National Aeronautics and Space Administration 

Robotic Search and 

Rescue Challenge 

Educator Guide 

COMPUTER SCIENCE AND 

ENGINEERING 

Next Gen STEM – Aeronaut-X 

For more about Next Gen STEM visit https://www.nasa.gov/stem/nextgenstem/aeronaut-x 

Education Product 

Educators and Students Grades 6-8 

Robotic Search and Rescue Challenge 

Contents 

Engineering Design Process............................................................................................................................................................. 1 

Teamwork............................................................................................................................................................................................ 1 

Curriculum Standards Alignment................................................................................................................................................... 2 

Introduction and Background ........................................................................................................................................................... 3 

NASA Technologies ...................................................................................................................................................................... 3 

Help With Natural Disasters .......................................................................................................................................................... 4 

Robotic Search and Rescue Challenge............................................................................................................................................ 5 

Educator Notes.............................................................................................................................................................................. 5 

Student Handout ......................................................................................................................................................................... 13 

Appendix A.—Challenge Proposal.................................................................................................................................................. 15 

A.1 Research.............................................................................................................................................................................. 15 

A.2 Challenge Timeline .............................................................................................................................................................. 16 

A.3 Budget.................................................................................................................................................................................. 16 

A.4 Design.................................................................................................................................................................................. 17 

Appendix B.—Suggested Items and Prices ................................................................................................................................... 19 

Appendix C.—Scoring Sheets......................................................................................................................................................... 21 

Appendix D.—Assessment Sheets ................................................................................................................................................. 27 

D.1 Advanced Rubric.................................................................................................................................................................. 27 

D.2 Beginner Rubric ................................................................................................................................................................... 28 

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Engineering Design Process 

The engineering design process (EDP) is crucial to mission success at NASA. The EDP is an iterative process involving a series of 

steps that engineers use to guide them as they solve problems. The steps outlined below can be used by student teams to solve the 

challenges in this activity guide. Learn more about the EDP with NASA’s Educator Professional Development Collaborative at 

https://www.txstate-epdc.net/models-of-the-engineering-design-process/. 

1. Ask: Identify the problem, requirements that must be met, and the constraints that must be considered. 

2. Imagine: Brainstorm solutions and research what others have done in the past. 

3. Plan: Select and sketch a design. 

4. Create: Build a model or a prototype. 

5. Test: Evaluate solutions by testing and collecting data. 

6. Improve: Refine the design. 

7. Share: Communicate and discuss the process and solutions as a group. 

Teamwork 

Student activities can be completed either as a team or individually, depending on time and preference. Grouping strategies during 

the design challenges can be used to efficiently break up student tasks, help promote student engagement, and appeal to a variety 

of learning styles and student strengths. 

It is important that everyone on the team be able to participate and contribute throughout these activities. Everyone is a scientist and 

an engineer! If one student does all the building, other students may be very bored during the building process. If one student is the 

leader, other students may not have a chance to share their ideas. Students can be rotated through team roles to give them an 

opportunity to experience new roles, build upon their strengths, or improve upon their weaknesses in team dynamics. 

Tip: Create team role name tags for each member of the team. This strategy not only helps students visually identify peer roles but 

also helps students feel individually accountable for team success. 

Here are some possible roles that students can take: 

Student Role Description 

Communications and 

Outreach 

Takes notes of all team decisions and actions for use in a final presentation. If a camera is available, 

takes video and/or photos throughout the investigation or challenge for use in a final presentation. 

Logistics Makes sure that the team has all the resources they need, that resources are distributed fairly, and 

that the team knows when resources are running low. 

Mission Assurance Makes sure the team is following the plan. Keeps track of time and makes sure that everyone has 

a chance to have their voice heard. 

Safety Ensures all team members are wearing their safety goggles and following safety protocols. 

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Curriculum Standards Alignment 

Science and Engineering (Next Generation Science Standards) 

Disciplinary Core Ideas 

• MS.ESS3-2: Analyze and interpret data on natural hazards to forecast future catastrophic 

events and inform the development of technology to mitigate their effects. 

Crosscutting Concepts 

• Cause and Effect: Cause-and-effect relationships may be used to predict phenomena in 

natural or designed systems. 

Science and Engineering Practices 

• MS-ETS1-1: Define the criteria and constraints of a design problem with sufficient precision 

to ensure a successful solution, taking into account relevant scientific principles and 

potential impacts on people and the natural environment that may limit possible solutions. 

Science and Engineering Practices (continued) 

• MS-ETS1-2: Evaluate competing design solutions using a systematic process to determine 

how well they meet the criteria and constraints of the problem. 

• MS-ETS1-3: Analyze data from tests to determine similarities and differences among 

several design solutions to identify the best characteristics of each that can be combined 

into a new solution to better meet the criteria for success. 

• MS-ETS1-4: Develop a model to generate data for iterative testing and modification of a 

proposed object, tool, or process such that an optimal design can be achieved 

Computer Science (CS) (Computer Science Teacher Association K 12 CS Standards) 

Standards for Students 

• 2-CS-02: Design projects that combine hardware and software components to collect and 

exchange data. 

• 2-CS-03: Systematically identify and fix problems with computing devices and their 

components. 

• 2-DA-08: Collect data using computational tools and transform the data to make it more 

reliable. 

• 2-DA-09: Refine computational models based on data they have generated. 

Standards for Students (continued) 

• 2-AP-15: Seek and incorporate feedback from team members and users to refine a solution 

that meets user needs. 

