Mission to Mars: Middle School STEM Curriculum Unit
Transform your classroom into a team of astronauts on a Mission to Mars! This unit includes 10 engineering design challenges that follow a storyline - complete with instructional videos and editable handouts!
Grades: 6th - 8th
Teaching Duration: 9 - 12 weeks
“Love products from Vivify and this is no exception! Excellent ideas and lessons! Love the lab pages! Thank you!”
Lesson Overview
Looking for a complete STEM curriculum that includes hands-on engineering design, real-world connections, science and math connections all centered around one theme? Look no further with our Space Club: Mission to Mars curriculum! Read a detailed blog post overview here.
This STEM curriculum begins with Stage 1 team challenges that build teamwork and communication skills. Space Club Mission Control then guides your class through Stage 2 engineering design challenges with each unit a progressively more complex design challenge as students arrive at and explore Mars. Units are aligned to science and math standards along with a different career focus. Each session has an instructional video led by an engineer, editable handouts, and a complete teacher's guide. This unit pairs well with the Mars Colony Project.
Lessons included:
Meet the Crew: Mission Patch + Team hype video
Get to Mars: Straw Rockets Engineering Challenge
Land on Mars: Landing Device Engineering Challenge
Exploring Mars: Wearable Device Challenge
Live from Mars: Mars Matching Game + Live from Mars Report
Collect Samples: Pneumatic Device Challenge
Transport Samples: Rover Engineering Challenge
Plus 3 Bonus Challenges!
Experiment on Mars
Explore Mars: Catapult Challenge
Emergency on Mars: Zipline Challenge
Download includes:
Mission Overview video led by an aerospace engineer!
Digital version with Google Slides and instructional videos
Supply list with links (see preview for supplies or purchase from Pitsco Education)
Alignment to NGSS and TEKS (Texas)
Step-by-step teacher guide with photos
Student mission sheets with real-world connections and photos
Mission to Mars Kit now available through Pitsco Education!
This package includes all materials needed for 32 students to complete the Vivify STEM Mission to Mars Space Club challenges. Teachers may choose for their students to work in teams or individually.
