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Lost Rover Recovery

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Grades K-230-45 minSource: Creative Dad Company

Young engineers plan a step-by-step route to guide a lost rover home around obstacles. It's an unplugged coding challenge that builds sequencing and problem-solving through a rescue mission.

Budget levels

Materials list coming soon to members

Materials links go to Amazon. Prices are estimates and may change. As an Amazon Associate, Creative Dad Company earns from qualifying purchases.

Quick Start

Digital downloads only. $0 to buy. Printing is noted separately.

Materials list coming soon.

Student time: one class period, one day.

Teacher prep / build-ahead: separate from student time.

Scale it

The default plan is one class period on a single day.

Scale back: Fit it into a shorter period, use fewer effects, or run a demo instead of a build.

Scale up: Add one extra effect, or spread the share-out across another day.

Ambiance video

Ambiance video coming soon from Creative Dad Studio

Full Experience

Up to $25 per class (class of about 30, 6 groups).

Materials list coming soon.

Student time: one day.

Teacher prep / build-ahead: separate from student time.

Scale it

The default plan is one school day.

Scale back: Fit the build into one period with fewer effects.

Scale up: Spread the work across days, or add more effects.

Total Transformation

The bigger kit, priced per class (class of about 30, 6 groups).

Materials list coming soon.

Student time: one day (one session, one-day event).

Teacher prep / build-ahead: separate from student time.

Scale it

The default plan is one session, a one-day event.

Scale back: Shorten the event, or run a demo for a smaller audience.

Scale up: Spread the build and the event across days, or invite a bigger audience.

Choose your version

Every level teaches the same core idea — pick the one that fits your time, budget, and energy today.

Student time: 30 min, one class periodTeacher prep / build-ahead: 8 min$0 to buy. Printing noted separately.One table or a small area of floor spaceBeginner-friendly

Setup

Gather grid map, arrow cards, toy rover and clear a small work surface. Read the Lost Rover Recovery mission aloud, then place the supplies where children can choose and compare them safely.

Activity

  1. Study the grid map and predict a safe path for the rover to reach home base.
  2. Arrange arrow cards into a step-by-step program that will guide the rover along that path.
  3. Run the rover through the sequence and discover it crashes into an obstacle or misses a turn, then debug the cards.
  4. Celebrate the rover's successful homecoming by walking a partner through the final working program.

Ambiance video

Ambiance video coming soon from Creative Dad Studio

Done when: Children complete the core mission and the rover's successful homecoming by walking a partner through the final working program.

Materials

Masking tape for a floor grid, a wind-up or rolling toy rover, arrow direction cards, small blocks as obstacles

Shown for the Quick Start version — switch tabs above to see what changes.

Materials links go to Amazon. Prices are estimates and may change.

As an Amazon Associate, Creative Dad Company earns from qualifying purchases.

Steps

  1. Study the grid map and predict a safe path for the rover to reach home base.
  2. Arrange arrow cards into a step-by-step program that will guide the rover along that path.
  3. Run the rover through the sequence and discover it crashes into an obstacle or misses a turn, then debug the cards.
  4. Celebrate the rover's successful homecoming by walking a partner through the final working program.