4/7/2015  Copyright Valiant Technology Ltd Roamer Mathematics

4/7/2015  Copyright Valiant Technology Ltd Roamer Mathematics These activities were developed by Ann Dovey of Ellington Primary School, Berkshire Sequencing Roamer 1 Sequencing Roamer 2 Number line game Moving forwards (0 - 5) Moving forwards and backwards (0 - 5) Moving forwards (0 - 9) Moving to chosen numbers Sums game Estimating Distances 1 Estimating Distances 2 Estimating Distances 3

4/7/2015  Copyright Valiant Technology Ltd Sequencing Roamer 1 This is a group activity for children who have difficulty getting the right sequence when pressing keys to make Roamer move. You will need: 1 Roamer different coloured Roamer "jackets" 2 Clear Memory cards 2 Forwards cards 2 Backwards cards 1 of each number cards up to 5 2 Go cards Write correct sequence on a board and discuss it to help children before starting this game. Or

4/7/2015  Copyright Valiant Technology Ltd Sequencing Roamer 1 1.Five children sit in a circle on the floor. 2.Cards are placed face up in the middle of the circle. 3.Choose a child to pick up the first card needed to program Roamer (Clear Memory) which they keep hold of. 4.Work your way around the circle asking each child to pick up the next card needed until collectively they have made a program. This would be: 1st child Clear Memory card 2nd child either Forwards or Backwards card 3rd child number card (how many steps) 4th child Go card

4/7/2015  Copyright Valiant Technology Ltd Sequencing Roamer 1 5.Ask the child who has not got a card to choose a coloured Roamer jacket, place it on Roamer and stand ready to program. (The jacket makes the game more interesting.) 6.Children with cards should now line up facing Roamer and child No. 5 7.They then hold their cards up to help the 5th child program Roamer.

4/7/2015  Copyright Valiant Technology Ltd Sequencing Roamer 1 8.The child chosen to program reads cards to help them press keys in the correct sequence to make Roamer move. 9.Roamer is programmed and moves. 10.Children return to the circle to repeat the activity starting with a different child. Notes: It is important when choosing cards that a workable card has been picked up. That is, cards must be sequenced correctly. Help may be needed at this stage. Children will need the order of the cards written on the board in the early stages of this activity. It can be extended to 7 children by Roamer making 2 moves instead of 1 e.g. Clear memory, forwards 5, backwards 5, go. However, it takes much longer and there is not usually enough time in one session for everyone to have a turn at programming.

4/7/2015  Copyright Valiant Technology Ltd Sequencing Roamer 2 This activity assists children in programming Roamer using the Roamer cards to help with sequencing. You will need: 1 Roamer All Clear Memory cards All Forwards cards All Backwards cards All Go cards Sit around a table with enough floor space nearby for operating Roamer. Place cards face up in the middle of the table.

4/7/2015  Copyright Valiant Technology Ltd Sequencing Roamer 2 Each child in turn takes cards to make their own program for Roamer: 1st round 2nd round 3rd round 4th round Clear Memory card direction - either Forwards or Backwards card distance - how many steps? - a number card Go card

4/7/2015  Copyright Valiant Technology Ltd Sequencing Roamer 2 Children should be encouraged to place their chosen cards in the correct sequence and be able to say what they are. When this task is complete, move on to programming Roamer by each child in turn placing their chosen cards to one side of Roamer. (If placed in front they will be in the way when programming a backwards move.) The child then uses the cards to help them program. Note: This activity works best with no more than four children at any one time, as they have to wait for their turn to program Roamer.

4/7/2015  Copyright Valiant Technology Ltd Number line game This game will help children who need to become familiar with "forwards" and "backwards" and can also help with number recognition. You will need to convert "six" on die to "zero". Contents: 1 die 6 number line boards 6 coloured counters 25 "stars"

4/7/2015  Copyright Valiant Technology Ltd Number line game How to play the game: Each player should have one number line card and a coloured counter placed on zero. Highest number thrown goes first. 1.Throw die 2.Count spots 3.Match number on line 4.Move counter to that number 5.Say whether you moved forwards or backwards 6.If you are correct you may take a star card. The player with the most star cards at the end of the game is the winner.

4/7/2015  Copyright Valiant Technology Ltd Moving forwards Use the Roamer mats or the equivalent Make a number line 0 to 5. The space between the lines should be equal to Roamer's body length - 30cm which is the forward and back unit of distance. Place Roamer on 0. A child chooses a number from 0 to 5. Another child is chosen to try and program Roamer to stop on that number.

4/7/2015  Copyright Valiant Technology Ltd Moving forwards To begin with, write program on the board to help children: Fill in the number when chosen. changing it as the game progresses. Place Roamer on zero before another child chooses a number. Children should be encouraged to say the program. After a while, some of the children should be able to program a simple move from memory.

