Lesson 2 of 4: What on earth is terraforming?
Differentiation can be achieved through use of either Student Worksheet 1A (more able) or 1B (less able). Both are entitled What on earth is terraforming? Possible extension activities for more and less able students are offered in this lesson plan.
The level at which students are able to Use their understanding of the term ‘terraforming’ to propose their own ideas for how it might be achieved (Learning Outcome 2) may be assessed through this lesson’s oral and written work.
Timings:
§ Starter 15 mins,
§ Main activities 35 mins
§ Plenary 10 mins
It would be helpful if the teacher had read the overview for this unit.
Teachers may also like to “bone up” on Mars by looking at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mars_%28planet%29
Students will need some ICT skills and should have completed Lesson 1 of the unit.
There are a number of web-sites on terraforming for interested teachers.
- http://alex.edfac.usyd.edu.au/Methods/HSIE/BenChadwick/untitled/HYDRO.htm will give you information about the term hydrosphere.
- http://www.crysys.uwaterloo.ca/education/crysys_education.cfm will give you information about the term cryosphere.
Resources
Student Worksheet 1a – What on earth is terraforming?
Student Resource Sheet 1 – What on earth is terraforming?
Display the word ‘terraforming’ prominently. OR put one letter of the word ‘terraforming’ on each of twelve sheets of A4 paper. Give these out in a random order and ask students to see what word they can make from the letters. Once the word is formed, ask students if anyone knows what it means. Explain the aims of the lesson – to understand its meaning and explore some issues surrounding it.
Students to read Student Resource Sheet 1: ‘What on earth is terraforming?’ Discuss briefly, ensuring a basic understanding of the term. Ask students for an initial response to the question, ‘Is terraforming a good idea?’
What do we mean by ‘good’? Good for whom, or what? Humans? Mars?
Teacher to record (on flip-chart/interactive whiteboard) these initial responses, under headings for and against. (Students will obtain some ideas from the information sheet, and should be encouraged to think of additional reasons.)
Students log on to http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/science/index.html (the Mars Exploration Programme’s Science Theme), or view a printed copy and spend a few minutes reading it. Attention should be drawn to the dictionary of technical terms at the end of the worksheet.
Ask students for some brief oral feedback about the Mars Exploration Programme, its general purpose and four science goals.
Then give out Student Worksheets 1a/1b (depending on ability) so that pupils can record their responses. Give them time to do so using information from Student Resource Sheet 1, from the web-page, from the previous lesson and from prior knowledge. Encourage pupils to work within their own language capabilities, expecting more technical terms from the more able.
On the worksheet chart, students list ways in which Mars is similar to Earth e.g.
Then they list ways in which Mars is different from Earth e.g.
They briefly confer with a partner or small group.
Students should understand that for Mars to be terraformed, many of the listed differences would need to be made into similarities.
Students divide into groups, each with a pack of coloured pens and a large sheet with a red circle representing Mars drawn upon it.
Teacher reminds them of the differences they have identified between Mars and Earth and asks them how they might turn the red planet into another blue one?
Students refer to the differences on their completed charts. This is a technical question, and students are not expected to give accurate answers, but to realise the immensity and complexity of the terraforming project. They may refer back to the Student Resource Sheet 1 for some ideas.
Students discuss and record their ideas on their paper – they could use drawings and diagrams as well as or instead of writing. Inform them of the time limit for this activity. Some groups may need teacher input.
Representatives from the groups share their suggestions with the rest of the class. It may be agreed that some ideas would be easier to execute than others.
Extension
NASA has a web-site explaining how Mars will initially be explored. Pupils may like to log on to http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/technology/index.html (Technologies that enable Mars exploration), to research how technology will provide answers to many questions about the real nature of Mars.
Teacher may suggest students also read the section entitled, Life detectors; new approaches for finding life. This could then initiate debate on the final worksheet question: ‘If life of any kind were to be found on Mars, would this stop humankind from developing the planet? Should it?’
More able students may like to investigate Earth to Mars flights, with implications for life support and pay load. Mention may be made of the need to avoid contamination by spores unwittingly carried by spacecraft.