Common Core State Standard L.CCS.1/2/3/4 Grades 6-12: Video of a current news event is presented for discussion to encourage student participation, but also inspire the use of evidence to support logical claims using the main ideas of the video. Students must analyze background information provided about a current event, draw out the main ideas and key details, and review different opinions on the issue. Then, students should present their own claims using facts and analysis for support.
03/23/2026
Dancing robot restrained by staff at restaurant
Video from Haidilao Hot Pot restaurant in Cupertino, Calif., shows a now-viral robot dancing wildly, knocking items off a table as employees step in trying to restrain it. Restaurant management denied the robot was “malfunctioning or out of control,” in spite of the struggle to contain it. “The robot was brought closer to a dining table at a guest’s request,” management said. “The limited space affected its movement during the performance.”
■Class discussion: Would you want to get close to the flailing arms of a dancing robot in a restaurant filled with hot bowls of soup? Amusement parks and restaurants have used programmed animated characters for decades, but the machines were usually well separated from guests. Has the growing use of robots made us careless of the dangers? Would you feel comfortable working alongside a robot? Would you trust a robot to serve you in your home? Why or why not?
