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MARS Dead or Alive
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Viewing Ideas
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Before Watching
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Ask students to imagine that they can visit Mars. What would
they want to find out about the planet?
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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)
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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
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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.
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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?
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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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