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Just for Teachers
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Just for Teachers
Thinkquest project, "Mars Madness," is created for students by students in hopes of exciting students in grades 4-6 to study Mars. The Mars Madness staff also hopes that teachers will use this user-friendly interactive website as one of their online resources in their study of Mars. This lesson plan is created by the coaches to assist teachers in their use of Mars Madness with their students.Lesson Plan Unit of Study: Mars
Subject: Science
Theme: Systems/Colonization
Objectives:
Compare and contrast Earth with Mars to understand what survival systems are needed to survive on Mars. Demonstrate a need to collect as much data as possible before drawing conclusions. Demonstrate the value of skepticism by asking many questions and looking for evidence to support or contradict explanations. National Educational Technology Standards
Use technology resources for problem-solving, self directed learning, and extended learning activities Learner Goals:
After researching Mars the students will be able to take a position as to whether or not man can or cannot survive on Mars. Using problem solving and creative thinking skills, the students will be able to create models of survival systems after researching information about Mars. Assessment:
Rubrics will be used to assess activities: research paper and survival system project Learning Activities
1. Introduction of Mars: brainstorm with students using the KWL model: what you know, what you wonder about Mars, and what you have learned.
Inventory students on what they know about Mars and chart their responses. Post them in the classroom. Students will write questions of what they wonder about Mars. 2 . Introduce the Mars Madness Website as one of the online resources in obtaining information about Mars.
Students will read and take notes as they review each topic: liftoff, terrain, weather, seasons, atmosphere, Mars and Earth Comparison and exploration.
3. Students will research the ABCs of Earth and Mars: climate, terrain, gravity, oxygen content, air pressure, size, atmosphere, distance from the sun, etc.
Students will create a spreadsheet that shows the comparison between Mars and Earth. Students will share and discuss the answers from the Mars and Earth Comparison page. Teacher leads the students in producing some generalizations about Mars. Examples: Mars gravity is 40% of Earth's; Mars year is twice Earth's; the length of day is about the same; atmosphere of Earth mostly nitrogen and oxygen, Mars atmosphere is made up of almost all carbon dioxide. Students will apply what they have learned about Mars and Earth by participating in the Mars' Math Mania activity.
5. Students will participate in the Mars Mania activities: Mars Test, the easy and challenge crossword puzzles and Scavenger Hunt.
6. Students will write a position paper on the topic: Can Human Beings Survive on Mars? Why or why not?
7. Teacher will initiate a discussion on what systems are needed in order for humans to survive on Mars.
Lead the students into formulating the 8 Mars Research Community Design Survival Systems. Each student or team will select a survival system to investigate in detail.
The student or team will construct and design a model of a survival system using recycled materials. Each model of a system should not be larger than 28 cm. x 40 cm. The student will describe the system in writing and will include four Mars facts about the system. Students will work on the Mars to the Max - "A Sticky Situation" interactive activity that involves the selection of survival systems to overcome obstacles on Mars. 8. Students will reply to comments on the message board, guestbook, and will take the Mars Madness Poll.
9. As a fun activity to end their study of Mars, students will send off Martian postcards to their family and friends. Their postcard should information about Mars.
10. By using the rubrics and making a list of what they have learned about Mars, the students will evaluate their work. Students will compare this list with the one they did prior to their study of Mars.
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