Lesson 1 – You’re the Judges

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Lesson Resources

Starter

Show the zone home page on the screen and introduce the class to the activity.

Tell students that from now until June, they will have the exciting opportunity to connect online with different teams of engineers who have worked on the ExoMars missions. ExoMars is a programme of space missions designed aiming to try and find out if life ever existed on the planet Mars, and the Rosalind Franklin rover will be launching in late 2020.

Between January and July 2020, students will:

  • Read about what each of the teams works on, and receive monthly updates on their progress
  • ASK their questions about the things they want to know
  • Have two chances to CHAT with the engineers live during lessons
  • Log in from home to join the evening live chats with their families
  • VOTE for the team they want to win the £500 prize to spend on more STEM engagement

Main activity – You’re the Judges!

Students have the power to decide who wins this competition!

This activity helps students think about what is important to them in judging the engineers.

NB/The criteria are general and don’t necessarily relate to specific people in this event.

1. Show the class the criteria list. Use the interactive drag and drop list or print the cards for students to use in groups.

2. Ask students to consider which criteria are most important and which are least important to them.

3. Rank the criteria and discuss as a class. Can the class agree on a top 5?

Plenary

  • Can students come up with any other criteria that may be important when judging the engineers?
  • Take a look at some of the profiles in the ExoMars Rover Zone as a class – how do they fare up against your top judgement criteria?

Suggested Homework

Provide each student with their own login sticker:

  • Students log in at home and set up their profiles.
  • Students read at least 2 team profiles and find out about the engineers working on the misson.
  • Students ASK at least one question on the site.

How to take part

Registration for the ExoMars Rover Zone is now closed. If you have been given a place, here’s what to do next:

1. Login and book your live chats for the Spring and Summer terms

If you have been given a place, you will have one live chat to book for your class between 6th January – 3rd April, and another between 20th April – 10th July.

2. Run the lessons with your class

We will send you a pack of resources in December, with your student login details and suggested lesson plans, for you to use in class.

3. Tell your students about the evening live chats

Extra live chats will take place one evening every other week for students and their families to chat to the engineers and ask questions.