
ANYWAY, the kids just love making the bots do what they want them to do! Check out the video below.
ANYWAY, the kids just love making the bots do what they want them to do! Check out the video below.