Are Robots Friends or Foes?

One of my most recent and meaningful units is titled “Robots: Friend or Foe?” This timely, high-interest project weaves together science, literacy, and even philosophical inquiry. The unit gives young students the opportunity to explore how humans interact with robots and artificial intelligence, and what that might mean for the future.

This project-based learning (PBL) cycle supports key learning standards, such as this Next Generation Science Standard: “Ask questions, make observations, and gather information about a situation people want to change to define a simple problem that can be solved through the development of a new or improved object or tool.” It also aligns with Common Core literacy standards, including writing opinion pieces with clear reasoning and structure.

In this article, I’ll walk through the five key steps I used to plan and implement this STEAM-focused PBL unit with my second-grade class, along with Universal Design for Learning (UDL) strategies that ensured every student could meaningfully participate.

Note: This unit assumes access to at least one “learning robot” in the classroom—ideally a small set for use in pairs or small groups.

Robots: Friend or Foe? PBL Cycle Overview

1. Entry Event and Driving Question
2. Building Knowledge
3. Milestone Activities
4. Final Product
5. Final Reflection

1. Entry Event and Driving Question

Purpose: Build excitement; define the driving question. Timing: One to two days. To kick off our PBL cycle, I launched a high-energy Entry Event to spark curiosity and build excitement. Students were introduced to the classroom’s learning robots—a term I use to distinguish them from toys—and given time for guided free play.

During this phase, students did the following:

• Learned how to safely handle, share, and move with robotics materials.
• Engaged in playful exploration to build comfort and interest.
• Began to connect the experience with bigger questions about technology.

After all students had hands-on time with the robots, I introduced our central Driving Question: “Robots: Friend or Foe?” As a class, we unpacked key terms like robot, friend, and foe. I also began our anchor read-aloud, The Wild Robot, by Peter Brown, which provided rich narrative context for our inquiry. Here are other books you may want to consider:

• Boy + Bot, by Ame Dyckman, illustrated by Dan Yaccarino
• Robots, Robots, Everywhere, by Sue Fliess, illustrated by Bob Staake
• My Teacher Is a Robot, by Jeffrey Brown
• How to Code a Rollercoaster, by Josh Funk, illustrated by Sara Palacios
• Little Robot, by Ben Hatke
• National Geographic Kids: Robots, by Melissa Stewart
• Happy Paws: Layla and the Bots, by Vicky Fang, illustrated by Christine Nishiyama
• Ricky Ricotta’s Mighty Robot, by Dav Pilkey, illustrated by Dan Santat
• National Geographic Kids: Everything Robotics, by Jennifer Swanson
• How Things Work: Discover Secrets and Science Behind Bounce Houses, Hovercraft, Robotics, and Everything in Between, by T.J. Resler
• A Kids Book About AI, by Neha Shukla
• What Is AI? The Curious Kid’s Guide to Artificial Intelligence, by Neal Layton

2. Building Knowledge

Purpose: Build background knowledge on the topic; generate inquiry. Timing: Two to four weeks. Over the next two to four weeks, we worked collaboratively to determine what we knew and wanted to know about how robots can help and hinder humans. We used a large classroom KWL chart to track the following:

• What we already knew
• What we wanted to know
• What we were learning along the way

Key inquiry questions included these:

• What are robots?
• Why do humans use them?
• How might robots be used in the future?
• What is artificial intelligence?
• What are the benefits and drawbacks of AI and robotics?

We gathered information through diverse sources: nonfiction read-alouds, age-appropriate videos, and visits (virtual or in person) from guest experts in fields like engineering and computer science. Students reflected regularly in individual PBL journals and returned to the KWL chart to document our evolving learning and Milestone Activities—the chart became a visible record of our unit.

Student inquiry was a key part of this phase. As students generated their own questions, we worked together as a class to explore and answer them. A classroom library of leveled, robot-themed books also supported independent research and student-driven inquiry.

3. Milestone Activities

Purpose: Build knowledge; assess learning; guide students toward a final product. Timing: Part of Building Knowledge’s two to four weeks. As we built knowledge in our class community, there were a few Milestone Activities along the way that assessed learning and moved students toward a final product.

1. Guided robotics challenges with the learning robots: Students engaged in hands-on activities using the learning robots to explore basic programming and problem-solving skills.
2. Assessment 1: Students responded to the question: What is difficult about using a robot?
3. STEM career connections: Students learned about real-world applications of robotics by exploring careers such as robotics engineer, software engineer, computer scientist, and artificial intelligence engineer. When possible, guest speakers or virtual visits helped bring these roles to life.
4. Assessment 2: Students responded to these questions: What do I know about robots? How are robots helpful to humans? How could they be harmful?

4. Final Product

Purpose: Create a tangible product to share with an authentic audience. Timing: One to two weeks. To synthesize and share their learning, students completed one or more final projects. These cross-curricular products allowed for voice, choice, and creativity:

1. Design a Robot: Individually or in small groups, students imagined and designed a robot that solves a human problem. My students designed and labeled robots on large chart paper, highlighting the jobs that different parts of the robots could do. Your students might design a robot using recyclable materials or even code a learning robot to solve a human problem.
2. Write an Opinion Essay: Using clear reasoning and structure, students responded to the unit’s essential question: Are robots friends or foes?
3. Record a Robotics Challenge Video: Students documented a collaborative robotics activity, explaining their design process and outcomes.

We concluded with a PBL Showcase, inviting families and community members to celebrate student work and our learning journey.

5. Final Reflection

Purpose: Students think metacognitively about what they’ve learned, what they’ve created, and what they’re still curious about. Timing: One day. At the end of the unit, we paused to reflect metacognitively—on both academic growth and social and emotional learning. Students responded to questions like these:

• What was challenging or helpful about working with a partner or group?
• Did everyone get a chance to share their ideas? Why or why not?
• What was difficult about designing a robot?
• After reading others’ opinions, has your thinking changed? Why or why not?

As the unit concluded, we completed our class read-aloud of The Wild Robot. Students used sentence stems they had learned from writing their opinion essays to strengthen their oral arguments about the book.

Together, we reflected—both individually and as a group—on philosophical questions about the role of robots in nature and human society.

Universal Design for Learning Considerations

Throughout the unit, I incorporated UDL strategies to ensure access and engagement for all students.

Whole group instruction

• Assigned rug seats or alternative seating for sensory needs
• Visuals and anchor charts with written expectations
• Opportunities for physical movement during transitions
• Calm Down Corner and sensory tools available for self-regulation
• Differentiated classroom library on robotics

Partner and small group work

• Teacher-assigned partnerships, pairing students with peer models
• Focused support for targeted groups or individual students

Independent work and assessments

• Flexible formats—reflections can be written, typed, or voice-recorded.
• Student choice among three final product options.
• Models of finished projects for students to assist student work.

Through this cross-curricular PBL cycle, students not only engaged with key academic standards but also grappled with timely, real-world questions about the role of technology in our lives. Whether students concluded that robots are friends, foes, or somewhere in between, they left the unit with deeper knowledge, stronger collaboration skills, and a growing sense of themselves as thinkers, designers, and problem-solvers.

I hope this unit guide inspires your own work in integrating STEAM learning with inquiry-based teaching. Whether you borrow a lesson structure, a reflection prompt, or a UDL scaffold, I encourage you to make it your own.