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Here? There? Elsewhere? Life: Here? There? Elsewhere? The Search for Life on Venus and Mars Copyright © 1996 SETI Institute Revised 2009 All Rights Reserved Printed in the United States of America Contents Scope and Sequence.......................................................…............. ix Foreword ..........……................................................................ xiii Preface.....................................................…...………………… xv Curriculum Development Team.........…..........................……………... xvii Acknowledgments...........................................................….…… xviii Introduction............................................................................... xxi Achievement Award.................................................................... xxvii Mission 1-Comparative Planetology: Searching Earth. Mars. and Venus for Signs of Life! Overview.....................................................……………........ 1 Teacher's Guide.......................................................................... 1 Logbook..........…................................................................... 28 Mission 2-There's Power in Numbers! (Phase I): Journeys to Microworld and Macroworld Earth......................................................41 Overview……...................................................................... 41 Teacher's Guide...........................................……………............ 41 Logbook ..........……............................................................... 64 Mission 3-Mars Jars! (Phase I): Could an Earth Microbe Survive on Venus or Mars? Overview........……………………………….......................... 67 Teacher's Guide………………................................................. 67 Logbook.........…................................................................. 79 Mission 4-There's Power in Numbers! (Phase 11): Journeys to Mars and Venus Overview……………............................................................. 87 Teacher's Guide...………………............................................... 87 Mission 5-Initial Spacecraft and Lander Design: Tools of Comparative Planetology and Exobiology Overview ............................................................................. 107 Teacher's Guide ....................................................................... 107 Logbook................................................................................ 112 Mission 6-Venus Plates and Phase I1 Mars Jars! Did Earth Life Survive Conditions on Venus or Mars? Overview........……………………………............................. 121 Teacher's Guide.….........……………………………...….......... 121 Logbook....………………………………………...................... 131 Mission 7-Water! How Can We Recognize Water?..................…............ 135 Overview….......................................................................... 135 Teacher's Guide.......……………………………....................... 135 Logbook..…….................................................................... 141 Mission 8-What Is Life? What Can We Observe to Test for Life?................. 147 Overview............................................................................... 147 Teacher's Guide ....................………….................................... 147 Logbook........……................................................................. 156 Mission 9-Mission to Planet Earth-Life in Soil! Can You Recognize Life Up-Close? Overview.............................................................................. 159 Teacher's Guide.........................………………………............. 159 Logbook..........…................................................................. 167 Mission 10-Chemical Tests for Life: Tests for Carbohydrates and Proteins as Signs of Life Overview ..........……........................................................... 173 Teacher's Guide...............………..............…........................... 173 Logbook…............................................................................ 187 Mission 11-Mission to Planet Earth-Life Trap! Can You Detect Life in the Atmosphere? Overview......................……............................................... 195 Teacher's Guide........................……........................................ 195 Logbook.............................………..................................... 207 Mission 12-Can You “Gas” What's Happening? Gas Production in Living and Nonliving Systems Overview...........................…………………........................ 215 Teacher's Guide...………........................................................ 215 Logbook ....…….................................................................. 225 Mission 13-The Viking Search for Life on Mars: Is There Life on Mars? Overview............…………………………………….............. 233 Teacher's Guide…………..................................................... 233 Logbook...……................................................................. 242 Mission 14-Final Spacecraft and Lander Design: Exobiology Instruments and a Final Analysis Overview ...………….......................................................... 253 Teacher's Guide..................……............................................ 253 Logbook ....................……………...................................... 261 National Science Education Standards Glossary..........…....……......…........................................... 269 Appendixes................……………………………………….... 275 Suggestions for Cutting Costs...........…………………….......... 275 Ordering Information......………...………............................ 280 Overhead Transparency List.......……..................................... 281 Teacher Background Information.............……………............... 281 Resources...............................…………………….......... 283 Scope and Sequence Life in the Universe Curriculum This scope and sequence is designed to describe the topics presented and the skills practiced in the Life in the Universe series curriculum as they relate to factors in the Drake Equation: (N) = R*fpneFlFiFcL In this equation, N is an estimate of the number of detectable civilizations in the Milky Way Galaxy that have developed the ability to communicate over interstellar distances. If a civilization has such an ability, it most probably arose from the desire to communicate. It follows that such a civilization is probably trying to communicate, just as we are trying. This was the rationale for formulating the Drake Equation, and this is the rationale for the search for extraterrestrial life. Factors in the Drake Equation Related Topics R* = the number of new stars suitable for the origin and Astronomy, Chemistry, Mathematics evolution of intelligent life that are formed in the Milky way Galaxy each year Fp = the fraction of these stars that are formed with planetary Astronomy, Mathematics, Physics systems Ne = the average number of planets in each system that can Astronomy, Biology, Chemistry, Ecology, sustain life Physics Fl = the fraction of life-sustaining planets on which life Astronomy, Biology, Chemistry, Ecology, actually begins Geology, Meteorology Fj = the fraction of life-sustaining planets on which intelligent Anthropology, Biology, Geology, Meteorology, life evolves Paleontology Fc = the fraction of systems of intelligent creatures that Language Arts, Mathematics, Physics, Social develop the technological means and the will to communicate over interstellar distances Sciences L = the average lifetime of such civilizations in a detectable Astronomy, History, Mathematics, state Paleontology, Social Sciences Life in the Universe Series Topics Skills Grades 3-4 • Art • Attribute Recognition The Science Detectives • Astronomy • Cooperative Learning • Chemistry • Mapping • Language Arts • Measurement • Mathematics • Problem Solving • Physics • Scientific Process Grades 5-6 • Art • The Evolution of a Planetary • Astronomy • Problem Solving System • Biology • Cooperative Learning • Ecology • Scientific Processes • Geography • Mapping • Geology • Measurement • Language Arts • Inductive Reasoning • Mathematics • Graphing • Meteorology • Social Sciences Grades 5-6 • Art • Classification How Might Life Evolve on Other • Biology • Inductive Reasoning Worlds? • Chemistry • Laboratory Techniques • Ecology • Mapping • Language Arts • Microscope Use • Mathematics • Scientific Process • Paleontology • Cooperative Learning • Social Sciences Grades 5-6 • Anthropology • Cooperative Learning The Rise of Intelligence and • Art • Design Culture • Biology • Graphing • Ecology • Inductive Reasoning • Geography • Laboratory Technique • Geology • Microscope Use • Language Arts • Problem Solving • Mathematics • Scientific Process • Social Sciences • Zoology Grades 7-8 • Art • Cooperative Learning Life: Here? There? Elsewhere? • Astronomy • Design The Search for Life on Venus and • Biology • Graphing Mars • Chemistry • Inductive Reasoning • Comparative Planetology • Laboratory Techniques • Ecology • Microscope Use • Engineering • Problem Solving • Language Arts • Scientific Process • Mathematics • Physics • Zoology Grades 8-9 • Anthropology • Cooperative Learning Project Haystack: The Search for • Art • Design Life in the Galaxy • Astronomy • Graphing • Biology • Inductive Reasoning • Chemistry • Laboratory Technique • Ecology • Microscope Use • Geometry • Problem Solving • Language Arts • Scientific Process • Mathematics • Physics • Trigonometry • Zoology Foreword Carl Sagan, Cornell University 1934-1996 The possibility of life on other worlds is one of enormous fascination-and properly so.
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