The Virtual Robotics Digital Textbooks
Up to 25 missions of Python curriculum - no hardware required. Students master programming through a simulated CodeBot, prepare for IT Specialist and PCEP certifications, and build real skills through the same productive struggle that makes physical labs so effective. Includes free introductory content.
Try a Free SampleThree Mission Packs - From First Steps to Certification
Virtual Robotics brings the full CodeBot experience to any classroom - no hardware purchase needed. Students program a simulated CodeBot in CodeSpace, learning the same Python fundamentals through the same productive struggle, with the simulator providing immediate visual feedback on every line of code.
The curriculum spans three Mission Packs: a free introductory pack (4 missions), a comprehensive certification-prep pack (15 missions), and a free seasonal pack. Together they offer a complete pathway from absolute beginner to industry-certified Python programmer. The Level-1 pack aligns directly with Certiport IT Specialist-Python and PCEP certification exams.
Up to 141 objectives. 30+ quizzes. Hundreds of guided coding steps. Each mission includes interactive CodeTrek walkthroughs, built-in hints, and automatic goal validation.
Free Pack: Introduction to Virtual Robotics
4 missions - free, no purchase required. The perfect way to evaluate CodeSpace and get students started.
Mission 1: Welcome
Take a tour of the CodeSpace development environment. Students learn the text editor, Toolbox reference, and simulation controls.
Key concepts: CodeSpace IDE, text editor, Toolbox, simulation
Objectives
- Mission Objectives
- Text Editor
- Tool Box
- Simulation Controls
Mission 2: Introducing CodeBot
Meet the virtual CodeBot! Students explore the simulated rover's motors, LEDs, speaker, wheel encoders, and pushbuttons.
Key concepts: Motors, LEDs, speaker, encoders, pushbuttons
Objectives
- Motors
- LED Lights
- Speaker
- Wheel Encoders
- Pushbuttons
Mission 3: Light the Way
Light up the LEDs and learn the basics of Python programming! Students explore LED patterns, basic binary, and animation.
Key concepts: LED control, binary numbers, patterns, animation
Objectives
- Hello, LED!
- LED Patterns
- Basic Binary
- All the LEDs
- Animation
Mission 4: Get Moving
Get the virtual CodeBot rolling! Students program movement, circles, and even robot tag - plus sound effects.
Key concepts: Motor control, movement, sound output, interactive programs
Objectives
- Python Pirouette
- Circle Up
- Robot Tag
- Sound Off
Python Level-1 with Virtual Robotics - Certification Prep
15 missions - comprehensive Python curriculum aligned with IT Specialist and PCEP certification exams. Includes the 4 free intro missions plus 11 advanced missions.
Industry Certification Prep
The Level-1 curriculum aligns directly with Certiport IT Specialist - Python and PCEP (Certified Entry-Level Python Programmer) certification exams. Students who complete this pack are prepared to earn industry-recognized credentials.
View Certification Details
Mission 5: Dance Bot
Teach the CodeBot to dance! Students write code to move and flash to the beat, learning the debugger, iteration, functions, and button-triggered events.
Key concepts: Debugger, iteration, functions, button events, code organization
Objectives
- Ah One-Two-Three!
- Enter the Debugger
- Iterate the Beat
- Begin the Wave
- Complete the Wave
- Funky Functions
- Just Waiting for a Button
- Beautiful Moves!
Mission 6: Robot Metronome
Build a musical metronome with tempo control! Students use LEDs and speaker to create a time-keeping device with mute toggles, tempo lists, and wrap-around selection.
Key concepts: Loops, lists, sound control, toggle logic, tempo selection
Objectives
- Flash! Ah-ahh!
- Metro Beat
- Loop the Beat
- Tighten up the Tempo
- Sound Control
- Mute Button
- Un-Mute
- Tempo List
- Tempo Select
- Wrapping the Metronome
Mission 7: Line Sensors
Explore CodeBot's line sensors up close! Students build a compass navigator using sensor data, conditional logic, and progressive refinement.
Key concepts: Line sensors, sensor data, conditionals, compass navigation
Objectives
- Line Sensors - Up Close!
- Sensorial Geographic
- Go North - v1
- Go North - v2
- Go North - v3
- Compass Navigator
Mission 8: Boundary Patrol
Keep the robot in bounds! Students build boundary detection, quick stops, smart turns, and ultimately enter the sumo ring.
Key concepts: Boundary detection, stopping, turning algorithms, sumo challenge
Objectives
- Into the Unknown
- Toe the Line
- Speedy Stops
- Turn and Burn
- Smarter Turns
- Enter the Dohyo
Mission 9: Line Following
Master the classic line-following challenge! Students progress from bang-bang control to proportional control, using REPL debugging and sensor hacking along the way.
Key concepts: REPL, bang-bang control, proportional control, sensor calibration, statistics
Objectives
- Sensors Ready
- Sensor Hacking on the REPL
- Bang Bang Control
- Smarter Turns
- Sharpen Your Sensors
- Proportional Data
- Proportional Control
- Stats on the Line
- Line Drive!
