Acids and Bases investigation ... Aliens in Martian soil?!

This resources applies learning about acids and bases in a fun way, while building critical thinking skills. The task supports students to:

• Revise understandings about acids and bases.
• Record, organise and draw conclusions from data.

Features of this task

• Differentiated
• Rubrics provided
• Practical is easily resourced
• Supports development of critical thinking
• Cognitive progression to ensure all students are challenged
• Includes practical instructions
• Caters for a range of curiculum levels

Students are provided with a range of ‘Martian’ soil samples. They test the samples and analyse the results to draw conclusions about whether alien life would be possible given the soil conditions.

This task could be used and adapted for a range of contexts including:

• Microbiology eg. extremophiles
• Biological adaptations
• Acids and bases
• Earth and space science