As an early years teacher, I am always looking for resources that will help my students learn through hands-on experiences. When choosing materials for my classroom, I endeavor to find versatile resources that can be used for multiple purposes.
Continue reading “5 Educational Ways To Use Your Hex Tray In The Classroom”
Houston, we have a book blog!
Welcome to the MTA Book Blog, where I, Managing Editor and Bookworm-in-Residence here at MTA, will be checking in with you regularly to shine a light on one of the fantastic book packs that we’ve been busily curating just for you.
In case you hadn’t guessed the theme yet, this first post is going to be a celebration of all things space as we boldly explore our brand-new ‘Storytime in Space’ book pack, freshly launched (pun intended, I make no apologies) to get your little Earthlings excited about space in the run-up to this year’s out-of-this-world National Simultaneous Storytime – more on that later.
The ‘Storytime in Space’ book pack contains five incredible picture books that are guaranteed to captivate and inspire your students, so grab a bowl of astronaut ice-cream, rug up under a space blanket and relax as we blast off on a journey of discovery from the birth of the cosmos to the Moon landings and Mars exploration, and we may even meet a few extraterrestrials along the way…
‘Ori’s Stars’ by Kristyna Litten
We begin, of course, at the beginning. The very beginning. In the dazzlingly beautiful ‘Ori’s Stars’, author and illustrator Kristyna Litten takes us on a hypnotising journey through the birth of the stars. The book opens with a single lonely entity, Ori, who accidentally creates a strange shimmering ball that attracts more and more beings just like her. Before long, Ori and her starry-eyed friends are joyfully illuminating the vast darkness with their newly formed creations, until Ori comes to a realisation.
‘We need to show EVERYONE how to make stars. If we fill the sky, no one will EVER be alone in the dark again.’
A stunning story of the power of invention, friendship and sharing, ‘Ori’s Stars’ beautifully demonstrates not only that we all have unique gifts to offer the world, but, more importantly, that the power of these gifts multiplies infinitely when we share them with others.
‘Moonwalkers’ by Mark Greenwood and Terry Denton
A hop, skip and one giant leap forward around 13.8 billion years and we find ourselves in a sheep paddock in Parkes, New South Wales. It’s 1969, and Billy, like everyone else on Earth at that time, is gazing skywards, captivated by the impending Moon landing. In the shadow of The Dish, Billy and his siblings read books about space, make models of Apollo 11 and role-play being astronauts until well past their bedtime, and as they slip ‘softly, silently, safely into astronaut dreams’, up on the Moon, the Eagle has landed…
‘Moonwalkers’, by Aussie author and illustrator duo Mark Greenwood and Terry Denton, takes a uniquely Australian look at this monumental moment in the history of our planet and celebrates Australia’s crucial but oft-overlooked role in it. Bursting with fun illustrations and relatable characters, this book also boasts an abundance of fiction and non-fiction text features – such as speech bubbles, fun facts, labelled illustrations and even a step-by-step procedural graphic at the end of the book detailing the stages of the Moon landing – making it an astronomically good example of a multimodal text that students will adore.
‘Field Trip to the Moon’ by John Hare
Next up, we take another giant leap, but this time it’s a leap of the imagination in ‘Field Trip to the Moon’ by illustrator John Hare. This gorgeously illustrated wordless picture book follows a futuristic class excursion to the Moon – a concept that will no doubt delight your students! As is often the case with excursions, however, things don’t quite go to plan, and when one student is accidentally left behind on the Moon, they soon find themselves having a close encounter with some curious locals.
The inimitable beauty of wordless picture books is that they are universally accessible regardless of reading or language level, as well as being entirely open to interpretation, a wonderfully liberating experience for students of all ages. Students can really engage their imaginations to conjure up what is happening in each scene, what the characters might be thinking or feeling, seeing, smelling and hearing. A follow-up activity that allows students to write their own text or dialogue to accompany the illustrations is sure to yield a whole spectrum of creative interpretations of this heart-warming story that ultimately shows us that, in this world and any other, there is far more that unites us than divides us.
‘Curiosity: The Story of a Mars Rover’ by Markus Motum
We’re back in the realms of reality now, although this incredible true story of the Curiosity rover may seem like the stuff of science fiction. ‘Curiosity: The Story of a Mars Rover’ by Markus Motum is told from the perspective of the rover itself, providing a brilliantly original and endearing voice to narrate this chapter in the history of space exploration.
‘Thanks to the curiosity of explorers, Neil Armstrong’s footprints are on the Moon. And now, my tyre tracks are being left on another planet. Perhaps one day soon, footprints from the next generation of explorers will join mine.’
In telling this fact-filled story as a first-person account through the eyes of Curiosity, the details of the rover’s creation and function and the realities of its day-to-day life on Mars are conveyed with a warmth that is rarely found in fact-driven texts. Not only will students immediately connect with Curiosity on a personal level, they will also be able to make a text-to-real-world connection with the Perseverance rover, which landed on Mars in February of this year. All being well, Perseverance and Curiosity will continue to beam extraordinary images and clues to the secrets of the universe back to Earth for a while yet, so our fascination with the Red Planet isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.
