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Overview:

With the exciting landing of the Perseverance rover on Mars, it's now time to begin exploring the Martian surface. In this live stream for students in grades 5-12, we'll talk about how NASA builds and operates rovers on Mars and build a rubber-band-powered rover together. Plus, we'll answer your questions during a live Q&A!

Follow along with education specialists Lyle Tavernier and Brandon Rodriguez from the education team at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory as we build a rubber-band-powered cardboard rover using materials from around the house. Optimize your design and asks questions as you build along with us to perfect your rover at home.

Watch Online (Wednesday, Mar. 24 at 9 a.m. PDT)

Have the following supplies handy to build along with us:

• 1 6-inch (15-cm) square of corrugated cardboard for the body of the rover
• 2 5-inch (13-cm) pieces of corrugated cardboard for the wheels
• 1 sharpened cylindrical pencil
• 2 rubber bands
• 2 pieces of round hard candy with a hole in the middle
• 1 plastic drinking straw
• Ruler
• Tape
• Scissors
• *Don’t worry if you don’t have all of the materials. Get creative and substitute materials with what you have! It’s all part of the design process.

You can also follow the process on the activity page at the link below:

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  Make a Cardboard Rover

  Build a rubber-band-powered rover that can scramble across a room.

If you and your students have questions specific to what you're learning, register your classroom, educational organization, or household at the registration link below for an opportunity to have your questions answered during a live Q&A session with NASA.

• This live broadcast is designed for grades 5-12 classrooms and students.
• Registrants must be at least 18 years old. If you are under 18, have a teacher or adult fill out the registration form on your behalf.
• Educators and households who register will receive information about how to submit questions during the live stream.
• You do not need to register to watch and build – only to ask questions during the live stream.

This event is presented by Learning Space with NASA at Home, which provides K-12 students, their families, and educators with standards-aligned STEM activities, tutorials, and resources for home learning. For more resources related to this workshop, see the Explore More section below.

Explore More

Get notified about upcoming workshops and the latest news from the education team at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. › Sign up for email updates

Student Projects

• 
  Make a Cardboard Rover

  Build a rubber-band-powered rover that can scramble across a room.

• 
  Learning Space With NASA at Home

  Explore space and science activities students can do with NASA at home. Watch video tutorials and find tips for learning at home!

Educator Guides

• 
  Roving on the Moon

  Students build a rubber-band-powered rover that can scramble across the room.

• 
  NASA's Mission to Mars Student Challenge

  Bring students along for the ride as we explore the Red Planet with NASA's latest rover to land on Mars!

Education Events

• 
  Teaching Space With NASA

  Hear from experts and education specialists about the latest missions and science happening at NASA as they answer your questions!

• 
  Virtual Educator Workshops

  Take a deeper dive into NASA missions and science with interactive virtual workshops lead by JPL education specialists.