Download What Makes a World Habitable?

TEKS 7.9A analyze characteristics of objects in our solar system that allow life to exist such as the proximity of the
sun, presence of water, and composition of the atmosphere
Alien Survival
Materials:
 Construction
paper
 Markers
 Paper
 Rulers
 Solar system
resource
materials
Purpose of activity:
Students should apply what they have learned about gravity, the planets and the solar
system to create an alien that is able to survive on its planet. Review table titled: What
makes a world habitable? before this activity.
Objectives:
 Describe the types of characteristics that are necessary for survival
on a chosen planet.
 Identify characteristics of objects in our solar system.
Students will create an alien for an assigned planet or of their choice. They will use the
required criteria listed on the student page to design their final product.
Differentiated Instruction option:
This project can be differentiated by allowing students to complete one of the following:
media presentations (Video or power point.)
write a screenplay about the alien.
TEKS 7.9A: analyze characteristics of objects in our solar system that allow life to exist such as proximity of the sun,
presence of water, and composition of the atmosphere
Alien Survival
Background: Think about planet Earth and its characteristics. The temperature ranges
from -88oC to 58oC because of the distance from the sun. We have four seasons since
Earth is tilted 23.45o on its axis. Most of our planet is covered with water. The air is
made of nitrogen, oxygen and a little carbon dioxide which is the perfect combination to
allow us to breathe. The force of gravity pulls us down at a rate of 9.8 meters per
second 2 so we don’t float off into space. Earth is home to people, plants and animals
because it has water and the right kind of atmosphere. All organisms need to have
unique characteristics that allow them to survive on a certain planet. You are going to
pretend you are an alien from a different planet and describe what adaptations you need
in order to survive.
Procedure:
Use plain white paper, pencil, and art supplies to draw a picture of the alien from your
chosen or assigned planet. You must include special adaptations of your alien based on
the climate, atmosphere, and characteristics of the planet. Use FACTS from table titled:
What makes a world habitable? and your creative ideas to describe your alien. Your
project must include a picture of the alien with the adaptations labeled. You must also
include a description of the alien that explains the adaptations (at least 5 sentences).
REQUIRED QUESTIONS:
The following questions need to be answered in your description. If these items are not
included, points will be deducted.
Think about a particular planet, its properties and location…
1) What characteristics does the alien have that allow it to survive in the planet’s
climate?
2) How does the alien acquire its food?
3) What gases does the alien breathe?
4) How has the alien adapted to the planet’s gravity?
5) What does the alien look like?
Alien Survival Rubric
Y
N
Points
5
1. Is my name and title on the project?
30
3. Have I included a labeled drawing of the alien?
4. Is this information included?
Planet alien lives on
5
Adaptation to the planet’s climate
5
Adaptation to the planet’s gravity
5
Adaptation to eat
5
Adaptation to breathe
5
5. I have included a 5 sentence description of the alien that answers the
required questions.
6.
5
I checked for spelling and grammar errors
Points Earned
35
Total
What Makes a World Habitable?
Obtained from http://www.lpi.usra.edu/education/explore/our_place/activity_glance.shtml
Factors that
make a Planet
Habitable
Temperature
Influences how
quickly atoms and
molecules move
Water
Dissolves &
transports
chemicals within
and to and from a
cell
Not Enough of
the Factor
Just Right
Too Much of the
Factor
Situation in the
Solar System
Low
temperatures
cause chemicals
to react slowly,
which interferes
with the reactions
necessary for life.
Also low
temperatures
freeze water,
making liquid
water
unavailable.
Life seems
limited to a
temperature
range of
-15
to 115 degrees
Celsius. In this
range, liquid
water can still
exist under
certain
conditions.
At about 125
degrees Celsius,
molecules
important for life
(e.g., DNA and
RNA) start to
break apart. Also,
high
temperatures
quickly evaporate
water.
Surface: Only
Earth’s surface is
in this
temperature
range.
Sub-surface:
The interior of
the solid planets
& moons may be
in this
temperature
range.
The chemicals a
cell needs for
energy & growth
are not dissolved
or transported to
the cell
Water is
regularly
available. Life
can exist
between wet
periods, but,
eventually, water
needs to be
available.
Too much water
is not a problem,
as long as it is
not so toxic
(poisonous
substance) that it
interferes with
the chemistry of
life
Surface: Only
Earth’s surface
has water,
though Mars once
had surface water
and still has
water ice in its
polar ice caps.
Saturn’s moon,
Titan, seems to
be covered with
liquid methane.
Sub-surface:
Mars & some
moons have
deposits of
underground ice,
which might melt
to produce water.
Europa, has a
vast ocean
beneath its outer
shell if ice.
Factors that
make a Planet
Habitable
Not Enough of
the Factor
Just Right
Atmosphere
Traps heat,
shields the
surface from
harmful radiation,
and provides
chemicals needed
for life, such as
nitrogen and
carbon dioxide.
Small planets
and moons have
insufficient
gravity to hold an
atmosphere. The
gas molecules
escape to space,
leaving the
planet or moon
without an
insulating blanket
or a protective
shield.
Energy
Organisms use
light or chemical
energy to run
their life
processes.
When there is too
little sunlight or
too few of the
chemicals that
provide energy to
cells, such as iron
or sulfur,
organisms die.
Earth & Venus
are the right size
to hold a
sufficient-sized
atmosphere.
Earth’s
atmosphere is
about 100 miles
thick. It keeps
the surface warm
& protects it
from radiation &
small- to
medium-sized
meteorites.
With a steady
input of either
light or chemical
energy, cells can
run the chemical
reactions
necessary for
life.
Nutrients
Used to build and
maintain an
organism’s body.
Without sufficient
nutrients
organisms cannot
grow. Planets
without systems
to deliver
nutrients to its
organisms (e.g.,
a water cycle or
volcanic activity)
cannot support
life. Also, when
nutrients are
hard to obtain life
cannot exist.
All solid planets
& moons have
the same general
chemical
makeup, so
nutrients are
present. Those
with a water
cycle or volcanic
activity can
transport and
replenish the
chemicals
required by living
organisms.
Too Much of the
Factor
Situation in the
Solar System
Venus’s
atmosphere is
100 times thicker
than Earth’s. It is
made almost
entirely of
greenhouse
gasses, making
the surface too
hot for life. The
four giant planets
are completely
made of gas.
Of the solid
planets & moons,
only Earth,
Venus, & Titan
(Saturn’s moon)
have significant
atmospheres.
Mars’ atmosphere
is about 1/100th
that of Earth’s,
too small for
significant
insulation or
shielding.
Light energy is a
problem if it
makes a planet
too hot or if there
are too many
harmful rays,
such as
ultraviolet. Too
many energy-rich
chemicals is not a
problem.
Too many
nutrients are not
a problem.
However, too
much volcanism
for example
Jupiter’s moon,
Io, or the
churning
atmospheres of
the gas planets,
interferes with an
organism’s ability
to get enough
nutrients.
Surface: Some
inner planets get
too much sunlight
for life. The outer
planets get too
little.
Sub-surface:
Most solid planets
& moons have
energy-rich
chemicals.
Surface: Earth
has a water
cycle, an
atmosphere, and
volcanoes to
circulate
nutrients.
Sub-surface:
Any planet or
moon with subsurface water or
molten rock can
circulate and
replenish
nutrients for
organisms.