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MARS Dead or Alive
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Viewing Ideas
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Before Watching
Ask students to imagine that they can visit Mars. What would they want to find out about the planet? Review the solar system with your class. Discuss distances between planets, especially between Mars and Earth. (See NASA's "The Solar System" for more information: heasarc.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/cosmic/solar_system_info.html) Organize your class into three teams. Assign each team a different part of
the Mars Exploration Rovers (instrumentation and power systems, parachute,
landing system) to track during the program. They should take notes on how each
part or parts work, problems that developed during testing, and how each
problem was addressed.
After Watching
Make a chart on the board that lists the three parts of the rovers. Have each
team contribute examples of the problems affecting the parts that were tracked
and how those problems were solved. Ask students why scientists sent robots to Mars. What did they want to find
out? How did what scientists want to find out compare with what students wanted
to know? Discuss the evidence scientists are seeking to help provide clues about
whether an environment that could have supported life on Mars ever existed. Why
are scientists interested in finding this out?
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