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Science the 'Heck' Out of It

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Lesson Plan

Science the 'Heck' Out of It

Students will be able to identify cause-and-effect relationships related to the problems Mark Watney faces in the given scenario, applying critical thinking to understand plot development and problem-solving strategies.

Understanding cause and effect is crucial for analyzing narratives and real-world situations. This lesson helps students develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills by examining how one event leads to another, a skill vital in both science and everyday life.

Audience

8th Grade

Time

35 minutes

Approach

Through reading, analysis, and discussion, students will explore cause-and-effect relationships.

Materials

Prep

Teacher Preparation

15 minutes

  • Review the provided Lesson Plan, Cause and Effect Slides, and Problem-Solution Worksheet.
  • Select and prepare a suitable excerpt from "The Martian" that highlights one of Mark Watney's key problems and subsequent cause-and-effect scenarios. (e.g., the antenna incident, potato farming challenges).
  • Ensure projector and computer are ready for the slide deck presentation.

Step 1

Warm-Up: Brainstorming Survival

5 minutes

  1. Begin with a quick warm-up activity. Project the first slide of the Cause and Effect Slides.
  2. Ask students: "Imagine you're stranded on Mars. What are the first three problems you would face, and what would be the immediate consequence of each?"
  3. Have students briefly jot down their ideas or share with a partner.
  4. Facilitate a brief class share-out to get a few examples.

Step 2

Reading about a New Problem

10 minutes

  1. Introduce Mark Watney and the context of "The Martian." Explain that he is an astronaut stranded on Mars.
  2. Distribute the pre-selected excerpt from "The Martian."
  3. Instruct students to read the excerpt silently, focusing on identifying a major problem Mark Watney encounters and any immediate effects of that problem.
  4. After reading, ask students to underline or highlight key phrases related to the problem and its initial consequences.

Step 3

Cause and Effect Analysis

10 minutes

  1. Transition to the Cause and Effect Slides (slides 2-4) to introduce or review the concept of cause and effect.
  2. Guide students to identify the main problem presented in the reading excerpt.
  3. Introduce the Problem-Solution Worksheet.
  4. In pairs or individually, have students use the worksheet to break down the problem identified in the reading into specific causes and their direct effects. Encourage them to think about a chain of events.
  5. Circulate and provide support, prompting students with questions like: "What happened first? What did that lead to?"

Step 4

Discussion of Solutions

10 minutes

  1. Bring the class back together.
  2. Facilitate a discussion using the final slide of the Cause and Effect Slides.
  3. Ask students to share some of the cause-and-effect relationships they identified.
  4. Then, shift the discussion to potential solutions for Mark Watney's problem. "Based on the causes and effects we identified, what are some ways Mark Watney could begin to solve this problem? What might be the effects of those solutions?"
  5. Emphasize that in science, understanding the problem's roots (causes) is the first step to finding effective solutions.
  6. Collect the Problem-Solution Worksheet for review.
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Slide Deck

Stranded on Mars!

Imagine you're an astronaut, and you've just realized you're stranded ALONE on Mars.

What are the first three problems you would face? What would be the immediate consequence of each problem?

Display this slide to kick off the warm-up. Encourage students to think creatively but also practically about initial survival challenges on Mars.

What's the Connection?

Cause

  • The reason something happens.
  • It's the 'why.'

Effect

  • The result of what happened.
  • It's the 'what happened.'

Think: If you forget to water a plant (cause), what's the effect?

Introduce or review the definition of cause and effect. Provide a simple, relatable example before diving into the lesson's context.

Mark Watney's Martian Mess

Based on the excerpt you just read about Mark Watney:

  1. What is the BIG problem he is facing?
  2. What do you think caused this problem?
  3. What are the immediate effects of this problem?

This slide sets up the analysis for Mark Watney's problem. Guide students to recall the reading and pinpoint the main issue.

Mapping the Chain Reaction

Problems often have many causes and lead to many effects, creating a 'chain reaction.'

Let's use our Problem-Solution Worksheet to map out Mark Watney's challenges, breaking them down into specific causes and effects.

Transition to the worksheet here. Explain that the worksheet will help them break down the cause-and-effect chain more thoroughly.

Solving the Martian Puzzle

Now that we've identified the causes and effects of Mark Watney's problem:

  • What are some potential solutions?
  • What might be the effects of those solutions?
  • How does understanding 'cause and effect' help us solve problems, both in stories and in real life?

This final slide is for the class discussion, prompting students to think about solutions based on their cause-and-effect analysis.

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Worksheet

Problem-Solution Worksheet: Science the 'Heck' Out of It

Name: ____________________________

Date: _____________________________

Part 1: Mark Watney's Martian Problem

After reading the excerpt about Mark Watney, identify a major problem he faces. Then, break down the causes and effects related to this problem.

The Big Problem:





Cause (Why it happened)Effect (What happened as a result)
























Based on the cause-and-effect relationships you identified, brainstorm at least two potential solutions Mark Watney could try to solve his big problem. For each solution, consider what new effects might occur.

Solution Idea 1:





Possible Effects of Solution 1:





Solution Idea 2:





Possible Effects of Solution 2:





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