9. Sum It Up: Science Share-Out
Learners share their recommendations for the safest and most scientifically interesting Mars rover landing site.
Guiding Question
Which landing site on Mars do we recommend, and why?
Activity TimingSetup: Prep Time 40 min
Several days in advance…
- Send Science Share-Out Invitations to people from the community.
*See Materials & Preparation in the Educator Guide linked above for full info.
21st Century Skills
- Communication
Science Practices
- Interpreting Data
- Constructing Explanations
- Communicating Information
Learners Will Do
- Communicate Mars landing site choice to others and support the decision with evidence.
Learners Will Know
- Scientists have valuable knowledge to share about the problem they solved.
Connecting Across Activities
- Activity 8: Choosing a Landing Site and Preparing for the Science Share-Out: Last time, learners used the various kinds of data they collected –landform images, topographic maps, and spectra–to choose a landing site.
- Activity 9: Science Share-Out: This time, they share their findings.
- Engineering Pathway: Next time, learners experience engineering related to this topic in the PLANETS Worlds Apart Engineering Pathway (optional).
Related Video
7 Minutes of Terror: The Challenges of Getting to Mars
Level Up!
- For more on Curiosity, share an exciting NASA video, Curiosity’s Seven Minutes of Terror, about the challenges of landing Curiosity at Gale Crater. Learn more about the Curiosity rover and see pictures from inside Gale Crater. (30 min.)
- If learners examined all four sites, add: NASA also considered Iani Chaos and Nili Fossae as landing sites for Perseverance but ruled out both. Iani Chaos is too rough, and although both sites have water-related minerals, they lack water-related landforms. (5 min.)
- If you have time, show the image “Mars Probe Landing Ellipses,” which compares landing ellipses for different Mars missions over time. (5 min.)
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If your learners enjoyed this planetary science challenge, they would also enjoy the Rover Observation and Discoveries in Space (ROADS) student challenges. Show your learners the NASA National Student Challenges (weblink). (10 min. to review website, 10–15 hours per challenge)
