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! Educator Resource Guide

Photograph courtesy of NASA

Arizona Museum of Natural History 53 North Macdonald Street Mesa, Arizona 85201

Dear Educator,

Welcome to the Arizona Museum of Natural History. We are pleased you have chosen to visit our museum. Our goal is to provide you with quality materials, and background information and activities that adhere to the Arizona State standards. This packet was created to supply facts and quick activities to support what is being taught in the classroom. The information and materials provided in this packet can be modified easily for any K-8 curriculum. We also believe your field trip to the Arizona Museum of Natural History will be more successful if students have prior knowledge about what they will be exploring. We know your time is valuable and we want to make your experience with us a pleasant one.

Feel free to download anything you would like to incorporate into your classroom activities. There is a chart to tell you what grade level standards are met by each activity.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to call.

Sincerely,

Alice Jung Educational Services Coordinator Arizona Museum of Natural History Introducing the Arizona Museum of Natural History

The mission of the Arizona Museum of Natural History is to inspire wonder, understanding and respect for the natural and cultural history of the Southwest.

One of our major goals is to continue to develop innovative educational programs and exhibitions to meet the demands of our audience, especially schools. Our programs and exhibits are designed to integrate the national and Arizona educational standards, especially those for math, language arts, science, social studies, and the arts.

We invite you to explore the Arizona Museum of Natural History with one of the largest permanent exhibits of dinosaurs in the Southwest and three floors of exhibit galleries chronicling Arizona’s natural and cultural history.

Exhibit Highlights Include

 A Territorial Jail  A Spanish Mission  A Gem and Hall  A Hohokam Village  Dinosaur Mountain and Hall  Historic Five C’s Courtyard  Three Changing Exhibits Galleries

The Arizona Museum of Natural History offers a wide range of educational programs for students from preschool through college. In addition, our educational programs are suitable for community groups such as Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, church groups, and other organizations. Table of Contents

Goals for Visit ...... 1 Standards ...... 2 Mars! ...... 29 Fast Fun Facts About Mars ...... 43 Mars/ Comparison Chart ...... 44 Questions ...... 45 What in the World Does That Name Mean? ...... 47 Vocabulary Words ...... 49 Activities ...... 50 Coloring Picture ...... 51 Sand ...... 52 Martian Sand Experiment Sheet ...... 53 Bubble ...... 54 Bubble Planets Experiment Sheet ...... 55 Compare and Contrast Mars and Earth ...... 56 Postcard from Mars Activity ...... 57 Postcard Template ...... 58 Writing Activity ...... 59 Mars Reading List ...... 60 ASU Mars Education Program Cool Internet Sites ...... 62 Resources ...... 63 GOALS FOR VISIT G To better understand both the Earth’s origin and its possible future by studying Mars.

Students Will Understand: U Essential Questions Q How technology is helping us explore outer Is there on Mars? space. Can there be ?

How Earth and Mars are similar and how they are different. Some of the geological processes that helped form both the Earth and Mars. Students Will Know: K Vocabulary Word A What weather is like on Mars. What roles both ASU and U of A have played oxide in the most recent discoveries on Mars. star Days are called “sols” on Mars and that everything weighs about a third of what they crater weigh on Earth. galaxy

Learning Plan L Visiting exhibit/doing interactive Mars Exploration Rover Activities Bubble Planets Postcards from Mars Vocabulary words Martian Sand Compare and contrast Earth/Mars Writing exercises

State Standards Met in Packet SS Science Strand 1 Inquiry Process, Concepts 1, 2, 3, 4 Strand 2 History and Nature of Science, Concepts 1, 2, 3 Strand 3 Science in Personal and Social Perspectives, Concepts 1, 2, 3 Strand 4 Life Science, Concept 4 Strand 5 Physical Science, Concept 1, 3, 4 Strand 6 Properties of Earth Materials, Concept 1, 2, 3 Language Arts - Writing Strand 1 Writing Process, Concept 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 Strand 2 Writing Elements, Concept 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 Strand 3 Expressive, Concept 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 Language Arts - Reading Strand 1 Reading Process Concept 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 Strand 3 Comprehending Informational Text, Concept 1, 2

KINDERGARTEN STANDARDS - SCIENCE

ACTIVITIES NAME STRAND CONCEPT CONCEPT Rover Activities OBJECTIVE Visiting the Exhibit/ the Visiting Doing the Interactives PERFORMANCE PERFORMANCE Bubble Planet, Martian Sand, Sand, Martian Planet, Bubble Experiment Observation Sheet 1 - Inquiry Process 1 Observations, Questions & Hypothesis 1-3 2 Scientific Theory 1-3 3 Analysis & Conclusions 1-2 4 Communication 1-2 2 - Scientific Theory 1 History of Science as a Human Endeavor 1-2 edn 4 1 -Reading Poes6 1 3 -Comprehending Process IfrainlTx 2 InformationalText

STRAND

CONCEPT KINDERGARTEN STANDARDS-READING Comprehension Expository Text Functional Text Vocabulary CONCEPT NAME 1-3

1 1 1 PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVE Visiting the Exhibit/ Doing the Interactives

Rover Activities

Bubble Planet, Martian Sand, Experiment Observation Sheet

Weather on Mars

Value of ACTIVITIES

Requirements to be an

Is There ?

Can There Be Life on Mars?

What Would it be Like to Live on Mars?

Postcards From Mars

Vocabulary Words rtn 1 1 -Writing Apiain 2 Applications rtn 1 3 -Writing 2 1 Elements 2 -Writing 2 Process

STRAND 6 3 6 4 5 3 4 3 5 CONCEPT KINDERGARTEN STANDARDS-WRITING Sentence Fluency Ideas &Content Word Choice Organization Conventions Expressive Expository Functional Publishing Prewriting Research Revising Drafting Editing Voice CONCEPT NAME 1-9 1-2 1-3 1-3 1-2 1-2 1-2 1-2 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVE

Weather on Mars

Rover Activities

Value of Space Exploration

Requirements to be an Astronaut ACTIVITIES

Is There Water on Mars?

Can There Be Life on Mars?

What Would it be Like to Live on Mars?

Postcards From Mars

Experiment Work Sheets

Alike/Different Chart Poes2 1 Process 1 -Inquiry at pc 2 6 -Earth&Space &SocialPerspectives 3 -ScienceinPersonal cec 3 3 Science 1 ofScience 2 -History&Nature

STRAND 1st GRADESTANDARDS-SCIENCE 2 4 3 2 1 CONCEPT History ofScienceasaHumanEndeavor Observations, Questions,&Hypothesis Science &Technologyin Science &TechnologyinSociety Analysis &Conclusions Changes intheSky Objects intheSky Scientific Theory Communication CONCEPT NAME 1-2 1-2 1-2 1-2 1-4 3 1 1 2 PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVE Visiting the Exhibit/ Doing the Interactives ACTIVITIES

Rover Activities

Bubble Planet, Martian Sand, Experiment Observation Sheet

Value of Space Exploration IfrainlTx 2 InformationalText 1 -Reading Poes2 Process opeedn 1 3 -Comprehending

STRAND 3 1 6 4 CONCEPT Reading Process Comprehension Expository Text Functional Text 1st GRADESTANDARDS-READING Print Concept Vocabulary Phonics CONCEPT NAME 2, 4,6, 1-2 1-2 1-2 1-2 1 2 1 PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVE

Visiting the Exhibit/ Doing the Interactives

Rover Activities

Bubble Planet, Martian Sand, Experiment Observation Sheet

Weather on Mars

Value of Space Exploration ACTIVITIES Requirements to be an Astronaut

Is There Water on Mars?

Can There Be Life on Mars?

What Would it be Like to Live on Mars?

Postcards From Mars

Alike/Different Chart

Vocabulary Words rtn 1 1 -Writing Apiain 2 Applications rtn 1 3 -Writing Eeet 2 1 Elements 2 -Writing 2 Process

STRAND 6 3 6 4 3 5 3 2 5 4 1 CONCEPT 1st GRADESTANDARDS-WRITING Sentence Fluency Ideas &Content Word Choice Organization Conventions Expressive Expository Functional Publishing Prewriting Research Revising Drafting Editing Voice CONCEPT NAME 1-10 1-2 1-3 1-2 1-7 1-2 1-5 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 3 PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVE

Rover Activities

Weather on Mars

Value of Space Exploration

Requirements to be an Astronaut ACTIVITIES

Is There Water on Mars?

Can There Be Life on Mars?

What Would it be Like to Live on Mars?

