Download Reflection #12: The Journey Ends

I.
Grade Level/Unit Number:
II:
Unit Title:
Energy and the Universe
III.
Unit Length:
5 Weeks
IV.
Major Goals and Learning Outcomes
What are the major processes and concepts in the scientific method?
What are some essential safety issues in the lab?
What are the major bodies in the solar system?
How are rotation and revolution different?
How do Earth’s movements and relative position within the solar system cause
cycles such as day/night, eclipses and seasons?
How does Earth compare to the other planets?
Why is Earth capable of supporting life?
How have humans been able to explore outer space?
Why is space exploration important to people on Earth?
What problems did humans encounter in exploring space?
What technologies have been used to explore the solar system?
Where is Earth in the universe?
How is Earth unique among the solar bodies?
How has space exploration been a benefit to everyone?
What technologies are “spin-offs” of space exploration?
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Grade 6/Unit 1
V.
Objectives Included:
Number Competency or Objective
1.01
Identify and create questions and hypotheses that can be
answered through scientific investigations.
1.05
Analyze evidence to:
 Explain observations.
 Make inferences and predictions.
 Develop the relationship between evidence and
explanation.
1.06
Use mathematics to gather, organize, and present quantitative
data resulting from scientific investigations:
 Measurement.
 Analysis of data.
 Graphing.
 Prediction models.
1.07
Prepare models and/or computer simulations to:
 Test hypotheses.
 Evaluate how data fit.
1.08
Use oral and written language to:
 Communicate findings.
 Defend conclusions of scientific investigations.
6th grade unit
RBT Tag
A1
C3 (C4)
A2
B2
A1
1
1.09
Use technologies and information systems to:
 Research.
 Gather and analyze data.
 Visualize data.
 Disseminate findings to others.
1.10
Analyze and evaluate information from a scientifically literate
viewpoint by reading, hearing, and/or viewing:
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A1
A4 (A5)
Scientific text.
Articles.
Events in the popular press.
2.02
Use information systems to:
 Identify scientific needs, human needs, or problems that
are subject to technological solution.
 Locate resources to obtain and test ideas.
B3
2.03
Evaluate technological designs for:
 Application of scientific principles.
 Risks and benefits.
 Constraints of design.
 Consistent testing protocols.
Apply tenets of technological design to make informed
consumer decisions about:
 Products.
 Processes.
 Systems.
B4
Analyze the components and cycles of the solar system
including:
B4
2.04
5.01
5.02
B3
 Sun.
 Planets and moons.
 Asteroids and meteors.
 Comets.
 Phases.
 Seasons.
 Day/year.
 Eclipses.
Compare and contrast the Earth to other planets in terms of:
Size.
 Composition.
 Relative distance from the sun
 Ability to support life.
6th grade unit
B2
2
5.04
5.05
5.06
Describe space explorations and the understandings gained
from them including:
 N.A.S.A.
 Technologies used to explore space.
 Historic timeline.
 Apollo mission to the moon.
 Space Shuttle.
 International Space Station.
 Future goals.
Describe the setting of the solar system in the universe
including:
 Galaxy.
 Size.
 The uniqueness of Earth.
Analyze the spin-off benefits generated by space exploration
technology including:
 Medical.
 Materials.
 Transportation.
 Processes.
 Future research.
A1
B1 (A1)
B4 (A4)
VI.
NC English Language Proficiency (ELP) Standard 4 (2008)- for Limited
English Proficient students (LEP)
English language learners communicate information, ideas, and concepts necessary for
academic success in the content area of SCIENCE.
Suggestions for modified instruction and scaffolding for Limited English
Proficient (LEP) students and/or students who need additional support are
embedded in the unit plan and/or are added at the end of the corresponding section
of the lessons. These suggestions are presented in italics in a text box. The amount
of scaffolding needed will depend on the level of English proficiency of each LEP
student. Therefore, novice level students will need more support than intermediate
or advanced students with the language needed to understand and demonstrate
the acquisition of concepts.
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VII.
