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Homework Robot Grades 4-5 Parent Guide

Day 1: Reading Day – “My Doggy Ate My Essay” by Darren Sardelli Materials

• “My Doggy Ate My Essay,” student journal

Before Reading

• Have your child read the title of the poem, “My Doggy Ate My Essay.” Ask your child to predict what the poem might be about and explain why their prediction is reasonable.

• Have your child reflect on a time they had problems remembering to complete or turn in homework.

• Say: When you read the poem today, underline any key details and words and phrases that stick out and will help you think about the theme of the poem. (Underlining is one type of annotating text.)

During Reading

• Have your child read the poem three times:

First, read without annotating the text. Second, re-read and annotate the text. Stop at the end of each stanza and

underline any key details, words and phrases that stand out. Discuss why the author may have chosen to include those particular words in this poem.

Third, re-read and visualize the poem. Have them stop every stanza, close their eyes and visualize what the scene would actually look like if it were real.

Parent tip:

Theme: the main idea, underlying message, or critical belief about life

Stanza: a division of lines having a fixed length, meter, or rhyming scheme; stanzas in poetry are similar to paragraphs in prose

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After Reading

• Have your child write in the journal page 1 and complete the first question, “What images did you visualize as you read the poem?”

• Ask: Did the images you visualized include some of the key details you underlined in your annotations?

• Ask: Reflect on your annotations and your visualizations, what do you think the theme of the poem is?

• Optional extension activity: Have your child choose one stanza and illustrate their visualization on a separate piece of paper with crayons, markers, paints, pencil, etc.

Summer Learning

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Help the Townspeople! Grades 2-3

Homework Robot Grades 4-5 Parent Guide

Day 2: Reading Day – “I Tried to Do My Homework” by Kenn Nesbitt

Materials

• “I Tried to Do My Homework,” student journal Before Reading

• Reflect on the poem My Doggy Ate My Essay by Darren Sardelli. Ask your child:

Is there a set form for each stanza? (Possible answer: Each stanza has four lines.)

Are there any lines that rhyme? Which ones? (Possible answer: Yes, lines 2 and 4 rhyme in each stanza.)

Is there a set line length? Support your answer with evidence from the poem. (Possible Answer: Yes, the first and last stanza have a syllable pattern – 7-6-7-6. All of the other stanzas have a syllable pattern of 7-6-7-7.)

• Say: Today we are going to read another poem about homework. During Reading

• Have your child read the poem three times:

First, read without annotating the text. Second, re-read and annotate the text. Stop at the end of each stanza and

underline any key details, words and phrases that stand out or help you understand the theme of the poem. Discuss why the author may have chosen to include those particular words or phrases in this poem.

Third, re-read the poem. Have them stop and describe any poetic structures and elements they notice.

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After Reading

Have your child complete the remainder of page one of the student journal. • Which words and phrases grabbed your attention, and why? • Compare and contrast main characters in each poem. • How are the 2 poems alike in structure and theme? • Optional Extension Activity: Have your child write a poem or essay they would like the

dog to eat (described in the final question on page 1) on separate paper.

Parent tip: Poetic Structures and Elements

Line: a group of words that are arranged in a row

Stanza: a division of lines having a fixed length, meter, or rhyming scheme; stanzas in poetry are similar to paragraphs in prose

Rhyme: using words that end in the same sound

Rhythm: the way sound is repeated in a pattern; pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables

Repetition: lines or words that are repeated in a poem (usually to show importance)

Imagery: using words to create a picture using the five senses

Meter: the beat of the poem made by repeating a pattern of syllables

Summer Learning

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Help the Townspeople! Grades 2-3

Homework Robot Grades 4-5 Parent Guide

Day 3: Reading Day –“How do you tell a robot what to do?” by Julia Perez Materials

• “How Do You Tell a Robot What to Do?,” student journal

Before Reading

• Say: When I read a text for the first time, I try to figure out what it’s mostly about- what the main idea is. Sometimes the author states the main idea right in the text. Other times, we must use the key details to figure out the main idea. Key details are facts and examples that support, or give more information about, the main idea.

