# Lesson 262: Imagine what robots might do in the future

💡 TECHNOLOGY & FUTURE SKILLS (40 Lessons) • 🟡 C. How Machines Think

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## Objective

I can imagine kind, safe jobs that robots might do in the future. I can say that robots are built and programmed by people, people make the rules, and humans are more important than machines.

## Materials

- Plain paper or a notebook page
- Pencils, crayons, or markers
- Optional: pictures of robots helping people (cleaning, building, or farming)
- Optional: sticky notes to list future robot jobs

## Mini-lesson — Imagining future robot helpers

People already use robots and AI tools to help with some jobs. We can also imagine how robots might help people in the future.

Robots are built and programmed by people

- People design the robot's body.
- People write the code and rules that tell it what to do.
- Robots follow these rules. They do not make their own.

Future jobs for robot helpers

- Robots might help clean parks or pick up rubbish.
- They might help carry heavy things in shops or hospitals.
- They might help plant trees or water gardens carefully.

Kind and fair ideas for robots

- Robots can help with boring or heavy jobs, so people have more time to care and think.
- Robots should not be used to hurt people or be unkind.
- We can imagine robots that help keep people safe, healthy, and included.

People stay in charge

- People choose which robot ideas are good.
- People check if the robots are working safely.
- People can turn robots off or change the rules if needed.

Good questions to ask

- "How could this robot help people?"
- "Is this idea kind and fair?"
- "Who makes the final choice about this robot?"

Adults can say: "We can dream about helpful robots. But people write the rules, check the robots, and decide what is safe and kind."

Picture strip: "Future robot helpers"

## Guided Practice — Imagine three future robot jobs

You and an adult will imagine three robots that help people in the future.

1. Fold a page into three boxes or use three sticky notes. Label them Robot 1, Robot 2, and Robot 3.
2. In box 1, imagine a robot that helps the Earth (for example, picks up rubbish, plants trees, or saves water). Draw or describe it.
3. In box 2, imagine a robot that helps people work (for example, carries heavy boxes, cleans floors, or fetches tools). Draw or describe it.
4. In box 3, imagine a robot that helps families or schools (for example, passes out pencils, reminds about bags, or tidies play areas). Draw or describe it.
5. For each robot, ask: "How is this robot kind?" and "Who is in charge of this robot?" Help your child answer that people are in charge.
6. Add a short sentence under each picture, such as: "This robot helps the park." or "This robot helps our class."
7. Say together: "Robots help with jobs. People write the rules and stay the boss."

Tracing Pad
Lines
Trace
Pen

## Practice — My "future robot helpers" page

Use this practice to help your child picture robots as helpers and people as the ones in charge.

1. On a new page, help your child draw a big title: "Future robot helpers".
2. Under the title, draw one big robot in the middle of the page. Around it, draw three small pictures to show how it helps (for example, cleaning, carrying, or planting).
3. Next to each small picture, write or trace a short label, such as: "helps the park", "helps workers", or "helps our class".
4. Near the robot's feet, write or trace: "People wrote my rules."
5. At the bottom of the page, write or trace: "Robots help with jobs. People are more important than machines."
6. Ask your child: "If this robot did something unkind, who could change the rules or turn it off?" Help them answer: "Trusted adults."
7. Read the page together and use it as a reminder that the future can have helpful robots, and people still care, choose, and stay in charge.

## Quick Check — Future robot helpers

Answer each question about future robots and who decides what they do.

1) Who builds and programs robots?

Robots build themselves with no help. People design their bodies and write their rules. The robots come from the moon.
Robots and AI tools are made by people.

2) What is one job robots might do in the future?

Decide all school rules alone. Tell people to be unkind. Help carry heavy things or clean parks.
We imagine robots helping with safe, useful jobs.

3) If we have future robot helpers, who should be in charge?

People, like trusted adults and leaders. The robots, all by themselves. No one at all.
Humans stay in charge of tools and machines.

4) Which idea shows a kind, fair use of robots?

Use robots to scare people. Use robots to help clean rubbish and plant trees. Use robots to shout at children.
We want robot ideas that help people and the Earth.

5) Which sentence is true about robot rules?

Robots make all their own rules. Robots never follow any rules. People write the rules and can change them.
Programs and rules are made by people, not robots.

6) Which sentence is true about robot feelings?

Robots do not have real feelings, even if they look happy. Robots feel sad if you turn them off. Robots feel jealous of other robots.
Only humans and animals have real feelings.

7) In the future, if robots help with jobs, what can people do?

Stop caring about kindness. Spend more time caring, thinking, and making choices. Let robots be the boss of everyone.
Robots can help with tasks so people can focus on caring and deciding.

8) What is a safe rule for imagining future robots?

Imagine robots that break family and school rules. Imagine robots that hurt people for fun. Imagine robots that help people and follow kind rules.
We want our ideas about robots to be kind and helpful.

9) If you ever feel worried about robots or the future, what can you do?

Talk to a parent, carer, or teacher about your feelings. Keep your worry a secret. Ask a robot how to feel.
Trusted adults can listen and help you feel safe.

10) What is one big goal of this lesson?

To make you think robots should be the boss of people. To help you imagine helpful robots while remembering that people stay in charge. To stop you from dreaming about the future.
We want children to dream about helpful robots and remember that humans decide what is right.

## Assessment (parent/teacher)

Student can say that robots are built and programmed by people. Student can give one or more kind future jobs for robots. Student understands that people write the rules and can change them. Student knows that robots do not have real feelings. Student can state that humans are always more important than machines.

## Exit ticket (student)

😀 I can imagine future robots that help people and know that people are in charge. 🙂 I know some ideas about future robots but still need practice. 😅 Thinking about robots in the future still feels tricky for me.

#### Next time I will practise…

Talking with an adult about future robots Remembering that people are more important than machines Thinking of kind, fair jobs for robot helpers
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