5. Cliffs and Craters: Exploring Topography on Mars

Setup: Prep Time 30 min

• Print resources.

*See Materials & Preparation in the Educator Guide linked above for full info.

21st Century Skills

• Critical Thinking

Science Practices

• Analyzing & Interpreting Data
• Planning Investigations

Learners Will Do

• Interpret topographic maps of Mars to identify flat areas and landforms.

Learners Will Know

• Scientists use topographic maps to make decisions.

Connecting Across Activities

• Activity 4: Introducing Topography: Last time, learners deepened their understanding of landforms by considering topography.
• Activity 5: Exploring Topography on Mars: Today, learners interpret topographic maps of Mars to locate interesting landforms and to determine the safest place for a rover to land. These maps are the second set of data they will use to choose a landing site.
• Activity 6: Introducing Spectroscopy: Next time, they will learn how to interpret spectra of light reflected from various objects, which will later help them identify minerals from a distance.

Related Videos

Using Light to Measure Distance (LiDAR theory)

Using Light to Map Surfaces (LiDAR Uses)

 

Using Light to Measure Distance (LiDAR theory)

Using Light to Map Surfaces (LiDAR Uses)

Level Up!

• If you are using the advanced version of this pathway with four possible landing sites, use the advanced version of the (PDF) Science Activity 5 Mars Landing Site Topography Data Packet and add columns titled “Nili Fossae” and “Iani Chaos” to the Our Ideas poster.
• The Engineering Pathway, Worlds Apart: Engineering Remote Sensing Devices, goes into detail on how LiDAR works and challenges learners to engineer a model LiDAR device to capture the topography of a surface.
• Although this Activity lists two possible landing sites, if you have time, the activity is more interesting and enriching with four choices. See the website for the additional site data and directions.
• Tell learners that scientists often like to explore areas with steep slopes or rugged topography, where layers of rock might be exposed. Have them think about why these areas are interesting. (5 min.)
• Invite a family or community member to come in as a special guest and share their knowledge about hazard-related topics. See the flyers and ideas on the Remote Sensing Family and Community Connections (weblink) (45 min)