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Rover Code Mission Control: Free Printable Worksheet for Year 3

  • ForYear 3
  • StageKey Stage 2
  • CostFree
  • FormatPrintable PDF
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Rover Code Mission Control is a free printable computing worksheet for Year 3 (ages 7 to 8). Children plan a route for a rover using arrow codes, test the program square by square, then fix programs that have faults. It needs only a pencil, and page 2 gives the grown-up notes, help ideas, a stretch idea and the answers.

It comes from the Mini Minds Hub, the free library of printables from Jaques of London, the British games and toy company that has been making games for families since 1795. Print both pages, give page 1 to the child and keep page 2 for yourself. Black and white printing works well.

What is on the sheet

Children meet a grid where a rover moves away from BASE using arrow codes. They answer multiple choice questions with three answers each, fill in a table and answer numbered questions with space to write. They work out where the rover ends up and write a program that collects all the rocks and returns to BASE. Then they test it and fix faulty programs.

  • Row
  • A
  • B
  • C
  • D
  • E
  • Write a program that collects all 3 rocks and ends back at BASE.
  • Rover starts at BASE and does R R D. Which square is it on?

Why a rover needs a clear program

A rover is a robot vehicle built to explore the surface of a planet or moon. Rovers have driven on Mars, but they cannot be steered live like a remote control car, because radio messages take time to travel from Earth. Engineers send a list of instructions and the rover follows them in order. That is why a clear, careful program matters.

A program is a sequence of instructions. A computer does exactly what the instructions say, in the order given, and nothing more. It does not guess what you meant. When a program does not work, the fault is in the instructions. Finding and fixing that fault is called debugging, and every programmer does it. Testing one step at a time shows where things go wrong.

Rover and code facts

  • A rover is a vehicle that explores the surface of a planet or moon.
  • Engineers on Earth send instructions to space rovers by radio.
  • Radio messages take time to travel across space, so rovers are given instructions to follow rather than being steered live.
  • A computer follows instructions exactly, in the order they are written.
  • Finding and fixing mistakes in a program is called debugging.

Skills and curriculum link

  • Writing a program
  • Testing step by step
  • Debugging
  • Following a sequence
  • Left and right thinking
  • Explaining your reasoning

Ideas that help with coding on paper

  • Read the key firstBefore any program, say what each arrow means out loud. Point to the key on the sheet while you do it. A clear key stops many mistakes before they start.
  • Move one step at a timeA program is a list, and a computer takes one instruction at a time. Put a finger or pencil tip on the grid and move it for each arrow, in order.
  • Test before you fixA fault is easier to mend once you know where it happens. Run the program from the start and stop at the first step that goes wrong.
  • Change as little as you canGood debuggers usually mend one instruction rather than rewriting everything. After each change, run the whole program again to check it.

Key words

  • ProgramA list of instructions that tells a rover or computer what to do, in order.
  • SequenceThings that happen one after another in a set order.
  • DebugFind a fault in a program and fix it.
  • TestRun a program step by step to see if it does what you wanted.
  • RouteThe path the rover takes from where it starts to where it needs to be.
  • FaultA mistake in a program that stops it working properly.

How to use it

  1. Print both pages. Page 1 is for the child. Keep page 2 for the grown-up.
  2. Read the arrow key aloud together before any question. Make sure the child knows what each arrow means.
  3. Let the child work alone or with a partner, using a pencil. Test each program square by square before writing any fix.
  4. Check the work against the answers on page 2. Ask, "How did you know where the rover went?" The thinking matters as much as the answer.
  5. Come back to the sheet another day. Repeating a familiar activity builds confidence.

Help, stretch and game ideas

If it feels too hard

Let your child write one arrow at a time and tick each square as the rover moves. Use a counter or a fingertip on the grid. Say each arrow aloud as you move. If a program goes wrong, go back to the start and try again.

To stretch confident children

Ask your child to find a shorter safe route that still does the job. Or write a program that collects the rocks in a different order. Then swap programs with a friend and test each other's, square by square.

Make it a game

One child reads their program aloud while a partner moves a counter on the grid and calls out any crash. Swap roles. Then each player adds one deliberate fault to a program and the other player has to find and fix it.

Mistakes to watch for

Watch forA child counts the starting square as the first move, so the rover ends up in the wrong place.

Try thisThe rover begins on its start square and only moves when an arrow is read. Put the counter down first, then move it once for each arrow.

Watch forA child mixes up left and right, or up and down, when reading an arrow.

Try thisGo back to the key. Turn the page so the grid faces the same way as the child, and say the direction aloud as the counter moves.

Watch forA child rewrites the whole program instead of looking for the fault.

Try thisTest it from the start and stop at the first step that goes wrong. Fix that one instruction, then run the whole program again.

Talk about it

  • What does each arrow in the key tell the rover to do?
  • Why do we test a program before we say it is finished?
  • How did you find the fault in the program that did not work?
  • Is there more than one way to reach the same square? How do you know?
  • Why must the arrows be in the right order?
  • If you had to explain your program to a friend, what would you say first?

Take it off the page

Human rover

Mark out a grid on the floor with paper squares or chalk outdoors. One person is the rover and another gives one command at a time: forward, turn left, turn right. Swap roles.

Obstacle course route

Build a small obstacle course with cushions or boxes. Write a list of moves to guide a toy or a person through it, then follow the list exactly.

Draw a mission map

Draw a grid on paper and place a base, some rocks and a few blocked squares. Make up a mission for a family member to program with arrows.

Who it is for

Parents

Sit beside your child for the first go and let them lead. Ask them to explain what the rover does at each step. If they are stuck, move a counter along the grid together.

Teachers

Use it as a starter, plenary, early finisher task or table activity after teaching sequences and debugging. It needs no preparation beyond printing. Page 2 has notes, help ideas, a stretch idea and the answers. The partner game on this page is an extra suggestion for pairs.

Home educators

Home educators can use this alongside real world coding talk, such as how a robot toy follows instructions. Print it again for brothers and sisters, or to revisit the same skills a few weeks later.

Where this fits in computing

Before this, children usually explore giving and following simple instructions, such as directions for a floor robot or a friend. They learn that instructions need to be clear and in the right order.

After this, children can write longer programs, use repeats to make code shorter and plan more carefully before they test. The habit of predicting, testing and debugging carries into every coding project, on paper or on screen.

Questions parents and teachers ask

What age is Rover Code Mission Control for?

It is written for Year 3 (ages 7 to 8), in Key Stage 2. Children who are confident with simple directions can enjoy it, and younger or less confident children can use the help ideas on page 2.

What will children practise?

Children practise designing, writing, testing and debugging a simple arrow program to reach a set goal. They follow a sequence, check it step by step and fix faults.

Do children need a computer?

No. It is a screen free printable that needs only paper and a pencil. It teaches ideas that matter in programming, such as sequence, testing and debugging, without a device.

What if it feels too hard?

Let children write one arrow at a time and tick each square as the rover moves. A counter on the grid also helps. Go back to the arrow key whenever they are unsure.

Is it free?

Yes. It is free to print for home and classroom use. You can print it again for brothers and sisters, or to revisit the skills later.

Can teachers use it in class?

Yes. It works as a starter, plenary, early finisher task, homework or table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing, and page 2 includes notes, help, a stretch idea and answers.

Do I need to print in colour?

No. It prints well in black and white on plain A4 paper.

Preview the full PDF

Made by Jaques of London, making games for families since 1795. A printable supports classroom learning and does not replace a teacher.

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