The following activities were either undertaken during the field experience or are recommended for further exploring astrobiology in the classroom. Most are tried and true! Others are more … experimental! If you have activities to recommend, please let us know!
Teaser
Developing Criteria for Recognizing Life (Soil/Alka-Seltzer Experiment)
From the Fingerprints of Life curriculum
Further Exploration
Origins: How Life Began - learn about the characteristics that define an organism
Hypersaline Activities
Extreme Salinity - Version 1 (Dilution) (pdf) - determine the saline concentration limits at which hypersaline organisms can live by modifying the salinity concentration of several brine samples from a natural hypersaline environment
Extreme Salinity - Verson 2 (Dilution and Concentration) (pdf)
Information and images of some of the organisms you may see can be found at the micro*scope Web site.
Spectrometer Activities
"Seeing” Infrared Light - A Classroom Demonstration - ‘see' infrared light, normally invisible to the human eye, as a continuation of the visible rainbow spectrum
The spectrometers and activity books are available for sale or loan through LPI's Order Department.
Origins: Where are the Aliens? - learn how planetary spectra can be used to search for life on other worlds and analyze a mystery planet's spectrum for potential signs of life
Hot Springs Activities
Temperature Extremes (PDF) - determine the temperature limits at which thermophilic organisms can live by moniroting activity in samples from a natural hydrothermal environment that are exposed to increasingly warm temperatures
Information and images of some of the organisms you may see can be found at the micro*scope Web site.
Testing and Culturing for Life - test for microbial life in soil using turbidity
Fingerprints of Life: It's Just Right - experiment to find a range of tolerance in a simple test with yeast. The yeast cultures are immersed in hot and cold water and activity is measured by balloon inflation.
Planetary Conditions
TERC's Life on Earth … And Elsewhere? - offers activities in which students learn about the requirements for life and contrast these with the conditions on other planetary bodies in our solar system. The curriculum also offers a activity that explores the Drake Equation. Helpful in making planetary connections.
Planetary Processes
Relative Dating of Planetary Surfaces
Impact Craters - Holes in the Ground or ImpactCraters