Grade Level: First Grade

Content Area Technology 

Standard:

2. Order events into a logical sequence or algorithm  

23. Identify and describe the main story elements in a literary text. a. Describe the characters and settings, using illustrations and textual evidence from a story. b. Retell the plot or sequence of major events in chronological order. 

Objective: Students will understand that stories have a clear beginning, middle, and end, and that a sequence of events shows them in the correct order. They will understand the key elements of a fairy tale, including characters, setting, and major events, as well as how Bee-Bot robots follow programmed commands. Students will be able to identify the characters, setting, and important events of a familiar fairy tale, retell the story in the correct sequence, arrange story-event cards in order, program a Bee-Bot to travel to each event square, and collaborate respectfully with classmates while completing the activity.

Directions:  Students will listen to the fairy tale read aloud and discuss the characters, setting, and major events. They will arrange story-event cards in the correct sequence and record the order on their sequence sheet. Working in small groups, students will program the Bee-Bot using directional commands to navigate through each story event in sequence. They will test their route, debug any mistakes, and then demonstrate their Bee-Bot's retelling path to the class. Finally, students will share what they learned about sequencing and how their programming matched the story. 

Guidelines: Students will receive instructional support through several tools and strategies. A vocabulary anchor chart will outline key terms such as sequence, beginning/middle/end, characters, setting, and events. Story-event cards with pictures and words will support early readers, while recording sheets will help students organize events before programming. The Bee-Bot mat will visually connect each event to a grid location. The teacher will model how to retell and sequence a story, using guiding questions to scaffold understanding. Peer partners or adult helpers will support learners who need additional help, and sentence stems such as "First… Then… Last…" will aid in both oral and written retelling. Throughout the activity, the teacher will prompt students to debug their Bee-Bot commands and think critically about how to adjust their sequence.