Postcards From Mars

Experiment Work Sheets

Alike/Different Chart hsclSine2 2 2 1 1 2 1 3 6 -Earth&Space Science 5 -PhysicalScience SocialPerspectives 3 -ScienceinPersonal& ofScience 2 -History&Nature Process 1 -Inquiry

STRAND 2nd GRADESTANDARDS-SCIENCE

1 2 1 4 3 2 1 CONCEPT Properties &Changesof inMatter History ofScienceasaHumanEndeavor Observations, Questions,&Hypothesis Science &TechnologyinSociety Analysis &Conclusions Changes intheSky Scientific Theory Communication CONCEPT NAME 3 2 1 4 3 2 1 4 3 2 1 3 1 PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVE Visiting the Exhibit/ Doing the Interactives

Rover Activities

Bubble Planet, Martian Sand, ACTIVITIES Experiment Observation Sheet

Weather on Mars

Value of Space Exploration

Requirements to be an Astronaut

Is There Water on Mars? Poes2 Process 1 -Reading IfrainlTx 1 InformationalText opeedn 1 3 -Comprehending

STRAND 3 1 4 2 6 CONCEPT 2nd GRADESTANDARDS-READING Reading Process Comprehension Expository Text Functional Text Print Concept Vocabulary Phonics CONCEPT NAME 1-2 1-4 1-4 1 1 3 2 4 3 2 1 PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVE Visiting the Exhibit/ Doing the Interactives

Rover Activities

Bubble Planet, Martian Sand, Experiment Observation Sheet

Weather on Mars

Value of Space Exploration ACTIVITIES

Requirements to be an Astronaut

Is There Water on Mars?

Can There Be Life on Mars?

What Would it be Like to Live on Mars?

Postcards From Mars

Vocabulary Words rtn 1 1 -Writing rtn 1 2 Applications 3 -Writing Eeet 2 1 Elements 2 -Writing 2 Process

STRAND 6 3 2 6 5 4 3 5 4 3 1 CONCEPT 2nd GRADESTANDARDS-WRITING Sentence Fluency Ideas &Content Word Choice Organization Conventions Expressive Expository Functional Publishing Prewriting Research Revising Drafting Editing Voice CONCEPT NAME 1-12 1-2 1-3 1-3 1-2 1-5 1-2 1-2 1-2 1-3 1-2 1-5

1 1 PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVE

Rover Activities

Weather on Mars

Value of Space Exploration

Requirements to be an Astronaut ACTIVITIES

Is There Water on Mars?

Can There Be Life on Mars?

What Would it be Like to Live on Mars?

Postcards From Mars

Alike/Different Chart Sine2 1 1 1 2 Science 6 -Earth&Space 4 -LifeSciences Perspectives Personal&Social 3 -Sciencein Nature ofScience 2 -History& rcs 2 1 Process 1 -Inquiry

STRAND 3rd GRADESTANDARDS-SCIENCE 2 4 1 4 1 3 2 1 CONCEPT Properties ofEarth Materials Diversity, Adaptation &Behavior Science &TechnologyinSociety History ofScienceasaHumanEndeavor Communications Analysis &Conclusions Scientific Theory Observations, Questions,&Hypothesis

CONCEPT NAME 2 1 3 2 5 4 3 2 1 5 4 3 2 1 3 PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVE Visiting the Exhibit/ Doing the Interactives

Rover Activities ACTIVITIES Bubble Planet, Martian Sand, Experiment Observation Sheet

Value of Space Exploration

Requirements to be an Astronaut

Alike/Different Chart Poes2 Process 1 -Reading Tx 5 4 1-2 Text Informational 3 -Comprehending

STRAND 1 4 1 6 2 CONCEPT Reading Process Comprehension Expository Text Functional Text Print Concept Vocabulary 3rd GRADESTANDARDS-READING CONCEPT NAME 1, 2,5,7 1-3 1-2 1-4 1 6 5 PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVE

Visiting the Exhibit/ Doing the Interactives

Rover Activities

Bubble Planet, Martian Sand, Experiment Observation Sheet

Weather on Mars

Value of Space Exploration ACTIVITIES Requirements to be an Astronaut

Is There Water on Mars?

Can There Be Life on Mars?

What Would it be Like to Live on Mars?

Postcards From Mars

Alike/Different Chart

Vocabulary Words Apiain 2 Applications rtn 1 3 -Writing Eeet 2 1 Elements 2 -Writing 2 1 Process 1 -Writing

STRAND 3 6 5 4 3 5 4 3 6 4 CONCEPT 3rd GRADESTANDARDS-WRITING Sentence Fluency Ideas &Content Word Choice Organization Conventions Persuasive Expressive Expository Functional Publishing Prewriting Research Revising Drafting Editing Voice CONCEPT NAME 1-12 1-3 1-3 1-3 1-3 1-7 1-6 1-3 1-4 1-4 1-7 1-2 1-5

1 1 1 PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVE

Rover Activities

Weather on Mars

Value of Space Exploration

Requirements to be an Astronaut ACTIVITIES

Is There Water on Mars?

Can There Be Life on Mars?

What Would it be Like to Live on Mars?

Postcards From Mars

Experiment Work Sheets

Alike/Different Chart Sine2 1 Science 4 6 -Earth&Space 4 -LifeSciences Sine1 2 1 5 -PhysicalScience Perspectives Personal&Social 3 -Sciencein Science Natureof 2 -History& 2 Process nur 1 1 -Inquiry

STRAND 3 3 2 2 1 4 3 1 2 CONCEPT 4th GRADESTANDARDS-SCIENCE Conservation ofEnergy&Increase inDisorder Properties &Changesof inMatter History ofScienceasaHumanEndeavor Observations, Questions,&Hypothesis Science &TechnologyinSociety Diversity, Adaptation&Behavior Nature ofScientificKnowledge Earth's Processes &Systems Analysis &Conclusions Changes intheSky Communications Scientific Theory CONCEPT NAME 1-3 1-5 1-4 6 5 4 3 1 4 1 1 3 2 1 5 4 3 2 1 PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVE Visiting the Exhibit/ Doing the Interactives

Rover Activities

Bubble Planet, Martian Sand, Experiment Observation Sheet ACTIVITIES

Value of Space Exploration

Requirements to be an Astronaut

Is There Water on Mars?

Can There Be Life on Mars?

Alike/Different Chart Tx 5 2 1 1-3 Text Informational 3 -Comprehending Process edn 4 1 -Reading

STRAND

2 1 6 CONCEPT Comprehension Expository Text Functional Text Vocabulary 4th GRADESTANDARDS-READING CONCEPT NAME 1, 2,5 6-7 6 4 2 1 8 PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVE

Visiting the Exhibit/ Doing the Interactives

Rover Activities

Bubble Planet, Martian Sand, Experiment Observation Sheet

Weather on Mars

Value of Space Exploration ACTIVITIES Requirements to be an Astronaut

Is There Water on Mars?

Can There Be Life on Mars?

What Would it be Like to Live on Mars?

Postcards From Mars

Alike/Different Chart

Vocabulary Words Apiain 1 Applications 1 1 -Writing rtn 1 3 -Writing Eeet 2 1 Elements 2 -Writing 2 Process

STRAND 6 4 3 6 5 4 3 5 4 3 2 CONCEPT 4th GRADESTANDARDS-WRITING Sentence Fluency Ideas &Content Word Choice Organization Conventions Persuasive Expressive Expository Functional Publishing Prewriting Research Revising Drafting Editing Voice CONCEPT NAME 1-13 1-3 1-4 1-4 1-2 1-6 1-3 1-4 1-4 1-7 1-2 1-5

1 1 3 2 1 PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVE

Rover Activities

Weather on Mars

Value of Space Exploration

Requirements to be an Astronaut ACTIVITIES

Is There Water on Mars?

Can There Be Life on Mars?

What Would it be Like to Live on Mars?

Postcards From Mars

Experiment Work Sheets

Alike/Different Chart Sca 2 1 1 2 1 2 3 SpaceScience 6 -Earth& 1 Perspectives Social Personal& 3 -Sciencein Science Natureof itr 1 2 -History& 2 Process nur 1 1 -Inquiry

STRAND 2 3 2 4 3 CONCEPT History ofScienceasaHumanEndeavor Observations, Questions,&Hypothesis Science &TechnologyinSociety 5th GRADESTANDARDS-SCIENCE Nature ofScientificKnowledge Earth's Processes &Systems Earth intheSolar System Changes inEnvironment Analysis &Conclusions Changes intheSky Scientific Theory Communication CONCEPT NAME 1-5 1-3 6 4 3 2 4 6 1 5 4 3 1 3 2 1 5 4 3 2 1 PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVE Visiting the Exhibit/ Doing the Interactives

Rover Activities

Bubble Planet, Martian Sand, Experiment Observation Sheet

Value of Space Exploration ACTIVITIES Requirements to be an Astronaut

Is There Water on Mars?

Can There Be Life on Mars?

What Would it be Like to Live on Mars?

Postcards From Mars

Alike/Different Chart Tx 5 2 1 1-3 Text Informational 3 -Comprehending Process edn 4 1 -Reading

STRAND

2 1 6 CONCEPT Comprehension Expository Text Functional Text Vocabulary 5th GRADESTANDARDS-READING CONCEPT NAME 1, 2,5 6-7 5-6 4 2 1 8 PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVE

Visiting the Exhibit/ Doing the Interactives

Rover Activities

Bubble Planet, Martian Sand, Experiment Observation Sheet

Weather on Mars

Value of Space Exploration ACTIVITIES Requirements to be an Astronaut

Is There Water on Mars?

