Engineering for Other Worlds

Overview

In this fifth lesson of the eight-part “Designing for Other Worlds” unit, students apply their understanding of planetary environments to design a robot suited to a selected world. Working as a team of four, they compare possible features, use criteria and constraints to justify decisions, and calculate simple dimensions or ratios for a labeled sketch.

Learning intentions

Students will be able to:

• Explain how gravity, atmosphere, climate, and terrain affect robot design.
• Develop a claim about which robot features best suit a selected planet.
• Use evidence and logical reasoning to compare design options.
• Calculate and apply simple dimensions or ratios in a design sketch.

Success criteria

• I can identify at least three environmental conditions on my selected planet.
• I can connect each major robot feature to a specific environmental challenge.
• I can explain why my team selected one design option over another using evidence.
• I can include accurate measurements or ratios and a conclusion that supports our design.

Curriculum links

• Writing arguments in science and technical subjects: introduce a claim, acknowledge alternatives, organize reasons and evidence, and provide a conclusion.
• Reading science and technical texts: cite specific evidence when analyzing information about planetary environments.
• Supporting claims with logical reasoning, relevant data, accurate evidence, and credible sources.
• Ratios and proportional relationships: recognize and represent proportional relationships and use them to solve design-related problems.

Lesson structure (45 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Environmental hook. Teacher opens the environmental design hook slides and shows a contrasting visual of a robot crossing Earth-like ground and steep, dusty Martian terrain. Ask: “Would the same robot work on both worlds? Why or why not?” Students make a quick prediction, then share one environmental factor that could change a robot’s design.

2. 5–12 min · Mini-lesson: criteria and constraints. Teacher uses the criteria, constraints, and evidence slides to define criteria as measures of success and constraints as limits such as mass, energy, materials, or time. Model one example: a robot on a high-gravity planet may need a wider base, while a robot in a dense atmosphere may need less powerful movement. Students help identify criteria and constraints for a selected planet and record two possible design responses on the planet robot design worksheet.

3. 12–18 min · Evidence and ratio model. Teacher displays the evidence and ratio example slides and models turning information into reasoning: “The planet has loose, rocky soil; therefore, our robot needs wide wheels because they distribute its weight.” Model a scale choice such as “1 centimeter on the sketch represents 0.5 meters on the robot,” then solve a sample dimension. Students underline the environmental evidence, circle the design decision, and complete one ratio or scale problem on the planet robot design worksheet.

4. 18–30 min · Team brainstorm and option comparison. Teacher assigns or confirms each student team’s selected planet and prompts the four students to consider gravity, atmosphere, climate, and terrain. Students use the planet robot design worksheet to generate at least two options for movement, body shape, energy use, tools, or protection, then compare them against criteria and constraints. Each student takes a role—facilitator, evidence checker, calculator, or sketch lead—so all four contribute.

5. 30–40 min · Annotated design sketch. Teacher uses the sketching and annotation directions to remind students to label environmental evidence, dimensions, materials, and trade-offs. Students select and sketch one final robot design, include at least three labeled adaptations, add a scale or ratio calculation, and write a claim explaining why the design is suitable. They must acknowledge one alternative feature their team rejected and explain why.

6. 40–45 min · Design defense and exit check. Teacher opens the design defense and exit prompt slides and asks each student to give one concise defense of the team’s design. Students complete the final section of the planet robot design worksheet: “Our robot is best suited to this planet because…,” citing two pieces of environmental evidence and one calculated dimension or ratio. Collect the worksheets and sketches.

Resources

• the Engineering for Other Worlds slide deck
• the planet robot design worksheet
• Planet profile cards or short teacher-selected technical texts
• Graph paper or plain drawing paper
• Rulers, pencils, colored pencils, and erasers
• Calculator or calculator tool
• Whiteboard and markers

Assessment

• During discussion, check whether students distinguish environmental evidence from a design claim and can connect a condition to a feature.
• Review team worksheets for two design options, identified criteria and constraints, relevant evidence, and a correct ratio or scale calculation.
• Use the final defense and exit response to assess whether each student justifies a design with evidence and provides a concluding statement that follows from the argument.

Differentiation

• Support students with a planet-factor word bank, a four-box organizer for gravity, atmosphere, climate, and terrain, and sentence starters: “Because the planet has ___, our robot should ___.” and “We rejected ___ because ___.”
• Provide a partially completed ratio example and allow students to use a calculator; check units and scale before they begin sketching.
• For EAL students, pair visuals with key terms and allow oral rehearsal before writing. Read technical text excerpts aloud and clarify terms such as gravity, pressure, traction, insulation, and constraint.
• Challenge students to explain a trade-off between two successful features, calculate a second dimension using the same scale, or revise the design for a different planet while preserving one component.