Growingfor theFuture

Key Stage 1September

www.ccea.org.uk/growing 1

Areas of Learning• The World Around Us• Mathematics and Numeracy• The Arts• Personal Development and

Mutual Understanding

Learning IntentionsWe are learning:• to follow and give instructions for

moving a computer-controlled device along a straight line and around right-angled corners;

• how to use simple grid references to identify a square;

• about the importance of instructions;

• to measure and design a Bee-Bot activity mat;

• to think like engineers when developing a model robot;

• to use a variety of construction materials to create an inventive 3D object;

• to demonstrate observation skills when using time-lapse video to record the growth of cress seeds;

• to recognise and value the ways to maintain a healthy lifestyle, including the benefits of healthy eating;

• that we need to eat more of some foods than others, as depicted in the Eatwell Guide; and

• to develop practical food skills to prepare a healthy sandwich.

Throughout the activities links to the curriculum skills have been signposted.

Thinking, Problem-Solving,

and Decision-Making

Get Inspired!Programming Robots for a Garden Mat Explain that robots are used every day in the world around us. In the food industry alone, robots are used for a range of jobs, including planting, fertilising, harvesting and packing crops. Robots need to be programmed to carry out their jobs. To be successful, the programming needs to be a specific sequence of instructions known as algorithms. Show the children the short video on YouTube about the FarmBot and discuss how robots can be beneficial.

Play the video on YouTube showing a teacher acting as a robot making a jam sandwich. Talk about the importance of giving clear instructions. Allow time for some role play to practise giving instructions, for example ask the children to explore, in pairs, the specific steps they use to brush their teeth or put on their shoes.

Bee-Bot needs a special garden to move around safely. Divide the children into groups to design a garden activity mat for Bee-Bot. Encourage them to include things that are in their garden at school or that they would like to have in their garden, for example a wildflower area, a compost heap, peas and beans, a scarecrow, herbs etc.

Key Using ICT Using Maths Communication

Growingfor theFuture

Key Stage 1September

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Create a Garden Bee-Bot Mat

What you need:

• Construction paper

• Metre sticks and/or rulers

• Pencils

• Colouring pencils or coloured markers

Instructions

1. As Bee-Bot needs a flat surface to move around on, choose suitable construction paper to draw on.

2. Measure out 60 cm × 60 cm Bee-Bot activity mats (see Resource A)

3. Divide the activity mats into 4 × 4 grids of 16 squares.

4. Draw features on each activity mat and record the grid references for them.

5. Ensure each square measures 15 cm × 15 cm, as Bee-Bot moves in 15 cm increments.

Thinking, Problem-Solving,

and Decision-Making

Demonstrate how to use the buttons to program a sequence of instructions that move Bee-Bot. Advise the children that Bee-Bot takes 15 cm steps and makes right angle turns – ideal for moving to different squares on their garden activity mats.

Ask the children to:

1. Choose a starting point (A) for Bee-Bot in their garden.

2. Decide the endpoint (B) Bee-Bot should move to.

3. Agree the sequence of movements Bee-Bot must make to get from A to B.

Give the children pencils and paper to record their algorithm by drawing arrows. Encourage them to pair up and test out their algorithms by walking through the movements together before programming Bee-Bot.

Ask the children to:

1. Use Bee-Bot’s buttons to program in the instructions.

2. Test whether the algorithm brings Bee-Bot to the chosen destination.

3. Correct any algorithm problems to help Bee-Bot get to the right place.

Growingfor theFuture

Key Stage 1September

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Explain to the children that when they press the green ‘Go’ button, no one should interrupt Bee-Bot’s progress until the robot stops. Supervise the children and assist them with any algorithm or programming issues they encounter.

Explain that, if a group programs a successful algorithm, they should press the ‘Clear’ button. They should then choose new start points and endpoints to let Bee-Bot explore another destination in their garden.

Note: If a floor robot is unavailable, download a free trial of the Focus on Bee-Bot software available at www.focuseducational.com. The children can then work on screen or on the whiteboard to create their activity mats.

Thinking, Problem-Solving,

and Decision-Making

Growingfor theFuture

Key Stage 1September

www.ccea.org.uk/growing 4

Being Creative

Get Growing!Growing CressHelp the children to grow cress while developing engineering habits of mind by setting up creator spaces for groups of children. Provide a variety of containers such as disposable cups, egg cartons and yogurt pots and then a collection of items such as:

• Washers

• Bolts

• Magnets

• Elastic bands

• Pipe cleaners

• Spools

• Broken electrical items that can be taken apart and reused.

