Back to school is the perfect time to dust off the robots, charge the batteries, and get students working together. But if you are starting the year with robotics, you do not need to begin with a giant build, a complicated course, or a 42-step mission that makes everyone question their life choices.
Start simple.
Start with sheep.
Yes, sheep.
This beginning robotics challenge has students program a robot to herd a flock of sheep into a corral. The sheepdogs are out sick, and the robots have been called in to save the day.
Meet Robots to the Rescue
Robots to the Rescue is a beginner-friendly robotics challenge that can work with almost any robotics system. If your robot can move forward, reverse, and push an object, you are in business. Students work in teams of three to design a strategy, program their robot, and build an attachment to help move as many sheep as possible into the corral.
The basic challenge is simple:
- Create a team of three
- Program the robot to move forward and reverse
- Build an attachment to help push or guide the sheep
- Start behind the blue line
- Herd as many sheep as possible into the corral
- Celebrate when at least one sheep makes it in, because robotics is a journey
And sometimes sheep have minds of their own.
Why This Works for Beginners
This is one of those robotics activities that gives you a lot of classroom wins without a mountain of prep.
Students practice programming, teamwork, problem-solving, and attachment design. You also get time to teach important routines like:
- Where robots are stored
- How teams share roles
- What to do when a robot does something unexpected
- How to handle parts that roll under a table and mysteriously vanish
- How to test, improve, and try again
What You Need
- 10 to 12 sheep
- A corral
- A blue starting line
- Robots
- Building pieces for attachments
- Floor space or a tabletop area
- Access the Student Challenge Overview here
I made the sheep from pom-poms, felt, jumbo chenille stems, and oval googly eyes. Do they occasionally roll in unpredictable directions? Yes. That is part of the fun.
For the corral, I used thick fun foam and duct tape to create 12 inch fence sections. The sections are connected with dowels or straws, making the corral easy to take apart, store, and transport. You could also use cardboard, pool noodles, or whatever is already hanging around your classroom.
The Attachment Rule
For my version of the challenge, I like to let students add only three pieces to a standard robot build for assistance. This keeps the task manageable and forces students to think carefully about design.
However, this rule depends on your robotics system. Some robots may need a bigger attachment, like a small snow plow or scoop, to move the sheep successfully. The teacher gets to make the call. You can tighten it up or loosen it up depending on your students, your robots, and how much time you have.
Setting Up the Field
Place the sheep in the playing area between the blue starting line and the corral. Students must begin behind the blue line and may only touch the robot behind that line.
You can choose the time limit based on your robot platform and the experience level of your students. Some classes may need 30 seconds. Others may need 45 seconds or more. If your students are brand new to robotics, give them a little extra time for the first round.
How to Run the Challenge
Here is a simple flow that works well:
- Introduce the Robots to the Rescue scenario.
- Review the rules and the challenge setup.
- Give teams time to build or adjust their attachment.
- Let teams program and test.
- Run the first official round.
- Give students time to revise their design or code.
- Run another round.
- End with a quick reflection.
Reflection Questions
Here are a few quick questions to help students think through the challenge:
- What did your attachment do well?
- What did your robot do that surprised you?
- What change made the biggest difference?
- How did your team decide on a strategy?
- What would you try next time?
Texas-Style Variation
Because I am located in Austin, Texas, I had to make a longhorn version. Hook ‘em!
Extension Ideas
- Give each team a budget of building pieces.
- Award bonus points for every sheep fully inside the corral.
- Require students to redesign their attachment after the first round.
- Add obstacles to the field.
- Have students create a strategy map before programming.
- Let students compare a pushing attachment with a scooping attachment.
- Ask students to write a short rescue report explaining their final design.
You can also have students create their own version of the challenge. Maybe the robots are moving penguins to an iceberg, pumpkins to a patch, or snacks to a picnic blanket. Once students understand the structure, the theme can go anywhere.
To help a couple of classrooms get started, I am giving away two sets of sheep and one set of longhorns. Each winner will also receive a set of fences to build the corral.
Submit your information on this Google Form before Tuesday, August 11, 2026 for a chance to win.
More back to school challenges for your robotics classroom, can be found here and here.
Good luck, and happy herding with Robots