Not long ago, robots and artificial intelligence were the imagination of science fiction books and movies. Yet every day, advances in technology, robotics, and engineering are making them a reality! The book suggestions this month put a spotlight on the history of robotics and artificial intelligence and are a great starting point for classroom discussions and activities.
Bots! Robotics Engineering: With Hands-One Makerspace Activities
by Kathy Ceceri and Lena Chandhok
This book explores how robots play a vital role in our world. It details the history and theory of programming and robotics, and includes many hands-on robotics projects that help children learn design, engineering, and coding. It is beautifully formatted and fun to read.
Classroom Activity
This book is full of activities that can be adapted for the classroom. One activity asks students to build a simple tilt sensor with LED lights. It can be made with household objects such as an index card, aluminum foil, tape, 2 LED lights, and a 3-volt battery. Students can build and test the sensor. Then have them decide what, if any, improvements they would make to the sensor design? How could a sensor like this be used in the real world?
National Geographic Kids Everything Robotics: All the Photos, Facts, and Fun to Make You Race for Robots
by Jen Swanson
Robots don’t simply occupy the space of fiction these days, as they have infiltrated everyday life. Robots can fix aircrafts, dance, tell jokes, and even clean your carpet! Swanson gives a great history of robotics and adds a section of the future of robotics. Fantastic writing along with eye catching visuals.
Classroom Activity
Many times, scientists have turned to nature to come up with unique robot designs. Now it is your turn. Have students design and sketch their own robot inspired by nature. What part of nature inspired their robot? What problem does it solve or job does it do?
Robot
by Lucy Rogers
Get up close and personal with more than 100 different robots, from automata to androids. This browsable book from DK is divided into sections based on different jobs the robots perform, like rescuing people after natural disasters, packing food in factories, and taking care of hospital patients. Each spread features captivating, full-color photo illustrations as well as essential statistics and facts about each robot.
Classroom Activity
Robots are all around us. What robots are in your daily life? Have students make a list of the robots they encounter every day – at school, at home, at the mall, and more. What jobs do these robots perform? What are the benefits of these robots? What are the drawbacks? Have students brainstorm ideas for a new robot at school. What would the robot do? What would it look like? How would it help students and teachers?
More Robot Fun
Want to watch a few robots in action? Take a look at these videos:
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Carla Mooney loves to explore the world around us and discover the details about how it works. An award-winning author of numerous nonfiction science books for kids and teens, she hopes to spark a healthy curiosity and love of science in today’s young people. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, three kids, and dog. Find her at http://www.carlamooney.com, on Facebook @carlamooneyauthor, or on Twitter @carlawrites.
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