Allow time for the children to tinker with the bits and pieces to create their own robot. Encourage them to think about the job the robot will have and to consider how their design allows the robot to carry out that function.

Explain to the children that, once they have designed their robot, they should add damp crumpled kitchen paper into their container, place damp cotton wool on top, sprinkle cress seeds over the cotton wool and press them down. Ask the children to leave the robots in the windowsill and watch the ‘hair’ grow.

To observe how the cress seeds sprout over seven days, make a time-lapse video to capture their growth. Show the children how to set up and use an iPad with the iMotion app installed. For best results, ask them to find a place where the iPad can remain undisturbed for the period of capture.

To begin the capture:

• Create and name a new movie.

• Set the time-lapse to capture at your preferred interval – for example every hour.

• Click on the ‘start’ button.

• Frame your image and click on the ‘start’ button again.

• If preferred, you can ‘pause’ capture at night and ‘resume’ by day.

• Monitor progress in the app and ensure the iPad battery remains charged.

At the end of the period of capture, view your movie at 12 frames per second (fps) or 24 fps. Choose the frame rate that works best for your footage and export your movie.

If you have a second iOS device, you can use iMotion Remote to allow the children to trigger the iMotion capture.

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Key Stage 1September

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ManagingInformation

Get Cooking!Healthy SandwichBegin by displaying the Eatwell Guide (see www.foodafactoflife.org.uk). Talk about how it helps us to make healthier choices when deciding what to eat and preparing food. Explain that planning ingredients in advance is a good way to ensure we make balanced, healthy choices. Explore the food groups – ask the children to compare their sizes and spot sandwich-making ingredients. Explain that the Eatwell Guide recommends eating five portions of fruit and vegetables per day. Explain to the children that they will choose:

• one or two fillings from fruit or vegetables; and • one filling from protein or dairy and alternatives.

To begin, discuss possible sandwich fillings, for example various combinations from the following:

Fruit Vegetables Dairy or Proteinapple

bananagrape

pineapple

carrotlettucetomato

cucumber

tunaham

hard cheese or cream cheese

chicken

Provide different types of bread and various fillings and display the sandwich-making instructions for the children. Allow them to work in pairs to decide on a sandwich and to prepare it.

Growingfor theFuture

Key Stage 1September

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Healthy SandwichMethod

1. Select a type of bread to make your sandwich with.

2. Lay two slices of bread on the chopping board.

3. Butter one side of each slice.

4. Put the dairy or protein filling on top of one buttered slice of bread.

5. Top with two fruit or vegetable fillings.

6. Drizzle with a spoonful of low fat dressing.

7. Place the second slice of bread on top, butter side down.

8. Cut the sandwich in half and serve on a plate.

Ingredients (serves one)

• Bread• Butter• Sandwich fillings (fruit, vegetables,

dairy and protein)• 1 tablespoon low fat dressing

ManagingInformation

Why not trying making your sandwiches look more appealing?

• Use cookie cutters to create various shaped sandwiches. or

• Flatten a slice of bread using a rolling pin before spreading the chosen filling on it. Then roll it up into a sausage shape. Wrap this in cling film and refrigerate it for about 30 minutes before slicing into one inch rounds, making eye-catching pinwheel sandwiches.

When everyone is ready, sit down and enjoy the sandwiches with some water to drink.

Ask if the children can think of a special name for their sandwich, with some of the ingredients included in the name. Brainstorm ideas like ‘Super Ham Salad Sandwich,’ ‘Delicious Cheese and Pineapple Delight’ or ‘Scrumptious Tuna and Sweetcorn Salad’. While sharing names, ask the children to:

• recap their fillings;• explain the choices they made; • describe how their sandwich tasted; and • consider what they might change, improve or keep the same.

Interesting Fact

The sandwich became a popular food thanks to John Montagu, the 4th Earl of Sandwich.

Extension Exercise Sandwich Budgeting and Mini Enterprise

Ask the children to use ICT to research supermarket websites and price the ingredients used in preparing their sandwiches. Ask them to calculate the cost of making sandwiches with different ingredients. Allow them to set up a mini enterprise and make sandwiches for sale.

Growingfor theFuture

Key Stage 1September

www.ccea.org.uk/growing 7

Resource A

Garden Activity Mat Outline

1

A B C D

2

4

3

60 cm

15 cm