Name: ____________________________ 
 
3​  Grade 
rd​

3​  6 Weeks 
rd​

 
 
How does that work? 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Reading Language Arts Text Set      Grade 3, Third Six Weeks  
 
  

Table of Contents 
 
1. “Let Curiosity Lead You” 

2. “Pandora’s Box” 

3. The Curiosity Over Mars 

4. “Life on the Ice” (Close Read) 

5. “The Beast of Loch Ness” 

6. “The Horrible Monster of Loch Ness” 

7. “An Automotive Marvel” 

8. “My New Teacher, Mr. Robot” 

9. “Everyday Gadgets and Gizmos” 
10.  ​ Quirky Company Helps Inventors Turn   

Ideas Into Items 
                    ​

 
 
 
 

Reading Language Arts Text Set      Grade 3, Third Six Weeks  
 
  

 
Why are we curious? 
 
 

 
“Let Curiosity Lead You” 

“Pandora’s Box” 

The Curiosity Over Mars 

 
 

Reading Language Arts Text Set      Grade 3, Third Six Weeks  
 
 READERS THEATER PLAY

Pandora
When a curious young woman breaks
a promise, humans suffer a terrible
price. Based on the Greek myth. Zeus likes most
of the creatures
Prom etheus has
Reading Tip c reated —except
fo r th e humans.
Ancient Greek: This play includes some ancient Greek
names. Practice saying them before you read.
Zeus: zooss Epimetheus: ep-ih-MEE-thee-us
Prometheus: proh-MEE-thee-us Pandora: pan-DOR-uh
J

C h a ra c te rs
C h e c k th e c h a r a c te r y o u 're g o in g to re a d .
‘ S ta rre d c h a ra c te rs a re m a jo r ro les.

‘ Chorus M em ber 1 (C M 1) ‘ Pandora,

Epim etheus' w ife
□ ‘ Chorus M em b er 2 (CM 2)
Trickery, a creature
L ‘ Chorus M em ber 3 (CM 3) in th e box
G reek Chorus, all chorus Sickness, a creature
m em bers speaking jn th e box
to g e th e r
' Jealousy, a creature
‘ Zeus, ruler of the gods in the box Really terrific. But what
‘ Prom etheus, a god
are those scrawny-looking
Hope, a creature
in th e box things shivering behind
[ ‘ Epim etheus, those bushes?
Prom etheus' b rother
Prometheus: Ah, yes,
my latest creation. I call
Scene 1 Pigs that wallow, them humans. What do
CM1: Long ago in ancient birds that peep, you think?
PAGES 12-16: ALL ILLUSTRATIONS BY RUSS W ILMS

Greece, Zeus gave the job Fish that swim, Zeus: They look a little sorry
of making all the creatures and dogs that howl, over there. Couldn't they use
on Earth to a god named Prometheus made them, some fur, like that lion? Or
Prometheus. one and all. how about some real teeth,
Greek Chorus: CM2: Prometheus shows his like those alligators? I'm
Snakes that slither; work to Zeus. really not impressed with
cats that creep, Zeus: Terrific work here. these humans.

12 S c h o l a s t ic A c t io n | D e ce m b e r 15, 2 0 1 4
 Get More at Action Online!
ACTIVITY: CHARACTER TRAITS
•ACTIVITY: PROOFREADING
•SKILLS VIDEO
www.scholastic.com/actionmag

Prometheus: Well, if you
must know, I let Epimetheus
help me . . .
Zeus: You did what? What
were you thinking?
CM3: Epimetheus is . . .
how can we say this?
CM1: He's always messing
things up.
Zeus: I'll tell you what.
Get rid of the humans, and
we'll call it a day. We could
replace them with more of
those furry barking things. I
like those!
Prometheus: We can't
just get rid of the humans!
I'm very attached to them.
Why don't we give them
something to help them out
a little? Something h o t. ..
and smoky . . .
Zeus: Don't say i t . . .
Greek Chorus:
Zeus certainly had no desire
To even think of sharing fire.
Prometheus: Oh, come on!
You are so stingy with your
precious fire.
Zeus: Fire belongs to the
gods and only the gods. I
forbid you to give it to those
silly-looking creatures.
Prometheus (sighing):
Well, you're the boss.
Zeus: And don't forget it.
Scene 2
CM2: But Prometheus
doesn't listen to Zeus. He
steals fire from Mount
Olympus. Then he shows
the people on Earth how
to use it.
Prometheus: Just rub the

