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 Planet Web Quest
A WebQuest
for 8th Grade Honors
Introduction
| Task| Process |Evaluation | Conclusion | Teacher Page
The
Introduction
You
are an astronaut on a mission to another planet in our solar system. You will
join a crew to gather information about your destination. When you become
experts, you will voyage to this planet. After exploring it, you will contact
Mission Control on Earth by postcard to communicate your impressions and
data.
The Task
Your
job is to collect data about your planet. Your crew of astronauts will work
as a team to collect this scientific information. You will need to show your
data sheet to Mission Control before blast off.
***
Pre-flight
requirements:
- *Know
your destination (planet)
Data Collection:
- *Namesake
(Who is your planet named after?)
- *Distance
from the Sun (How many kilometers?)
- *Diameter
(What is the distance across is your planet?)
- *Period
of revolution (How long is one year on your planet in Earth years?)
- *Rotation
period (One day on your planet equals how many hours/days on Earth?)
- *Moons
(How many? What are their names?)
- *Atmosphere
(What gases are in the atmosphere?)
- *Temperature
(How hot or cold is it?)
- *Composition
(What is your planet made of?)
- *Other
Interesting facts (Special features. Does it have volcanoes, craters,
rings, valleys, etc..?)
Exploration, and communication:
- Create
a Postcard to send to a loved on at home reflecting the information
you've learned.
Debriefing
session:
- Present
your data as a crew to your peers and Mission Control.
The
Process
- *First,
Mission Control (your teacher) will assign you to a crew
( 3 students ).
- *Contact
Mission Control for your planet destination.
- *Print
out each of the Data
Collection Sheets.
- *Decide
which data sheet each crew member will be responsible for completing
with information about your planet destination.
- *You
are now ready to start collecting data. Remember, only make jot notes
and EVERY member of your crew must have the information on the data
sheets
- *To do
your research, click on the name of your planet destination listed at
the bottom of this page.
- *Next,
click on one of the Web Site links for your planet. Read the information
and make your jot notes under the correct headings.
- *When
you have finished reading the first Web Site, view another Web site link
for your planet. Read the information and decide if there is any new
information that should be added to your report.
- *Now
you are ready to write the rough copy for your cyber postcard.
- *Click
here and print out draft
sheets for each of
your crew.
- *Using
the jot notes you have made on your Data Collection Sheets, each write a
paragraph to Mission Control on your draft sheet.
- *Be sure to
include facts about your planet. Share some of your 'adventures' too!
- *Remember
to write the postcard paragraphs (at least two) in complete sentences.
Be sure to spell correctly, and use capital letters and punctuation
where appropriate.
- *When
you are finished editing, you are ready to create your postcard.
- *Using
a piece of construction paper create your postcard. Address it to a
fictional person at a fictional address.
- *Finally,
your crew will share the information you've collected about your planet
at a debriefing session back on Earth at Mission Control. As a crew,
first practice how you will present your data. Use a clear, loud voice.
Make eye contact with your audience. Hold your paper still and away from
your face.
- *Print
out and use the Crew
Checklist to ensure you have completed all the steps of your
task.
- *Present
your data and postcard at the debriefing session with Crews from other
missions at Mission Control.
- *Hand
in all your work for evaluation.
The Evaluation
Your
mission patch, data sheets, postcard, and presentation about your planet will
be evaluated. Use the Crew
Checklist to help you make sure that you have completed all the necessary
steps of the Planet WebQuest
Print
out this checklist. Check to confirm that you have completed all the steps.
Your teacher will also evaluate your WebQuest using
this form.
The
Conclusion
During
your WebQuest, you have learned many facts about
your planet, yet there is much more to learn about our Solar System. The
vastness of space has given us many challenges and questions.
Does
life exist elsewhere? What are some of the latest scientific findings? How
can you use the information gathered in your WebQuest
to help others? Check out some of the links below to learn more about space.
Can you find other web sites that have interesting information about
space?
Choose
picture books, novels or poems in the science- fiction genre. Does this
literature contain factual information? On what scientific facts has the
author chosen to base his or her story? Why? Write a response to a selection
in your Journal.
NASA Kids: Space & Beyond
CBC4Kids
:Space Lab
Arty the Part-time Astronaut
Windows to the Universe
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