Platform

• Bee-Bot

• Blue-Bot

  • App Store

  • Google Play

Digital Technologies Progress Outcomes

[CTDT] = PO1

• Understanding that Bee/Blue-Bots follow sequenced instructions with inputs that produce outputs

• Writing a simple algorithm to navigate from one point to another

• Testing a program to identify and resolve errors (debugging)

[DDDO] = PO1

• Using digital tools to produce a purposeful outcome

• Recognising the impact of deliberate choices on a result

Cross-Curricular Links

• Social Sciences / Aotearoa NZ Histories

  Supporting cultural significance of Matariki

• Maths & Stats

  Spatial reasoning, directional language, and navigating a grid

• The Arts

  Designing and creating a visual representations of Matariki

Year Levels

• Y1-2 (Directed, with guided contributions and observing outcomes as a shared class experience)

• Y3-4 (Guided, with supported programming and prompted debugging)

• Y5+ (Independent)

Duration

• 1 lesson

Resources

• Activity Guide

• Matariki Star Printables (AHO)

• Matariki Poster (Adapted from Playcentre)

• Matariki Star Icons (Adapted from Playcentre)

• Matariki (Science Learning Hub)

Differentiation

Use the awesome, free printables from AHO Creative, or let students create their own designs for each of the whetū of Matariki.

Make it more of a game, where students have to race to each star and match their destination with the knowledge and connections significant for each one.

Extension

Break into groups and assign whetū for them to do more extensive research/reporting on, in order to present to the class when the bot reaches their star.

Relate certain knowledge or real-world scenarios, and challenge ākonga to write a program that navigates their bot directly to the most relevant whetū.

About Activity

This activity invites ākonga to get to know the nine stars of the Matariki cluster by touring their ‘night sky’ using Blue/Bee-Bots to navigate the stars on a grid using basic programming.

Connect the activity with the seasonal celebration of Matariki, to expand students’ understanding of the stars, the culture, and the lunar new year. Support your tamariki to relate to the knowledge held in each of the nine stars and to the reflections on the year past and the year ahead. Mānawatia a Matariki!

Activity Guide

Matariki Stars — Free Printables, by AHO

Matariki & Puanga — Poster and Printables, adapted from Playcentre