These five
activities are engaging ways to integrate the topic of Mars into
your classroom. They (a) cover topics relevant
to Mars and the rover missions, (b) work well as "stand-alone" activities
that do not depend on one another, and (c) enhance topics often found
in many science programs. Whether you do one, some, or all of the activities,
your students will have a powerful introduction to Mars, planets, astronomy,
and space exploration.
These activities were written by educators, reviewed by scientists,
and field tested by students, making them scientifically accurate,
classroom ready, and easy to use. Each activity has thorough background
information, detailed procedures, student sheets, teaching pointers,
technology recommendations, and assessment suggestions.
Click on a
title to learn more.
Make
Scale Models of the Planets (Grades 4-12, One Day)
By creating scale models, students see how the planets compare
in size.
Size - (482KB)
Make
a Scale Model of the Solar System (Grades 4-12, One Day)
By creating a scale model, students learn about the organization
and size of the solar system.
Size - (197KB)
What
Can Craters Tell Us About a Planet?
(Grades 6-12, Three to
Four Days)
By interpreting images, creating models, experimenting, and making
Mars-Earth comparisons, students see how crater characteristics
enable one to infer a great deal about a planet.
Size - (614KB)
What
Can Sand Indicate About How and Where Water Flowed?
(Grades
6-12, One to Two Days)
By examining sand samples from different locations, students see
that sediments can provide information about where they originated
and how they were deposited. They speculate on what the Pathfinder
rover found at the mouth of Ares Vallis and debate whether it was
a good landing site.
Size - (1.67MB)
What
Shapes Does Water Flowing Over a Surface Produce?
(Grades 6-12,
Two to Three Days)
To determine whether water could have flowed across the Martian
surface, students examine shapes made by flowing water and compare
them to landforms on Mars.
