School Mat
View a larger version of the mat.
The School Mat is a great way for young students to learn about and explore their school by sending Bee-Bot or Blue-Bot to different school locations. Using it can prompt a discussion of school activities and reinforce sequencing skills by coding Bee-Bot or Blue-Bot to visit different locations in the right order.
The School Mat is designed from the perspective of Bee-Bot or Blue-Bot, not from the student’s, helping students to consider a different point of view than their own.
Locations on the School Mat include, from left to right, top to bottom:
- Gymnasium
- Cafeteria
- Playground
- Art Classroom with male teacher
- Classroom with female teacher
- Library
- Restrooms
- Principal’s Office with secretary
- Front Entrance with crossing guard
- Classroom with female teacher
- Classroom with male teacher
- Music Classroom
Lesson Ideas
Although these ideas refer to Bee-Bot, they can all be done with Blue-Bot as well.
Remind students to press X to erase the commands the previous student entered.
Before you start, you may find it handy to have your students help you create a card for each destination with its name on it. You can add labels to the mat for the three classrooms whose curriculum area isn’t obvious: Science Class, Reading Class, and Math Class, for example.
Lesson Idea 1: Going to a Target Destination
- Divide students into groups.
- Have students take turns going from the blank square to the right of the Front Entrance to a classroom or other destination that the teacher names.
Lesson Idea 2: Going to Class (2 stops)
- Divide students into groups.
- Using the card for each destination with its name on it, have each student randomly pick two cards.
- These cards represent part of their class schedule.
- Have students take turns going from their first class to their second class in order.
Lesson Idea 3: Going to Class (3 stops)
- Divide students into groups.
- Using the card for each destination with its name on it, have each student randomly pick three cards.
- These cards represent their class schedule.
- Have students take turns going to the three classes in order.
Lesson Idea 4: Using the Online School Mat
If students are using computers in your classroom, have them use the online School Mat in the Bee-Bot Emulator in a browser. They can explore the mat using these Lesson ideas.
Lesson Idea 5: Create a Full Class Schedule
Create a class schedule that your students can follow with their Bee-Bots. As they listen to you list the schedule, students can lay out a sequence of cards for each stop. Then students can take turns sending Bee-Bot to the locations on their schedule in the correct order.
For example, here is a possible schedule for Bee-Bot to follow:
- Reading (classroom with male teacher)
- Math (classroom with female teacher)
- Playground time
- Restroom break
- Library
- Lunch time
- Science (classroom with female teacher)
- Music Class
Lesson Idea 6: Now It’s Your Turn
Have students create a schedule for their school activities for that day. As they send Bee-Bot to the various locations, they can record the list of commands used to follow their schedule.
Mat Details
This mat is incorporated into Bee-Bot Lessons. These lessons give teachers lesson plans that are tied to national curriculum standards. They give students an opportunity to engage in over 180 learning activities using the floor Bee-Bot or Blue-Bot or the same activities in the online emulator.
The mat is made of washable vinyl and measures approximately 30” by 30” (75 cm by 75 cm)