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Materials Needed:
Strong incandescent light bulb and lamp
Styrofoam ball (three-four inch diameter)
Duct tape
Lamp with bare bulb
Wooden skewer
Word cards
Possible picture cards
Website list-research
Venn diagram
Measuring tools
Compass for drawing circles
Clay or play dough
Spheres
Markers
Register tape
Chart paper
Shelf paper
Computer with internet connection
Materials for student journals (paper, crayons, colored pens or markers)
Cotton twine or cord (cut in 1 meter strips)
Permanent markers
VIII. Big Idea
The Solar System consists of the Sun, planets, moons, asteroids, meteors,
comet, dust, gases and primarily empty space. The Sun is the major source of heat and
light for the Solar System. Everything in the Solar System is under the direct influence
of the Sun’s gravitational pull, and these objects revolve around the Sun with known
frequencies.
Each planet is very different from the others and is known by its observable
features and location in the solar system. The distance that a planet’s orbit is from the
Sun is an important variable in determining the physical and chemical make-up of that
planet. Planets also vary in the number of moons within their gravitational pull, from
none to over twenty. Moons also vary greatly in their sizes and composition. The
position of the Earth in our Solar System gives Earth its unique characteristics for
supporting life.
The Earth’s north-south axis is tilted at an angle, as compared to the plane of its
revolution around the Sun. The rotation of the Earth causes all parts of the Earth to
experience periods of daylight and darkness. The revolution of the Earth around the
Sun on its tilted axis along with its daily rotation causes varying lengths of daylight on
the Earth’s surface as well as changes in the directness and intensity of sunlight. This
results in a yearly cycle of seasons for much of the Earth’s surface.
Space exploration has allowed humans to learn much about the workings of the
solar system, the composition of planet and moons, and the effects of the many types of
solar radiation on the Earth and its inhabitants. In preparing for the challenges of space
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exploration, people have developed many tools and products that have become very
important in enriching our lives. Humans have traveled to the moon, landed probes on
Mars and Venus, and sent probes speeding past Jupiter, Saturn and Uranus. More
recently we have built an International Space Station, through the joint effort of many
countries, to allow space to be studied continually. Scientists have learned much about
the uniqueness of Earth and its place in our solar system. They have also learned that
there are millions of galaxies in space, each containing solar systems.
IX. Notes to Teacher:
This unit is designed to give students a view of the relationship of the planet
Earth and our Solar system to the vast universe of space and an appreciation for
technology that has greatly increased our knowledge and understanding of distant
space. In activity one, the author has combined an important introduction to the nature
of measurement and units of measure with an imaginary bus and rocket trip that begins
in the classroom and extends to deep space beyond even our nearest galaxy
neighbors. Students explore units ranging from student-devised nonstandard units to
metrics to astronomical units to light years as distances associated with the journey
require new units of measure. Students construct and illustrate a travel log that
describes the imaginary journey from their classroom to deep space with numerous
pauses along the way to ponder distance and “sights” along the way. The log, when
completed, will help students appreciate their place in space and the uniqueness of
Planet Earth. Requirements for the travel log may be as simple or complex as
appropriate for each learner. Be sure all students understand that such a voyage is
imaginary to avoid any misconceptions that may otherwise arise.
In activity two, the controversy regarding how Pluto should be classified is
addressed, and an excellent example of the nature of science is provided. The big idea
of this lesson is not a definition for the word “planet” but an understanding of how
science knowledge evolves and the role technology plays in changing our view of the
world in which we live as well as the vast area we call space.
In activity three, components of the Solar System other than the eight planets are
focused on specifically. Student research is the basis of this lesson. Teachers need to
plan ahead by previewing reading materials at levels appropriate for all students.
Computers and internet access should be scheduled to allow students to use the
suggested resources.
Activity four is designed to address misconceptions that students often have in
regard to size and distance in the Solar System. Planets are grouped and studied as
inner (terrestrial) and outer (jovian) planets. Students are encouraged to identify
similarities and differences of planets in these two groups.
Measurement and math calculations are incorporated in activities one and four.
