+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Searching for Life on Mars

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students describe the environmental conditions in Mars. In this space science lesson plan, students draw a Martian critter based on a fictional story read to them. They identify the special features an organism must have to survive in Mars.
+
Interactive
Curated OER

Curious? Is Mars All Wet?

For Students 3rd - 4th
In this "Curious? Is Mars all Wet?" worksheet, students answer 5 questions interactively about the presence of water and life on Mars, then check their answers online.
+
Worksheet
Curated OER

Settlers on Mars

For Students 4th - 5th
In this creative writing activity, students use the prompt about living life on Mars. Students write about the problems they encounter and how they solve them.
+
Article
American Institute of Biological Sciences

Action Bioscience: Looking for Life on Mars and Beyond

For Students 9th - 10th
Learn some of the characteristics of Mars. These characteristics lead some people to believe that life forms may be found on the fourth planet from the Sun.
+
Website
PBS

Pbs: Exploring Space: The Quest for Life

For Students 9th - 10th
Alien life is often theorized in many ways throughout popular culture. This site by the Public Broadcasting System attempts to shed light on the studies and exploration that are currently underway to uncover such life. This well rounded...
+
Unit Plan
BBC

Bbc Newsround: Is There Life on Mars?

For Students 3rd - 8th
This site provides several reports on NASA's discovery of water on Mars.
+
Article
DOGO Media

Dogo News: Nasa Confirms Presence of Liquid Water on Mars

For Students 5th - 8th
Read about the fascinating discovery of liquid water on Mars. Includes video.
+
Article
DOGO Media

Dogo News: Earthlings Beam 90,000 Friendly Messages to Mars

For Students 3rd - 8th
Article reports on recent mission by a private space company to beam messages to Mars from Earth. Includes video.
+
Activity
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Are We Alone?

For Teachers 6th - 8th
The year is 2032 and your class has successfully achieved a manned mission to Mars! After several explorations of the Red Planet, one question is still being debated: "Is there life on Mars?" The class is challenged with the task of...
+
Activity
NASA

Nasa : Five Things About Nasa's Mars Curiosity Rover

For Students 9th - 10th
Information about the Mars Curiosity Rover, a movable robotic laboratory designed to explore the surface of Mars.
+
Lesson Plan
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College

Serc: Activity: Is There Really Life on Mars?

For Teachers 9th - 10th
This Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) activity explores the controversy over whether or not there is life on Mars. Part of the Mysteries of Deep Space Program that originally aired in April 1997, the activity includes instructional...
+
Website
European Space Agency

European Space Agency: Aurora Exploration Programme: Exo Mars

For Students 9th - 10th
This is an excellent account of the first mission to be looked at by the European Space Agency. They are trying to look at the biological aspects of Mars in order to prepare for future missions to the red planet. The resource is...
+
Lesson Plan
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Manned Mission to Mars

For Teachers 6th - 8th
This lesson will discuss the details for a possible future manned mission to Mars. The human risks are discussed and evaluated to minimize danger to astronauts. A specialized launch schedule is provided and the different professions of...
+
Handout
Nine Planets

The Nine Planets: Meteors, Meteorites and Impacts

For Students 9th - 10th
Very informative and in-depth site about meteors, meteorites and their impacts. This site provides lots of text to inform about meteors, lots of pictures of the different types of meteorites, tables and statistics about meteors and...
+
Website
NASA

Nasa: Martian Diaries

For Students Pre-K - 1st
Learn what Mars is like from Martians! Well, people that are working on the Mars mission. This blog site contains firs-hand accounts on what is information is being recovered from Curiosity.
+
Interactive
American Museum of Natural History

American Museum of Natural History: O Logy: A Closer Look at Mars

For Students 3rd - 8th
If you look up at the sky on a clear night, you may see a red dot among the stars. This dot is Mars, named in ancient times after the Roman god of war. Although no one has ever visited this red planet, we know a lot about it. This site...
+
Lesson Plan
Alabama Learning Exchange

Alex: Imagine Mars

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers will learn about Mars and what adaptations would be needed for people to live on Mars. They will develop a plan for the colonization of Mars. A slideshow presentation and brochure will be created to entice people to join...
+
Article
University of Texas at Austin

The University of Texas Mc Donald Observatory: Mars

For Students 9th - 10th
Discover interesting facts about Mars, the furthest planet from the sun.