• 2-AP-17: Systematically test and refine programs using a range of test cases. 

• 2-AP-18: Distribute tasks and maintain a project timeline when collaboratively developing 

computational artifacts. 

• 2-AP-19: Document programs in order to make them easier to follow, test, and debug. 

English Language Arts (ELA) (Common Core State Standards) 

Writing Standards 

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.7.2 and 8.2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a 

topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and 

analysis of relevant content. 

Writing Standards (continued) 

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.7.10 and 8.10: Write routinely over extended time frames (time for 

research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) 

for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences. 

Mathematics (Common Core State Standards) 

Math Content Standards 

• CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.6.NS.C.8: Solve real-world and mathematical problems by 

graphing points in all four quadrants of the coordinate plane. Include use of coordinates and 

absolute value to find distances between points with the same first coordinate or the same 

second coordinate. 

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Introduction and Background 

NASA Technologies 

The New Future 

A new future for air transportation is in the works at NASA—a future where 

both people and packages will take to the air. Researchers have already 

studied, designed, and tested tools and technologies that could be used in 

the near future to manage the airspace for drones, small aircraft that can fly 

remotely or autonomously. A drone is a type of unmanned aerial vehicle 

(UAV). 

Believe it or not, the UAV, or the drone itself, is only one component of an entire system of hardware, software, and human input that 

makes up an unmanned aircraft system (UAS). The UAS comprises everything that makes a UAV work, including its global positioning 

system (GPS, or navigation system), ground control station, transmission systems, camera, all the software, and the person on the 

ground controlling the UAV. This guide uses the acronym UAV when referring to the drone and the acronym UAS when referring to 

the entire system. 

In the future, these vehicles will fly at low altitudes, even in complex urban landscapes. This will allow for advances into the emerging 

world of passengers and goods traveling smoothly above our city streets. 

Advanced Air Mobility 

NASA conducts research based on a strategic plan that includes expanded research into advanced air mobility (AAM). NASA’s vision 

for AAM is to help emerging aviation markets safely develop an air transportation system that moves people and cargo between 

places previously not served, or underserved, by aviation. The new transportation system will serve local, regional, intraregional, and 

urban areas using revolutionary new aircraft that are only just now becoming possible. 

NASA’s UAS research efforts are part of AAM. One example of NASA’s innovations in this field is the UAS Integration in the National 

Airspace System (UAS–NAS) project. Until UAS–NAS, little research had been done to find ways to reduce technical barriers that 

prevented UAVs from safely flying through the same airspace as more traditional commercial aircraft. The UAS–NAS project, which 

concluded in 2020, worked to make sure the UAV delivering a package to a house would not interfere with the helicopter delivering 

patients to the local hospital. The technology and procedures developed during this nearly decade-long program are now assisting 

the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in developing the rules for certification of unmanned aircraft to help ensure they can safely 

coexist with other air traffic. 

NASA currently has effective partnerships with industry, academia, and the FAA to identify and seek solutions to the challenges 

unique to enabling AAM operations in the NAS. NASA is uniquely positioned to work collaboratively with industry and academia on 

the technical challenges of AAM, building upon of decades of successful research to improve air traffic management. 

Safeguard Technology 

Researchers at NASA’s Langley Research Center have developed an assured safety net technology for UAS. They are calling their 

breakthrough technology Safeguard. Safeguard can alleviate the dangers of unmanned aircraft flying beyond their authorized 

perimeters and into no-fly zones, taking action to guarantee the perimeters are not breached. The system does this with the use of 

geofences. “Think of it like an invisible dog fence, except for drones. Safeguard makes sure that you don’t fly into a region, or even a 

building, that you’re not supposed to,” says Kelly Hayhurst, lead inventor of the technology. 

Safeguard’s intelligence is derived from formally verified algorithms and mathematical models that monitor and predict impending 

boundary violations through flight termination trajectory estimation, and a system architecture that facilitates performance certification. 

The technology is suitable for a variety of applications, such as cargo delivery; surveillance and monitoring; agriculture; or any private, 

commercial, and public sector operations in which range containment or prevention of entering no-fly zones is desirable. 

A programmable robot at a student event at 

NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. (NASA) 

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Help With Natural Disasters 

Although UAS may be programmed in a variety of ways to benefit society, this student challenge will highlight their use during natural 

disasters. 

Natural disasters like wildfires and hurricanes can lead to many lives lost and billions of dollars in costs across the United States each 

year. To help reduce that impact, drones have great potential to assist emergency responders by making their interventions even 

faster, more targeted, and better able to adapt to changing circumstances. These vehicles, and the systems that support them, can 

multitask in unique ways; for instance, a drone may utilize software to track firefighters on the ground before dropping forest fire 

retardant a safe distance away. 

Set in a post-natural-disaster scenario, this challenge will task teams with potential problems facing first responders. At each level, 

teams will be tasked with designing a solution using a programmable robot, such as a Sphero® (Sphero, Inc.) robotic ball, to 

complete a new challenge facing first responders in their quest to help survivors in the disaster zone. 

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Robotic Search and Rescue Challenge 

Educator Notes 

Learning Objectives 

Students will 

• Apply the steps of the engineering design process to successfully complete a team challenge. 

• Conduct research, write a proposal, and create a basic budget. 

• Program a spherical robot, such as a Sphero® robotic ball, using JavaScript (Oracle America, Inc.) or block programming to 

complete various leveled challenges. 