• Have your child read the title of the article. • Say: The title often gives a clue about the text’s main idea. Based on the title, infer

what the article is about. • Say: As you read the article, what symbols will you use to identify key details that

will support a main idea of the article?

During Reading

• Have your child read and annotate the text, identifying details that will help identify at least one main idea of the article.

• Have your child respond to the first question in the journal on page two, “What was

the main idea of the article? What are 3 details from the article that support your main idea?”

• Discuss ways this text is different than the poems and why.

Parent Tip: Sample Text Annotations

1. Underline to identify key details 2. Number a sequence of events 3. Circle key words or phrases 4. Record a question, ideas, or observation in the margin

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During Reading

• Say: Sometimes a text contains details that assist the reader in visualizing information from the text. This article might also make the reader visualize the information. The article states “a robot must be able to move, interact or manipulate, and be programmable.”

• Ask: When you think of a robot that could help you remember to turn in your homework, what do you imagine? (Have your child answer the question in their journal on page 2.)

• On page two in their journal, have your child sketch a robot that will help them remember to turn in their homework. In the other box, have your child create a list of commands that they would like their robot to complete. If more space is needed, they can use a separate piece of paper.

Summer Learning

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Help the Townspeople! Grades 2-3

Homework Robot Grades 4-5 Parent Guide

Day 4: Engineering Day Materials

• Miscellaneous household items, student journal Before Building

• Say: Today, we are going to build a model of a robot, using household materials. • Say: Sometimes we can get ideas from other people that will make our final project

better. With your child, search the internet for pictures of robots that can help with their desired commands or directions for making a model robot from household items.

• Ask: What is one thing they learned from their research that can make the design better?

• On page 4 of their journal, have your child sketch the final plan before building. The final plan should include labels about how long the pieces should be.

• Ask: What do you remember about measuring length?

Parent Tip Students should know:

• Different units of length - inches, feet, yards, centimeter, meters • How to use different tools to measure length to the nearest 1/8 inch • Convert and combine measurements within the customary or metric

system.

Parent Tip

Some Resources to help build a robot from household materials:

https://www.msichicago.org/fileadmin/assets/whats_here/exhibits/temporary/2015/robot_revolution/PDF/Robot_Revolution_-_Robot_Bodies.pdf

https://www.makerspaces.com/25-makerspace-projects-for-kids/

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During Building

• On page four of the journal, have your child list the materials used to solve the problem and the length of each material. If they need to adjust their final sketch, they should also update their picture.

After Building

• Reflect on the model. • Ask your child:

How can you use math or numbers to describe your model? How does your robot help you remember to turn in your homework? (After

answering this question, have your child write the answer on page five of their journal.)

If the characters had your model during the poem (or just after it ended), how would the poem change (or continue)? (After answering this question, have your child use the existing poetic structure to write a new stanza on page five of their journal.

Summer Learning

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Help the Townspeople! Grades 2-3 Homework Robot

Student Journal Grades 4-5

Summer Learning

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Materials: • “I Tried to Do My Homework” by Kenn Nesbitt • “My Doggy Ate My Essay” by Darren Sardelli

Read “My Doggy Ate My Essay” by Sardelli. What images did you visualize as you read the poem?

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Read “I Tried to Do My Homework” by Nesbitt. Which words and phrases grabbed your attention? Explain why. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Compare the main characters in each poem.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

How are the 2 poems alike in structure and theme?

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Summer Learning

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If you had to write a poem (or essay) and had a dog like the one in “My Doggy Ate My Essay” by Sardelli, what would your poem have been about before your dog ate it? Why?

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Article Title: Read “How do you tell a robot what to do?” by Perez. What is the main idea of the article? What are 3 details from the article that support your main idea?

