A Learning Activity is a strategy a teacher chooses to actively
engage students in learning a concept or skill using a digital tool/resource.
You may save this Learning Activity to your hard drive as an .html file by
selecting “File”,then “Save As” from your browser’s
pull down menu. The file name extension must be .html.
Phase:
During/Explore/Explain
Activity:
Remind students that by studying space, it allows society to make advances in technology. Review what students already know and what they want to know about Mars. The teacher may create a KWL Chart on the front board or on chart paper for all students to share what they know and want to know about Mars. The teacher may add what they have learned about Mars at the end of this activity. The students or the teacher will access the website https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/mars-2020/en. Students will explore this site while answering the following questions:
1) Does Mars have sunlight? 2) Does Mars have air? 3) Does Mars have water? 4) Is there soil on Mars? 5) Is food able to be grown on Mars? Is food able to be grown in a shelter such as a spacecraft? These are some questions that will cover the science standard that the students should answer in their notes. Other probing questions that the teacher may ask are how much food do you think a person could take with them to Mars? How long do you think plants, animals, or people are able to survive on Mars?
After students have explored the website and taken notes, the teacher may state that there are no known humans to live on Mars; however, that does not necessarily mean that life will not be able to sustain on Mars. Students will share their findings/opinions whole class and complete the KWL.
Students will write their opinion pieces in their journals or on a clean sheet of paper. The title of their opinion pieces should be "Can Life be Sustained on Mars?" Students should argue in support of or against the likelihood of an organism's ability to survive when compared to the resources on Mars. They should include at least two pieces of evidence gathered from the website.
Assessment Strategies:
Students will be assessed on their opinion pieces, "Can Life be Sustained on Mars?". Students will argue in support of or against the likelihood of an organism's ability to survive when compared to the resources on Mars. Students will need to include at least two pieces of evidence gathered from the website.
All students will need a sharpened pencil and a journal/or clean sheet of paper.
Students must have knowledge of how to write an opinion piece prior to this activity. Prior knowledge regarding what living things must have in order to survive is needed.
Variation Tips (optional):
Instructors may read aloud the article https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/10/science/mars-methane-life.html by Kenneth Chang. This website may change periodically; view the site to check if the article on Mars is available. Other articles/books on Mars may be read aloud to students during the lesson.
Notes or Recommendations (optional):
Keywords and Search Tags:
Digital Sources, Mars, Note taking, Notes, Opinion Pieces, survival