‘Give Me Some Space!’ by Philip Bunting
‘Give Me Some Space!’ by Aussie author and illustrator Philip Bunting follows astronaut-in-waiting, Una, as she embarks upon her mission into the Milky Way to find life in space, only to realise that what she’s been looking for might have been a little closer to home all along. It’s a fun-filled adventure that is sure to inspire the next generation of space explorers, but don’t just take my word for it…
In case you hadn’t heard (where have you been?), ‘Give Me Some Space!’ has been selected for this year’s National Simultaneous Storytime, and on May 19th will be read by astronaut Dr Shannon Walker from the International Space Station. That’s right, this year’s National Simultaneous Storytime will be coming to you live from space. Space.
Join Dr Walker for a truly unforgettable National Simultaneous Storytime by registering for free here: https://membership.alia.org.au/events/event/nss2021
And now, as I deploy the landing gear and we make our final descent, I would like to thank you for joining me on this journey through the ‘Storytime in Space’ book pack. Next time, we will be delving into a beautiful collection of picture books that reflect on the pandemic and the lived experience of lockdown with the empathy, sensitivity and lightness of touch that picture books capture so exquisitely.
But for now, I’m going to parachute out of here and get back to sniffing out exciting new books to bedeck your bookshelves and bedazzle your little bookworms.
Over and out.
About the Author
Emily Bruce is the Managing Editor at Modern Teaching Aids (although she prefers the term Grammar-Wrangler-in-Chief). She has worked in children’s publishing in the UK and Australia for over seven years and is passionate about finding the spark that ignites a lifelong love of literacy in the next generation of storytellers.
LEGO® Education has developed a comprehensive range of STEAM products that encourage students of all ages to design and create. Their latest product, BricQ Motion, is designed for students at primary and lower secondary school year levels. This wonderful kit provides hands-on STEAM learning experiences for students to explore forces and motion and their interactions.
There are two different kits in the LEGO Education BricQ Motion range:
Both of these kits provide students with templates/lessons that support the learning of STEAM concepts without the need for a device in hand. The kits are colour-coded, making it so much easier for students to locate the various LEGO pieces than ever before.
LEGO Education BricQ Motion Essential Kit
The BricQ Motion Essential Kit is a hands-on STEAM solution for early years students. This kit allows students to explore physical science and experiment and create to bring it to life. The science concepts that this set covers include:
Set includes:
LEGO Education BricQ Motion Prime Kit
The BricQ Morion Prime Kit challenges students in Year 5-8 to apply scientific inquiry skills while inspiring them to deepen their understanding of forces, motion and energy.
Science concepts that this set covers include:
Set includes:
To support teachers to get the most from these kits along with all other LEGO products, teachers can find detailed lesson plans on the LEGO Education website that include video tutorials and templates as well as additional challenges for students to explore, all linked to the curriculum. https://education.lego.com/
There are currently two curriculum units available for the BricQ Motions kits on the LEGO Education website that are designed for teachers to follow to support students in developing key curriculum learning outcomes.
Each curriculum unit contains:
Curriculum Unit: Train to Win (Years F – 2)
The ‘Train to Win’ curriculum unit explores the concepts of forces and motion. Students explore a range of investigations about the cause and effect of push and pull forces.
Curriculum Unit: Winning with Science (Year 3-6)
The ‘Winning with Science’ curriculum unit explores the concepts of forces and motions with a focus on the effects of balanced and unbalanced forces. Students investigate the patterns within an object’s motions and begin to predict and determine its future motion.
Lesson Ideas:
Whenever I introduce a new resource into the classroom, I believe it is important to allow students time to explore and engage with the resource to gather an understanding of what it can achieve.
The great thing about the LEGO Education kits is that the possibilities are truly endless. Teachers can choose to follow the lesson guides provided or allow students the opportunity to create their own masterpieces to suit their learning experience.
When introducing the LEGO Education BricQ Motion set, I had students work in pairs to recreate one of the creations within the lesson guides. When students completed their design, they each shared their creations with another group. Once students have the understanding of how the BricQ set works and the various elements provided within the kit, I can confidently provide students with challenges aligned to our units of work, where they can use the lesson guides as a starting point and then adapt and change where needed to design their own creation.
Below are some lesson ideas to engage your students with the LEGO Education BricQ Motion sets.
LEGO Education Mini Olympics
With the Olympics planned to go ahead this year, students can recreate many of the events using BricQ Motion. Students can explore and create the different science concepts whilst having fun and competing in various Olympic events. Teachers can connect learning to not only the science curriculum but also the mathematics curriculum by creating tallies and totals of the results for each event.
Events to include in your mini Olympics:
Rally Racing:
*Refer to the Gravity Car Derby lesson on the LEGO Education website as a guide for students to use and adapt.
Sailing Cars
*Refer to the Sailing Car lesson on the LEGO Education website.
ShotPut Throw:
* Refer to the Free Throw Catapult lesson on the LEGO Education website
Various Challenges:
The LEGO Education BricQ Motion kits provide many open-ended challenges for students to complete. These can be connected to the units of work you cover throughout the year.
Here are some challenges you might want to try with your students:
How will you use LEGO® Education BricQ Motion in your classroom? We’d love to hear from you!
