Bee-Bots roll into Clinton classes
Tracy Burton, technology instructor at Clinton Elementary School, says the BeeBots purchased by Oak Ridge Associated Universities will help students build foundational STEM skills through play-based learning. (photo:Submitted )
They came thanks to a donation from Oak Ridge Associated Universities. Tracy Burton, technology instructor at Clinton Elementary School, said the Bee-Bots will help students build foundational science, technology, engineering and mathematics skills through play-based learning. They’re small robots, resembling cartoon bees that students can program
Burton said she received the Bee-Bots over the summer and some of her older coding students had already been using them.
She plans to use them throughout the school’s kindergarten through sixth grade Technology/Makerspace program. Students will begin with basic coding commands in kindergarten, and the challenges will become more complex as they move through the grades.
“The Bee-Bots give our younger students a fun, hands-on introduction to coding, sequencing, problem-solving, and critical thinking,” Burton said. “Students can actually see their commands come to life, which makes coding more understandable and engaging.”
This year, ORAU awarded more than $24,000 in classroom grants to nine local educators in East Tennessee, funding hands-on projects that bring science, technology, engineering and math learning to life for students of all ages. Burton was just one of the nine.
Grant recipients were selected through a competitive proposal process open to teachers in Anderson, Campbell, Morgan, Roane and Scott counties, ORAU stated.
Other recipients in Anderson County were:
• Angela Whitley, Clinton Middle School: ChompSaws and robots.
• Skylar Mozingo, Briceville Elementary School: ChompSaws and cardboard kits.
• Courtney Bass, Norwood Elementary School: Strawbees engineering tools.
• Lisa Buckner, Linden Elementary School: iPads.
• Ramona Owen, Norwood Elementary School: Strawbees engineering tools and robots.
• Traci Roca, Linden Elementary School: sets of STEM books.
Other recipients outside the county included:
• Darcy Soard, Rockwood High School: 3D printers for the career and technical education BioSTEM program.
• Aaron Vaughn, LaFollette Elementary School: heart rate monitors for physical education.
