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Mars BACKGROUND INFORMATION Classroom Resource Booklet Mars BACKGROUND INFORMATION Why Mars? Mars is similar yet different to the Earth. The differences help to highlight what is special about our planet. If humans were to live anywhere else in the solar system, Mars would be the best option. Background Information for Teachers: Useful facts about Mars: • Mars is half the size of the Earth. • Mars is covered with rocks and sand. • There are no oceans or lakes on Mars, so there is more land surface than on Earth. • The surface of Mars is red. This is thought to be due to iron oxide in the soil. BUT: A more recent theory is that the red colour could have formed without water. Scientists performed an experiment where they gently tumbled grains of quartz for a few months until they were turned into a fine powder. This is like a wind flowing over the Martian surface. Then, they added powdered magnetite and the sand turned redder. This gives a way that an iron oxide could have formed without water at all. • Mars is generally cold, but ground temperature varies from the Equator to the Poles. See this article: Temperature and Wind chill on Mars: http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2014/06/no-wind-chill-Mars Resources: • Photos of Mars: https://www.flickr.com/photos/esa_Marswebcam from the Mars Express: http://sci.esa.int/Mars-express/ • Red Planet Report: http://redplanet.asu.edu • Imagine Mars: http://Mars.nasa.gov/imagine/students/ Mars Mission Background Information: • Mars Express: http://sci.esa.int/Mars-express/ • ExoMars: http://exploration.esa.int/Mars/46124-mission-overview/ • MarsQuest: https://www.Marsquestonline.org DPSM/ESERO Framework for Inquiry THEME Overall theme Strand: CURRICULUM Strand Unit: Curriculum Objectives: Skills Development: ENGAGE THE TRIGGER WONDERING EXPLORING INVESTIGATE SHARING: INTERPRETING STARTER QUESTION PREDICTING CONDUCTING THE INVESTIGATION THE DATA / RESULTS TAKE THE NEXT STEP APPLYING LEARNING MAKING CONNECTIONS THOUGHTFUL ACTIONS REFLECTION DPSM/ESERO Framework for Inquiry THEME Overall theme Strand: Use the DPSM Planning Guide to identify the strand/strand units and the appropriate curriculum/learning objectives that your pupils should achieve. CURRICULUM Strand Unit: Curriculum Objectives: Skills Development: ENGAGE THE TRIGGER WONDERING EXPLORING • Relating the new experience to the children. • Discuss everyday experiences. • The Invitation to learn. • Using objects (e.g. torch for simple circuits, • Concept mapping. • New experience presented to the children. sycamore seeds for spinners etc.). • Concept cartoons. • The children discuss this and try to provide • Play with toys, objects (e.g. magnets). • Think and draw. explanation. • Use DVD clips, digital images of the • Question and answer session. • Teacher identifies children’s ‘alternative scientific phenomenon. • Free writing. ideas’. • Story. • Brainstorming. • Children’s questions about the exploration • The mystery box. • Manipulation of materials. provides them with opportunities to explore • A mystery demonstration. • Newspaper article (fictional/actual). the phenomenon. • The science talk ball. INVESTIGATE SHARING: INTERPRETING STARTER QUESTION PREDICTING CONDUCTING THE INVESTIGATION THE DATA / RESULTS • Starter question for • Children record predictions • In groups the children design, • Children interpret and discuss investigation. Teacher or and provide reasons for their plan and conduct inquiry. their results. children pose the question/ predictions. • Collect and organise data. • Present their findings: Propose scenario/present the problem explanations and solutions to be investigated. based on the data. • Drawing conclusions. TAKE THE NEXT STEP APPLYING LEARNING MAKING CONNECTIONS THOUGHTFUL ACTIONS • Discuss implications of their findings e.g. bigger spinner falls more slowly than smaller one. Therefore if I was to jump out of a plane I would choose a bigger parachute as it would fall more slowly. • Debating. • Making connections. • Apply their knowledge to a new learning situation. • Consider how to extend their new understanding and skills - further exploration, address new questions. • Did I meet my learning objectives? • Are the children moving on with their science skills? • Are there cross curriculum opportunities here? REFLECTION • What questions worked very well? • What questions didn’t work well? • Ask the children would they change anything or do anything differently. DPSM/ESERO Framework for Inquiry THEME Mars: Junior Activities Strand: Living things. Materials. Environmental awareness and care. Strand Unit: Plants and animals. Properties and characteristics of materials. Caring for my locality. CURRICULUM Curriculum Objectives: Observe, discuss and identify a variety of plants and animals in different habitats. Investigate