Plan carefully what calculations are appropriate for individual students that you teach.
Also a suggestion is made to make arrangements to team teach with a math teacher in
your grade who teaches the same set of students to allow for integration to occur.
Sample activities have been included for some student projects in this unit.
Create rubrics to use for these or for other projects at
http://rubistar4teacher.org/index.php.
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X. Global Content
NC SCS
Grade 6
1.03, 1.08, 1.10
21st Century Skills
Activity
Journey to Deep Space
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1.05, 1.08, 1.09, 2.02 The Pluto Dilemma
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1.03, 1.07, 1.08, 5.06 Galaxy Pickins
5.04, 5.05
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1.01, 1.03, 1.05,
Scaling Down the
Universe
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1.03, 1.06, 1.09,
5.06,
Man in Space
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6th grade unit
Working independentlyemployability skills
Organizing and relating ideas
when writing- language
skill/writing
Conveying thought or opinions
effectively- communication skills
Creating memos, letters, and
other forms of correspondencelanguage skill/writing
Working independentlyemployability skills
Searching for print informationinformation retrieval skills
Writing to persuade or justify
position- language arts - writing
Locating and choosing
appropriate reference materials
Synthesizing information form
several sources- language skills/
writing
Working independentlyemployability skills
Developing visual aids for
presentations- computer
knowledge
Explaining a concept to otherscommunication skills
Working as a team- teamwork
Working independentlyemployability skills
Developing strategies to address
problems- thinking/problemsolving skills
Developing an action plan or
timeline- thinking/ problem-solving
skills
Working independentlyemployability skills
6
Journey into Deep Space
Objectives:
1.01, 1.05, 1.06, 1.08, 1.09, 1.10, 2.02, 2.04, 5.05
Language (ELP) Objectives for Limited English Proficient (LEP) students:
-Write observations and questions about scientific pictures
-Discuss the characteristics of a measurement tool with a partner
-Read and compare information about relative travel speeds
-Listen and follow the instructions for space travel and record the details of the journey
in journal
Materials
 Computer with internet connection
 Materials for student journals (paper, crayons, colored pens or markers)
 Cotton twine or cord (cut in 1 meter strips)
 Permanent markers
Teacher notes
This lesson can be used to organize this unit. It provides an overview of the topics that
will be explored in this unit and helps students develop a sense of the Earth’s place in
the solar system, the Milky Way galaxy, and the universe. Time spent on this lesson can
vary depending on amount of research and work required for the student log.
Engage
Show students a picture of the Andromeda galaxy, the most distant object that can be
observed with the unaided eye. This galaxy, also known as Messier 31, is just a fuzzy
patch of light in the night sky in the constellation for which it is named. Telescopes,
however, reveal the beauty of this large spiral galaxy that is similar to our Milky Way
galaxy. Such pictures can be found on a NASA website, in space magazines, in a
textbook or at:
http://www.antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap061126.html ,
http://www.seds.org/messier/m/m031.html and at http://www.solstation.com/xobjects/andromeda.htm. These websites have several different pictures of this beautiful
galaxy.
Allow students to observe and write three interesting observations about the pictures
and three questions that they have related to these pictures and other distant space
objects. Use student questions to move on to questions, such as the ones below, to
focus thinking on the distances involved in space travel and distances to deep space.
 What challenges in terms of distance and time would a manned mission to Mars
pose?
 Will we send a spacecraft to a star outside our solar system in your lifetime?
How far would that be? What unit would be used to measure such a distance?
How long would this trip take in Earth years?
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Has any space probe escaped the gravity of the sun and traveled beyond the
orbit of the farthest planet?
 What is the most distant object seen with the unaided eye?
 What is the most distant object photographed with the Hubble Telescope?
How can we find out?
Ideas related to these questions and other questions that students may have can be
recorded on the board, on chart paper, and/or in student journals. Questions can and
should be added to the list throughout this lesson.
