Activity Timing
5 min. Introduction
15 min. Choosing a Landing Site
30 min. Prepare for the Showcase
30 min. Science Showcase
5 min. Reflect
85 min. Total
Prep Snapshot
Prep Time: 15 min (several days in advance)
Send Science Showcase Invitations to community members.
This snapshot intended for quick reminders and is not a replacement of the guide. Be sure to use the guide for detailed preparation instructions and implementation scripts.
Glossary
21st Century Skills Connection
Communication
Science Practices
- Interpreting Data
- Constructing Explanations
- Communicating Information
Activity Overview
Youth combine multiple data sets made possible by technologies that engineers designed to choose a safe and scientifically interesting landing site for a Mars rover. They then share their findings with the whole group and with invited guests.
Guiding Question
Which landing site on Mars do we recommend, and why?
Youth Will Do
- Integrate their understanding of prior data sets to select where to land on Mars.
- Justify their reasoning about landing site selection and communicate their explanation to others.
Youth Will Know
- Using different types of remote sensing gives a more complete understanding of an area.
- Choosing a site involves making tradeoffs.
Videos Related to this Activity
Family Connections Story Prompt
Can you tell me a story about how you made an important decision? Did you follow a process? Who did you talk to?
Additional Resources
Connecting Across Activities
- In the previous three Activities, youth examined different kinds of remote sensing data from Mars.
- In this Activity, they apply what they have learned about landforms, topography, and minerals as they select landing sites.