The Solar System

Introduction

Welcome, future astronauts! NASA is preparing for a new deep-space mission, but they have a problem. They need expert data on the planets in our solar system before they can launch. You have been selected to join the elite Space Exploration Team. Your mission is to explore a assigned planet, gather critical survival data, and convince the NASA board why your planet is the most fascinating place to visit. Pack your digital spacesuit—it is time to blast off!

Task

Your mission is to work as a team of space researchers to explore the solar system. You will create a Planet Travel Brochure (using Google Docs, Canva, or paper) to present your findings to NASA.

Your final brochure must include:

  • Basic Statistics: Size, distance from the Sun, and temperature.
  • Atmosphere and Surface: What the planet is made of and if it has moons.
  • Fun Factor: Two unique or weird facts about your planet.
  • Survival Rating: Can humans survive there? Why or why not? 

Process

Follow these steps carefully to complete your mission:

  1. Form Teams: Join a group of 3 or 4 students.
  2. Pick a Destination: Choose one planet from the solar system to research.
  3. Gather Data: Use the links in the Resources section to answer the questions in the Task.
  4. Design the Brochure: Divide the work. One person handles stats, one handles the surface description, and one designs the layout.
  5. Review: Check your work against the Evaluation rubric before turning it in.

Evaluation

Your project will be graded on a 4-point scale based on this rubric:

Criteria Excellent (4) Good (3) Developing (2) Beginning (1)
Research Accuracy All facts are correct and detailed. Most facts are correct with minor errors. Several factual errors present. Information is incorrect or missing.
Brochure Design Visually organized with clear sections. Organized but lacks visual elements. Disorganized and hard to read. No effort shown in layout.
Team Cooperation All members shared work equally. Most members contributed. One or two people did all the work. Group did not work together.

Conclusion

Mission accomplished, team! You have successfully explored the solar system and safely brought back vital data for NASA. Through this journey, you learned how planets differ in temperature, size, and composition. Remember, our solar system is vast, and there is always more to discover. Keep looking at the stars!