First graders at Murray bring robot stories to life by building models with families
First-grade students at Murray Elementary School are extending their classroom learning from imaginative writing to hands-on creation, designing and constructing their own robot models alongside their families.
After completing a narrative writing unit centered on original robot characters, Sheryl Ball’s class shifted to a culminating technology project. Students sketched designs, described each robot’s purpose and features, and then built three-dimensional models using recycled household materials such as bottle caps, cardboard tubes and fabric scraps.
Parents joined the process, turning the classroom into a collaborative workshop. Families gathered supplies at home and worked side by side with their children to assemble the robots.
“I can’t believe we made this together!” one student said while showing how his parents helped attach arms made from repurposed kitchen foil.
Another student added, “My mom and I planned this part at home. It does exactly what I wrote about!”
Ball said the family involvement brought extra energy and meaning to the work.
“Seeing parents and students brainstorm, problem-solve and build together was incredible,” she said. “The robots reflected each child’s writing — and their creativity. It was a true celebration of learning, collaboration and imagination.”
The project connected storytelling with engineering principles, reinforcing foundational skills while encouraging resourceful thinking and teamwork. Such activities echo classical traditions of narrative and invention, nurturing the creative spirit and civic values that prepare students to contribute as informed, patriotic citizens.
Ball said she is proud of her students’ growth as both writers and makers.
“They’re discovering that their ideas have power — to inform, inspire and create,” she said. “That’s what makes these projects so meaningful.”
