Monica Santander
Professor Mogul
CHM 400
June 7, 2010
EXTREMophiles!
Grade Level: 7th
Subject: Astrobiology; analogous models and life on other planets
Materials/Props (optional): volcanic rocks, soda (salt beds), and quartz to pass around
California State Science Standards Addressed:
Focus on Life Sciences
1. Cell Biology
All living organisms are composed of cells, from just one to many trillions, whose details
usually are visible only through a microscope. As a basis for understanding this concept:
a. Students know cells function similarly in all living organisms
f. Students know that as multicellular organisms develop, their cells differentiate.
4. Earth and Life History (Earth Science)
a. Students know Earth processes today are similar to those that occurred in the past and
low geologic processes have large cumulative efforts over long periods of time
6. Physical Principles of Living Systems
f. Students know light can be reflected, refracted, transmitted, and absorbed by matter.
Overall Goal:
Students will learn through a series of questioning, sharing answers with other students,
videos/simulations, photographs, and lecturing about astrobiology through the concept of
extremophiles on Earth in extreme environments and the analogy to life on Mars and related
topics.
Anticipatory Set:
Students will be asked if they have ever been to places like Yellowstone National Park,
Mono Lake, a desert, or seen a volcano. After this inquiry, students will then be asked to write
down some sites or places that they have been to or have heard about that are characteristic of
having extreme conditions (very hot, very cold, very dry, and so on). Students may also be
asked to write down extreme conditions around them on a daily basis or where they live (in the
kitchen, our bodies, etc.). After giving students enough time to think about these instances and
write them down on a piece of paper (or in their journals), they will be asked to exchange their
papers/journals with their answers with a neighbor or fellow group member. After this
exchange, students will be called upon to read their classmate’s answers. After asking about 7 or
more different students an average idea can be inferred upon. The common answers can be
discussed, and less conspicuous extreme environments can be addressed and introduced by the
instructor.
Students would then be asked to say what they would consider to be an ideal environment
for them. What temperature, climate (sunny? breezy?), and geography makes them
comfortable/do they like? After they answer, then lead them into the question, “What about
living in boiling water? Or acidic water? In your stomach? Or in a Volcanic vent? Pictures and
videos of these environments, such as geysers, volcanic activity, or acid corrosion may be shown
for the emphasis of these environments and how deadly/extreme it would be for us. Then
proceed to asking, “what could possibly live in these kind of environments? Do you think that
these organisms are small or large? Do you think they are only unicellular?” leading into the
first objective.
Objective 1: What are extremophiles?
-Anticipatory: Have them write down what they think are examples of things that can live in
extreme environments. Have them pass their answers around and share them.
-Common examples of extremophiles microbes (Bacteria and Archae). Mostly unicellular, but
there are multicellular organisms. Not just prokaryotic, but also eukaryotic.
-break down the roots of the word. Extreme- being of a highest intensity and –phile affinity
“extreme lovers”
Objective 2: What are types of extreme environments here on earth?
-high salinity, high/low pH, high/low temperature, high/low pressure, etc.
-Video: on a polyextremophile, the “water bear”
-Physical example/Props: hypoliths; pass around quartz and explain the process of cyanobacteria
receiving light through the quartz through refraction and photosynthesis process, and how this is
beneficial to them in extreme environments; emphasis the inconspicuousness of extremophiles.
-Video: hot springs and hydothermal vents to show them a palpable idea of these environments
Objective 3: What is Mars’ Environment Like?
-Anticipatory: Ask students what they think it is like and to describe Mars
-Explain that mars is like a dry frozen desert
Objective 4: How Similar are Earth and Mars?
-Anticipatory: Ask students how similar they think Earth is to Mars
-Video Simulation: Compare Earth and Mars: both have large polar caps (show a video that
compares this), similar rotational axis and therefore similar seasons (show a video that compares
this), carbon, nitrogen, and water (but not liquid), magnetic field of Earth and therefore thicker
environment, mars is colder, and so on.
Objective 5: Life on Mars?
-Evidence of there having once been liquid water, maybe even oceans, which is necessary for all
living things
-similarity of time span of early life on Earth and Mars with liquid water.
-explaining the loss of Mars’ atmosphere and how atmosphere is in conjunction with warming
(like global warming) and how water would need that to be liquid.
