Limited-Time Freebie of the Month! As part of your STEM Space Explorer Library, we're excited to bring you an exclusive monthly freebie! This resource provides a sneak peek into the STEM Space Membership, which offers 250+ rigorous K-8 STEM lessons.

Mars Rubberband Rover Engineering Design Challenge

Students will first learn about mechanical engineering and potential and kinetic energy before designing and making a rover powered by the rubber band’s energy to explore the surface of Mars.

• Real-World: Learning about NASA Mars missions and NASA engineers and scientists working at JPL

• Habits of Mind: Collaborate in teams to brainstorm, build, and improve rover designs.

• Science: Explore energy transformations by investigating elastic potential and kinetic energy and friction.

• Making: Use common materials to build a rubber band-powered rover capable of transporting a sample.

• Math: Analyzing data to inform changes in design.

• Technology: Learning about real-world rover technologies, including Perseverance and Curiosity