w w w .s c h o la s tic .c o m /a c tio n m a g | December 15, 2014 13

sticks together like so, until Prometheus could do. And exactly what
you get a spark. That will disobeys Zeus you deserve!
and gives fire
start a fire. Now you can Epim etheus: Is it a vase?
to humans.
roast your lamb to crispy A torch?
perfection! Zeus: No, no, nothing like
C M 3: The humans are that. Just a little something
thrilled. But Zeus is furious. special that could change
Zeus: How dare you your lives forever.
disobey me! It's off to the P and ora: I can't wait any
mountainside for you, longer! Let's open it!
where birds will peck at Zeus: Hold on a moment!
your liver forever! There is just one condition
Prom etheus: Wouldn't a with this gift. You must
simple time-out work? never open it.
C M 1: Prometheus is Epim etheus: Huh?
doomed to suffer forever, i P andora: What's inside?
Zeus: That takes care of Zeus: It's something
Prometheus. But how extraordinary. That's all
should I punish the humans? you need to know.
G reek Chorus: P and ora: I need to know
The easy life that Prometheus is being more than that!
men enjoyed punished. He opens Zeus: I'm not surprised
Would soon by Zeus the door. that you're curious, but
be destroyed. Epim etheus: Oh, Zeus! remember: You must never,
What an honor! Have you ever, for any reason, open
Scene 3 heard from my brother? this chest.
C M 2: Zeus creates a He's still not back from that Epim etheus: Don't worry,
beautiful woman named vacation you sent him on. Zeus. I've got everything
Pandora. She is smart, Zeus: Vacation? Uh, yes, under control.
charming, and—most his bird-watching tour. I G reek Chorus:
important—curious. just got a postcard from With a great grin
C M 3: Zeus then introduces him today. But enough Zeus departed,
Pandora to Epimetheus, about him. I've come Knowing well what he
who falls madly in love with a wedding present, had started.
with her. something special for my C M 3: The minute he is
C M 1: One day, soon after favorite couple. gone, Pandora runs over to
their wedding, Pandora and G reek Chorus: the chest.
Epimetheus hear a knock at As he wished them Epim etheus: Zeus told us
their door. all the best, to leave it alone, so forget
Epim etheus: Hey, it must He handed them about it!
be Prometheus, back from a padlocked chest. P and ora: You're right.
his vacation. P and ora: Oh, Zeus! You I promise never to think
C M 2: Epimetheus still shouldn't have. about it again.
doesn't know that Zeus: But it's the least that I Epim etheus: Good. Let's go

14 S ch o lastic Action | December 15, 2014

downtown and watch the
chariot races.
Scene 4
C M 1: A few weeks later . . .
E p im e t h e u s : I'm going
shopping for new sandals.
Want to come?
P a n d o r a : No thanks. I've
got some things to do here
at home.
E p im e t h e u s : All right. Just
remember . . .
P a n d o r a : I know. Don't
open the chest.
G re e k C h o ru s :
Pandora really tried her best
To forget about the chest.
But buzzing in her like a bee
Was her curiosity.
C M 2 : Pandora soon finds
herself standing right in
front of the chest.
P a n d o r a : It can't hurt just
to look at it. supposed to open it!
C M 3 : Soon, her hands are J e a lo u s y : You wouldn't
on it. believe what was in
P a n d o r a : It can't hurt just Alexandros' chest!
to touch it. T r ic k e r y : Zeus really won't
C M 1 : Before long, her ear mind! He wants you to
is pressed to the chest. She open it!
shakes it gently. J e a lo u s y : If you don't
P a n d o r a : It can't hurt just open it soon, we'll go ask
to listen to it. Alexandros to do it.
C M 2 : She hears sweet S ic k n e s s : Come on! My
little voices coming from back is killing me!
the chest. P a n d o r a : I don't know.
T r ic k e r y : We really want Besides, it's locked.
to come out and play J e a lo u s y : The key is in
with you. the lock.
S ic k n e s s : I'm not getting P a n d o r a : So it is.
any younger in here! T r ic k e r y : Go ahead.
P a n d o r a : Who said that? Nothing bad will happen!
J e a lo u s y : Alexandros, S ic k n e s s : Pleeease?
the man up the block, was P a n d o r a : Well. . .
allowed to open his present C M 3 : The chest flies open.
from Zeus! A foul-smelling wind rushes
P a n d o r a : No, no! I'm not from the box and knocks
Pandora back.
G re e k C h o ru s :
When Pandora turned
the key,
Sickness, lies, and jealousy
Flew out with other kinds
of evil,
Bringing pain to all
Earth's people.

