Tivoraly
Editable project template

Design a Mars Colony

Plan a colony that could keep people alive on Mars — power, water, food, shelter and something fun to do.

Your mission

Design a colony where 20 people could live safely on Mars for one year.

Learning goals

  • • Explain what humans need to survive off Earth
  • • Use measurement and scale in a design
  • • Justify design decisions with evidence

You'll need

  • • Paper and pencils
  • • Recycled boxes or building blocks
  • • Ruler

Optional: Camera or tablet for photos of your work

  • Adult supervision for any cutting or glue guns.

Project stages

0/9 tasks

Discover

~55 min

Find out what you already know and gather ideas before you start building.

  • What does Mars throw at us?

    List the biggest challenges: thin air, cold, radiation, no liquid water.

    ~30 min · Parent guidance: Check in at the end of the task and talk it through together.

    Extra challenge: add one more detail to your discover work and explain why you chose it.

  • Survival list

    Work out the five things your colonists cannot live without.

    ~25 min · Parent guidance: Check in at the end of the task and talk it through together.

    Extra challenge: add one more detail to your discover work and explain why you chose it.

Plan

~65 min

Turn your ideas into a plan you can actually follow.

  • Zone the colony

    Decide which modules you need and how they connect.

    ~30 min · Parent guidance: Check in at the end of the task and talk it through together.

    Extra challenge: add one more detail to your plan work and explain why you chose it.

  • Do the numbers

    Estimate water and food needed for 20 people for a year.

    ~35 min · Parent guidance: Check in at the end of the task and talk it through together.

    Extra challenge: add one more detail to your plan work and explain why you chose it.

Create

~70 min

Make the main part of your project.

  • Build the model

    Make a scale model or detailed labelled drawing of your colony.

    ~70 min · Parent guidance: Stay nearby for set-up, then let your learner lead.

    Extra challenge: add one more detail to your create work and explain why you chose it.

Test

~30 min

Try it out and see what works.

  • Stress test

    Ask: what happens in a dust storm, or if the greenhouse fails?

    ~30 min · Parent guidance: Stay nearby for set-up, then let your learner lead.

    Extra challenge: add one more detail to your test work and explain why you chose it.

Improve

~30 min

Use what you learned to make it better.

  • Version 2

    Change two things in your design to fix the weaknesses you found.

    ~30 min · Parent guidance: Check in at the end of the task and talk it through together.

    Extra challenge: add one more detail to your improve work and explain why you chose it.

Present

~25 min

Share your work with your family or group.

  • Mission briefing

    Pitch your colony as if presenting to a space agency.

    ~25 min · Parent guidance: Check in at the end of the task and talk it through together.

    Extra challenge: add one more detail to your present work and explain why you chose it.

Reflect

~15 min

Think about what you learned and what you would do next time.

  • Mission log

    Record what surprised you most about living on Mars.

    ~15 min · Parent guidance: Check in at the end of the task and talk it through together.

    Extra challenge: add one more detail to your reflect work and explain why you chose it.

Australian Curriculum links

Science · Inquiry and skills

Learners apply Science skills while planning, making and presenting "Design a Mars Colony".

Editorial mapping pending verification

Mathematics · Measurement and Space

Learners apply Mathematics skills while planning, making and presenting "Design a Mars Colony".

Editorial mapping pending verification

Technologies · Inquiry and skills

Learners apply Technologies skills while planning, making and presenting "Design a Mars Colony".

Editorial mapping pending verification

English · Inquiry and skills

Learners apply English skills while planning, making and presenting "Design a Mars Colony".

Editorial mapping pending verification

Curriculum links are editorial suggestions only. Tivoraly is not endorsed by or affiliated with ACARA.

Reflection

  • • What part of this project are you most proud of?
  • • What was tricky, and how did you work it out?
  • • What would you change if you did it again?
  • • What is one new thing you can now explain to someone else?

Completion checklist

  • ☐ All stages marked complete
  • ☐ Final product finished
  • ☐ Evidence uploaded (photo, writing, audio or video)
  • ☐ Reflection questions answered
  • ☐ Presented to family or group
  • ☐ Parent review complete