About the author
Eleni Kyritsis is an award-winning Year 3 teacher and Leader of Curriculum and innovation from Melbourne, Australia. Eleni facilitates professional learning workshops around the world that focus on unleashing creativity and curiosity in classrooms. You can contact her at elenikyritis.com and @misskyritsis
Visual art lessons have progressed over time, and art educators have pushed beyond the humble papier-mâché pig and into the realm of endless possibilities. A mixture of new mediums and technologies paired with classic favourites, a well-rounded art program can provide students with the necessary skills and tools, to not only become well-developed artists, but also critical thinkers with strong visual literacy capabilities.
There are many contemporary artists that explore the idea of light and sound as art elements and engage their audience with auditory moments and light sequences. For an artist like Haroon Mirza, electricity has become his medium of choice. I was lucky enough to experience his exhibition at ACCA Melbourne and I was particularly fascinated by the installation hanging from the ceiling which, to me, mimicked a modern-day chandelier. I stood and watched the light sequences for quite some time, and it made me think about the idea of electricity as an art medium and how I could implement it further into my primary art program.
Embroidery Characters with Copper Tape Circuits
I initially began the investigation into this concept by exploring the use of copper tape circuits. The unit they were implemented into was one that explored characters using a variety of different provocations for idea development. The students developed many character designs using shapes, pavement cracks and ink blobs to decide on a design they would pursue further.
Their drawing was then transferred to fabric and they were placed in an embroidery hoop so that threads could be added to the final composition. The students were then shown how to create a parallel circuit using copper tape with the shape of this circuit being determined by the LED light placement in their design.
They learnt how to construct a chibitronics paper battery holder for a coin cell battery that would power their circuit and they adhered chibitronic LED light stickers. When applying the stickers, the students learnt about the importance of the positive and negative sides as they related to their battery and were able to problem-solve when a sticker didn’t work or wasn’t shining brightly. The delight on each student’s face when the circuit was then placed behind their fabric was priceless.
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Google Earth Inspired Maps with a Copper Tape Circuit
Seeing the great learning moments that were taking place when adding electricity as another art element, I implemented this notion into another unit where the circuit was viewed as more than just light. The students explored maps as not only a record of a place but also as an individual’s journey. This included places of importance to the student and it also enabled them to delve into typographical maps and cartography as provocations.
The students began by exploring places on Google Earth and they used either oil or dry pastels to represent them on cartridge paper. This process enabled each young artist to identify colour and shapes where they could enlarge elements of the map on their iPads with ease.
An acetate overlay was added to the artwork to represent the topographical component of a map. The acetate enabled the colour map underneath to be seen clearly whilst building patterns and layers to the artwork.
The final element added was the circuit. These were intended to represent the idea of a pathway or journey. These copper tape circuits were more complex than the characters as the artworks were larger, more angles and turns were made, and more lights were used. We soon realised that the connections needed to be firmly stuck together for each light on the circuit to shine brightly. A wonderful moment for them to problem-solve. The students really enjoyed adding the LED light component to their artwork, as it enabled them to represent the idea of mapping and journeys on their work whilst giving them the opportunity to learn about the mechanics of a circuit.
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Soft Sculpture Characters with E-Textiles Circuits
After exploring copper tape circuits, I wanted to find another way to add light to artworks that could be more organic in its shape rather than being determined by the copper tapes form. This is what led me to e-textiles.
Again in a unit based around characters, the students followed the same brainstorming and designing process, but this time created their characters out of felt. They then needed to determine where their lights would go and were shown how to create parallel circuits with conductive thread that was sewn into the felt. This time, rather than a paper they used a LilyPad battery holder with a switch that was paired with the LilyPad LEDs. They had to make sure that the positive and negative terminals matched for their circuit to be a success.
Students found very creative places to put their lights within their character designs and we had glowing bow ties, sparkling cheeks and shining crowns.
They were also very innovative when determining ways to cover the battery holder with felt flaps and disguising their stitches with 3D paint.
When reflecting on the process of this soft sculpture character, the students identified the LED light circuit as one of the most successful parts of their work. Not only did the process enable them to develop an understanding of circuitry but it also enhanced their sewing skills as well as enabling them to use light as a creative component of their design.
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Kids PVA School Glue – 1 Litre
Conductive Thread – 23m
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I believe I have only just scratched the surface when it comes to electricity as an art medium where I could be inspired further by artist Haroon Mirza. This could include exploring the idea of light sequencing and programming within artworks that could extend the creative possibilities further for students. Giving them greater control over how the light components of their pieces are viewed by their audience and giving them the opportunity to develop their skills with programming as well as circuitry. The possibilities are endless.
About the Author
Olivia is a specialist Visual Art Teacher in an ELC, primary and secondary school setting. She has a broad breadth of experience with inquiry learning and is an IBO qualified educator. Olivia particularly enjoys developing Visual Art units around STEAM which include electronics, technology and science concepts.
Since the development of Sphero 2.0 and more recently SPRK+ and BOLT, Spheros have become one of the most popular tools in schools all around the world to teach students the fundamentals of coding and computational thinking. As these technologies continue to iterate and improve, so do the opportunities to empower our students’ learning experiences with creative lesson design.