Scene 5
C M 1: A swarm of ugly
creatures fly wildly around
the room.
J e a lo u s y : Woo-hoo!
T r ic k e r y : Freedom!
Zeus gives Pandora S ic k n e s s : jHasta la
and Epimetheus a vista, Pandora!
gift, but tells them
P a n d o r a : Oh no! What
not to open it.
have I done?

w w w .s c h o la s tic .c o m /a c tio n m a g | D e ce m b e r 15, 2 0 1 4 1 5

 Looks like you've
J e a lo u s y :
just let evil into the world,
my friend! See ya!
C M 2 : The horrible creatures
jump out an open window
and start to make their way
across the earth.
C M 3 : Pandora slams the
window shut, but it is too
late. All but one of the
creatures have escaped.
G re e k C h o ru s :
Before that moment,
life was great.
There was no anger,
grief, or hate.
No one argued,
no one cried,
No one aged, and
no one lied.

Scene 6
P a n d o ra : This is terrible!
I've ruined everything. W h e n P a n d o ra
o p e n s th e box,
C M 1 : Down on the floor,
h o r r ib le c r e a tu r e s
one creature remains. c o m e p o u r in g o u t.
H o p e : But remember,
every cloud has a silver
lining, and tomorrow is a
new day. Things can only
get better!
P a n d o r a : What are you
talking about? Get back in
the chest! me, Pandora. I've got to get G re e k C h o ru s :
H o p e : That would be a big out there, and you've got to When Pandora turned
mistake. I'm not like the help me! that key,
others. My name is Hope, P a n d o r a : Well, you do seem She set all kinds o f
and I'm the one thing that different from the others. horrors free.
will make life easier with Somehow, I feel better just We're just happy that
all of those nasty creatures knowing you're here. she knew
roaming around. C M 2 : Pandora opens the To let Hope out the
P a n d o r a : How do I know window and scoops up window too.
you're not just like them? Hope, helping her fly out —Adapted by
H o p e : You must believe into the world. Jennifer Dignan

16 S c h o l a s t ic A c t io n | D e ce m b e r 15, 2 0 1 4
 

 
The Curiosity Over Mars  
Video: 
 
http://tiny.cc/Marscuriosity 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Reading Language Arts Text Set      Grade 3, Third Six Weeks  
 
  

 
What drives people to seek the unknown? 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 

“Life on the Ice” ​
(Close Read) 

“The Beast of Loch Ness” 

“The Horrible Monster of Loch Ness” 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Reading Language Arts Text Set      Grade 3, Third Six Weeks  
 
 

3rd Grade Student Copy 
Life on the Ice 
 
1  The  top  and  the  bottom  of  our  planet  are  covered   
with  ice.  The  top,  the  Arctic,  is  home  to  the  North 
Pole.  It  can  be  so  cold  that  a  cup  of  hot  water,   
thrown  in  the  air,  will  explode  into  a  cloud  of  ice   
particles.   
 
2  The  South  Pole  is at the bottom of our planet on the 
 
 
continent  of  Antarctica.  This  region  is  even  colder   
than  the  Arctic,  sometimes  plunging  to  ­125F   
(­87.2C).  In  winter,  parts  of  the  ocean  surrounding   
Antarctica  freeze  over, doubling  its  size.  Antarctica   
is  the  coldest,  driest,  windiest  place  on  Earth.  It is 
so  isolated  that  no  human  had  even  seen  this 
3
  Based on the information in paragraphs 1 and 2, what 
continent until two hundred years ago.  difficulties might a scientist face that is working in the 
  Arctic? 
  _______________________________
  _______________________________
 
  _______________________________
  _______________________________
 
  _______________________________
  _____ 
 
3  Places  this  cold,  this  extreme, are  hard  to  imagine.   
In  fall  the  sun  sets  and  doesn’t  rise  again  for  the   
entire  winter.  Months  later,  it  shines  twenty­four 1
  What is the main idea of paragraphs 1–3? 
hours a day—all summer long. 
9 
 

  _______________________________
 
  _______________________________
  _______________________________
 
4  Even  though  they  are  covered  by  ice, these regions  _______________________________
are  deserts—dry  like  the  Sahara.  Very  little  snow  ____ 
falls in either  place. But  when it does, it rarely melts.   
Over  time,  the snow becomes ice—in some places,   
almost three miles (5 km) thick.   
   
