Mission on the Moon is a collaborative project between Education Technology company, InkSmith, and the Faculty of Education at Wilfrid Laurier University. Funded in part by the Canadian Space Agency, the project aims to deliver lunar rover and space-themed STEM programming for Canadian youth in grades 6 to 9.
The Mission on the Moon bundle includes a series of space-themed coding and robotics modules, available in both virtual coding and physical hardware options. The Mission on the Moon bundle also comes with an Educator course which includes curriculum connections and all of the classroom-ready presentation materials for seamless delivery.
This project is undertaken with the financial support of the Canadian Space Agency.
Two Ways to Deliver Programming
Mission on the Moon programming is designed to be delivered by an educator in the classroom or self-guided by individual students.
Student Self-Guided Courses
Students can enroll in the Mission on the Moon bundle and choose from 6 different modules. Each module is designed to be self-guided and asychronous.
Teacher-Guided Resources
Educators wishing to use Mission on the Moon programming in their classroom can enroll in the course bundle to gain access to the 'Educator Guide' course. Within the 'Educator Guide' course, teachers will find hundreds of classroom-ready presentation materials.
Mission on the Moon Courses
The full bundle contains a series of space-themed coding & robotics modules.
For each module, you will find two versions: a course designed for virtual coding, and a course designed to be used with physical robotics hardware.
In the Virtual Coding courses, "Your Mission" in Part B can be completed online in a virtual coding environment and requires no physical hardware.
In the Physical Hardware courses, "Your Mission" in Part B is designed around using physical hardware components, the micro:bit and k8 robot.
The Mission on the Moon bundle also comes with an Educator Guide course which contains curriculum connections (Ontario) and classroom-ready delivery materials.
Meet k8!
In real life, k8 is InkSmith's educational micro:bit robot for introducing youth to coding.
For Mission on the Moon, k8 will act as the lunar rover on the moon for all of the program's courses.
If you have a micro:bit and k8 robot, you'll be able to perform all of the missions in real life by programming your robot to complete specific tasks in the Physical Hardware courses.
The Mission on the Moon content is also adaptable for delivery without physical hardware. Students will be able to complete their missions in a virtual coding environment using the Virtual Coding courses.
Course Structure
Mission on the Moon courses are divided into two sections: Part A and Part B.
Part A: Mission Brief
- Learn about a real-life space topic and explore the CSA's activities in space
- Meet real Canadian astronauts and other role models
- Understand specific scientific topics about space
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Discover Canada's role in the Lunar gateway project
Part B: Your Mission
- After learning about a specific space topic, students will be challenged to complete a lunar rover mission on the moon
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Missions will involve coding a program to get your lunar rover to perform a specific task
Part B: Your Mission (Two Ways to Complete it)
Virtual Coding Option
The Virtual Coding versions of the Mission on the Moon courses are designed to be an approachable and accessible way to introduce students to coding without the need for physical hardware.
To complete "Your Mission" in Part B of the Virtual Coding courses, students will use online software platforms such as:
Physical Hardware Option
The Physical Coding versions of the Mission on the Moon courses are designed to allow students to interact with their code in the real world. After learning about a space-related topic in Part A, students will be able to simulate a lunar rover mission in Part B using a micro:bit and k8 robot.
To complete "Your Mission" in Part B of the Physical Coding courses, students will need to have access to the following hardware components:
Testimonial
"The slide decks provided were well thought out and instructions were easy to follow for both the instructor and the students. The students responded well to the hands on and digital elements of the content. I am someone with limited experience in STEM education and using this program made me excited to teach coding (which is something I thought I would never say!)"
Teacher-Candidate • Gr. 6 • Ontario
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can use the Mission on the Moon courses?
The Mission on the Moon courses are specifically designed for students and educators in grades 6 to 9.
The Mission on the Moon Virtual Coding and Physical Hardware courses are designed to be self-guided modules where students will progress through 'Part A: Mission Brief' and 'Part B: Your Mission'. Whether in the classroom, or at home, students will be able to progress through the content and coding projects at their own pace.
In addition to self-guided courses, the Mission on the Moon bundle also includes a package of Educator resources for classroom delivery. These resources include curriculum connections and presentation slide decks for delivering Mission on the Moon content in a classroom setting.
Do I need a k8 Robot and micro:bit to complete the Mission on the Moon courses?
No! The Mission on the Moon courses were specifically designed to offer both a Virtual Coding option and Physical Hardware option. The main goal of the Mission on the Moon project is to create accessible and approachable coding and robotics programming for students in grades 6 to 9, regardless of experience or access to hardware.
It is recommended that you enroll in the course which aligns with your coding requirements.
How are the Mission on the Moon courses completely free?
The Mission on the Moon project is undertaken with the financial support of the Canadian Space Agency.
Through the grant funding, education technology company, InkSmith, and the Faculty of Education at Wilfrid Laurier University partnered to develop the programming and content behind Mission on the Moon.