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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Martian Colony Proposals

For Teachers 9th
Ninth graders design a proposal for a Martian colony to be presented to a group of their peers. They review their knowledge of Mars. Students evaluate for themselves which of their classmates proposal best fits their criteria.
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Teach Engineering

Are We Alone?

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
Find an answer to the age-old debate of whether life exists on Mars. Groups determine criteria to help look for signs of life on Mars. The activity has the class simulate testing Martian soil samples for signs of life before drawing...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Detecting Magnetic Materials in "Martian" Soil

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Pupils simulate some of the Pathfinder experiments by devising methods of collecting and measuring magnetic substances in pseudo-Martian soil. The efficiency of each of the methods used to collect materials is evaluated in this...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Martian Mummies

For Teachers 9th - 11th
Students participate in "Raiders of the Future", a role play about futuristic scientists sending a spaceship to Mars for research and exploration. They collect geological samples for analysis, discover the ruins of an ancient...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

On Our Own- Surviving on Another Planet

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students investigate current models for Lunar and Martian settlements and study the mathematics behind these designs. They design their own Lunar or Martian settlement with an explanation of why their model would work best.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Bite Sized Core Sampling

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Young scholars define the origin of rock samples and how surface core samples can tell us about the history and make-up of Mars. Candies are used as a Martian surface sample. Students study the samples and make a hypothesis about the...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Mars Geologic Mapping

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Learners identify and interpret photographic details of a Martian surface image, design, and create a simple features map. They identify and interpret the geologic history of a part of Mars' surface and then, analyze and discuss the...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Robots from Junk

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students create balloon and rubber band models of robotic rovers to investigate the concepts of mass, torque, and friction. Through research and planning, students construct a rover test-bed that simulates the Martian environment.
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Lesson Plan
Journey Through the Universe

Is There Anyone Out There?

For Teachers 5th - 8th Standards
What is an alien's favorite game? All-star baseball! Scholars start defining living and non-living. Then, they conduct experiments to research if life exists, keeping in mind that life could be in many forms, not just human. 
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Communication Delay

For Teachers 4th - 7th
Construct a maze in your classroom and have a blindfolded scientist act as a space rover, maneuvering unfamiliar terrain while another scientist plays commander. Classmates record the number of occurrences of the commander having to...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Is There Liquid Water on Mars?

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students assess whether there is liquid water on Mars by analyzing images and data.  In this planetary lesson students analyze temperature and pressure graphs and hypothesize about how water could have flowed on Mars.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Areology-The Study of Mars

For Teachers 4th - 12th
Students examine core samples from Mars and discover what they can use it to tell the history of Mars.  In this core sample lesson plan students create and analyze their own core samples then eat them at the end.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

FOLLOW THAT WATER

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students build simple stream tables and vary the angle of the stream tables in order to simulate different flow rates and compare the results. They observe various features formed in a stream table by flowing water and compare these to...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Is There Water on Mars?

For Teachers 5th - 12th
Students decide whether or not there is or has even been water on Mars. They analyze temperature and pressure data from the Pathfinder mission to Mars, and then they analyze images of Mars, interpreting the landforms they see and...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Destination Red Planet

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students explore reasons why people are interested in exploring other planets. After reading an article, they identify developments in the mission to Mars. Using the internet, they research the history of exploring Mars and create a...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Rover Races

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Students identify the challenges encountered by astronauts in operating a planetary rover. In this space science lesson plan, students create a rover using their team members. They follow a command sequence from the driver and navigate...
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Lesson Plan
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Probing Below the Surface of Mars

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students simulate the search for water in Mars using simple apparatus. In this space science lesson, students explain how soil temperature affects the cooling of probes. They graph the data collected from the simulation.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How Does Flowing Water Shape a Planet's Surface?

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Learners investigate how flowing water influence landforms. In this earth science lesson, students observe water behavior as it flows from the stream table at various inclinations. They discuss whether water shaped Mars landforms or not.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Comparing Earth and Mars

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Learners work together to compare and contrast Mars and Earth. Using the internet, they answer questions given to them by their teacher and calculate answers showing their work. They graph their answers and discuss the results of the...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Incredible Light Bulb-Egg Drop Challenge

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students examine how spacecraft land on Mars. Using eggs or lightbulbs, they design a craft that withstand a drop from a table or ladder, competing in groups to see which module demonstrates the most successful landing.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Impact Craters and Water on Mars

For Teachers Higher Ed
Students explore for water on Mars using impact crater morphology. During this lab, students: investigate how to use the equation writing and graphing capabilities in Microsoft Excel, then develop and apply an impact crater...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Navigating a Spacecraft

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students work with a partner to plot the trajectory of a spacecraft traveling between Earth and Mars in the 2018 and returning in 2020. They examine the key factors when planning a mission to and from Mars such as travel time, distances...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Aerology- The Study of Mars

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students investigate various aspects of the planet Mars. They examine a core sample that is simulated to make observations. Then compare the known sample with one that is unknown and differentiate between the two. Students hypothesize...

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