What It Is
Finding P.I.P.E.R. is a 10-session, 15–20 hour hands-on Math Lab where students work as cadets on an interstellar rescue mission. They build a motorized racer (the Exoplanet Exploration Vehicle, or E.E.V.), collect real distance and time data, and use the coordinate plane and graphing to locate and rescue a stranded robot on a distant planet.
Activities use physical materials, such as Circuit Cubes™ motorized racer kits, ramp materials, tape measures, stopwatches, and oversized planet maps. Racer kits are fully durable — consumable items include paper-based maps and data sheets.
The Story
Students are recruited as cadets in Space Academy. Over 10 sessions they design crew badges using the coordinate plane, locate P.I.P.E.R. on a grid map of Proxima Centauri b, build a motorized E.E.V., develop methods to predict its rate, collect precision data, create graphs to make predictions, simulate the rescue, decipher a security code using polygon classification, reactivate P.I.P.E.R.'s transmitter, and execute a dramatic planetary evacuation.
Each task requires students to use coordinate geometry and data analysis in authentic, creative ways. The curriculum is taught through a web-based slide portal at algebrastudio.org — Howie is the on-screen instructor in embedded videos. No special training is required.
Who It's For
- 5th grade teachers looking for hands-on supplemental curriculum in coordinate geometry and graphing
- 6th grade teachers who need review and enrichment in coordinates and data
- Afterschool and summer program directors who want turnkey STEM programming
- Curriculum coordinators looking for hands-on, standards-aligned supplements that work alongside any core curriculum
What's in the Kit
- Circuit Cubes™ motorized racer kits (E.E.V.)
- Ramp materials for data collection
- Tape measures and stopwatches
- Oversized planet maps and grid sheets
- Crew badge templates and coordinate plane posters
- Data recording sheets and graphing paper
- Construction paper, markers, stickers
- Quick reference booklet
10 Sessions at a Glance
How It Works
Every session runs through a web-based slide portal at algebrastudio.org. Howie is the on-screen instructor in embedded video mini-lessons — he introduces each task, demonstrates the math, and guides students through the activity. No special training is required. Open the kit, follow the slides, and go.
Sessions are designed to run between 45 and 90 minutes, with some extending longer at the teacher's discretion. The curriculum works as a daily block (3–4 weeks), a twice-weekly enrichment (5–10 weeks), or an afterschool/summer program.
Sample Lesson
Standards by Session
Finding P.I.P.E.R. covers coordinate plane, ordered pairs, graphing, and polygon classification standards already in your grade 5 scope. It supplements any core curriculum and gives students a chance to apply the math you're already teaching.
| # | What Students Do | Standards |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Crew badge — work in the coordinate plane | 5.G.A.1 |
| 2 | Locate P.I.P.E.R. — ordered pairs & problem-solving | 5.G.A.1, 5.G.A.2 |
| 3 | Build an E.E.V. — engineering design | — |
| 4 | Predict rate — generate & analyze patterns | 5.OA.B.3 |
| 5 | Collect data — standardized measurement | 6.RP.A.3 |
| 6 | Create graphs — plot data & make predictions | 5.OA.B.3 |
| 7 | Simulate rescue — place value & multiplication | 5.NBT.A.1 |
| 8 | Decipher security code — classify polygons | 5.G.B.3, 5.G.B.4 |
| 9 | Reactivate transmitter — graphs & tables | 5.OA.B.3 |
| 10 | Evacuate the planet — graphs, rate & ratio | 5.OA.B.3, 6.RP.A.3 |
Career & Workplace Connections
Each Finding P.I.P.E.R. session connects to a real-world career role that uses the same math students are learning. For every session, we provide a one-page Workplace Connection brief that introduces a professional — such as a drone surveyor who uses coordinate grids and GPS data to map terrain, or a logistics analyst who uses rate and distance calculations to optimize delivery routes. These briefs give CTE directors and career-readiness coordinators a concrete way to show students how coordinate geometry, graphing, and data analysis appear in careers across aerospace, logistics, urban planning, and technology — making Finding P.I.P.E.R. a natural fit for programs that integrate academic content with career and technical education pathways.
Kit Sizes
All three sizes run the same 10-session curriculum. Teams are 4 students each.
Starter Kit
Trial size. Two crews get the full Finding P.I.P.E.R. experience.
- 2 crew material packs
- Circuit Cubes™ E.E.V. racer kits, ramp materials
- Maps, data sheets, crew badge templates
4-Team Kit
For smaller classes, intervention groups, afterschool programs.
- 4 crew material packs
- Circuit Cubes™ E.E.V. racer kits, ramp materials
- Maps, data sheets, crew badge templates
Full Kit
Full-class including materials for all 7 Space Academy crews.
- 7 crew material packs
- Circuit Cubes™ E.E.V. racer kits, ramp materials
- Maps, data sheets, crew badge templates
Cost Per Student
Starter Kit: $299 ÷ 8 students = $37 per student. 4-Team Kit: $549 ÷ 16 students = $34 per student. Full Kit: $895 ÷ 28 students = $32 per student. 15–20 hours of instruction. Racer kits are durable — only paper-based materials need replacing.