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How to Make a Science Project on the Planet Mars

Using recent missions to Mars for a science project encourages children to think about factors that affects the dry planet's surface. These kinds of activities give children a chance to consider factors that have relevance in real life, which is important for attracting children's interest. Throughout history, the surface of Mars has attracted attention and there has been speculations about Martian canals and vegetation. Yet, it took at long time before the true character of the surface on this dry planet was revealed. Recent missions have searched for liquid and studied the mysterious ice caps

Things You'll Need

Clay or other sculpting material
Paint

Instructions

- 1
  Obtain a number of 3D photos taken of the icecaps on Mars. Use the photos to sculpt a model over the surface at the icecaps. Sculpt the model using your material of choice, for example, clay.
  
  Sculpt your medium of choice into a sphere. Whether you use papier-mache, clay or harder materials, work the surface into a balanced, spherical shape.
- 2
  Use recent photos to see how the ice caps are changing on Mars. NASA (nasa.gov/mission_pages/mars/main/index.html) has daily updates with photos from recent missions. Discuss the processes by which this might be accomplished, such as planetary warming -- similar to what's happening on Earth. Explore differences and similarities to warming on Earth. There are no known life forms on Mars and this suggests that changes in planetary climates could be a natural process.
- 3
  For another project, use photos of craters and volcanoes on Mars to discuss the impact on debris from space. Search for photos of the same crater from different angles and compare. Find photos of craters with craters on top of the crater and a map where the craters are located. Most of the craters are found in high terrain whereas the surface on the lowlands are smooth and free of craters. Discuss how the surface can be so different in the highlands as compared to the lowlands. The highlands craters have older surfaces and volcanoes in the lowlands have helped to smooth the surface. Use a large cardboard paper and draw two big circles, making a 2D representation of Mars. Map the craters on the cardboard.
- 4
  Find photos of a Martian dust storm and discuss what the surface on Mars is like, since there are dust storms. The storms can be so big that they would blanked every continent at once on Earth. Ask children to paint a visualization of a dust storm on Mars.
- 5
  Use recent discoveries related to water findings on Mars to explore the importance of water for life. Let children write a story about life on Mars.

Astronomy