STEAM Team: Robot Making!

This week's STEAM Team combined Technology, Engineering, and Art when I had participants create their own "robots" out of recyclable materials.  It only took me a couple of weeks to safe dozens of recyclables, especially thanks to it being the time of the year for Girl Scout Cookies.

Along with cans, boxes, aluminum foil, and bottles of all sorts, I provided many random things from the craft closet that I thought would make good robot parts: googly eyes, buttons, beads, dixie cups, masking tape, and plastic springs.  

Boys and girls alike were ECSTATIC about this program.  They loved picking out their own robot

parts and many kids made more than one robot.  I encouraged the children to design their robot with a purpose by asking, "What would you like your robot to do?  I want a robot that will walk my dog!"

They were creative and thoughtful, and used wonderful engineering skills to make their robots stand and balance. Many of them created their robots while not only doing the robot, but also speaking in robot language, which was pretty amazing.

This program was singlehandedly the most successful I've had in promoting our library collection, as every participant wanted a robot book to take home along with their new robot friend.