Voyage
to
Mars

Welcome

The Problem

Your Task

A Sample

The Process

Participation

Destinations

Planning

Assessment

Team Reflection

Resources

Credits

 

Extreme Travel Adventure Challenge


Assessment

Four main performance assessments will be conducted to determine the score of each team. These scores will be added up to determine which team wins. The team with the highest total score will win. Assessments will be the following:

  • The teacher will assess the content and style of the written report.
  • Students will assess the delivery of oral reports.
  • Students will assess the performance of other team members.
  • Students will conduct team processing assess the performance of the team as a whole and find ways to improve future performance.


GUIDELINES FOR REPORTS

Students will work with two objectives in mind – to create a written report and then deliver the main contents of that report in an oral presentation. Both written and oral reports will be scored to determine the winning group who will theoretically undertake the Extreme Travel Adventure Challenge. In addition to student work, the teacher will assess teamwork efforts as the work progresses. The travel plan’s written report will be scored using a set of clear guidelines called rubrics. Before beginning work on the written report, students should be familiar with how its various components will be scored. Below are two scoring rubrics that will be used to assign point values to various parts of the written report.

Written Report Content: Though the missions in the Extreme Travel Adventure Challenge are of differing levels of difficulty, what really counts is how well teams identify problems, and well prepared they will be to face and overcome actual difficulties should they be encountered on the mission. One paragraph should be dedicated to each of the following mission content areas. Paragraphs should be headed by the words shown in the Content Areas shown below. A model report has been prepared and is available from your teacher for your examination. (Click here for a printer-friendly version of the list below.)

Content Areas A well written report will contain a labeled paragraph that:
The Challenge
  • describes the mission providing information about starting and ending points
  • states where and when you will be traveling
Geographical Study
  • includes a map showing adventure location with travel route indicated
  • provides an accurate description of the landscape, distance to be traveled along travel route
  • includes statement of any geographical extremes to be encountered along travel route
  • addresses all key questions identified by class.
Weather Study
  • gives all important seasonal and climatological data such as provides a statement of when the best time to travel would be completed
  • states time of year of travel, and expected meteorological conditions, both ordinary and extreme
  • includes information about length of day at travel time.
Planet & Animal Study
  • gives a complete and accurate summary of life forms that might possibly be encountered along the way including plant, animal and human
  • identifies corresponding dangers with each species if any
Risk
Management
  • deals well with the study of risk based on findings from geographical, weather,and plant & animal studies
  • paragraph starts with a summary of risks and explains well how each of the key risks will be avoided if possible and confronted and overcome if necessary
Team Member
Roles
  • explains what role each team member will play in preparation for and on the mission
  • roles might include any of the following: leader, path finder, doctor, cook, or expert of some sort
Planning and Preparation
  • gives and thoroughly explains the physical, mental, and material preparation required for the travel adventure
  • provides a list of critical materials that must be carried by the team members
  • amount of time and material must be reasonable for the effort encountered
Summary
  • lists and explains thoroughly why the mission represents the quickest, safest, most cost-effective
  • explains why this is the most extreme adventure challenge mission
References
  • contains a list of references using a consistent standardized format as part of the information gathering process require for writing the mission report.

Written Report Style: In addition to the mission report content requirements, additional writing and expression requirements apply. These deal with the written elements and the presentation of the report.

Style Areas A well written report will:
Clarity
have very few grammatical errors; easy and interesting reading; clear evidence of regular revision & proofing; key ideas are fully elaborated and illustrate what is meant; examples are provided as appropriate.
Accuracy
have no discernable errors in fact
Precision
contain concise statements rather than broad generalities; provides details; provides substantial evidence.
Relevance
consist of statements that are relevant to the topic or bear on the question at hand; assists in clarifying topic or resolving issue.
Depth
fully address main factors that make the topic important; deals with complexities; identifies difficulties; shows evidence of review of several major critical resources.
Breadth
address the full range of subject matter very thoroughly; includes multiple important perspectives if pertinent to topic.
Logic
provide well reasoned arguments, “win the day” and make sense; conclusions flow from evidence; order of written report suggests use of a topical outline
Significance
deal exclusively with important, not trivial, information.
Spelling & Punctuation
contain an insignificant number of punctuation errors, and no spelling errors.
Format & Appearance
use appropriate font, font size, line spacing, and border areas; good layout; good print quality.
Citations & References
make appropriate use of in-line citations to credit due to others; four or more references provided.

GUIDELINES FOR ORAL PRESENTATION
(Click here for a printer-friendly version of the list below.)

Aspect
A good presentation will:
Introduction
contain a complete and well-organized overview statement.
Completeness
address all required mission elements
Organization
be well organized, moving from general topics to specific details
Participation
have everyone sharing equally in the presentation
Speaking Skills
avoid the use of cue cards, give detailed explanations, be easily understandable, and will keep eye contact with the audience.
Visual Aids
contain visual aides that help audience understand presentation; visuals will have a neat and professional appearance, easily understood; useful in making points.
Technology
use technology to make the point; it is the medium and not the message.
Questions & Answers
have team members all of whom can clearly and accurately answer questions.

Support for program number HST-ED-90285.01-A was provided by NASA through a grant from the Space Telescope Science Institute, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Incorporated, under NASA contract NAS5-26555.

Copyright (c) 2007 Challenger Learning Center at Prairie Aviation Museum and Challenger Learning Center of Northwest Indiana. Staff of Challenger Learning Centers and instructors of classes involved with Challenger Learning Center missions may reproduce this WebQuest guide for classroom and educational purposes. Otherwise this work may not be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transcribed, in any form or by means – electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise – without the prior written permission of the copyright owners.

This page is based upon the WebQuest model.

Last updated 7/16/2007