As teachers, we are always looking for ways to bring stories to life and engage our students in creative, hands-on learning. The Wild Robot by Peter Brown is a beloved novel that blends themes of nature, survival, and technology through the journey of Roz, a robot stranded in the wild. With the release of The Wild Robot movie, now is the perfect time to incorporate robot-themed activities that deepen students' understanding and enhance their connection to the story.
Here are four robot-themed activities designed to complement the book and/or movie and spark your students' imaginations.
1. Build a Survival Robot
In The Wild Robot, Roz must learn how to survive in the wilderness. Challenge your students to design and build their own "survival robot" using recycled materials like cardboard, foil, and plastic containers. Have students think about the types of features their robot would need to survive in different environments, such as a forest, desert, or ocean.
2. Create a Nature Journal
In The Wild Robot, Roz learns from the animals and the environment around her. To reflect this, students can create their own nature journals as if they were robots like Roz. Take students outside to observe their surroundings, and have them document their observations in a journal using descriptive language and sketches.
3. Robot Emotions Writing Task
One of the key themes of The Wild Robot is Roz learning about emotions and forming relationships with the animals. In this writing activity, ask students to imagine how a robot might express or understand emotions like fear, happiness, or sadness.
Have students write a short story or diary entry from the perspective of a robot who is experiencing emotions for the first time. Encourage them to be creative, thinking about how a robot might explain feelings in logical or mechanical terms.
4. Robot Themed Lessons
Have students build this robot to learn about math functions. What a fun way to practice math!
By incorporating these robot-themed activities into your lessons, you can spark your students' creativity and critical thinking. These activities not only complement the movie’s themes of nature and technology but also allow your students to immerse themselves in hands-on projects that connect literature with real-world learning.
Have fun bringing Roz’s world to life in your classroom—and watch your students’ imaginations take flight!
With faith and friendship,
