Exploring Spaceby Melissa Donald

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Introduction Tasks Process

Resources Assessment Teacher Page

To begin you journey click on a link

Through the course of this Web Quest you will have the opportunity to explore our Solar System and beyond.

Introduction

Throughout this web quest you will find information you will need to complete a project, of your choice, about one of the nine planets, one of the many moons, or something beyond our solar system.

Tasks

•An example of a project you might select would be to plan a menu for the first team at the Lunar Mining Site.•You would have to research the FDA recommendations for a nutritionally balanced meal, the calorie requirements for astronauts, and a favorite meal of members of the team from different countries.•Then you would prepare a menu for five crew members for three days,(including Breakfast, Lunch , and Supper)

Process

• All of the resources you will need to complete your project have been included in this presentation. Some of the information comes directly from the presentation, other information can be found by following the links provided.

• Everything you need is here. It is your assignment to collect it, use it to make a project, and present your project.

Resources

• Your project will be graded according to a rubric, similar the the one used to grade the Mississippi Writing Assessment.

• You will be given a score between zero and four for each of several aspects of your project and presentation. The overall score will be determined by averaging these smaller scores together.

Assessment

Click on a planet or

Click here to take a tour!

This is our Solar system

The SunThe Sun

The sun is the star closest to the Earth, and is responsible for all life, as we know it.

NASA

For more information click here

Mercury is the planet closest to the sun. It takes 88 days to obit the sun and is one of only 2 planets in our solar system without any moons.

Mercury

To learn more click here

Venus

Venus, called Earth’s twin planet, is the second planet with no moon. One year on Venus is measured as 288 Earth days.

To learn more click here.

Earth is our home planet, and the only planet known to sustain life.

For more information click here.

Earth

The MoonThe moon is essentially a large rock in space, but it is the only “rock”, not on Earth, that has the boot-print of a human.

The moon is also responsible for the movement of the tides on Earth.

For more information click here.

Mars

Mars is the fourth planet from the sun, and our closest neighbor.

For more information click here

Jupiter

Jupiter is the largest planet in our solar system and has at least 28 moons.

Click here for more information.

Saturn, known as the ringed planet has 30 moons.

Saturn

Click here for more information.

Uranus

Uranus, the sixth planet from the sun, and yes it is covered in a dense cloud of methane gas.

Click here for more information.

Neptune, named for the Greek god of water, because of its blue color, has nine moonsClick here for more information.

Neptune

Pluto is the furthest planet from the sun, and takes 270 years to orbit the sun.Click here for information.

Pluto

Earth Projects

Make a Time line

It’s One Big Science Fair

Design an Experiment to go to space

Make a Timeline

• Prepare a time line showing the history of space exploration. Include major advancements made by the United States and other countries. Also, include breakthroughs in technology that directly contributed to major studies in space exploration. You may use photographs and drawings or whatever you wish to make your timeline look creative

• Links you will find useful:

• Exploration • Interactive Tour throu

gh history• NASA• Rockets• Milestones• Pictures

It’s One Big Science Fair

• Construct a Planetarium Exhibit. You can either design it on paper or make a model using cardboard or paper mache. Label the parts of your exhibit clearly.

• Prepare an information sheet to hand out to visitors to your exhibit. Write a brief summary of what your exhibit includes.

• Size of the solar system– Build a Solar System

• Life cycle of a star• Make a constellation and t

ell the story behind it’s name.– Constellations

• How did ancient people use the stars to guide them?

Design an Experiment to be completed in Space

• In this project you will write a proposal to NASA of an experiment to be performed on either the Space Shuttle or the Space Station. Be sure to address all steps in the Scientific Process.

• Also, write a cover letter, business style, to introduce your experiment, and define what you would hope to discover by completing your experiment in Space.

• Ideas for Experiments• The Scientific Method• More ideas

Moon Projects

• Design a Moon Base

• Build a Balanced Menu for the Moon

Design and build a Moon Base

• Of course this will only be a model, but your assignment, should you choose this project, will be to design a lunar mining base. You will begin by drawing a floor plan for the base. Be sure to include living quarters, work-space, recreational area, kitchen, and bath areas, as well as a “storage” area for the oxygen and water tanks as well as a generator for power.

• Once you have the floor plan drawn build a scale model, using cardboard, paper mache, or other material.

• International team ideas.

