Robot or Not?

Coding for Your Classroom

Robot or Not? Lesson Plan

Grade K-3

Estimated 10 - 30 minutes
timeframe (Can easily be adapted!)

Lesson This activity is an introduction to broaden their minds as to what a

Overview robot might look like in their everyday lives! Students will be given
a bunch of cards with pictures of robots & some of regular items.
They will need to identify if it is a robot or not!

Learning ● Understand the criteria of what makes a robot, a robot.

Goals
● Recognize & identify “robots” in our everyday lives!

BC Big Ideas
Curriculum
Ties ● Technologies are tools that extend human capabilities.
● Skills can be developed through play.

Materials ● Printed Robot Cards (Laminate if you can! Will make

reusing these much easier.)

Introduction Do you know what a robot is?

(~ 5 minutes) Take ideas from students! Many of the students will say
fictional characters, and examples of what they’ve seen on
tv!

What is a robot? How do we know if a machine is a robot or

not?
● A robot is a machine that follows instructions!

Why are robots useful to us?

● Help us carry out tasks more easily - e.g. help doctors
with surgery, help us keep things clean, etc.
● They make our lives easier!

Main Activity Break students into groups of 2-4. Give each group a pack of
(~ 15 minutes) the printed cards.

Do one together!
(i.e. is a a vacuum a robot, or not?)
Robot or Not?
Coding for Your Classroom

Ask students to work together to sort all of the cards into 2

piles: 1 pile of robots, 1 pile of not robots.

After the students have finished, go through the cards

together as a class! Students can give you a thumbs up if they
think it’s a robot, and a thumbs down if they think it isn’t a
robot. Have students try to explain to you / each other why
they thought something was a robot or not!

Wrap-up Recap:
points/ What is a robot? How do we know if a machine is a robot or
Discussion not?
topics

Robot Printable Cards:

SCISSORS PLANE
Robot or Not?
Coding for Your Classroom

OVEN SCREW

GLASSES MICROWAVE
Robot or Not?
Coding for Your Classroom

TV MINION

CAR PHONE