Can There Be Life on Mars?

What Would it be Like to Live on Mars?

Postcards From Mars

Alike/Different Chart

Vocabulary Words rtn 1 1 -Writing Apiain 2 Applications rtn 1 3 -Writing Eeet 2 1 Elements 2 -Writing 2 Process

STRAND 6 4 3 6 5 4 3 5 4 3 CONCEPT Word Choice Voice Organization Ideas &Content Publishing Editing Revising Drafting Prewriting Research Persuasive Functional Expository Expressive Conventions Sentence Fluency 5th GRADESTANDARDS-WRITING

CONCEPT NAME 1-13 1-6 1-3 1-3 1-3 1-3 1-6 1-3 1-4 1-4 1-7 1-2 1-6

1 1 1 PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVE

Rover Activities

Weather on Mars

Value of Space Exploration

Requirements to be an Astronaut ACTIVITIES

Is There Water on Mars?

Can There Be Life on Mars?

What Would it be Like to Live on Mars?

Postcards From Mars

Experiment Work Sheets

Alike/Different Chart at pc 1 6 -Earth&Space &Sca esetvs2 1 2 1 1 5 -Physical &SocialPerspectives 3 -ScienceinPersonal ofScience 2 -History&Nature nur rcs 1 1 -InquiryProcess Sine1 Science

STRAND 2 2 2 1 4 3 2 CONCEPT 6th GRADESTANDARDS-SCIENCE Properties &Changesof inMatter History ofScienceasaHumanEndeavor Observations, Questions,&Hypothesis Science &TechnologyinSociety Nature ofScientificKnowledge Earth's Processes &Systems Analysis &Conclusions Structures oftheEarth Scientific Theory Communication CONCEPT NAME 1-5 1-5 1-3 2-6 2-6 4 3 3 2 1 4 3 5 2 1 1 1 PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVE Visiting the Exhibit/ Doing the Interactives

Rover Activities

Bubble Planet, Martian Sand, Experiment Observation Sheet ACTIVITIES

Weather on Mars

Value of Space Exploration

Requirements to be an Astronaut

Is There Water on Mars?

Alike/Different Chart edn 4 1 -Reading Poes5 Process Tx 7 5-6 1-4 Text Informational 3 -Comprehending

STRAND 2 1 6 CONCEPT Comprehension Expository Text Functional Text Vocabulary 6th GRADESTANDARDS-READING Fluency CONCEPT NAME 1-3, 5 1-3 5-7 1 3 1 9 4 PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVE

Visiting the Exhibit/ Doing the Interactives

Rover Activities

Bubble Planet, Martian Sand, Experiment Observation Sheet

Weather on Mars

Value of Space Exploration ACTIVITIES Requirements to be an Astronaut

Is There Water on Mars?

Can There Be Life on Mars?

What Would it be Like to Live on Mars?

Postcards From Mars

Alike/Different Chart

Vocabulary Words rtn 1 1 -Writing Apiain 2 Applications rtn 1 3 -Writing Eeet 2 1 Elements 2 -Writing 2 Process

STRAND 6 4 3 6 5 4 3 5 4 3 CONCEPT 6th GRADESTANDARDS-WRITING Sentence Fluency Ideas &Content Word Choice Organization Conventions Persuasive Expressive Expository Functional Publishing Prewriting Research Revising Drafting Editing Voice CONCEPT NAME 1-13 1-2 1-3 1-4 1-4 1-4 1-6 1-4 1-4 1-4 1-8 1-2 1-7

1 1 1 PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVE

Rover Activities

Weather on Mars

Value of Space Exploration

Requirements to be an Astronaut ACTIVITIES

Is There Water on Mars?

Can There Be Life on Mars?

What Would it be Like to Live on Mars?

Postcards From Mars

Experiment Work Sheets

Alike/Different Chart Sine3 2 2 3 1 3 2 1 Science 6 -Earth&Space 1 Perspectives Social Personal& 3 -Sciencein Science Natureof 2 -History& nur rcs 1 1 -InquiryProcess

STRAND 7th GRADESTANDARDS-SCIENCE 3 2 1 4 3 2 1 2 2 CONCEPT History ofScienceasaHumanEndeavor Observations, Questions,&Hypothesis Science &Technologyin Science &TechnologyinSociety Nature ofScientificKnowledge Earth's Processes &Systems Changes inEnvironment Analysis &Conclusions Structures ofthe Earth Scientific Theory Communication CONCEPT NAME 1-4 1-4 1-7 1-3 2-7 2-5 1 5 2 1 4 4 3 2 1 4 1 PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVE Visiting the Exhibit/ Doing the Interactives

Rover Activities

Bubble Planet, Martian Sand, ACTIVITIES Experiment Observation Sheet

Value of Space Exploration

Requirements to be an Astronaut

Is There Water on Mars?

Alike/Different Chart Tx 6 5 1-4 Text Informational 5 3 -Comprehending Process edn 4 1 -Reading

STRAND 2 1 6 CONCEPT Comprehension Expository Text Functional Text 7th GRADESTANDARDS-READING Vocabulary Fluency CONCEPT NAME 1-3, 5 1-3 5-7 11 10 1 9 8 7 1 4 PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVE Visiting the Exhibit/ Doing the Interactives

Rover Activities

Bubble Planet, Martian Sand, Experiment Observation Sheet

Weather on Mars

Value of Space Exploration ACTIVITIES Requirements to be an Astronaut

Is There Water on Mars?

Can There Be Life on Mars?

What Would it be Like to Live on Mars?

Postcards From Mars

Alike/Different Chart

Vocabulary Words rtn 1 1 -Writing Apiain 2 Applications rtn 1 3 -Writing Eeet 2 1 Elements 2 -Writing 2 Process

STRAND 6 4 3 6 5 4 3 5 4 3 CONCEPT 7th GRADESTANDARDS-WRITING Sentence Fluency Ideas &Content Word Choice Organization Conventions Persuasive Expressive Expository Functional Publishing Prewriting Research Revising Drafting Editing Voice CONCEPT NAME 1-13 1-2 1-3 1-4 1-4 1-4 1-6 1-4 1-4 1-4 1-8 1-2 1-7

1 1 1 PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVE

Rover Activities

Weather on Mars

Value of Space Exploration

Requirements to be an Astronaut ACTIVITIES

Is There Water on Mars?

Can There Be Life on Mars?

What Would it be Like to Live on Mars?

Postcards From Mars

Experiment Work Sheets

Alike/Different Chart ieSine 1 2 1 3 1 1 5 -PhysicalScience 4 -LifeSciences &SocialPerspectives 3 -ScienceinPersonal ofScience 2 -History&Nature nur rcs 1 1 -InquiryProcess

STRAND 8th GRADESTANDARDS-SCIENCE 2 4 1 2 1 3 4 CONCEPT Properties &Change ofPropertiesinMatter History ofScienceasaHumanEndeavor Observations, Questions,&Hypothesis Diversity, Adaptation &Behavior Nature orfScientificKnowledge Changes inEnvironment Analysis &Conclusions Scientific Theory Communication CONCEPT NAME 1-5 1-5 1-3 3 2 3 4 3 2 1 4 2 8 7 6 5 4 3 1 PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVE

Visiting the Exhibit/ ACTIVITIES Doing the Interactives

Bubble Planet, Martian Sand, Experiment Observation Sheet edn 4 1 -Reading Poes5 Process Tx 6 5 1-4 Text Informational 3 -Comprehending

STRAND 2 1 6 CONCEPT Fluency Vocabulary Comprehension Expository Text Functional Text 8th GRADESTANDARDS-READING CONCEPT NAME 1-3, 5 1-3 5-7 11 10 1 4 4 1 9 8 7 PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVE Visiting the Exhibit/ Doing the Interactives

Rover Activities

Bubble Planet, Martian Sand, Experiment Observation Sheet

Weather on Mars

Value of Space Exploration ACTIVITIES Requirements to be an Astronaut

Is There Water on Mars?

Can There Be Life on Mars?

What Would it be Like to Live on Mars?

Postcards From Mars

Alike/Different Chart

Vocabulary Words rtn 1 1 -Writing Apiain 3 Applications rtn 1 3 -Writing Eeet 2 1 Elements 2 -Writing 2 Process

STRAND 6 4 6 5 4 3 5 4 3 CONCEPT 8th GRADESTANDARDS-WRITING Sentence Fluency Ideas &Content Word Choice Organization Conventions Persuasive Expressive Functional Publishing Prewriting Research Revising Drafting Editing Voice CONCEPT NAME 1-13 1-13 1-2 1-4 1-4 1-6 1-4 1-4 1-4 1-8 1-2 1-7

1 1 1 PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVE

Rover Activities

Weather on Mars

Value of Space Exploration

Requirements to be an Astronaut ACTIVITIES

Is There Water on Mars?

