Steam Challenge

On Wednesday afternoon the entire Year 7-11 were off timetable for the latest MIT STEAM challenge from Dr. Sara Seager, an MIT astrophysicist and planetary science professor. The students had to research exoplanets in the NASA database then use criteria such as being in the "Goldilocks Zone," the presence of water, and what the atmosphere is made up of to choose a planet they believed could host life. They then worked together to create a model of their planet and a poster to share the details. This was the first time we used the BISC design cycle and planning sheet to help the students plan their approach to the challenge and visualize their thinking. We noticed how it helped to structure the students' thought processes and provided an opportunity for them to reflect on the challenge and their problem solving strategies.