Computer Science Activity Day
Snap Inc. Institute for Technology & Education (SITE)’s mission is to make high-quality, standards-aligned computer science an integral part of educational experiences for all K–12 students in the Los Angeles area. We center our work on the importance of joy as a foundational reason for engaging in computer science education. Click here to learn more about our work.
Recently, we collaborated with a local elementary school’s fourth-grade team to plan a Computer Science Activity Day. This Title I school serves students who are typically underrepresented in computer science, and the fourth-grade teachers were enthusiastic about giving their students an opportunity to explore. At the time of the event, students were learning about force and motion, so we designed activities with feedback from the teachers that aligned with relevant Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).
The event included four hands-on activities that connected computer science and science concepts. Two of these featured Bee-Bots, while the other two provided unplugged and robotics-based experiences to reinforce similar concepts.
At the first Bee-Bot station, the Bee-Bot Coding Quest: Pollen Collection Challenge, students programmed Bee-Bots to collect pollen from flowers and return it to the hive while avoiding predators on a challenge mat. They wrote down their algorithms, observed how each unit of motion affected the Bee-Bot’s path, and debugged their code along the way. The challenge included two levels of difficulty, and students were encouraged to use the fewest possible movements to help the Bee-Bot conserve energy.
You can try this mat in the Bee-Bot Online Emulator.
The second Bee-Bot station, the Bee-Bot Motion Mission: Force Art Challenge, transformed motion into art. Using the Bee-Bot Pen Holder Jacket, students planned and coded designs that demonstrated at least three different kinds of motion, such as straight, turning, and zigzag. They tested and debugged their programs and, as time allowed, some groups even designed mazes for their Bee-Bots to navigate.
The students absolutely loved the event, and the teachers asked if we could return next year. We already partner with the fifth-grade team for similar CS activities each year, so we are excited that these same students will continue exploring computer science learning with us. We look forward to working with this creative and curious community and with the Bee-Bots again soon.
Contact Information
| Name | Ashley Ruiz |
| Position | SITE Director of Partnerships & Grants |
| School | California State University, Dominguez Hills |
| Location | Carson, CA |
| aruiz99@csudh.edu | |
| Website | https://www.csudh.edu/coe/centers-partnerships/site/ |
| Tags | Bee-Bot, California, STEM/STEAM, Coding, Science |
| Age | Grade 4 |