• Design, build, and test solutions to each problem. 

• Create a presentation and share results. 

Challenge Overview Suggested Pacing 

Students will explore challenges engineers face throughout different phases of NASA missions as 2 to 3 hours per phase, 

they conduct research, propose a solution, create a design, build their designs, and test their or 15 to 20 hours if 

solutions to a set of given problems. Students will investigate how their designs in each stage of the students engage in 

challenge lead to their final design solution. This guide contains educator background information, all activity phases 

support materials, and student worksheets. 

Challenge Context 

Set in a post-natural-disaster scenario, this challenge will task teams with up to five potential problems (each more complex than the 

last) facing first responders. Teams will be tasked with designing solutions to each of the assigned problems using a programmable 

robotic ball to simulate an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) entering a disaster zone. 

Challenge Preparation 

30 to 45 minutes 

Note: Make sure to plan time to find tutorials and learn more about block programming. Prior to this lesson, students should have knowledge 

of basic block programming. Example links: https://edu.Sphero.com/cwists/preview/21499x and https://code.org/ 

• Read the introduction and background information, Educator Notes, and Student Handout to become familiar with the activity. 

• Determine the supplies that will be available for students throughout the challenge. 

• Group students into teams of four or less for the duration of the challenge. (Placing students in pairs is ideal to broaden 

participation in the challenge.) 

• Make copies of all student worksheets for each team: 

– Challenge Proposal (Appendix A) 

– Suggested Items and Prices (Appendix B) 

– Scoring Sheets (Appendix C) 

– Assessment Sheets (Appendix D) 

Note: Depending on students’ level of ability, the advanced or beginner rubric may be used. 

• Prepare the challenge space (maze, obstacles, etc.). 

– This student challenge is intended to be adaptable to best meet the needs of each group of students. The number of levels 

can be changed to suit students’ skill level and/or the time available. 

– Design and lay out the maze for each level as needed, based on your chosen natural disaster, the level criteria and 

constraints, students’ skill level, and challenge space. 

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Robotic Search and Rescue Challenge 

– A different maze will be used for each level. 

– Ensure all teams compete on the same maze during each level. 

Materials 

 Sphero® robotic ball or any other spherical programmable robot (any size) 

 Computer 

 Tape or adhesive 

 Scissors 

 Empty plastic water bottles 

 Assorted common craft supplies for maze (Suggested materials: polyvinyl chloride (PVC) 

pipe, paper towel rolls or craft rolls, painters tape, books) 

 Assorted common craft supplies for teams to engineer tools or devices to complete the 

given task(s) in each scenario (popsicle sticks, paper clips, index cards, rover wheels, 

rubberbands, etc.) (See Appendix B for proposed budget and material costs.) 

 Optional commercial/premade chariot 

Safety 

Students will likely be using scissors to cut irregularly shaped materials. Ensure that they use 

safe cutting practices. 

The chariot pictured here can be shared to assist students in their initial designs; however, for 

best results, encourage students to be creative and engineer their own designs for each 

challenge. 

Introduce the Challenge 

• Provide context for the challenge using the introduction and background information 

provided in the guide. Facilitate a discussion on the different types of unmanned aircraft 

systems (UAS) and potential benefits they could bring during natural disasters. 

• Inform students they will be working in the same teams throughout the challenge as they 

design a solution to the given problem. 

Share With Students 

Brain Booster 

NASA’s Scalable Traffic 

Management for Emergency 

Response Operations (STEReO) 

project envisions a new system for 

emergency response that has 

three broad goals: reduce 

response times, scale up the role 

of aircraft, and provide operations 

that can adapt to rapidly changing 

conditions during a disaster. 

Illustration of an unmanned aircraft system, 

or drone, in front of a smoke-filled sky. 

Learn more: 

https://nasa.gov/ames/stereo 

On Location 

Researchers at NASA’s Ames 

Research Center in Mountain 

View, California, conducted 

unmanned aircraft system (UAS) 

flight tests of drones at Moffitt 

Field. 

UAS Traffic Management (UTM) project and 

Smart Mobility at Ames team getting ready 

for operation. 

Learn more: 

https://nasa.gov/feature/unmanne 

d-aircraft-systems-uas-droneflights-at-moffett-field/ 

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Design Constraints 

Each level of the challenge has its own specific criteria and constraints in addition to the general criteria and constraints listed in the 

table below. 

Criteria Constraints 

Teams must submit a completed challenge proposal. Teams must not exceed their budget when choosing supplies. 

Teams must submit challenge reports after the completion of each challenge 

level. 

Constraints will be level specific given each scenario. 

Teams must program their robotic ball using JavaScript or block 

programming using their own code. 

The robotic ball must not leave the maze boundaries during the challenge. 

Teams must use materials provided by the educator to complete the given 

task(s) in the scenario. 

Facilitate the Challenge 

Ask 

• Introduce students to a level-based scenario decided upon by educator. Five scenarios are presented in these Educator Notes. 

• Task students to conduct research on UAS designs that may potentially help them engineer a device to successfully complete 

the scenario. 

• Ask students to describe the most surprising use of UAS during natural disasters that they found during their research. 

• Reference the student scenario levels 1 to 5, described in the following pages. How would a UAS assist a first responder in 

solving the challenge? How might a first responder without a UAS solve the real-world challenge? 

Imagine 

• Provide teams with a budget as well as a list of available supplies and associated costs of items they can use to create devices 

that may help them complete the given scenario. Allow students time to view the available building supplies so they can create 

a design within budget. 

