GUIDED READING

Making Robots by Steven Otfinoski – Lexile 1030 – Level 30+

CLASS: GROUP: DATE:
LEARNING GOAL/S: STUDENTS:

Making connections Identifying important Phoenix M (1080/30+)

information
Making predictions
Making inferences
VOCABULARY TO KNOW:

Innovation; engineering;

Before reading:

● What do you think this book is about? Why?

What information/topics might be included?

● What do you think the purpose of this book is (to

inform, to persuade, to entertain)? Why? (NB:
Some students not aware of this concept – may
require discussion)

● Who do you think it was written for? Why?

This is a non-fiction book about making robots. As we read the book, we will stop every now and again to talk
about the book together, but you can stop and ask me questions any time. If you get stuck, ask me for help.

During reading:

● Start of page 4: This is the ‘Table of Contents’

which tells us which topics will be in the book.
Which ones did you guess? Which ones didn’t
you guess? On which page is the interview?
(NB: Skip to p.42).

● End of page 42: Do you think that Ken

Goldberg’s parents are surprised that he works
in robotics? Why/why not? (He was interested
in space from childhood and interested in
science at school, so they are probably not
surprised).

Read to end of page 43 only.

After reading:

● What three words would you use to describe

Ken Goldberg? Why? (e.g. intelligent, curious,
optimistic, imaginative, adventurous, eager,
collaborative, innovative, entrepreneurial,
 socially-minded etc).

● Do you know anyone who is like Ken Goldberg?

Do you know any characters or famous people
like him? (e.g. Steve Jobs, Tony Stark (Iron Man)