How to design a robot

What your kid makes

Your kid ends with a labeled robot blueprint on paper: a job, a body that fits it, every part named, and a personality. It's the starting point for the next course, Build a robot that walks.

The 4 lessons

1. 

   Lesson 1. What's its job?

   A robot starts with one job it does really well.

   1. Think of a chore or a problem at home
   2. Pick one job for your robot
   3. Write the job at the top of your paper

   Where: Paper

   Watch it free above

2. Lesson 2. Pick a body

   The job tells you which body to pick.

   1. Look at the ways a robot moves: wheels, two legs, crawling like a bug, or one long arm
   2. Ask where your robot works, and pick the body that fits
   3. Under the job, write how it moves and why that fits

   Where: Paper

   In the app

3. Lesson 3. Draw the blueprint

   A blueprint shows every part, with a label.

   1. Draw your robot big, from the front
   2. Label how it moves, how it sees, and how it grabs
   3. Draw arrows from each label to its part

   Where: Paper

   In the app

4. Lesson 4. Give it a personality

   A name and one habit make a robot feel alive.

   1. Give your robot a name
   2. Pick one funny habit, like humming or spinning
   3. Add both to your blueprint as a note, and keep the page safe

   Where: Paper

   In the app

Lesson 1 transcript: What's its job?

1. 0:00

   Hi, I'm Krea. Today you're an inventor. Let's dream up a robot!

2. 0:07

   Every robot starts with one question. What's its job?

3. 0:12

   Does it fold socks? Feed the fish? Water the plants?

4. 0:17

   Pick one job, only one. A robot that does one thing really well is a great robot.

5. 0:24

   Here's mine. My toys keep rolling under the couch, and I can't reach them. So my robot's job is: find lost toys under the couch.

6. 0:35

   Your turn. Think of a chore or a problem at home. Write your robot's job at the top of your paper.