Make a Menu for the Moon Base

• In this assignment you will create a menu for 5 people stationed on the Moon. The people represent the following countries: USA, England, France, Germany, and Russia.

• It is your task to complete a balanced diet totaling 3500 calories per day for each of the 5 people, for five days.

• You will need to include at least one meal that would be considered a favorite in each of the countries represented. Example: Americans eat hotdogs and tater tots.

• What is a balanced diet?

• Favorite foods of– USA

– England

– France

– Germany

– Russia

Other Projects

• You’re a Hero

• Travel the Solar System

• Martian Colony Laws

• Map It Out

• Hello, My Name Is…

• Introducing Planet (Insert Name Here)

You’re a hero!

• After a successful space exploration venture you are asked to appear on several talk shows. However you decide to tell your story to a major newspaper instead. In 500 words, write the exciting story of your space exploration.

• To help you get started, click here to get some questions you should answer in your story

• For more information click on any of the questions.– Who were your crewmates?– What did you see and do?– Where did you explore?– When did you leave and return

?– What was the purpose of your

mission?– How did you accomplish your

mission?

Travel the Solar System

• You are an advertising writer for one of the largest travel agencies on Earth. The agency has designed a tour of the solar system. Your job is to write and design the travel brochure for this outstanding trip.

• Design a travel brochure that promotes this tour of the solar system. Include photographs, drawings or computer graphics. What else can you do to make the brochure appealing? Remember, your brochure should get people excited about this extraordinary trip.

• Before you begin writing consider these points.

– What areas will the tourist visit? All the planets? Just a few?

– How long will the tour be? Are different tour packages available, such as for seven days, two weeks, or even a month.

– How much will the tour cost?– What special exhibits or places of

interest will be visited?– What type of space craft will be

used to transport the tourist? A luxury space cruiser? A super-charged turbo space jet? How fast do they go?

Martian Colony Laws

• Since colonist from Earth began to settle on Mars its population has grown steadily. You have been elected to the law-making body for the new settlements. Write a set of proposals for the governing of the Mars colony.

• Write a set of proposed laws for the colony.

• After you’ve written your proposed laws display them neatly on poster board.

• Think about these questions while making up your laws:– How should the laws be

written so that people from different countries on Earth con live together peacefully on Mars?

– What special laws might be needed that are not used on Earth?

– How would you the law-making body use the laws?

– Are there currently any “space laws” that might help lead you to make your laws?

Mapping it Out

• Suppose a futuristic “League of Mars Colonies” is planning an atlas. A map is needed of the city that you and your space crew have founded.

• Draw a map of your city for the atlas. Include a scale, symbols, and a key. Get ideas for your map by checking existing maps, atlases, and textbooks.

• Think about these points before you draw your map:

– What is the name of your city? Where on Mars is your city located? What are the city boundaries?

– How will you show the contours of the planet surface that are included in your city’s landscape-mountains, craters, and ridges?

– What scale will you use for you map?

– What is the population of the city?

– What buildings or points of interest will you include in you map?

Hello My Name Is…

• Your space exploration group has just landed on planet Xyrus, in the solar system Varca. A group of Xyrus inhabitants has approached you ship. It is impossible to tell whether they are friendly or whether they are likely to attack. They just stand there, watching and waiting. You don’t’ speak the same language. Therefore, you must think of a way to communicate with them.

• Using signs and symbols, develop a system of language that will enable you to communicate with the inhabitants.

• Develop a list of key words and phrases that are essential for communication. Include the numbers 1 through 20. Base your signs and symbols on the base 10 system. Design a sign or symbol for each key word or phrase. You may act out your communications with the Xyrus’ to demonstrate how you would attempt communications with a “new “ species.

• How Egyptians represented numbers

• Example of modern pictograms

• Some common phrases for non-English speaking people.

Introducing Planet (insert name here)

• Suppose while observing the sky one night with a telescope, you notice something very strange. Could it be another planet?

• Give your planet a name, and write a news story about your discovery. Include a sketch of the new planet, as seen through a telescope. Include features such as craters and mountains you observed.

How does NASA look for a planet?

Some drawings of familiar planets as seen through telescopes.

How are stars named?

How the nine planets of our solar system got their names.

Conclusion

• We have reached the end of our journey.• To return to the main page of planets click

the button with the picture of the house.• To view the projects again click the other

arrow.• I hope you enjoyed your voyage, and as the

Vulcans say, “May you live long and prosper.”