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STEM Spotlight: STARBASE Minnesota’s Journey to Mars

At STARBASE Minnesota Inc. in St. Paul, instructors use Sphero robots to bring the challenges of Mars exploration to life for their students. Since 2016, STARBASE Minnesota has been leveraging the versatility of Sphero’s BOLT, indi, RVR+, and littleBits to connect STEM concepts to real-world engineering, inspiring over 78,600 youth in the Twin Cities since 1993. 

STARBASE’s curriculum, which is part of the Department of Defense's national STARBASE program, uses Sphero robots in hands-on activities that challenge students to solve space exploration problems. Through a storyline that follows a mission to Mars, students engage in activities that build their understanding of robotics, math, and engineering. Jessica Scott, instructor for STARBASE Minnesota, explains that “Sphero robots are used to enhance the real-world connection between robotics, math, and engineering. Our Mars storyline brings these concepts to life.”

Each programmable robot plays a unique role in these Mars missions. In the “Rover Rock Collection” lesson, for example, students use indi robots to develop a route on a Mars map, coding Indi to “collect” rocks at various coordinate locations. This process builds teamwork and perseverance as students reconfigure tiles to create the most efficient path. Students at STARBASE commented, “You can do a lot with indi. You have to be creative when using this robot,” and, “It’s fun to accomplish things using indi.”

Two students create a path for indi.

I like using Sphero (BOLT). It can do whatever your mind can imagine!” a student at STARBASE Minnesota exclaimed. With BOLT, students tackle the Martian terrain. They design and test prototype grips to help the robot navigate rocks and craters on a simulated “Mars Terrain” mat, developing an understanding of grip and friction. Students believe in their ability to engineer solutions to problems, and one stated, “In my opinion, it is easy to use for everyone.” 

Two students code BOLT through a Mars landscape.

RVR+ brings another dimension to Mars exploration. Students program it to clear rocks and debris autonomously. By programming loops and directional commands in the Sphero Edu app, they learn measurement, angles, and problem-solving as they improve the robot’s accuracy.

Three students code RVR+ through a Mars landscape.

STARBASE’s collaboration with Sphero equips a diverse group of students with accessible technology, giving them the tools and confidence to see themselves as future scientists, mathematicians, astronauts, and robotics engineers. This immersive, hands-on learning approach empowers students to discover their strengths and passions in STEM, launching them on a pathway to innovation and exploration. 

Learn more about STARBASE Minnesota and how its programs are making a difference.

About the Author

The Sphero Team

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The Sphero Team is comprised of current and former educators, education content and curriculum writers, product designers, engineers, executive leadership, and other experts in their fields. Learn more about who we are and what we do at https://sphero.com/pages/about-us.

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