• Have students propose a budget based on the educator’s parameters. 

• Have students discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the different materials. 

• Have students best utilize their supplies to stay within budget while still accomplishing the challenge. 

Plan 

• Have students complete their challenge proposals, which should include their timeline, budget, and challenge design. 

• After each level, students will provide any updates to their proposal for the next level of the challenge. 

• Review the team proposals (Appendix A) at each level to ensure students can continue with the engineering design process. 

Create 

• Teams will create their design based upon their plan. 

• Teams must program their robotic ball and navigate the selected level’s maze to solve the challenge. 

Test 

• Teams may perform as many practice tests as time allows while designing and programing their robotic ball. 

• Once final testing begins, teams will be given one test to evaluate their design using the score sheet. 

• Each team will test their design and program by placing their robotic ball at the beginning of the course and running their program. 

Their design will be evaluated using the provided score sheet and each level’s unique requirements. 

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Improve 

• Teams should improve on their design and reprogram the robotic ball after each practice test as time allows. 

• Remind students to record all significant improvements and modifications made to their design and/or coding and to include 

these revisions in their final presentations. 

• Visual records (drawings, photos, screen shots, etc.) of any significant changes made may be included in their presentations. 

Share 

• At the end of each level, students will work as a team to record answers to the following discussion questions: 

– What was the greatest challenge for your team during this level? How did you address this challenge? 

– What parts of your design did you reuse from a previous level? What parts of this level could you use in future levels? 

– What was the purpose of this level’s design constraints? How would this relate to problems facing NASA engineers or first 

responders in similar situations? 

– How did your research into real-world applications of UAS affect your solution to the challenges? 

• At the highest level the team completes, students will present their findings. 

• The presentation must include the following: 

– Research: Provide a brief summary of the research the team has completed on the real-world applications of UAS during 

the provided natural disaster scenario. 

– Programming: Explain how teams used JavaScript or block programming to program their robotic ball to navigate through 

the maze autonomously from start to finish. Be sure the teams document any significant modifications made to the JavaScript 

or block programming. 

– Budget: Describe how teams looked over each challenge task, designed a device for their robotic ball using materials 

provided, and stayed within the given budget. 

– Design Solution: Once the team has decided on materials, the team will sketch their engineering design on the worksheet 

provided. 

– Final Results: Students will discuss their responses to the following questions: 

 How did your research into real-world applications of UAS affect your solution to the challenges? 

 Did your design work as planned? Were you able to successfully complete this final level of the challenge? 

 What was the greatest challenge for your team during this final level? How did you address this challenge? 

 What parts of your design did you reuse from a previous level? 

 What is the purpose of this level’s design constraints? How would this relate to problems facing NASA engineers or first 

responders? 

Levels 

Using available materials, educators will create a different maze for each level. When designing a maze, consider student skill levels, 

available space, the context of each level, and the challenge level. Remember, if implementing all levels, ensure the mazes have a 

progressing difficulty at each stage. An example context for each level has been provided, but this can be adapted if needed to better 

fit the challenge. Depending on the number of students, the educator may need to create several mazes so students have ample 

space to work. 

Level 1 

Scenario: First responders are not able to locate the survivors in a northern California forest fire, and the disaster area is unstable. 

Using your robotic ball, navigate the disaster area and go through all open doors to look for survivors, but do not hit any walls or 

cause them to fall. Use extra care when exiting an already-entered door to avoid any unstable walls. 

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Robotic Search and Rescue Challenge 

Challenge: The educator will design a maze with open paths for the programmed robotic ball to enter, turn around, and leave the 

path through the initial entry point. 

Level Points 

• Robotic ball enters opening in maze (door), +1 

• Robotic ball exits an already-entered opening in maze (exits door), +1 

• Robotic ball hits an obstacle or wall within the maze, –1 

• Student picks up or touches robotic ball after starting main program, –1 

Level 1 Criteria Level 1 Constraints 

Teams must navigate their UAS (robotic ball) through the entire maze 

autonomously. Balls must be programmed, not remotely controlled from start 

to finish. 

Teams must not hit any maze walls or obstacles within the maze. 

Each obstacle or wall hit deducts 1 point (–1). 

Teams must navigate their robotic balls through all open doors. 

Each door entered will earn teams 1 point (+1). 

Each door exited will earn teams 1 point (+1) 

Teams must not touch or interact with their UAS after starting their program. 

Each touch deducts 1 point (–1). 

Scoring: Use the Scoring Sheets in Appendix C to score each team’s final test. 

Level 2 

Scenario: First responders have identified a gas leak in a city hospital, but the shutoff valve is inaccessible. Use your robotic ball to 

navigate to the valve and design a device to fit through the area and shut off the valve. 

Challenge: The educator will design a maze with a button or balloon at the end of the maze for the programmed robotic ball to press 

or pop to simulate shutting off a valve. Students will design a device given their budgeted materials to complete the scenario. 

Level Points 

• Robotic ball shuts off the valve (presses the button or pops the balloon), +10 

• Robotic ball hits an obstacle or wall within the maze, –1 

• Picking up or touching robotic ball after starting main program, –1 

Level 2 Criteria Level 2 Constraints 

Teams must navigate their UAS (robotic ball) through the maze 

autonomously and complete the task using JavaScript or block programming. 

Teams must not hit any maze walls or obstacles within the maze. 

