Mars –
Our New Home?
Think carefully about each question, and use evidence from the texts to support your conclusions. Write your answers in full sentences, and use explanations and examples where needed.
Surface Level: Find the Answer in the Text
- What are some similarities between Earth and Mars?
| Mars and Earth both share a few similarities like how they both rotate once every 24 hours,both have seasons and weather, volcanoes and they also both have polar ice caps but those are just some examples of the similarities between the 2 planets. |
- Humans would find it challenging to live on Mars without what?
| Without food, water, shelter and more resources that are necessary for survival, it would make it more challenging to live on Mars. Since Mars has such thin air, there is barely any oxygen which would also result in more challenges. |
- What are the 3 things that the article says are making our planet Earth unlivable?
| Pollution, climate change, and the overuse of natural resources are the 3 things that are making Earth unlivable everyday. |
Inference: Use Clues from the Text to Think of an Answer
- Explain in your own words why scientists are exploring the possibility of a move to Mars?
| While life arose and evolved on Earth, Mars had experienced climate change. Scientists are interested in the history of water on Mars because they want to understand how life would’ve survived and also to understand climate change in the present, past, and the causes of it over time. |
- What are some challenges that humans would face if there was a move to Mars?
| There are some difficulties that humans would face if there was a move to Mars like oxygen and water. Since the oxygen in Mars is so thin, it’ll make it riskier and the lack of water. |
- Why do you think plants will be so important to the terraforming of Mars?
| Because the large amount of carbon dioxide could be used by those plants during photosynthesis to convert the atmosphere into oxygen making Mars more suitable for survival. |
Unfamiliar Words: Clarifying Language that may cause Misunderstanding
| Word | Sentence from the text | Definition |
| Enthusiast | “A planet called Mars, located 342 million kilometres away from Earth, has captured the imagination of scientists and space enthusiasts alike.” | Someone who is very interested in a certain thing like an activity or object. |
| Potential | “Mars holds the potential for us to explore and perhaps even call it our new home someday.” | Someone’s or something’s ability to achieve or develop. |
| Abundant | “While Earth is beautiful and abundant, we must face the reality that our actions are harming our planet.” | A lot of something/material. |
| Generate | “We would need to find ways to grow food, create sustainable habitats, and generate the resources necessary for survival.” | To produce. To bring something into existence. |
Global Inferencing: Making Connections between the Text and the Wider World
Would you want to be one of the first people living on Mars?
Come up with solid reasons for your choice, and provide evidence, and examples to support your reasons.
| I’d like to be one of the first people to be on Mars because I want to experience new things and see things that you wouldn’t normally see here on earth. I wanna be able to see Mars before anyone else because what if Mars changes after people start coming on? I also want to be the first person on Mars because I think it would be interesting to experience Mars without anyone else telling me about it. Like if somebody has seen Mars and told you what it looks like. It’s like trying something new everyday and I’d like to experience it for the first time without knowing anything about it. I want to be one of the firsts because I think the concept of living on Mars is fascinating so i think it’d be pretty cool to be one of the firsts. |
