For Educators & Librarians

Bring STEM Stories Into Your Classroom

Free lesson plans, discussion questions, and hands-on activities for Aashi and the Robot — aligned to ELA and STEM standards for grades 2–6.

Why Use This Book

The Perfect Classroom Read

Aashi and the Robot: The Time Travel Adventure is a chapter book that does double duty — it's a page-turning adventure kids can't put down, and a rich teaching text packed with STEM concepts, social-emotional themes, and diverse representation.

The story follows Aashi Mehta, a brave young girl in the year 2222, and her robot companion Zy. When a time-travel glitch strands them in the wrong century, they must use science, teamwork, and resilience to find their way home.

The result is a read-aloud or independent reader that sparks conversation about problem-solving, perseverance, cultural identity, and the wonder of science.

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Grades 2–6

Chapter book format, ideal for read-aloud or independent reading circles

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STEM-Rich

Time travel, robotics, and scientific thinking woven naturally into the story

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Diverse Rep

An Indian-American girl hero in a futuristic global world

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SEL Themes

Bravery, empathy, teamwork, and resilience on every page

Standards Alignment

Curriculum Connections

The book supports learning across multiple subject areas and grade levels.

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English Language Arts

  • → Story structure: character, setting, plot, theme
  • → Character motivation and development
  • → Point of view and narrator perspective
  • → Vocabulary in context (science terms)
  • → Making inferences and predictions
  • → Comparing and contrasting characters
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Science & STEM

  • → Introduction to robotics and AI
  • → Scientific method: observe, hypothesize, test
  • → Time, space, and physics concepts
  • → Technology in everyday life (future vs. now)
  • → Problem-solving as an engineering process
  • → Cause and effect in scientific scenarios
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Social-Emotional Learning

  • → Resilience: keep going when things go wrong
  • → Empathy: understanding Zy's perspective
  • → Teamwork: when to lead, when to listen
  • → Cultural identity and pride
  • → Managing fear and anxiety under pressure
  • → Friendship and trust
Book 1 — The Time Travel Adventure

Discussion Questions

Use these questions for whole-class discussion, literature circles, or reading journals.

Character & Motivation

1. Aashi is described as brave — but she still gets nervous. How can someone be both brave and scared at the same time? Can you think of a moment in your own life when you were brave even though you were afraid?

Friendship & Teamwork

2. Zy is a robot, but Aashi treats Zy like a best friend. Do you think robots can be true friends? What makes a friendship real?

Problem Solving & Science

3. When Aashi and Zy get stuck in the wrong time period, how do they figure out what to do next? What steps do they take? Does it remind you of anything you've learned about science or engineering?

Setting & Imagination

4. The story is set in the year 2222. What details from the book tell you it's the future? If you could add one more invention to Aashi's world, what would it be and why?

Theme & Values

5. What is the most important lesson Aashi learns in this book? Do you agree with that lesson? Is there a moment in your own life where you learned something similar?

Culture & Identity

6. Aashi comes from an Indian family. How does her background show up in the story? Why do you think it's important for book characters to come from different cultures and backgrounds?

Creative Thinking

7. If you could travel to any year — past or future — where would you go? What would you do there? Would you want a robot companion like Zy with you?

Science Connection

8. The book mentions time travel as a kind of technology. Do you think time travel will ever be real? What scientific discoveries would need to happen first? What problems might it cause?

Hands-On Learning

Classroom Activities

Four activities that connect the book to STEM skills, creative writing, and critical thinking.

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Design Your Own Robot

Grades 2–6 · 45–60 min · Engineering Design

Students design their own robot companion. What does the robot do? What problems does it solve? What does it look like? They sketch a diagram, label its features, and write a short paragraph explaining how it helps humans.

Extension: Students present their robot to the class and answer one "investor question" from a classmate — practicing real engineering communication skills.

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Letter from the Future

Grades 3–6 · 30–45 min · Creative Writing + ELA

Students write a letter to themselves from the year 2222. What is the world like? What problem did they solve? What do they wish they had known when they were young? This activity builds narrative writing skills and encourages students to think about their own future.

Try the AI Story Starter: Use the KripsaVerse Story Starter for warm-up prompts before students write independently.

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The Problem-Solver's Notebook

Grades 2–5 · Ongoing · STEM Thinking

Throughout the reading, students keep a "Problem-Solver's Notebook." Each time Aashi faces a challenge, they stop and write: What is the problem? What information do they have? What would they try first? Then compare their approach to what Aashi does.

This mirrors real scientific thinking — observe, hypothesize, test — without ever making it feel like a science lesson.

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Cultures of the Future

Grades 3–6 · 45 min · Social Studies + SEL

Aashi's Indian heritage is part of her story even in the year 2222. Students research one cultural tradition from their own family or background and imagine how it might look in 200 years. What stays the same? What changes? What is important enough to carry forward?

A rich discussion starter about cultural identity, heritage, and what it means to belong.

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Printable Resources

Ready-to-use materials for your classroom — no prep required.

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Activity Pack

Coloring pages, STEM worksheets, robot word search, and reading bingo — all in one download.

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Reading Tracker

A printable reading log students can use to track their progress — and earn virtual badges.

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Story Starter

A one-click writing prompt set in Aashi's universe — perfect for daily journal warm-ups.

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Virtual Author Visit

Bring Kripsa Into Your Classroom

Kripsa Mehta offers virtual author visits for schools and libraries. She speaks about writing, STEM careers, following curiosity, and the journey from data scientist to published author. Kids leave with a signed digital certificate and a story prompt to take home.

  • ✓ 30–45 minute live session via Zoom or Google Meet
  • ✓ Q&A with students
  • ✓ Available for grades 2–6
  • ✓ Complimentary for Title I schools — inquire below
Request a Visit
👩🏽‍🚀

Kripsa Mehta

Author & Data Scientist
North Carolina, USA

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