These four mini-lessons are presented in sequential order, building skill
sets required for each lesson.
The learner will use ratios expressed as multiplication problems, the
Cartesian coordinate system, pixel luminosity value expressed as (V),
arrays, and processing tools within the application NIH Image to compare,
contrast and find specific geological features and arrays of pixels of
Warrego Vallis on Mars.
I am using the four mini-lessons (Mars Mystery Spot) in a middle school
classroom setting with at least 20 working Macs. Student contact is 45
minutes per mini lesson. All lessons are written at an 8th grade
reading level. I have specified resources so you can acquire
them if you wish.
In addition to student handouts for each mini-lesson, students fill out a
"Learning Log" for each class. This form asks the student to identify
themselves, what tools they used, what they did, what they learned, and
any problems or questions they have. These logs are kept in the student's
portfolio.
This lesson is modified and rolled over from the "Jupiter imaging" unit
of the "Live From Hubble Space Telescope" Project. During that
electronic field trip, I field tested all four mini-lessons with two
groups of
7th graders.
The information below is about the image you will be using:
Original Image file name=WV/MI40S092.IMG
- Where WV stand for Warrego Vallis
- M stands for the file identity. In this case tiles of a Global map
of Mars called MDIMs ( Mars Digital Image Maps).
- I is the resolution code for this image. This image has a
resolution of (1/256 degrees per pixel) or (0.231 kilometers per pixel)
- 40S means this image is centered at 40 degrees south latitude.
- 092 means this image is centered at 92 degrees west longitude.
- IMG is the images graphic file type.
Download the image here.
NOTE- All longitudes on Mars are measured to the west.
Activities
- Activity A: Making Observations
- Activity B: Magnifying Pixels
- Activity C: Processing the image of Warrego Vallis
- Activity D: Analyzing Warrego Vallis one array of pixels at a time