For LEP students:
-Give students the following headings to organize their ideas and questions about the
pictures:
- My Ideas About the Pictures
- My Questions About the Pictures
- My Questions About Space
- Words I Do Not Understand
Students will then be asked to brainstorm a list of measurement devices and units for
distance both for earthlings and extraterrestrial travelers. Start with pairs brainstorming
in notebooks. After a few minutes, have two pairs share ideas and add more ideas.
Then allow groups to take turns sharing and adding to a list written on the board or chart
paper and in student notebooks. As the list is written, add examples of things that
would be measured in each unit and which tool would be used. Continue moving from
group to group until all group ideas are shared. Have students group study lists that
have been made and think of ways to categorize units and measuring tools in as many
ways as possible.
For LEP students:
Provide pictures of measurement devices to match the names students list and have
students write about the devices and examples of what they are used for in
sentences, using the following sentence stem:
- A ………. measures………. The…………. is measured in………….
(For example: A tape measure measures the length of pants. The length of
pants is measured in meters (m) and centimeters (cm)).
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Explore
Give groups of 3-4 students a piece of string about 1 meter long and ask them to
develop a measuring device. Do not tell them how to do this or what it will be used to
measure. Ask guiding questions to those groups who have difficulty getting started to
help them realize that they must figure out a way to make equal units along the string
and that those units do not have to be standard ones like inches or centimeters!
For LEP students:
Students may have difficulty understanding the following terms:
Length
width
height
diameter
radius
circumference
To demonstrate these terms and assist students with understanding the terminology,
use the following activities:
1- Give students a selection of shapes and ask them to measure the shapes to find
answers to questions. For example, (a rectangle with sides labeled a-d): how long is
side a? How long is side b? (a circle with a point in the center and a line labeled a-b
from one side to the other, passing through the central point): How long is the line from
the center to side a? How long is the line from side a to side b? (using a circle and a
piece of yarn and ruler (assistance may be required with measuring)): How long is the
edge of the circle?
2- Give students the words above and ask them to decide which words are connected
to the measurement questions. Allow them to work in pairs to negotiate possible
matches with each other. When the correct questions have been selected and
matched, encourage students to formulate the following statements:
- The length of the rectangle is…..cm.
- The width of the rectangle is…..cm.
- The radius of the circle is…..cm.
- The diameter of the circle is….cm
- The circumference of the circle is …cm.
3- Take away the ruler and yarn and ask students to now use the string to measure the
shapes. When they have figured out how to use this and the units of measurement
they can use, allow them to use objects around the classroom to measure using their
measurement tool.
4- Provide them with a chart to record the distances, etc. they measure around the
room. Explain how to use the chart by including an example object and measurement
in the chart
5- Allow students to demonstrate how to use their tool as a means of sharing their
thinking in creating the measurement tool instead of only talking about it.
Groups share their thinking in creating the measuring tool. This should include an
explanation of why they chose the unit, the name given to the unit, and an abbreviation
that could be used for the unit.
 How are all the measuring tools alike?
 How are they different?
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Have students measure distances in a designated area either in the classroom or
outside using the measuring tool. Have students create a chart to record the name of
the object, the dimension being measured (length, width, height, diameter, radius,
circumference), and an estimated measure. This should be completed with both a
number AND a unit for the estimate BEFORE any measurement is made.
Sample chart for students to create on poster paper or white board
Estimated Measure
Dimension
Distance Measured
Actual Measure
Explain
Groups share data.
Possible questions during/after this sharing might be:
 What kinds of units were selected for measuring tools?
 How were units named? How were these names abbreviated?
 If any of the same measurements were taken by different groups, how do those
measurements compare?
 Why is a unit just as important as the number in any measurement?
 What types of things could you measure with your measuring tool?
 What things will your unit and measuring tool not be practical to measure?
 How could you improve your measuring tool?
 How could you make your unit more useful by adapting it in a way that you could
use it to measure something as small as the width of a pin head or as large as
the distance across the US?
 Why are standard units important? Why is it important to be able to change easily
from one unit to another in a measurement system?
 Whose tool is best for measuring the distance between your eyes most
accurately? Why?
