Earth Day Adventures STEM+C will engage young learners in STEM and computer science through a set of five integrated Storytime STEM+C challenges. 6 Bee-Bots are included in this package.
1. Because of An Acorn
STEM+C Concepts
Science: Growth and Development
Computer Science: Develop programs with sequences to address a problem
This challenge starts with reading the book Because of an Acorn, describing the events set in motion by an acorn on the forest floor. Children learn more about the development of a tree and then program Bee-Bot to visit an oak tree and fruit trees on the colorful Earth Day vinyl mat. Symbol cards are provided and help children keep track of and debug their programs.
2. We are the Gardeners
STEM+ C Concepts
Science: Growth and Development
Computer Science: Develop programs with sequences to address a problem
This computer science challenge starts with reading We are the Gardeners, following a family as they plan and plant a garden. Children learn about structure and function of plants and program Bee-Bot to water vegetables and plants in the garden, planning out their own paths on the Earth Day mat.
3. Bee Dance – Model the Dance
STEM+C Concepts
Science: Information Processing
Computer Science: Develop programs with sequences to address a problem
This integrated challenge starts with children reading Bee Dance, a beautifully illustrated children’s book that follows a honey bee scout as she finds a patch of prairie flowers and communicates their location to her hive mates by performing a dance. Acting out the story, children program Bee-Bot to move from the hive to flowers and then dance to indicate the distance they traveled.
4. Bee-Dance – Design a Hand Pollinator
STEM+C Concepts
Engineering Design: Developing and optimizing design solutions
Science: Independent Relationships in Ecosystems
Referring back to the Bee Dance book, this adventure engages children in exploring the relationship between plants and honey bees, and challenges them to build, test, and improve a hand pollinator, choosing from several provided materials.
5. Design a Pollinator Garden
STEM+C Concepts
Engineering Design: Developing and optimizing design solutions
Computer Science: Develop programs with sequences to address a problem
This culminating challenge asks children to reflect on how honey bees help people. Drawing on what they learned about plants and honey bees, it challenges the children to help honey bees by planning a pollinator garden and use Bee-Bot to share their solution by visiting story cards they created.
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)
- 4 Oak Tree Cards (5 x11)
- 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
- 18 small Fruit Tree Cards
- 6 Sunflower Puzzle Cards (5 x11)
- 1 of each Sunflower, Apple Tree, and Carrot Concept Card (5 x11)
- 1 Honeybee Visiting Flower Card (5 x11)
- 30 small Garden Cards
- 12 small Word Wall Cards (8.5 x11)
- 6 small Beehive Cards
- 18 small Flower Cards
- 1 Hand Pollinator Concept Card (5 x11)
- 1 Engineering Design Card (5 x11)
- 1 Honey Bees Help the Earth Concept Card (5 x11)
- 24 Planting a Pollinator Garden Cards
- 4 sheets of coarse sandpaper
- 4 sheets of 9x12 felt
- 16 paper dishes (cups)
- 48 craft sticks
- 16 jumbo craft sticks
- 1 role of masking tape
- 1 package of pipe cleaners
- 3 bags of mini pompoms (different colors)
- 40 Velcro dots
- 1 bag of cotton balls
- A hard copy of Because of an Acorn by Lola Schaefer and Adam Schaefer
- A hard copy of We Are the Gardeners by Joanna Gaines and Kids
- A hard copy of Bee Dance by Rick Chrustowski
- A set of 6 vinyl Earth Day Adventure Mats (30” x41”) formatted to be used with Bee-Bots
- A set of 6 Bee-Bots and 1 docking station
Each of the challenges takes approximately 45 minutes to complete. These STEM+ computer science challenges are suitable for grades PreK-2.