The Design Lab: What’s in Your Mars Colony? (11-14 Years)

“What’s in Your Mars Colony?” is project-based learning (PBL) for Learners (Designers) who are creative space lovers that might be interested in the design and workings of a potential Mars colony.  It will also be an opportunity to explore STEM careers related to space exploration beyond joining the astronaut corps.  A successful Martian colony will utilize staff from designers to nutritionists to engineers and many disciplines in between.
This PBL course will give Designers an opportunity to select a focus facility/living space taking the needs of the colonists and building requirements into account.  How will the selected facility benefit the colony?  What are needs to withstand Martian conditions?  What type of design elements would be needed for a colonist friendly space?  
The week will culminate with each Designer creating a facility/living space for the colonists and presenting it to the other members of our design group.  
Class 1: Mars Basics
•	Mars 101
•	What requirements are needed to have a successful colony with healthy colonists?
•	Design needs for a city/colony
•	The Design Process
•	Homework: select a facility/living space for your design

Class 2: Design Basics & Space Exploration of Mars
•	Design/Architecture Basics- scale, plans (floor plans, elevations, etc…)
•	Our history with the Red Planet- from the first views through a telescope to our current mission with the Perseverance Rover (landing in 2021)
•	Homework: research the requirements needed for your selected facility/living space and develop a basic concept for your design

Class 3: Life Support & Survival Needs
•	What types of nutrition do your colonists need?  How much will they need to eat?
•	Can you grow some of that food on site as part of your facilities?
•	How will your colonists handle situations with global dust storms or meteor impacts?
•	Homework: begin adding details to your design

Class 4: Mars & Our Daily Lives
•	How has space exploration changed our daily lives? A spotlight on spin-off technologies- Velcro, MRI’s, etc…
•	Bad Movie Science: Mars Edition
•	One-on-one breakout with the instructor for your design
•	Homework: finish up your design and create a visual presentation of your design to present to the group

Class 5: Project Presentation
•	Future exploration of Mars…and beyond  
•	Present your facility/living space and project design with the rest of the design group.  Presentations do not need to be longer than 5 minutes and do not have to be intensive digital presentations.