Sphero has released a new product in Specdrums. The Specdrums are rings that connect via Bluetooth to the Specdrums MIX or EDU apps, to create and play music, sounds or recorded audio when the rings touch specific colours. The great thing with Specdrums is that the rings can pick up on colours on any material, plastic, paper and even the paint on walls, making their use very versatile in the classroom.
The two apps you can use with Specdrums are;
Specdrums EDU App
The Specdrums EDU app connects via Bluetooth to the Specdrums rings. It allows students to use the pre-programmed sound packs which include instruments, synths, strings, animals and sound effects. Students have the ability to create and record their own sounds. Students then link their sounds to specific colours, and when the Specdrums rings touch that colour the associated sound will play. When students have finalised their Specdrums colour codes they can be shared with others via the apps QR creator feature.
Specdrums MIX App
The Specdrums MIX app uses the Specdrums mat, which comes together with the Specdrums rings when purchased. It allows students to become their own DJ by exploring and creating their own musical remixes. Students have the ability to record their own voice and sounds that can then be played back when the ring touches the specific colours of the mat.
Sphero Specdrums was originally designed with the intention to create and produce music. Along with its use in the music classroom, Specdrums can be integrated and linked to other curriculum areas with creative lesson design. Here are some of my favourite integrated Specdrums lesson ideas;
Music
Students can explore and remix their own music by changing the colours to respond to notes and music scales in both the Specdrums EDU and the MIX apps. Within the EDU app students can click and select different instruments to play including the piano and stringed instruments, linking the notes to various colours which can be customised accordingly.
Boomwhackers Lesson:
Boomwhackers are eight polyethylene coloured percussion tubes perfectly tuned to the C major scale. As students learn about the specific sounds each note makes they can associate these with the various colours of the Boomwhackers. Using the Specdrums ring, students can then replicate these colours with the same scale.
ART
Students can bring their art masterpieces to life by creating sounds or recording explanations that are played when the Sphero Specdrums touches specific parts of their artwork.
Primary & Secondary Colours
When learning about primary and secondary colours, students can create art pieces and programme the Specdrums ring to pick up on colours within their art piece to explain their learning. For example, when the Sphero Specdrums touches a particular colour students can record themselves explaining what happens when that colour is mixed with another.
Feelings/ Emotions
Using a provocation such as the movie ‘Inside Out’ or the picture book ‘Feel A Little: Little Poems About Big Feelings’ by Jenny Palmer, students can learn about the various emotions we experience through coloured characters. Using the Sphero Specdrums, students can explain how they feel by touching the various colours with the Sphero Specdrums to explain their feelings. Students can create a remix of sounds and have other students try to guess what emotion they are trying to portray through the use of colour and sound.
Unit of Inquiry – Melbourne
With creative lesson design there are many ways to integrate the Sphero Specdrums into your units of work.
Connecting to our Year 3 unit looking at the History of Melbourne, students used the Sphero Specdrums together with a Sphero Bolt to create a model of the city of Melbourne. Students researched information about the unique buildings in Melbourne and then used coloured dots to create an interactive model where others could listen to their researched explanation. (Read previous post to read about how the Sphero Bolt was used to move the trams through the city)
Interactive Posters:
Students create posters or brochures all the time to showcase their learning on a range of topics. Using the Sphero Specdrums, students can enhance their completed product by recording themselves read and explain each key informative aspect of their work for others to listen and learn from. Here are two examples of interactive posters;
There are so many ways to use the Sphero Specdrums in the classroom. This new technology has only been available for a very short period of time and is continually being developed and improved to transform teaching and learning in our classrooms.
How have you used the Specdrums in your classroom? We’d love to hear from you!
About the author
Eleni Kyritsis is an award-winning Year 3 teacher and Leader of Curriculum and innovation from Melbourne, Australia. Eleni facilitates professional learning workshops around the world that focus on unleashing creativity and curiosity in classrooms. You can contact her at elenikyritis.com and @misskyritsis
Finding the right Digital Technologies resources for your classroom can be tricky, especially when there are so many to choose from. This blog post is going to put a special spotlight on one resource that may help to support your curriculum and engage your young learners. Let me help you take the guesswork out of selecting a robotic resource to support your early years classroom!
Firstly, let’s think about the curriculum. The Australian Curriculum Achievement Standard for Digital Technologies in the Foundation-Year 2 band states, ‘Students design solutions to simple problems using a sequence of steps and decisions.’ Digging deeper, the Processes and Production Skills Content Descriptors encourage students to ‘Follow, describe and represent a sequence of steps and decisions (algorithms) needed to solve simple problems (ACTDIP004)’.
Directional sequencing is an important step towards more abstract coding and programming that develops in the higher bands of the Digital Technologies curriculum. The concept of directional sequencing can quite easily be coupled with the Mathematics discipline and the Numeracy General Capabilities. Finding meaningful ways to integrate approaches to learning is a key indicator of working smarter, not harder. But how can we make this meaningful and relevant in an everyday classroom?
Introducing Kubo!
