Mission to Mars!
Watch the video below for some ideas on how to make a Martian habitat using Lego bricks, and then use art supplies to enhance the habitat and communications equipment for the Mission to Mars Lego project! Mars is called the “red planet,” so use warm colors to create the Martian landscape.
Build a Mars Habitat with Legos:
Watch the video below to get an idea of how to make a habitat and communications devices for your astronauts.
Make a Martian Landscape:
Use your craft supplies to create a scene from Mars for the astronauts’ habitat! The video below will get you started, and then you may add additional features with the craft directions that follow beneath the video.
What you need:
- Cardboard packaging such as egg cartons, take-out trays, etc.
- Paint (tempera or acrylic)
- Paintbrush (approx. ½ -inch wide)
- Large piece of cardboard, e.g., one side of a cereal box
- Paper scraps (assorted sizes) including tissue paper & computer paper
- Paper lunch bag
- Newspaper or junk mail
- Small Box approx. 2 – 3 inches high
- Glue stick
What you do:
• Lightly paint the cardboard packaging with warm colors like red, yellow, and orange, leaving lots of the original packaging showing through. Let it dry and repeat with another color.
• Arrange the painted packaging on the cereal box to form hills and craters.
• Tear paper scraps and arrange them on the cereal box, putting them around and under the packaging. When you are satisfied, glue everything in place. TIP: Be generous with the glue stick so things don’t fall off!
• Take the small box and place it on the cereal box.
• Glue assorted tissue and paper scraps on the small box.
• Make a rock by coloring on a small lunch bag – cover it with scribbles!
• Stuff the bag with crumpled up newspaper or junk mail. Add the rock to your landscape.
• Make another rock by scribbling on a half sheet of computer paper. Fold the corners toward the back and then crumple the paper to form a rock.
• Make some rocks with solid color paper like red or brown.
• Arrange the rocks on your landscape. If you don’t glue them down, you can move them around to change the terrain.
Place the Lego habitat and communications equipment on or near your Martian landscape and have fun making up stories with your astronaut and other minifigures!
