United By Creativity • Mars Mission
Geology Investigation 3.2Mission 1 of 6
Evidence: 0
Mission Control Briefing
WHO CARVED THE CHANNEL ON MARS?
You are the planetary geology team. Your job is to analyze the final evidence and decide which geologic process is best supported: flowing water or flowing lava.
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ObserveLook closely at surface evidence.🪨
CompareConnect rock type to process.⚖️
Argue from EvidenceDefend a claim with reasoning.BriefingWarm-UpRock LabEvidenceGradientExit
Mission 1 • Warm-Up
What information would you want to collect from the surface of Mars to determine whether the channel was formed by lava or water?
BriefingWarm-UpRock LabEvidenceGradientExit
Mission 2 • Rock Identification Lab
Earth Samples: What clues do they hold?
Compare two rock types. Click each sample to reveal its formation clue.
Sample A
Conglomerate
Sample B
Basalt
Reveal both samples before moving on.
BriefingWarm-UpRock LabEvidenceGradientExit
Mission 3 • Curiosity Rover Transmission
New evidence has arrived.
The Curiosity rover photographed rock near the base of the triangle-shaped landform by the channel.
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SourceCuriosity rover image from the Martian surface📍
LocationNear the base of the triangle-shaped landform🪨
ObservationThe rock is identified as conglomerateWhich claim does this evidence best support?
Use the rock-type clues from the previous mission.
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Mission 4 • Evidence Gradient
How convincing is the evidence?
Drag Card F to the side it supports. Move it higher if you think it is more convincing, lower if you think it is weaker.
💧 CLAIM 1
Flowing water formed the channel.
Flowing water formed the channel.
🌋 CLAIM 2
Flowing lava formed the channel.
Flowing lava formed the channel.
CARD F • ROCK
Left side = Water
Higher placement means stronger evidence.
Higher placement means stronger evidence.
Right side = Lava
Lower placement means weaker evidence.
Lower placement means weaker evidence.
Drag Card F anywhere on the gradient.
BriefingWarm-UpRock LabEvidenceGradientExit
Mission 5 • Scientific Argument
Build your final explanation.
Complete the Claim → Evidence → Reasoning chain.
CLAIM
Which process is better supported?
Which process is better supported?
EVIDENCE
What did Curiosity find?
What did Curiosity find?
REASONING
Why does that evidence support your claim?
Why does that evidence support your claim?
Write all three parts before continuing.
BriefingWarm-UpRock LabEvidenceGradientExit
Mission 6 • Exit Ticket
Should space agencies continue exploring Mars for evidence of past habitability?
Remember: two characteristics discussed in this lesson are liquid water and an energy source such as the Sun.
MISSION COMPLETE
You analyzed evidence, compared geologic processes, and built an evidence-based explanation.
You analyzed evidence, compared geologic processes, and built an evidence-based explanation.
Evidence score
Choose a position and support it with evidence.