Each obstacle or wall hit deducts 1 point (–1). 

Teams must design a device for their robotic ball to use to pop the balloon or 

press the button. 

Popping the balloon or pressing the button will earn teams 10 points (+10). 

Teams must not touch or interact with their UAS after starting their program. 

Each touch deducts 1 point (–1). 

Scoring: Use the Scoring Sheets in Appendix C to score each team’s final test. 

Level 3 

Scenario: A fallen tree has blocked the path for first responders to enter an area with survivors. Using your robotic ball, create a 

device for your robotic ball to push the tree out of the way and reach the survivors without moving any other objects that might be 

unstable. 

Challenge: The educator will design a maze with an obstacle to be moved out of the path of the maze using the programmed robotic 

ball. When designing the maze, ensure there is a clearly marked spot for the object to be placed during each test to ensure consistency 

between each test and between all teams. Suggested objects for teams to move out of the path include a toy building brick such as 

a LEGO (LEGO Group) piece, a small magnetic object (washer), or a small tree figurine. 

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Robotic Search and Rescue Challenge 

Level Points 

• Robotic ball moves the obstacle out of the path, +10 

• Robotic ball moves the obstacle out of the path without hitting anything within the maze with the obstacle, +5 

• Robotic ball hits an obstacle or wall within the maze, –1 

• Picking up or touching robotic ball after starting main program, –1 

Level 3 Criteria Level 3 Constraints 

Teams must navigate their UAS (robotic ball) through the maze 

autonomously and complete the task using JavaScript or block programming. 

Teams must not hit any maze walls or obstacles within the maze. 

Each obstacle or wall hit deducts 1 point (–1). 

Teams must design a device for their robotic ball to use to move the obstacle 

out of the path of their robotic ball. 

Moving the obstacle or object will earn teams 10 points (+10). 

Bonus: Successfully not touching or moving any other objects will earn teams 

5 points (+5). 

Teams must not touch or interact with their UAS after starting their program. 

Each touch deducts 1 point (–1). 

Scoring: Use the Scoring Sheets in Appendix C to score each team’s final test. 

Level 4 

Scenario: First responders are not able to reach the survivors and bring them necessary supplies. Using your robotic ball, navigate 

the disaster zone and create a device to move bottled water from the holding area to the survivors. 

Challenge: The educator will design a maze with an object to be picked up and moved to another section of the maze using a 

programmed robotic ball. When designing the maze, ensure there is a clearly marked spot for the object to be picked up and then 

placed during each test to ensure consistency between each test and between all teams. Suggested objects include a toy building 

brick such as a LEGO piece, a small magnetic object (washer), or an empty miniature plastic water bottle. 

Level Points 

• Robotic ball picks up object from the designated spot, +10 

• Robotic ball places object at designated drop zone, +10 

• Robotic ball hits an obstacle or wall within the maze, –1 

• Retrieved supplies hit an obstacle or wall within the maze, –1 

• Picking up or touching robotic ball after starting main program, –1 

Level 4 Criteria Level 4 Constraints 

Teams must navigate their UAS (robotic ball) through the maze 

autonomously and complete the task using JavaScript or block programming. 

Teams must not hit any maze walls or obstacles within the maze. 

Each obstacle or wall hit deducts 1 point (–1). 

Teams must design a device for their robotic ball to use to retrieve the 

necessary supplies and deliver them to the survivors. 

Picking up the supplies will earn teams 10 points (+10). 

Delivering the supplies will earn teams 10 points (+10). 

Retrieved supplies must not hit any maze walls or obstacles within the maze 

during retrieval and delivery. 

Each obstacle or wall hit with the supplies deducts 1 point (–1). 

Teams must not touch or interact with their UAS after starting their program. 

Each touch deducts 1 point (–1). 

Scoring: Use the Scoring Sheets in Appendix C to score each team’s final test. 

Level 5 

This scenario combines all of the challenges of the previous four levels. 

Example Scenario: First responders are responding to a mine collapse. To reach the survivors, the robot must navigate the mazelike mine shafts. Along the way, the robot must shut off a valve that is leaking fuel to prevent further explosions. As it nears the 

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survivors, the robot must clear some rubble out of the way. The survivors will have been without water for many hours by the time the 

robot is expected to reach them, so the robot must bring a bottle of water for them. (Note: Educators are encouraged to create a 

“local” natural disaster scenario to make this level more relevant for their students.) 

Challenge: The educator will design the maze to require the programmed robotic ball to perform the following actions: push a button 

or pop the balloon, move an object from one side to the other side while entering rooms, and pick up another object to complete the 

challenge. The robotic ball must also stay within borders from start to finish. 

Level Points 

• Robotic ball enters opening in maze (door), +1 

• Robotic ball exits an already-entered opening in maze (exits door), +1 

• Robotic ball hits an obstacle or wall within the maze, –1 

• Picking up or touching robotic ball after starting main program, –1 

• Robotic ball shuts off the valve (presses the button or pops the balloon), +10 

• Robotic ball moves the obstacle out of the path, +10 

• Robotic ball moves the obstacle out of the path without hitting anything within the maze with the obstacle, +5 

• Robotic ball picks up object from the designated spot, +10 

• Robotic ball places object at designated drop zone, +10 

• Retrieved supplies hit an obstacle or wall within the maze, –1 

Level 5 Criteria Level 5 Constraints 

Teams must navigate their UAS (robotic ball) through the maze 

autonomously from start to finish using JavaScript or block programming. 

