The Arizona STEM Acceleration Project

Bee-Bot Mazes

Bee-Bot Mazes

A Kindergarten/First Grade grade STEM lesson

Danielle Houseman

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4/16/23

Notes for teachers

• This lesson takes place in a classroom for three or more hours.
• Students may work in small groups of 2-3.
• An emphasis on problem solving and collaboration.
• Planning and creating programs for Bee-Bots is also a challenge in this lesson.

List of Materials

• Bee-Bot Robot for each group of 2-3 students
• Large mat (butcher paper cut in half) with 15 cm squares
• One for each group
• Unifix Cubes or Other Manipulative
• Dice for each group (optional)

CSTA

CS Standards

1A-AP-10

Develop programs with sequences and simple loops, to express ideas or address a problem.

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1A-AP-11

Decompose (break down) the steps needed to solve a problem into a precise sequence of instructions.

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1A-AP-12

Develop plans that describe a program’s sequence of events, goals, and expected outcomes.

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Arizona Computer Science Standards

1.AP.C.1 Identify programs with sequences and simple loops, to express ideas or address a problem.

NGSS Engineering Standards

K-2-ETS1-1: Ask questions, make observations, and gather information about a situation people want to change to define a simple problem.

• Matches your activity: Defining the "problem" of getting the Bee-Bot from Start to Finish through the maze.

K-2-ETS1-2: Develop a simple sketch, drawing, or physical model to illustrate how the shape of an object helps it function.

• Matches your activity: Building the physical maze with "15 cm squares" or unifix cubes.

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CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.1.MD.A.2: Express the length of an object as a whole number of length units, by laying multiple copies of a shorter object (the length unit) end to end.

• Matches your activity: Using the 15 cm squares as a unit of measurement to build the grid.

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.K.G.A.1: Describe objects in the environment using names of shapes, and describe the relative positions of these objects using terms such as above, below, beside, in front of, behind, and next to.

• Matches your activity: Using directional language (forward, back, left, right) to navigate the grid.

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.K.CC.B.4: Understand the relationship between numbers and quantities; connect counting to cardinality.

• Matches your activity: Counting the number of steps (button presses) needed to match the number rolled on the dice.

English Language Arts (Common Core)

The "problem solving" and "small group" notes in your slides align with Collaborative Conversation standards.

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.1.1: Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about grade 1 topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups.
• Matches your activity: Students working in pairs to plan the Bee-Bot's path and debug errors together.

Objectives:

Students can understand that a program is a list of commands.

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Students can work as a team to create a maze for the Bee-Bot to move through.

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Students can create a program to move the Bee-Bot through a maze.

Agenda (40-60 minutes)

Introduce Programming - Video

Introduce Bee-Bot Commands

Model - How to Program Bee-Bot

Model - How to Create Maze (Collaboration)

Design and Create Mazes

Program Bee-Bots

What is Programing/Coding?

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What is Coding?

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Creating a list of commands that a computer can follow.

A command is an instruction.

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Creating a list of commands that a computer can follow.

A command is an instruction.

Bee-Bot Commands

Forward

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Backwards

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Turn Right

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Turn Left

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Go

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Clear

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Pause

Sample Bee-Bot Maze

Bee-Bot Game with Dice

Hands-on Activity Instructions

• Put students into groups of 2-3
• Each group needs a Bee-Bot, Mat with 15cm squares, manipulatives, and dice (optional)
• Groups work together to create maze.
• Groups take turns creating a program to move through the maze.
• Model planning program as a team before entering the program. Students will find more success when using this strategy.
• Day 2 - Students create new maze and use dice. They work together to move the Bee-Bot through the maze. They only enter the number of commands they roll on the dice. If the Bee-Bot makes a wrong turn, it goes back to the start.

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Criteria for Bee-Bot Maze/Programming

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• Students take turns when creating the maze.
• Students can break down the steps to move the Bee-Bot through the maze.
• Students can develop a program to move the Bee-Bot through the maze.

Assessment

Observe students as they create the maze and develop programs.

Students meet the objectives if they are able to work as a team to create the maze, break down and plan the program with their team, and develop a program with minimal errors.

Differentiation

As groups are working, model planning the program before entering the commands.

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Students that need more support should enter one or two commands at a time.

Remediation

Extension/Enrichment

Can students create a program that includes moving the Bee-Bot backwards?

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Can students create a maze that has more than one path for the Bee-Bot to travel?