4/7/2015  Copyright Valiant Technology Ltd Moving forwards and backwards (0 - 5) You will need Place Roamer on 0 to start. Write:

4/7/2015  Copyright Valiant Technology Ltd Moving forwards and backwards (0 - 5) A child chooses a number from 0 to 5, write that number in the program. e.g. 3 is chosen: Choose another child to read this and then program Roamer. Remember to change the numbers on the board each time a new number is chosen. In time the children will be able to program these two moves without reading them from the board.

4/7/2015  Copyright Valiant Technology Ltd Moving forwards Use the Roamer mats or the equivalent Make a number line 0 to 9. The space between the lines should be equal to Roamer's body length - 30cm which is the forward and back unit of distance. Place Roamer on 0 to start. Child 1 chooses a number Child 2 programs to reach that number Child 3 chooses another number Child 4 counts steps either forwards or backwards to reach that number then programs Roamer to stop at that number

4/7/2015  Copyright Valiant Technology Ltd Moving to chosen numbers (0-9) Use the Roamer mats or the equivalent Make a number line 0 to 9. The space between the lines should be equal to Roamer's body length - 30cm which is the forward and back unit of distance. Place Roamer on 0 to start Child 1 chooses a number Child 2 programs to reach that number Child 3 chooses another number Child 4 counts steps either forwards or backwards to reach that number then programs Roamer to stop at that number

4/7/2015  Copyright Valiant Technology Ltd Sums game When the children can program Roamer forwards and backwards to chosen numbers, without having to read the program, they wlll enjoy these sums games. Children usually do not take long to remember that: forwards is the same as + backwards is the same as -

4/7/2015  Copyright Valiant Technology Ltd Sums game It can be played exactly as Moving to Chosen Numbers (0-9) except that you write the program in sum form. For example if: Roamer is placed on = A child chooses, say, number = All children are then asked for answer. Roamer is programmed to see if they are right. Answer is filled in = 2 Next child might choose number 5, write = This activity can be adding only, take away or finding the missing number.

4/7/2015  Copyright Valiant Technology Ltd Estimating distances 1 You will need: 1 Roamer 0-9 number line A start line Removable stickers Place 0-9 number line on floor with start line adjacent to the beginning of the number line: Place Roamer on 0 on number line. Program Roamer to move forwards 5 steps. Place Roamer on start line. Program Roamer to move forwards 5 steps. - Mark floor where Roamer stops. (By moving Roamer in this way, the children can see that Roamer's steps are always the same.) Give each child a sticker to write their name on. (These will be used throughout the activity.)

4/7/2015  Copyright Valiant Technology Ltd Estimating distances 1 Tallest child now stands on the start line and walks 5 steps. Mark floor where they stop with their sticker. Shortest child now stands on the start line and walks 5 steps also marking the floor where they stop. Ask both children to repeat this task to prove that their steps are not always the same. They should stop in a different place to where their markers are.

4/7/2015  Copyright Valiant Technology Ltd Estimating distances 1 Take the number line away. Place Roamer on the start line and program to move forwards 5 steps. Mark floor where Roamer stops. (This wlll help the children estimate as hopefully the children wlll place their stickers before this sticker for numbers less than 5 and after for numbers greater than 5.) Children, in turn now choose a number from 0-9 and all children, mark the floor where they think Roamer will stop. Roamer is then programmed to move to the chosen number of steps.

4/7/2015  Copyright Valiant Technology Ltd Estimating distances 2 You will need: 1 Roamer A start line 2 paper cups Secure the start line to the floor with tape or blu-tack. Place Roamer on start line. A child places paper cups (upside down) where they would like Roamer to stop. Another child a.estimates the distance in Roamer steps to the cups. b.tries to program Roamer to stop between the cups.

4/7/2015  Copyright Valiant Technology Ltd Estimating distances 3 You will need: 1 Roamer (the train) 2 chairs 1 long piece of string chalk removable stickers 3 pieces of card approx. A4 size. Preparation: Tie string to chair legs. Write names of three stations on card e.g. Maidenhead, Twyford, Reading, - complete Roamer units apart. Chalk a platform line (see diagram). This is a safety measure to keep the children away from the string when it is not their turn.

4/7/2015  Copyright Valiant Technology Ltd Estimating distances 3 1.Children put their names on their stickers. 2.Place Roamer (the train) on first station e.g. Maidenhead. 3.Children, in turn, estimate the distance in Roamer steps to the next station (Twyford) and then program to go forward to stop at the station. 4.Mark floor where "train" stops with their named sticker. 5.Place "train" back at first station until everyone has had a turn. 6.The winner is the child whose sticker is nearest to the target station. 7.Repeat game starting at the middle station (Twyford).

4/7/2015  Copyright Valiant Technology Ltd Estimating distances 3 It is a good idea to remove all stickers before programming from the middle station to the last one. Otherwise it can be quite confusing - some children will already have their stickers at the end station when estimating from the first to the middle one. Remember to keep the children behind the chalk line when it is not their turn.