Learning Goals
Students will be able to define the criteria and constraints for a Mars colony that meets basic human needs using evidence about air, water, food, energy, shelter, and safety.
Students will be able to analyze how Mars environmental conditions such as thin atmosphere, radiation, dust storms, and low temperatures affect colony design decisions.
Students will be able to generate and sketch multiple habitat system concepts for air, water, food, shelter, or energy using annotated drawings and labeled components.
Students will be able to evaluate design alternatives with a decision matrix using evidence from test results and mission priorities.
Students will be able to prototype and test a colony subsystem using data from model trials, simulations, or challenge stations.
Students will be able to justify revisions to a Mars colony plan by explaining how feedback and failure data changed the design.
Students will be able to communicate a collaborative Mars colony solution using a model, labels, test evidence, and a clear presentation of trade-offs and limitations.
Products
Mars Colony Design Notebook with Decision Matrix and Prototype Rationale
Each student will produce a personal design notebook showing survival-need analysis, at least three annotated habitat concepts, a decision matrix, and a written justification for the strongest idea. The notebook proves individual understanding of colony constraints, trade-offs, and evidence-based choices.
Functional Mars Colony Model and Expo Presentation
Teams will build, test, revise, and present a working Mars colony model that includes labeled air, water, food, shelter, and energy systems. The final presentation must explain how the team used test data, critique, and trade-offs to improve the design and support life on Mars.
No rubric has been generated yet.