ELA teachers know that visualization is a key component of reading comprehension. And nothing works those visualization muscles quite like a podcast like The Unexplainable Disappearance of Mars Patel. The sound effects, voice actors, and music really bring this story to life and hook students from episode one! If you are ready to take off, here are some Mars Patel podcast worksheets, activities, and ideas to make the most of your listening and speaking standards!
The Unexplainable Disappearance of Mars Patel Book Series
Is The Unexplainable Disappearance of Mars Patel a book series? No, but in some ways it’s even better! For starters, you won’t need funds to get a class set because the Mars Patel podcast is free. Additionally, it is a story series, but in an audio production format. You know those idyllic pictures of families sitting around an old school radio listening to a story? It’s kind of like that except streamable.
So far, the podcast has three seasons. This post will focus on the Mars Patel podcast season one, but just like with the book series, your students will be begging to keep listening!
How Do You Plan a Mars Patel Podcast Unit?
Just like with any novel unit, you can use the Mars Patel podcast to teach ELA skills. The Mars Patel podcast season one is best suited for ELA grades 5th-6th, but can be adapted for grades 4th-7th. Here are some skills that these Mars Patel podcast pages address:
- Characterization – track how Mars, Caddie, Toothpick, JP, and other kids grow, change, and make tough choices
- Literary Devices – explore suspense, foreshadowing, dialogue, and mood
- Claims and Evidence – support ideas with details from the episodes
- Theme – uncover deeper messages like friendship, courage, curiosity, and going “to the stars”
- Conflict and Resolution – identify character vs. character, self, society, and the supernatural
- Connections – make text-to-self, text-to-world, and text-to-text connections
The Unexplainable Disappearance of Mars Patel Worksheets
When you listen to podcasts, do you sit quietly and stare into the abyss, or do you multitask? If you are like me, you likely listen to podcasts while you drive, do household chores, or walk the most adorable dog on the face of the earth. 🙂 The point is that having something to do while listening is natural. That’s why I created these podcast pages. And let me tell you, they work wonders in helping students focus! With integrated coloring to improve focus and ELA skills to enhance learning, your students will be so into this mystery that they won’t even realize how much inferencing, analyzing, and critical thinking they’re doing!
As you can see, each Mars Patel podcast page has a coloring section and an ELA skill section. Students color as they listen, then use the content of the podcast to work on Common Core Reading standards.
Mars Patel Podcast Discussion Questions
In addition to the reading standards, these podcast pages also address Common Core Speaking and Listening standards. The back of each episode podcast page includes three discussion questions so that students can, “Come to discussions prepared, having read or studied required material; explicitly draw on that preparation by referring to evidence on the topic, text, or issue to probe and reflect on ideas under discussion.”
Some sample discussion questions for Mars Patel podcast season one episode include:
- Mrs. Patel believes Mars is special. Do you think that helps him live up to his potential, or does it add pressure he doesn’t need?
- Mars breaks the rules to help his friends. Is he brave for doing this, or is he reckless? Where’s the line between the two?
- Jonas disappears, and the adults don’t seem too worried. Do you think adults sometimes underestimate how serious kids’ problems can be? Why or why not?
If you like to read more about how to have a successful classroom discussion, keep reading here: How to Liven Up Your Socratic Seminar and Get Students Talking
Mars Patel After Listening Ideas
Mars Patel season one ends on a bit of a cliffhanger, so students won’t want to stop, but if you must, here are some after-listening ideas:
- Mars Patel Choice Board– Use the Mars Patel after-listening choice board (free resource).
- Mars Patel Escape Room – Design a classroom escape room activity based on clues and puzzles from the podcast. Most of the episodes include fun puzzles, so an escape room is a perfect fit! It would be even better if groups of students designed it!
- Mars Patel Compare and Contrast – Connect Mars Patel to other mystery novels, sci-fi stories, or adventure tales your class has read
Mars Patel Podcast Conclusion
So, whether you’re looking to shake up your novel study routine, need a budget-friendly option that doesn’t sacrifice quality, or simply want to watch your students lean in with anticipation when you press play, the Mars Patel podcast delivers. I hope this post has given you some ideas to make your Mars Patel podcast unit a blast!
P.S. What are Some Podcasts Like Mars Patel?
The Mars Patel podcast is an award-winning podcast, so it’s no surprise that parents and teachers want more! Another great podcast series is The Hollow. It’s perfect for Halloween, but can be used with any spooky story unit!
While that’s the only other series I have to recommend that is like Mars Patel, you can find lots of other podcasts for 5th-6th grade in this post: Epic List of Podcasts for the Classroom
This is such a cool idea! I love that you use podcasts to build visualization and engagement. I’m currently studying to be an English teacher and I have never thought of using a podcast in my classroom. I think this would be a fun lesson to use with my future students.