Introduction
Task
This is Allen, the alien, and he has crash landed on Earth! He needs your brain power to answer the following mysterious questions and help him get back home. You're his only hope!
Allen's planet is very large, made of gas, has many moons, and can be seen from Earth without a telescope.
Which planet could it be?
First, you will have to do a little research on the solar system. Once you are ready to get started you will be assigned a planet and split into 8 groups, one group for each planet, to learn as much as you can about the planet.
Get ready to explore and solve the mystery of Allen, space traveler!
Process
Well, Galactic Explorers...are you up for the task to help Allen get back to his home? Well… here are your questions:
- How big is your planet?
- What is your planet made of?
- How long does it take your planet to orbit around the Sun?
- Who is your planet named after?
- How far away from the Sun is your planet?
- Is your planet in the Inner Solar System or Outer Solar System?
- Can your planet be seen from Earth without a telescope?
- Does your planet have any moons? How many?
Once you are ready to get started, use the following link to help answer the questions about your planet!
- Click here to learn about all the planets in the solar system. Have fun and explore the page to find out more about what's in our solar system and to find out about each planet's size, distance from the sun, and much more!
Once everyone has finished answering their questions about their planet, it is time to have everyone regroup and talk about each group's planet!
Here is where you will have the chance to talk to the other groups and ask them about their planets. You will discuss with them your answers and communicate with everyone, in the hopes of solving the mystery of Allen's home planet!
Once you solved where Allen came from and which planet is his home, you now need to calculate how far away he is from home!
- Click here to find the distance from the Sun to Earth, as well as the distance from the Sun to Allen's Planet
Since Allen crashed on Earth, you will need to need to take the distance of Allen's home planet from the Sun, then subtract the distance Earth is from the Sun in order to find out how far away Allen's home is!
Use this formula to find the distance:
(Distance from Sun to Allen's home planet)
-
(Distance from Sun to Earth)
Distance Allen is from home!
Evaluation
|
Excellent (25 pts) |
Good (20 pts) |
Fair (10 pts) |
Poor (5 pts) |
|
|
Communication Skills |
Students have effectively communicated with each other to complete the mission. |
Students have mostly communicated well with each other to complete the mission. |
Students have not communicated very well with each other to complete the mission. |
Students did not communicate with each other to complete the mission. |
|
Content |
The mission was carefully thought out and very well executed. All questions were answered correctly and mission was completed. |
The mission was mostly well thought out and executed. A few questions were answered incorrectly but mission was completed. |
The mission was not well thought out and poorly executed. Many questions were answered incorrectly and mission may not have been completed. |
The mission had no planning or execution at all. Most or all of the questions were answered incorrectly and the mission was not completed. |
|
Presentation |
The findings of the mission were very well presented and every team member participated. |
The findings of the mission were mostly well presented but some members could have participated more. |
The findings of the mission were poorly presented and most members could have participated more. |
The findings of the mission were very poorly presented and had almost no participation. |
|
Teamwork Skills |
All members of the group worked well together as a whole to complete the mission.
|
Most members of the group worked well together as a whole to complete the mission. |
A few members of the group worked well together as a whole to complete the mission. |
Members of the group worked individually to complete the mission; no teamwork. |
Conclusion
Credits
Media Citations:
Allen:
ForeverMuffin. "Random Cute Alien." DeviantArt. DeviantArt, Aug. 2015. Web. 14 April 2016.
Task Solar System:
Gregory Myers. "10 Strange Conspiracy Theories About Our Solar System." Listverse. Listverse, 18 Jan. 2015. Web. 14 April 2016.
Process Solar System:
Bryaleigh. "Solar System by Bryaleigh." Solar System. Thinglink, 2015. Web. 14 April 2016.
Conclusion Solar System:
"Planet Close To Jupiter HD Desktop Wallpaper : High Definition : Mobile." Planet Close To Jupiter HD Desktop Wallpaper : High Definition : Mobile. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 April 2016.
Weblinks:
Kids Interactive Solar System Website: