Space Pioneers Unite: Mission to Mars

5th Grade Project 1 week

Space Pioneers Unite: Mission to Mars

Emir H

1-pager

Purpose

Embark on a collaborative journey to design a sustainable space habitat and mission plan, addressing the challenges of living and exploring in space. Through hands-on activities and role-playing simulations, deepen your understanding of human needs in space and develop teamwork skills essential for successful exploration. Showcase your innovative solutions and mission plans, receiving valuable feedback from peers and community members, while celebrating your achievements in space exploration.

Learning goals

Your learning goals for this project include understanding the basic needs of humans in space and how to sustainably provide these in a space habitat. You will develop skills in teamwork and problem-solving as you collaborate with your peers to design a model of a sustainable space habitat. Additionally, you'll learn to create a detailed space exploration mission plan, focusing on safety, efficiency, and the challenges of space travel. Through research, reflection, and presentation, you'll enhance your ability to communicate your ideas clearly and effectively.

Standards

NGSS - 5-ESS1-1: Support an argument that differences in the apparent brightness of the sun compared to other stars is due to their relative distances from Earth.
NGSS - 3-5-ETS1-1: Define a simple design problem reflecting a need or a want that includes specified criteria for success and constraints on materials, time, or cost.
Common Core - CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.7: Conduct short research projects that use several sources to build knowledge through investigation of different aspects of a topic.

Products

Throughout the project, create a daily reflection journal to document your learning experiences and insights on teamwork and sustainable habitats. Develop a mission plan poster that outlines the steps for a successful space exploration, including safety measures and efficiency strategies. By the end of the project, organize a 'Mission to Mars Presentation Day' to showcase your mission plan posters to teachers and community members, receiving feedback and celebrating your achievements. Facilitate a gallery walk to view and provide feedback on each other's posters, focusing on clarity, creativity, and feasibility.

Launch

Dive into the 'Space Simulation Adventure' by taking on roles as astronauts and mission control. Collaborate with your team to navigate scenarios that mimic real-life challenges in space exploration, such as equipment malfunctions or resource shortages. Use problem-solving and teamwork to develop strategies for overcoming these obstacles, setting the stage for your project on designing a sustainable space habitat and mission plan.

Exhibition

Organize a 'Mission to Mars Presentation Day' where you and your peers present your mission plan posters to a panel of teachers and community members. Share your innovative designs and strategies for sustainable space habitats and successful mission plans. Engage with the audience by answering questions and receiving constructive feedback. Celebrate your achievements and learning journey with your classmates and the community.

Plan

Week 1	Day 1	Day 2	Day 3	Day 4	Day 5
Activities	Space Simulation Adventure Kickoff - Participate in the role-playing simulation as astronauts and mission control, introducing the essential questions and challenges of space exploration (30 min) Research Basic Human Needs in Space - Conduct research on the fundamental needs of humans in space such as oxygen, food, and water, and explore sustainable solutions for a space habitat (20 min) Reflection Journal Introduction - Set up your daily reflection journal to document learning experiences related to teamwork and sustainable habitats (10 min)	Designing Sustainable Space Habitats - Collaborate with your group to brainstorm and sketch initial ideas for a sustainable space habitat model that supports human life (25 min) Teamwork Strategy Session - Discuss the importance of teamwork and strategize how to effectively collaborate to achieve project goals (20 min) Daily Reflection - Reflect on what you learned about sustainable habitats and teamwork, and document insights in your journal (15 min)	Research Space Exploration Safety and Efficiency - Investigate strategies for ensuring safety and efficiency in space exploration missions, focusing on challenges like limited resources (25 min) Mission Plan Development - Begin drafting your mission plan poster, outlining steps for a successful space exploration and incorporating safety measures (20 min) Feedback Session - Share initial mission plan ideas with your group for feedback and suggestions (15 min)	Mission Plan Poster Creation - Develop a detailed mission plan poster, integrating feedback and emphasizing clarity, creativity, and feasibility (30 min) Gallery Walk Preparation - Prepare to facilitate a gallery walk by organizing your mission plan poster and considering key points for feedback (15 min) Daily Reflection - Reflect on your progress and learning experiences from the day, focusing on mission planning and teamwork (15 min)	Gallery Walk and Peer Feedback - Facilitate a gallery walk to view and provide constructive feedback on each other's mission plan posters (30 min) Final Revisions - Revise your mission plan poster based on peer feedback to enhance its clarity and effectiveness (15 min) Mission to Mars Presentation Day - Present your mission plan poster to a panel of teachers and community members, celebrating your achievements in space exploration (15 min)
Deliverables	1. Daily reflection journal documenting learning experiences and insights. 2. Research notes on basic human needs in space and sustainable solutions. 3. Draft and finalized version of the mission plan poster.
Preparation	1. Gather materials for the space simulation adventure, such as role cards and scenario prompts. 2. Provide access to research resources, including books and online articles about space habitats and human needs. 3. Supply art materials for poster creation, including poster boards, markers, and other crafting supplies. 4. Prepare a feedback form or rubric to guide peer evaluations during the gallery walk.