Chapter 4

Doing

Build, cut, count coins and tell a robot what to do. Doing is the best way to learn!

8 activities inside

Before you start: Tell a grown-up about something you made. What was tricky?

39

Doing · Imagination and building 15 min · paper, 2 books, a toy car ★★☆

Paper bridge

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Read aloud Can one sheet of paper hold a toy car? Lay it between two books. Fold it, roll it, bend it. Draw your best bridge!

Make a bridge from one sheet of paper.
Test it with a toy car.
Draw the bridge that worked.

My bridge

Grown-up corner

Why it matters: Building, testing and trying again is how engineers think.

What shape made the bridge strongest?
What would you change next time?

Extend it: Fold the paper like a fan and test again: how many cars can it hold now?

I felt: (color one)

40

Doing · Imagination and building 15 min · pencil, crayons ★☆☆

Invent a toy

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Read aloud Pick two toys you love and draw them. Then mix them into one brand-new toy! What can it do?

Draw two toys, then mix them into one!

Toy 1

Toy 2

My new toy!

Grown-up corner

Why it matters: Many new ideas come from mixing two old ones.

What can your new toy do?
What would you call it?

Extend it: Build the new toy from boxes, tape and paper.

I felt: (color one)

41

Doing · Directing AI like a team 10 min · scissors, glue ★☆☆

Tell the robot: brush teeth

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Read aloud The robot does only what you say. Cut out the cards. Glue them in order to brush teeth.

Cut out the 4 cards.
Glue them in the right order.

1First

glue here

2Next

glue here

3Then

glue here

4Last

glue here

brush

smile!

toothpaste

rinse

Grown-up corner

Why it matters: Robots and AI follow steps exactly, so the order matters.

What would happen if the robot rinsed first?
Did we miss a step, like turning on the water?

Extend it: Play robot: your child tells you how to make a sandwich, step by step.

I felt: (color one)

42

Doing · Directing AI like a team 15 min · pencil ★★☆

Robot to the cookie

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Read aloud The robot wants the cookie! It can’t go through gray squares. Draw one arrow in a box for each move.

Draw one arrow for each move.
You may not need every box.

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

Grown-up corner

Why it matters: Clear directions, one step at a time, are how we guide robots and AI.

What happens if one arrow is wrong?
Is there another way to the cookie?

Extend it: Play robot: your child says “forward 2, turn right” and you do just that.

I felt: (color one)

43

Doing · Money sense 10 min · pencil ★★☆

Snack with 10 coins

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Read aloud You have 10 coins for snacks. Circle what you want. Cross out one coin for each coin on its tag.

Circle what you want to buy.
Cross out the coins you spend.

You have 10 coins. What will you buy?

My coins

Grown-up corner

Why it matters: A budget runs out, so we choose what matters most.

What did you have to leave out?
Would you save some coins? Why?

Extend it: At the store, give your child a few coins to choose and pay for a snack.

I felt: (color one)

44

Doing · Money sense 15 min · scissors, glue ★☆☆

Need or want?

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Read aloud We need some things to stay healthy and warm. Others we just want. Glue each card in Need or Want.

Cut out the 6 cards.
Glue each one in Need or Want.

Need

glue here

Want

glue here

kite

milk

ice cream

coat

ball

toothbrush

Grown-up corner

Why it matters: Telling needs from wants is the first step to spending wisely.

Is it OK to want things?
What do you need every day?

Extend it: Before you shop, sort the list together into needs and wants.

I felt: (color one)

45

Doing · Body and hands 5 min · crayons ★☆☆

Move like animals

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Read aloud Hop like a frog, stretch like a cat, and balance on one leg like a bird! Color a box each day you do it.

Try each animal move.
Color a box each day you do it.

Day 1Day 2Day 3Day 4Day 5Day 6Day 7

hop

stretch

balance

Grown-up corner

Why it matters: Hopping, stretching and balancing build strong, steady bodies.

Which move was the hardest?
Can you balance for longer by day 7?

Extend it: Count how long your child can stand on one leg, then try the other leg.

I felt: (color one)

46

Doing · Body and hands 10 min · child-safe scissors ★☆☆

Snip snip

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Read aloud Snip, snip! Cut along each dotted line, from the scissors right to the edge. Go slowly and stay on the line.

Trace each line with your finger first.
Then cut along the dotted lines.

Grown-up corner

Why it matters: Cutting builds the hand strength and control used for writing.

Which line was hardest to cut?
How did you stay on the line?

Extend it: Draw lines on old magazine pages to cut, then make a collage.

I felt: (color one)

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