  3
  What evidence is given to show these places are 
  cold and extreme? 
  ___________________________________ 
5  The  ice is  slowly  moving, inching from the  middle  of 
the Arctic and Antarctica to their coasts. By the time  _______________________________
pieces  break  off  into  the  ocean  and  become  _______________________________
icebergs, the ice is 100,000 years old.  
 
_______________________________
  ___ 
6  People  fly  thousands  of  miles  to  reach  the  Poles.   
And  when  the  winds  kick  up  and  blow  the  snow   
around, it’s hard to know where the sky ends and the   
land  begins.  Pilots  say  that  it’s  like  flying  inside  a   
Ping­Pong ball.   
   
7    Many of the instruments normally used to guide   
plans won’t work there. In fact, navigators flying to   
the Poles are the only ones left in the U.S. Air Force   
who still help map their route with the stars. This is   
some of the hardest flying there is.   
 
 
10 
 

8  Planes  do  not  land  in  these  wintry  worlds  by  rolling   
down  concrete  runways.  They use skis instead. And   
they  slide  like  giant  sleds  until  they  stop.  Gliding   
along,  the  skis  get  so  hot  that  they  melt  the  snow   
they’re  resting  on. Pilots must pull them up when the   
planes  stop.  Otherwise,  the  wet  snow  would   
refreeze  on  the  skis  and the  planes  would be stuck   
to the ground.   
   
9  It  sounds  like  an  adventure story,  doesn’t  it?  It  is an   
adventure  story—one  with  science.  Scientist  are   
today’s  explorers,  braving  the  wilderness  to  learn   
more about our world.   
   
10  The  snow  near  the  North  Pole,  for example, hasn’t   
melted  since  the  last  ice age. Over 100,000  years   
of  it  has  been  pressed  into  an  ice  sheet  almost  2   
miles  (3.2  km) thick.  But each layer looks separate,   
like the rings of a tree.   
   
11  Some  scientists  use  this  snow  to  measure  air   
pollution.  Others  are  drilling  through  this  ice  to pull   
out  history.  Each  sample  they  bring  up tells  a  story   
about the  time  when  it was formed.  Scientists have 
found  volcanic  ash  from  Italy’s  Mount  Vesuvius  for 
2
  How does snow help scientists measure air pollution? 
instance, and pollution from ancient Roman times.   _______________________________
 
12  Scientists  began  this  experiment  to  learn  more  _______________________________
about  how  ice  ages  begin  and  end.  Before,  they  _______________________________
thought  our  climate  needed  thousands  of  years  to 
change.  Now they know  it  can  happen  much,  much
_______________________________
faster.  
11 
 

  ____ 
13  At  the  South  Pole  some  scientists  search  for 
 
meteorites,  rocks  from  outer space. Meteorites are 
 
no  more  likely  to  fall  there  than  anywhere  else  on 
 
Earth.  But  as  one  scientist  explains,  if  you  want  to 
 
find  something  dark,  it’s  easier  to  look  on  a  big 
 
white  sheet.  His  team  has  given  thousands  of 
 
meteorites  to  our  space  agency,  the  National 
 
Aeronautics  and  Space  Administration  (NASA),  for 
 
study.  
 
 
 
14  The  Antarctic  sky  is  a  perfect  window  to  the  stars, 
 
the  best  on  this  planet.  It is  very  clear  because  it’s 
 
so  cold  and dry—and has  a  night  that is six months  1
  What is the main idea of paragraphs 11–13? 
long.  Some  scientists  use  telescopes  to  study the 
age of the universe. Others fly balloons to measure  _______________________________
rays coming in from outer space.   _______________________________
_______________________________
___ 
 
 
2
  How does research conducted at the South Pole 
benefit NASA? 
_______________________________
_______________________________
_______________________________
_______________________________
____ 
12 
 The Beast
of Loch Ness
Is there a monster living in Scotland's legendary lake?
More than a thousand people claim they've seen one.

It was a beautiful spring

day in 1933. Aldie and John
Mackay were driving past
one of Scotland's largest
lakes, Loch Ness. {Loch,
pronounced "lock," is the
Scottish word for lake.)
Suddenly, the water
rippled. A giant creature
seemed to rise up. It was
black, with a hump on its
back. It swam across the
surface of the loch. Then think the Mackays' story is Most people thought the
it disappeared under plausible. They believe the kraken was imaginary. But
the water. monster is real. Thousands in the 19th century, giant
The Mackays' story was say they've seen it with squid washed up onshore in
published in newspapers their own eyes. Canada. It turned out that
across Great Britain. Soon, So what's the truth? Is the kraken was based on a
the Loch Ness Monster was there a Loch Ness Monster real animal!
famous. People headed to or not? A few pieces of evidence
Scotland to find it. suggest Nessie might be
Eighty years later, people Fantastic Creatures real. Over the past 50 years,
are still searching. No one Most stories about several research teams
has proved that "Nessie" monsters are made up. scanned the loch using
ILLUSTRATION BY GARY H A N N A ; PHOTO: ISTOCKPHOTO.COM

