Bee on the Team (BOTT) is an in-school STEM program from The National Theatre for Children (NTC) and LEGO® Education. Bee on the Team kickstarts with a live theatre performance and classroom educational materials from NTC and continues in the classroom with WeDo 2.0 Curriculum Solution and Core Sets for your first through fifth grade students. The live performance centers around basic questions in the scientific process: asking questions, experimentation, collaboration and more. WeDo 2.0 Curriculum Solution allows for hands-on technology and engineering learning in the classroom. For more details, check out the About BOTT page.
Yes! Bee on the Team is completely free for your school. The program in its entirety is valued at over $15,000, but it is available at no cost to your school. (Sponsor) has generously provided the funding to make this program possible for a select number of schools in your area as part of their commitment to support STEM education.
Bee on the Team is a comprehensive program and takes a commitment from the schools that host—from the school at large, from classrooms, and from individual leaders who run the after-school teams. To host Bee on the Team, you must first apply for the program. To apply, go the Apply to BOTT page. Upon approval of your submitted application, our staff will work with you to facilitate the next steps.
Bee on the Team Live Show & Materials
For the live show, the actors will bring all materials and equipment they need with them. All your school has to provide is a space for the show—and the audience. Typically a play space of 24 wide and 12 feet deep is enough for our actors to put up their set and make their “stage.” The National Theatre for Children is accustomed to performing in a wide range of spaces like gymnasiums, cafeterias, auditoriums or multi-purpose rooms. In our ideal setting, your students have enough room to sit comfortably on the floor, with an aisle down the middle of the audience for our actors to utilize.
Different portions of the program are geared toward different grade levels. Here’s a breakdown:
Bee on the Team Live Show & Materials
The live performance and related classroom materials are for Kindergarten through fifth grade. All elementary students are welcome!
WeDo 2.0
The WeDo 2.0 Curriculum Solution from LEGO® Education is specifically intended for first through fifth grade classrooms. Keep in mind these sets and curriculum can be used year after year—in other words, this year’s Kindergarteners can experience this curriculum next year.
When hosting Bee on the Team, one person at the school will need to be in charge of facilitating all aspects of the program. We call this person the “Program Administrator.” We recommend this person would be a school administrator, lead teacher, or other staff member who has the ability to coordinate with classroom teachers at your school. We also recommend that the Program Administrator name an Assistant Administrator who can help facilitate the program. The Program Administrator is responsible for the following:
- Scheduling the live performance of Bee on the Team
- Distributing the Bee on the Team materials to the classroom teachers
- Overseeing and facilitating the use (and sharing) of WeDo 2.0 curriculum by first through fifth grade classroom teachers