In this Free Resource Friday blog post, we take you and your students on an adventure at the zoo where code makes every creature come alive!
With Dash by their side, your students will explore animal science, language arts, and block-based programming all in one wild adventure.
From researching animal behaviors for a Robot Petting Zoo to charting an A-to-Z safari that Dash can navigate, these free Make Wonder lessons turn your classroom floor into a cross-curricular playground.
The post comes complete with ready-to-print PDFs, craft ideas, and a dash of STEM magic.
Ready to unleash some wonder? Sign up for the free tier of Make Wonder, grab the lesson plans, and let Dash lead the way through your very own alphabet zoo.
Did you know that the free version of the Make Wonder platform features a cross-curricular lesson library with dozens of lessons that span grades K-8? These lessons tackle topics across the curriculum while also bolstering coding skills.
In this lesson, Robot Petting Zoo, students resarch animal behaviors and then program Dash to imitate those behaviors. Below are two sample downloadable PDF’s included in the lesson plan.
You’ll need to be logged into Make Wonder to load the lesson plan, but the free tier is free, so sign up today!
In this lesson, students will program Dash the Zookeeper to take visitors through the ABC Animal Zoo in alphabetical order. (Note: Since this lesson is aimed at very young students whose attention spans are short, it’s recommended that you complete this project over a series of days, as indicated in the full plan.)
In the lesson, students will fill in an Alphabet Grid using their Alphabet Zoo Trail Planners. Each group has a different part of the alphabet. After the class tapes all of the Alphabet Grids together, you’ll have an Alphabet Zoo Trail for Dash to follow through our zoo.
In groups, students will create animals to match each letter in the alphabet. They will use craft materials to create the animal and/or they will describe features of the animal within the square.
They could also dress up Dash to resemble one of their chosen animals!
You could also create an animal race like Hilltop Country Day School in Sparta Township, NJ did!
Instructions for Building the Elephant Hat
Ever wondered how we built that elephant hat for Dash? From the deep, cold storage archives, we bring you the full instructions!
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