I know what you’re thinking – What on Earth is Beebot? Well Beebot is one of many available programmable toys out there that can be used in the classroom. It allows you to pre-program navigational instructions before pressing go and watching it follow out your commands.
In a classroom, this can cause some ‘buzz‘ amongst the children, and they will enthuse to use the devices. Beebot can be used for a multitude of lessons, from maths to literacy – and of course technology.
“I am developing problem solving strategies, navigation and co-ordination skills as I play and learn with electronic games, remote control or programmable toys”
TCH 0-09a/TCH 1-09a
Starting in primary school, children from all backgrounds and every part of the UK should have the opportunity to: learn some of the key ideas of computer science; understand computational thinking; learn to program; and have the opportunity to progress to the next level of excellence in these activities.
– John Naughton (2012)
From the point of view of a class teacher, Beebot can prove to be an invaluable resource, and can lead to fantastic and creative lesson ideas. Whilst working with Christopher, we decided to create a literacy lesson based on the book ‘Whoosh Around The Mulberry Bush‘ by Jan Ormerod. We drew a grid map of different scenes from a book, where as we read the book, we intended to ask the children to program Beebot to the next scene.
Copyright – Mr Ewing & Mr McCrone – 2017
With resources such as this readily available, and with a generation moving towards an expanding digital era; Lessons can always be more technical, more exciting, more cross-curricular. But most of all; more personalised.
Talk soon,
Sean
