SCIENCE / ELA

Grades 3-5

Journey to the
Red Planet

Driving Question Key Standards*

How can humans safely explore Mars?
Next Generation Science Standards
• 3-5-ETS1-1: Define a simple design
Project Description problem reflecting a need or a want that
In this interdisciplinary project, students explore the history includes specified criteria for success
of space travel and the science of Mars exploration. Student and constraints on materials, time,
teams use engineering design processes, as well as content or cost.
knowledge about historical space exploration, conditions • 3-5-ETS1-2: Generate and compare
on Mars, and the scale of the universe, to identify problems multiple possible solutions to a problem
related to Mars exploration and develop inventions that help based on how well each is likely to
to solve those problems. meet the criteria and constraints of the
problem.
Final Product(s) • 4-LS1-1: Construct an argument that
plants and animals have internal and
Students develop and present (to a mock group of investors
external structures that function to
or inventors, or to actual aerospace engineers) prototypes for support survival, growth, behavior, and
an invention that will help humans to safely explore Mars. reproduction.

Common Core State Standards

- ELA - LITERACY
• W.5.2: Write informative/explanatory
texts to examine a topic and convey ideas
and information clearly.
• SL.5.4: Report on a topic or text or
present an opinion, sequencing ideas
logically and using appropriate facts and
relevant, descriptive details to support
main ideas or themes; speak clearly at an
understandable pace.
• RI.5.9: Integrate information from
several texts on the same topic in order
to write or speak about the subject
knowledgeably.

*Grade-specific standards are listed, but this project could be adapted to other grade levels

See more Project Idea Cards at my.PBLWorks.org

 SCIENCE / ELA

Bringing This Project To Life

Use these questions to consider how you might make this project authentic and meaningful for all of
your students.

Consider Your Students Consider the Context Consider the Content

• What might students already • What materials will students and Skills
know about space exploration need to create their prototypes? • How will you scaffold and
and conditions on Mars? How How will you obtain these support the engineering
will you connect to, build on, materials? design process for students
and close gaps in students’ • How can you help students throughout this project?
background knowledge about connect with industry • What texts and activities
this topic? professionals throughout this might help to build students’
• How will you help students see project? (Consider virtual background knowledge about
themselves reflected in this resources and experts from space exploration, Mars, and
project? Can you showcase NASA as well as local colleges, engineering design? How can
astronauts and space scientists universities, or museums.) you use those texts to support
from diverse backgrounds? students’ content knowledge
How might you help students and literacy skills?
imagine a Mars colony that is
inclusive of a range of voices
and identities?

Special thanks to Angela Marzilli for contributing to ideation for this project.