In this lesson, students participate in a skit presenting a mock-up of a planetary surface rover they designed. Students will be able to: demonstrate their knowledge of Mars and rovers by presenting their team skit; present their rover, its... (View More) requirements and features to the class; answer questions asked by the class based on research conducted during the unit; incorporate feedback from others and ideas from other presentations into student work. The lesson plan has a number of appendices, including: standards alignment, essential question, and exit ticket. This is Lesson 15 of the middle school version of the 6-week Mars Rover Celebration curriculum. (View Less)

In this lesson, students will design a planetary surface rover to conduct a planetary surface investigation. It uses the 5E learning cycle and is designed around an essential question: How will creating a prototype of your rover help you prepare for... (View More) the Mars Rover Celebration? The lesson objectives are to: learn about scientific careers to gain a better understanding of a sampling of careers that have contributed to designing and developing Curiosity; draw a detailed, final-design sketch/diagram of the rover that will be built; identify missions, requirements and features of the rover using labels and captions when necessary. A number of appendices are provided, including standards alignment. This is Lesson 12 of the middle school version of the 6-week Mars Rover Celebration curriculum. (View Less)

This is a lesson about the requirements for life on another planet. Learners will grow organisms in one of 12 classroom environments and identify common requirements (such as water, nutrients, and energy). They will also design a mission to identify... (View More) habitable places by searching for water, nutrients, and energy. A math extension explores measuring calories. Includes background reading for teachers, student pages, reflection questions, and blackline masters. This is activity 2 of 5 in Astrobiology in your Classroom: Life on Earth..and Elsewhere? (View Less)

This is a lesson about the characteristics necessary for life. Learners will identify the top candidates for life in the solar system by examining Habitability Cards, which discuss each planet and the six large moons in terms of water temperature,... (View More) atmosphere, energy, and nutrients. A math extension is provided on the Inverse Square Law. Includes background reading for teachers, student pages, reflection questions, and blackline masters. This is activity 3 of 5 in the educators guide, Astrobiology in your Classroom: Life on Earth..and Elsewhere? Note: See Related & Supplemental Resources (right side of this page) to download a separate PDF of the Habitability Cards used in this lesson. (View Less)

This is a lesson about the field of astrobiology, the study of life in the universe, and ice as a preservative for evidence of life. Learners will consider the relationship between ice and life as they investigate the conditions required for life to... (View More) exist and sustain itself. They will study the impact of freezing on microbes and life processes and will learn about extremophiles, organisms that live in extreme conditions. Activities include small group miming, speaking, drawing, and/or writing. This is lesson 8 of 12 in the unit, Exploring Ice in the Solar System. (View Less)