Can There Be Life on Mars?

What Would it be Like to Live on Mars?

Postcards From Mars

Experiment Work Sheets

Alike/Different Chart MARS!

One of the five planets known to the ancients, Mars has long been considered the planet most similar to the Earth and the likeliest candidate able to support life within our own solar system. It is difficult to distinguish the details on the surface of Mars by studying it from the Earth, but seasonally changing features and white patches at the poles can be seen through . There was speculation the dark patches on the surfaces may have been vegetation. Recent exploration of the surface of Mars makes it unlikely there are any higher forms of life currently on Mars, but the distant past on the Red Planet is still a mystery. This exhibit will try to interpret the findings of the missions to Mars and explore how Earth and Mars are alike and how they are different.

The inner Solar System includes the four planets nearest the , , , Earth and Mars as well as the Earth’s moon. Mars, the fourth planet from the sun, was named after the Roman god of war. These four planets and our moon make up the “terrestrial planets.” As the name suggests, (“” is Latin for “earth”) these planets share many Earth‐like characteristics. All have some type of atmosphere. They all have a surface made of surrounding a metal core. Features such as craters, volcanoes, canyons, mountains, and even dry riverbeds are found on some or all of them.

Earth is unique in that it has an atmosphere rich in , plenty of liquid water on its surface and that falls as rain and moderate . The Earth is also surrounded by a powerful that protects us from cosmic radiation.

Mars is the most Earth‐like planet of all of the planets in the Solar System. Like the Earth, Mars rotates on a tilted axis, creating seasons. A on Mars, called a “,” is 24 , 37 minutes and 23 seconds, the time it takes for Mars to make one full rotation. The orbital distance of Mars from the Sun is much farther than the Earth’s, so a Martian year is 687 Martian sols (days). About half the size of the Earth or about 6,780 km (4,212 miles) in diameter, Mars is a cold, dry world with a thin dioxide atmosphere. It has the same amount of land area as the Earth, since much of the Earth’s surface is covered in water. The dust on Mars, an iron oxide, is what gives it its reddish color. Its thin atmosphere is composed mainly of (95.3%), (2.7%), and (1.6%) with traces of oxygen and water. The surface is less than 1/100th of Earth’s average. Mars’ gravity is only 38% as strong as Earth’s. Mars has 1/10th the of Earth.

Mars’

Mars has two moons, and . Discovered by American astronomer in 1877, they are most likely that were captured by Mars’ gravitational field. Composed of rock and iron, they are heavily cratered. They have no atmosphere. Phobos and Deimos are tiny compared to Earth’s moon. Our moon is 2,159 miles in diameter, while Phobos is only 13.7 miles and Deimos is a mere 7.5 miles in diameter. While our moon is a sphere, Mars’ moons are irregularly shaped because they lack the gravity to make them round.

Phobos is closer to its planet than any other moon in our solar system, orbiting just 3,700 miles above the surface of Mars. Phobos rises in the west and sets in the east. Since it only takes it 7 hours and 40 minutes to orbit the planet, Phobos usually rises twice in a Martian sol (day). Phobos is slowly getting closer to Mars and it may crash into Mars in about 50 million years. The huge crater on the surface of Phobos (see photo below), called , was caused when an asteroid crashed into it. The force of the impact would have come close to shattering Phobos.

Deimos is the smallest known moon in the solar system. In contrast, it Mars about once every 30 hours, being about 12,000 miles above the surface of Mars.

Phobos Deimos Photographs courtesy of NASA

The Surface of Mars

Mars is a “” planet in some respects. Now, this does not mean that there are the “fossilized” remains of little waiting to be discovered by some future planetary paleontologist. It means the surface of the planet has not changed over billions of years and, just like looking at found on earth, we can get an idea of what Mars may have been like in the distant past. It also perhaps gives us a glimpse of what Earth may be like in the future.

At one time, Mars may have had a molten core, active volcanoes, plate tectonics and a magnetic field that protected it from the damaging ions bombarding it from space that could erode its atmosphere. It may have even been teeming with life, although what forms that life may have taken are a complete mystery.

Unlike Earth, where these processes continually rework and reshape the surface of our planet, they are no longer active on Mars. The molten core has cooled, there is no continental drift, volcanic activity is extremely uncommon, there is little or no free water to be found, a sparse atmosphere and no magnetic field. Life would be very difficult, if not impossible.

The surface of Mars looks like a barren, rocky . Its terrain includes enormous canyons, polar caps that shrink and grow with the seasons, dry riverbeds and empty , and volcanoes higher than any found on Earth. Although the atmosphere is very thin, it is still thick enough to support strong winds. This harsh landscape is swept with winds of up to 80 miles an , causing dust that can cover a small area or the whole planet and last for months. Whirlwinds called “dust devils” are also seen. Mars is a cold planet, the average surface is ‐164˚ F (‐53˚ C) and can vary from ‐199˚F (‐128˚C) during polar night to 80˚F (27˚C) at the equator midday at its closest point in orbit to the sun.

Although there is no evidence for liquid water existing on Mars today, there are plenty of signs that water once flowed freely. Scientists now know that water exists in the form of ice. The polar caps at both the north and poles are made of ice composed of water ice and solid carbon dioxide (“”).

Close up of Mars taken by the Hubble Space showing the ice on its South Pole. This picture was assembled from a series of exposures taken within an hour on August 26, 2003, when Mars was just eleven hours away from its closest approach to the Earth in 60 years. At the time these exposures were taken, Mars was only 34,648,840 miles from Earth! Mars has an elliptical (oval) orbit and it is more than 249 million miles from Earth at its farthest point in its orbit.

Photograph courtesy of NASA Features on Mars’ Surface

Of the four terrestrial planets, Mars has some of the most interesting and varied terrain in the Solar System, much of which is quite spectacular. Below is a brief description of some of the most famous of those features.

Olympus Mons is the largest volcano in the Solar System. It rises over 24 km (78,000 feet or 15 miles) above the surrounding . It has a diameter of 500 km (300 miles at the base), the opening across is 65 km and is rimmed by a cliff 6km (20,000 feet) tall. Its volume is over 100 times that of Mauna Loa in Hawaii.

One of the ways scientists determine age on Mars is the number of craters in an area. Compared to other areas on Mars, has very few craters on its surface, indicating that is relatively young geologically. Many of the volcanoes on Mars show significant cratering, indicating they ceased activity a billion or more years ago. Based on number of craters, Olympus Mons was probably formed between 1 and 2 billion years ago. Water ice clouds that form around the opening as seen from the Viking orbiters are part of the evidence of water on the planet.

Photograph courtesy of http://hyperphysics.phy‐astr.gsu.edu

Victoria Crater at is an near the equator of Mars. The crater is about 800 meters or a half mile in diameter. The scalloped shape of its rim is caused by erosion and the downhill movement of crater wall material. There is an interesting field of sand dunes on the floor of the crater.

The name means plains near the meridian or equator. Pictures indicate it is one of the flattest, smoothest places on Mars.

Many have struck Mars over its history, leaving impact craters on the surface. Similar to craters on our moon, these craters have deep bowl‐shaped floors and raised rims. The number of craters on the surface of Mars varies a great deal from place to place. There are many craters on the surface of the southern hemisphere, indicating the surface is very old. Surfaces in the northern hemisphere by contrast, are younger and therefore have fewer craters.

There are volcanoes on Mars with few craters, indicating they may have erupted relatively recently, about 10 million years ago. The lava ejected from the volcanoes would have covered any craters existing at the time of the lava flow.

The Rover can just be seen at the rim of the crater at the 10 o’clock position in this image taken by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter on October 3, 2006. Photograph courtesy of NASA

Valles Marineris, called the “Grand Canyon of Mars” is a group of huge canyons which run around part of the Martian equator. The largest canyon in the solar system, it stretches more than 3000 kilometers or about 2,000 miles in length, can reach up to 600 km, or 360 miles across and is as much as 8 km or 4.37 miles deep. By comparison, the Grand Canyon is 800 km or about 480 miles long, 30 km across and 1.8 kilometers deep. If were located in America, it would reach from New York City to Los Angeles. Although the origins of Valles Marineris are not known, it most likely was not formed by water. The canyon was probably caused by the stretching and cracking of the crust of the planet. However, there are what appear to be very old river channels running north across Mars from the central part of Vallis Marineris towards the Martian north pole.

This photograph is a composite created by over a hundred images of Mars taken by Viking Orbiters in the 1970s. Photo Credit: Viking Project, NASA

MAGNETIC FIELD

The rotation of the liquid outer core in Earth’s interior generates its magnetic field. This field extends out into space, termed the , and provides us with the North and South magnetic poles – where our compasses point. The magnetosphere protects Earth by deflecting charged particles from space.

