A high-engagement, low-prep critical thinking activity that challenges students to solve real-world problems.

Moon Colony Expedition is an engaging future-focused problem-solving scenario where students must plan a colony on the moon.

With only 50 people allowed, students must decide who should go, what they should take, and how the colony will survive long-term.

This open-ended scenario encourages creative thinking, critical thinking, collaboration, and reasoning in a structured and engaging format.

There is no single correct answer — just powerful thinking.

What Students Will Do

Students will:

✔ Decide who should go to the moon

✔ Assign important roles for survival

✔ Choose supplies and essential resources

✔ Plan long-term colony survival

✔ Solve unexpected problems

✔ Design the moon colony

✔ Reflect and improve their ideas

Students must consider food, air, water, shelter, teamwork, and long-term sustainability when planning their colony.

Why Teachers Love This Resource

✔ High engagement

✔ Low prep

✔ Flexible implementation

✔ Encourages discussion and collaboration

✔ Real-world problem solving

✔ Promotes deep thinking

✔ Works across subjects

This scenario encourages students to think like engineers, planners, and problem solvers.

What’s Included

✔ Engaging scenario introduction

✔ Creative & critical thinking challenge

✔ Real-world constraints to deepen thinking

✔ Plan & create design prompts

✔ Explain-your-thinking questions

✔ Problem-solving extension scenario

✔ Moon colony design extension

✔ Student reflection prompts

✔ Teacher notes and implementation ideas

✔ Curriculum Aligned (US, UK, AU)

✔ Differentiation suggestions

✔ Extension and enrichment ideas

Skills Developed

Students develop:

• Creative thinking

• Critical thinking

• Problem solving

• Strategic thinking

• Systems thinking

• Collaboration planning

• Future thinking

This scenario promotes real-world reasoning and decision-making skills.

Flexible & Easy to Use

Use this resource as:

• Whole-class thinking launch

• Small group collaboration

• Independent thinking task

• STEM or inquiry lesson

• Extension or enrichment activity

• Gifted & extension task

Quick Option: 20–30 minutes

Extended Lesson: 45–60 minutes

Perfect For

✔ Stage 2 (Years 3 & 4)

✔ Stage 3 (Years 5 & 6)

✔ STEM / STEAM

✔ Inquiry-Based Learning

✔ Gifted & Extension / HPGE

✔ Critical Thinking Lessons

This resource supports:

Australian Curriculum General Capabilities V9.0

US Common Core & 21st Century Skills

UK National Curriculum

STEM / STEAM Learning

Inquiry-Based Learning

Gifted & Extension

Part of the MindStretch Thinking Scenarios Series

This resource is part of the MindStretch Thinking Scenarios Series, designed to help students:

• Think creatively

• Solve complex problems

• Justify ideas

• Reflect and improve

Many teachers use the MindStretch collection to build a shared language of thinking across their classroom.

If You Love This Resource…

If you enjoy this scenario, explore other MindStretch Thinking Scenarios:

✔ The Ultimate Sandwich Challenge

✔ Save The Planet Invention

✔ Traffic Jam Escape

✔ The Perfect School

Collect the series to build a consistent thinking routine and develop confident, flexible learners.

Low Prep. High Engagement. Deep Thinking.

Perfect for teachers looking to stretch student thinking with meaningful, engaging learning experiences.

Want the complete set?

Save money with the full MindStretch Thinking Scenarios Bundle — perfect for building flexible thinking, discussion, creativity, and problem-solving across the year.

Includes multiple engaging scenario challenges designed to deepen student reasoning and engagement.