Students are organized into teams to simulate living on Mars as part of the Marsville program. They develop teamwork, communication, and Mars survival skills. On Link-Up Day, the teams construct habitats from recyclables, present their Mars survival systems, and participate in activities to test their teamwork and problem-solving. The program aims to inspire students and make science learning fun through hands-on activities focused on living and working together on Mars.

1. Welcome to
Marsville: The Cosmic Village

2. Exploration is the Essence of Learning!
Challenger Center programs use students'
natural enthusiasm for space to create
innovative learning experiences for
imaginative young minds.
We're creating a new generation of
explorers.
Inspiring. Exploring. Learning.
It's our mission.
Challenger Center for Space Science Exploration

3. In Marsville…
• We believe that Hands On leads to Minds On
• We believe that Space is Cool, Science is Fun
and that makes the Learning a natural process
• We believe that many youth excel in the
application of technology that may not have
excelled in traditional academic application
• We believe that REAL-WORLD application of
knowledge makes learning more relevant
• We believe through Marsville we can truly touch
the future

5. • Students are organized into teams of 4-5
students/ 3-4 teams per classroom
• Your ultimate mission is to prepare your
team for Link-Up Day
What is Marsville?

6. Marsville Prep
• Each Team Develops Teamwork
• Designs a Team Mission Patch
• Plans a Team Uniform for Link-Up Day
• Plans a lunch including all 5 food groups and meeting
weight restrictions
• Each Team Adapts Technology
• Learns their Mars ABCs
• Designs a system to support life on Mars using current and
future technology built out of recyclables

7. Marsville Prep
• Each Team Develops Communication
• You must communicate with two other teams that
make up your Habitat Crew on who is bringing what
parts of the habitat for constructing on Link-Up Day
Habitat
A
Teacher: Hohbach
School: ROMS
Team #: 1
System: Temp Control
Email:
kerryh@roschools.com
Habitat
A
Teacher: Sickles
School: ROMS
Team #: 1
System: Air Supply
Email:
vickis@roschools.com
Habitat
A
Teacher: Adams
School: ROMS
Team #: 3
System: Waste Mgt
Email:
cadams@roschools.com

8. Marsville Prep
• Each Team Develops Communication
• You also will prepare a presentation of your system
including-
– Introductions
– 3 Mars Facts used in designing their system
– A short narrative on how their system will work
– And a Mars Riddle
• You divide your team into two sets of presenters for
Celestial Questial 1 and Celestial Questial 2

9. Marsville Link-Up Day
• Arrive and do Get-Acquainted Mixer
• Weigh-in Lunches
• Launch to Mars Video
• Construct Habitats and Team Evaluation
• Celestial Questial 1
• Lunch, Weigh-in Waste and Sign Support Banners
• Celestial Questial 2
• Habitat Challenge—Emergency Construction Scenario
• Walk Through
• Clean up and Pack for Home
• Recognition—Certificates/M&Ms

10. Teams Checking in on Link Up day
The science Guys

11. Weighing In Lunches

12. Team Misson Patches

13. Constructing Habitats

14. Walls are 8 ft tall by 10
foot long
Ceiling and floor are 10 ft by
10 ftFan Tunnel is 4 ft long
by 10 ft around to fit
around fan
Connecting tunnel is 12
ft long and 10 foot
around to create a tunnel
between habitats
The door flap is 4 ft
wide by 6 ft long to
cover inside of
opening cut for
entering the habitat

16. Use Lots and Lots of Duct
Tape

17. Constructing the Fan Tunnel

19. Connecting Tunnel

20. Teamwork

21. More construction

22. Student Constructed Systems

23. Radio and Newspaper
Interviews of Mars Travelers

24. Habitats are Up

25. Instructions for Celestial
Questial

26. This is Fun! Living in your
habitat

27. Signing Sponsor Posters

28. Page County Schedule
• May 2 is Marsville Link up Day
M T W T F
17
Prep Week
18 19 20 21
24
Begin Marsville
Curriculum
25 26 27 28March
28
Communication
Ends
29 30 1 2
Marsville Link-
UP Day
May
31 1 2 3 4
7 8 9 10 11
14 15 16
Begin
Communication
17 18
21 22 23 24 25
April
Prep Week:If needed to
make up for Easter or
Spring Break
First Week: Team
Work—Mission Patches,
Uniform,
Mars ABCs
Second Week: Mars
Survivor Kits & Marsville
Systems Overview
Begin Researching
Systems
Third Week: Plan Lunch
Build Systems
Fourth Week: Build Mini
Habitats, Build Systems,
Begin Communicaiton
Fifth Week:
Communication, System
Presentation, Weigh lunch
Prototype
Sixth Week: Finalize
Communication, Finalize
System Presentation, Cut
Plastic, Decorate Plastic,
Pack for Link-Up Day
Link-Up Day

29. Marsville BECOMES A
COMMUNITY PROGRAM
• Sponsors
• School Administrators
• Local Media strong support

30. The Success of Marsville
• The most important things learned…
– Teamwork
– Communication
– How to Work and Cooperate with Others
– All the Facts about Mars
• “I know a lot about Mars so now I’m ready to lift off!”
– Planning Ahead
– All the work that needs to be done before the
mission

31. Contacts:
• David Seilstad, ISU Extension
– Phone: 712/644-2105
– seilstad@iastate.edu
• Debbie Swanson, ISU Extension Page
Cty.
– debra@iastate.edu
– Phone: 712/542-5171