Prior to 3.5 billion years ago Mars had a magnetic field, too. As Mars was cooling it lost the magnetic field and magnetosphere. Now the surface is bombarded by charged particles from space. Water on Mars

While there is no evidence of liquid water currently flowing on the surface of Mars, no rivers, oceans or lakes, scientist believe water ice is lurking just below ground level in the Martian Arctic. The evidence of past liquid water continues to mount. Water is important because all known life forms require it to survive. In addition, before humans can travel to Mars we need to know much more about the planet’s environment, including the availability of resources such as water.

The atmosphere is too thin to allow liquid water to exist on the surface, but there are what appear to be dry riverbeds suggesting Mars had liquid water on its surface long ago. Space‐ craft exploration has revealed geologic features that indicate liquid water once flowed. Scientists believe the channels that connect the high and low areas were eroded long ago by flowing water. Another geological feature providing evidence of past liquid water on the surface are the gullies found on Mars. While scientists are debating the formation of these gullies, the evidence suggests that liquid water flowing underneath a protective layer of snow formed Martian gullies similar to those found on Earth.

Spacecraft have discovered frozen water in Mars polar ice caps and in clouds. Discoveries made by the Mars Odyssey Orbiter in 2002 show a large amount of subsurface water ice in the northern arctic plain. The ’s robotic arm is digging through the protective top layer to the water ice below and is bringing both the soil and the water ice to the Lander’s platform for analysis.

The Phoenix Lander has also detected snow falling from Martian clouds hovering 2.5 miles above the planet’s surface. Until now the snow has vaporized before reaching the surface of Mars, but as the Martian winter approaches and temperatures drop, scientists will be watching for signs of snow on the surface of the planet.

Thin layer of water ice visible on the ground Channels and gullies found inside around the Phoenix Mars Lander. Image taken Basin on Mars. Scientists hypothesize these on August 14, 2008, at 6:00 a.m. The frost may have been formed by water flowing from began to disappear shortly after as the sun top down to the floor. Similar channels on rose on the landing site. Earth have been formed by flowing water. Photograph courtesy of NASA Photograph courtesy of NASA Life on Mars

One of the biggest mysteries of is the existence of life. Does life exist on other planets, in other galaxies or ? Astronomers and writers have been pondering this idea for years. Science fiction writers imagine worlds and events far beyond our own experiences. Whether friendly or menacing, aliens, mutants, and any number of strange creatures have been a staple of books, movies and TV series for decades. Unidentified Flying Objects or UFOs have been reported by people all over the world as have encounters with alien beings from space. Are these all fiction or is life possible out there somewhere?

There are three ingredients necessary for life as we know it to exist ‐ water, necessary elements, and an energy source. Every living thing on Earth needs all three to survive. Scientists look for signs of these ingredients when looking for signs of .

It was once thought that Mars was the most likely other planet to support life, even intelligent life. The information scientists have received from Mars makes it very unlikely there is multicellular life on the planet at this time and would be very difficult if not impossible for microbes. The conditions on Mars are simply too harsh to support life. The temperatures are too cold, there is no liquid water and the atmosphere does not contain enough of the gases needed to support life.

Eons ago, Mars was probably much warmer, had flowing water and the atmosphere was thicker. Scientists continue the search for any signs that life may have existed on Mars in the past. Understanding the history of water on the planet is key to understanding the past climate history of Mars. Evidence of water on Mars may hold the answer to past or present life on the planet.

A was found in Antarctica in 1984 that scientists believe came from Mars around 16 million years ago. It was a chunk of Martian rock that probably broke off from the planet when a meteorite slammed into it. Some researchers, mostly discredited, believe ALH84001, as the meteorite is known, contains fossils of a simple organism, similar to bacteria that thrive on Earth. Other scientists disagree, saying the minute structures were caused by other processes and are no evidence of life on Mars.

A group of organisms known as extremophiles may hold some clues to the possibility of life on Mars. These are organisms, mostly microbes, which can survive under extreme conditions. These extreme conditions would prevent other terrestrial organisms from growing and reproducing. These microbes can exist in deep‐sea volcanic vents, rocks, extreme heat or cold, acidic or alkaline conditions, or in very dry places, among other extreme environments. Some of these conditions may have been very much like those on the young Earth and by studying them we may get an idea of what types of creatures may have existed before we had an oxygen rich atmosphere.

Most scientists agree that the conditions on the surface of Mars cannot sustain life as we know it on Earth. Astronomers are investigating whether there is any possibility of extremophiles living under the surface of Mars. The recent discovery of a colony of bacteria living nearly two miles underground near a South African mine raising the possibility of life in similarly extreme conditions on other planets. These microbes are able to use alternate energy sources besides photosynthesis to survive.

Asteroids and Craters on Mars

All of the planets, including Mars, were hit with millions of and asteroids during the early days of the Solar System and their surfaces would have been covered with craters. Today, only the largest and the most recent craters are obvious. The largest is the Hellas Basin, more than 1,800 km (1,000miles), made by an enormous impact late in Mars’ formation.

Astronomers use the craters to calculate the age of the resurfaced areas. Crater counting uses the of craters per unit area to determine the age of the area. Astronomers are applying the density and dates from recovered Moon rocks and dated Moon crater counts to help date Mars.

The fewest craters are found on the northern plains, so they are considered to be the youngest areas of Mars. It is possible these plains were formed from huge lava flows that spread out over a wide area.

The Rover Opportunity has found an iron meteorite on Mars, the first meteorite ever identified on any planet. Readings from have determined the basketball‐sized, pitted rock is composed mostly of iron and .

Iron and nickel meteorite found on Mars. Photograph courtesy of NASA

Weather on Mars

The sky on Mars is usually clear and tinged with pink, from the iron oxide in soil. Occasionally there are thin, wispy clouds that can form at higher altitudes, usually around the poles in winter and the equator in summer. These are made up of water ice and frozen carbon dioxide. The dark, heavy clouds found on Earth are nonexistent on Mars.

Haze and fog composed of particles of water ice are also common. They are especially frequent in the early morning when the temperatures are the lowest, the time when water vapors are most likely to condense.

There is a pattern on Mars that occurs over the entire planet because the Martian atmosphere, like that of Earth, has a general circulation. By observing the motions of the clouds and the changes in appearance of windblown dust and sand on the surface, scientists are able to study the global wind patterns on Mars.

Surface winds on Mars are mostly gentle, with speeds of about 6 mph, although gusts of up to 55 mph have been observed by scientists. These gusts do not have the same force as those of the same speed here on Earth because of the lower density of the Martian atmosphere.

Dust storms are the most spectacular weather events on Mars. Strong winds sweeping across the surface whip up the dust into vast clouds of hundreds of miles in width. These storms can span the entire planet and last for months.

Small swirling winds often lift dust of the surface and create dust devils. These tornado‐like storms have been observed by the Rover whipping across the surface in front of the cameras. There is also evidence of very large dust devils, kilometers high.

Spring is the time for dust storms at the northern polar regions of Mars. As the ice cap begins to thaw, temperature differences between the recently thawed surface and the cold frost regions causes swirling winds. At least three dust storms can be seen in the composite of images taken by the in 2002.

Image courtesy of NASA

Pieces of Mars on Earth

Meteorites are pieces of asteroids left over from the formation of the planets in our solar system, some 4.5 billion years ago. At that time, the sun and planets we know today were formed from a massive cloud of gas and dust. These pieces of rock hold vital clues to the make‐ up of the planets and the processes which formed them.

Although we have not yet been able to bring pieces of Mars back to Earth to study, scientists are able to examine that have fallen to Earth from Mars. These meteorites are pieces of Mars that were flung off of the surface of Mars when an asteroid hit. Currently there are 35 known Martian meteorites. All are igneous rock from magma and their unique composition indicates Martian origin. These meteorites have gases trapped in the rock that matches the atmospheric data we got back from the Viking mission. These meteorites are vital to understanding the geological and perhaps even the biological processes that have occurred on Mars.

Space Exploration

Skywatching is an ancient pastime…looking up at the heavens and wondering what was out there. Early civilizations plotted the movement of the stars, the moon and the sun and built amazing temples and pyramids to help track their progress across the skies. The ancient Egyptians, Babylonians and the Chinese were the first to record the movements of the “heavenly bodies.” The Greeks proved the Earth was round and began to chart the stars and planets in an attempt to understand the . The invention of the telescope in the 1600s made it possible for man to further expand their view of the universe.

Man’s natural instinct to explore has led them across continents, to the tops of mountains and to the bottom of the oceans. It is no surprise that the desire to explore the solar system and beyond is strong. What are the planets made of, what do they look like, and what is beyond our own solar system, our galaxy and our universe? Can life as we know it survive anywhere else besides the earth?

What Do Scientists Look For On Other Planets?

Scientists have many questions when looking at distant bodies in the sky. Among the biggest questions are:

 What makes up the surface of the planet (or moon) and what were the natural processes that shaped it.

