Name ____________________________________________________________ Date ___________
Mars Rover Celebration Pre-Assessment
Answer the following questions to the best of your ability. Your answers will be used to show how much you have learned at the end of the Mars Rover Celebration unit. This is a pretest and you are not expected to know all of this information yet.
1. How would you describe the size of our solar system (size of the sun and planets and the distance away from Earth) to a friend? _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________
2. Why is it important to have a clear PURPOSE before beginning research? _________________ _____________________________________________________________________________
3. Name three characteristics of the terrain on Mars.
1. ________________________________________________________
2. ________________________________________________________
3. ________________________________________________________
4. What does it mean to SCAN text while conducting research? ___________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________
5. What are three things to consider when designing a successful mission to Mars?
1. ________________________________________________________
2. ________________________________________________________
3. ________________________________________________________
6. Name three organizational tools/aids that can help you find the information you need when conducting research.
1. ________________________________________________________
2. ________________________________________________________
3. ________________________________________________________
7. What are three features of a good scientific or technological question? __________________ ____________________________________________________________________________
Mars Rover Celebration Pre-Assessment, Grades 6-8
8. How are math, science and reading skills important when conducting a research project? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
9. How can you distinguish what is IMPORTANT from what is INTERESTING as you conduct research? ____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________
10. Why is it important to consider different solutions to a problem? _______________________ _____________________________________________________________________________
11. Why is the Engineering Design process important to scientists and engineers? _____________ _____________________________________________________________________________
12. When writing a persuasive essay, what are the two KEY CONSIDERATIONS in deciding which of your ideas make the best arguments? _____________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________
13. Why is creating a prototype useful? _______________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________
14. What are the KEY FEATURES of a FORMAL (professional) presentation? __________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
15. What are three skills that are needed to work successfully with a team?
1. ________________________________________________________
2. ________________________________________________________
3. ________________________________________________________
