During their physical computing unit, 8th grade computer science students in Val Brownsmith's class combined their knowledge of the sense-think-act paradigm (the way robots perceive their environment, process information, and execute predefined actions) and a focus on sustainability to create robotic animals on a mission to help the world!

In teams, students worked together to incorporate each other's ideas into a cohesive plan, learned to construct physical machines with LEGO pieces, wired their machines, developed code, and tested their robots—troubleshooting and learning from mistakes along the way. Students also flexed their collaboration and communication skills to effectively showcase how their robot addresses specific goals, such as generating clean water and energy or eating trash to reduce pollution, through a verbal showcase and digital zines they created using Canva!