Kubo is not only a fantastic support for directional sequencing, but it can also be used to extend basic sequencing skills to include iteration. Plus, he’s super cute. Kubo uses unique technology, puzzle-like TagTiles® and colour activity maps to provide playful access to the Digital Technologies curriculum and engaging activities for students.
In my specialist Digital Technologies lessons, I use a range of digital and unplugged resources to approach the concept of sequencing. Providing a range of activities builds comfortability in the discrete skills and capabilities we intend to pass on to students. Kubo is quickly becoming a crowd-favourite activity!
In particular, the ability to record and play back sequences of code has maintained high engagement in our lessons. The activity shown below illustrates a sample line of code that has been created and recorded by the robot. It’s as simple as building the line of code, placing the ‘record’ TagTiles® at the beginning and end and allowing Kubo to roll over the top to memorise the code. Then, simply move your Kubo onto the mat and discover the successes of the sequence. This activity has flexible differentiation, where students can begin with simple lines of code and then continue to extend as their skillset increases to lengthen the code or to include iterations.
A new rotational activity that I’ve been incorporating with my Year 2 classes is called ‘Kubo Challenges’. This includes students using challenge task cards to sequence their Kubo robots to ‘collect’ various items on the town map or reach various alpha-numeric grid references. Students use their iPads and digital portfolios to take video evidence of them completing each challenge task card. This is increasing student ICT General Capabilities and providing an easy way for myself to flick through the various work samples of a large number of students within a cohort. Additionally, publishing this evidence to a digital portfolio provides students with a platform to reflect and build on previous learning experiences.
Incorporating the alpha-numeric grid referencing is also a great way to add value to the lesson by touching on the Numeracy General Capability. Students can refine their understanding of location and transformation and activate prior knowledge of concepts within the Mathematics curriculum. Click here to download a free copy of the challenge cards I use.
I like to partner students up for these Kubo Challenges to encourage teamwork, peer support and resilience. This is an enjoyable rotation for the students to participate in and, better yet, it’s super simple and resourceful to set up each lesson. After investing in a few ‘training lessons’ for the students to understand the procedures, techniques and expected behaviours, this rotational activity now simply runs itself.
Inside the Kubo product box you will receive a range of TagTiles®, Micro-USB charging cord, easy-to-store coloured activity map and the Kubo robotic device. The Micro-USB attachment makes storage while charging very simple and compact. Kubo also have a YouTube channel with plenty of tutorials for setting up, implementing and extending on coding concepts.
Robotics resources may be difficult for schools to fund and in any sense, the robotics need to be respected by all users. A few rules I have my students practise when using the Kubo are:
Having rules in place for the use of robotics in the classroom will also boost student ownership of the learning experience. Students will develop a respect and appreciation for the resources they are accessing and will show a higher level of focus on the activity in front of them.
Selecting the right robotic device for your classroom can be overwhelming. I recommend checking out the Kubo information and videos available on the MTA website if you’re interested in giving Kubo a go! Finding resources that support meaningful engagement within the field of Digital Technologies is key for the effective implementation of the curriculum. Find what works for your classroom and I challenge you to find further cross-curricular links you can make with the technology you have. I’m confident you’ll find the best way that works for you, allowing you to share the passion you have for your lessons with your students.
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About the Author
Taylor is a Specialist Digital Technologies Teacher in a primary school setting. In her five years of teaching, she has found a passion for integrating a range of technologies into her classroom and strives to share these experiences with those around her. Follow Taylor along in her teaching journey on Instagram @taylorteachestech
I have been using Bee-Bots and Blue-Bots in my classroom for several years to introduce junior primary students to computational thinking and coding. I love how the versatility of these amazing robots enables me to design learning experiences that focus on the digital technologies curriculum and also integrate literacy and mathematical concepts.
I am often asked what the difference is between the Bee-Bot and the Blue-Bot and which robot would be more suitable to purchase. Yes, they are similar, but there are some differences that could help determine which robot is more suitable for your school. Whether you are using the Bee-Bot or the Blue-Bot, both robots support students in developing their understanding of directional language and basic coding algorithms.
Bee-Bot
The Bee-Bot is a yellow bee-shaped robot that can remember a sequence of up to 40 commands. Users can direct it to move forwards and backwards in 15 cm increments, and to turn 90 degrees left and right using the four directional buttons, and has go, pause and delete buttons. After each command is performed, the Bee-Bot beeps and blinks, which allows students to count its movements and follow the sequence of code they developed to ensure its accuracy. This enables students to create simple algorithms while developing their problem-solving skills in a fun learning environment.
Blue-Bot
The Blue-Bot is a clear robot, allowing students to view the hardware within. It is the same size as the Bee-Bot and has the same command buttons, but the difference is the addition of its Bluetooth capability, which allows it to connect to the Blue-Bot app. Using the app, the Blue-Bot has the added functionality to turn 45 degrees and use repeats and loops in the development of code. The Blue-Bot app also works without a Blue-Bot, making it a great resource in itself for schools that don’t have the robot.
When introducing any new technology, I am a big advocate of allowing students the opportunity to play and explore the functionality and possibilities of the device. After this exploration time, a more structured approach of creating activities to engage and challenge students can be undertaken. Here are some ideas on how to introduce the Bee-Bot or Blue-Bot to your students.
