Roxboro Elementary’s 4th graders are using empty tissue boxes, old water bottles, and paper towel rolls to solve the world’s problems. The project, which was part of an International Baccalaureate unit on “Sharing the Planet,” tied together English language arts, science and social studies instruction, while allowing the children to get creative and build something with their hands. 

After reading the novel The Wild Robot, and even watching the newly released film in the theater, students from Robyn Greenberg and Karen Hodsen’s classrooms worked at home to create their own robots. Using household items that were otherwise destined for the trash or recycling bin, students built their own 3D creatures, each designed to address a specific environmental issue or natural disaster, which the students had been studying in science.

A focus on government efforts at conservation, the interdependence of the natural and man-made worlds, and how to solve human-made problems were all aspects of 4th grade social studies instruction.  

The unit even tied in current events, as one student’s robot used fire retardant to deal with forest fires. The class was able to read and watch news clips about the wildfires ravaging Los Angeles and study the various methods fire fighters are using to contain their spread. 

Other students addressed issues ranging from invasive species in the Great Lakes to air pollution to animals at risk of extinction due to habitat destruction. 

After conducting research in class, each student prepared a written essay and an oral presentation to introduce their robot to their classmates. The creations were then displayed in the school library.