Destination: Mars - ER - NASA

ProcedureAdvanced Preparation1. Gather materials.2. Become familiar with the importantfeatures in the Mars photo.3. Practice determining the up and downslopes of the features by paying attentionto the Sun illumination angle and theshadows on the features.Procedure for Paper Copy of PhotographSteps below are for individuals or pairsusing a paper copy of the Mars image.1. Secure a transparency or sheet of tracingpaper to the top of the Mars photo.2. Distribute materials.3. Tell students that this is a spacecraftphotograph of an area on Mars around20º N latitude and 55º W longitude, at thenorthern edge of Chryse Planitia. Theimage shows impact craters and riverchannels. The area is about 200 kilometersacross. No one has ever been there,but we can figure out things about thispart of Mars by mapping and thinking.4. Show students an example of a craterwith a continuous, sharp-edged, unbrokenrim. Note that they should draw the rimand not the fairly flat interior (see drawingon student sheet).If time and skill allow, students may alsonote and draw the ejecta for the freshsharp rimmed craters. The ejecta is thematerial that is blasted out of the craterand falls outside the rim of the crater. Theejecta is usually more irregular than mostof the craters. Review with studentshow to tell what is a depression andwhat is a hill slope by knowing thedirection of illumination from the Sun.5. Have students carefully outline the rims ofall sharp-edged craters red.6. Show students an example of a craterwith an uneven, eroded, broken rim (seestudent sheet).7. Have students carefully outline the rims ofall eroded craters green.8. Show students an example of a riverchannel.9. Have students color (not outline) allchannels blue. They may try to showboth sides of the channel but a single linein the middle of the channel is adequate.10. Have students lift the transparencies andlook at them. Ask the student what theyhave made. (They have made a simplefeature map.)11. Answer and discuss the questions onStudent Sheet.Group Procedure Using a SlideSteps below are for a large group activityusing a slide.1. Tape a large sheet of paper to the wall.2. Project the slide on the paper, so theimage is as large as possible.Be aware that it will be easier to clearlydistinguish details on the image fromseveral feet away due to projectorfocusing. When students draw on thepaper they will either need to ask forsome help from classmates or step backfrequently. This leads to a goodcooperative activity.3. Tell students that this is a spacecraftphotograph of an area on Mars around20º N latitude and 55º W longitude, at thenorthern edge of Chryse Planitia. Theimage shows impact craters and riverchannels. The area is about 200 kilometersacross. No one has ever been there,but we can figure out things about thispart of Mars by mapping and thinking.4. Show students an example of a craterwith a continuous, sharp-edged, unbrokenrim. Note that they should draw the rimand not the fairly flat interior (see drawingon student sheet).If time and skill allow, students may alsonote and draw the ejecta for the freshsharp rimmed craters. The ejecta is thematerial that is blasted out of the craterand falls outside the rim of the crater.28 Destination: Mars 10/97 NASA JSC