Extreme Lifestyles

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In this matching game, learners study the limits of life on Earth to see what other places in the solar system might sustain microbial life. Learners explore information about extremophiles—living organisms that exist under conditions considered extreme and uninhabitable—and discover that they can adapt to environments of extreme heat up to 113 C, extreme cold as low as -15 C, or extreme pressure. This activity can be used with lessons on the deep sea, caves, and/or life on other planets. This activity can be found on pages 37-38 of the activity guide. [Activity is publicly available through a web crawler capture on Archive.org.]

Quick Guide

Preparation Time:
5 to 10 minutes
Learning Time:
45 to 60 minutes
Estimated Materials Cost:
1 cent - $1 per group of students
Age Range:
Ages 11 - 18
Resource Types:
Activity, Game
Language:
English

Materials List (per group of students)

  • Worksheet – Extreme Life Card Game
  • Scissors
  • Worksheets – Organism Cards
  • Worksheets – Earth Habitat Cards
  • Worksheets – Possible Extraterrestrial Habitat Cards

Keywords

Subjects

  • Earth and Space Science
    • Solar System
      • The Planets
  • Life Sciences
    • Diversity of Life
      • Plants
      • Animals
      • Viruses and Bacteria
    • Ecology
      • Ecosystems
  • The Nature of Science
    • The Scientific Process
      • Formulating Explanations
      • Communicating Results

Informal Categories

  • Games
  • Nature and Environment

Audience

To use this activity, learners need to:

  • see
  • read

Learning styles supported:

  • Involves teamwork and communication skills
  • Involves hands-on or lab activities

Other

Access Rights:

  • Free access

By:

Source Collection

  • Science After School Consumer's Guide

Rights:

  • All rights reserved, TERC, 2007

Funding Sources:

  • NASA, NAS5-26555
  • National Science Foundation, NSF 9730728