Geology on Mars Phenomena Poster Set

Help students investigate the geological history of Mars with this engaging Geology on Mars phenomena resource.

This six-poster collection uses visually rich science phenomena to encourage students to observe landforms, compare evidence, identify patterns, and develop explanations about how flowing water, erosion, deposition, and other geologic processes may have shaped the surface of Mars.

Students move beyond simply looking at images of another planet and begin thinking like planetary geologists as they use evidence from landforms to infer what may have happened in the past.

What’s Included

This resource includes six individual full-color portrait phenomena posters.

Each poster includes:

A high-interest phenomenon question

A detailed science visual or planetary scene

“What do you notice?” observation prompts

“What do you wonder?” discussion questions

Key science vocabulary

A “Try This Thinking” activity or challenge

A CER Starter for Claim, Evidence, and Reasoning practice

A concise science statement reinforcing the main concept

Investigate the Surface of Mars

Students examine features on Mars and consider what those features can reveal about the planet’s past.

The phenomena encourage students to study channels, valleys, sediment patterns, craters, and other surface features while asking what processes could have produced them.

Students begin using present-day evidence to reconstruct events that may have occurred millions or billions of years ago.

Use Earth as a Model for Understanding Mars

Scientists often compare features on Mars with similar features on Earth.

The posters encourage students to consider questions such as:

What features do you notice on the surface?

What Earth landforms look similar?

What processes could have created these features?

Could flowing water have shaped this area?

What evidence would support that explanation?

How can scientists study a planet they cannot easily visit?

These comparisons help students understand how scientists use familiar processes to interpret evidence from distant worlds.

Explore Weathering, Erosion, and Deposition

Students can investigate how geologic processes change planetary surfaces.

The visual phenomena provide opportunities to think about how rock and sediment can be broken down, transported, and deposited in new locations.

Students can then use these processes as possible explanations for features observed on Mars.

Interpret Evidence of Past Water

One of the most compelling questions in Martian geology is whether liquid water once flowed across the planet’s surface.

Students can examine visual evidence and develop explanations about whether particular landforms may have been shaped by flowing water.

This creates an authentic reason for students to distinguish between an observation and an inference.

Build Observation and Questioning Skills

Each poster includes structured Notice and Wonder prompts that encourage students to examine the phenomenon carefully before developing an explanation.

Students can:

Identify surface features

Describe patterns in landforms

Compare locations

Generate scientific questions

Develop possible explanations

Evaluate competing ideas

Revise explanations as additional evidence becomes available

These routines encourage careful scientific thinking and productive classroom discussion.

Strengthen Science Vocabulary

Important science vocabulary is embedded within meaningful planetary phenomena.

Students encounter concepts related to geology, landforms, erosion, weathering, deposition, sediment, channels, evidence, inference, and geologic processes while using those terms to explain what they observe.

Displaying the posters throughout the unit provides students with an ongoing visual reference for scientific language.

Support CER Practice

Each poster includes a student-friendly CER Starter.

Students practice making a Claim about a Martian phenomenon, identifying Evidence from the visual information, and using Reasoning to explain why the evidence supports their claim.

The mystery of Mars provides an especially engaging context for helping students understand that strong scientific explanations are based on evidence.

Think Like a Planetary Geologist

The phenomena encourage students to approach Mars as scientists do.

Instead of being told exactly what happened, students examine evidence, consider multiple possible explanations, compare those explanations with known geological processes, and determine which idea is best supported.

This makes the unit a powerful opportunity to develop scientific reasoning alongside Earth and space science content.

Great for Classroom Use

Use these posters for:

Whole-group science instruction

Phenomenon launches

Science focus walls

Notice and Wonder routines

Small-group instruction

Science centers

Science notebook responses

Vocabulary development

CER practice

Planetary science discussions

Earth and Mars comparisons

Evidence and inference practice

Unit introductions

Review and reinforcement

Classroom displays

Revisit the Phenomena Throughout the Unit

Introduce each phenomenon before students have developed a complete explanation and collect their initial ideas.

As students investigate geological processes and gather additional evidence, return to the posters and ask them to revise their explanations.

Students can compare their original thinking with later conclusions and see how evidence can strengthen, change, or even challenge a scientific explanation.

Bring Planetary Science Into the Classroom

Mars provides students with an exciting real-world scientific mystery.

These posters transform images and models of the Martian surface into opportunities for observation, questioning, evidence analysis, and scientific argumentation.

By combining engaging planetary phenomena with structured questioning, vocabulary development, and CER practice, this resource provides meaningful support throughout a Geology on Mars unit.

Important Disclaimer

This resource is independently created and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, or produced by Amplify Education. The use of “Amplify” in the product title is intended only to help educators identify the curriculum topic with which this supplemental resource may be used. Amplify Education owns its respective trademarks and curriculum materials.