In this board-game lesson, students learn basic computer programming skills by playing the roles of a Mars rover, scientist and engineer to make exploration decisions and accomplish science goals.

Students design, build and program a robotic “super crawler” to transport a payload from a starting position to a target launch pad, deliver the payload in an upright position and return the robot to the starting point.

Students learn about surface features on Mars, then use a visual programming language to create a Mars exploration game.

Students use microcontrollers and temperature sensors to measure the flow of heat through a soil sample.

In this advanced programming activity, students will construct a light-wavelength detector to model future technology for communicating with spacecraft.

In this intermediate-level programming challenge, students use microdevices along with light and mirrors to build a relay that can send information to a distant detector.

Students use a visual programming language to create a video game that simulates the process of collecting samples on Mars.

In this challenge, students must program a rover to get from point A to point B on a map without driving across any of the craters located between the two points.

In this challenge, students will program a rover to use a color sensor on several rock samples, allowing them to simulate how the Mars Curiosity rover uses its ChemCam instrument to analyze light emitted from geological samples on Mars.