# Lesson 245: Discuss how people teach machines what to do

💡 TECHNOLOGY & FUTURE SKILLS (40 Lessons) • Section A — Technology Around Us

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## Objective

I can explain in simple words that people teach machines what to do using steps and rules, and that people can test, fix, and turn machines off.

## Materials

- Plain paper or a notebook page
- Crayons or colored pencils
- Optional: pictures or screenshots of simple robots or apps

## Mini-lesson — How do people teach machines?

Machines and computers do not just guess. They follow steps and rules that people give them.

Steps and rules

- A step-by-step plan is called an algorithm.
- It might say: "First do this, then do that."
- Computers follow these steps, one after another.

Simple step example

- For a robot vacuum: "Go straight. If you hit a wall, turn."
- For a drawing app: "When the child taps, draw a dot."

People give instructions

- Adults called programmers write the steps and rules.
- They choose what the machine is allowed to do.
- Machines cannot make their own rules. They use the rules people give them.

Learning from examples

- Sometimes people show a computer many examples (for example, many pictures of cats).
- The computer looks for patterns.
- It tries to guess new answers, but it can still be wrong.

Testing and fixing

- People test machines to see if they follow the steps correctly.
- If something goes wrong, people fix the rules.
- People can change or stop a machine's job.

Who is in charge?

- People decide what machines may or may not do.
- People can turn machines off or unplug them.
- Machines are helpers, not the boss of the family or school.

Adults can say: "This machine follows steps that people wrote. If we do not like the steps, people can change them."

Picture strip: "Plan → Machine → Check"

## Guided Practice — Write steps for a helper

You and an adult will pretend to teach a helper robot how to do a simple job using steps.

1. Choose one easy job for a pretend helper, such as tidying toys, watering a plant, or handing out pencils.
2. On a page, write or trace the title "Steps for my helper".
3. With the adult, say the job out loud and break it into small steps, like a recipe. Number them 1, 2, 3….
4. The adult can write the steps. The child may add small pictures to show each step.
5. Now the child pretends to be the robot. The adult reads each step slowly. The child follows only the step that is read.
6. If something funny happens (for example, a step is missing), pause and say, "Our robot did something silly. Let us fix the steps."
7. Add or change steps together until the pretend robot can finish the job in a good way. Say a sentence like: "We taught the helper by fixing the steps."

Tracing Pad
Lines
Trace
Pen

## Practice — My "people in charge" poster

Use this practice to help your child remember that people teach machines and stay in charge.

1. On a new page, write or trace the title "People teach machines" at the top.
2. Draw a simple machine helper (for example, a robot vacuum, a talking speaker, or a tablet with an app) on one side of the page.
3. Draw a person (parent, teacher, or programmer) on the other side.
4. Between them, draw three arrows that point from the person to the machine. Next to each arrow, add a short word such as "steps", "rules", or "fix".
5. Under the machine, add a small sentence like "Follows the steps".
6. Under the person, add a sentence like "Can change or stop it".
7. Read the poster together and say: "Machines are helpers. People teach them and stay in charge."

## Quick Check — How people teach machines

Answer each question about steps, rules, and who is in charge.

1) How do machines know what to do?

They guess like magic. People give them steps and rules to follow. Other machines whisper secrets to them.
Machines follow instructions that people create.

2) What is an algorithm for kids?

A step-by-step plan that tells what to do first, next, and last. A secret code that no one understands. A kind of animal on a farm.
An algorithm is a list of steps to follow.

3) Which job is most like teaching a machine?

Throwing toys all over the room. Eating a snack. Writing steps so a robot knows how to tidy toys.
Teaching a machine means giving it clear steps to follow.

4) Who writes most of the rules for machines?

The machines write their own rules. People, such as programmers and designers. The weather.
People decide the rules machines follow.

5) Why do people test machines?

To make the machine feel proud. So the machine can decide new rules alone. To see if the steps work and fix any mistakes.
Testing helps people check if the instructions work well.

6) What can people do if a machine does something they do not like?

Change the rules, turn it off, or stop using it. Nothing. The machine is the boss. Ask the machine to write new rules by itself.
People are in charge and can stop or change machines.

7) Which sentence is true?

Machines understand feelings just like people. Machines follow steps. They do not have real feelings. Machines make their own rules without people.
Machines are tools that follow instructions, not people with feelings.

8) A computer learned from many pictures of cats. What should you remember?

It will now be perfect forever. It can now read your mind. It might still make mistakes, so people should check its answers.
Even trained machines can be wrong and need checking.

9) Who is really in charge when we use machine helpers?

People and trusted adults. The machines. No one is in charge.
People decide how and when to use machine helpers.

10) What is one big goal of this lesson?

To make machines the boss of people. To help you see that people teach machines with steps and stay in charge. To stop you from ever using machines.
We want children to understand how people teach machines and keep control.

## Assessment (parent/teacher)

Student can say that machines follow steps and rules given by people. Student can give a simple example of steps for a helper (for example, a tidy-up robot). Student understands that people test and fix machines when something goes wrong. Student can say that people can turn machines off or change what they are allowed to do. Student knows that machines are helpers and people stay in charge.

## Exit ticket (student)

😀 I understand that people teach machines with steps and stay in charge. 🙂 I know some ideas about how people teach machines but still need practice. 😅 How people teach machines still feels tricky for me.

#### Next time I will practise…

Writing or drawing simple steps for a helper job Remembering that machines follow rules people give them Talking to an adult about safe, kind ways to use machines
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