Teams must not hit any maze walls or obstacles within the maze. 

Each obstacle or wall hit deducts 1 point (–1). 

Teams must navigate their robotic ball through all open doors. 

Each door entered will earn teams 1 point (+1). 

Each door exited will earn teams 1 point (+1). 

Retrieved supplies must not hit any maze walls or obstacles within the maze 

during retrieval and delivery. 

Each obstacle or wall hit with the supplies deducts 1 point (–1). 

Teams must design a device for their robotic ball to use to pop the balloon or 

press the button to simulate shutting off the valve. 

Popping the balloon or pressing the button will earn teams 10 points (+10). 

Teams must not touch or interact with their UAS after starting their program. 

Each touch deducts 1 point (–1). 

Teams must move all objects out of the path of their robotic ball using their 

robotic ball. 

Each moved object will earn teams 10 points (+10). 

Move the object without touching or moving any other objects that might be 

unstable. 

Successfully not touching or moving any other objects will earn teams 5 

points (+5). 

Teams must design a device for their robotic ball to use to retrieve the 

necessary supplies and deliver them to the survivors. 

Picking up the supplies will earn teams 10 points (+10). 

Delivering the supplies will earn teams 10 points (+10). 

Scoring: Use the Scoring Sheets in Appendix C to score each team’s final test. 

Assessment: Use the Assessment Sheets in Appendix D to evaluate each team’s overall performance for their terminal level. 

Extensions and Adaptations 

• This student challenge is intended to be adaptable to best meet the needs of each group of students. Depending on students’ 

skill levels or the amount of time available, more or fewer levels could be implemented. 

• Provide students the opportunity to create and imagine their own mazes or scenarios to celebrate “student voice.” 

Next Gen STEM  11 
Robotic Search and Rescue Challenge 

• Award groups extra money in their budget for accomplishing certain tasks within a challenge level. 

• Add extra obstacles within the challenge-level maze for students to avoid. 

• Have students complete the Navigate Your Zone activity (Activity Three in the Unmanned Aircraft Systems Educator Guide) as 

a beginning or lead-in activity. https://nasa.gov/stem/nextgenstem/aeronaut-x 

• Have a final bonus round where teams can only see a picture of the disaster area maze. They must then work as a team to 

navigate the disaster area based on the overhead picture and prior practice. 

• For a simpler version of the challenge, have students use the same challenge with joystick controls for the robotic ball. 

Additional Resources 

Use of Small Unmanned Aerial Systems for Emergency Management of Flooding 

https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/uas/resources/hif19019.pdf 

NASA Earth Science: Applied Sciences: Enabling Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience 

https://disasters.nasa.gov/ 

What Is Scalable Traffic Management for Emergency Response Operations? (STEReO) 

https://nasa.gov/ames/stereo 

Drones for Disaster Response: NASA STEReO Project Kicks Off 

https://nasa.gov/feature/ames/drones-for-disaster-response-nasa-stereo-project-kicks-off 

12  Next Gen STEM 
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• 

Robotic Search and Rescue Challenge 

Robotic Search and Rescue Challenge 

Student Handout 

Your Challenge 

As a NASA engineer, you will design, build, and test solutions to real-life problems facing first 

responders entering natural disaster zones. You will progress through up to five levels of 

challenges before doing a presentation on your experience. 

Design Constraints 

Criteria Constraints 

Teams must submit a completed challenge proposal. Teams must not exceed the budget provided when 

choosing supplies. 

Teams must submit challenge reports after the 

completion of each challenge phase. 

Constraints will be level specific given each scenario. 

Teams must program their robotic ball using 

JavaScript or block programming. 

The robotic ball must not leave the maze boundaries 

during the challenge. 

Teams must use materials provided to complete the 

given task(s) in the scenario. 

Ask 

• Your team will conduct research on unmanned aircraft system (UAS) designs that may 

potentially help your team engineer a device to successfully complete the scenario. 

• Be prepared to answer the following questions: 

– What is the most surprising use of UAS during natural disasters that you found during 

your research? 

– How might a first responder without a UAS or unmanned/remotely controlled aircraft 

solve the real-world challenge? 

– How could a UAS assist first responders in solving the challenge? 

Imagine 

• Investigate the different materials provided by your teacher. What are the strengths and 

weaknesses of each material? 

• How can you use the materials provided to design a device(s) to complete the challenge? 

• How can you best utilize your supplies to stay within budget while accomplishing the 

challenge? 

Plan 

• Complete your challenge proposal, including a timeline, budget, and challenge design. 

• After each level, you will submit a report detailing your solution and any updates to your 

proposal for the next level of the challenge. 

Create 

• Using your proposal, create your design to solve the challenge. 

• You must also program your robotic ball to successfully navigate the course using your 

created design and stay within the criteria and constraints. 

Fun Fact 

Ingenuity, the first-ever Mars 

helicopter, launched on July 30, 

2020, attached to the Mars rover 

Perseverance. Ingenuity was 

gently deployed from 

Perseverance after landing on 

the Red Planet. Ingenuity has 

made a number of short hops 

over the Martian surface, flying 

as high as about 4.572 meters 

(approximately 15 feet). 

Learn more: 

https://mars.nasa.gov/technology 

/helicopter/ 

Career Corner 

Michael Logan, head of NASA’s 

Small Unmanned Aerial Vehicle 

Laboratory, designs, builds, and 

tests small unmanned aircraft 

systems at NASA’s Langley 

Research Center in Hampton, 

Virginia. 