materials for different properties. Identify, discuss and appreciate the attributes and features of the local environment. Skills Development: Questioning, observing, investigating and experimenting, recording and communicating. ENGAGE THE TRIGGER WONDERING EXPLORING • The challenge is for you to design a • What is it like on Mars? • Use the activities to discover more about Martian—a life-form capable of surviving on • How are animals that live in very cold or conditions on Mars. Mars! very hot places different from each other? • Activities focus on the Martian Landscape. • Is Mars hot or cold? • Examine images of Mars from various landers. • Observe Mars in the night sky – it is red. • Explore Mars with Google Mars (from Google Earth). • Use various modelling materials. INVESTIGATION 1: DESIGN A MARTIAN SHARING: INTERPRETING STARTER QUESTION PREDICTING CONDUCTING THE INVESTIGATION THE DATA / RESULTS • What would a Martian look • Sketch or draw a Martian. • Then make your Martian using • Maths Extension for Infants: like? 3-D materials. Use the made Martians for early number work, sorting and classifying. INVESTIGATION 2: MARTIAN LANDSCAPE SHARING: INTERPRETING STARTER QUESTION PREDICTING CONDUCTING THE INVESTIGATION THE DATA / RESULTS • What is the best material to • Create a model landscape, • Display the created Martian make a Martian landscape? Paint as needed. Landscapes, compare to actual or images. • How similar can I make my • Compare landscapes - which landscape to the actual has the biggest mountain? Martian landscape? Which has the roughest terrain? TAKE THE NEXT STEP APPLYING LEARNING MAKING CONNECTIONS THOUGHTFUL ACTIONS • Use information gained from the Martian landscape activity to redesign Martian Life. • How are animals on Earth adapted to move around in sandy / rocky areas? • Animals in the Cold: http://esero.ie/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/07_Animals-in-the-cold.pdf • Could humans ever live on Mars? What would they need to take with them? • How could you describe the Earth to an alien? http://esero.ie/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/05_Where-do-you-live.pdf • Did I meet my learning objectives? REFLECTION • What went well, what would I change? DPSM/ESERO Framework for Inquiry THEME Mars: Senior Activities Strand: Living things. Materials. Environmental awareness and care. Strand Unit: Plants and animals. Properties and characteristics of materials. Environmental awareness. CURRICULUM Curriculum Objectives: Recognise that there is a great diversity of plants and animals in different regions and environments. Investigate the effects of air and water on materials Rusting (5th/6th class), treat as an introduction to materials that change for younger classes. Investigate materials for different properties. Identify, discuss and appreciate attributes / features of local environment Skills Development: Questioning, observing, investigating and experimenting, recording and communicating. ENGAGE THE TRIGGER WONDERING EXPLORING • Would you volunteer to be on the first • Does Mars have the conditions necessary • Use the activities to discover more about human mission to Mars? What would you for human survival? conditions on Mars. need to know about Mars before you went? • What are the characteristics that make a Activities focus on: or planet habitable for humans? • Why Mars is Red • Mars in the media: how is Mars depicted in • What is the surface of Mars like? • How Martian Canals Formed. films like the Martian or Mars Attacks or in • Look at images of Mars from Google Mars, • Handle the physical materials used in each maps? https://childrensmaps.wordpress. Mars Express: http://www.esa.int/Educa investigation. com/Mars-wind-ice-and-dust/ tion/Images_from_Mars_Express or from Planet Four https://www.planetfour.org INVESTIGATION 1: WHY IS MARS RED? SHARING: INTERPRETING STARTER QUESTION PREDICTING CONDUCTING THE INVESTIGATION THE DATA / RESULTS • Does the amount of water • Prediction will depend on • Draw / take pictures of how • Compare rusting results / sand / steel wool make a student knowledge, ie. “I know rusty the mixture becomes between groups. difference to how red the sand that steel wool goes rusty when each day. • Compare rusting results (Mars) becomes? it gets wet, so I think as long as • Maths Extension: try to quantify each day. there is some water, then the the amount of rust. • Draw a chart to show how rust steel wool will go rusty.” quantity changed with time/ other variable. • Compare results to prediction. INVESTIGATION 2: HOW MARTIAN CANALS FORMED SHARING: INTERPRETING STARTER QUESTION PREDICTING CONDUCTING THE INVESTIGATION THE DATA / RESULTS • How did the canals on • Sketch how you think a • Make canals in plaster of Paris, • Compare the different canals. Mars form? canal would look if formed
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