 What is the atmosphere like?  Does it have a magnetic field?

 Is there water in any form?

 And of course, the BIG question is whether or not there is life or has been life anywhere besides Earth.

The different missions to Mars are beginning to answer many of these questions. We now know what components make up the and we know that Mars no longer has a magnetic field.

Types of Space Explorers

Flybys, Orbiters, and Landers are the three types of interplanetary space missions.

Flyby: a mission in which a spacecraft just flies past the planet or object. The spacecraft takes pictures and other readings and sends them back to Earth. While these missions are easier and cheaper, they also provide limited information.

Orbiter: a spacecraft that orbits a planet or other celestial body in an oval or circular shaped path. Because the orbiter can cover more area than a , they are often used to photograph or map the entire surface of the planet.

Landers: a spacecraft that makes contact with the planet. It may be deliberately crashed into the surface, taking pictures and readings until it hits the ground. Other landers are designed to land on the surface of the planet and send back pictures and other data from the surface. Often these can pick up rocks and soil samples and study them directly. Rovers, operated by remote control from the Earth, can move around and collect data. Although these are the most difficult and expensive missions, they can provide detailed images of the surface that couldn’t be seen from a flyby or orbiter. The equipment on board these spacecraft includes cameras, thermal sensors, pressure sensors, radar, altimeters, , and spectrometers. These sophisticated instruments can send back to Earth all kinds of information and open a window into a world mankind had only been able to see as a distant light in the night sky.

Missions to Mars

There have more than thirty unmanned missions to Mars, more than to any other planet. While not all have been successful, the ones that have been have expanded our knowledge of the “Red Planet.”

The first successful mission to Mars was the American 4, a flyby in 1965 which transmitted photos back to Earth. The next two missions were also flybys, and their missions were to examine the atmosphere of Mars. was the first spacecraft to orbit Mars on a planet‐mapping mission. The first American spacecraft to land on Mars was Viking in 1976 and its mission was to sample the soil and take photographs. The USSR’s was the first to actually land on Mars, but it survived for only 20 seconds after landing.

Self‐portrait of on Mars’ Utopian Plane Photograph courtesy of NASA

There have been several other missions to Mars over the last 30 years to study the climate, atmosphere, soil and other features of Mars. Some of the more recent missions have been very successful and are directly connected to either or the University of Arizona.

The Mars Odyssey Orbiter was launched from the in April 2001 and carried the Thermal Emission Imaging System (known as THEMIS) aboard. The orbiter arrived at Mars in October 2001 and spent the next several months , a maneuver in which the spacecraft would dip into the Martian atmosphere to slow and shrink the orbit, bringing it closer to the surface of Mars. Its primary mission was to look for , especially those minerals related to water.

THEMIS Image of Noctis Labyrinth (Labyrinth of Night Courtesy of NASA

Two Mars Exploration Rover (MER) missions were launched in June and July of 2003. The Rover Spirit landed on Mars on January 4, 2004, in the Crater. The Rover Opportunity landed on January 25th, 2004, on the Meridiani Planum. Originally the missions were expected to last only 90 days, but both Rovers are still going strong today. Scientists believed the dust on Mars would cover the solar panels and eventually the Rovers would run out of power. Instead, the dust devils found on Mars have been keeping the Martian dust off the panels, allowing the Rovers to keep exploring more than four years later.

These two Rovers have proved Mars was much wetter in the past than it is today and have found evidence of water cycles in the soil.

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Artist’s rendition of the Spirit Rover on Mars. Spirit Rover self‐portrait from Summit Image courtesy of NASA Hill inside Gusev Crater. Photograph courtesy of NASA

The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter launched in August 2005. It carried the most powerful telescopic camera ever sent to another planet to search for evidence that water had been around for a long period on the surface of Mars. Images sent back have shown hundreds of small fractures on the surface on Mars that had water flowing through into underground Martian sandstone.

Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Photograph courtesy of NASA

The Phoenix Mars Mission launched in August of 2007 and touched down on the surface of Mars on May 25, 2008. The first launch in the “Scout Program,” the Phoenix Mars Lander’s mission, is to study the history of water on Mars and search for organic molecules in the ice‐rich soil of the Martian arctic. In order to accomplish its mission, the Phoenix Lander carried seven crucial instruments. These include a Robotic Arm that can dig into the Martian ground and deliver samples to the Lander for analysis, a Robotic Arm Camera mounted on the Robotic Arm to provide close‐up color images of the soil and ice, a Surface Stereo Imager to provide high resolution images of the terrain at the landing site and a Mars Descent Imager to provide geological context of the landing site. The Lander has special laser weather measuring instruments supplied by the to provide the most comprehensive weather reports ever recorded on the planet. There are also two other instruments, a Thermal and Evolved‐Gas Conductivity Analyzer (TEGA) and a Microscopy, Electrochemistry and Conductivity Analyzer (MECA) to analyze the soil and ice samples.

Artist’s rendition of Phoenix Lander on Mars Artist’s rendition of the possible fate of the Phoenix Lander during the upcoming Martian winter Photos courtesy of NASA

Ironically, the spacecraft’s life is limited by the weather on Mars. The temperatures in the polar regions of Mars are already dropping below ‐130˚. There is frost and fog every night. As the Martian winter approaches, the sun dips below the horizon for longer periods every day. Mars’ far northern , where the Lander is situated, experiences no sunlight at all in the winter. This means there will be less and less to power the spacecraft’s . The Phoenix will eventually consume more power than it is able to produce, draining the batteries and causing the instruments onboard to freeze.

Fast Fun Facts about Mars

 Many people in the United States were listening to their on Halloween night in 1938 as actor narrated H. G. ’ science fiction drama The War of the Worlds. By the end of the broadcast, millions of people across the nation actually believed Martians were invading the earth.

Images courtesy of webweavers.nu  The month of was named after Mars.

 Martian days are called “sols”, meaning “solar days.”

 Because Mars’ gravity is only 38% as strong as Earth’s gravity, you only weigh 38% of what you weigh on Earth.

 Mars is called the “Red Planet” because its soil is covered in iron oxide, more commonly called rust.

 Phobos and Deimos, Mars’ two moons, were named after the twin sons of the Greek god . Phobos was the god of panic, fear, fight and battlefield rout. Deimos was the god of fear, dread and terror. As the sons of , the goddess of love, the twins represent fear of loss.

 The Mars’ Phoenix Lander cost $457 million.

 The USSR’s Mars 3 was the first spacecraft to go from Earth to Mars, but it survivied only 20 seconds after landing.

 It takes nine months for a spacecraft to go from Earth to Mars, but and computer signals, traveling at the speed of light, take less than ten minutes to return to Earth.

 Olympus Mons is a shield volcano, making it wider rather than steep. It covers an area the size of Arizona and rises so gradually you could climb it without being aware you were getting higher.

 The Face on Mars is probably one of the most famous images sent back from Mars. In 1976 the Orbiter sent back images of what was described by NASA as a “face‐ like hill.” While the “face” is caused by the play of light and shadow on a natural formation, this image has fueled much speculation of a structure built by intelligent beings. The “Face on Mars” kept the grocery tabloids in business for quite a while. Detailed analysis of multiple images of the feature has shown that it is a natural looking Martian hill whose “face” depends upon the angle of view and illumination. What was the first space flight?

The USSR launched Sputnik 1, the first artificial satellite to orbit the earth, on October 4, 1957. The first manned space flight came almost four years later when a Soviet cosmonaut orbited the earth in the spaceship 1 on April 12, 1961.

What is “space?”

Space is the near‐emptiness in which all objects in the universe exist. The planets and the stars are mere specks compared with the immensity of space.

What is gravity?

Gravity is an invisible pulling power, a force of attraction between all objects. Every object in the universe has gravity, including stars, moons, planets, even people. It is gravity that pulls planets and stars in to spheres.

There are two rules to remember about gravity:

1. “the bigger the object, the more gravity it has” 2. “the closer the two objects are, the stronger the gravitational pull”

In other words, the bigger and closer two objects are, the greater the gravitational pull between them. It is the Sun’s powerful gravity that keeps Earth in orbit around it.

What is a solar system?

The group of planets, asteroids, moons, comets and dust that orbit a sun.

What is a galaxy?

A galaxy is a very large group of stars. Each galaxy is made up of millions of stars, large and small, new and older, and clusters of stars. There are countless numbers of galaxies and they are grouped together in clusters.

What galaxy does our solar system belong to?

We are in the galaxy known as the Great , a cluster of about 25 galaxies called the “.” The Milky Way, a spiral shaped galaxy, is about 100,000 light years across and is made up of about 200 billion stars. Our sun is only one of these stars in the galaxy and is located on one of the spiral shaped arms about 25,000 light years from the center of the galaxy. If you could travel at the speed of light, it would still take 25,000 years to reach the center of the Milky Way from our location. The spiral shaped Andromeda Galaxy is our closest galaxy neighbor and the largest member of our cluster. It is so immense we can see it in a very dark sky without a telescope, although it is located about 2 million light years away from us. Light reaching us from the Andromeda Galaxy began its journey across space about the time the earliest humans appeared on Earth.

