GRADE LEVEL GUIDE
GRADES 3-5
IOWA CORE CONNECTIONS TO FACING MARS
SCIENCE
• Earth and Space
– Understand and apply knowledge of properties and uses of Earth materials
– Understand and apply knowledge of weather and weather patterns
– U nderstand and apply knowledge of the properties, movements and locations of
objects in our solar system
• Life Science
– U nderstand and apply knowledge of organisms and their environments
• Physical Science
– U nderstand and apply knowledge of how to describe and identify substances based
on characteristic properties
– Understand and apply knowledge of sound, light, electricity, magnetism and heat
– Understand and apply knowledge of how forces are related to an object’s motion
SOCIAL STUDIES
• Behavioral Sciences
– U nderstand the influences on individual and group behavior and group decision-making
– U nderstand how personality and socialization impact the individual
– U nderstand current social issues to determine how the individual formulates opinions
and responds to issues
• Geography
– U nderstand the use of geographic tools to locate and analyze information about
people, places and environments
LESSON PLANS AND RESOURCES
MAKE SCALE MODELS OF THE PLANETS
MAKE A MODEL SOLAR SYSTEM
FIND MARS IN THE NIGHT-TIME SKY
These are three interactive activities exploring the size and scale of the solar system as well as
tips on observing the night sky.
http://marsprogram.jpl.nasa.gov/education/modules/GS/GS75-84.pdf
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(cont. 3-5 Lesson Plans)
THE HUBBLE DEEP FIELD ACADEMY
Use methods real astronomers use to count, describe, identify and measure the distance of
galaxies and stars in the Hubble Ultra Deep Field image.
http://amazing-space.stsci.edu/resources/explorations/hdf/
MARTIAN MAP ROOM
You can help NASA organize the thousands of photos taken of Mars. Help by counting
craters, mapping the surface or by tagging photos.
http://beamartian.jpl.nasa.gov/maproom#/WhyMapMars
3…2…1…PUFF!
Students will construct small “indoor” paper rockets, determine their flight stability and
launch them by blowing air through a drinking straw.
http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/topnav/materials/listbytype/3_2_1_
Puff.html
CHALLENGES OF SPACEWALKING WITH PEGGY WHITSON
Watch as astronaut and Iowa native Peggy Whitson discusses a real problem she encountered
during a spacewalk. See if you can choose the correct “fix” for this problem that astronauts
faced while spacewalking.
http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/topnav/materials/listbytype/
Challenges_Peggy_Whitson.html
SPACE FOOD AND NUTRITION
Space food research meets the challenge of providing food that tastes good and travels well
in space. The activities in this NASA educator guide emphasize hands-on and cooperative
involvement of students as they explore the unique problems of keeping astronauts happy and
healthy in space.
http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/topnav/materials/listbytype/Space_
Food_and_Nutrition_Educator_Guide.html
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