Learn more: 

https://youtu.be/bIYAay3IwtI 

Next Gen STEM  13 
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0 

Robotic Search and Rescue Challenge 

Test 

• You will be allowed as many practice tests as time permits while designing and programming your robotic ball based on your 

proposed timeline. 

• Once final testing begins, you will be given one test to evaluate your final design. 

• You will test your design and program by placing your robotic ball at the beginning of the course and running your program. Your 

design will be evaluated by the assessments provided in Appendix D, including the educator rubric and the level’s unique 

requirement assessments. 

Improve 

• Use any extra time to improve your design and program after each practice test. Remember to record all improvements and 

modifications your team makes and include these in your final presentation. 

• Be sure to include visual records (drawings, photos, screen shots, etc.) in your presentation of any significant changes in your 

design or your coding. 

Share 

• At the end of each level, your team will record answers to the following discussion questions: 

– What was the greatest challenge for your team during this level? How did you address this challenge? 

– What parts of your design did you reuse from a previous level? What parts of this level could you use in future levels? 

– What is the purpose of this level’s design constraints? How would this relate to problems facing NASA engineers or first 

responders in similar situations? 

– How did your research into real-world applications of UAS affect your solution to the challenges? 

• Worksheets will be provided by your teacher to help organize your final presentation after making it to your team’s highest level. 

• Your final presentation must include the following: 

– Research: Provide a brief summary of the research your team has completed on the real-world applications of UAS during 

the provided natural disaster scenario. 

– Programming: Explain how you used JavaScript or block programming to program your robotic ball to navigate through the 

maze autonomously from start to finish. Be sure to document any significant modifications your team made to the JavaScript 

or block programming. 

– Budget: Describe how you looked over each challenge task, designed a device for your robotic ball using materials provided, 

and stayed within the given budget. 

– Design Solution: Once your team has decided on materials, your team will sketch your engineering design to add to the 

robotic ball to help with the challenge on the worksheet provided. 

– Final Results: Discuss your responses to the questions listed below. 

 How did your research into real-world applications of UAS affect your solution to the challenges? 

 Did your design work as planned? Were you able to successfully complete this final level of the challenge? 

 What was the greatest challenge for your team during this final level? How did you address this challenge? 

 What parts of your design did you reuse from a previous levels? 

 What is the purpose of this level’s design constraints? How would this relate to problems facing NASA engineers or first 

responders? 

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Robotic Search and Rescue Challenge 

Appendix A.—Challenge Proposal 

Team name: ______________________________________ 

Level number: __________ 

Name Team duties Description of duties 

A.1 Research 

Provide a brief summary of the research your team has completed on the real-world applications of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) 

during the provided natural disaster scenario. 

Next Gen STEM  15 
Robotic Search and Rescue Challenge 

A.2 Challenge Timeline 

Level number: __________ 

Proposed deadline Task to complete 

11.08.2021 Finish proposal 

11.10.2021 Begin initial design 

A.3 Budget 

This is a projection that will change as you improvise and update your design during each level. 

Suggested Budget: $100 

Item Cost per item Quantity (how many?) Total cost 

Total: 

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Robotic Search and Rescue Challenge 

A.4 Design 

Next Gen STEM  17 

Robotic Search and Rescue Challenge 

Appendix B.—Suggested Items and Prices 

Update the chart below using the items available for students to utilize during the challenge. Provide students with the individual 

prices set for each item, along with their grand total budget allowed. Their grand total budget will be dependent on the prices chosen 

for each item. (These are suggestions for items that might come in handy in the engineering design part of this challenge.) 

Suggested budget: $100 per team 

Item Item description Cost per item (or 

package) 

Popsicle stick A typical popsicle stick, roughly 112.7 mm long by 9.5 mm wide, representing a traditional 

2- by 4-in. piece of lumber 

$4.50 

Straws Bendy or non-bendy plastic drinking straws $3.50 

Cup Plastic or paper cups (3 or 12 oz, depending on the size of the robotic ball) $30.00 

Adhesive Choice of adhesive (tape, glue, etc.) $10.00 

Rubberbands Various sizes for attaching items to robot $2.00 

Cardboard Pieces cut to 10 by 10 in. $6.00 

Egg carton 12-count egg carton $20.00 

Wheels Compact discs, premade wheels, cardboard wheels, etc. $10.00 

Paperclips Various sizes (can be used to pop the balloon for Level 2) $2.00 

Index cards Any size, lined or unlined $2.00 

Tacks Items sharp enough to pop a balloon $2.00 

Next Gen STEM  19 

Robotic Search and Rescue Challenge 

Appendix C.—Scoring Sheets 

Teams will use the following scoring sheets to evaluate their team’s performance during their final testing. 

