BeeBots and Robots at Langlee

AuthorCaroline Belleville, Langlee Primary School, Galashiels, SCOTTISH BORDERS.

The project aims to foster more ‘hands-on’, interactive ICT opportunities while

developing collaborative group work and problem-solving skills in the Early

Years.

Objectives

Bee-Bots Starter Pack, Gearbotics Robots packs, Leap-pad Learning Systems.Software

DescriptionThe children used the resources in small, adult-led groups and completed a

variety of pre-planned tasks using the resources. Once the initial group is

secure with the concepts involved, they will help to support other groups of

peers to use the resources.

Learning AreasICT, Maths, Problem-Solving, Personal and Social Development

LevelsAges 3 – 7, Pre Level A – Level B

Early Years, A Curriculum for Excellence, Problem-Solving, Collaborative Group

Work.

Keywords

Project Overview

BeeBots and Robots at LangleeTeacher Planning and Management

Background and Planning

Classroom Images

Background & Planning (Overview):

A lot of ICT development work has taken place within Langlee Primary School over

recent years but there is still a need for greater ICT use in Nursery/Early Years

classes. Prior to this project, children had weekly access to ICT suite facilities, but

did not get any ‘hands-on’ use of more practical ICT equipment. This project has

allowed children to become more active participants in their use of ICT equipment.

See document below for more information.

Classroom Images – see document below.

Documents

BeeBots and Robots at LangleeTeaching Resources

The pupils’ work was all hands-on and interactive and so they did not require any hand-outs.

However, I have embedded some of the hand-outs used by the teachers and group leaders

when teaching each group. These include the Block Planning sheets followed by the group

and the Weekly Assessment sheets completed at the end of each session by the adult

leader. These assessment sheets were very useful as they allowed the adult leader to

evaluate the pace of the work at the end of each lesson to determine if the children were

coping or not. The ’green/amber/red’ column relates to the traffic lights system of

Formative Assessment already used within the school and provided the adult leader with a

quick, effective way of recording how well the pupil had coped with the content of the

lesson.

BeeBots: I created some additional cards for use with the BeeBot (eg letters to be delivered

to specific addresses on the Street Map, shopping lists the children had to use to negotiate

the BeeBot around the board.) Other resources, such as the Treasure Island cards for

BeeBot, had been provided in the Starter Pack.

Documents

Assessment Grid Example

Assessment Grid Blank

BeeBots Weekly Planner

BeeBots Overview Plan

Gearbotics Overview Plan

Gearbotics Weekly Planner

BeeBots and Robots at LangleeAssessment and StandardsThe Project was planned to develop the childrens’ skills in ICT. The specific outcomes from Information and Communications Technology 5-14 are

BeeBots

Controlling and Modelling

STRAND - Position and Movement – Level A

Understand the following words related to movement/direction

• Up/down, left/right, forwards/backwards

STRAND - Control hardware – Level A

• Explore the use and operation of simple devices.

Gearbotics

Controlling and Modelling

STRAND – Control Hardware – Level B

• Use with assistance (eg a robot) controlling it using single step instructions.

STRAND – Knowledge of terms and uses – Level B

• Name main parts of device used, and describe what the devices can do and stimulate.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Each adult leader completed weekly assessment grids for their group (see previous slide). At the end of the project, staff involved were asked to complete a project assessment sheet so their views could be taken into account when planning further roll-out of the project.

Documents

Completed Project Assessment Grid

Blank Project Assessment Grid

BeeBots and Robots at LangleeTeacher and School Information

Langlee Primary consists of a mainstream, Nursery and Support Centre for children

with exceptional and complex needs. There are 284 children on the role at present

and approximately 36 children have been involved in the first stage of the project.

This will gradually increase to around 100 children in all. Staff from Nursery and

Primary 1-3 have been involved in the project. All staff involved have had direct

input and have used the resources with small groups of children. Staff were trained

in how to use the resources at the beginning of the project and regular

opportunities have been provided throughout the term for feedback and discussion

among the teachers involved.

Caroline Belleville teaches P7 and is Principal Teacher in charge of ICT. She has led

small groups of children from the Early Years classes to help with the development

of the new resources.