exists. Some claim to have
taken photos or video of it.
But most are blurry. They
might show a monster, but
they could show something
else. And some images were
proved to be hoaxes.
But many people still
But every once in a while,
one turns out to be true.
For example, sailors once
talked about a huge beast
called the kraken. They
said its arms were so big
they could wrap around an
entire ship!
sonar. Some of these scans
turned up evidence of large
objects moving around
more than 50 feet below the
surface. And an underwater
photograph once showed
what looked like the flipper
of a giant sea creature.

w w w .sc h o la s tic .c o m /a c tio n m a g | March 9, 2015 9

 a place where earthquakes
tend to occur. Small
earthquakes might release
gas bubbles into the loch.
When these bubbles reach
the surface, they can cause
spooky-looking ripples in
the water.
Loch Ness is also in a
wooded area. Logs and tree
branches often wash into
the lake. Twisted branches
If Nessie is real, what That year, British scientists might look like a monster's
type of animal could looked at every inch of the slender neck. And logs might
she be? Some say she's a loch with high-tech sonar look like one of its humps!
plesiosaur, an ancient equipment. They found Whether Nessie is real
water-dwelling reptile. absolutely no signs of a or not, her legend won't
Scientists believe all large, living creature. go away. That's because
plesiosaurs died out about So why do people still keeping the story alive is
66 million years ago—the believe in Nessie? good business for people
same time the dinosaurs One reason is the human who live near Loch Ness.
disappeared. But what if a imagination. It's pretty Nessie brings lots of tourists
few survived? powerful. So is our power of to the area. Visitors spend
belief. Many people want millions of dollars there
An Unlikely Story the monster to be real. When every year.
Scientists believe the idea they see ordinary things, Even if Nessie isn't real,
is farfetched. Plesiosaurs their minds play tricks on she's still fun to think
lived in warm water. They them. Since they want to see about. And who knows—
couldn't survive in Loch Nessie so badly, they truly maybe the monster will
Ness, where the water believe they've seen her! surface someday soon,
averages a chilly 40 degrees walk out of the lake, and
Also, a plesiosaur would Behind the Myth introduce itself to the
have to pop its head above
BETTMANN/CORBIS

Scientists have a few people who have searched

the surface every few hours possible explanations for so hard for it.
to breathe. That means it the strange things people —Lauren Tarskis
would be seen practically have seen. Loch Ness lies in
every day!
The best case against
Nessie was made in 2003.

10 S c h o l a s t ic A c t io n March 9, 2015
Copyright © 2000. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 2000. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 2000. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 2000. All rights reserved.
  

 
 
How do inventions come about? 
 
 

 
 

“An Automotive Marvel” 

“My New Teacher, Mr. Robot” 

“Everyday Gadgets and Gizmos” 
Quirky Company Helps Inventors Turn Ideas 
Into Items 
 
 
 
Reading Language Arts Text Set      Grade 3, Third Six Weeks  
 
Gas
An Automotive Marvel
by J.T. Waite • illustrated by Daniel Mather

An automotive marvel
Is the MODERN MOTOR CAR.
It gets you where you want to go
From right there where you are.

Beneath the hood, the engine block

Has cylinders and rings,
A shiny, new distributor,
A rocker arm and springs;

A chambered carburetor.
Where the air will mix with gas;
A battery and spark plugs
That will make the mixture flash...

And push the pistons up and down.

Which turns the crankshaft round:
Creating torque and RPM's
And stuff much more profound.
 '4, ''

A manual transmission
Lets the driver shift the gears.
And then, of course, the muffler
Helps to save the driver's ears.

The standard steel suspension

Will smooth out those bumpy roads.
And sturdy shock absorbers
Will reduce those heavy loads.
Add four performance tires
And some anti-locking brakes,
A little chrome and polish
And a car has what it takes.

Whatever make and model,

GTO or SUV...
An auto is the product of
Man's ingenuity!

