Life on Mars?: Teacher s Guide

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1 Life on Mars?: Teacher s Guide Grade Level: 6-8 Curriculum Focus: Astronomy/Space Lesson Duration: Two class periods Program Description In 1996, a team of NASA scientists made an incredible announcement. They had found evidence of primitive life forms in a piece of Martian rock. Meet the team of researchers who discovered Meteorite ALH84001, which had sat in storage at the Smithsonian for years, and was finally identified as a piece of Mars that had broken off, traveled through space, and then fallen to Earth. Onscreen Questions and Activities Segment 1, Life on Mars?, Part One Why do scientists believe that the rock ALH84001 is from Mars? (Scientists believe that the rock ALH84001 is from Mars because the gases trapped inside it match those collected from Mars in 1976.) What is the significance of finding hydrocarbons in the rock ALH84001? (The rock ALH84001 is the only Martian meteorite to contain significant carbonate materials and possible fossils.) Discuss why Mars is known as the red planet. What do we know about the geological history, surface and atmosphere of Mars? Activity: Visit the "Life on Mars" and NASA home pages. Research the nine scientific programs to explore Mars that are in development. Find out how each mission plans to meet its objective. Segment 2, Life on Mars?, Part Two Why is the transmission electron microscope an important tool in the study of Martian meteorites? (The transmission electron microscope enables scientists to discover detailed information on the conditions in which the Martian carbonates were formed and ultimately decide whether they were conducive to life.) What new missions are planned for further exploration of Mars? (NASA plans to send the Mars Global Surveyor and the Mars Pathfinder to explore Mars further.) Discuss the scientific observations that first prompted speculation that there might be life on Mars. Activity: Research NASA's three-phase strategy for space exploration: reconnaissance, surveillance and in-depth study. Create a time line of missions to Mars and categorize the missions into these three phases.

2 Life on Mars?: Teacher s Guide 2 Lesson Plan Student Objectives Students will understand: Since the dawn of the space age in the 1960s, we have sent spacecraft to the most easily reached places in our solar system, such as Mars. For exploration of celestial bodies, NASA has developed a three-phase strategy: reconnaissance, surveillance, and in-depth study. Each mission to Mars has made specific discoveries and raised questions to be answered by future missions. Materials Life on Mars? video and VCR, or DVD and DVD player Research materials about recent exploration within our solar system Computer with Internet access Procedures 1. Begin the activity by asking students to share their opinions about whether there is life on Mars. Ask them to back up their opinions with facts they have learned. 2. Conclude the discussion by reviewing with your students what they know about spacecraft that have been sent by NASA to explore our solar system. Let students know that since the 1960s, we have sent spacecraft to explore Mars and other places in our solar system that are most easily reached. 3. Mention that NASA has developed a three-phase strategy for scientific exploration of celestial bodies. Then tell the class that they are going to be finding out more about NASA s program and plans for further exploration of the solar system. Invite them to suggest ways of conducting their research. Where might they find the most up-to-date information? 4. Have groups of students contact NASA to learn the basic outline of the three-phase strategy (reconnaissance, surveillance, in-depth study). They should find out the criteria and limits that define each phase, discover which technologies each phase utilizes for exploration, and understand how each phase builds on information learned from the previous phase. 5. Have students do further research, using materials you have provided and the Internet, to learn about past missions to Mars, what discoveries were made on each mission, and what questions were raised by each mission. 6. The members of each group should work together to produce a report on their findings.

3 Life on Mars?: Teacher s Guide 3 7. Have the groups share their reports. Then, as a class, create a time line entitled Missions to Mars. The time line should date each mission and categorize the missions into their strategic phases. Discussion Questions 1. Discuss how meteorites are classified. 2. Discuss why Mars is referred to as the "red planet." What do we know about the geologic history, surface, and atmosphere of Mars? 3. Even before this meteorite was discovered, there has been discussion about life on Mars. What other scientific observations launched this speculation? 4. What technology is available today that was not available 100 years ago to analyze a meteorite? 5. Discuss the significance of the tiny fractures found on the rock. Assessment Use the following three-point rubric to evaluate students' work during this lesson. 3 points: Student reports clear, complete, well organized, and error-free. 2 points: Student reports fairly clear, sufficiently well organized, with some errors. 1 point: Student reports sketchy and vague, poorly organized, with numerous errors. Vocabulary abstract Definition: A written summary that concentrates on the essentials of a subject. Context: The scientists sent the abstract to NASA headquarters. biogenic Definition: Relating to living organisms. Context: The scientists could be seeing biogenic activity in a microfossil. carbonates Definition: Compounds that are derivatives of carbonic acid. Context: Dissolved in the water were minerals called carbonates. galaxy Definition: A massive assembly of hundreds of millions of stars, gas and dust. Context: Over the decades, the scientist tried to approximate how many places in the galaxy might harbor intelligent life. mass spectrometer Definition: An instrument that identifies the chemical composition of a substance.

4 Life on Mars?: Teacher s Guide 4 Context: Professor Richard Zare was using a dual laser mass spectrometer. meteorite Definition: The metallic or stony remains of a meteor. Context: The world was formally introduced to meteorite ALH84001 on August 7,1996. microfossils Definition: Fossils that may be a fragment of a larger organism and may be studied only microscopically. Context: The scientists saw some pictures that looked like microfossils, which could be signs of life. oxidized Definition: Combined with oxygen. Context: A substantial amount of the iron is highly oxidized. planet Definition: Any nonluminous celestial body that orbits around a star. Context: The development of life on planets like the earth is a normal thing. Academic Standards National Academy of Sciences The National Science Education Standards provide guidelines for teaching science as well as a coherent vision of what it means to be scientifically literate for students in grades K-12. To view the standards, visit This lesson plan addresses the following science standards: Earth and Space Science: Earth in the solar system Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning (McREL) McREL's Content Knowledge: A Compendium of Standards and Benchmarks for K-12 Education addresses 14 content areas. To view the standards and benchmarks, visit This lesson plan addresses the following national standards: Science Earth Science: Understands Earth's composition and structure. Science Space Science: Understands the composition and structure of the universe and the Earth's place in it. Science Life Science: Understands biological evolution and the diversity of life. Science Nature of Science: Understands the nature of scientific knowledge.

5 Life on Mars?: Teacher s Guide 5 Science Nature of Science: Understands the nature of scientific inquiry. Technology: Understands the relationships among science, technology, society, and the individual. Support Materials Develop custom worksheets, educational puzzles, online quizzes, and more with the free teaching tools offered on the Discoveryschool.com Web site. Create and print support materials, or save them to a Custom Classroom account for future use. To learn more, visit

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