Road Maze Tile Kit
The Road Maze Tile Kit provides students with roads, buildings and park puzzle pieces they connect together to create an individual mat for their robot. A total of 27 pieces include many landmarks that can be arranged in any order so students can design their very own little city. Once assembled, students can program their Bee-Bot or Blue-Bot to manoeuvre to each landmark.
Robotics Coding Cards
The Robotics Coding Cards pack includes 60 double-sided directional instruction cards. Each card’s instruction command corresponds with the Bee-Bot and Blue-Bot’s buttons of forwards, backwards, left and right. On the reverse of the cards are more advanced commands of repeats, loops and turning degrees. These cards are a fantastic visual that students can use individually or collaboratively in small groups to structure the sequence of commands they will use to program their robot.
When the program has been entered into the robot and is ready to begin, students can follow both the robot and the coding cards to ensure their program is correct or to find where there may be an error in their program to help them understand what changes may need to be made to achieve success.
Mats – Variety
There are a variety of mats designed for both the Bee-Bot and Blue-Bot that can link student learning across curriculum areas. The Alphabet, Australia, Money, Shapes and many more themed mats are available to support cross-curricular learning as students program their robot to manoeuvre to specific locations on the mat being used.
Example: The Alphabet Mat is a great resource as students can program their robot to manoeuvre across the mat to develop letter recognition, link sounds and create words or names.
Pen Holders
The Pen Holder is a shell that attaches to the Bee-Bot or Blue-Bot that allows students to use the robot as a drawing tool.
This is the perfect addition to the robot as students can program the robot to draw two-dimensional shapes or to trace a route the robot has travelled, giving them immediate feedback of their program.
View video of Blue-Bot in action here
How have you introduced Bee-Bots or Blue-Bots into your classrooms? We’d love the hear from you!
I have previously written posts on how I integrate these robots into literacy and mathematics. Here are 10 ideas that can be used in your classroom.
Five Literacy Bee-Bot Lesson Ideas for the Classroom
https://blog.teaching.com.au/5-literacy-bee-bot-lesson-ideas-for-the-classroom
Five Mathematics Bee-Bot Lesson Ideas for the Classroom
https://blog.teaching.com.au/5-mathematics-bee-bot-lesson-ideas-for-the-classroom
About the author
Eleni Kyritsis is an award-winning Year 3 teacher and Leader of Curriculum and innovation from Melbourne, Australia. Eleni facilitates professional learning workshops around the world that focus on unleashing creativity and curiosity in classrooms. You can contact her at elenikyritis.com and @misskyritsis
‘Open-ended’, ‘sustainable’, ‘creativity’ and ‘infinite possibilities’ are just some of the words that come to mind when we think about loose parts in play. Loose parts are becoming increasingly popular in early childhood settings and it’s not surprising to consider why. Here at Explore & Develop Narraweena, we have looked to the principles of Reggio Emilia to inspire and guide some of our practices. Their use of loose parts provides many wonderful ideas on how to incorporate them into the learning environment and thus our journey into the use of loose parts began.
-Loris Malaguzzi, Founder of the Reggio Emilia Approach
So what exactly are loose parts? Loose parts are objects or materials that have no particular intended purpose or use. They can be used in a multitude of ways and often rely on the imagination of the individual who is using them. They are usually strategically placed in different areas of the learning environment and are often accompanied by a provocation for learning. When engaging with loose parts, children are encouraged to be creative, inventive, resourceful, innovative and imaginative. Loose parts work well for both individual and group experiences and can be explored both indoors and outdoors. It is important to consider the ways in which you store loose parts to ensure that they are inviting, organised and can be easily packed away for the next use.
Our preschool rooms were some of the first to begin exploring loose parts. We began to recognise that there were a range of loose parts that could be incorporated into play spaces that particularly focused on opportunities for creative expression. Items such as shells, corks, buttons, feathers, bottle tops and leaves were placed in small divider boxes near the art area. These small parts were separated to highlight each individual resource and so that children could easily see what was on offer. The potential for creativity was evident as educators observed the children utilising the same parts to create an array of different masterpieces. This supported our philosophy that art should not necessarily have a defined end but instead be open-ended to encourage children to experiment and explore the possibilities of art. We continue to offer art experiences in this way, and over time have refined the process, at times adding provocations that provoke ideas and imagination. To support this, educators will carefully select items that support this provocation.
It is important to note that the way in which loose parts are placed can make a distinct difference to their use. Having carefully selected resources that are placed in divided or separate spaces ensures that they are visually appealing and do not overwhelm children. This can encourage the notion that each resource possesses its own unique properties and promotes a child’s respect for individual resources. They should also all have a space or place where they belong, as loose parts are designed to be assembled and pulled apart. Having a designated space allows these loose parts to be easily packed away, not only by educators, but also by the children, thus empowering them further.