•Jlj/lf
physical science

es English
to elementary school
students in South Korea.
words to know
Social robot—a computerized
machine that interacts and
communicates with people
Neuroscientist—a scientist who
studies how the nerves and the
brain work
Program—a set of instructions a
computer needs to do a task
Software—programs that control
how a computer works
Robot teachers hit the classroom
I
t's time for gym at a kindergarten class in South Korea.
Students stretch their arms. "Up! Down! Up!" harks their
gym teacher. She, or rather it, is a pink-and-black rohot
shaped like a puppy!
The rohotic "gym teacher" is one of several types of social
robots heing tested in classrooms around the world. These
teaching machines can instruct students in suhjects such as
dance, music, vocahulary, and foreign languages.
Preschool children in California learn their ABC's, colors,
and shapes from a rohot named RUBI. "The children love
working with RUBI and get upset when RUBI doesn't come
in," says Terrence Sejnowski. He is a neuroscientist at the
University of California in San Diego who studies how
humans learn.
Relating to Robots
RUBI's relationship with its young students got off to a
rocky start, however. On the rohot's first day of school,
students treated it like a toy and ripped off its arms. To
address the prohlem, developers programmed RUBI to play a
crying sound when students got too rough. Now, the children
hug their mechanical teacher instead.
The incident taught scientists an
important lesson. To teach ™ ^^
effectively, rohots have to he J \
ahle to read students' C^yv Í • *
reactions and respond
appropriately. This is hecause
Simon, a robot being developed at
Georgia Tech University, can learn
basic tasits through experience
and by asiiing questions.
i^web connections
For a multimedia slide show on robots,
visitwww.scholastic.com/superscience
I Students in Japan
a teaching robot
named Saya. Motors
under the robot's
rubber skin can shape Yang Ui-ryeol, a sixth grader in
Saya's face to display South Korea, practices English
six different emotions with Engi(ey, a robot teacher.

"social interaction is key to are unpredictable, so it's best to teachers and make learning more
learning," says Sejnowski. leave teaching to humans. fun. In South Korea, where
This type of programming is Supporters say that social teachers are in short supply,
complicated. Social robots must robots are not being designed to robots help out with simple tasks
be able to pick out voices from replace teachers. They're like taking attendance. At the
random noise. They have to designed to assist human same time, robots can give
identify faces and make eye
contact. And most challenging
Javier Movellan developed
of all, robots must know if their RUBI as part of a research
students understand and enjoy a project with the University
lesson. They must be able to of California, San Diego.
read a child's expressions (see^l
Robot's Nuts and Bolts).
"As long as the robot passes
these tests of social interaction,
learning begins," says Sejnowski.

Fears and Cheers

Not all people think these
robot instructors are a good idea.
Some believe that machines
should not take over an important
position like teaching. They argue
that people, particularly children.

14 SUPERSCIENCE
 The scientists who developed RUBI wanted the robot to have social
interactions with its students. To do this, RUBi is equipped with Speakmg and Gesturmg:
features that allow it to evaluate and respond to its environment. If RUBI determines that
students are following
Video Camera Nose: RUBI sees along, it can give
through a video camera inside encouragement with
its nose. RUBI is programmed to words (through a
recognize and follow faces. speaker) or gestures with
its mechanical arms.

en: RUBI can

project images on
essions: KUDI s software
its screen that can
analyzes the muscle movements of students'
be used in lessons.
eyebrows, eyes, cheeks, lips, and chins, if RUBI sees
that a child is smiling, the robot continues its lesson.

children firsthand experience
with advanced technology.
Robots could also
automatically keep track of what
students know and what they still
need to learn. "The goal is for
each student to have a personal
robot that will become an expert
on that child," says Sejnowski.
Grand Plans
Social robots' most important
achievement may not be their
classroom teaching at all.
Experts say their most valuable
function is helping scientists
understand how children learn.
This information could lead to
better human teachers—
teachers who are skilled at
exciting children's curiosity.
To accomplish this,
researchers will continue to
develop better ways for robots
and children to interact. But
scientists admit they have a long
way to go. This is especially the
case with Engkey, an English-
teaching robot in South Korea.
One student says he feels like
there's something more to the
machine that is his teacher. But
when he told Engkey, "I love
you," Engkey replied, "You need
to work on your accent."
—By Judith Jango - Cohen
W What do you think?
Do you think robots should assist
teachers in classrooms? Would you
want to learn from a robot? Explain.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2 0 1 0 15
  

 
 
Quirky Company Helps Inventors Turn Ideas Into Items  
Video: 
 
http://tiny.cc/Quirkycompany 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Reading Language Arts Text Set      Grade 3, Third Six Weeks