Student Objective: To explore their home community, to appreciate the people and elements that make it successful, and to identify ways they could improve or change their community.

Teacher/Leader Note: This is a wonderful place to bring in members of your community. Introduce your students to careers and contributors in the community that they may not have considered before.

Guiding Questions:

• What makes a community and what kinds of careers are needed?
• Of what communities are you a part?
• What do you value about your community?
• Why is your community unique?
• Why do you like living there?
• What would you change?
• How has your community changed over time? Why?

Student Objective: To understand what life needs to survive, to appreciate Earth's environment, and to develop strategies that support human existence on Mars, based on standards-aligned science concepts related to:

Teacher/Leader Note: This step is an opportunity for students who may not have a strong background in science and technology to learn concepts in an engaging way, fueled by their own inquiries and interests in designing their community.

Guiding Questions:

• How is Mars like Earth? How is it different?
• What challenges will Mars present to human habitation?
• How will life be supported on Mars?

Student Objective: To consider the types of people and careers a community will need on Mars, the way life on Mars will be different from life on Earth, and what it will require to provide new Martians with a full and satisfying community life.

Teacher/Leader Note: This step is a place for students to synthesize everything they have learned in the Reflect and Discover steps. It is where they envision their martian community and some of the details of how it will exist. Encourage your students to let their imaginations run wild!

Guiding Questions:

• How would a community on Mars function differently than a community on Earth? Why?
• What jobs will need to be done on Mars?
• What will people do for fun, how will they be creative?
• What will your community look like?
• What types of people will live in your community?
• What community services will your community offer?

Student Objective: To understand what life needs to survive, to appreciate Earth's environment, and to develop strategies that support human existence on Mars, based on standards-aligned science concepts: Products should fit within one or more of these categories: Design Arts, Visual Arts, Performing Arts or Literary Arts.

Teacher/Leader Note: Project leaders may determine the format of the final product up front, or allow students to decide as the project gets underway. You may choose to write a story, build a model, paint a painting, compose a song, create an exhibit, prepare a newscast, etc. The options are endless.

Guiding Questions:

• How would you like to represent your community?
• Is there a particular aspect of your community you'd like to focus on?
• What talents and interests do you have?
• What resources are available?
• How much time do you have?

Student Objective: To develop communication and presentation skills through sharing their ideas with their community. Students come full circle in their adventure to Mars: they began by valuing their community; then took those ideas and combined them with scientific knowledge to create something new on Mars; and finally brought their reflections, knowledge, and imagination back to Earth to share with the people who made their journey possible in the first place.

Teacher/Leader Note: Upload your students' completed project to the Imagine Mars Project Gallery where it will join hundreds of other students' Martian communities. Host a "share" event where students present their work to the local community, including parents and friends, an entire school, or even a whole town.

Guiding Questions:

• How would you like to share your project?
• Who should you invite to your share event?
• How would you like your project to look in the Project Gallery?
• Why is it important to have a share event?
• What are examples of other groups that share their work with the community?