Blue Girl Adventures Computer Science Grades PreK-2 - not including Bee-Bots

STEM+C Concepts

Computer Science: Develop programs with sequences to address a problem

This challenge starts with reading the book The Boy and the Wild Blue Girl, a story inspired by the work of Poul la Cour, a pioneer of wind turbines. Children put blue hair on Bee-Bot to turn it into the Blue Girl and then program Girl-Bot to blow through town on a colorful vinyl mat featuring landmarks from the story. Symbol cards are provided and help children keep track of and debug their programs.

2. The Boy and the Wild Blue Girl Part 2

STEM+C Concepts

Science: Natural Resources

Computer Science: Develop programs with sequences to address a problem

Children make streamers and observe a pinwheel to explore how moving air (wind) acts on objects. They then observe how a simple windmill can light a LED in the cardboard “birthday house” that they know from the story. Next, they program Girl-Bot to follow the power lines from the wind farm to bring electricity to different places in the community.

3. We Planted a Tree Part 1

STEM+ C Concepts

Science: Natural Resources

Computer Science: Develop programs with sequences to address a problem

Children listen to the story We Planted a Tree, seeing people from different parts of the world planting trees in their community. Using custom-made colorful cards, the children are challenged to think about how trees help the word. They then attach a basket to Girl-Bot and program Girl-Bot to bring fruits and vegetables from the farm to different places in the community.

4. We Planted a Tree Part 2

STEM+C Concepts:

Mathematics: Counting, Addition, and Subtraction within 20

Computer Science: Develop programs with sequences to address a problem

Referring back to the book, children discuss how trees provide acorns for squirrels. They dress Bee-Bot, so it becomes Squirrel-Bot. The children then use the basket to retrieve acorns (pom-poms) from the mat and count them. They get deeper into addition and subtraction as they help Squirrel-Bot store acorns for the winter, making additional trips on the mat.  

5. The Water Princess

STEM+C Concepts

Engineering Design: Developing and optimizing design solutions

Science: Natural Resources

Children listen to the story of the Water Princess, following along as she and her mother walk all day to fetch water for the family. They think about how they could help the water princess make clean water. Using simple materials, children then plan, make, and test a simple water filter to clean muddy water.

Included in this set of five integrated STEM+C challenges above, you'll find:

• Detailed instructions (i.e., lesson plan) for each of the five learning challenges
• 15 small magnet tiles
• 12 sheets (8.5 x11) of 4 Bee-Bot cut-outs each
• 1 Bee-Bot Instruction Card (8.5x11)
• 6 Blue Girl Blows Through Town Recording Sheets
• 1 set of 32 Symbol Cards (3.75x3.75), forward, backward, right turn, left turn, pause, Go, X
• 6 sets of 32 Symbol Cards (2x2), forward, backward, right turn, left turn, pause, Go, X
• 1 roll of double stick tape
• 1.5 feet of blue feather boa
• 2 small rolls crepe paper
• 24 paper straws
• 4 rolls of clear tape
• 1 Windmill card
• 1 pinwheel
• 1 hobby motor
• 2 LED light with leads
• 1 cardstock birthday house fold-up
• 2 alligator clips
• 1 small plastic fan
• 24 small Community Cards
• 6 Trees Help the World Cards (2-sided)
• 25 cupcake liners and twist ties
• 24 small Food cards
• 6 squirrel costume cut-outs
• 1 packet of mini pompoms
• 1 Collect Acorns Concept card PreK-K
• 1 Collect Acorns Concept card Grade 1-2
• Numeral Cards
• 6 double Ten-Frame cards
• 1 Water Filter Card
• 8 plastic funnels
• 20 clear cups
• Small baggie of topsoil
• 1 plastic spoon
• 5 pound gravel
• 1 bag of cotton balls
• 2 Swedish dishtowels
• 10 Fabric squares
• nine 2-oz plastic cups
• 10 coffee filters
• 25 paper towels
• 1 Engineering Design Card 
• A hard copy of The Boy and the Wild Blue Girl by Keith Negley
• A paperback copy of We Planted a Tree by Diane Muldrow
• A hard copy of The Water Princess by Susan Verde
• A set of 6 vinyl Blue Girl Adventure Mats (30” x41”) formatted to be used with Bee-Bots

Each of the challenges takes approximately 45 minutes to complete.  These STEM+ computer science challenges are suitable for grades PreK-2.