The Martian Chronicles

"In our time the search for extraterrestrial life will eventually change our laws, our religions, our philosophies, our arts, our recreations, as well as our sciences. Space, the mirror, waits for life to come look for itself there." - Ray Bradbury

"We've been busy with war instead of being busy with peace. And that's what space travel is all about. It's all about peace and exploration and wonder and beauty.” - Ray Bradbury, 2004

Some Essential Questions:
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Who are the invaders?
Should we colonize other planets?
What attitudes do the colonizers  from Earth have toward the Martians? 
​Are these attitudes similar to those of colonizers of different countries and territories today?
How would we behave or adapt to a new planet?
How do humans behave when faced with the unknown?
How do we behave when faced with isolation?

Related Areas of Knowledge

History
Ecology
Sociology
Psychology
Science
Anthropology

Important Concepts

Culture
Identity
​Perspective
​Humanity and the natural world
Humanity and the unknown
Exploration
Change
Isolation
Home 
Utopia
​Dystopia​

​Ethical Issues

War
Racism
Environmental Destruction
​Inequality
​Freedom
​Colonialism

Ray Bradbury, 1920-2012

Alien, Aleriel, 1883

A selfie by the Curiosity Rover on Mars

Alien, 1887

This photo is from Mars. Could it be a river bed? - Photo by NASA

Mars (Artist rendition)

The War of the Worlds, 1898

The face of Mars- Photo by NASA

Mars mountains- Photo by NASA

Videos

"The War of the Worlds" 1938 Radio Broadcast

This is one of the most famous radio broadcasts in history.  On October 30, 1938 the radio adaptation of H.G. Welles' "The War of the Worlds" was broadcast as though it were a series of emergency announcements, and caused panic among its listeners.

America in the 1950's

"The Martian Chronicles", along with many of Ray Bradbury's other novels and stories, reflects the culture and society of the United States in the 1950's.  Which aspects of "America" described in this video, do you see reflected in the book? (If this guy speaks too fast, you can slow down the video in the settings at the bottom).

​Ray Bradbury Vividly Recalls His Own Birth

...and this is only one of many interesting, and strange, facts about Ray Bradbury.  Watch this short video to find out more about him.

Documents

The Martian Chronicles

the_martian_chronicles_-_ray_bradbury.pdf
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Here is the complete science fiction classic!

The War of the Worlds (Paragraph 1)

the_war_of_the_worlds-_paragraph_1.pdf
File Size:	35 kb
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How does H.G. Welles' view of Martians in "The War of the Worlds" differ from Ray Bradbury's view of them in "The Martian Chronicles"?

What happened when the radio adaptation of "The War of the Worlds" was broadcast in 1938?  Click on the link below to find out!

CLICK HERE to read about the 1938 broadcast of "The War of the Worlds"

Was there ever water, and therefore the possibility of life, on Mars? Click the link below to read more about it!

CLICK HERE to read about recent discoveries on Mars!

Activities

Drawing

In your notebook, draw Mr. K and/or Mrs. K in their house, as as you imagine them, based on the description on the 1st page of "February 1999- Ylla" (page 9 of our PDF).

ME:  E.T.
​(Imaginary Martian Project)

Imagine your  own "Martian", (extra-terrestrial being)!  What do you look like?  Where and how do you live?  We will be writing about our invented character and making a paper-maché mask of it...
What kind of a "Martian" will YOU be?!

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Guiding questions for your "martian" presentation:

me_e.t.__pdf_.pdf
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Here's the video about how to make paper maché masks with features:

paper-maché mask video: CLICK HERE!

Here's the list of materials you'll need for our "Me: E.T." Mask project:

martian_mask_materials_general_pdf.pdf
File Size:	27 kb
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