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How to Make a Grid Mat for the Bee-Bot Robot

How to Make a Grid Mat for the Bee-Bot Robot

Are you wondering how to make a grid mat for your classroom for the Bee-Bot robot? Below are some easy ideas on how you can create a mat that can help students visually see the code for any type of project you have in mind

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How to Make a Grid Mat for the Bee-Bot Robot: Option #1

Grab a large piece of poster board or butcher paper and a ruler. Code the Bee-Bot to move one forward movement on your paper. Measure the distance and make a mark. Draw straight lines with the ruler to draw a square that measures one forward movement. Make the grid as big or small as you want, then laminate.

 

Grab a clear, cheap shower curtain like this one, then cut it to be the same length as your grid. Secure one end of the curtain to the mat with binder clip so it can easily open and close. This allows adding different task cards for coding underneath the shower curtain and onto the grid and helps the Bee-Bot drive on top without getting caught on the cards. I recommend taping the cards to the grid mat so they don't slide around while coding.

 

 

How to Make a Grid Mat for the Bee-Bot Robot: Option #2

Create the grid the same way as described above with the measuring and drawing. Instead of adding the clear shower curtain on top, add one soft velcro dot to each square. Once you have your task cards ready, add the “hook” side of the velcro dot (the scratchy side) to each task card.

The Bee-Bot doesn't seem to get stuck on the Velcro on the grid if there aren't cards. It would be hit or miss with the robot getting stuck on actual cards since they popped up more. This is a lesson that I love to do with primary students about The Very Hungry Caterpillar and we even dress up our Bee-Bot!

I even tried this with playing cards for a last minute lesson where students rolled a numbered die, than programmed their Bee-Bot to the matching playing card.

 

How to Make a Grid Mat for the Bee-Bot Robot: Option #3

Drawing and measuring a grid accurately can be time consuming! (Trust me, I know from experience.) To ensure all of my squares were equal size and I could customize the cards for lessons, I made a digital version of a perfectly measured.

You can even create a blank grid with these print-and-cut squares, then glue on poster board.

 

I'm not a perfectionist when it comes to measuring and creating a grid, so this helped me create a mat that was accurate for my students to use when coding with the Bee-Bot.

Grab this template for your classroom here. 

 

Which way do you think you'll create your Bee-Bot grid?

Let me know over on Instagram, @naomimeredith_

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More About the author, Naomi Meredith

Naomi Meredith is an online K-5 STEM Coach in Colorado supporting elementary teachers world-wide navigate the best practices, strategies and tools out there. With over a decade of experience teaching, 5 years teaching elementary STEM, along with a M.Ed. in STEM Leadership and STEM Certificate, Naomi helps teachers world-wide to navigate best practices, strategies and tools out there.

She offers a variety of tools to help teachers feel successful teaching STEM to their elementary students through lesson plans, online courses, coaching and speaking events.

She truly believes that any teacher out there can learn how to use STEM, innovation and hands-on learning in their classrooms effectively. She can’t wait to connect with you and be your guide!