Natural objects became a frequent feature of loose part play. These resources were not only easily accessible and sustainable, they also offered many opportunities in play. Natural loose part resources could be collected on a simple nature walk and then added to small world play, used as a point of investigation, used in art experiences or even incorporated into construction. Beyond creativity, we also then began to see these resources as a wonderful way to explore STEM concepts in play. Exploring sticks, stones, shells, leaves and pine cones encouraged children to think about size, shape, matter, volume and even patterning. This also opened up the opportunity to explore transient or ephemeral art; an art system that encourages resources to be assembled into patterns, designs, symmetry, lines or shapes and then pulled apart to create again. Children could spend time considering their creations and then piecing together a design with similar or opposing attributes. We then began to add these to construction which meant our children who love construction would be more likely to use them.
Reaching a wider audience makes a resource more valuable and something we truly believe in at our service. Loris Malaguzzi suggests that children have a hundred languages in which to explore, create and express themselves; open-ended resources such as these encourage children to do exactly that. Through construction, children could use rocks, shells, coloured stones and more to add depth, balance and imagination to their designs. All the while, these children were also using measurement, balance and one-to-one correspondence to extend and build upon mathematical concepts.
Richard Louv
While the benefits of loose parts indoors became evident for art, then construction and other forms of creativity, the outdoors soon became a place where loose parts could also be incorporated. When looking to add loose parts items to the outdoors we looked to collaborate with our families and bring along carefully selected items for play.
We invited our families and educators to source pipes, tyres, wood and old pots and pans. This again highlighted the sustainable benefit of using old parts which may otherwise end up in landfill. There were many areas of the outdoor space that these could be added to and they became carefully placed around the yard. The sandpit became a hive of activity with pipes and sieves being added. This challenged the children’s thinking and we observed them being used to fill, tip pour and dig.
In other areas of the outdoor space we saw loose parts incorporated into play. Pipes became binoculars, tunnels or robot arms. Pieces of material turned into pirate ship sales, cubby houses, forts and butterfly wings. Pots and pans turned into an entire instrumental band with drums and cymbals, or were added to the mud kitchen for hours of muddy exploration. Loose parts became permanent structures in our outdoor garden as we added old pots and combined pieces of wood to create new garden beds. It was now evident that loose parts were here to stay and they continue to feature in all areas of our learning spaces, used and reused for different experiences.
If you are beginning your journey into loose parts, you will not look back. One word of advice would be to introduce them slowly and carefully. Find a space for each new item before including another and have the children become familiar with using them. Before long, you will realise the endless potential of loose parts and observe the many ways they can be used over and over again to create open-ended, imaginative play spaces.
How do you explore loose parts in your learning environment? We’d love to hear from you!
About the Author:
Mel Ishkhanian has over 15 years experience in the early childhood industry and is currently employed at Explore & Develop Narraweena. She has a bachelor degree in Early Childhood education and engages in frequent professional development in order to keep up to date with current theory and research within the industry. As Educational Leader of the service she applies current research into practice and strives to connect the service to both the local and wider communities. With a passion for treating children as capable and confident beings, she applies theories of play, the 8 ways of Learning Pedagogy and is also influenced by the Reggio Emilia principles. Check out regular social posts by Mel @explore&developnarraweena.
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The way we engage our students and support their learning continues to evolve as we move further into the 21st century. There are now many technological tools, resources and applications that can enhance our students’ learning when used to redefine their learning experiences.
The Sphero robot is one such tool that has positively enhanced students’ learning. The amazingly versatile Sphero robot will engage and empower your students with hands-on learning. A tennis ball-sized robot connected via Bluetooth to a mobile device, the Sphero can be used to transform teaching and learning across various curriculum areas. In this blog post, we will look at the range of Sphero products on the market and their varying capabilities and prices.
Sphero SPRK+
The Sphero SPRK+ can roll at a speed of up to 7km/h in any direction. It can also spin, flip and change colour. Using a range of apps, students can code the Sphero to direct its movement.
Sphero BOLT
The Sphero BOLT is the latest product in the Sphero range and includes all the features of the SPRK+ along with the addition of a striking LED matrix and advanced sensors to track speed, acceleration and directions. The Sphero BOLT also features infrared communication, allowing it to “talk” to other BOLTs.
Creatively designed lessons incorporating Spheros can develop many of the skills we want for our learners. Students will be designing and creating code to direct the Sphero while collaborating, problem-solving, testing and thinking critically and creatively, all fundamental characteristics of 21st-century learners.
Lesson Ideas:
Sphero Mini Golf
Students develop their coding skills by creating and playing a game of Sphero Mini Golf.
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Angles and Shapes
Students apply their knowledge and understanding of shapes and angles by creating them with the Sphero.
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Chariots
Students create chariots using various art and craft materials to dress the Sphero.
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Sphero Swimming
As the Sphero robot is waterproof, you can design lessons that incorporate water.
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Sphero Art
Using water-based paint, the Sphero can be dipped into any colour to then create a masterpiece.
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Integrated Learning
With creative lesson design, there are many ways to integrate the Sphero in your units of work.
Connecting to our Year 3 unit looking at the history of Melbourne, the Sphero was used to integrate these curriculum areas;
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Each of these activities demonstrates the versatility of using Spheros in your classroom and how they can be used creatively to support student learning. The hands-on learning experiences reinforce learned concepts while developing the key 21st-century skills of communication, problem-solving, creativity and critical thinking. There really are limitless possibilities of how Sphero can be integrated into student learning.
