Blast Off

Mission to Mars

What: Museum Staff-led
When: Terms 1 to 4, Monday to Friday
Duration: 30 minutes in the Energy Lab
Curriculum links & Accessibility
Year level: Years 1 to 4
Minmum student numbers: Minimum 15 students
Maximum student numbers: Maximum 100 students
Cost: $9 per student + education service fee
Booking information: Bookings 13 11 02
School visit information

Mars is our next solar system destination – but how will we get there? It really is rocket science!

In this curriculum aligned science show, primary school students will learn about space exploration and getting to Mars. As well as learning about forces, students will also have the opportunity to volunteer to help with some of the hands-on demonstrations.

Students will experience

A show themed around a journey to Mars, exploring push, pull and gravity forces along the way
Live demonstrations of how rockets work
What it might be like to be in space
Discussion and demonstrations about landing on Mars

Students will learn

The main principles of rocket propulsion
The early concepts of Newtonian physics, including push and pull, and a very simple introduction to opposite forces
That gravity can act on objects from afar
About life in space in the International Space Station
To think of themselves as scientists and problem solvers who might one day be involved in space exploration

Victorian Curriculum links

Science: Foundation to Level 2

Physical sciences

Pushes and pulls are forces that can change an object’s movement or shape and can be represented in terms of strength and direction
VC2S2U11

Earth and space sciences

Earth is one of 8 planets in our solar system; observing the sky reveals patterns in the changing positions of the Sun, Moon, planets and stars
VC2S2U08

Science: Levels 3 and 4

Physical sciences

Forces, including frictional, gravitational, electrostatic and magnetic, can be exerted by one object on another through direct contact or from a distance and affect the motion (speed and direction) of objects
VC2S4U10