 Would your invented unit be practical for distances in space? If not, what units
might be more appropriate?
For LEP students:
-Select questions from the list and provide a written copy of the questions to
pairs/groups of students to discuss and record answers for their pair/group prior
to a whole group discussion.
-Consider simplifying selected questions to meet the linguistic level of the
students. For example:
- What units did you use to measure with your tool?
- Were your measurements the same measurements of another group?
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What can you measure with your tool?
What can you NOT measure with your tool?
How can you change your tool to measure more things?
How can you change your tool to measure very small objects?
Can you use your tool to measure distances in space? Why or why not?
If you answered NO to the previous question, what can you do to change
your tool to measure distances in space?
Elaborate
Students will take an imaginary journey through space to study distances in space and
the units used to measure them. The journey will begin in the classroom and take place
in ten parts, the last of which will have students in deep space looking back at the Local
Group of Galaxies. After each part, students will pause in the journey for discussion
and research. Students will write and illustrate something about the journey to that point
before continuing the journey.
Each journal entry might include information such as:
Title
Distance traveled
Speed
Drawings and notes that represent this part of the journey
Other information from student research and discussion
For LEP students:
-Introduce the trip and the subsequent classroom activities by showing students a
map of the school and where the classroom is located, extending to the bus parking
lot, location on town in state, state in country, country in world, etc. for students to put
the distance of the trip and where they are going in perspective. You can find maps
of these different locations and zoom in/out to and from the starting location using
Google maps. As you show each location, make sure students understand that they
will be measuring the distance from the previous location to the new location. Model
how they will be doing this for the first and second location and how they will make
notes and record an illustration. For example, write the following sentence starters for
their journal entries on the board:
Today I traveled from………. to ………… It was ………… (meters, yards, etc)
from ………… to ……….. My travel speed was……..While I was traveling …………., I
saw/heard/smelled ……………… This is/used for/is like/ (or I think this is)……………
-Allow novice English proficiency students to draw their reflections of the activity in
their journal and use only 2-3 sentences to describe the picture.
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Our Journey to the Stars Begins!
Pack your space suit in a bag and get ready for the trip of a lifetime, a trip that will
take you from your seat in this classroom to points beyond what one can see in
the starry night skies of planet Earth. This journey begins with a walk from the
classroom to the bus outside the school. Discuss the following questions before
leaving:
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What unit is appropriate to measure that distance?
How can you measure that distance? What instruments or tools could you use?
How long do you think it will take to walk that distance?
Predict the speed you will be traveling as you walk this first part of your journey.
Walk to the bus. Measure and record the distance and the time it takes you to walk that
distance. Find your walking speed by using a calculator to divide the distance walked by
the time it took you to walk it. Predict what your speed might have been if your teacher
had allowed you to run as fast as you could to the bus.
For LEP students:
Model this first measurement activity with your students. Allow them to use the
calculator to calculate speed using the measurement you provide for them. Inform
them that the next time, they will measure the distance independently.
Either read or make available for students to read the book What’s Faster Than a
Speeding Cheetah by Robert Wells. This is a short and very fun picture book that gives
an approximate speed that a child might be able to run and compares it to the top speed
of various animals including a cheetah. The book goes on to make comparisons to the
speeds of rockets, sound, and light. Its fanciful introduction and comparisons will help
students understand something about relative speeds.
Reflection #1: Our Journey to the Stars Begins
Title
Distance Traveled
Speed
Drawings and notes that represent this part of the journey
Other information from student reading, research and discussion
We’re Motoring Toward Blast-Off!
You are on a bus and traveling south to Cape Canaveral, Florida for your blast-off
to the stars. Close your eyes and imagine some of the sights, sounds, and smells
that you will encounter along the way. What are some of the living and non-living
things that we take for granted in our Earth environment that we will leave behind
when we board our imaginary rocket and leave this planet? Think about which
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ones of these are necessary for life. Think about the ones you will miss the most
as we journey into deep space.
Questions for reflection and class discussion
 What unit would be best to measure that distance?
 Why would it not be practical to use the same unit used for measuring
distance to the bus parking lot?
