Curated OER
Edible Mars Spacecraft
Fourth graders identify the Mars Global Surveyor and Mars Pathfinder and the rover, Sojourner.
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Is There Water on Mars?
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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Is There Liquid Water on Mars?
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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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...
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Become a Member of the Mission to Mars Team
Students examine the various jobs of the Mars Mission Team, organize them into categories and write a formal application for a position on the Mars Mission. Entries are made into the logbook and on-line Field Journals read.
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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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Mars Pathfinder Egg Drop and Landing
Students construct a pathfinder that could land an egg safely. In this physics lesson, students explain the factors affecting the dynamics of falling objects. They evaluate their pathfinder design.
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Cell Structure and Function
Students discuss scientific advances brought about by the Mars Surveyor Space Program which impact on daily life, identify laboratory apparatus like microscopes, slides and coverslips, and use the microscopes to view cells and organisms.
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Mission Planning: Earth/Mars Comparisons
Students compare and contrast conditions on Mars to those on our own planet, specifically, their local or regional environments. The physical characteristics, the atmosphere, and other astronomical data is considered.
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Where Next?
Students read an article explaining NASA's possible Mars landing sites. They use the Internet to research Mars and the Module. They are able to submit their own proposals for a landing site after researching the planet.
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Exploration to Mars... or Not? An Exercise with Split-Screen Electronic Peer Review
Students use split-screen technology which is utilized for an electronic peer review assignment that has students justify whether humans should continue their investigations of the Red Planet or not.
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Detecting Magnetic Materials in "Martian" Soil
Students 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 lesson.
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Aerogel
Students identify how technology aids scientists in their research. Through discussion, they explain the various ways scientists use Aerogel to aid in their collection of high-speed particles. Through experimentation, students create...
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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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Rover Races
Students identify the challenges encountered by astronauts in operating a planetary rover. In this space science activity, students create a rover using their team members. They follow a command sequence from the driver and navigate...
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Robots from Junk
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.
PBS
Pbs Teachers: Journey to Mars: Nasa's Way to Mars
Investigate the invention of the Pathfinder rover's landing apparatus by designing, constructing and testing an original model of a bouncing lander. Compete to see which landers work best to keep the cargo from breaking.
PBS
Pbs Teachers:journey to Mars: Why Go to Mars?
Explore the technological advancement of 3-D imaging critical to the 1997 Pathfinder mission. Make a pair of 3-D glasses and use them to view Mars images on the Internet.