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by Chuck Sullivan Communicating our thoughts by writing is one of the most fundamental skills in civilization. In these assignments, youhave the opportunity to write about a variety of topics: you can write more technically, comparing Earth and Mars, or more imaginatively in a fiction-writing assignment. Whichever you choose, be sure to be accurate by getting a good idea of the conditions on Mars first, by looking over the information provided on websites linked to this page. Once you have an impression of what Mars is really like, for the human being actually there on-planet, you will have a more interesting writing experience. There are five writing assignments below: based on different teaching schedules, your teacher will help you decide how many to tackle, and how long they should be.
Assignment One:
Although the planets Earth and Mars differ from each other in many ways, they also have some similarities. If you gather information about the two planets you will learn more about these differences and similarities. One obvious similarity is that both planets orbit the same star, our sun, sometimes known as Sol. Another similarity is that both planets are terrestrial planets as opposed to jovian planets, sometimes called gas giants. Terrestrial planets are composed mostly of rock and metal, whereas jovian planets are composed mostly of hydrogen and helium gas. One of the differences between Earth and Mars is their size. Earth is almost twice as big as Mars. The diameter of Earth at the equator is 12,756 km (7,922 miles), whereas the diameter of Mars at its equator is 6,786 km (4,217 miles). Another difference between the two planets is the atmosphere. Earth’s atmosphere is composed primarily of nitrogen and oxygen, which we can breathe, whereas the Martian atmosphere consists mainly of carbon dioxide, which we cannot breathe.
For this assignment you will write a paper in which you describe some of the similarities and differences between Earth and Mars. A paper such as this is sometimes called a Compare and Contrast essay. To compare means to find the similarities between things, whereas to contrast means to find the differences. In addition to the four examples listed above, there are other categories that you can compare and contrast. Here are some additional categories to consider: distance from the sun, temperature, gravity, rotation period (day), revolution period (year), orbit shape, moons, mass, density, tilt of axis, atmospheric pressure, polar ice caps, largest canyon, highest and lowest points, seasons, volcanoes, water, life.
For this assignment to is important to do more than simply create a list of the similarities and differences between Earth and Mars. You should write in complete sentences, and you should consider what these similarities and differences could mean for future human expeditions to Mars.
Assignment Two:
Living on Mars would be very different than living on Earth primarily because the environment on Mars is very harsh. The three most significant differences between the environments of Earth and Mars are atmosphere—there’s no breathable air on Mars,
temperature—the temperature can range from 20° C (68° F) to -140° C (-220° F), and atmospheric pressure—the pressure on Mars is about 1/100th of earth’s pressure, and without pressurized spacesuits and pressurized buildings the gases in one’s blood would dissipate, i.e., “boil.”
In order to study what living on Mars might be like, some scientists have created simulated Martian research stations on Earth. They have chosen locations for the research stations that best mimic the Martian environment. Two stations are operational at this time. The Mars Arctic Research Station is located on Devon Island in the northern territory of Nunavut in Canada, and the Mars Desert Research Station is located in the desert in southern Utah in the United States. Two more research stations are in the planning stages. One is to be located in Iceland and the other in the Australian outback. The one common feature of the existing and planned research stations is there location in desert-like environments. A desert-like environment includes not only the hot, dry and dusty deserts such as in southern Utah and the Australian outback, but also the Arctic desert as on Devon Island, and the basaltic and geothermally active desert of Iceland. In this sense a desert is considered an environment where it is difficult, if not impossible, for most life to survive.
For this assignment you will write a paper in which you examine how a particular geographic location on Earth approximates the environmental conditions on Mars. You might compare the conditions of one of the four locations mentioned above with the conditions on Mars, or you might choose some other desert-like location, such as the Sahara Desert or Antarctica.
It is important in an assignment such as this that you do more than simply create a list of the similarities between a particular geographic location on Earth and the environment on Mars. You should write in complete sentences, and you should consider how understanding the conditions on a desert-like environment on Earth might help scientists to prepare for a future human mission to Mars.
Assignment Three:
If the experimental Mars Research Stations on Earth are any indication of what an actual research station on Mars would be like, then seven to eight people would be living and working together in rather tight quarters. It is important that the scientists on a Mars research station know how to get along well with others, and be able to solve conflicts and disagreements in peaceful and satisfying ways. Obviously, it is not possible for a person to quit the mission and return home early.