The name “Milky Way” comes from a Greek myth about the goddess Hera who sprayed milk across the sky. It other parts of the world it goes by other names. In China it is called the “Silver River” and in the Kalahari Desert in southern Africa it is known as the “Backbone of Night.”

What is a light year?

Also known as the speed of light, it is the distance light travels in one year, about 5.88 trillion miles. This works out to about 186,000 miles per second.

The distances between galaxies in outer space are so huge, it would be impossible to travel between them within the span of a human life. To overcome this distance, the developers of Star Trek came up with the idea of traveling at “warp speed,” which is many times the speed of light. Mars/Earth Comparisons

MARS EARTH

Average distance from Sun 142 million miles 93 million miles

Average speed in orbiting Sun 14.5 miles per second 18.5 miles per second

Diameter 4,220 miles 7,926 miles

Tilt of Axis 25 degrees 23.5 degrees

Length of Year 687 Earth Days 365.25 Days

Length of Day 24 hours, 37 minutes 23 hours 56 minutes

Gravity .375 that of Earth 2.66 times that of Mars

Temperature Average ‐81 degrees F Average 57 degrees F

mostly carbon dioxide, nitrogen, oxygen, argon Atmosphere some water vapor others

Numbers of Moons 2 1

Position in Solar System 4th from sun 3rd from sun

What in the World Does That Name Mean?

(or how things are named on Mars)

Do you wonder where all those names come from on Mars? Here is a guide to help you answer that question.

Some basic information: Mons: Mountain Crater: Circular Depression Dorsum: Ridge Planum: Plateau or High Plain Fossa: Depression (hole) Valles: Valley

All features on Mars have two names. The first is a formal name following the international rules that have been established. The other name tells us what type of geological feature it is.

Olympus Mons is a mountain formed by a volcano. It is named after Mount Olympus in Greece. Valles Marineris is a valley named after the Mariner spacecraft that first flew by Mars.

Craters:

Large craters are named after deceased scientists who have contributed to the study of Mars. Gusev was a Russian astronomer, was an American astronomer.

Small craters are named for villages and towns of the world with populations of less than 100,000. Aspen (USA), Bira (), Isil (Spain), Jama (Tunisia), and Kakori ( India) are represented on Mars.

Valleys:

Large valleys are named for the word used for Mars (or star) in various languages of the world. (Greek), Mangala Vallis (Sanskrit), (Spanish), Mawrth Valis (Welch), (Babylonian), Tiu Vallis (Old English) can be found.

Small valleys are named for classical or modern names of rivers. Indus Vallis (Pakistan), Naktong Vallis (Korea), () are some examples.

All other features retain the names given by Schiaparelli or Antoniadi, Italian astromoers. These include , Libya Mons, and Olympus Mons.

Naming rules exits for most features on planets, moons, and asteroids. The following are the regulations for craters:

Mercury: Craters are named after famous deceased artists, musicians, painters, or authors.

Venus: Large craters are named after famous women. Small craters are given common female first names.

Earth’s Moon: Large craters are named after famous deceased scientists, artists or scholars. Small craters are given common first names.

Europa: Craters on this large moon of are given names of Celtic gods and heroes.

Ganymede: Craters on another Jovian moon are named for gods and heroes of the ancient Fertile Crescent people.

Craters on the asteroid Ida are named for caverns and grottos of the world.

Courtesy of Chain Reaction 3, Pack your spacesuit: Making Tracks on Mars, Volume 4, Number 1/2006 ASU Vocabulary Words

asteroid A large chunk of rock left over from the formation of a planet, most are in the between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. atmosphere The layer of gas that surrounds a planet. crater An irregular circular or oval hole created by a collision with another body. galaxy A galaxy is a very large group of stars. Each galaxy contains millions of stars, large and small, new and older, and clusters of stars. There are countless numbers of galaxies and they are grouped together in clusters. iron oxide The chemical name for rust. meteor A small chunk of rock that causes a fiery flash of light in the sky as it passes through the earth’s atmosphere and up. meteorite A meteor that has survived its fall through the atmosphere and has struck the surface of a planet or a moon. moon A that orbits a planet.

planet A large object that orbits a central star, has an atmosphere and does not produce its own light.

star A self‐contained ball of gas that emits light. Sizes range from white dwarfs to red giants; our sun is a medium‐sized yellow star. Stars twinkle at night, a way to tell them apart from planets.

solar system The group of planets, asteroids, moons, comets, and dust that orbit a planet. Mars Exploration Rover Activities

Activity 1

Have the students color the Mars Rover.

Activity 2

Goal: To understand the technology on board the Mars Rover Exploration Vehicle.

1. Assign students or groups of students one of the instruments shown on the Rover. 2. Have the students/groups of students research their assigned instrument. 3. Have the students write a report about their research. The report should include the purpose of the instrument and how it works. 4. Present the report to the class. 5. Accurately color the Mars Rover.

Activity 3

Have the students or the groups of students construct a model of the Mars Rover from recycled or “found” materials.

Martian Sand

The sand on Mars is orange‐red because it consists of iron oxide, also known as rust. In this activity your students will see how iron oxide occurs.

Materials needed:

Three large pieces of steel wool Scissors Aluminum pie pan Sand Water

Directions:

Cut the steel wool into small pieces. Fill the pie pan half full of sand. Mix the small pieces of steel wool in with the sand. Mix a cup of water with the sand and the steel wool.

In a couple of days your sand will turn orange‐red. The iron oxide mixed with the sand the same way scientists believe it happened on Mars.

Have your students document their experiment on the “Martian Sand Experiment Outline” form.

Activity adapted from Mars! by Steven L. Kipp, Bridgestone Books, 1998

Iron oxide is what gives the soil on Mars its red hue. Photograph courtesy of NASA

Martian Sand Experiment Outline

Group Members______

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Problem______

______

Materials______

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Procedure

Date What We Did What We Observed

______

______

______

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Findings______

______

______

Conclusions______

______

______

Adapted from: Graphic Organizers and Planning Outlines, Incentive Publications, Inc. Nashville, TN Bubble Planets

This hands‐on activity will help students understand that craters are a common feature on the surface of many planets and what that surface may look like.

Materials needed:

Small bowls Soda straws Liquid tempera paint (white, black or brown) Construction paper (black or red) Joy dishwashing detergent Newspapers Water Craft sticks to stir paint Measuring spoons and cups

Directions:

1. Set up a table with the bowls. 2. Cover table with newspaper or place newspapers under each bowl. 3. Mix approximately 2 tablespoons of Joy detergent, 2 tablespoons of tempera paint, and ½ cup of water into each bowl. 4. Stir mixture in each bowl with craft stick. 5. Give each student a straw and have them blow bubbles in the bowl until the bubbles grow above the rim of the bowl. 6. Have the students take the construction paper and lay it carefully on top of the mass of bubbles. The pressure of the paper will pop the bubbles and produce a circular crater‐like surface. 7. Allow the paper to set for a few moments before picking it up. 8. Lay flat to dry.

Activity courtesy of .cornell.edu

Cratered surface of Mars Photograph courtesy of NASA Bubble Planets Experiment Outline

Group Members______

______

Problem______

______

Materials______

______

Procedure

Date What We Did What We Observed

______

______

______

______

Findings______

______

______

Conclusions______

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Adapted from: Graphic Organizers and Planning Outlines, Incentive Publications, Inc. Nashville, TN Name______Post Cards From Mars

Teacher Instructions:

Print out the correct number of postcards onto cardstock or heavy paper and cut apart.

Student Instructions:

Make believe you are on a field trip to Mars. You just can’t believe all of the amazing sights you have seen and you decide to send a postcard home describing one of the places you have visited.

1. Choose someone you know to send your postcard to and write their name and address on the lines beneath the stamp. It could be a parent, grandparent, sibling or a friend. 2. Pick a feature to describe. Some possibilities are Olympus Mons, Valles Marineris, Crater, Face on Mars, Polar Ice Caps, or any of the gullies, craters, asteroids or other features. 3. Write a note on the postcard describing your chosen feature and a little of what you have been doing on Mars during your field trip. 4. Draw a picture of your feature on the front of the postcard or find a picture on the internet, print it and paste it onto the front of your postcard. 5. Color the stamp.

Flat Stanley

US Mars, Milky Way Galaxy

Writing Exercises

Teachers’ Instructions: After your museum visit, use the ideas below as a starting point for research and writing, either individually or in groups. The students could also do oral reports to the class.