 What is the approximate distance from your school to Cape Canaveral,
Florida? How can we find out what this distance actually is?
 How long do you think it will take if we don’t make a stop and travel at an
average speed of 65 mph (miles per hour or 104 kph (kilometers per hour))?
Students can utilize the internet and visit sites such as MapQuest to get estimated travel
time and route from your school to Cape Canaveral.
Log Reflection #2: We’re Motoring Toward Blast-Off
Title
Distance traveled
Speed
Drawings and notes that represent this part of the journey
Other information from student research and discussion
For LEP students:
-Provide the sentence starters in the previous section to help students write their
journal entry about this part of the journey. Add the following sentence starter for this
entry:
-Now I am leaving Earth to travel in space. I will miss……………… and I am
not sure how I will live without……………….
Waiting for the launch countdown to begin!
At Cape Canaveral you will hop on an imaginary spaceship for an imaginary
voyage to deep space. While you wait for launch, take a minute to observe planet
Earth as photographed from space. Textbook pictures or NASA photographs on
the internet can provide an awesome view of this unique planet. What colors and
surface features do you observe? Observe carefully planet Earth, an oasis of
water and life in space for our journey, though lengthy and exciting, will not take
us to another such place. Planet Earth is both beautiful and unique as observed
from space.
As students look at a picture of Earth from space either in a textbook or on the internet,
have them consider this question:
 If you were to really travel in space, what are some items you would want to take
with you and why?
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The students will generate a list of everything that they would take with them on a trip to
space. Have them consider space and weight restrictions and revise their lists until they
only have their top three items. This activity will require students to focus their thinking
on the main, life-sustaining things that will be needed for survival when Earth resources
are no longer available: (water, oxygen, and food).
Reflection #3: Waiting for the Launch Countdown to Begin
Write a paragraph describing the unique resources and beauty of planet Earth. Include
any explanation of resources that will be lacking in space and that space travelers must
either take with them or have the technology onboard their space craft to produce.
Illustrate and label this journal entry.
For LEP students:
-Show students a picture of spaceship/rocket at the launching site and what they
would look like waiting in the ship to launch. Also show a picture of a
spaceship/rocket launching. Explain the words “spaceship/rocket”, “launch”, and
“blast off” using these visuals.
- Allow students to work in pairs to generate a list of what to take with them on a trip
to space. Offer suggestions as examples to get pairs of students started.
- When you show a picture of Earth from the spaceship, as a whole class, brainstorm
descriptive words to model example descriptions for LEP students or assist LEP
students directly with the vocabulary they could use to describe what they see. Assist
them with words that describe color and surface features and refer to the picture to
demonstrate this vocabulary by pointing to the picture. Allow LEP students to discuss
the description in pairs/groups to practice formulating the language needed for the
description before the whole group discussion.
-When writing their journal entry, provide LEP students with the sentence starters
from the previous trips and add the following starters:
-When I traveled in to space and looked at Earth from the spaceship, I saw….
The Earth looked…….
- I decided to take…….. and …….. with me on my trip to space. I chose the
…… because………..
- Allow novice LEP students to produce a journal entry using pictures with 2-3
descriptive sentences of their picture.
An Imaginary Blast Off!
Launch time arrives and off you go. You will be traveling at the speed of light about 300,000 km/s (186,000 m/s) - and be launched toward the sun. The blue sky
immediately fades to black as you leave the gases of the earth’s atmosphere. You
pass the orbits of all types of satellites, including weather, communication,
mapping, navigational, and defense. The orbits of the Hubble Telescope and the
International Space Station are also passed in less than the blink of an eye. In
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fact, less than two seconds into your flight you pass the orbit of the moon around
the earth. You have traveled a distance of about 384,000 km (240,000 miles).
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What other space probes and missions have been flown to the Earth’s moon?
How long did it take them to reach the moon? Why did we get there so quickly
on our imaginary flight?
What speed would space probes have in space? How does that compare to the
speed our imaginary craft is moving on this imaginary journey?
