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Robots

Second graders discover robots — machines that follow instructions to do jobs — from vacuuming floors and building cars to exploring space, all designed and controlled by people.

Grade 2Computing Systems30 minutes1 class periodUse → Modify → CreateExplicit teaching4 StandardsCSTA
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Lesson at a Glance

Everything you need before the bell rings

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to…

  • ✓Explain what a robot is.
  • ✓Match robots to their jobs.
  • ✓Know robots follow instructions.
  • ✓See robots help people.
Essential Question

Robots can clean, build, and even explore Mars! But a robot is really just a machine that follows instructions. What jobs do different robots do?

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Lesson Phases
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Vocabulary Terms
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Standards Aligned
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Interactive Task
Match It · Interactive

Match the Robot to Its Job

Project this and match each robot to its job — tap a robot, then tap what it does.

🤖 Match each robot to its jobTry it
Robot
What It Does
Now tap its job!
The Lesson · Use → Modify → Create (a coding progression with Unplugged practice)

30 minutes, five moves

Tap any phase to open the teacher moves and student actions.

1

Hook — Robots Everywhere

4 min

Robots clean, build, and explore Mars — what jobs do they do?

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Show robot pictures.
  • Ask what each does.
  • Get ready.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Look.
  • Guess.
  • Get ready.
2

Unplugged — Unplug It

8 min

Children practice.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Be a robot following commands.
  • Do a robot “job.”
  • Feel the idea.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Be a robot.
  • Do it.
  • Feel it.
3

Use — Match Robots

9 min

Children use.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Send children to Match the Robot.
  • Match each one.
  • Explain them.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Match.
  • Explain.
  • Check.
4

Modify — Robot Jobs

6 min

Children modify.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Give a robot a new job.
  • Say the steps.
  • Explain it.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Pick a job.
  • Say steps.
  • Explain.
5

Create — Create

3 min

Children conclude.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Name a robot’s job.
  • Say who controls it.
  • Complete the exit ticket.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Name one.
  • Say who.
  • Complete the exit ticket.
Standards Alignment

Built to the standards you report on

Aligned to the CSTA K-12 Computer Science Standards and ISTE Standards for Students.

CSTA
1A-CS-01

Describe how robots are used.

CSTA
1A-CS-02

Use a programmable device.

CSTA
1A-AP-10

Give a robot instructions.

ISTE
5

Computational Thinker.

Differentiation

One lesson, every learner

Multilingual Learners

ELL / EMERGING READERS
  • Robot + job cards.
  • Sentence frame: “A ___ robot ___.”
  • Use robot pictures.

Support & Access

IEP / 504
  • Start with vacuum and toy robots.
  • Use pictures.
  • Match one pair.

Stretch & Extend

GIFTED / EARLY FINISHERS
  • Design a helper robot.
  • Give it steps.
  • Explain a robot’s sensor.
Materials

What to gather

  • 📽️Screen / board
  • 🤖Robot pictures/toys
  • 💻Match the Robot to Its Job
  • 📋Job cards
  • 🖍️Crayons
  • 🎫Exit-ticket slips
Vocabulary

Key terms — hover for a quick definition

robota machine that follows instructionsmachinea tool that does workjoba task a robot doescommandan instructionprogramthe steps a robot followsexploreto look aroundbuildto make somethinghelpersomething that helps you
Evaluate

Exit Ticket

Preview the three formative checks. Tap “Sample answer” to see what mastery looks like — hide them before you print for students.

QUESTION 1
What does a vacuum robot do?
Cleans the floor by itself.
QUESTION 2
Does a robot decide its own jobs, or follow instructions?
It follows instructions that people give it.
QUESTION 3
Name a job a robot can do.
Clean, build cars, explore space, or help people.

Create: your robot.

Have children draw a robot they’d design and tell what job it would do. A printable robots sheet is in the Computer Science library.

Study · Flashcards

Study the key terms

Tap a card to flip it, then rate whether you knew it. Built from this lesson’s vocabulary.

🃏 RobotsFlip
Card 1
Term
Tap to flip →
Meaning
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Nice work!

Practice · Quiz

Check your understanding

A quick self-check with instant feedback, drawn from this lesson’s key terms.

📝 RobotsQuiz
Score: 0
1 / 6
Question 1
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Nice work!

Practice · Worksheet

Printable worksheet

A print-and-go review sheet with a built-in answer key. Tap “Show answer key” to reveal answers, or print the clean version for students.

🖨️ RobotsPrint
Name: ________________________
Date: ____________

Part A · Write the word that matches each meaning

Word bank: build, command, explore, helper, job, machine, program, robot
  1. a task a robot does
  2. something that helps you
  3. a tool that does work
  4. an instruction
  5. the steps a robot follows
  6. to look around
  7. a machine that follows instructions
  8. to make something

Part B · Show what you learned

  1. What does a vacuum robot do?
  2. Does a robot decide its own jobs, or follow instructions?
  3. Name a job a robot can do.
Answer key — Part A: 1) job · 2) helper · 3) machine · 4) command · 5) program · 6) explore · 7) robot · 8) build
Part B: 1) Cleans the floor by itself. 2) It follows instructions that people give it. 3) Clean, build cars, explore space, or help people.