Professor  Neptune  is  so  excited  to  have  learned  so  much  about  Mars.    He  can’t   believe  how  cold  and  dusty  the  planet  is  and  how  the  atmosphere  is  filled  with  carbon  dioxide   gas.  He  has  also  learned  Mars  used  to  be  very  similar  to  Earth,  but  has  changed  over  the  years.  1     There  are  water-­‐carved  landforms  on  Mars,  but  no  liquid  water  flows  on  the  planet  now.     Professor  Neptune  is  part  of  a  team  that  has  even  studied  soil  and  rocks  found  on  Mars  to   determine  if  any  living  things  could  actually  survive  on  the  planet.2      

Professor  Neptune  wants  to  learn  more  about  Mars.    Help  him  by  asking  Dr.  C,  an  expert  on   Mars,  five  questions  you  can  share  with  Professor  Neptune.  Visit  Dr.  C  at   http://marsdata1.jpl.nasa.gov/drc/.  Once  you  find  the  information,  you  can  summarize  the  five   facts  below:   1.   2.   3.   4.   5.  

Imagine  you  have  been  asked  by  Professor  Neptune  to  go  on  a  spaceship  with  a  group  of   scientists  to  Mars.  Your  mission  is  to  search  for  life  on  Mars.    You  will  live  there  for  one  month.     Watch  this  presentation,  “A  Few  Things  to  Know  before  You  Become  a  Martian,”  to  learn  more   before  you  embark  on  your  journey:   http://imaginemars.jpl.nasa.gov/info/discover_mars_01.html.                                                                                                                                   1

 Athena  Mars  Exploration  Rovers,  “Mars  Facts,”  Cornell  University,   http://athena.cornell.edu/mars_facts/index.html  (Accessed  January  12th,  2010).     2  Athena  Mars  Exploration  Rovers,  “Mars  Facts:Water  Evidence,”  Cornell  University,   http://athena.cornell.edu/mars_facts/index.html  (Accessed  January  12th,  2010).      

  Based  on  all  the  information  you  have  learned  about  Mars,  what  are  the  top  ten  things  you  will   need  to  bring  with  you  in  order  to  survive?    Create  your  list  here:   1.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6.  

2.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7.  

3.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8.  

4.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9.  

5.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10.  

 

You  have  been  on  Mars  for  one  week  with  your  team.  Write  a  diary  entry  of  what  you  have  seen,   heard,  smelled,  tasted,  and  felt  since  you  have  been  on  the  planet:     _____________________________________________________________________________________   _____________________________________________________________________________________   _____________________________________________________________________________________   _____________________________________________________________________________________   _____________________________________________________________________________________   _____________________________________________________________________________________   _____________________________________________________________________________________   _____________________________________________________________________________________   _____________________________________________________________________________________   _____________________________________________________________________________________   _____________________________________________________________________________________   _____________________________________________________________________________________   _____________________________________________________________________________________