Students design a robotic insect for an extraterrestrial environment, then compare the process to how NASA engineers design robots for extreme environments like Mars.

Students modify a paper cup so it can zip down a line and drop a marble onto a target

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

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

Students learn about cloud types to be able to predict inclement weather. They will then identify areas in the school affected by severe weather and develop a solution to ease the impacts of rain, wind, heat or sun.

In this simple engineering design lesson, students turn a piece of paper into an aircraft wing and then try to improve upon their design.

Students design and build a shock-absorbing system that will protect two "astronauts" when they land.

Students study rocket stability as they design, construct and launch paper rockets using soda straws.

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.