Purpose of the Challenge: The Mars Innovation Challenge engages students in solving real-world problems related to Mars exploration, focusing on three key areas: Planetary Protection, Human Medicine & Genetic Modifications, and Sample Integrity. The challenge promotes critical thinking, innovation, and ethical decision-making.

Teacher’s Role: Your role as a facilitator is to guide students through the research process, help them develop their ideas, and encourage collaboration. You will help structure their projects, offer feedback, and ensure they stay on track throughout the challenge.

Step-by-Step Facilitation Plan

1. Kickoff and Introduction:

• Objective: Set the tone and get students excited about the challenge.
• Activity: Start by introducing the three challenge areas and the ethical principles (7 Generations Principle, exploration ethics). Use videos, articles, or a brief presentation to explain the relevance of Mars exploration.
• Materials: Videos from NASA’s Mars exploration missions, articles on planetary protection, or ethics in space.

2. Topic Selection:

• Objective: Help students choose a challenge area they are passionate about.
• Activity: Break students into small groups and assign each group to one of the three areas: Planetary Protection, Human Medicine & Genetic Modifications, or Sample Integrity. Allow them to explore the resources (e.g., links to NASA and other educational materials) to help them understand the problem they will be tackling.

• Discussion Points:

• • • How does this challenge affect the future of Mars exploration?

• How do humans discover and create new worlds for themselves?

• • • What ethical considerations need to be made?
    • How can science and technology help solve these issues?

• How do humans deal with unknown?

3. Research and Exploration:

• • Objective: Encourage students to dive deeper into their chosen topics.
  • Activity: Provide a list of curated resources (such as those mentioned earlier) and guide students in researching their challenge area. Encourage them to take notes, identify key issues, and start formulating potential solutions.

• Tips for Success:

• • Have students review scientific literature or watch educational videos.
  • Organize brainstorming sessions where groups discuss their findings.
  • Encourage students to consider both the technical and ethical aspects of their solution.

4. Ethical Considerations:

• • Objective: Teach students the importance of ethics in exploration and innovation.
  • Activity: Introduce the 7 Generations Principle and exploration ethics. Ask students to discuss how their proposed solution might impact future generations.

• Discussion Prompts:

• • How will your solution impact future humans on Mars?
  • What unintended consequences could arise from your innovation?
  • How can you design your solution to benefit both current and future generations?

5. Prototyping and Developing Ideas:

• Objective: Help students start creating tangible solutions.
• Activity: Guide students through the process of developing a prototype, plan, or concept. Depending on their challenge area, this could include designing technology, proposing new methods, or drafting a framework for policy.
• Resources: Encourage students to use interactive tools like PHET Simulations or SageModeler to visualize their solutions.

6. Pitch Deck Preparation:

• Objective: Prepare students to present their ideas effectively.
• Activity: Introduce the concept of a pitch deck and how it’s used to communicate ideas clearly and persuasively (detailed guide below).
• Materials: Examples of pitch decks from tech companies or NASA proposals. Ensure students have access to a template they can use for their own decks.

7. Practice and Presentation:

• • Objective: Ensure students are ready to present their final ideas.
  • Activity: Host practice sessions where students present their pitch decks and get feedback from their peers and teachers. Offer constructive feedback, especially on clarity, presentation skills, and the feasibility of their ideas.

• Tips:

• • Encourage students to practice their presentations multiple times.
  • Offer guidance on public speaking, body language, and how to handle questions from the audience.

Guide to Creating a Pitch Deck for the Mars Innovation Challenge

A pitch deck is a concise, engaging presentation designed to communicate an idea or proposal effectively. For this challenge, the pitch deck should present the students’ innovative solution to one of the challenge areas.

Structure of the Pitch Deck:

• Title Slide:

• Contents:

• • Title of the project
  • Student group names
  • School or class information
• Tip: Make this slide visually appealing, perhaps using imagery related to Mars or space exploration.

• Problem Statement:

• Contents:

• • Clearly define the problem your solution addresses (e.g., planetary contamination, human health challenges, sample preservation).
  • Highlight why this problem is important for future Mars exploration.
• Tip: Use statistics or quotes from reputable sources to emphasize the scale and importance of the problem.

• Proposed Solution:

• Contents:

• • Briefly describe the innovation or idea.
  • Explain how it solves the identified problem.
  • Discuss the core technologies, methods, or approaches involved.
• Tip: Keep this explanation clear and concise, using visuals where possible (e.g., diagrams, flowcharts).

• Impact and Feasibility:

• Contents:

• • Discuss how your solution could be implemented on Mars.
  • Describe the long-term impact, considering both technical and ethical aspects.
  • Address potential challenges or risks.
• Tip: Incorporate the 7 Generations Principle by explaining how the solution benefits both current and future generations.

• Ethical Considerations:

• Contents:

• • Reflect on the ethical implications of your solution.
  • How does it balance scientific advancement with planetary protection?
  • Consider any potential negative consequences and how you plan to mitigate them.
• Tip: This slide is where you integrate exploration ethics into your solution.

• Budget and Resources:

• Contents:

• • Provide an outline of the resources required to develop and implement your solution (e.g., funding, technology, personnel).
  • Mention any interactive tools or partnerships you plan to leverage.
  • Include a “working budget” that shows how resources will be allocated.
• Tip: You don’t need to be exact with numbers but focus on the types of resources needed.

• Call to Action/Next Steps:

• Contents:

• • What are the next steps to bring your idea to life?
  • If this were implemented in a real-world scenario, what would be needed (e.g., additional research, testing, funding)?

• Tip: Encourage the audience to support the idea, whether that’s through collaboration, further research, or funding.

• Highlight the unanswered questions that came up as you are working on the project
• Identify whether you have any idea on how to approach them or not

• Propose your suggestions on how to act when you deal with the unknown

• Conclusion:

• Contents:

• • Summarize your solution and its key benefits.
  • Reaffirm why your idea is necessary for the future of Mars exploration.
• Tip: Keep it brief and end on an inspiring note, emphasizing the future impact.

Additional Tips for Pitching:

• Be clear and concise: Make sure every slide has a clear purpose, and avoid overwhelming the audience with too much information.
• Use visuals effectively: Pictures, diagrams, and infographics can help convey complex ideas quickly.
• Practice your delivery: Ensure that the presentation is well-rehearsed, and practice answering potential questions.
• Keep the focus on the solution: Always tie your points back to the problem you’re solving and how your solution will make a difference.