Level 1 Scorecard 

Points earned (+) Points lost ( ) 

Robotic ball enters opening 

in maze (door) 

+1 point for each entry 

Robotic ball exits an already-entered 

opening in maze (exits door) 

+1 point for each exit 

Robotic ball hits an obstacle or 

wall within the maze 

–1 point for each hit 

Picking up or touching robotic ball 

after starting main program 

–1 point for each contact 

Total points earned and lost: 

Add up your points from each column 

Total score = 

(Points earned) – (Points lost) 

Next Gen STEM  21 
Robotic Search and Rescue Challenge 

Level 2 Scorecard 

Points earned (+) Points lost ( ) 

Robotic ball shuts off the valve 

(presses the button or pops the balloon) 

+10 points 

Robotic ball hits an obstacle 

or wall within the maze 

–1 point for each hit 

Picking up or touching robotic ball 

after starting main program 

–1 point for each contact 

Total points earned and lost: 

Add up your points from each column 

Total score = 

(Points earned) – (Points lost) 

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Robotic Search and Rescue Challenge 

Level 3 Scorecard 

Points earned (+) Points lost ( ) 

Robotic ball moves the obstacle 

out of the path 

+10 points 

Robotic ball moves the obstacle out 

of the path without hitting anything 

within the maze with the obstacle 

+5 points 

Robotic ball hits an obstacle 

or wall within the maze 

–1 point for each hit 

Picking up or touching robotic ball 

after starting main program 

–1 point for each contact 

Total points earned and lost: 

Add up your points from each column 

Total score = 

(Points earned) – (Points lost) 

Next Gen STEM  23 
Robotic Search and Rescue Challenge 

Level 4 Scorecard 

Points earned (+) Points lost ( ) 

Robotic ball picks up object from 

the designated spot 

+10 points 

Robotic ball places object at 

designated drop zone 

+10 points 

Robotic ball hits an obstacle or wall 

within the maze 

–1 point for each hit 

Retrieved supplies hit an obstacle 

or wall within the maze 

–1 point for each hit 

Picking up or touching robotic ball 

after starting main program 

–1 point for each contact 

Total points earned and lost: 

Add up your points from each column 

Total score = 

(Points earned) – (Points lost) 

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Robotic Search and Rescue Challenge 

Level 5 Scorecard 

Points earned (+) Points lost ( ) 

Robotic ball enters opening in maze 

(door) 

+1 point for each entry 

Robotic ball exits an already-entered 

opening in maze (exits door) 

+1 point for each exit 

Robotic ball hits an obstacle or 

wall within the maze 

–1 point for each hit 

Picking up or touching robotic ball 

after starting main program 

–1 point for each contact 

Robotic ball shuts off the valve 

(presses the button or pops the balloon) 

+10 points 

Robotic ball moves the obstacle 

out of the path 

+10 points 

Robotic ball moves the obstacle out of 

the path without hitting anything in 

the maze with the obstacle 

+5 points 

Robotic ball picks up object 

from the designated spot 

+10 points 

Robotic ball places object at 

designated drop zone 

+10 points 

Retrieved supplies hit an 

obstacle or wall within the maze 

–1 point for each hit 

Total points earned: 

Add up your points from each column 

Total score = 

(Points earned) – (Points lost) 

Next Gen STEM  25 

Robotic Search and Rescue Challenge 

Appendix D.—Assessment Sheets 

D.1 Advanced Rubric 

0 1 2 3 

Team members Missing all team 

members’ full names, 

duties, and description of 

duties. 

Missing some team 

members’ full names, 

duties, or description of 

duties. 

Includes all team 

members’ full names and 

duties, but no description 

of duties. 

Includes all team 

members’ full names, 

duties, and description of 

duties. 

Project timeline The project timeline is not Some phases in the Some phases in the Each phase in the 

updates updated with any tasks or 

proposed completion 

dates. 

challenge timeline are 

updated with a task or 

proposed completion date. 

challenge timeline are 

updated with a task and 

proposed completion 

date. 

challenge timeline is 

updated with a task and 

proposed completion 

date. 

Challenge report Does not include a written 

description of how the 

phase challenge was 

completed or any 

obstacles and how they 

were solved. 

A written description of 

how the phase challenge 

was completed is included, 

but description does not 

include any obstacles or 

how they were solved. 

A written description of 

how the phase challenge 

was completed is 

included; description 

includes obstacles but 

not how they were 

solved. 

A written description of 

how the phase challenge 

was completed, including 

any obstacles and how 

they were solved, is 

included. 

Codes No codes used to solve 

the phase challenge are 

included. 

Partial codes used to solve 

the phase challenge are 

included. 

All codes used to solve 

the phase challenge are 

included, but not in their 

entirety. 

All codes used to solve 

the phase challenge are 

included. 

Budget The team went over 

budget by more than $10 

during the completion of 

their task. 

The team went over 

budget by $10 or less 

during the competition of 

their task. 

The team went over 

budget by $5 or less. 

The team hit their budget 

on the mark or was under 

budget. 

Total score: _____/15 

Next Gen STEM  27 
Robotic Search and Rescue Challenge 

D.2 Beginner Rubric 

0 1 

Programming Robotic ball does not navigate through the maze 

autonomously from start to finish using JavaScript or 

block programming. 

Robotic ball navigates through the maze 

autonomously from start to finish using JavaScript or 

block programming. 

Design Robotic ball does not contain a team-created design 

to the solution. 

The team created an original design to solve the 

challenge. 

Supplies The challenge design contains extra supplies 

outside of the provided craft supplies. 

The challenge design contains only provided craft 

supplies. 

Challenge The robotic ball did not complete the level 

challenge. 

The robotic ball successfully completed the level 

challenge. 

Maze The robotic ball hit maze walls or maze obstacles. The robotic ball did not hit any maze walls or maze 

obstacles. 

Total score: _____/5 

28  Next Gen STEM 

National Aeronautics and Space Administration 

NASA Headquarters 

E Street Southwest 

Washington DC 20024-3210 

www.nasa.gov 

NP-2021-08-2974-HQ