Lesson Plan
Tell students they have been selected as astronauts and scientists to visit the Mars Australian Research Station (M.A.R.S.) on Mars (at VSSEC). They'll perform science experiments in the Laboratory, and work on the computers in Mission Control. Before they go they'll need to learn about Mars, and what it's like to live and work on another planet.
Ask students what they already know about Mars, and what a Mars Base (suitable for humans) might need? Air? Water? Food? Fuel? Where would resources come from? How would astronauts communicate with people back on Earth?
Students will undertake a research project to answer these questions about Mars, the Planet, and Living and Working on Mars. You can download and print out a Student Sheet for quick reference.
Students will need:
A manila folder
sheets of paper
coloured pens
scissors
staples
glue stick
sticky tape
post-it notes
Books and magazines from school library
Any other resources
Access to the internet
Design Your Own Space Station on Mars (Squash Book)
Students create their own plans, while taking into consideration:
Astronauts/ scientists need somewhere to sleep, eat, live and work
They need spacesuits to travel outside the base, and/or vehicles and robots to undertake dangerous work
They would need communications with Mission Control back on Earth.
Project Folder (Gate-fold)
Gate-fold (also known as 'shutter fold') a project folder (manila folder re-folded). Make a flapped heading "Mission to MARS Base" and write their name inside.
All components can be kept in the folder until complete and then assembled. Post-it notes allow students to keep track of information and modify their project.
References (Tri-Fold Tab Book) & Vocabulary (Pocket)
Remind students before they begin to keep a list of all the places they found information. In the first instance information can be kept on a list or post-it notes, and later transferred to a Tri-Fold Tab Book.
Have students construct a Drinking Cup Pocket. Any new vocabulary can be written on slips of paper, with definitions or explanations on the reverse, and kept together in the Pocket. eg. annotate - to supply explanatory notes or comments.
Annotated Mars Map
Create a map of Mars and find the location and any other interesting information about features on Mars.
Earth Vs Mars (Layered Book)
Compare Earth and Mars
Mars Weather (Mini-Booklet)
Find out everything you can about the weather on Mars.
Communicating with Mars (Fold-Out Accordion Booklet)
Astronauts on Mars must be able to communicate with Mission Control back on Earth. Students need to research how a radio signal travels from Earth to Mars and back again, and create an illustrated diagram.
Mars Australian Research Station (Diamond 4-Door Fold)
What would a Mars Base (suitable for humans) need? Students should research where resources necessary for humans living and working on Mars would come from.
Design Your Own Space Station on Mars (Squash Book)
Students create their own plans, while taking into consideration:
Astronauts/ scientists need somewhere to sleep, eat, live and work
They need spacesuits to travel outside the base, and/or vehicles and robots to undertake dangerous work
They would need communications with Mission Control back on Earth.
Student Extension Booklet (Mini-Booklet or Folded Tab Booklet)
Allow students to select a topic of interest - in this example we have used a History of Mars using a 6-Door Tab booklet. Other topics might include, your weight on Mars, Mars in Film and Literature, and Water on Mars.
Earth vs Mars Fact Tester (Chatterbox)
Students can test themselves and each other creating a 'Tester'.
Let's celebrate student achievement!
Not only might other students, parents and friends enjoy seeing students's work, VSSEC would like to, too. Why not take a photo or video and send it to VSSEC to share?