Activity

Packing for a L-o-o-o-ng Trip to Mars

Curated and Reviewed by Lesson Planet
This Packing for a L-o-o-o-ng Trip to Mars activity also includes:

Pack just enough to fit. Crews determine what personal items to take with them on a trip to Mars. Each team must decide what to take with them on a two-and-a-half year trip to Mars and whether their items will fit within the allotted storage area of one cubic meter. Classmates create a scale drawing as viewed from the top, bottom, and all four sides of the objects packed into one meter cubed box and then explain how they decided what to take and what to leave behind.

6 Views 8 Downloads NGSS: Adaptable
Additional Tags
Instructional Ideas
  • Have class members sketch 3-D objects from different perspectives: top, front, and side
  • Lead a discussion of why objects with a sum of a volume of one meter cubed may not fit in a box that has a volume of one cubic meter
Classroom Considerations
  • Individuals should be able to calculate volume
Pros
  • Includes a link to find out more information about Mars exploration
  • Contains a list of facts about a trip to Mars
Cons
  • None