MarsQuest users can launch a spacecraft to Mars, explore its volcanoes and canyons, and solve mysteries about the search for life on the Red Planet. The major features of Mars are investigated through educational games, interactive simulations, challenging puzzles, and narrative descriptions. Teacher resources for classroom study are offered, as are archived and current images of the planet as obtained ... Full description.

This activity guide illustrates how teachers can use planetary comparisons between Earth and Mars to teach basic geologic activities - i.e. volcanoes, impact cratering, layering, river processes, and crosscutting relationships to help the students understand a planet's history. This lesson is using current science results, as it contains actual orbital data from the Mars Global Surveyor mission. The ... Full description.

This activity guide illustrates how teachers can use planetary comparisons between Earth and Mars to teach basic geologic activities - i.e. volcanoes, impact cratering, layering, river processes, and crosscutting relationships - to help students understand a planet's history. The lessons included in this activity use current science results, as it contains actual orbital data from the Mars Global ... Full description.

The Sleeping Mountain role playing scenario is part of the Starting Point Teaching Collection. In this scenario, students represent townspeople whose lives and livelihoods are endangered by an active volcano which may or may not erupt in the near future. They must debate whether to invest in or to abandon their town. The site outlines the roles and includes a description of the original, real volcano ... Full description.

This article discusses the possible occurrence of water in our solar system. Topics include the necessity of liquid water for life, distribution of water throughout the solar system, and the possibility that there may be liquid water on Mars or on some of Jupiter's moons. Full description.

This Nine Planets site highlights the history of spacecraft and discoveries they have made. It is divided into three categories that lead the user to specific mission information. Past Missions discusses the Luna, Mariner, Apollo, Pioneer, Venera, Viking, Voyager, Magellan, and Mars Observer. Ongoing Missions includes information about Voyager, Galileo, Hubble Space Telescope, Ulysses, Mars Surveyor ... Full description.

This interactive activity lets you explore the Gusev Crater on Mars in 3D. This is the landing site for the MER rover in January 2004. The 3D model was created using data from orbiting spacecraft. You can examine the surface from a distance, changing lighting to enhance features, and fly over the surface, looking for markers hidden in the terrain. Full description.

This interactive activity allows users to search for features in the Ares Valles floodplain on Mars. Looking at a large image of the floodplain, one tries to identify where small pieces of it are located. Informative feedback helps make the exercise fun as well as educational. Full description.

This resource is part of the Science Education Gateway (SEGway) project, funded by NASA, which is a national consortium of scientists, museums, and educators working together to bring the latest science to students, teachers, and the general public. In this module, students investigate the weather similarities and differences between Earth and Mars. Eight investigations allow students to use the internet ... Full description.

The Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI) offers a variety of thematic slide sets. Each set is accompanied by a written description of the images, a glossary, and a list of suggested reading material. Each image features a caption explaining what is being shown. Topics include space shuttle views of the Earth, volcanic features on earth and other worlds, wind-formed features and impact craters on Mars, ... Full description.