Earth To Mars

Earth to Mars- Traits for Survival (3rd Grade) In this unit, students will investigate the environmental conditions that typically support life, as well as extreme environments where special adaptations enable some organisms’ survival (extremophiles). Then, students will use their understanding of life-supporting environments and extremophiles to develop an argument for where life might be found on non-Earth planets. They will take an interdisciplinary approach to investigating science ideas about habitat fitness and astrobiology. They will develop literature and math skills along with meeting science standards. Lesson 1: Signs of Life Students carry out an investigation and make predictions about what would happen if the needs of an organism change. They ask questions and obtain information about what life needs while exploring their school grounds. They analyze and interpret to identify patterns about habitats and the needs these supply to different animals. They investigate the essential question: What is life and what does it need to survive? This lesson focuses on NGSS standard 3-LS4-3. Construct an argument with evidence that in a particular habitat some organisms can survive well, some survive less well, and some cannot survive at all. This lesson also focuses on Nevada Visual Arts Standards: VA:Cn10.3.1 Develop a work of art based on observations of surroundings. VA:Cr3.3.1 Elaborate visual information by adding details in an artwork to enhance emerging meaning. VA:Pr5.3.1 Identify exhibit space and prepare works from the portfolio, including artists’ statements, for presentation and preservation. Lesson 2: Amazing Adaptations Students question the reason why different organisms have characteristics unique to them. They examine how these characteristics, called adaptations, help support their survival in their environments. Students will investigate and collect data on multiple organisms, including those specific to Nevada’s deserts. They also learn that traits can be influenced by environments. Students will construct explanations relating to the cause-effect concept that when organisms are not having their needs met (or met in differently than others), then the physical traits might change. This lesson focuses on NGSS standards: 3-LS4-3. Construct an argument with evidence that in a particular habitat some organisms can survive well, some survive less well, and some cannot survive at all. 3-LS3-2. Use evidence to support the explanation that traits can be influenced by the environment. Lesson 3: Our Search for Life Students create an argument from evidence about where scientists might search for life or evidence of life on Mars. They will synthesize what they have learned from the first two lessons to construct an explanation that includes where they might search for evidence of life and what type of life they might search for. They will identify patterns in life-supporting environments and determine the right organism for an environment through their understanding of adaptations through the lens of structure and function. Students will answer the essential question: How do we use what we know about Earth organisms to look for evidence of life on other planets? This lesson focuses on NGSS standards: 3-LS4-3. Construct an argument with evidence that in a particular habitat some organisms can survive well, some survive less well, and some cannot survive at all. 3-LS3-2. Use evidence to support the explanation that traits can be influenced by the environment.