Back to Asteroids – Unit 3: Astrobiology
Asteroids – Unit 3 Lesson 4: Evidence of Life
In this lesson: First, students will examine a series of images to decide which images show evidence of life and which do not. Then, they will assemble and use FoldScopes to find evidence of microscopic life. Finally, students will apply all that they have learned in this unit to closely examine the life-science related mission goals for this year’s student challenge.
Lesson level question: How does NASA look for evidence of past or present life?
Engage
Students will share ideas about a series of images, first trying to decide if the image shows something alive or not alive, and then sorting them into alive, once alive, and not from life.
Explore
Students read and discuss an article about sand. Then, students assemble FOLD Scopes and use them to look for evidence of things that are alive, once-alive or not alive.
Explain
Students share the evidence they found with their foldscopes and discuss how what they saw helped them to decide if something was biotic or abiotic.
Elaborate
Students will consider all of the lessons in this unit as they re-examine the student challenge mission goals.
Evaluate
Students will create an explanation of the life-science mission goals (or why there are NOT any life-science mission goals) for inclusion in their MDLs.
Extend (optional)
Three options are provided.