NASA
Marsbound! Mission to the Red Planet
It's time to go to Mars. Using the provided cards and mat, groups design a mission to Mars. The cards contain information about the different components of the launch and warn about a few mishaps that might occur along the way.
Curated OER
Edible Mars Rover
Pupils investigate the equipment of Planetary Land Rovers. They construct one using various food products for construction materials. The instructional activity includes historical background for the teacher to introduce the information....
Curated OER
Rover Landing Design Challenge
Young scholars examine the concepts of forces and motion. They work together to design protective devices for their egg rovers as they are dropped from a specific height. They record their observations and discuss.
Curated OER
Mars Rover Races
Middle schoolers simulate driving a rover in Mars. For this space science lesson, students navigate an obstacle while blindfolded and guided by verbal commands only. They assess the challenges encountered by astronauts in operating a rover.
Curated OER
Life Beyond Earth
Young scholars investigate the solar system and what makes a planet habitable. They complete an online Webquest, simulate a NASA training program online, take an online quiz, answer discussion questions, and locate newspaper articles...
Yummy Math
Curiosity Landed on Mars
Out of this world math and science are mixed together on a worksheet that would be a great enrichment activity classrooms that are studying our solar system. The information presented is best suited toward middle school math, and...
Curated OER
Having a Hot Time on Mars!
For this cosmic radiation on Mars worksheet, students study a radiation map of Mars taken by the MARIE instrument on the Odyssey spacecraft. Students answer 4 questions using the radiation map and they answer questions about the exposure...
Curated OER
Areology-The Study of Mars
Students examine core samples from Mars and discover what they can use it to tell the history of Mars. In this core sample lesson students create and analyze their own core samples then eat them at the end.
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Rover Races
Fourth graders participate in a simulation in which they explain the problems of operating a planetary rover.
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The Incredible Light Bulb-Egg Drop Challenge
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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Destination Mars
Students study Mars and what it would take to man a mission there. In this solar system lesson students view a video and complete an art activity in groups.
NASA
Space Images
As technology advances, so does our understanding of the universe around us. Thanks to the Hubble Telescope, Mars rovers, and other high-resolution cameras, there are amazing photographs of celestial bodies, planets, comets, and more...
Curated OER
Redesign the Rover: Mars Research Year-Round
Students discuss the solar system, the planets, periods of orbit and revolution. In this space instructional activity students discuss the importance of the study of Mars and brainstorm ideas on how NASA might solve its Rover...
Curated OER
Rover Races
Learners identify the challenges encountered by astronauts in operating a planetary rover. For this space science lesson, students create a rover using their team members. They follow a command sequence from the driver and navigate...
Alabama Learning Exchange
Mars Metal Rover
Middle schoolers examine the properties of metal that can be used on the surface of Mars. They research the Internet to determine the properties of Mars and determine which metals are compatible. They create a slide show presentation of...
Teach Engineering
Strong-Arm Tactics
Experience collecting rock samples using a robotic arm with an activity that has pairs work together to operate a robotic arm. One pupil serves as the eyes and the other operates the controller. The objective is to be the fastest pair to...
NASA
Marsbound! Mission to the Red Planet
Changing one aspect of a mission impacts all the others. Learners consider a list of criteria as they develop their own science questions related to Mars and design a solution while considering all the important systems: computer,...
Curated OER
NASA's Mars gamble pays off
Students read an article about NASA and Mars and complete short answer questions about the article. For this Mars lesson plan, students also create a scale model of the solar system.
Curated OER
Rovers on Mars
High schoolers explore latest Mars rovers - Spirit and Opportunity. They investigate the nature of communications with the Rovers including use of Mars Orbiters as relay stations. They research needs of future missions and design...
Curated OER
Using Data from Sensors
Beginning with a discussion about using technology to collect data, this resource includes a video about the next Mars rover as an example. Young scientists are taught that filtering is necessary before collected data can be analyzed....
Curated OER
Good Vibrations Remote Sensing data Collection: Thermal Emission Spectrometer
The Mars Global Surveyor spent two years creating a mineral map of the planet Mars using thermal emission spectrometry. To help young astronomers understand this remote sensing instrument, have them simulate how data is collected and...
Curated OER
Mars and Jupiter
Students learn about how engineers help us to know about Mars and Jupiter. In this Mars and Jupiter lesson plan, students are introduced to the telescope, deep space antennas, spacecraft, and planetary rovers that engineers designed to...
Curated OER
Communication Delay
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...
Curated OER
MARS Dead or Alive
Students describe the design and construction of the Mars Exploration Rovers (MERs). They imagine that they can visit Mars and think about what they want to find out about the planet. The review the solar system and discuss distances...