🚀 Sixth-grade students at Joe P. Eblen Intermediate School (JPEIS) got hands on with planetary science by exploring a massive, detailed map of Mars last month.
As part of a broader space exploration unit, students took off their shoes and walked on the map, rotating through activities that required them to analyze elevation, use latitude and longitude, measure scale, and locate historic Mars rover landing sites. The immersive map turned abstract concepts into a physical learning experience.
“There’s something powerful about getting students up and moving around the map,” said JPEIS instructional coach Haley Stamey. “They start by noticing colors and making assumptions, and that opens the door to deeper conversations about elevation, scale, and how scientists actually study Mars.”
Students confronted common misconceptions, such as interpreting color as temperature or water, and learned how scientists represent topographic data. The experience also sparked discussion about how Mars exploration has evolved, including updates to rover missions like Perseverance, helping students connect decades of space history to present-day science.
“It’s a change of environment that immediately gets students excited,” said JPEIS media specialist Arai Greenwell. “You can hear them talking through their thinking by questioning what they see and adjusting their understanding in real time.”
Originally provided to Buncombe County Schools through a partnership with the Aldrin Family Foundation, the Mars map continues to support interdisciplinary learning across science, math, and geography while getting students up, moving, and actively engaged in discovery.
