Our Red Neighbor: teacher key

Mars, grade 6 edition, written for 6th grade. Mars is a cold, dry desert world about half as wide as Earth. Read about its biggest volcano, its biggest canyon and the first rover to drive there.

Read the book. Print this page for the key.

Questions and answers

1. What is a day on Mars called?
   • A sol (answer)
   • A delta
   • A year
2. Which planet is closer to the Sun, Earth or Mars?
   • Mars
   • Earth (answer)
   • They are the same
3. Phobos circles Mars about three times every Mars day. About how many times does it circle in two Mars days?
   • About four
   • About six (answer)
   • About nine
4. Why does Mars look red?
   • Rusty iron in its ground (answer)
   • Fire on its surface
   • Red water in its lakes
5. What was the first robot rover to drive on Mars?
   • Sojourner (answer)
   • Phobos
   • Curiosity
6. What does delta mean in this book?
   • A fan of river mud and sand (answer)
   • A kind of moon
   • A cold wind

Words

• sol: a Mars day
• millibars: air pressure units
• delta: fan of mud
• canyon: deep valley