About Exploring Math with Blue-Bot
Exploring Math with Blue-Bot engages students in a environment as they code robots to practice key math skills. The lessons and online activities are based on the K–3 Common Core State Standards Initiative for Math. Even if your state has adopted different math standards, the skills likely connect directly to the ones you use, making this curriculum a perfect addition to your STEM program.
Although the focus is on Blue-Bots, most of the activities can also be done using Bee-Bots.
The content includes the following sections:
- Counting
- Add & Subtract
- Place Value
- Measure & Compare
- Shapes
- Time
- Money
- Showing Data
- Remote Coding (for Blue-Bots only)
- Advanced Topics (rounding, fractions, multiplication, symmetry, and math magic)
In addition, Practice Mats help students learn to use the special features incorporated into these online mats:
- Practice moving Blue-Bot
- Practice drawing with Blue-Bot
- Practice turning Blue-Bot at 45° angles
- Practice filling boxes with the Square button
- Practice adding Circles to mark a spot
- Practivce adding Repeat loops
View a PDF copy of the Table of Contents
Click on the image at the right to try out an Addition online activity.
Try more sample lesson pages.
The 77 lessons include multiple activities that use Blue-Bot as well as the Blue-Bot Online Emulator that runs in any browser. Many of the 250+ emulator activities use enhanced features, such as circles and square, not available in the regular emulator, thus expanding the learning experiences for students.
Using these classroom and online tools, young students practice counting and place value, learn to estimate and measure distances, and investigate time and money. Older students can explore the perimeter and area of shapes, take classroom surveys and create bar graphs of the results, and compare fractions—all with their favorite robot. The Teacher Guide explains how to make all activities easier or more challenging to accommodate all students.
Each of the 10 main sections includes a set of lessons that progress from easier to harder concepts. An Advanced Topics section will challenge even your most gifted students. Each lesson contains both classroom activities using the physical robot and also online activities. You can supplement these activities with ones that students design themselves, giving them ownership over their learning.
Some lessons use Blue-Bot’s special features, such as 45° turns and repeat loops, available in the Blue-Bot Online Emulator and when using the TacTile Code Reader and TacTile Code Reader Extension Tile Pack. Students who are familiar with Bee-Bot may be excited to try some of these new features. The Remote Coding activities do not apply to Bee-Bots, as Bee-Bot is not Bluetooth-enabled and cannot connect to the TacTile Code Reader.
Recommended Materials for each chapter include the Card Mat, available from Terrapin, along with other math manipulatives commonly found in the classroom, such as rulers, dice, and dominoes. The TacTile Code Reader with the Extension Tile Pack allows students to control Blue-Bot remotely with more turns and loops. These materials are not required, but give students a more complete experience.
Resources include PDFs that contain images, numbers, and text that can be used with the Card Mat. You can download and print any of these PDFs for use with Exploring Math with Blue-Bot. Their images and text labels are designed to be used with the Card Mat. Also included is a Student Record Form to keep track of student progress.
Exploring Math with Blue-Bot is available as a site license for one year. All teachers in your school can use the same access code. Students use a 4-digit code to access the online activities.
Licensed users can log in to Exploring Math with Blue-Bot.