NASA is working on sending humans to Mars in the 2030s. The planet is similar to Earth. Future exploration could uncover evidence of life and answer the question: Does life exist beyond Earth?

Earth is only one of the planets in our solar system. There are seven other planets that also orbit our Sun.

If you are able, print the sheet below and have a go at learning the planets names and colouring them correctly.https://www.twinkl.co.uk/resource/t-t-11408-planet-read-and-colour-worksheet

Continue watching from 7min 20https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9oNmSK5jq_c&list=PLmTANLv-GyXUyTXBry-z8MgPqg2-mX8D4&index=2&t=0s

Can you make your own pocket Solar system like in the YouTube video above?

QuestionsCan you order the planets?Which planet is the biggest?Which planets are made from gas?Can you think of a mnemonic to help you remember the order?Here's one if you need help.Many Vile Earthlings Munch Jam Sandwiches Under Newspapers

The planet Mars is our

closest neighbour. At some points in our orbit, Mars is only

55 million km away

At times when the orbit of Mars brings it close to the Earthit can be clearly seen in the night sky.

2020 will be an exciting one, for Mars!The excitement will build slowly, though. In May 2020 you’ll still find Mars bright before dawn. We’ll be rushing along in our smaller, faster orbit, trying to catch up with Mars. As northern summer 2020 approaches, Mars will begin to change. It’ll brighten more dramatically as, finally, Earth begins to close in on Mars. The red planet will appear brightest in our sky and fiery red when Earth passes between Mars and the sun on October 13, 2020.

Mars is sometimes called the Red Planet. This is because most of thesurface of Mars is covered in a thick layer of iron oxide dust. This is thesame metal as a rusty car! It gives the planet a reddish appearance.

Photo courtesy of Kevin Gill (@flickr.com) - granted under creative commons licence - attribution

Mars has a lot of similarities to Earth:• A day on Mars is 24 hours and 39 minutes long, almost the

same length as a day on Earth.

• Mars has seasons, clouds and weather, just as we do on this planet.

• Like Earth, Mars has ice caps at the North and South Poles, and thesurface of the planet is covered in mountains, volcanoesand canyons.

The weather on Mars is more similar to that on Earth than any other planet;• Mars is farther away from the Sun than we are, so parts of the planet can get very cold.• In summer, on the warmest part of the planet, temperatures can reach up to 20˚C. This is

about as warm as it is in the UK in July!• Mars often has huge dust storms with high speed winds. These dust storms are powered

by the Sun and can grow to enormous proportions sending dust miles into the atmosphereand covering much of the planet. Some storms are so big they can be seen by amateurastronomers on Earth.

Write a weather forecast for a day on Mars?Use these websites for inspiration...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpBuaU5OPi8https://mars.nasa.gov/insight/weather/

Your task is to design and build a parachute to help the rover land on Mars.Watch Maddie Moate to help you with your ideas

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpksrHQwjAg&list=PLmTANLv-GyXUyTXBry-z8MgPqg2-mX8D4&index=4

Things to consider

-Think about the materials used-Did you need to change anything? (when we did this at home, we needed to change the parachute size)- Are you happy with your design?- Would you like to change anything?

ArtHave a go at drawing your own astronaut! Follow the link for step-by-step instructions:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjnRYnSEuG4

As gravity is less in space, astronauts don’t use their muscles as they do on Earth so they get weaker. During training, astronauts take part in strength and agility exercises to prepare their body for space.

Follow these instructions to train like an astronaut…• Create an Agility Astro-Course like the one in the picture

(or whatever you can manage in the space you have). If you don’t have any cones you can use other objects to run around.

• Remember to get your body warmed up before you start and cool-down once you’ve finished.

• Lie face-down on the ground at the starting point. • When time starts, jump to your feet and run the course to the

finish.• Complete the course as quickly as possible. • Don't touch or knock over any cones. • Touching or knocking over a cone is a 2 second penalty

added to your completed time.• Record your final time.• Record any penalties that you got.• Rest at least one minute.• Return to the line, repeat the Astro-Course at least three

times, following the same directions as the first time.• Continue to practice improving your movements, accuracy and

time.

Space Adventure

• Learn the different moves for the following space related words.

Spacewalk – slow like an astronaut

Alien walk – funny walk

Spinning planets – stand and spin

Meteor – sit and spin

Star – star shape

Planet –make yourself into a ball

Rocket – run fast

Moon Walk – giant steps

• Ask a family member to call them out and see if you can remember the moves.

• Can the family member speed up the calls? Can the family member try to catch you out?

Black hole

• Find and empty a toy storage box. This is going to be a Black Hole in Space!

• Place the box in the middle of the room and standing around the edge of the room, try to throw the ‘space matter’ (soft teddies or pairs of rolled up socks) into the ‘Black Hole’.

• How many can you get into the box?

• Can you beat your own score on your second go?

PE

“Mars” from “The Planets” by Gustav HolstPlease click on this link firsthttps://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/14ZjT5yjnKQRdKVsqrLzk1x/mars-from-the-planets-by-gustav-holst

Listen to Dick and Dom explore Holst’s pieces about war from the cockpit of a spaceship.

Watch the full orchestral performance(click the opposite box)Listen for-

the opening two harpsstring instruments playing with the wood on their bow (violins and ‘cellos)timpani using very hard-headed sticksthe gongsolo from the euphonium

3. ActivityClap a rhythm patterns which matches the rhythms you can hear in the music. Try these-Get in a space-ship go to Mars! Fly-ing float-ing swoop-ing soar-ing

4. Fact. A repeated rhythmic pattern is called an ostinato. Can you make up some more ostinatos?

5. Can you tell your family members how the music makes you feel? Can you ask them to identify an orchestral instrument?

History

• Many humans have trained as astronauts and flown into space.

• You can read about some of their experiences on these websites:

https://www.nasa.gov/astronauts/biographies/former (see if you can

find Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin – they walked on the moon!)

https://www.esa.int/kids/en/learn/Life_in_Space/Astronauts/Welcome_back_to_Earth_Tim_Peake

https://kids.kiddle.co/Chris_Hadfield

• Pick 5 biographies to read and think about what the astronaut experienced during their time in space.

• Which of these space journeys would you have most enjoyed?

• Rank the biographies you have read from most enjoyable to least enjoyable. Explain your choices.