Flying Through The Solar System

Introduction

This webquest will be used for fourth grade students to gain an understanding about the solar system. They will be able to know the names of the planets, facts about the planets and what the planets look like. This lesson is designed to strengthen student’s collaboration skills as well as their oral, written and technology skills.

ATTENTION 4TH GRADE ASTRONAUTS! You have been selected as the first fourth grade class to explore outer space! NASA has asked us to help them with their top secret mission. Grab your gear and space food and get ready to blast of! 5-4-3-2.......1 BLAST OFF!!!

Brianna Fox and Nick Isola

Task

Many scientists still have contradicting theories based on the solar system. These theories range from stars, planets, and constellations. To begin this assignment, students should start their own research on these topics.

With a partner, complete a scavenger hunt by using links and websites to answer questions about the planets.

When you are finished with the scavenger hunt, pick one planet you would like to live on if we could no longer live on Earth and either create a poster, a powerpoint, video, or song describing the planet and explain your reasoning.

Explorers will then present these final studies with the class.

GOOD LUCK!!!!

Process

Visit the websites in the order listed which is the same order as the worksheet. Answer each question on the worksheet below from the information you find in your resources.

Sun Questions:

1. How old is the Sun? ___________________________  

2. How many layers does the Sun have? ___________________________  

Mercury

 3. How many days does it take Mercury to make one complete orbit around the Sun? ______________________________

  4. What is Mercury's atmosphere composed of? _________________________________________________

5. Mercury has been shaped by what three processes ? _________________________________________________  

Venus

6. Venus makes one orbit around the Sun every _______________ days.

 7. Give one reason why a human might not be able to survive on Venus? ________________________   

Earth

8. How much of the Earth is covered by water? _____________________  

9. What is Earth's atmosphere made of? (Hint:Click on the word More at this site.)_______________________________________

Mars

10. Does Mars have seasons? ________

 11. Describe the surface of Mars? ________________________________  

Jupiter

12. What is Jupiter's big Red Spot ? _________________  

13. What is Jupiter composed of? ___________________

Saturn

14. What is Saturn's atmosphere composed of? _________________  

15. What do astronomers believe are the large white spots on Saturn?____________________________________________

Uranus

16. What is the atmosphere composed of and what happnes when the atmosphere gets too cold? _______________________________

Neptune

17. What is the weather like on Neptune?_______________________

Pluto

18. Do astronomers believe Pluto is a planet? ______________ 

THE PLANET YOU WOULD LIKE TO LIVE ON IF WE COULD NOT LIVE ON EARTH:

19. Which planet would you like to live on? ______________

Evaluation

Upon completion of this project you will hand your answers to the worksheets for evaluation. Be sure that you have answered all of the questions correctly before turning in your papers. Incorrect answers will result in a loss of points.

RUBRIC:

https://prod.campuscruiser.com/StreamServlet/WebQuest+Rubric.pdf?n=fmgr&ts=1427900093228&sig=sjfr8kdDImzhFcfVzbsVSx3yEcQ%3D&v=H4sIAAAAAAAAAEsrzckJSCzJsNVPTtZ3dnbLzEnVBxG%2BiXmJ6alFBvrx8ckFluYgKrcUROYUGxpYGpjrg0kzY1P98NSkwtLU4pJiECsQxFIIKk0qykzWK0hJi1eMT%2FNLzE21xS6Xk5%2BcmGObmhcfGgzkZRa7%2BNj6AQBE7Jd%2FkgAAAA%3D%3D

Conclusion

You have just completed a very difficult mission! Congratulations are in order! You have discovered many facts about our solar system, but there is still a lot about the solar system that we don’t know yet.

1. After listening to each group's proposal, which planet would you want to visit, and why?

2. What was the most interesting fact that you learned?

3. Did you work well with your partner?

Credits

Sun:

1. http://starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/StarChild/solar_system_level2/sun.h…

Mercury:

2. http://www.frontiernet.net/%7Ekidpower/mercury.html

3. http://starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/StarChild/solar_system_level2/mercu…

Venus:

4. http://www.frontiernet.net/%7Ekidpower/venus.html

5. http://www.zoomschool.com/subjects/astronomy/planets/venus/