Event History and Overview - Mars Rover Celebration

Event History and
   Overview

Mars Rover Celebration
       Video!

▪   Students in Grades 3-8
               ▪   Two separate divisions
                    ▪   Elementary (Grades 3-5
                    ▪   Middle School (Grades 6-8)
               ▪   Teams of 2 - 4 students
Mars Rover         are ideal
                        Individual projects are
Celebration:
                    ▪
                        discouraged
                        Groups larger than 4 are
  WHO?
                    ▪
                        possible with special
                        permission
               ▪   Not only for school groups
                    ▪   Scouts, community, home
                        school groups are
                        welcome!

▪ Four Project Types
                   ▪ Freeform Rover

                   ▪ Solar Powered Rover (~$10 kit)

                   ▪ RC Rover (~$25 car)

Mars Rover
                   ▪ Mars Habitation (NEW!)

               ▪ Project Elements
Celebration:       ▪ Model
  WHAT?            ▪ Booklet

                   ▪ Skit

                   ▪ Story (Habitation Only)

▪ Open-ended; student-driven
               ▪ Excite and motivate students
               ▪ Low-cost alternative to
                 robotics
               ▪ Utilizes a flexible curriculum
Mars Rover     ▪ Promotes Teamwork
Celebration:   ▪ Interdisciplinary project

   WHY?
                   ▪   STEM
                   ▪   Art
                   ▪   Public Speaking

▪ Registration will open via the Mars Rover
Mars Rover
               website on December 1, 2020
Celebration
                 ▪ http://marsrover.org
  Virtual
Competition
March 2021

Competition rules have been adjusted to
facilitate socially distant team
collaboration and virtual project
submission.

2021 Competition Rule
Changes
1. Physical prototype not
required
2. Use of digital media
allowed to provide
    student presentation/skit

PROJECT SUBMISSION
Students individually record their portion of the presentation in
FlipGrid
Teachers create a MixTape for each team and submit a link to the
online registration system

The MixTape
feature allows
educators to
compile
responses from
any Topic or Grid
to share a
compilation of
student
submissions.

▪ Visit the website: www.marsrover.org
                ▪ This site will begin your mission.
                ▪ You will discover how to get an event started in your
                  classroom, scout den, or your very own capstone event!

Getting Ready

▪ Freeform
                 ▪ No specific materials required, but a limit of $25 of
                   materials

                 ▪ Found objects (junk laying around) do not count against
                   the budget

                 ▪ Not required to move at all

Model Types
 Freeform

▪ Solar
                 ▪ Use a prepackaged balsa wood kit (~$10 on amazon, delta, etc.)

                 ▪ Add extra items to make it a rover (limit $25 not counting Kit)

                 ▪ Wheels should spin when lifted off table under high watt lamp

Model Types
  Solar

▪ Radio
                 ▪ Use the chassis of an RC car valued less than ($25)

                 ▪ Add other materials to make it a rover (limit $25, found object ok)

                 ▪ Should be operable with remote (no obstacle courses)

Model Types
  Radio

▪ Habitation
                   ▪ Use everyday materials to create a mock-up design (limit $25)
                   ▪ Create a community for living on Mars
                   ▪ Create a story based on model
              ▪ Create a team of 2-4 members that will design and construct a
                model rover to carry out a science mission on the surface of
                Mars. (The model will be a mock-up constructed at a minimal
                cost ($10-$25) of mostly found objects and simple art supplies).

Model Types   ▪ Utilize the curriculum and forms to guide their research.

 Habitation   ▪ A complete entry will include:
                   ▪ A model of a Mars community
                   ▪ A "guide" booklet describing the mission and the model
                   ▪ Receipts documenting expenses
                   ▪ A short, illustrated story from EACH team member.
                   ▪ A presentation skit (less than 5 minutes) to be performed for
                      the Judges during the contest.

Model Guides

Model
Guides

Short Story
(Habitation ONLY)   ▪ Story Board Template
                        ▪ Students’ stories can have a wide variety of formats and
                          content above is a guide students can use to start their
                          story
                        ▪ More information HERE

Mars Rover
Sample Skit

▪ Make sure the groups are well-rehearsed and have all
              the parts of their rovers and presentations with them.
             ▪ Encourage the children to enhance their
              presentations any way that might make an impact on
              the audience.
             ▪ Each team will have a limited time to explain their
Presenting    rover and its mission to the judge.

Website:    www.marsrover.org
                        Schedule, contest rules, entry form,
                        resources
            Facebook:   www.facebook.com/MarsRoverUH
                        Photos, videos, announcements, space
                        news
            Twitter:    www.twitter.com/MarsRoverUH

Resources               @MarsRoverUH
                        Links to space-related news stories,
                        event announcements, UH space news
            NASA:       Johnson Space Center Educator
                        Resource Center
                        1601 NASA Rd. 1
                        281.244.2129

▪ For questions Contact:
                 ▪ stem@central.uh.edu
  For More       ▪ 713-743-8282
Information