Mars City Alpha

Mars City Alpha is a site based simulation for grades 6-12. The year is 2043 and an international venture to Mars is in the initial planning stages. Your youngsters can be part of this exciting mission--to design and build the first Mars habitat. This science and mathematics based simulation emphasizes experiential learning with a focus on teamwork, decision-making and creative and critical problem solving.

Mars City Alpha is . . .

Youth-Directed: Your youngsters will gather facts, form hypotheses and make team-based decisions to successfully prepare Mars for human habitation.

Leader-Friendly: The simulation can be incorporated in a single class/group setting or with multiple classes/groups over a 4-9 week period. The completed product is a scale model city which will easily fit on the top of two six foot tables.

Interdisciplinary: Mars City Alpha provides an innovative and integrated approach to covering a variety of disciplines. Participants will use their math skills to estimate the square footage needed for growing good; their science skills to conserve a scarce supply of water; their social studies skills to form a government for their city; their language arts skills to complete their mission log and their fine arts skills to sketch and build their city.

The Mars City Alpha kit contains: Teacher's Guide Mission Manuals for 5 student design teams, Mission Log tablet and additional resources, including the full color poster, "An Explorer's Guide to Mars." The kit can be ordered from Challenger Center, 1029 North Royal Street, Suite 300, Alexandria, VA 22314. (703) 683-9740. Mars City Alpha is copyrighted program produced by Challenger Center for Space Science Education.