This is one of a series of resources to support the use of the BBC micro:bit. This resource focusses on pupils designing, programming and using a BBC micro:bit to complete the mission challenge to find out more about the planet Mars.

In this activity pupils will make use of the BBC micro:bit to design and...

‘Design a city that has everything you'll need for a happy, productive and safe life on Mars.’

In this chapter students work out they could overcome Martian conditions to create a sustainable habitat, including

• mapping what is required by a community,
• designing buildings/domes that...

‘Work with your rover to collect scientific samples then head to the lab. It's time to experiment!’

In this chapter students think about the challenges of running experiments on Mars using a robotic rover, including

• programming the rover to navigate,
• decrypting coded messages,
• ...

‘Why do we send humans and robots into space? What will Mars be like, compared to Earth?’

In this introduction chapter students find out more about Mars, including:

• comparing Earth to Mars
• describing past, present and future missions to Mars
• writing a diary to Tim Peake...

‘Before you set off on your next space adventure, tell the people back on Earth why Mars is worth a visit.’

In this concluding activity students are encouraged to summarise their findings from the other five chapters, by:

• creating a poster about space tourism,
• drawing/writing a comic...

‘Explore your new home, from its climate to its terrain, then build a rover to help your research.’

In this chapter students figure out more about the surface of Mars, including:

• finding out about the weather on Mars,
• creating a newspaper article about water on Mars,
• ...

‘Recruit your crew, pack your bag and design your rocket to launch your mission!’

In this chapter students find out about some the challenges that will be presented with space exploration to Mars, including:

• comprehending the changing distances between our planets
• describing the skills...

These diagnostic questions and response activities (contained in the zip file) support students in being able to:

• Describe how the seasons change through a year.
• Describe the movement of the Earth through a year.
• Describe evidence that shows the Earth moves in a circular orbit...

These diagnostic questions and response activities (contained in the zip file) support students in being able to:

• Describe the properties of the Moon.
• Identify the shapes that the Moon can appear to be. 
• Describe how the shape of the Moon appears to change over time.   
• ...

This resource, from the Royal Observatory Greenwich, has a video that introduces the evolution on the universe beginning at the Big Bang, but it also has a worksheet that explores how mass loss through nuclear fusion can explain the prodigious ...

In this resource, pupils will create a solar system mobile and learn about the inner and outer planets in our solar system. They will learn that the outer planets are less dense than the inner planets and the planet with the highest density is Earth. Then will then carry out their own density experiment using...

This resource, from the Royal Observatory Greenwich, is all about helping pupils get to know the solar system.

• There is a lively song and animation in a...

This resource, from the Royal Observatory Greenwich, is a video explaining an elegant method of creating a small model of the solar system, using very simple equipment.

Using a small torch and a transparent ball (for example from a...

This curriculum linked resource, for primary children and their teachers, is based on the exciting real-life launch of the Euclid space telescope. Through simple models and practical activities, the children are introduced to the work of space scientists seeking to discover more about our universe.

The...

Rockets are used to launch satellites, probes and even astronauts into space. A rocket launch is extremely impressive. Thousands of kilograms are burned in just a few minutes in order to provide the force that the rocket needs in order to overcome the gravity of the Earth. Rockets provide an exciting context to...