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How have you used Sphero in your classroom?
About the author
Eleni Kyritsis is an award-winning Year 3 teacher and Leader of Curriculum and innovation from Melbourne, Australia. Eleni facilitates professional learning workshops around the world that focus on unleashing creativity and curiosity in classrooms. You can contact her at elenikyritis.com and @misskyritsis
Most young children are very interested in their name and it is incredibly personal to them. Often, a child’s name is the first word they learn how to read and write, which leads to further interest in reading and writing activities. When a child starts kindergarten or in the lead up to school, this is a great time to start fostering an interest in name recognition. This often helps children settle into their learning environment as they feel more confident being able to recognise their named belongings amongst their peers. In a school setting, there are lots of times where a child will need to recognise their named belongings, for example, when trying to find their school hat or bag. At the beginning of Prep (or first year of school equivalent), there will be a big focus on name recognition and writing, which will help support students with this learning.
Whether your little one is becoming interested in their name or if you’re a teacher looking for some ideas on how to support your students, the following blog will share many ideas and activities that will develop children’s ability to recognise, write and spell their name.
Sign In Area
This ‘sign in area’ was a set-up I had in my kindergarten classroom a few years ago where children could practise writing their names each morning when they came to kindy. Not only was this developing children’s ability to write their name, it also fostered a sense of belonging in the classroom and formed part of the morning routine. Children also developed their name recognition skills as they had to find their own name card in the class pile.
Playdough Stamping
Many early childhood teachers would argue that there is no better resource than playdough. It is such a fabulous manipulative that can help develop fine motor skills and it can be used in so many different ways. In my classroom, we love using our Alphabet Dough Stampers to stamp out our names, which builds children’s confidence in recognising and spelling their names.
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Alphabet Dough Stampers
Sensory Tray Sand Writing
Sensory writing trays are a great way for children to explore writing and drawing, without the stress of holding a pencil. There are many materials you can put in a sensory writing tray, such as sand, salt or even coloured rice. At the beginning of the year, I usually set up sensory trays containing sand during our daily English rotations where students can have the opportunity to practise writing their names.
Can You Spell Your Name?
This is one of my students’ absolute favourite name activities! They love using the diggers and dump trucks to find and transport the alphabet rocks they need to make their names.
It’s a super fun and engaging activity that encourages students to recognise and find the letters in their name and then assemble the alphabet rocks in the correct order.
Threading With Letter Beads
I use beads in my Prep classroom a lot as it gives students the opportunity to develop their fine motor skills, as well as whatever additional skill we are practising at the time. My students often use these Chunky Alphabet Beads to spell their names and they’re perfect for this task because they come in uppercase and lowercase letters, so children can practise spelling their names the proper way with a capital letter at the beginning, followed by lowercase letters.
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Chunky Alphabet Beads
Peg It!
I’m all about the fine motor skill activities, can you tell?! Pegs are a great manipulative to help with the development of fine motor skills. Making these alphabet pegs was super simple and I use them in my classroom for a range of activities. One of the ways they are used is for name activities at the beginning of the year. I love this activity because students build their confidence with recognising and spelling their names, all while building their fine motor skills!
Nature Names
This is a fun name activity that can be done outdoors and is an opportunity for children to engage with nature. It’s as simple as it looks – children can find and collect leaves and then stamp their name onto the leaf. Much more engaging than stamping onto plain paper!
Fine Motor Name Craft
Yep, you guessed it, another fine motor focused activity! A lot of the name activities I am suggesting in this blog have a fine motor aspect to them because of my experiences as a Prep teacher. At the beginning of the school year there is a huge focus on name activities as well as developing fine motor skills, so being able to integrate them together is ideal when there is only so much time during the day! This name craft activity is great for developing both of these skills and they are perfect for brightening up the classroom at the beginning of the year!
Make It and Write It!
This is another favourite activity of mine that is usually implemented during our daily English rotations at the beginning of the year. Students can use the magnetic letters to make their name and then write it underneath on the whiteboard. I love that these magnetic letters differentiate the vowels and consonants by colour and children can easily recognise the different types of letters in their name.
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Teachables Magnetic Whiteboard and Letters Set
Rainbow Names
A few years ago, my class made these rainbow name crafts and I loved them so much that we proudly hung them in our room for the entire year! This was a great activity for my students to practise writing their names, with the focus being on starting with a capital letter followed by lowercase letters, as well as forming their letters correctly. Plus, anything rainbow is just awesome, right?!
What is your favourite Name Activity for Early Learners?
We would love to hear from you!
Featured Products:
Teachables Magnetic Whiteboard and Letters Set
ABOUT HEIDI:
Heidi Overbye from Learning Through Play is a Brisbane based, Early Years Teacher who currently teaches Prep, the first year of formal schooling in Queensland. Heidi is an advocate for play-based, hands-on learning experiences and creating stimulating and creative learning spaces. Heidi shares what happens in her classroom daily on her Instagram page, Learning Through Play. See @learning.through.play for a huge range of activities.
