Work Sheets
(MS word docs.)
Course outline and lesson plans
Solar System scale model cards
Sun scale card (print it, cut it, stick it)
Lesson 1 Earth's Magnetic Shield resources
Lesson 2 Mission to Mars resources
Lesson 3 Magnetic Sun resources
Other resources
Scaling the Solar System (word doc.)
Pinhead Solar System (word doc)
Solar system model spreadsheet (MS Excel) from the Clark Foundation
Mission to Mars is a role play linked to monitoring near-real-time data of the solar wind via the ACE satellite. We have developed a series of four lessons centred around 'space magnetism' for year 8 students (12-13 year-olds). These lessons follow a module on electricity and magnetism. Mission to Mars opens the series and continues as a homework assignment.
This stunning image from the Mars Global Surveyor Mars Orbiter Camera show you your destination. Click on the image for a more detailed view.
Image courtesy of NASA/JPL/Malin Space Science Systems
NASA has lots of experience with non-manned missions to Mars. Our simulated mission needs to speed up the journey so that it takes a week or two rather than the 10 months that Global Surveyor took.
You can take down near-real time data on the solar wind directly from the ACE observatory, orbiting 1.5 million km away from us.
ACE will data-log information on the solar wind for you. The charts below are 2hr sweeps. 24hr and 7 day records are also available
ACE will data-log information on the solar wind for you. The charts above are 2hr sweeps. 24hr and 7 day records are also available
The Goddard Institute for Space Studies' Mars 24 Applet will help you see what Mars looks like as you travel out to it. It will also show you the relative orbits of Earth and Mars.
MISSION TO MARS LINKS
Find the position of Mars relative to Earth and the current conditions on the planet:
For current space weather conditions from ACE:
Direct links to ACE data:
ACE Solar Wind Plots - Previous
2 hours,
24 hours,
and
7 days.
ACE Magnetometer - Previous
2 hours,
24 hours,
and
7 days.
ACE Electron Plots - Previous
2 hours,
24 hours,
and
7 days.
ACE Proton Plots - Previous
2 hours,
24 hours,
and
7 days.
For more details of the NASA Mars missions:
For maps and images:
