http://www.teachengineering.org/view_activity.php?url=collection/wpi_/activities/wpi_space_shelter/space_shelter.xmlactivitytext/xmlCenter for Engineering Educational Outreach, atmospheredesignEarthplanetshelterspace

Students are given the following challenge: "The invasion has taken place and we need to find a new home. To ensure your survival beyond Earth’s occupation you must design a shelter that can be built on another planet." Then students research the characteristics of a planet of their choice. They design shelter that would allow them to survive on a new planet, and explain it in words.

If it were necessary to build shelter on another planet, many types of engineers would be involved. Civil and environmental engineers would design the structure, while electrical and mechanical engineers would design power sources for the shelter. Depending on the planet and the complexity of the shelter, other types of engineers, such as materials, computer, biomedical, environmental or chemical engineers, would be involved in the project, too. Research skillsPlanetsApplication of research resultsDesign techniquesPresentation skills100TeachEngineering.orghttp://www.teachengineering.org/collection/wpi_/activities/wpi_space_shelter/research_handout.dochttp://www.teachengineering.org/collection/wpi_/activities/wpi_space_shelter/research_handout.pdfS101F91AMassachusettsScience1.1 Identify materials used to accomplish a design task based on a specific property, i.e., weight, strength, hardness, and flexibility.35S10047AAMassachusettsScience2.1 Identify a problem that reflects the need for shelter, storage, or convenience.35S100D897MassachusettsScience2.2 Describe different ways in which a problem can be represented, e.g., sketches, diagrams, graphic organizers, and lists.35S100EBE2MassachusettsScience2.3 Identify relevant design features (e.g., size, shape, weight) for building a prototype of a solution to a given problem.35S100D586MassachusettsScience13. Recognize that the earth is part of a system called the "solar system" that includes the sun (a star), planets, and many moons. The earth is the third planet from the sun in our solar system.35United StatesCopyright 2012 - Center for Engineering Educational Outreach, Tufts Universityhttp://www.teachengineering.org/policy_ipp.phphttp://www.teachengineering.org/2012-03-184Teacher