Mission to Mars: Blended Learning Design Quest

Created Feb. 7, 2024 by Sarah Boesen

Mission to Mars


Introduction

Mission Control

Mission #1: Gathering Provisions and Setting Your Course

Mission #2: Mapping Your Colony

Mission #3: Building a Bridge

Mission #4: Setting Up Operations

Mission #5: Exploring the Next Frontier

Introduction

The Year is 3016.

Mars has been terraformed and can now sustain human life. You are part of a group of colonizers looking to make a new life for yourselves on the red planet.




Mission Control (Your Teacher)

As your adventure progresses, new mission details will be revealed. Upon completing a mission, check back with mission control.

Mission #1: Gathering Provisions and Setting Your Course

Before you can leave for the Mars, you will need to determine your crew, supplies, and design your ship. Mission #1 is about preparing for the trip to Mars. Create a document of your crew list and blueprint of your ship. Think through the following points below:

THE CREW:

  • Who else is needed on the mission? (Total of 20 People) 
  • Why do you need these people?

THE SHIP/SUPPLIES

  • What are the dimensions of the ship?
  • What is the layout of the ship?
  • What supplies will you need?
  • Where will these supplies be transported on the ship?

Mission #2: Mapping Your Colony

Plan out what your colony will look like when you get there.  Create a map of your colony (providing a scale). Things to keep in mind/include:

  • What type of buildings do you need? (Shops, labs, government buildings, etc.)
  • Where should each be placed to maximize the limited resources you have on Mars?


Mission #3: Building a Bridge

You have reached Mars, but your journey has only just begun. You have discovered the perfect spot to start your mining operations, but there is just one problem:

A giant gaping chasm stands between your work site and home base. How will you design a bridge connecting the two?


Mission #4: Designing Solutions for Using and Managing Resources

Far from a barren desert, you find Mars has a bounty of resources. Create a plan detailing how will you identify those resources, and once you do, how will you best put them to use? Things to keep in mind:

  • How will you identify resources? (Think about how we would do that on Earth)
  • How could the resources be used?
  • What gain can we get from using these resources?
  • Keep in mind the constraints of: aesthetics, cost, safety, reliability, cultural/social impact, and environmental impact. 
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