GoPiGo3 Mars Rover Kit

Grades 5-8. Make learning about space exploration a fun, hands-on robotics project using GoPiGo3, a robot car that you build and code.

• Design and build a rover to explore and gather data about a newly discovered planet
• Learn to control the GoPiGo with code and use distance, temperature, humidity, and pressure sensors, as well as cameras, to collect information to analyze and draw conclusions
• Lessons use Bloxter, a beginner drag-and-drop programming language based on Blockly by Google and MIT that requires no prior experience
• Teaches and incorporates Scratch, but Python, Java, C++, and Node.js can also be used to program the robot car
• Consists of 5 lessons
• Lesson 1 - Robots in Space: Students will investigate current and past space exploration technology. Based on their understanding of space technology, students will design and build a rover to explore a new planet based on their understanding of current and past Mars rover technologies.
• Lesson 2 - Visual Survey of the Planet: Students will investigate the visual properties of a new planet. Students will record observations and inferences based on the data gathered.
• Lesson 3 - Living Conditions - Temperature and Humidity: Students will describe properties of planets in the Goldilocks Zone. Students will analyze data about the temperature of planets in our solar system. Students will investigate the temperature of a new planet and compare the temperature readings to that of other planets in our solar system.
• Lesson 4 - Energy from Light: Students will investigate and describe solar energy and its uses.
• Lesson 5 - Sensing Light on the Planet: Students will design an experiment to answer a question about light on a new planet. Students will present their experiment idea to the class. Students will answer a question about light on the new planet by completing one of the student-designed experiments.
• Each lesson includes the following elements:
• Background information and resource links (To share with students)
• Introductory questions and information to share with students
• Step-by-step procedure for the project
• Student handouts, charts, and worksheets
• Closure exercises
• Assessment questions
• Extension
• Lessons can be expanded upom for more advanced students by doing more sophisticated activities with the sensors, as well as data collection and analysis techniques
• Includes:
• GoPiGo3 Base Kit (NA10388)
• Raspberry Pi 3
• MicroSD card with DexterOS
• USB drive
• Distance sensor
• Light and color sensor
• Temperature, humidity, and pressure sensor
• Raspberry Pi camera
• Servo kit
• Sensor mounts (set of 3)
• Power wall adapter
• Rechargeable battery and smart charger kit
• Getting Started guide
• Required but not included:
• Computer with Wi-Fi®, Internet connection, and web browser (Chrome preferred, but use Firefox if using touchscreen laptops)
• Projector (can be helpful)
• Optional: Heat lamps, humidifier, dehumidifier
• Optional: Materials for rover design (construction paper, cardboard, foil, pipe cleaners, recyclables, etc.)