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Introduction
This webquest has been designed to help
students better understand the concepts of the planets. This has
been developed as part of the Visit our Planet Project. I have
created this WebQuest because it was a requirement of my professor as
part of my master's degree. However, I hope to use it for my
students to become more aware of the planets.
In the Visit our Planet WebQuest,
students will be put into groups of three or four. Students are
expected to research their given planet for many characteristics; they
will need to determine the temperature, distance from the sun,
atmospheric conditions, number of moons, space visits, etc. The
students will be expected to make a poster of their designated planet
at the completion of this project. They will also be expected to
perform a skit or commercial that will convince their classmates to
visit their planet.
Learners
This lesson is designed for 8th grade
science students. There will be some math involved in this
project as well.
Students will
need to know how to use a computer to some extent in order to navigate
through the WebQuest. STudents will also need to know how to
convert hours to minutes and minutes to seconds.
Curriculum
Standards
Students will learn how to work with
computers and more technology.
Science Standard Addressed
- Identify planets
in our solar system and their general characteristics 3.5 D
Students will
need to collaborate and come up with all of the necessary information
needed for their poster and skit. Students need to be creative so
that other students would want to visit their planet. Teamwork is
a must in this project because each team member holds a vital role in
project competion.
Remember,
there is no "I" in team.
TEAM... Together Everyone Achieves More.
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Evaluation
There
will be 3
grades.
- The
first grade
will be an individual grade based on the completion of the expert
packet.
- The
second grade
will be a group grade based on the completion of the group poster or
billboard for your planet.
- The
third grade
will be a group grade based on the skit that will convince us to come
and travel to your planet.
FACT
SHEET
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Beginning
0 |
Developing
1
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Accomplished
3
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Exemplary
5
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Score
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Identify key aspects of the planet you
were assigned
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Fact Sheet was not fully completed.
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Minimal effort in completing the
information fact sheet about your planet and topic that was
assigned. Fact sheet was complete; however, some answers were not
correct.
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Fact sheet was
complete. Most facts were correct; however, no extra effort or
facts were added. It was only the basic facts needed |
Fact Sheet was complete. Facts
were correct and there were facts over and beyond what was expected.
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BILLBOARD
POSTER
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Beginning
5
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Developing
10
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Accomplished
15
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Exemplary
20
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Create a Billboard that will convince
people to visit your Planet
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Is messy
Incomplete
Not eye cathing
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Missing two of the categories in the
exemplary category
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Is missing one of the key factors in
the exemplary category.
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Eye catching
Slogan
Nickname
Pictures of Attractions
Identifies what you need to bring
Colorful
5 facts about the planet
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SKIT
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Beginning
0
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Developing
14
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Accomplished
16
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Exemplary
20
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Create a skit, commerial, or play
convincing your classmates to visit your planet.
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No skit was prepared.
Skit can be between 0-14 if it is barely done and if it is extremely
unprepared.
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Can be missing 3 aspects
of the exemplary skit factors.
Very difficult to follow.
At the end of the skit, we aren't sure that we would ever go there.
Little to no excitement about planet.
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Can be missing 2 aspects of the exemplary skit factors.
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Entertaining
Creative
5 Key Facts about Planet
What should we bring?
Props
Gravity
Easy to understand
Attractions
Very well thought out and very entertaining.
Makes you want to visit the planet
(excited)
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Process
To Accomplish this
assignment, each of you will be assigned to a role and you will have a
task to complete.
- First you'll be
assigned to a team of 4 students
- Each of you will
have a role to play and key facts that need to be identified:
- Composition
Executive
- What is the
planet made of?
- What is the
atmosphere like?
- What would
it be like if you were to go there?
- Could you
stand there?
- Measurement
Executive
- What is the
gravity compared to Earth?
- How much
would a 100 pound person weigh there?
- What is the
size of the planet?
- What is the
distance from Earth?
- How long
would it take to get there?
- Moon
Executive
- Does the
planet have any moons?
- How many
moons does it have?
- Give 2 facts
about at least 2 of the most popular moons.
- If the
planet does not have any moons, there will not be a moon executive
- Travel
Executive (may be 2 students)
- How many
trips have been taken to your planet?
- Are there
any missions planned to visit your planet?
- What are
some activities that may be able to be done there?
- Forecast
Executive
- What is the
climate like there?
- What would a
normal day be like?
- How long is
the rotation?
- How long is a
rotation?
- How old would
you be there?
3. Group members will collaborate and work on the poster together
in the
classroom on the second or
third day depending on how the assignment is
done.
4. Students will work on the billboard poster and the
skit/commerial for a
total of 3
days.
Lesson
Organization:
- Time Frame
(approximately 6 days)
- 2 Class Periods in the Library
- 3 Class Periods in the Classroom
- 1 for Poster
- 2 for Skit Preparation
- Math will be included in order to calculate distance,
weight, and others
- Groups
- Groups of 3 or 4 and they could be chosen at random
or teacher selected depending on group of students.
- Mercury and Venus can have less students if need be
because they have no moons.
- Needed Skills:
- Computer Effeciency
- Classroom Management
- Easy to navigate for any teacher.
- Lots of Supervision is needed to keep students on
task.
Variations
If need be,
students can work on lessons independently and do one poster.
However, a group may be best for this situation. Also, the skit
can be taken out.
Resources
Needed
- Astronomy
Textbook (~30)
- Computers
(~30)
- Internet
- Astronomy
Books
- Computer
Printer
- Adapted
Materials
- White
Poster Paper
- Crayons
- Markers
- Glue
- Props
for Skit
- 1
Teacher
- Printer Ready and Working
Useful
Websites
Check out the
NASA website for important information
Look at your
Astronomy Book Online
NASA Planet Link
Quick Facts
About Planets
Want to Learn Easy Facts About your Planets
What's Your Weight?
What's Your Age?
Evaluation
- Worksheet for role in research in the computer
lab.
- Poster - group grade
- Skit - group grade
- Refer to the Rubric below
You may want to
just copy and paste the evaluation section of the student page into
this space and add any clarifications needed for another teacher to
make use of this lesson.
Conclusion
Congratulations!
You have fully explored your planet. Now imagine if we could
really go there. It may happen someday. Maybe even in your
lifetime. What an exciting time that would be!
Credits
& References
Pictures
from Webshots
Holt, Reinhardt, Winston Astronomy
Book
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