
In the morning, students were given their scenario. They were pioneers whose challenge was to colonize Mars through the completion of various activities necessary to sustain life on the new planet. The day consisted of five activities designed for students to problem-solve and collaborate while competing against the other teams. Teachers were provided a rubric to award points as students designed a water filter, constructed shelters, built a lookout tower, designed a working solar water heater, and created a system for lifting rocks to move them.
Many of the activities came with little to no instruction and left it up to the students to decide what the problem was and how to solve it. At some stations, students were given access to technology to research the problem, but were otherwise left to their imaginations to find a solution!
Each station lasted one hour for students to design, test, and redesign their creations. The students had a blast and got to show off their collaboration and problem-solving skills. Kudos to the entire staff who worked hard to pull off a fun, well-planned day, and to Ms. DeeAnn Moore for overseeing the entire event. Way to go, GMS!
Student-created, functional water filter; Able to clear dirt and oil for clean drinking water! | |