Kenneth Huff and Thomas Bird

Huff’s and Bird’s innovative teaching idea, “Electrochemistry Investigators,” will engage students as investigators of electro-chemistry in response to their questions about travel to Mars and how astronauts will breathe and return to Earth when air and fuel are depleted. The teachers note that the recent media focus on space travel has excited the students who will investigate the processes in which critical elements such as hydrogen and oxygen are generated by breaking water apart using electricity. The goal of this project is for students to gain an understanding of the electrolysis process and how using Mars water or ice could help generate the substance necessary for rocket fuel and as an ingredient to generate air for astronauts to breathe. The project integrates STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) concepts in chemistry, physics, and technology and will help students learn about a relevant phenomenon by participating in experiences that bridge science content, engineering design, critical-thinking and decision-making processes.