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Finding a New Home When Earth is
Full
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Introduction
| Task
| Process
| Evaluation
| Conclusion
| Credits
| Teacher Page
Introduction
NASA Needs Your Help!!!!
Every day, the world gets more
and more crowded. Space for families to grow, animals to roam, and
homes to be built is limited. What are we going to do when there just
isn't any more room to live on Earth?
This is where the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) needs your help. They are
currently forming small teams of researchers to go on a WebQuest and
determine which planets other than Earth might be able to support life
and be colonized in the future.
Interested??? Continue on
to the task section to learn more.
The Task
On
your quest, you will work in a small group to study one of the
planets in our solar system. You job is to:
- research, identify, record, and analyze key
information about your planet
- determine whether your planet could sustain life and
be used as a future home for those of us on Earth
- complete a research and data chart with your findings
- write an expository paragraph clearly expressing the
conclusions you draw
- prepare and give a presentation of your findings to
your fellow NASA colleagues
Still interested??? Continue on to the process
section for the specifics.
The
Process
To accomplish the task
described above, you will need to complete the following steps:
- Meet with your group and decide which planet you
would like to research.
- From the following list of jobs, each group member
should choose one.
- Navigator & Reader: Navigates the
computer elements of the project and reads information to the group as
necessary.
- Recorder: Does all writing for the group
including the Research & Data Chart, Six Needs of Human Survival
Checklist, expository paragraph, and any writing necessary for
the final product.
- Organizer: Keeps the group on task, keeps
and organizes all group paperwork and materials, and makes sure all
elements of the project get completed in a timely manner.
- Using your science textbook, library books, and the
links below, complete the Research
& Data Chart.
Include the information requested: planet name, distance from the sun,
distance across the planet, length of a day, length of a year, number
of moons, temperature(s), surface conditions, and compostion.
Then
you may add up to six pieces of information you find interesting and
helpful in answering
the essential question in the extra rows provided.
- Determine whether your planet could support life and
be colonized in the future. Use the Six Needs of Human Survival Checklist
to help you make your determination.
- On the Six Needs of
Human Survival Checklist, respond to this question, "What can you
conclude about the possibility for colonization of your planet?"
Write an expository paragraph that includes at least three supporting
details to answer the question.
- Decide what type of presentation you would like to
design. Your presentation with be given to your fellow
researchers, and will teach them what you have learned about your
planet. Your presentation must include a visual (something to see
or watch) and an oral (something to hear) component. Possible
presentation types include: poem, song, report, skit, poster, or
slideshow.
- Meet with your teacher to get approval for your
presentation, discuss what support and materials you will need, and to
schedule a time to present. If you are going to use programs like
Word, PowerPoint, Comic Life, or iPhoto for any of your presentation
elements, this is the time to inform your teacher.
- Deliver your presentation to your fellow researchers.
- Be an attentive and receptive audience member as your
colleagues present.
- Have fun!!!!
To view the specific expectations on the rubrics I will use to score
your project, please continue on to the evaluation
section.
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Evaluation
In this rubric, all of the expectations for the
processes explained above are described.
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Below
Standards
1
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Approaching
Standards
2
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Meeting
Standards
3
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Excelling
At Standards
4
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Group
Participation
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Student does not cooperate with
group members; does not contribute to group planning, researching, or
production; and does not complete his/her job.
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Student cooperates with group
members, contributes some information to group planning and work,
and completes some elements of his/her job.
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Student cooperates with group
members; contributes to the planning, research, and production
processes; and completes the duties of his/her job.
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Student cooperates well with group
members, giving assistance with their jobs if needed; contributes
greatly to the planning, research, and production process; and
completes his/her jobs with attention to detail and accuracy.
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Research &
Data Chart
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Chart has 5 or less pieces of the
required information and no group findings.
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Chart has 6-8 pieces of the
required information and 1-3 group findings.
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Chart has the nine required pieces
of information and 4-5 group findings.
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Chart has the nine required pieces
of information plus 6 or more group findings.
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Six Needs of Human
Survival Checklist
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0-3 needs are addressed.
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4 needs are addressed.
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5 needs are addressed.
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6 needs are addressed.
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Expository
Paragraph
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Paragraph lacks focus and has only
1 of the following: topic sentence, supporting detail sentences,
conclusion.
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Paragraph is focused and has 2 of
these 3 elements: topic sentence, three supporting detail sentences,
conclusion.
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Paragraph is focused, has a topic
sentence, three supporting detail sentences, and a conclusion.
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Paragraph is focused, has a topic
sentence, four or more supporting detail sentences, and a conclusion.
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Presentation
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Presentation is not given or the
presentation lacks technology and demonstrates poor planning and
preparation.
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Technology is not incorporated
and/or there is evidence of poor planning and preparation.
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Presentation incorporates
technology into either the visual or auditory element. It is well
planned out and prepared.
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Presentation incorporates
technology into the visual and auditory elements. It is well
planned out and prepared.
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Conclusion
Congratulations
and Thank You!!!!
You have completed your WebQuest!
You studied and became an expert on one of the planets in our solar
system and shared your findings with your classmates in an exciting new
way. Hopefully you enjoyed your journey through our solar system
and have a new appreciation for Earth.
If you would like to complete the quest
again and study a different
planet, please do! Be sure to check with your parents or teacher
before beginning your new quest.
Ready
to go on another quest? Return to the top.
Credits
& References
The following sites provided the information I used to create this
WebQuest:
- The template was obtained on The WebQuest Page
at:
- Photographs were obtained at:
- Student research will be completed at::
- California State Content Standards
- To view the entire solar system project in detail, visit:
- To find out more about our class, visit:
****A special thanks to my Earn
While You Learn colleagues and
instructors for your guidance, feedback, and support****
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