Mission 10: Fido Fetch
Train your robot like a dog! Students build a command system with organized functions, voice-like responses, help menus, state management, and a treat-hunting game.
Key concepts: Command parsing, functions, state management, string processing, game logic
Objectives
- R-Ready
- Fido Speak
- Organized Commands
- Fido Come
- Fido Stay
- Funky Fido
- Commands Help!
- Losing My Mind
- Hunting Treats
Mission 11: Airfield Ops
Operate an airfield runway! Students count runway lines, stop at markers, build progress bars, and calculate pilot math for takeoff and landing.
Key concepts: Counting, line detection, progress tracking, mathematical operations
Objectives
- Runway Centerline
- Counting Lines
- Stop at 09
- Progress Bar
- Scared Off
- Pilot Math
Mission 12: King of the Hill
Navigate terrain with the accelerometer! Students measure pitch and roll, visualize tilt, convert to degrees, and build a free-solo climbing bot.
Key concepts: Accelerometer, pitch/roll, degree conversion, terrain navigation
Objectives
- Looking Up
- Level With Me
- Off-Roading
- Prettier Pitch
- Get a Degree
- Roll with the Punches
- Free Solo Climb
- First Ascent
Mission 13: Going the Distance
Master precision driving with wheel encoders! Students visualize sensor data, build bar charts, measure distance in centimeters, calculate speed, and navigate arcs.
Key concepts: Wheel encoders, distance measurement, speed calculation, data visualization, arc navigation
Objectives
- Encoder Check
- No Repetition Repetition
- Visualize the Sensor
- Graph It
- Bar Chart
- Count Slots
- Drive with Precision
- Sensing Centimeters
- Free Throw Rotation
- The Need for Speed
- Speed Trap
- Arc de CodeBot
Mission 14: Music Box
Turn the CodeBot into a jukebox! Students program classic melodies using the file system, learning to read and write data files while building a complete music player.
Key concepts: File I/O, data files, melody programming, jukebox interface
Objectives
- Tune That Dial
- Twinkle, Twinkle
- Jingle Bells
- File System
- This Old Man
- Frere Jacques
- Little Lamb
- Black Sheep
- Rain, Rain
- Jukebox
Mission 15: Cyber Storm
Defend against a cyber attack! Students parse email data, isolate threats, build blocklists, and run complete security scans - learning string processing and file operations through a cybersecurity narrative.
Key concepts: String parsing, file operations, cybersecurity concepts, threat detection, data filtering
Objectives
- .eml
- With or Without You
- Newline
- Email Isolate
- Body Isolate
- Are You In or Not?
- Blocklist
- Threat Removal
- Complete Scan
Free Pack: Haunted Code Chronicles
6 missions - free seasonal pack. A spooky, Python-filled adventure through a haunted house!
Mission 1: The Front Porch
Enter the haunted house! A self-contained introductory mission that teaches CodeSpace basics, LED control, movement, and delivers spiders, rats, and a dash to the door.
Key concepts: CodeSpace intro, LEDs, motors, display, sequential code
Objectives
- Legendary Mission
- Notes
- Tool Box
- Text Editor
- Simulation Controls
- Motors
- LED Lights
- A Light in the Darkness
- Python Pirouette
- Spiders
- A Strange Message
- Rats!
- Door Dash!
Mission 2: The Living Room
Navigate the living room with sensor-driven stealth! Students learn light sensors, REPL debugging, timing, and cross a treacherous chasm undetected.
Key concepts: Light sensors, REPL, timing, stealth navigation
Objectives
- Hungry
- Popcorn Snack
- Dash Across
- See the Light
- To the REPL!
- Wait for it
- Crossing the Chasm with Stealth
Mission 3: The Kitchen
Escape the kitchen through binary and boolean puzzles! Students learn binary numbers, hex conversion, and boolean logic through ghostly encounters.
Key concepts: Binary, hexadecimal, boolean logic, data representation
Objectives
- Brush Up on Binary
- Ghostly Greeting
- Bool to Bits
- A Ghastly Hex!
- Bool's Jack-o-Lineup
- Escape the Kitchen
Mission 4: The Hallway
Track down clues in the dark hallway! Students use proximity sensors for spot detection, inspector bot investigation, and extra-sensory perception.
Key concepts: Proximity sensors, detection algorithms, tracking
Objectives
- Spot Detection
- Inspector Bot
- Extra Sensory Perception
- On the trail
Mission 5: The Library
Illuminate the library and ascend! Students program lamp sequences, light cycles, and build ramp-up algorithms to escape upward.
Key concepts: Sequences, light patterns, ramping algorithms, acceleration
Objectives
- Hit the Books
- Lamp Lighter
- Light Cycle
- Coding the Sequence
- Ascend
- Ramp Up!
Mission 6: The Attic
The final room! Students decode Morse code, explore ASCII, and discover iconic computing references in a trunk of trinkets - then make their ASCII escape.
Key concepts: Morse code, ASCII, string encoding, computing history
Objectives
- Hasselhoff!
- Turing Car
- Tour of Trinkets
- Morse Code vs Python Code
- ASCII Escape