Overview:
The Teacher’s Guide will include lessons to support the Challenger Center Mission: Expedition Mars. Teachers will choose a lesson path to follow to allow for maximum flexibility, while still engaging and preparing students for their visit to a Challenger Center. All lessons will include the basic concepts of Mars and expose students to the various roles available during their mission experience. The format will include the Crew Manifest at the end of the sequence of lessons to allow students to gain information about the content included in their roles before making a choice.. Longer sequences will include a general description of the roles being highlighted in each lesson to help students rank the job options available.
Each lesson will include hands – on components and will be mindful of student and teacher choice.
Paths:
1 day – this path will include a general overview of Earth vs. Mars and touch on many general concepts that will be necessary for completing the mission at the Challenger Center. Students will go through the Crew Manifest at the end of this session to ensure everyone is prepared when entering the Challenger Center.
3 day – this path will also use the Earth vs. Mars lesson as an introduction to the unit. Students will learn of each job role, but will not choose a job until the end of day 3. Day 2 will focus on Biology and Physiology, while day 3 will focus on the moon, Phobos, and landing on Mars along with the Crew Manifest.
5 day – the 5 day path allows for maximum impact of concepts taught. Each day will focus on a different concept, while highlighting the roles that focus on the content being taught. These concepts include: planetary science, geology, biology, human physiology, and landing on Mars. The Crew Manifest will be completed at the end of day 5.
Reasoning:
Challenger Center has chosen to format the Teacher’s Guide to include different paths. This allows teachers flexibility and choice when preparing for a mission with their class. Using a path system will ensure all students are prepared and have an adequate overview of basic concepts needed to be successful in their mission. We know that teachers are often pressed for time in their classrooms, and appreciate options and flexibility whenever possible. We also know that classes who are prepared through thoughtful and meaningful lessons are more successful and achieve larger gains from a mission experience. The content in the different paths is designed to deliver as much background knowledge and buy – in for students as possible in the time allotted by the teacher for preparation before visiting a Challenger Center.
Single Day Track
| Day 1 | Objective: SWBAT explain how characteristics of Mars differ from the characteristics of Earth. | Activity: Create class Venn diagram/Four Corners activity |
| Earth vs. Mars | Standards and Skills:
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| Description: In this overview lesson, students will compare properties of Mars to properties of Earth. Topics will include: location in solar system, gravity, length of day, core (lack of ionosphere), weather (temperature, pressure, and storms), communication with earth, surface characteristics (color, water), life on each, moons and the atmosphere. Students will also learn about the different mission roles, select their top three and explain why they would be a good fit. |
Three and Five Day Tracks
| Day 1 (of 5) | Objective: SWBAT compare and contrast characteristics of Mars and Earth. | Activity: Create class Venn diagram/Four Corners activity |
| Earth vs. Mars | Standards and Skills:
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| Description: In this overview lesson, students will compare properties of Mars to properties of Earth. Topics will include: location in solar system, gravity, length of day, core (lack of ionosphere), weather (temperature, pres-sure, and storms), communication with earth, surface characteristics (color, water), life on each, and the atmosphere. Students will also learn the names of all the roles. Further explanation of roles will come on Day 3. |
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| Day 2 (of 5) | Objective: SWBAT explain how the existence of extremophiles hints at the possibility of life on Mars. | Activity: Extremophile study, matching game |
| Biology & Physiology | Standards and Skills:
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| Description: This lesson will touch on all aspects of life on Mars. Topics will include: what is needed for life on Mars, evidence of water on Mars, and extremophiles. (If teaching 3 days, include brief discussion on humans specifically on Mars, specifically why they cannot live on Mars without accommodations.) |
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| Day 3 (of 5) | Objective: SWBAT describe how to take off from and land on Mars. | Activity: Cannon demo/game |
| Landing on Mars/Phobos | Standards and Skills:
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| Description: This lesson will go more in depth about Phobos and why it is a good candidate for exploration. It will also touch on how to land on Mars from Phobos, with an explanation of Newton’s cannon, delta v, and escape velocity. Students will also go through the crew manifest more in depth. Classes teaching 3 lessons will apply for roles. 5 day classes will learn about advantages and disadvantages of rovers. |
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| Day 4 (of 5) | Objective: SWBAT identify and analyze evidence of water on Mars. | Activity: Water race demo, sorting photos of Mars vs Earth |
| Mars Geology | Standards and Skills:
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| Description: Students will go more in depth on the geology of Mars. Topics will include: why Mars is red, evidence of water on Mars, the lack of tectonic plates, what could be under the surface of Mars. |
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| Day 5 (of 5) | Objective: SWBAT use their knowledge of the effects of Mars on humans to design a safe space station to support human life on Mars. | Activity: Design a space station, health on Mars lab |
| Humans on Mars | Standards and Skills:
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| Description: This concluding lesson will discuss human life on Mars. Topics will include: conditions needed for human life, effects of low gravity environments, radiation, and adaptations/accommodations that need to be made for human survival. Students will apply for their roles. |
Optional (Stand Alone) Extension Activity
| Day 6 | Objective: SWBAT write a position piece on whether or not are worth using for Mars exploration. | Activity: Rover game |
| Rovers on Mars | Standards and Skills: | |
| Description: Students will learn about Mars exploration using rovers, specifically Curiosity. Topics will include: landing on Mars, communicating with a rover, and its ability to gather data. |
Lesson References
Activities:
Day 1: Four-corners, put it on a Venn-diagram with partner/group
Day 2: Extremophiles – https://marsed.mars.asu.edu/content/xtreme-o-philes
Day 3: Cannon demo/game
Day 4: Water race – Follow_the_Water.pdf
Day 5: Design your own space suit/space station
http://www.lpi.usra.edu/education/explore/space_health/space_stations/
http://www.lpi.usra.edu/education/explore/space_health/space_stations/jumping_conclusions.pdf
Day 6: Rover Races: https://marsed.mars.asu.edu/sites/default/files/stem_resources/Rover Races 6th – 12th Grade Lesson.pdf