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Project Description
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This project was a final assessment for a quarter's study about technology and the early twentieth century. I team-teach with a Social Studies teacher, Mr. Chris Coppa, so students were studying both the history and the literature of the early twentieth century. We focused on Ray Bradbury's The Martian Chronicles as the literature piece. After reading this piece, students formed groups. In this activity, the students are going to problem solve and simulate the work of a Rover Development Team, creating and testing their own mechanical robotic-rovers for the Mars terrain. Not only will students create a design for the rover, but also they will design realistic ways of propelling their rovers over rough terrain. Students will be evaluated on design and mobility of the rover. Students must explore the idea if speed is necessarily a good thing for a planetary rover, especially if it's maneuvering in unknown terrain. Students were given Web sites to visit, and a detailed assignment sheet. Mr. Coppa and I designed a course, Ares Vallis 500, for the rovers to navigate. Each team ran their rover over the course one at a time. Students have the opportunity for trial runs. Each team is encouraged to make adjustments in their rovers and run the trials again. This activity requires that they work both during class and outside of class. Teams and their rovers present to the class and are evaluated at the beginning of a designated class hour.
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Rubric Information
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| Rubric Title | Mars Rover: Baby You Can Build My Car |
| Rubric ID | 175613 |
| Teacher Name | Cindi Perrin |
| School | Canon City High School |
| Subject | Language Arts |
| Grade | 11 |
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Project Includes
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| Links | Robots From Junk
Mars: Missions - 2005 and Beyond
Student Assignment Sheet |
| Standards | NL-ENG.K-12.7: Evaluating Data
NL-ENG.K-12.8: Developing Research Skills
NT-K.12.1: Basic Operations And Concepts
NT-K.12.3: Technology Productivity Tools
NT-K.12.6: Technology Problem-Solving And Decision-Making Tools
NM-MEA.9-12.1: Understand Measurable Attributes
NSS-G.K-12.6: Uses of Geography
NS.9-12.4 Earth And Space Science
NS.9-12.5 Science And Technology
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| Teacher Tips | This project asks students to think outside the box and to create a Mars Rover. We used the Web site from Mars Team Online as the beginning, and then adapted it to our lesson and students. This lesson gave different students a chance to shine. The students who were experienced with designing and building were more confident. Students who were able to work cooperatively and students who were able to revise were more successful.
RubiStar also offered a fast, convenient and focused rubric for the evaluations.
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