Lesson Plan - Mars on Earth

Watch a Video
Watch the video “Blast Off to Mars!” and ask: What have scientists learned about Mars from past missions to the planet?

Preview Words to Know
Project the online vocabulary slideshow and introduce the Words to Know.

• simulate
• isolation

Set a Purpose for Reading
As students read, have them consider whether they would want to spend a year on Mars.

1. Why does the author point out that the CHAPEA base was built using a 3-D printer?
The author points out that the CHAPEA base was built using a 3-D printer to show one way NASA is trying to simulate a stay on Mars. On an actual mission to Mars, astronauts would have to use 3-D printers to build their home base.
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2. The article says that the CHAPEA team is facing some of the same problems astronauts on Mars would face. Describe two examples.
Sample response: The CHAPEA team does not have easy access to fresh fruits and vegetables, so they have to grow their own, just like astronauts on Mars would have to do. The CHAPEA volunteers also have to wait more than 40 minutes for a response from NASA when they have a question—just as astronauts on Mars would.
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3. What is the section “Far From Home” mostly about?
The section “Far From Home” is mostly about how NASA is monitoring how the CHAPEA volunteers are getting along with one another in the small space and how they are dealing with isolation from family and friends. 
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Featured Skill: Reading a Timeline
Use the skill builder “Next Stop, Mars!” to note key missions in the history of NASA’s Mars exploration. Guide students to understand that other space agencies (those of China, the European Union, India, Russia, and the United Arab Emirates) have also explored Mars; their missions are not included in this timeline.
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