Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Explore:LifeonMars?Extreme‐O‐File
WelcometoExplore:LifeonMars!
You are about to begin an exciting journey into the world of astrobiology—the science that studies the intriguing questions: Are we alone in the Universe? Is there life beyond Earth … Is there life on Mars?
As you discover what life really is and what it needs, these activity pages will help to introduce you to the types of life forms that may be found on Mars and why scientists are interested in Mars as a potential location for life in the universe. Each activity has pages that will go hand-in-hand with the Explore: Life on Mars? activities that you will be completing. It is recommended that as you compete each activity, the activity pages should be compiled into a standard file folder, binding them into your own “Extreme-O-File” once you are finished.
Are you ready to explore the possibility of life on Mars? Let’s Go!
Searching for Life
Extreme-O-File Activity Pages
Name: _______________________
Searching for Life Group Definition of Life (Characteristics of living things):
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 1. Compare the three cups of material before adding the hot
water. Observe without touching or tasting any of the samples (smelling is okay, as is touching the outside of the cup). Circle the words you would use to describe each cup and draw each in the cup-shaped space below. Do any show any signs of life?
Cup A
Cup B
growing slushy foamy warm cold moving
shrinking bubbly smelly (add your own description)
growing slushy foamy warm cold moving
shrinking bubbly smelly (add your own description)
growing slushy foamy warm cold moving
shrinking bubbly smelly (add your own description)
Cup A Cup B Cup C
2
2. After hot water is added: Observe without touching or tasting any of the samples (CAUTION: the water may be very hot). Write down and draw your observations for each cup below. Do any show any signs of life? Cup A Cup B Cup C
3. Final analysis: Wait at least 5 minutes after adding the hot water. Observe without touching or tasting any of the samples (smelling is okay, as is touching the outside of the cup). Write down and draw your observations for each cup. Do any show any signs of life? Circle the cup with the evidence for life. Cup A Cup B Cup C
Group Definition of Life (Refined from this activity):
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
3
Nurturing Life
Extreme-O-File Activity Pages
Name: _______________________
Nurturing Life
What does life need?
1. ________________________________________
2. ________________________________________
3. ________________________________________
4. ________________________________________
What is it like on Mars? (Circle your choices)
Hot Windy Cold
Dry Wet
What might life look like on Mars (now or in past)?
(Circle your choices)
(Plant) (Animal) (Microbes)
2
Month: Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
Keep a weekly journal to track your plants’ development at home.
Fill in the month and days on the calendar below.
Use the calendar to help you provide the proper care for your plant—based
upon the 4 requirements for life that you learned. You should mark the
days that you water or make observations.
Observa ons
Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4
3
Mars from Above
Extreme-O-File Activity Pages
Mars Match, Carving Channels, & Viewing Volcanos
Name: _______________________
Mars from Above: Mars Match
What features did you find?
Sort the features into similar groups/piles.
Draw them
here
Other things I observed:
Pick one type of feature—Describe it:
Where does it occur (circle one)?
Earth Mars Both
2
On which planet—or planets—do we see these features?
Mars
Earth
Draw it!
What did the surface of the stream table look like when water was
poured onto it?
How did they form? (what made them)
What is the name of the features
that you made?
Bricks Stream table Holes
Mars from Above: Carving Channels
3
On which planet—or planets—do we see volcanos?(Circle)
Mars
Earth
Are volcanos erupting on Earth today?
Are they erupting on Mars today?
If a planet has volcanos what does this tell you about
its history? What was it like in the past?
Mars from Above: Viewing Volcanos
4
Protecting Life: The Martian Challenge
Extreme-O-File Activity Pages
Name: _______________________
Protecting Life: The Martian Challenge
Recall the group definition of life and the 4 requirements of life.
What part of the Sun’s radiation causes our skin to burn? (Circle one)
Visible light Ultraviolet Infrared
How do you protect yourself from solar radiation? (Write or draw a few examples here)
What type of life are you most likely to find on Mars? (Circle one)
(Plant) (Microbes) (Animal)
2
Which requirement of life are you adapting your Mars creature to provide
(circle one)?
Nutrients Water Protection/Shelter Energy
What protects us from UV radiation on Earth?
Change your creature!
Trial 1 Trial 2
Which worked the best? Which materials were most effective?
Design and draw your Mars Creature here!
3
Mars Engineering
Extreme-O-File Activity Pages
Name: _______________________
2
Mars Engineering
STEP 1: WHAT IS THE PROBLEM/CHALLENGE?
Team Mission:
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
Signs of Life (What can we search for?):
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
STEP 2: EXPLORE
Tools & Instruments that Curiosity will use:
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
3
STEP 3: DESIGN
Tools/Instruments that our rover will use to fulfill its mission:
What will you use to power your rover?
How will your rover move around?
What tools will your rover use to explore Mars? How will it report back to scientists on Earth?
Which materials will you use to represent each component of your rover
and why? STEP 4: CREATE
Work as a team to build your rover!
STEP 5: TEST IT OUT!
Draw & label it here
Mars Imaginings: The Story
Extreme-O-File Activity Pages
Name: _______________________
What sort of life form do you imagine
when you think on Mars?
Record a few short quotes or ideas from the science fiction books/video
clips here:
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(Draw your Martian here)
What is it like on Mars? Share a few
details that you discovered here:
Mars Imaginings: The Story
2
Plan your own Zine (science fiction) about Mars!
Title: ____________________________________________________________
Character(s): _______________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
Setting: Mars!
Central Plot/Problem (What problem(s) are the characters facing?):
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
Outline (what happens?)
Beginning: __________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
Middle: _____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
End: ________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
Use this outline to make your Zine!
3
