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In this activity, learners analyze a fictionalized report of life on Mars, based on a real NASA satellite photo, and explore how to separate scientific fact from fiction. Learners practice using critical thinking to tell the difference between science and pseudoscience, and discover the role of photography—and its accurate, fact-based interpretation—in the study of planets beyond Earth. This activity can be found on pages 6-7 of the activity guide. [Activity is publicly available through a web crawler capture on Archive.org.]
- 10 to 30 minutes
- 30 to 45 minutes
- 1 cent - $1 per student
- Ages 11 - adult
- Activity
- English
Quick Guide
Materials List (per student)
- Worksheet: Message From Mars
- pencils or pens
- sheets of writing paper
Subjects
-
Earth and Space Science
-
Astronomy
- Probes, Satellites and Spacecraft
-
Astronomy
-
The Nature of Science
-
The Scientific Process
- Formulating Explanations
- Communicating Results
-
The Scientific Process
Audience
To use this activity, learners need to:
- see
- read
Learning styles supported:
- Involves teamwork and communication skills
- Uses STEM to solve real-world problems
Other
Access Rights:
- Free access
By:
Source Collection
- Science After School Consumer's Guide
Rights:
- All rights reserved, TERC, 2007
Funding Sources:
- NASA, NAS5-26555
- National Science Foundation, NSF 9730728