TIME for Kids Explorers: Robots (Mark Schulman)

Summary of TIME for Kids Explorers: Robots (Mark Shulman)

(from Amazon)

Robots is the first book in an exciting, new series from TIME For Kids. Aimed squarely at readers who want to know more, this book answers the questions that children ages 8-12 want to learn the answers to.

Do you know what makes something a robot? Can you name the six types of robots? Can robots really fly? What kinds of robots are being designed by spy agencies, the military, and our first responders? And best of all, what's next?

Robots covers the world of robots as it exists today - and will exist tomorrow.

Evaluation

Before I had a chance to read over the book, my husband picked it up.  (He never looks at my picture books.)  He did not put it down until he was finished reading it and sharing information with me as he did. That being said, it clearly appeals beyond the 8-12 year old target audience. 

I finally picked the book up myself to look at more closely. The book is the perfect size for reading together with children.  It has numerous vibrant pictures and small bits of text to engage readers. 

At the beginning, there is a time line of the history of robots.  It combines fiction (literature, television, and movies) with reality (how robots have come about in the real world). Each event includes a photograph and textbox.  I enjoyed seeing the relationship between fiction and reality.  As a result, the book engaged me immediately. 

Next, the book is broken up into 6 categories—robots that work, that protect, that explore, that fly, that help, and that play.  Again, numerous photographs highlight the text. The author keeps the information kid-friendly and not too technical.  The only downside is sometimes the textboxes/text is too small.  However, the book gave me a much greater appreciation and understanding of how robots are a part of every day life, often in ways people do not realize. 

The last two sections are on robots that kids made and robots of the future.  For children interested in the subject, these sections may just inspire some creativity and discovery on their own. To get inquiring minds started, the book includes “Robot Resources” of books, apps, and web sites to look into for further study. 

The TIME for Kids Explorers: Robots is an ideal section for a classroom or home library. 

Lesson Plans and Teaching Resources for Robots

Robotics Lesson Plans from NASA

Robot Activities and Additional Books for Younger Kids

PBS Lesson Plan:  What is a Robot?

Build Your Own Robot Arm

Robotics and Legos Idea