-recycling atmosphere due to plate tectonics on Earth
Objective 6/Closure: Explaining astrobiology work/Spaceward Bound
-show pictures of cave exploring and sampling
-showing students how science is not merely just working in a lab for hours, but can be fun and
you can go out there in the field.
-explain terraforming, thermography, cave searching.
Monica Santander
CHM 400
Dr. Mogul
June 7, 2010
Reflection Statement: Spaceward Bound Teaching Experience
After having the opportunity to experience and learn astrobiological topics with palpable
demonstrations alongside planetary scientists in the field, I was given the opportunity to take my
experiences into the classroom and promote NASA’s aim to initiate a greater encouragement and
inspiration to students for exploration and astrobiology. I went to Ramona Middle School to
present a lesson plan for 7th grade biology honors students in Mr. John Burns’ class. Upon
preparation for this task, I was worried about the bridge between students being young but not
nearly so young as elementary school students and how extensively I would have to break
particular topics down. Despite this perceived challenge, the lesson plan went fairly well, and
there wasn’t nearly as much of a problem as anticipated.
My presentation was on extremophiles where my emphasis was on students learning
through a series of questioning, sharing answers with other students, videos/simulations,
photographs, and lecturing about astrobiology through this concept of extremophiles on Earth in
extreme environments and the analogy to life on Mars and related topics. I created a power point
based around all of this, with particular pictures, links, questions, and lesson geared around
sections broken down usually initiated by a new set of questions each time.
Anticipatory questions were key in understanding student perceptions of a particular
topic, and then challenging their perceptions; the questioning not only allowed me to understand
their understanding, but it allowed the students themselves to think about the topic and
reevaluate their thoughts on it upon introduction of other ideas. I focused an introduction mostly
on questions, such as whether they had encountered certain places and certain extreme
environments before, inviting open suggestions and dialogue. A follow up on that included
having students write down extreme environments they could think of and trade with neighbors
to see what other students said, and also to be less shy about sharing answers if it were their own.
I then proceeded to challenge students by naming other extreme environments they may have not
readily thought about. I then asked them what kind of environment they found to be ideal for
them; this excited them, of course, as they were able to speak their opinions about their favorite
weather, and so on. I think proceeded to ask them if they would like to live in boiling water or
stomach acid. They found that to be amusing and absolutely disagreed with living in those
conditions. I then asked them what if other living things could live in those conditions, and
challenged the relativity of a comfortable and ideal perception. This led into the lesson of
explaining what an extremophile was.
In explaining extremophiles, I connected the roots of the word to the description, and
showed pictures. I then proceeded to talk about extreme environments. I passed around some
salt (soda) and volcanic rocks as tangible parts of extreme environments for the students to hold
as I explained these environments. I had to explain what pH was since they had not learned that
yet, but I think they were able to grasp an understanding with real life examples of acidity. I also
showed videos of volcanic activity, geysers, and hydrothermal vents to emphasize the extremity
of these environments. I proceeded to explain hypoliths like cyanobacteria in relation to quartz
and photosynthetic process as we passed around a quartz rock; they found this to be interesting
and unexpected that this photosynthetic (which, not being a plant, was also interesting to them)
organism was functioning under a rock.
Coming to the second half of the presentation, when we started talking about comparing
Earth to Mars and the possibility of life on Mars, students became very inquisitive. I showed
video simulations of the similar rotational tilt and similar seasons, though this seemed slightly
difficult to communicate since they hadn’t all learned that yet. The most difficult part was
explaining why Mars lost its atmosphere and how the atmosphere affects the temperature and
how temperature affects there being liquid water. Using the concept of global warming did help
the students understand the concept better, and if anything, perhaps also taught them a little bit
more on how global warming works.
In conclusion, middle school students were not nearly as difficult to devise a lesson plan
for as I had thought. They were able to grasp a good understanding of the things they hadn’t
learned about yet. This group definitely likes hands on things. More so, the idea of Mars having
life definitely does bring many questions to students. I feel like I was prepared with information,
but I don’t feel that I was prepared nearly enough to be able to explain these concepts of life on
Mars to students and break it down in simple terms. Some concepts were quite challenging in a
break down to a level they could understand, and there were several topics in biology they were
barely learning about.