The Skymobile is a FREE science outreach program for LAUSD 4th and 5th graders provided by the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. Upon entering the Skymobile, a modified tractor-trailer, students will find themselves on board a research station on the planet Mars, where they have been recruited to help explore and gather information about the planet. From within the protected environment of a dome-like "research lab", students investigate the Martian terrain and various rock samples contained within the dome. Students will also be introduced to clues that might suggest the presence of water, past or present, and begin to understand why the search for water is an important goal for Mars exploration.

Students participating in the Skymobile program will also engage in a classroom program that introduces them to the concept of microorganisms and the importance of water for living things. Students will begin to discover why a search for life on the red planet might involve a search for these tiny life forms and evidence of water.

The Skymobile is a week-long program that can reach up to 9 classes of 4th and 5th grade students at each school. The program also includes a inservice training to familiarize teachers with the program and provide lessons and classroom materials that can help students prepare for this exciting learning experience.

PROGRAM OBJECTIVES

1. To emphasize students' understanding of scientific investigation and basic process skills including data collection, classification and drawing conclusions.
2. To teach students that by studying the geology of planet, including rocks and landforms, we can discover important clues that reveal its history.
3. To investigate life science concepts by categorizing living things on Earth and comparing those to what we might expect to find on Mars.

Teacher Resources

Glossary

Resources

For further information
Please contact the Outreach Office at (213) 763-3344.