Introducing Robotics to

Elementary Students

https://botleybot.com/

Botley’s Features

• Coding cards
• Detachable arms
• Interactive obstacles
• Coding games
• Remote programmer
• up to 120 steps, loops and programs to go around objects with if/then logic

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What coding concepts are students learning?

• Critical thinking and problem solving skills
• Algorithms
• Loops
• If/then sequences for more advanced coders�

Questions to ask your students during this activity:

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1. What happened when Botley bumped into the objects?
2. Why do you think different objects move at different distances when bumped into Botley?
3. What can help the object move faster or slower?

LINE DETECTION

• line detection mode to follow lines on arranged tiles

OR

• make your own paths with a wide, dark marker.

Ex) create a map of your town for Botley to “drive” down the streets!

Botley in a Math Classroom

1. Draw a large grid with 12 spaces.
2. Label the spaces 1-12.
3. Roll two dice and mentally add the numbers.
4. Program Botley to move toward the space in the grid with the correct number for the sum.
5. To practice subtraction, roll the dice and mentally subtract the smaller from the larger number.
6. Then program your robot to move toward the space labeled with the correct number for the difference.
7. Multiplication and division may be practiced in a similar way.

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Botley in an ELA classroom

Botley can help learn vocab!

1. Create vocabulary cards with the definition on one card and the term on another.
2. Lay the cards out in a maze
3. Students will have to program Botley to find a term and then immediately find the definition.
4. Once Botley has matched a term to the definition, they can take those cards away from the maze and continue on with the rest of the terms.

Combine Coding and Reading

Read a STEM picture book and then code Botley to do some of the same commands you read about in the book. This book explores fundamental programming concepts like sequences and loops. Your students can try to create their own “beach obstacle course”.

Other activities

https://www.learningresources.com/media/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Teach-Botley-to-play-a-Game.pdf

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https://www.learningresources.com/media/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Botley_Coding_Printables-Activity-1-2.20.18.pdf

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https://www.learningresources.com/media/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Botley_Coding_Printables-Activity-3-2.20.18.pdf

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What other robots can I use in my elementary school classroom?