For Years 4 – 8: Combining Digital Technologies with Identity, Place, and Whakapapa
Why Use Sphero BOLT+?
Tamariki love learning that moves, lights up, and connects to who they are.
Coding becomes a creative way to tell stories—through motion, light, sound, and colour. This activity blends purakau, pepeha, and personal haerenga with digital storytelling.
Lesson Idea: "Digital Pathways – Our Stories in Motion"
The big idea: Use Sphero BOLT to retell a story or journey that reflects your learners’ identity, culture, or experiences.
Steps:
Choose your story
- It could be a local purakau, pepeha, or a personal journey.
- Example: Visiting a maunga, a whanau celebration, or a moment of change.
Map it out
- List 3–5 key parts of the journey.
- Think: What happened? Where did you go? What did you feel?
Plan your code
- Use Sphero Edu app (Draw, Blocks, or Text)
- Match each part of the story with movement (forward, turn, pause). Add colours, lights, sounds to show feelings or events.
Bring It to Life
- Test your programme on a map or surface.
- Adjust the timing, direction, and effects to reflect your story.
Add Depth
- Use props, drawings, or labels to mark story moments.
- Tip: A pause can show reflection. A colour change can mark discovery.
Share and Reflect
- In pairs or small groups, share your coded story. What does each move represent?
- How does this story connect to people, place, or kaupapa?
Teacher Extensions
Literacy: Turn the coded journey into a written or oral story.
Visual Arts: Add a background, map, or symbols.
Te Reo Maori: Label steps using key kupu Maori for direction, emotion, or places.
ESOL: Translate simple steps into home languages with icons.
Neurodiverse Support: Use visual steps, processing pauses, and scaffolded templates.