Today we learned a bit more about Mars and watched a NASA Rover landing (can be seen here)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRCIzZHpFtY&feature=related&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1&safe=active. Then students imagined that they were going to Mars alone to benefit the scientific community. Students were asked to describe what the seven month long travel getting to Mars was like, then the landing, and finally what life was like for them while they were on Mars. Students posted their work in our message board to share with others.
Students sharing their work:
Here is just one amazing example:
By
Sherlyn K
Mission to Mars
Boom, boom, boom. My feet echo on the floor of the rocket. For the first time, NASA is sending a human being to Mars. As I get into the rocket, I put on my space suit. I must admit, it looks pretty silly, but I would rather stay alive then look like a giant white pillow. 7 months in space, then never going to come back again. I make my way up to the top of the rocket where I see lots of flashing lights everywhere. Luckily, I am trained to know every button on the rocket. Then, I hear the countdown. 20, 19, 18, 17, 16… I quickly strap my seatbelt on me, making sure they are not loose. “Make sure to not crash the plane. If it is injured, the plane has a slight chance of crashing.” That’s reassuring I think in my head “6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0!!! Loud noises bounce off of my space helmet. In just a little time, I have reached the outside of the atmosphere. I get connected to the scientists down on Earth telling me to prepare for the engines to break down. 7 months, 7 full months.
After 7 months of my life, gone like the wind, I finally see the red, brown, and orange planet. “It looks amazing” I say but then a retched thought comes to my mind. I won’t be going back, so don’t get used to this. I have to keep my mind focused on the thought of science. I will be landing in 5 minutes. Then, I shall be recorded into history, “The first lady to land on Mars!” I suddenly feel a shake around in rocket. Uh oh, that did not sound good. Oh snap, a meteor just hit my window shield. All of the air in my rocket was slowly being sucked out into the atmosphere. Thank goodness I have my space suit on! But of course something else goes wrong. The buttons start malfunctioning and it is breaking down. I try to seal the hole with duct tape hoping that it will help it. And to my luck, it works!
Have you ever thought that landing on Mars you never want to forget. Well trust me, you want to forget. You are being sucked into the atmosphere faster than you were blasted off! I saw my life flash before my eyes. I immediately push the button to activate my parachute. It may have slowed me down, but only a little bit. My rocket’s jets turned on as it tries to soften my landing. Then, the inflatable cushions poof out puffier then my space suit. Then I bounce on the ground several times. My head crashing against the ceiling, then flipping upside down. I feel my stomach lurching. You do not want to throw up in your space suit because it stays in your suit. I tell myself I will not. Finally, my door opens and I see the incredible, amazing… desert land. If you ask me, nothing is really amazing about this place. I get off my rocket. As I do, I could feel myself floating. Hanging in midair I place my first step onto Mars!
I get connection from the base on Earth and I hear them all cheering. They told me to pick up some samples of rocks and some Mars space dust. I take some amazing pictures and send them back to Earth. I have made history!! I am the first woman on Mars!!! Tbc…
