Project Overview

Mars in the Classroom provides an exciting program of hands-on and thought-provoking science activities for children aged 13 to 16. The project is themed around the students planning their own manned mission to Mars, and comprises a series of modules to be carried out in small groups.

The experiments within each module of Mars in the Classroom can be used either as stand-alone projects or in combination with any or all of the other modules provided. In this way, the educator has complete control over the duration and level of the program undertaken.

The aim of the project is to provide a stimulating program that can compliment the National Curriculum, introducing students (and educators!) to the excitement of planetary science.

There are 8 modules in the current version of Mars in the Classroom:

1		Mission Briefing The introductory lesson should be used to introduce the project you intend to carry out (this will of course depend upon which modules you choose to undertake), and provide the students with an overview of Mars and Mars exploration. Optimum duration: 1 hour.
2		Martian Impact Cratering Lots of things affect the shape and size of an impact crater, some of which are illustrated by this experiment. Students can investigate the effects of projectile velocity, impact angle, and the presence of water. It can also show how subsurface layers are affected by the impact during excavation. Optimum duration: 2 hours.
3		Playdoh Volcanoes! What's underneath a volcano such as Olympus Mons? Using playdoh to construct your own volcano and `expensive drill core equipment' (i.e. straws and craft knives), students can reconstruct its history and learn about the problems associated with these sampling techniques. Optimum duration: 2 hours.
4		Remote Sensing/Reflectance Spectrometer What can we find out about Mars without sending people to the surface? Remote sensing information gathered with the the ALTA Reflectance Spectrometer can be used by students to learn about the surface of Mars and try to find a good landing site for your Manned mission. Optimum duration: 2 hours.
5		Design Your Own Mars Rover What are the advantages and disadvantages of using an unmanned rover rather than people to study the surface of Mars? Students investigate an area to find a location that is suitable for sampling, comparing two different roving techniques and human exploration. Students will be encouraged to investigate all factors relevant to the performance of the rover, and discuss the best way to sample the surface of Mars. Optimum duration: 2 hours.
6		Choccy Rocks Chocolates and cakes with various `inclusions' (filings) can be used to provide an excellent analogy to textures in real rocks. Students learn not to take the initial appearance of rocks for granted and learn to appreciate the complexity of analysing rocks, underlining the value of sending a human to study rocks on Mars over robotic missions. Optimum duration: 1 hour.
7		Mission Planning When the students have an understanding of the planet Mars and some of the problems associated with sending people on extended duration missions over large distances, they will be guided through discussions in which they will plan their own mission. They are provided with both weight and monetary constraints and guidelines as to the cost and weight of mission elements, and asked to draw up a mission plan that best satisfies their mission aims. The results of their missions will then be presented to the rest of the class, and the details put on the team web pages. Optimum duration: 2 hours.
8		Summary Lesson/Presentations At the end of the Mars in the Classroom project, we recommend asking each group to make a short presentation to tell everyone else about their mission. Optimum duration: 1 hour.

There are many other activities that can be carried out to assist in this project, all of which are currently under development: