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Mrs. Zupans’ Classroom Edit display name

  • Carson Middle School
  • Colorado Springs, CO
  • More than a third of students from low‑income households

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The Martian will be the first book that we read in this course where the American Mark Watney gets left behind during a dust storm on Mars. He must use the resources that he has left to not only figure out a way to signal back to Earth that he is alive but also to stay alive long enough for him to be picked up. He must use his ingenuity, S.T.E.M. skills, and his perseverance to confront each problem as it arises even with damaged machinery, an unforgiving environment, and human error. Mark is also a very sarcastic, funny, foul-mouthed character that my students can relate too. The novel Artemis occurs in the 2080s on the moon where Muslim Jasmine Bashara's survival revolves around science from water purification, water reclamation, mining resources, byproducts of mining, and dealing with toxic wastes. Jazz is a small-town smuggler turned criminal mastermind turned "murderer" turned possible hero. She uses her chemistry knowledge, engineering skills, logic, and critical thinking skills learned from her dad's welding company to try and save Artemis. The third and last novel Red Rising is based on Mars several centuries into the future. The society in Red Rising is based on a 14 color caste system. At the top are the Golds who are genetically and surgically superior. At the bottom are the Reds who are unskilled manual laborers. The Golds rule the society while the low Reds have no knowledge of the rest of society and have been deceived into believing they are society's last hope. Darrow, a low Red, eventually finds out the truth and plans to infiltrate the Golds at the highest level. Each of these novels show how STEM plays a significant role in the lives of each of the characters in these books. Reading is important.

About my class

The Martian will be the first book that we read in this course where the American Mark Watney gets left behind during a dust storm on Mars. He must use the resources that he has left to not only figure out a way to signal back to Earth that he is alive but also to stay alive long enough for him to be picked up. He must use his ingenuity, S.T.E.M. skills, and his perseverance to confront each problem as it arises even with damaged machinery, an unforgiving environment, and human error. Mark is also a very sarcastic, funny, foul-mouthed character that my students can relate too. The novel Artemis occurs in the 2080s on the moon where Muslim Jasmine Bashara's survival revolves around science from water purification, water reclamation, mining resources, byproducts of mining, and dealing with toxic wastes. Jazz is a small-town smuggler turned criminal mastermind turned "murderer" turned possible hero. She uses her chemistry knowledge, engineering skills, logic, and critical thinking skills learned from her dad's welding company to try and save Artemis. The third and last novel Red Rising is based on Mars several centuries into the future. The society in Red Rising is based on a 14 color caste system. At the top are the Golds who are genetically and surgically superior. At the bottom are the Reds who are unskilled manual laborers. The Golds rule the society while the low Reds have no knowledge of the rest of society and have been deceived into believing they are society's last hope. Darrow, a low Red, eventually finds out the truth and plans to infiltrate the Golds at the highest level. Each of these novels show how STEM plays a significant role in the lives of each of the characters in these books. Reading is important.

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About my class

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