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The article states, “a robot must be able to move, interact or manipulate, and be programmable.” When you think of a robot that could help you remember to turn in your homework, what do you imagine?

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Summer Learning

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Draw a picture of your robot that will help you remember to turn in your homework. Write the commands for the robot in the other box.

• Research robots that can complete the commands you would like your robot to follow.

• Research robots you can make out of household items for kids. • As you research think about how you might adjust your robot

design.

Sketch and label your final model of the robot.

Possible robot design. Possible commands the robot will follow.

Summer Learning

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List and measure the length of the materials you need to build a non-working model.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

• Build your model. • Share your model with a family member and have them ask you

questions about your model. • Discuss problems or changes needed. Fix and rebuild, if desired.

Explain how to use your robot.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Summer Learning

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Choose a poem (“I Tried to Do My Homework” by Ken Nesbitt or “My Doggy Ate My Essay” by Darren Sardelli). How would having your design change the poem? Write a new stanza to the poem about the character using your design.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Summer Learning

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Homework Robot Grades 4-5 Resources

Dig Deeper with Research!

Use the QR code or click on the images below to dig into these Gale eBooks to learn about robotics. Use your school’s Gale password for the library ID.

Summer Learning

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Discover more facts about robots with these magazine articles!

Hint: Click on the to have the article read to you.

I Tried to Do My Homework

— Kenn Nesbitt: From the book My Cat Knows Karate

I tried to do my homework but a show was on TV. A song was on the radio. A friend was texting me. My email chimed, and so, of course, I had to look at that. It linked me to a video of someone’s silly cat. I watched a dozen videos, and then I played a game. I almost didn’t hear her when my mother called my name. I looked up at the clock and it was time to go to bed. I didn’t get my homework done; just other stuff instead. I hope my teacher listens to the cause of my inaction. It’s really not my fault the world is just one big distraction.

5/20/2020 Kids InfoBits - Document - How do you tell a robot what to do?

https://go.gale.com/ps/retrieve.do?tabID=T003&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&searchResultsType=SingleTab&searchType=AdvancedSearchForm&c… 1/3

How do you tell a robot what to do?Julia PerezAppleseeds. 11.6 (Mar. 2009): p21+.Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2009 Cricket Mediahttp://www.cricketmedia.com/

Full Text:

Robots perform jobs. That's why people build them. They have as many different jobs as you canpossibly imagine. Some work in factories. Some work in operating rooms. Some work in outer space.

According to most dictionaries, a robot must be able to move, interact or manipulate, and beprogrammable. When you think of a robot, what do you imagine? Some people think of a human-likemachine. Others picture a mechanical arm.

It takes a human to design and program the robot to actually do something. If you had a robot, whatwould you want it to do for you: Clean your bedroom? Take out the garbage? How about make acouple of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches? Let's say you're working on homework and are gettinghungry for a snack. Wouldn't it be nice to have a robot make it for you? To make that sandwichyourself would take about five minutes. If you want your robot to do it, you have to teach it how--andthat takes many steps.

Robot Programming So, let's list all the steps and decisions that a simple PB&J sandwich will require.Remember, your robot will do only what you tell it to do, so if you're not careful, you might end up witha sandwich that has the peanut butter and jelly on the outside of the bread!

1. Receive command: "Make one peanut butter and jelly sandwich, please."

2. Go to kitchen

3. Locate peanut butter and jelly

4. Place peanut butter jar on table

5. Place jelly jar on table

6. Locate bread

7. Place loaf of bread on table

8. Close refrigerator door

9. Get plate from cabinet

10. Place plate on table

11. Place two slices of bread on plate

12. Make decision to choose spreading tools: a) one spoon; b) two spoons; c) one knife and onespoon. (You, the programmer, might want to decide ahead of time which tools you would like yourrobot to use.)

