Destination: Mars - ER - NASA

About Destination: MarsContentsLesson 1. Getting There — Navigationand Trajectory ............................................3Lesson 2. Tricky Terrain — InvestigatingPlanetary Soils ......................................... 11Lesson 3. Lava Layering — Making andMapping a Volcano .................................. 17Lesson 4. Mapping Mars — GeologicSequence of Craters and RiverChannels .................................................. 27Lesson 5. Searching for Life on Mars .................... 35Lesson 6. Why Do We Explore? .............................. 49Glossary ................................................................. 55Mars Fact Sheet ........................................................ 56The lessons are designed to increase students’knowledge, awareness, and curiosity about the processof scientific exploration of Mars. As scientists look forevidence of life on Mars, they will focus much of theirsearch in areas where volcanic heat and water interactedearly in the geologic history of the planet. Two lessonsin this packet on volcanoes and mapping river channelsreinforce these basic geologic processes. Theselessons lead directly to a set of simple activities thathelp students develop an understanding of the microbiallife scientists will be searching for on Mars. Thehands-on, interdisciplinary activities reinforce andextend important concepts within existing curricula.AcknowledgementsThis activity packet was developed by teachers workingwith scientists at Johnson Space Center’s Earth Scienceand Solar System Exploration Division.Marilyn M. LindstromPlanetary Scientist, NASA JSC - Office of CuratorKathleen MayseTeacher, Clear Creek ISD, Houston, TexasLinda SchradeTeacher, Clear Creek ISD, Houston, TexasKaren StoccoTeacher, Pasadena ISD, Pasadena, TexasKay TobolaTeacher, Clear Creek ISD, Houston, TexasCarlton C. AllenPlanetary Scientist, Lockheed MartinJaclyn S. B. AllenScientist/Ed. Specialist, Lockheed MartinAnita DodsonGraphic Design, Lockheed MartinEducational VideoThe Destination: Mars educational video presents auseful parallel with the lessons. The 33 minute videochronicles a simulated human mission to Mars in 2018.The six astronauts narrate their exploration through “realtime” log reports. Destination: Mars is available as aneducational video from NASA CORE, Lorain County JointVocational School, 15181 Route 58 South, Oberlin, OH44074, (440) 774-1051, ext. 249 or 293, Fax (440) 774-2144. Itis also a multimedia planetarium program available fromSpitz Inc., P. O. Box 198, Route 1, Chadds Ford, PA 19317,contact John Schran (610) 459-5200, Fax (610) 459-8330.InternetNASA Johnson Space Center, Office of the CuratorLunar Rocks and Antarctic Meteoriteshttp://www-curator.jsc.nasa.gov/curator/curator.htmContains educational material and information aboutrocks from space.Lunar and Planetary Institutehttp://cass.jsc.nasa.gov/lpi.htmlContains educational material and Lunar and Marsimages.NASA Jet Propulsion LaboratoryMars Global Surveyorhttp://mgswww.arc.nasa.gov/index.htmlMars Pathfinderhttp://www.mars.ucar.edu/default.html2 Destination: Mars 10/97 NASA JSC