This activity is about planetary rovers. Learners will simulate the challenges in communications that engineers face when driving a rover on Mars. They will particpate as part of a rover team to design and execute a series of commands that will... (View More) guide a rover made of people through an obstacle course simulating the Martian surface. Students will learn the limitations of operating a planetary rover and problem solving solutions by using this simulation. The lesson models the engineering design process using the 5E instructional model and includes teacher notes, vocabulary, student journal and reading. (View Less)

This activity is about rocket shape and performance. Learners will test a rocket model and predict its motion. They will launch their rocket multiple times, make observations and record the distance it traveled. They will have the opportunity to... (View More) answer a research question by collecting and analyzing data related to finding out the best nose cone length and predicting the motion of their model rockets. The lesson models the engineering design process using the 5E instructional model and includes teacher notes, vocabulary, student journal and reading. (View Less)

This is a lesson about generating hypotheses and testable questions. Learners will use critical thinking and a collaborative approach to pose questions related to the study of Mars and evaluate the quality of their questions. They will explore... (View More) remote-sensing data collected by a camera orbiting Mars - the Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) and develop a team science question. Students will practice critical thinking skills, use a collaborative approach to this first critical step of the scientific process. Exploring the images of the surface of Mars in Visible (VIS) images, students will come up with a topic of study, their team science question and hypotheses. The lesson models scientific inquiry using the 5E instructional model and includes teacher notes and vocabulary. (View Less)

This is a lesson about using evidence to construct sequences of geologic events. Learners will interpret real NASA science data to identify features on the surface of Mars, determine the surface history of the area, calculate the size of features,... (View More) and develope investigable questions. Students will study images taken by NASA's Mars Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) camera orbiting Mars. Students will use the THEMIS images to analyze the surface features and geological history of Mars. The lesson models scientific inquiry using the 5E instructional model and includes teacher notes and vocabulary. (View Less)

This is a series of hands-on activities comprised of fieldwork and lab work about the basics of soil science. Learners record soil context descriptions, measure soil moisture, describe soil color, structure, consistency, and texture and conduct... (View More) tests for biomarkers and chemical analysis and pH. By measuring for themselves many of the properties scientists use to characterize soil samples, learners will be better prepared to interpret those properties as used in actual applications. The sample analysis experiments are similar to the types of experiments as NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander. Includes teacher guide and student guide. (View Less)

This lesson is about cleanroom technology. Learners will discover why it is important to observe a certain protocol when in the cleanroom. This will then be related to the scientific process of controlling variables in an environment. Includes a... (View More) teacher's guide and students handouts. Video and audio clips are provided. This lesson 1 of 10 from Dynamic Design: The Cleanroom module. (View Less)

This lesson is about the assembly of the Genesis collector arrays. Learners will work in teams to complete the assembly of the array frame that they began in the "Working Together" lesson (lesson 9 in the module). Includes a teacher's guide and... (View More) students handouts. This lesson is 10 of 10 from the module, titled Dynamic Design: The Cleanroom. (View Less)

This lesson is about the role of planning in spacecraft assembly. Learners will think through all the details that go into assembling the Genesis science cannister by planning for a birthday party. Planning to plan is an important skill that... (View More) students need to learn to become less reactive and more proactive when it comes to different aspects of their lives. Includes a teacher's guide and students handouts. This lesson 8 of 10 from the Dynamic Design: The Cleanroom module. (View Less)