Of course everyone will have work to do, but it will be necessary for the people to engage in other activities. Such activities could include reading the news from Earth, communicating by email with family and friends on Earth, exercising, and playing video games. These kinds of activities can be done alone, and having time alone would be important. However, finding ways of engaging with crew mates in a stimulating way is also important. Being able to socialize well with fellow crew members, and engaging in group activities would be important in order to maintain one’s emotional and mental health, especially if the mission might take two to three years.
For this assignment you will write a paper wherein you explore the kinds of activities the mission members might engage in, both alone or together, that help to maintain social harmony and minimize stress. You should also consider the kinds of behavior and conditions that would make life difficult, and what kinds of attitudes would be helpful for all members of the crew to cultivate in order that everyone get along well. A good strategy for this assignment is to consider the kinds of activities that you, or others you know, normally engage in to minimize stress and to maintain social harmony. Then consider how these activities would assist you if you were to live with seven or eight others in close quarters for two to three years.
For this assignment it is important to do more than simply create a list of the activities or behaviors that you and others would engage in on a Mars research station. You should write in complete sentences, and you should consider how certain activities and behaviors can contribute to, or detract from, social harmony and psychological well being.
Assignment Four:
How important is it to send a human mission to Mars? What are the benefits to be had from a human mission to Mars, and do these benefits outweigh the costs and the risks entailed by a human mission? These are the kinds of questions that people will want answers to before they decide whether a human mission to Mars is a good idea. When trying to persuade others that a particular plan or policy is a good one, it is important to offer them reasons in support of the plan or policy. If you were trying to persuade people to accept the idea of a manned mission to Mars then it would be important to offer answers to the question “Why should we send a manned mission to Mars?” Similarly, if you wanted to persuade people that we should not send a manned mission to Mars then it would be important to offer answers to the question “Why should we not send a manned mission to Mars?”
Many people who argue in favor of a manned mission to Mars offer reasons that have to do with the scientific knowledge that can gained about Mars and about Earth in the distant past. Other reasons that are offered have to do with the advancements in technology that will be required to make such a trip, the enhanced feeling of pride at being the only species we know of ever to venture to another planet, and the pure joy that comes from exploring the unknown.
Many people who argue against a manned mission to Mars offer reasons that have to do with the high cost of such a mission, the dangerous risks to the lives of the explorers, and the importance of focusing on Earth’s problems before moving on to Mars.
For this assignment you will write an essay in which you attempt to persuade people of the importance of sending a human mission to Mars, or you will write an essay in which you attempt to persuade people that we should not send a human mission to Mars.
Whether you think a manned mission to Mars is a good idea or not, you will most likely explore the kinds of reasons offered above. In addition to offering reasons in support of your side of the argument, it is also a good idea to consider the reasons offered by those who would take the other side of the argument. If you can offer a good response to the argument on the opposing side, then your argument will be even stronger because you will have anticipated possible objections to, or criticisms of, your position.
Assignment Five:
All the crew members on a future expedition to Mars will probably be expected to keep a log or journal. The entries in such a log might contain short summaries of the work accomplished on particular days, but they might also contain entries describing one’s physical, emotional and mental condition, as well as accounts of non work-related activities such as what one did to relax, or the development of one’s social relationships and activities with the other crew members. An imaginary log such as this can include entries involved in any time period of the mission, including liftoff, the long journey to Mars, observing Mars getting closer and Earth receding, entering the Martian orbit, landing on Mars, and of course living on the station.
For this assignment you will keep an imaginary journal or log of a crew member on a Mars mission. You can imagine that this crew member is yourself or that the crew member is a fictional person. You can also imagine that some of the crew members are people you know. Since a mission to Mars would cover a long period of time (two to three years), your journal entries can focus on a particular leg of the experience, e.g., the long journey to Mars, life on the station, etc., or your journal can contain “selective” entries that allow you to jump forward in time to various parts of the mission you think are interesting.
For this assignment it is important to do more than simply create a simple list of the activities and observations your imaginary crew member engages in. You should write in complete sentences, and you should offer detailed descriptions of the various activities and observations of your imagined crew member so that others who read your journal can get a clear picture of the experience.
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