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 200 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)