Space Foundation Training

Resources for Space Foundation

“Getting Started with Your Blue-Bots”

This information was presented for the National Space Day team in March 2026.
Below are links to web pages and files discussed or mentioned during the training.

Meet Blue-Bot

Blue-Bot needs to be charged before its first use. Details below.

On top of Blue-Bot are these buttons you can press to control it.
Note that the left and right buttons turn it, but do not move it.
Some younger students may be confused by this at first.

Blue-Bot has three switches underneath, for power, sound, and sensor.
Turn them all on, unless you want them to be silent. The sensor switch is discussed below.

Blue-Bot moves forward and back, one step at a time.
One step is equal to 6 inches, 15 centimeters, or 1 length of Blue-Bot.
Blue-Bots can store up to 200 commands.

Charging Information

All switches need to be set to OFF in order for Blue-Bot to charge.

Flashing Red – Low battery: needs charging
Solid Red – Charging
Solid Green – Fully charged

It may take up to 2 hours to fully charge Blue-Bot if the battery has been fully discharged.
Once fully charged, Blue-Bot will have about 6 hours of normal usage, and about 1.5 hours of continuous use.

Caring For Your Blue-Bots

Important charging information to get the most out of your Blue-Bots and extend their battery life:

Charge the Blue-Bots before their first use.
Do not charge Blue-Bots longer than overnight.
Make sure the hives are unplugged before vacations.
Charge the Blue-Bots every month or two even when they are just being stored.

Low Power Sleep Mode:

If your Blue-Bot is not used for 2 minutes and the sensor switch is in the ‘OFF’ position, Blue-Bot will play a sound and go into sleep mode.
If your Blue-Bot is not used for 4 minutes and the sensor switch is in the ‘ON’ position, Blue-Bot will play a sound and go into sleep mode.
In sleep mode, very little power is consumed and the batteries will last a long time.
Pressing any button in sleep mode, wakes Blue-Bot up, plays a sound and flashes the eyes.

For more information about batteries and other FAQs, visit this page.

Important Tips

Don’t push Blue-Bot when it is moving, and don’t push Blue-Bot when it is not moving.
To move Blue-Bot, pick it up and place it in the new position.
Pressing the Right or Left buttons doesn’t make it move, just turn.
Press the X (Clear) to erase the commands give, to Blue-Bot.
To stop Blue-Bot, press the GO button.

Blue-Bot Quick Start Guide

This Quick Start Guide can serve as a guide to using Blue-Bots.
Create your own version that works best for your situation.

Online Blue-Bot Emulator

Blue-Bot Emulator

Links to planet emulator mats:

https://bluebot.terrapinlogo.com/?02-21_Planets11
https://bluebot.terrapinlogo.com/?02-21_Planets21

Images for these mats:

Beginning Blue-Bot Activities

Have students discover what Blue-Bot’s buttons do. Make sure they understand that they need to press Clear between turns to erase all the commands.
Have students sit in a big circle. Have one student point Blue-Bot at another student across the circle and estimate how many times to press the forward arrow button. Remind students not to push Blue-Bot to move it. They should pick it up and move it to where they want it.
Have students pick a spot in the room to send Blue-Bot to. Getting there may require turns. How many tries does it take to get it there?
Have students think up a simple pattern that they can repeat, like the staircase above.
Create a maze for Blue-Bot to go through. The walls of the maze could be small boxes, blocks, rulers, or pencils.
Create cards with numbers or letters. Have students arrange them on the floor. Ask the students to go to a particular number or letter. Can they go to all the numbers in order? Be sure to space the cards apart from each other. The students or teacher can adjust the placement of the cards as the activity progresses. There are number and letter card images in Bee-Bot Lessons that you can print.
Use number cards to practice addition. Use letter cards to spell sight words.
Write words that make a sentence on cards. Spread out the cards and see if Blue-Bot can move from card to card to make the sentence. This video shows an example.
Turn on the sensor and record a message to be spoken when one Blue-Bot gets near another. Details below.
Have students create a dance with several Blue-Bots. They can plan the dance using Command Cards. Does the dance need some music? Check out this dance with Bee-Bots!
Create a Blue-Bot parade! Decorate balloons, tie them to Blue-Bot and have them follow each other. Check out this parade that uses Blue-Bots!

Blue-Bot Job Cards

Engage all students by giving each one a job to perform as they play together with their Blue-Bots.

From San Francisco Unified School District’s Kindergarten to 2nd Grade Computer Science Curriculum:

Blue-Bots Can Talk! How to Customize Their Sounds

You can record a sound when a command button is pressed. Here’s how:

Press and hold a button for 2 seconds and wait for a beep.
Record your message. A double beep ends the recording.

To erase all sounds, press and hold the Clear button for 2 seconds until you hear a double beep.

Students may accidentally hold down a button and create a recording they didn’t intend to.

Blue-Bots can sense each other when they get within 10 inches.
You will hear a pre-recorded sound, but you can also record your own sound. Here’s how:

Turn on the Sensor switch underneath the Blue-Bot.
Hold down the Go button for 2 seconds and wait for a beep.
Record your message. A double beep ends the recording.

For more information, please refer to this article.

Curriculum Materials for Classroom and Online

Main Curriculum Page: Lessons, online activities, and teaching materials for Bee-Bot and Blue-Bot

Bee-Bot Lessons	Table of Contents	Get a 30-day free trial. You have already licensed this curriculum.
Problem-Solving with Bees and Blues	Table of Contents	Get a 30-day free trial.
Exploring Math with Blue-Bot	Table of Contents	Get a 30-day free trial.

Most activities in Exploring Math with Blue-Bot also work with Bee-Bot.

Accessories and Lesson Ideas for Blue-Bot Mats

Using the Accessories

Blue-Bot Accessories Chart

Lesson Ideas for Learning Mats

Images from the 3D Community Construction Kit were shown in use with the Card Mat.

Teacher-Created Mats (Online)

Online mats created by teachers to share with other educators.

You can request that we post a mat you design. Read more.

Coding Journeys (Online)

Coding Journeys expose students to different robots and help you see which ones are best for them.

Monthly Calendar Mats (Online)

Use the Calendar Emulator Mats to reinforce your students’ calendar skills.

Customer Stories (Online)

Customer Stories show how other teachers and researchers are using Blue-Bots.
Click the word Blue-Bot in the word cloud at the top to see the Blue-Bot stories.

Articles for Educators

These articles offer teaching tips, ideas, and strategies for using Blue-Bots with students.

Connect With Us

Newsletters

Bee-Bot Buzz: Sign up for free bimonthly emails with articles, teaching tips, and more

Bee-Bot Insider: Sign up for free occasional emails with news, bonus online mats, special offers

Social Media

Facebook: BeeBot.us

Instagram: terrapin.tools.for.thinking

YouTube: Terrapin’s YouTube Channel

Have more questions? Send an email to the presenter.