This article aims at detailing the One-Time Project of creating an alternate curriculum for introducing the Study of Mars from classes I – IX, undertaken in collaboration with WallOBook ( A not-for-profit wing working with education for kids both on the margin and well endowed) and Mars Society( A NASA affiliate)
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Poem on Nintai and Yugin as Introduction to Mars
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Details of steps involved in creating the alternate curriculum
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Authors Note
Table of content
“I would not see our candle blown out in the wind. It is a small thing, this dear gift of life handed us mysteriously out of immensity. I would not have that gift expire… If I seem to be beating a dead horse again and again, I must protest: No! I am beating, again and again, living man to keep him awake and move his limbs and jump his mind… What’s the use of looking at Mars through a telescope, sitting on panels, writing books, if it isn’t to guarantee, not just the survival of mankind, but mankind surviving forever!”
Tell me friends What’s your name? Which school do you go? The stories that you read You can write me in a mail
I am your friendly neighbour Nintai my emblem My brain is full of dreams And I have a story to tell!
Ninpa and Ninma Thought, ‘let’s have a baby’ Straight went to the lab and created me!
They put a brain forgot the heart mounted on wheels I moved like a cart.
I left home Plans already made Put on a rugged land That all looked RED
Mama, Papa clapped in glee Monitors flashed in a beat Tears rolled down my cheeks ‘LANDING ON MARS COMPLETE’
I was roaming lonely between jobs they tell hit a hard rock when a chip from my body fell
Moving through dark Twirling unstable, my chip landed in the vicinity of a li’l angel
He was a human unlike me all of 13 my friend Yujin
When Yujin was helping the chip a magic happened off with it he flew when he pressed a green button
They landed on Mars it was night two moons greeted us O What a sight!
The chip walked back to me in arms we cried and I found a new friend from a distant blue planet*!
The fun did not last trouble reared its head my friend needed me and I wanted to help
With my special powers I connected Yujin’s home in his mother’s phone Yujin moved his lips peep-beep sang my monitor a message got there in
It became a game we played my monitor, speed it gained next message was coded Yujin smiled through pain
Yujin was also brave like you adventure loving guy but every time he wanted to move he could only fly!
Yujin played for a while sat down weak, tender if only I was thoughtful to call a pizza vendor
Now, how the story will end I will leave it to you my friends if you carry me in your heart I will gift you my brain
End is a secret code from Japanese it came I was sent to Mars in my very English name
As Mars is a Red Planet, Earth is a Blue planet — did you know that ?!
“The first human beings to land on Mars should not come back to Earth. They should be the beginning of a build-up of a colony/settlement, I call it a ‘permanence’.”
Last year I was invited on a project for creating alternate curriculum for Science for school students from Class I to Class IX. I was brought to the table by Wall-o-Book, an organisation involved in introducing innovative style of Science Learning in class, in collaboration with Mars Society, an affiliate of NASA, working towards popularising the idea of Mars and Rovers emphasizing on their latest Perseverance Rover amongst students around the world.
My job
Create a narration around elements and facts on Mars — It was decided the story telling should be in poetic form which will have a flow and rhythm which can be enjoyed by children when read.That is from where this poem was born.
Anthropomorphize Rover Perseverance for ease of understanding: Here the idea was to introduce kids to the concept of man-machine coexistence which will enable them to familiarise with Mars and the science behind it.
Naming Perseverance Rover: I looked into the gaming world and found out Ninja, the most popular character among kids has been derived from the Japanese word which means ‘one who perseveres’. Digging further I found the Japanese for ‘Perseverance’ is ‘Nintai’. Thus Nintai’s parents becomeNinpaand Ninma. And the human on the planet becomes Yugin (Japanese for friend).It ticked the boxes of a. familiarity b. easy on tongue for kids
Embedding Mars facts within the poetic narration in a way that it becomes a game which the children will enjoy playing while reading the poem. The ALL CAPS words within the poem are Mars realities/facts which the children have to learn and decipher through reading this poem. I have omitted the MCQs that I generated on those facts, answering which would need the kids to have a fair idea of Mars and its conditions.
Introducing a new language in the Class by providing a word puzzle at the end where the kids have to find out what Nintai stands for.
Introduce STEAM ahead of STEM: Recent studies show integrating Arts with STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) has helped kids understand science better fostering creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills.
Introduce story telling as a teaching mode in class for last mile connectivity and bring to the fray disinterested students.
“This landing is one of those pivotal moments for NASA, the United States, and space exploration globally — when we know we are on the cusp of discovery and sharpening our pencils, so to speak, to rewrite the textbooks,” — NASA on Perseverance touchdown.
Nintai meets Yugin
Author’s Note: Delving into understanding Mars I realised how the study of science can be in the realm of imagination and speculative. Creating stories, characters and giving them an arc as the story progressed was so much fun and that the poem was enjoyed by kids and adults alike was a cherry on the cake.
I was approached for this work through mymedium pagePage and I wanted to highlight how people scout for collaboration if you are writing with some consistency and quality. This project opened gates which I never knew existed in me and I realised how I can use my skills professionally. Imagine writing a fun poem and getting paid — Thank you Nintai!
“Mars tugs at the human imagination like no other planet. With a force mightier than gravity, it attracts the eye to the shimmering red presence in the clear night sky.”
[…] gratitude note whispered to the walls for family, rain and poets.If walls had ears.For more check : Soaring to Mars on Wings of VerseSolitude-I give Life to the Deadfind my medium page: […]
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Nefelibata
19-May-2025 01:05