There are three of these archived web seminars in "The Properties of Life: Searching for Mars" series, Sept. 15, 2011, being the first, followed by Nov. 30, 2011, and finally Jan. 10, 2012. These web seminars are all the same seminar. Teaching Middle school, I found this seminar's activity could be used very easily in the classroom. The activity had the students observe three different soil samples, using 6 criteria of what constitutes life. It then had them apply these criteria to the three suggested soil samples to determine if they were considered "alive". I found this seminar both interesting and one that I would recommend to teachers for their use in the classroom.

Searching for Evidence of Life in Mars has always been an interesting learning. This particular lesson offers wide range of resources to conduct investigative learning in the classroom on properties of matters that are foundation to life forms.

From the part I read, I think it wold not be very clear to the students about living things---ofcourse it depends on teacher's expectation.