Bee-Bot And Blue-Bot Pen Holders, Pack Of 6

Pack of 6 Pen Holders for Beebot Bluebot robot

$14.95

Quick Answer: The pack of 6 pen holders for Beebot Bluebot robot is a set of coloured plastic shells that fit over the robot and hold a pen upright behind it. With Bee-Bot pen holders fitted, the robot draws the route it drives on paper laid on the floor.

Turning a Route into a Drawing

Each holder in the photo is a perforated dome on a flat base frame, with an upright tube at the back for the pen. The six come in purple, blue, green, yellow, orange and red, so six groups can work on one sheet and still tell their lines apart. The holder rides on the robot and the pen trails along the paper as the robot drives.

A drawn line changes what pupils learn from a program. Instead of watching the robot and trying to remember its path, the class has a permanent record to measure, compare and discuss. A program for a square produces a square only if every step and turn is right, so errors show on paper where they can be found. Because the pen sits behind the robot rather than at its centre of rotation, each turn leaves a short curve at the corner rather than a sharp point, which is itself worth discussing.

Tape a large sheet of paper to a smooth floor or table first, since loose paper wrinkles under the wheels. The holders fit the Bee-Bot robot and Blue-Bot; which pen diameters fit the tube should be confirmed at enquiry.

Specifications

Contents	6 pen holders, one each in six colours (as pictured)
Design	Perforated dome on a base frame with a rear pen tube
Fits	Bee-Bot and Blue-Bot floor robots
Drawing surface	Paper taped to a smooth floor or table
Pen type and diameter that fit	Confirm at enquiry

Drawing Activities

Programming regular shapes such as squares and rectangles, then checking the drawing
Measuring perimeter by counting robot steps along each drawn side
Art lessons in which pupils design a pattern and write the program that draws it
Recording routes on a map sheet so the class can compare two groups’ solutions

Care & Handling

Use washable felt-tip markers so stray ink on hands, floors or holders comes off with water.
Cap the pen when the robot is not drawing, and lift it out before storing the holder.
Wash holders in warm soapy water if ink builds up, then dry them before refitting.
Keep the six colours together in a bag so a set is not split across classrooms.

Why Choose LabEquip

Primary teachers who use floor robots in maths and art lessons buy pen holders to make every program visible on paper. LabEquip lists this pack in General Lab Products with the robots it fits; add robots to the same order on the contact page.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does the pen holder attach to the robot?

The holder is a shell that sits over the robot’s body, with a base frame around it and a pen tube at the back. The robot carries it along, and the pen tip rests on the paper as the robot drives.

What kind of pen should I use?

A washable felt-tip or marker with a firm tip draws a clear line without tearing the paper. The pen should fit the tube snugly, since a loose pen wobbles and draws a thick, uneven trail.

Why are the corners of the drawing rounded?

The robot turns on the spot about its centre, but the pen sits behind that point, so it sweeps a small arc during each turn. The straight sides still show whether the step counts were correct.

Does the holder affect how the robot moves?

It adds a little weight, and the pen adds some drag on the paper. Use a pen that glides rather than presses hard, and tape the paper down so it cannot bunch up under the wheels and push the robot off course.

Why are there six colours?

Six groups can share one large sheet and still see whose line is whose. Colours also help when two programs for the same task are compared side by side.