1. What would it be like to live on Mars? How would you get to Mars? How long would it take to get there? What kind of conditions might you encounter when you step out of your space craft? What would you need to survive on the planet? Are there any natural resources on Mars you could use? What would you need to bring with you to live? 2. What is the weather like on Mars? What are the temperatures on Mars? Does it rain? How does it compare to weather on Earth? What kinds of “weather events” occur on Mars? Are these events caused by the same processes on Mars as they are on Earth? 3. Is there water on Mars? Recent Mars explorations have revealed the very real possibility of water existing on Mars. What was that evidence? What recent mission has located the possible water? What would the presence of water on Mars mean for the possibility of some form of life? 4. Could there be life on Mars? When we talk about life on another planet, everyone likes to think of strange space creatures and aliens populating the worlds of outer space. In reality, there is almost no chance of finding those types of life. What is necessary for life as we know it to exist on Mars? Do those requirements exist on Mars? What kind of life, if any, may be possible on Mars? How would they survive in their environment? 5. How important is space exploration? Space exploration is very exciting and many new technologies have come into common use as the result of space exploration. However, this research and exploration is also very expensive. Do you think the money spent on exploring our solar system and beyond is worth it? What kinds of technology, medical research and consumer products have come directly from space exploration? 6. What kind of careers can you find in the space industry? There are many types of experts involved in getting a space ship into outer space and to analyze the data that comes back to earth. What are some of those careers? What kind of education and training would you need to be an astronaut, an astronomer, or any of the other professions? What would you like to be? Mars Reading List:

Non‐fiction Grades 1 & 2 Brimner, Larry D. A True Book: Mars. Danbury: Children’s Press, 1998. Richardson, Adele. The Solar System: Mars. Mankato: Capstone Press, 2008. Wimmer, Teresa. My First Look at Planets: Mars. Mankato: Creative Education, 2008.

Grades 2 & 3 Demuth, Patricia. All Aboard Reading: Mars The Red Planet. New York: Grosset & Dunlap, 1998. Rau, Dana M. Our Solar System: Mars. Minneapolis: Compass Point Books, 2002. Vogt, Gregory L. Gateway Solar System: Mars. Brookfield: The Millbrook Press, 1994.

Grades 3 & 4 Birch, Robin. The Solar System: Mars. Broomall: Chelsea House Publishers, 2004. Davis, Lucile. The Mars Rovers. Farmington Hills: Kidhaven Press, 2005. Hamilton, John. Mission to Mars: Mars Myths and Legends. Edina: Abdo Publishing Company, 1998. Kerrod, Robin. Planet Library: Mars. Minneapolis: Lerner Publication Company, 2000. Kipp, Steven L. The Galaxy: Mars. Mankato: Capstone Press, 1998. , Amy. Library of the Planets: Mars. New York: PowerKids Press, 2001.

Grades 4 & 5 , Isaac. The Red Planet: Mars. Milwaukee: Gareth Stevens Publishing, 1994. Gross, Tim. The Universe: Mars. Chicago: Heinemann Library, 2008. Landau, Elaine. Library: Mars. Danbury: Franklin Watts, 1999. Sparrow, Giles. Exploring the Solar System: Mars. Chicago: Heinemann Library, 2001.

Grades 5 & 6 Cobb, Allan B. Library of the Nine Planets: Mars. New York: The Rosen Publishing Group, 2004. Kelch, Joseph W. Millions of Miles to Mars: A Journey to the Red Planet. Parsippany: Silver Burdett Press, 1995.

Fiction All Grades Leedy, Loreen and Andrew Schuerger. Messages from Mars. New York: Holliday House, 2006. Arizona State University MARS EDUCATION PROGRAM http://marsed.asu.edu

Organization Websites NASA Homepage: http://www.nasa.gov/ School of Earth and Space Exploration (SESE): http://sese.asu.edu/ ASU Mars Education: http://marsed.asu.edu JPL Mars Mission Homepage: http://marsweb.jpl.nasa.gov

Mission Websites Phoenix Mars Mission: http://phoenix.lpl.arizona.edu/ Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter: http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/mro/ Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter: http://lunar.gsfc.nasa.gov/ MESSENGER: http://messenger.jhuapl.edu/ Mars Exploration Rover Mission: http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/home/index.html

Instrument Websites Thermal Emission Imaging System Homepage: http://themis.asu.edu Thermal Emission Homepage: http://tes.asu.edu Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera: http://Iroc.sese.asu.edu/ CRISM: http://crism.jhuapl.edu/

Education Program Websites Mars Student Imaging Project (MSIP): http://msip.asu.edu/ Mars Exploration Student Data Teams (MESDT): http://mesdt.asu.edu Mars Public Mapping Project (MP2): http://mp2.mars.asu.edu/ Rock Around The World: http://ratw.asu.edu/ Imagine mars: http://imaginemars.jpl.nasa.gov/index4.html

Other Space Related Websites JMARS: http://jmars.asu.edu/wiki/index.php/Main_Page Center for Meteorite Studies: http://meteorites.asu.edu/ Solar System Simulator: http://space.jpl.nasa.gov Planets: http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/index.html Space Place: http://spaceplace.jpl.nasa.gov NASA : http://astrobiology.nasa.gov/ NASA TV: http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/ RESOURCES

Carroll, Chris, “Red Planet, ?” National Geographic, September, 2008.

Cobb, Allan B., The Library of the Nine Planets: Mars, Rosen Publishing Group, Inc., New York, 2005.

“Deimos and Phobos”, http://www.theoi.com/Daimon/Deimos.html.

“Exploring the Arctic Plains of Mars”, NASA Overview: Phoenix Mars Lander, http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/phoenix/mission/inder.html.

Exploring the Inner Solar System; Expecting the Unexpected, The American Association for the Advancement of Science, Washington, D.C., 2006.

“Extremophiles” Microbiology The Beginning, http://www.theguardians.com/microbiology/gm_mbm04.html

“Extremophile bacteria suggest possibly of life on other planets”, Mongabay.com, October 22, 2006, http://news.mongabay.com/2006/1022‐princeton.html.

“Face on Mars” The Skeptics Dictionary, http://skepdic.com/faceonmars.html.

Forte, Imogene and Sandra Schurr, Graphic Organizers & Planning Outlines for authentic Instruction and Assessment, Incentive Publications, Inc., Nashville, Tennessee, 1996.

Levy, H., Stars and Planets: The Nature Company Discoveries Libraries, Time Life Books, 1996.

Malik, Tarik, “Researchers: Mars Gets Hit by Several Meteorites Each Year,” Fox News.com, http://www.foxnews.com/story/o,2933,236099,00.html

Mars, National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

“Mars”, http://www.nineplanets.org/mars.html.

Mars at a Glance Fact Sheet, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ.

“Mars Data Sheet” Mars.com, www.space.com/scienceastronomy/solarsystem/mars‐ez.html.

Mars Exploration Rover Mission Quick Facts, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ. “Mars Global Surveyor Magnetic Field Experiment” NASA, http://mgs‐mager.gsfc.nasa.gov.

McCord, Robert, PhD., Mars! Southwest Quest, Arizona Museum of Natural History, Mesa, AZ, Summer, 2008. “Mars Rover Finds Rock Resembling Meteorites That Fell to Earth” About Space/, http://space.about.com/cs/marsrover/a/opp042204a.html

“Mars The Red Planet” Enchanted Learning, http://www.enchantedlearning.com

Meteors and Meteorites, National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

Meteor Fact Sheet, Center for Meteorite Studies, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ.

“Missions to Mars” Enchanted Learning, http://www.enchantedlearning.com.

“The ”, Enchanted Learning, http://www.enchantedlearning.com.

“Pack Your Spacesuit: Making Tracks on Mars”, Chain Reaction 3, Volume 4, Number 1/2006, Arizona State University Research Publications, Tempe, AZ.

“Planet Mars Facts”, Imagine Mars, Http://imaginemars.jpl.nasa.gov/info.

Sparrow, Giles, Exploring the Solar System: Mars, Heinemann Library, Chicago, Il, 2001.

“Uncovering the Mysteries of the Martian Arctic” Phoenix Mars Mission Overview Fact Sheet, Phoenix Mars Mission, Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ.

NASA Archives, http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/imagegallery

NASA Facts, Mars Phoenix Lander, www.nasa.gov

NASA Image of the Day Gallery, http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/imagegallery/10td.html.

Olympus Mons on Mars. http://hyperphysics.phy‐astr.gsu.edu/hbase/solar/marsply.html

Phillips, Tony, The Face on Mars: Unmasked by New Images, http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/solarsystem/mars_face_010525‐1.

Slotnick, Rebecca Sloan, “Extremophile Terraforming”, www.americanscientist.org/issues.aspx?name=extremophile‐terraforming&p

Solar System Exploration, Mars, NASA, www.solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/profile.cfm?Object+Mars&Display=OverviewLong

Squyres, Steven W., World Book at NASA, Mars www.nasa.gov/worldbook/mars_worldbook.html

THEMIS: About THEMIS and Odyssey, Mars Odyssey Mission, www..asu.edu/about