13. Get tools. (We'll use one knife and one spoon--a knife for peanut butter and a spoon for jelly.)

14. Scoop peanut butter with knife

5/20/2020 Kids InfoBits - Document - How do you tell a robot what to do?

https://go.gale.com/ps/retrieve.do?tabID=T003&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&searchResultsType=SingleTab&searchType=AdvancedSearchForm&c… 2/3

15. Spread on one slice of bread

16. Make decision: Is there enough peanut butter or do you need more?

17. Get spoon

18. Scoop jelly

19. Put jelly on second slice of bread

20. Make decision: Is there enough jelly or do you need more?

21. Place two slices of bread together. Make sure to put ingredients on the inside!

22. Deliver sandwich

23. Place lids on jars. Make decision: Which lid for which jar?

24. Close bread package

25. Place all ingredients into refrigerator

26. Place silverware into sink or dishwasher

27. Wipe table

You'll also need to program instructions for unexpected situations. For example, what should the robotdo if the jelly jar is empty after making sandwiches? (Wash jar and place in recycle bin.) What shouldthe robot do if it drops a spoon covered with peanut butter? (Clean floor, wash spoon.)

Robot Hardware

Your PB&J-making robot must have certain characteristics to perform the task you give it:

* It should be mobile so it can take things from one place to another.

* It will need arms that move, plus hands that can remove lids and carry things.

* At least hand should be able to do delicate jobs such as opening the loaf of bread and spreading thejelly.

* The robot should have sensors that respond to touch so it doesn't bump into things.

* And last but not least, it must be able to hear and respond to voice commands.

You Try It!

Try this: Write out the steps necessary for your robot to make a turkey sandwich. Do you like mustardand mayo? How about slices of tomato?

Have a friend try following your steps to see if you missed anything. Then share the sandwich andimagine what else your robot could do for you ..

Marquise says:

I would want it to make me food because I could tell it to make me food whenever I want something toeat and he would know what to do because I would have taught it.

5/20/2020 Kids InfoBits - Document - How do you tell a robot what to do?

https://go.gale.com/ps/retrieve.do?tabID=T003&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&searchResultsType=SingleTab&searchType=AdvancedSearchForm&c… 3/3

illustrated by Annette Cate

----------

Please note: Illustration(s) are not available due to copyright restrictions.

Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)Perez, Julia. "How do you tell a robot what to do?" Appleseeds, vol. 11, no. 6, Mar. 2009, p. 21+. Kids

InfoBits, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A200408217/ITKE?u=shapes&sid=ITKE&xid=5bfaa293.Accessed 20 May 2020.

Gale Document Number: GALE|A200408217

5/19/2020 My Doggy Ate My Essay by Darren Sardelli | Poetry Foundation

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/145936/my-doggy-ate-my-essay 1/2

My Doggy Ate My Essay

BY DA R R E N SA R D E L L I

My doggy ate my essay.

He picked up all my mail.

He cleaned my dirty closet

and dusted with his tail.

He straightened out my posters

and swept my wooden floor.

My parents almost fainted

when he fixed my bedroom door.

I did not try to stop him.

He made my windows shine.

My room looked like a palace,

and my dresser smelled like pine.

He fluffed up every pillow.

He folded all my clothes.

He even cleaned my fish tank

with a toothbrush and a hose.

I thought it was amazing

to see him use a broom.

I’m glad he ate my essay

on “How to Clean My Room.”

5/19/2020 My Doggy Ate My Essay by Darren Sardelli | Poetry Foundation

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/145936/my-doggy-ate-my-essay 2/2

“My Doggy Ate My Essay” © 2009 by Darren Sardelli. Reprinted from Galaxy Pizza

and Meteor Pie, Copyright © 2009 by Laugh-A-Lot Books. Used with permission from

Darren Sardelli.

Source: Galaxy Pizza and Meteor Pie (Laugh-A-Lot Books)

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