Rachel and Stephen plan a delivery route for ONE SMALL two-wheel tabletop robot carrying ONE tiny lightweight cardboard parcel on a low tray. Clear classroom test table, black tape route two corners, two cardboard pretend buildings, laptop nearby, computing teacher Mr Finch supervises. No robot faces or glowing eyes.

Rachel’s Robot Route

School Readers · Level 16

Rachel and Stephen are programming a small robot to make a pretend delivery. Their computing class has built two cardboard buildings on a table. A black tape route joins them, with a corner halfway along. Rachel puts a tiny parcel on the robot's tray before they begin the test.

Small tabletop two-wheel robot turns at black tape corner ONE tiny parcel falls onto table Rachel Stephen watch Mr Finch nearby cardboard delivery buildings classroom no robot eyes.

The robot moves towards the corner, turns, and drops its parcel onto the table. It reaches the second building with nothing to deliver. Stephen picks up the little box. Rachel checks the route on the laptop. The robot has followed it, but the delivery has still failed.

Stephen holds fallen tiny parcel Rachel checks route on laptop Mr Finch asks question tiny robot empty tray at second cardboard building all indoors.

“We could stick the parcel down,” says Stephen. Rachel thinks about the person waiting at the end of a real delivery. They would need to take the parcel off again. Mr Finch asks them which part of the journey needs a closer look before they choose a solution.

Rachel Stephen reset robot then watch close at tape CORNER parcel on tray slides towards edge Stephen notes observation teacher supervises no real roads.

They reset the robot and watch only the corner. The parcel slides towards the tray edge as the robot turns. Rachel asks Stephen to note what they see. They have found when the problem happens, which is more useful than watching only the empty robot arrive at the finish.

Rachel changes simple route plan on laptop Stephen marks corner on paper small robot carrying same tiny parcel tests SLOW turn at tape corner teacher nearby.

Rachel changes the plan so the robot turns more slowly. They test the same parcel on the same route again. This time, it shifts a little but stays aboard. Stephen draws a small mark on the plan where the slower turn begins. Mr Finch asks them to repeat the test.

Rachel stops robot BEFORE test as slightly WIDER box leans against tray edge Stephen compares narrow and wider boxes teacher nearby tabletop robot stationary.

On the next trip, the parcel arrives safely again. Then they try a slightly wider box. It leans against the edge of the tray. Rachel stops before setting off. A change to the parcel means they need to check the delivery again, even though the route has worked twice.

Robot arrives at cardboard destination with ONE small box centred on tray Stephen lifts parcel off easily Rachel smiles Mr Finch observes.

They choose a box that fits the tray and place it in the centre. The robot follows its slower turn and reaches the cardboard building. Stephen lifts the parcel off easily. Rachel smiles at the empty tray. This time, the empty robot means the delivery is finished, not lost.

Rachel Stephen add simple short test notes to paper route plan teacher asks question one small robot empty tray two cardboard buildings black tape corner visible classroom.

Before saving their work, they add notes beside the route: watch the corner, check the parcel, test again after a change. Mr Finch asks which part took the most thinking. Rachel points to the little bend in the tape. Getting to the finish was only one part of doing the job.

Rachel’s Robot Route

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