Spirit On Mars

Space video 4: This assembly gives an outline of the mission on Mars of two rovers: Spirit and Opportunity. (4 min 40 sec)

Suitable for Key Stage 2

Video

Spirit on Mars
(4 min 40 sec)

(View here or at www.youtube.com/watch?v=yifJW90C9BI)

The assembly follows a complete arc, with reflective content towards the end.
You may, of course, wish to extend this after the video ends. See below for ideas.

We recommend that you watch the assembly before using it with your group.

Some of the material may appear to be of poor quality – this is because of the age of the images used.

Synopsis

This assembly gives an outline of the mission on Mars of two rovers: Spirit and Opportunity. The video features the 2006 event when one of Spirit’s wheels stopped working. This apparent failure led to innovative teamwork and an exciting discovery.

Themes

Imagination, working together, learning from setbacks, and tenacity.

SEAL themes
Primary theme 4: Going for Goals
Secondary theme 3: Keep on learning/motivation

Song/music

The Planets by Holst

Any electronic music, such as ‘Oxygene’ by Jean-Michel Jarre

‘He’s got the whole world’ (Come and Praise, 9)
‘All creatures of our God and King’ (Come and Praise, 7)
‘He gave me eyes so I could see’ (Come and Praise, 18)
‘Father, hear the prayer we offer’ (Come and Praise, 48)
‘God in his love for us’ (Come and Praise, 76)
‘The bell of creation’ (Come and Praise, 86)

Time for reflection

(Light a candle and allow the students to think about what they have just seen and heard.)

Spend a few moments thinking of the things that seem to have gone wrong for you this morning, this week, this month…
Recall how you reacted in those circumstances.
Now spend a moment thinking about how you might have dealt with just one of those apparent failures – perhaps one that you might still be dealing with…
How could you turn this seeming failure into a new way forward?

Prayer

Help me to see that when things go wrong,
there is often a way to turn them round,
to make them go right,
perhaps in a completely different way from what I expected.
Amen.