Exploring Mars: Spirit and Opportunity

Lesson 8
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ELA

Alternate Unit 4

5th Grade

Lesson 8 of 33

Objective


Develop and design an Entry, Descent, & Landing system for a rover using the engineering and design process.

Readings and Materials


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Target Task


Writing Prompt

Explain the steps your team took to design an Entry, Descent, & Landing system for your rover

Was your design successful? If yes, why? If not, what data could you have gathered prior to launch to ensure success? 

Final reflection: How does this process help you better understand the steps NASA engineers took to prepare for the landings of Spirit and Opportunity?

Sample Response

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Key Questions


  • What data should we gather to prove that these structures will survive? 

  • During testing: What happened that you didn’t plan for? What revisions can be made? 

  • What did you learn about the design process that helps you understand the process that NASA engineers use? 

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Common Core Standards


  • 3-5-ETS1-1 — Define a simple design problem reflecting a need or a want that includes specified criteria for success and constraints on materials, time, or cost.
  • 3-5-ETS1-2 — Generate and compare multiple possible solutions to a problem based on how well each is likely to meet the criteria and constraints of the problem.
  • 3-5-ETS1-3 — Plan and carry out fair tests in which variables are controlled and failure points are considered to identify aspects of a model or prototype that can be improved.
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