Young children should be able to tell the location and the direction with the help of coordinate geometry and other representational systems. It can be done in numerous ways but the most effective one is to be done with a map (Clement & Sarama, 2000). According to them, most children can also learn from maps. For example, preschoolers and kindergartners can learn a route through a large playhouse more quickly if they examine a map beforehand. Location is another important mathematical idea. Children might arrange cutout shapes of a tree, swing set, to make a simple map of the playground.
An activity of direction and location that is applicable and can be done is with the help of a bee bot. A bee bot is a machine that is able to move forward, back, left and right. The button on the bee bot allows the children to program the bee bot’s movement in a particular distance in each direction. The activity focuses on geometrical aspects of direction. Thus, knowing and understanding about direction and location is essential for children to complete this activity.
A Bee Bot
First they have to build their own city with the materials provided for the bee bot to move. Children’s spatial ability is developed as the cardboard being placed flat on the surface acts as the city of the map. The city must cater the bee bot’s movement as to prevent collision from happening.
The city
A video showing how the bee bot moves in a city made by the students.
No comments:
Post a Comment