NASA Missions

Connecting Mars & Earth

Standard: NGSS Nature of Science Standard

"Science is a Human Endeavor. Men and women from all cultures and backgrounds choose careers as scientists and engineers. Scientists and engineers are guided by habits of mind, such as intellectual honesty, tolerance of ambiguity, skepticism, and openness to new ideas. Advances in technology influence the progress of science, and science has influenced advances in technology" (NGSS Lead States, 2013, p. 100).

As students start to research the connections and differences between the geology of both Earth and Mars, it is important for them to understand the process in which scientists and astronauts went through to make their discoveries. In this activity, students were to create a "Fakebook" page for at least one astronaut from a mission to Mars. Required components include biographical information, educational pursuits prior to NASA employment and their main contributions or role for the mission. In addition to the biographical information about an astronaut, students need to create several posts and or events to clearly explain and describe the discoveries made during that astronaut's particular mission to Mars. This activity requires students to not only thoroughly conduct research on the Mars missions, but to synthesize the information into a demonstration of learning.