"Invent an Alien" Manitoba Schools' Science Symposium (MSSS)
February 22, 2021
Grosvenor students participated and all received awards for their "Invent an Alien" project that was showcased at the University of Manitoba during the Manitoba Schools' Science Symposium in April. Thanks to Ms. Jackson for supporting this initiative.
This year marks the twenty fourth year that Invent an Alien has been with the Manitoba Schools' Science Symposium (MSSS). Every year a different location in our planetary system is chosen as the Alien's home. Students can work alone or with a partner.
To participate in the competition, students research the location and then build a biological entity (no robots allowed) that is adapted to live there. For example, if the planet is hot, rocky, and has a really thick atmosphere the alien could be short with thick bones to resist gravitational forces, be rock colored and have a cooling system under his skin to control body temperature. If it is extremely cold, the students need to think of ways that the alien will keep warm. There are no size specifications but most entries are not smaller than 20 centimeters. Students may choose any materials the wish to construct their aliens. Students have built aliens out of paper maché, placticine or recycled materials. The variety is astounding.
Once the alien is completed, students research the various biological systems. They need to describe where the alien lives on the planet (e.g. in the air, underground, by a volcano, etc.) its physical characteristics, if it lives alone or in a group, its population, its level of intelligence, its diet and digestive system, its means of locomotion, how it breathes and how it reproduces. This information is presented on a science backboard along with a one-page description of the planetary location.