Discovering Life Beyond Our Planet

Introduction:

This lesson was developed as part of the requirements for EDED 4346 Science Methods � EC and Elementary Levels Class at Texas A&M University-San Antonio. We named the project Discovering Life Beyond Our Planet.

This webquest was developed using 7^th grade Science TEK�s:

 (9)  Earth and space. The student knows components of our solar system. The student is expected to:

(A)   analyze the characteristics of objects in our solar system that allow life to exist such as the proximity of the Sun, presence of water, and composition of the atmosphere;

 (4)  The strands for Grade 7 include:

(D)  Earth and space. Earth and space phenomena can be observed in a variety of settings.    Both natural events and human activities can impact Earth systems. There are characteristics of Earth and relationships to objects in our solar system that allow life to exist.

This project is designed for 7th Grade science students. Its concepts revolve around our solar system and what elements and characteristics make our planet unique. The students will also investigate the planets in our solar system and compare their properties to those found here on Earth. The students will complete this investigation by working in groups and synthesizing a final report utilizing multiple resources to include a journal, video and model of a newly discovered planet. The students will be evaluated on the project by a rubric provided in the evaluation tab of the webquest.

Learners:

This lesson is intended for 7th grade science students. This lesson can also be incorporated into grade levels 6 and 8. This lesson is designed to build upon the student�s inquiry and group project skills. The project will promote higher order thinking, allowing the students to formulate conclusions based on their research.  

The students will build upon previous lessons from 6^th grade lesson TEK�s.

(4)  The standards for Grade 6 include:

(D)  Earth and space. The focus of this strand is on introducing Earth's processes.   Students should develop an understanding of Earth as part of our solar system. The topics include organization of our solar system, the role of gravity, and space exploration.

(11)  Earth and space. The student understands the organization of our solar system and the relationships among the various bodies that comprise it.

(A)  describe the physical properties, locations, and movements of the Sun, planets, Galilean moons, meteors, asteroids, and comets;

The students have been exposed to the solar system for many years. The students should have a basic idea of the organization of our solar system and the physical properties of the Sun and planets. The students should have also previously been exposed to concepts such as climate, pollution, water cycle, and atmosphere.

The projects assigned in the webquest will accommodate many learning styles to include linguistic, kinesthetic, spatial, interpersonal and naturalistic. The project is geared for promoting peer learning through group interaction providing a solid foundation for English Language Learners.

 National Science Education Standard:

EARTH AND SPACE SCIENCE STANDARDS(table 6.4)

For the teacher:

The lesson is single disciplinary and will be presented over five days. The webquest is divided into several projects to be completed using group participation. The students should be organized ensuring all groups to have equal member involvement. The teacher should pre-group the students prior to the lesson. Also, the teacher should introduce Scientific Journals and go over the format of your desire with your students prior to having them start this week long lesson.

Guidelines for the Webquest:

ENGAGE- Introduce the lesson by asking a few Questions. How long do you think the Earth can sustain human life with our current use of natural resources? Consider of some alternative ways we can recover and ascertain valuable resources? What resources might we find by exploring our Solar System?

EXPLORE- Have a brief overview of group projects to be completed, be sure to explain the importance of individual participation and the use of good organizational skills. Inform the students of the value in utilizing the resources provided and to take time to discover interesting data. Once again, discuss how you would like the information presented in the group's Scientific Journals.

EXPLAIN- Set the news room backdrop up prior to class. Tell the students to make que cards to guide the presentation along. These cards will also prompt the student when it is their turn to present. Have the video camera set up and preview a recording to make sure everything is in the frame.

ELABORATE- Have the materials boxed for each group. Inform the students to be creative. Show them the video located at the end of the lesson which will go through how to use paper mache to create planets and will also show some examples at the end of some planets already painted and finished. Once the students are finished creating their new found planets, walk around the classroom and ask the students some questions about why they chose to paint their planet the way they did and what elements their planet contains that allows it to be suitable for human life.

EVALUATE- Only one journal per group to be turned in. Have the students assign someone in the group to be the reporter, preferably a group member with good handwriting. Explain the importance of taking notes while researching so you can track where the information was gathered.

Variations- If space is limited due to lab equipment and shotage of desk space, the auditorium could provide a great setting for the vidio activity. The art department might make a great place for building models. You may want to check for availablity with the teachers in each of these departments.

Materials and Resources:

Scientific Journals (for use by students)

Paper

Colored pencils

Markers

Balloons

Paper Mache (pre-made)

Acrylic paints and brushes

Cardboard box

6 computers with internet access

Video camera

Blue Table cloth

Podium

Websites used:

Overall Evaluation:

This project will be successful if all students are actively engaged in research and activities throughout the lesson. The students will be evaluated on participation in the video, and their contribution to the journal. An overall grade will be given for the final products of all three missions. The grades will reflect on how well the groups utilized the provide resources and their overall understanding of what resources are needed to sustain life on Earth.

Conclusion:

 This project allows for multiple means of discovery by  providing a base for group and individual student learning. The project is designed to be completed over several days using multiple resources so the students are exposed to a variety of information. When the students have completed this project they will have gained knowledge of why we are able to live on Earth and what resources are necessary to sustain life on Earth?

Credits

We used multiple websites and webpages in order to create this WebQuest. Here is a list of the sites that we used to gather information for our lesson.

www.youtube.com
Here we found a video about the solar system to be used to introduce the students to their lesson. It is a general overview of the sun and the planets in our solar system.

www.universetoday.com
This website was used for the student's individual missions to the planets in our solar system. The students are able to visit the website and learn about information about each specific planet and what makes that planet unique.

www.scholastic.com
This was another website that we used for the student's individual missions. There is information in a bulleted format that is easy to read and resourceful.

www.childrensmuseum.org
Upon visiting this website, students gain knowledge of different probes and missions that have been completed for different planets. The students can explore the mission probes and find out what they discovered upon their arrivals.

www.kidsanatomy.com
We used this website for the students to discover important qualities and components of the sun and how the sun effects us here on Earth as well as how it plays an important role for our solar system.

www.windows2universe.org
This website was placed in our lesson for the students to be able to discover how Earth's atmosphere and climate play an important role in its ability to sustain life.

www.watereducation.org
Here, the students were able to understand how water plays a vital role in our survival and how we use it in our daily lives.

www.solarsystem.nasa.gov
This is a great interactive website that allows the students to broaden their knowledge on the planets in our solar system. There are games, puzzles, and simulations that teachers can utilize for this lesson.