Announcements

=Announcements=

Karen and Tonya will use this page to make announcements to the entire group. Please check this page frequently for updates and information. To monitor this page and have updates sent to you via email, click on the notify me tab at the top of the page and then click on the monitor this page button.

1/18/08 Bee-Bot Teachers -

We hope your semester and new year are off to a good start.

We have reviewed the status of our Bee-Bot activities in preparation for the publication of our Bee-Bot Activity Book. A summary of where we currently stand can be found on our wiki: http://bee-bot.wikispaces.com /Bee-Bot+Activity+Status

Please complete the missing pieces of your lesson plans and work with other Bee-Bot teachers to classroom test each other's activities. In order to publish, each lesson must be complete and classroom tested. We have to be confident that another teacher can follow your lesson plan and carry out the activity in his/her classroom. Questions and comments generated during the testing phase will help the original author to revise the activity and make it scalable to other classrooms.

When you have had your activity classroom tested by another teacher, please add their name and any comments they might have to your activity page. When you have finished editing your lesson, note that too.

If you have questions, please let us know. We are working with a graphic design student on the layout and art for the book. We're excited to move ahead on our project.

Karen and Tonya

10/18 For those having message about pictures being larger than 1024x1024: resize your pictures to web small for predefined first then follow steps posted under my discussion tab. Carolyn

10/7/07 It’s hard to believe it’s October and there are only 79 days left until Christmas. (I bet that made you all feel better ☺)

You are doing amazing things with Bee-Bots and your students. Most (but not all) of you have two activities posted. If you haven’t designed, tested and posted two activities, please complete those right away. According to our Grant timeline, you and your partner teacher should now be testing each other’s activities and providing feedback in preparation for finalizing them for publication.

Please use the “Discussion” tab on the activities pages to post your feedback. All of us should be able to read the dialogue that takes place as you test, modify, and re-test activities. Feel free to comment on ANY of the activities posted by other teachers, but focus on helping your partner. If you work with a different grade level than your partner (or another teacher), you may need to adapt an activity for the different needs of your students. Don’t forget to include that information under Extensions/Adaptations and your successes/modifications with the activities in your classroom.

Thank you for the photos and handouts you have posted. They are very helpful – and so much fun to look at.

If you have any questions, please post them, or you can write directly to me or Tonya.

Karen

10/3/2007 I am pleased with everyone's sucess. My photos won't attach. Help!!!!!! Carolyn

It sounds like all of you are having fun with Bee-Bots and it seems unanimous that they are very engaging for young (and old) students. As you read the wiki, please post your comments/questions/suggestions to the “discussion” pages. This is especially important as teachers post their Activity drafts. (First drafts of two Activities were due on September 17!) Feedback is important as we edit and revise these activities. Also, watch for and respond to “discussion” items connected to your own wiki pages.
 * 9/24/07**

Don’t forget to upload handouts, instructions, photos, whenever possible.

Several of you have mentioned that you've had requests about where to purchase Bee-Bots. Please refer people to the Terrapin Logo site: [|http://www.terrapinlogo.com] Bill Glass at Terrapin Logo has been very supportive of our project.
 * 9/03/07**

//Karen//

Wow! You’re off to great starts with Bee-Bots in your classrooms. From all reports, the students love them (which, of course, is what we all expected). A couple of reminders:
 * 8/30/07**
 * Be sure to login to the wiki before you add to your journal or make comments. If you don’t login, the entries will come from “guest”.
 * Please date your weekly journal entries. It will be important as we look back to know when during the school year your activities/experiences took place.
 * The first drafts of your classroom activities are due Monday, September 17. You aren’t tied to the ideas you wrote at the August 4 workshop. If you have new/different/better ideas since you’ve used Bee-Bot, feel free to use them.
 * If you can share any pictures of your Bee-Bots and/or your students using Bee-Bots, please upload them to the wiki.

Have a great, long, Labor Day weekend.

//Karen and Tonya//

Thanks to all that responded to our bee-bot shell color survey. It seems that everyone received an uneven assortment of bee-bot shell colors. The Terrapin website says that the shell assortment includes 5 of each of the three colors. **Karen and I think it would be easier to keep the shells that we got instead of trying to ship and exchange.** If there is anyone that wants to exchange, contact us and we'll see what we can do for you. We're hoping that you can think of creative ways to use the white shells and also how to create more lady bugs with only two red shells. =)
 * 8/15/07**

We hope you are all having a good start to your new school year. Classes start tomorrow at WSU and the lab that you all worked in that was an empty shell is now completely set up with new computers, equipment, printers, tables, etc. The tech team worked overtime to get everything set up and ready for students and faculty. It is always exciting and exhausting to get your rooms ready and welcome your new groups of students. **Please don't forget to check in on your wiki page and write a short journal entry** **each week** to keep everyone posted on what you've done or thought about with your Bee-bots. After you've written your journal entry, take a minute to read what everyone else has to share. You might glean a tidbit of information or an idea that will be helpful. Leave comments for your colleagues in the discussion portion of their wiki page. To do this click on the discussion tab at the top of their wiki page.


 * Don't forget to sign into the wiki before making entries or discussions.** You will be able to make entries without signing in but your entries will be tracked as being made by "guest" in the history tab of the wiki. As we write more in the wiki it will be important to know who added or made changes and we'll want to make sure that we're all logged in so that our entries are credited to us. Please let us know if you have any questions or comments. We're here to help!

//Tonya and Karen//

Melanie wrote in her journal a question about the bee-bot shells. Karen and I didn't open the bee-bot shell boxes and check them. Can you all let us know how many of each color you got? We don't know if Melanie has an odd box or if everyone got the same uneven distribution. Thanks, Tonya
 * 8/6/07**

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8/5/07: I have 7 white, 6 green and 2 red shells. Carolyn

8/6/07 I have 7 white, 6 green and 2 red shells also. Diane

8/6/07 Emily and Becky have 7 white, 6 green and 2 red shells.

8/6/07 I have 7 white, 6 green and 2 red shells. When I read the Bee-Bot Accessories sheet it says "Bee-Bot snap-on shells come in packs of 15 and include five each red, green and white shells." Brenda

8/7/07 I have the 7 white, 6 green, and 2 red also. Karen D.

8/7/07 I have 7 white, 6 green and 2 red shells. Kim Ashley