Our Solar System Neighbor

Overview

In this introductory lesson, kindergarten students meet Mars — Earth’s neighbor in the solar system. Through guided observation of NASA images and hands-on comparison activities, students begin to understand that Mars is a real place with features both similar to and different from Earth.

Background for Teachers

Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun, roughly half the diameter of Earth. Its distinctive red-orange color comes from iron oxide (rust) in its surface soil. Mars has seasons, polar ice caps, and weather patterns, making it the most Earth-like planet in our solar system. When humans reach Mars, they will find a world with familiar features — mountains, valleys, and clouds — alongside striking differences like a thin atmosphere and lower gravity.

Lesson Procedure

Warm-Up (10 minutes)

1. Show students a globe or image of Earth. Ask: “What planet do we live on?”
2. Display a large NASA image of Mars. Ask: “Has anyone heard of this planet?”
3. Introduce Mars as “Earth’s neighbor” — the next planet over from us in the solar system.

Guided Observation (15 minutes)

1. Display side-by-side images of Earth and Mars.
2. Create a T-chart on chart paper labeled “Earth” and “Mars.”
3. Guide students through observations:
   • Color: “What colors do you see on Earth? What colors do you see on Mars?”
   • Surface: “Can you see water on Earth? Do you see water on Mars?”
   • Shape: “What shape are both planets?”
4. Record student observations on the T-chart.

Key Facts to Share

• Mars is called the “Red Planet” because its soil contains iron that has rusted.
• Mars is smaller than Earth — if Earth were a basketball, Mars would be a softball.
• Mars has the tallest mountain in our entire solar system, called Olympus Mons.
• Scientists send robots called rovers to explore Mars and take pictures for us.

Creative Activity (15 minutes)

Students draw “My Picture of Mars” using what they learned:

• Provide red, orange, and brown crayons or paint
• Encourage students to include surface features they observed (rocks, mountains, sky)
• Students can add a rover if they wish

Wrap-Up (5 minutes)

1. Have 2-3 students share their drawings and one fact they learned.
2. Revisit the T-chart. Ask: “What is one way Mars is like Earth? What is one way it is different?”
3. Preview: “Next time, we will learn more about what it is like on Mars!”

Assessment

• Formative: Student participation in T-chart observations
• Product: “My Picture of Mars” drawing demonstrates understanding of Mars’s appearance
• Exit question: “Tell me one thing about Mars” (verbal response)

NGSS Alignment

• K-ESS1-1: Use observations of the sun, moon, and stars to describe patterns
• K-PS2-1: Plan and conduct an investigation to compare the effects of different strengths or different directions of pushes and pulls on the motion of an object (connection to rover exploration)

Extensions

• Read Me and My Place in Space by Joan Sweeney or similar age-appropriate space book
• Create a class “Mars Facts” bulletin board that grows throughout the unit
• Watch a short video clip of a Mars rover moving on the surface (NASA JPL public videos)