English Teacher: Marie Snyman

　　Don’t you feel like life just has too many problems? Too much homework? Not enough time to play? Your dad always watches what he wants on TV? Your mom is too busy to cook the food you want and your dad can’t even cook an egg? You really want just 5 more minutes in bed, but the bus leaves soon and you have to go to school?

　　All problems that everyone can understand, but don’t worry anymore! Our Grade 2 students are here to help with the Dreamvention Extravaganza!

　　“My mommy works really hard every day and comes home late. She is sometimes too tired to cook or clean the house. I want her to play with me in the evenings after I finish my homework. I think I am going to invent a robot that can cook and I will name it my “Cooking Robot”.

　　My Cooking Robot will cook delicious dinner for us every night. When my mommy comes home in the evening, our dinner will be ready to enjoy. My Cooking Robot will be able to cook all of our favorite meals.”
Erica, Grade 2, Kang Chiao International School, 2022

　　This is just one example of the many “Remarkable Robots” that our students invented during our Grade 2 project. We started by reading “Pearl and Wagner: Two Good Friends”. In this story the two friends invented a “Trash-eating Robot”. Bringing their dream into reality, but meeting some problems along the way.

　　This year we focus more on the reading part of the project for our students. In this story the students leaned not only one, but three different things for completing the project. They had to learn what the word ‘sequence’ means to be able to design their own robots; they also had to learn how follow steps in designing their robots and how to label them. Reading through the story carefully made sure that the students were ready to take on this project.

　　Our students discussed the problems that they have, at school, at home and all around the world. And wow! Do Grade 2 students have some problems!! The empathy the students showed to others in all these areas was astounding and really shows their development towards becoming young adults.

　　After discussing their problems, it was time to focus a little more specifically. As a group they chose one problem and designed a robot that would assist in alleviating this problem from everyone’s life. Their work on sequencing within the story helped develop the idea of meeting every part of the problem and really assisted in the design of each robot.

　　With the initial design was agreed upon, it was time to bring some additional STEAM thinking into the process. Each group was given a STEAM box and asked to incorporate items from the box into their design, labelling each item and the assistance it gave to the robot. This part of our project really brought the children’s amazing imagination to life! Not only had they designed a robot, but now they created it! And sure, while the robots did not actually function, they were creative, imaginative, visionary…!

　　And with that, the students’ “Remarkable Robots” were not only created but truly came to life within the classrooms. With many designs that I would immediately take home with me if they were made!

　　Grade 2, inventing the future.