Launchpad Mission to Mars: 10 Engineering STEM Activities (K-5)

$45.00

Transform your classroom into a team of astronauts on a Mission to the Moon! This STEM unit of 10 lessons is perfect for elementary STEM classrooms, afterschool programs, or summer camps!

Grades: K-5

Teaching Duration: 1 month

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Transform your classroom into a team of astronauts on a Mission to the Moon! This STEM unit of 10 lessons is perfect for elementary STEM classrooms, afterschool programs, or summer camps!

Grades: K-5

Teaching Duration: 1 month

Transform your classroom into a team of astronauts on a Mission to the Moon! This STEM unit of 10 lessons is perfect for elementary STEM classrooms, afterschool programs, or summer camps!

Grades: K-5

Teaching Duration: 1 month

Used this with my Stage 2 students a couple of years ago. Will be using this again this year. They loved it and a very effective way to introduce the Engineering Design Process to little ones.
— Katy R.

Lesson Overview

This STEM curriculum begins with Stage 1 team challenges that build teamwork and communication skills. Astronaut Alex then guides the 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 and STEM word of the day such as teamwork, resilience, and leadership.

Vivify STEM presents Launchpad: A Mission to Mars

Through interactive sessions, Launchpad students become a team of astronauts challenged to complete 10 missions centered around a Mission to Mars. Each week, students will read a message from Astronaut Alex, who will introduce the activity, provide background context, and connect it to a STEM career. Students will then engage in hands-on activities centered around the engineering design process.

Launchpad curriculum includes 10 STEM challenges:

  1. Meet the Crew: Team Challenges

  2. Astronaut Training: Mars Trivia Game + Astronaut Boot Engineering Challenge

  3. Get to Mars: Straw Rockets Engineering Challenge

  4. Land on Mars*: Landing Device Engineering Challenge

  5. Transport Crew*: Zipline Engineering Challenge

  6. Build a Base: UV Science Experiment + Shelter Engineering Challenge

  7. Build a Rover: Conductivity Science Experiment + Bristlebot Engineering Challenge

  8. Explore Mars: Grabber Engineering Challenge

  9. Entertainment on Mars: Roller coaster Engineering Challenge

  10. Mission Success: Coke Mentos Geyser + Atomic Slime

*Prefer a Moon version? Find Mission to Moon here. Except for *starred activities, most challenges are similar between Mars and Moon versions.

Download includes:

  • Digital version includes Google Slide journals and instructional videos

  • Intro to STEM Education

  • 10 STEM Missions following a storyline

  • Supply list with links

  • Alignment to NGSS, TEKS (Texas), and CCSS Math

  • Step-by-step teacher guide with photos

  • Student mission sheets with real-world connections and photos

  • Editable Teacher companion slides with videos, vocabulary, storyline, and guide through each design challenge (over 150 slides!)

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