Return to the Moon: Blog Reflection

1. Summarize the Return to the Moon Challenge

For the Return to the Moon Challenge Project, the class was split into four groups and then those groups split into two sub-groups to better get the job done. The objective of this project as a whole was to realistically select a location on the moon that was suitable for future human settlement and then create a realistic model and plan of a moon base. The two sub-groups in each group were the Geographic Site Team and the Design Team and I was on the Geographic Team. The Geographic Team was assigned to find the location that the moon base would be on with information backing up that decision, for instance the natural resources that are found on that part of the moon and how those resources could be used to their best extent. The Design Team’s job was to take the basic information from the Geographic Team and use those facts to construct a scale model of the moon base. Their job was also to gather more information on how the best moon base would be built and what materials would be used as well as the weight and accurate dimensions. The end products of this project was the PowerPoint that held all the information regarding an efficient moon base and a detailed model of the moon base as well as professional blueprints.

2. What did you like about the project?

I really did enjoy this project and I enjoyed working with a group to distribute the workload. I very much appreciated the list of requirements for each group as well as the PowerPoint element. I liked working on the PowerPoint because it helped me review the information I was putting on the slides which gave me a better understanding of what I was saying during our presentation. I also got really excited when I found a video on fuel cells that I actually understood; it was a real thrill finding it and watching it which made the facts cement into my mind.

3. What didn’t you like about this project?

I didn’t enjoy the lack of communication between Design Team and Geographic Team in my group. It stressed me out not knowing what the other team was working on and if it corresponded with the information we were gathering and putting on the PowerPoint. At the beginning I had a very hard time working with Google Earth, making it difficult to select a moon location in a good amount of time.

4. What would you do to change the project to make it better?

I would have liked to have set days on which both Teams in a group would have to get together to share information, just to know everyone is on the same page. I think it would also be helpful if we had a list of moon locations to choose from, or a map with easy-to-read locations so selecting a location wouldn’t take a whole class period.