Mars Soil Testing STEM Mission (pH, Acids, Bases)
This STEM challenge is an out of this world scientific inquiry mission that begins with a breaking news story about life found on Mars! Challenge your students with the mission of determining which given soil sample is from Mars.
Grades: Kindergarten - 5th
Teaching Duration: 1 hour
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lesson overview
This STEM challenge is an out of this world scientific inquiry mission that begins with a breaking news story about life found on Mars! Challenge your students with the mission of determining which given soil sample is from Mars. Led by a fictitious "Astronaut Alex" mission commander, they will test their soil samples using a pH indicator, analyze their data, and follow up with related math problems. Student worksheets are provided.
Topics covered in Mars Soil Testing STEM Mission:
* Making observations
* pH Testing
* Acids & Bases
* Spectroscopy
* Numerical Representations & Relationships and Computations & Algebraic Relations
(1) Soil pH Testing: Students test soil samples using a red cabbage pH indicator.
(2)Math Extension Problems: Students use comparative language and >.<, = to compare a given test sample's components. Then students must solve algebraic equations related to the test sample.