Download Planetary Debate - TXESS Revolution

Great Planetary Debate
The Great Planetary Debate activity was developed by
Jennifer Bergman and can be found at UCAR s
Windows to the Universe web site at
www.windows.ucar.edu. We have adapted it for use in
TXESS Revolution PDA 5, Earth as a Habitable Planet.
Participants will work in groups of four or five to research planetary bodies in the
solar system. Teams will then provide information to all PDA attendees about their
assigned planetary bodies (planet/moon groupings) while competing against other
teams in a Great Planetary Debate.
Objectives:
The objectives of the activity are to:
(1) Identify the distinguishing characteristics of each planetary body.
(2) Explore differences among the different planetary bodies, and between the
other planetary bodies in our solar system and Earth.
(3) Gain in-depth knowledge on their assigned planetary bodies in the solar
system. Determine how Earth s place in the solar system helps make it a
habitable planet.
(4) Practice debating and presentation skills.
Challenge: You are a tour operator for Galaxy Guides promoting tourist travel
(could be real or virtual tourism) to the planetary body or bodies which you have
been assigned.
1. Day one –team assignments (4 or 5 participants).
Team 1:
Team 2:
Team 3:
Team 4:
Team 5:
Team 6:
Team 7:
Team 8:
Team 9:
Team 10:
Team 11:
Satellites
Team 12:
Mercury, First Rock from the Sun
Venus, the Veiled Planet
Earth's Moon, A Muse for all Ages
Mars, the Red Planet
Jupiter, Giant Among Planets
Saturn, the Elegant Planet
Uranus, the Sideways Planet
Neptune, the Windy Planet
Pluto, Mr. X
Eris, 2003UB313 (Object found in outer solar system)
Io, Europa, Ganymede, Callisto (moons of Jupiter), the Galilean
Triton, the Retrograde (moon of Neptune) and Titan, the Wet One
(moon of Saturn)
3. Day two – Finish any research, write opening and closing arguments, and
create PowerPoint presentation. Remember that your team is limited to 4 slides
per presentation.
If you make to the final round, you will be able to show as many as 12 different
slides.
4. Day three (breakfast) - Refine opening and closing arguments and practice
these along with the PowerPoint slides. The tournament schedule will be posted
in the morning so make sure to look up the basics about your opponents' planet/
moon so you can use these facts during rebuttal time.
Late morning: Great Planetary Debate!
For simplicity's sake, at the end of each debate, participants will vote for the
group of planetary bodies they want to visit by a show of hands (see tournament
brackets).
There are questions and suggested web sites listed to help you with your
research.
12 Teams of 4-5 Participants
Each
EachTeam
Teampresentation
presentationisis55
minutes,4
minutes,4slides
slidesper
perteam
team
presentation
presentation
Round 3:
10 minutes
Round 4:
Round 2:
30 minutes
Round 1:
60 minutes
10 minutes
10 minute
Q/A for
winning
team