For LEP students:
-Show pictures of the different satellites mentioned and space probes and highlight
the vocabulary words “satellite” and “space probe.” Also, remind students of the
word “orbit” in relation to the moon moving around the Earth, using a picture.
- For this journal entry addition, provide the following sentence starter:
-When I left Earth’s atmosphere and entered space, I saw………..
- To enter space, I traveled at ……….. mph/kph.
- So far I have traveled …………. km/miles from home.
- Students should illustrate their entry as mentioned below and should label the
different objects that appear in the illustration using the following words:
Earth
artificial satellite
natural satellite
orbit space probe moon
Log reflection #4: An Imaginary Blast off
Title
Distance Traveled
Speed
Drawings and notes that represent this part of the journey
Other information from student research and discussion
Draw a map of this part of space showing the Earth, examples of artificial satellites
orbiting relatively close to the Earth, and, much farther away, Earth’s one natural
satellite or moon. Label the map with distances.
Earth to Sun in 8 Minutes!
Eight minutes into your imaginary flight, you have traveled the distance from the
earth to the sun, the center of the solar system. Traveling at the speed of light,
this distance is covered in 8 minutes. This means that light leaving the sun’s
surface reaches the Earth in 8 minutes having traveled a distance of 150,000,000
km or 93,000,000 miles. Astronomers define this distance from the Earth to the
sun as an astronomical unit (Au). Whether measured in miles or kilometers, this
unit defines the distance from the Earth to the sun. You have traveled one
astronomical unit in 8 minutes.
Questions for reflection and class discussion:
 What planets orbit less than one AU from the sun?
How are these planets alike?
How are these planets different?
6th grade unit
15




What planets orbit more than one AU from the sun?
Which of these planets are most alike?
How are these planets different?
What planet is the most like Earth?
What does AU mean?
Write the distance from the Earth to the sun in kilometers and miles using
scientific notation.
Log Reflection #5: Earth to Sun in 8 Minutes
Title
Distance traveled (in miles, kilometers, and astronomical units)
Speed
Draw and label an illustration that shows the part of space that you covered in
this first 8 minutes of your speed of light imaginary flight. Be sure to include
earth and the planetary orbits you passed on the way to the sun. At this point the
distance you have traveled can be described as 150,000, 000 km, 93,000,000
miles, 1 AU . Write these distances in scientific notation. The distance could also
be described as being 8 light minutes.
 What does 8 light minutes mean?
For LEP students:
-Allow students to complete their journal entries similarly to the previous entries. Since
they already have sentence starters from the previous entries, allow them to write
independently and illustrate their observations during the trip. They should label their
illustration with key terms as before, including AU.
-Allow students to work in pairs to discuss the reflection questions and/or research
information to answer the questions. Provide books, texts, and pictures from scientific
magazines and/or websites to search for this information.
From this point on you will stop each time your distance from Earth is increased by a
factor of 100 to write another journal reflection. Earth to sun is 1 astronomical unit ,so
the next stop will be 100 AU’s or 100 times the distance from the earth to the sun.
These pauses will allow you to look back and reflect on what you have passed on your
journey to that point and record that information in a log of this imaginary journey.
14 Hours and 100 AU’s into Your Flight
Your flight resumes from the sun. In a matter of minutes you have again passed
the orbits of all the inner planets, including the Earth, and are traveling beyond
the asteroid belt. After 14 hours of traveling at the speed of light you are 100 AU’s
from the Earth and beyond the orbit of the most distant planet. The inner planets
are hidden in the brightness of the sun. The outer planets, depending on where
6th grade unit
16
they are in their orbits, may reflect enough sunlight to still be faintly visible. You
have encountered the Kuiper Belt, where recent discoveries have caused great
debates among astronomers and changed the way we look at the solar system.
Questions for research and class discussion:
 What space probes have traveled to this part of the universe? How long
did it take them to get here?
 What space probe has gone beyond the orbit of Neptune and out of the
solar system?
 What is the Kuiper Belt? How and when was it first observed and
studied? How has it been studied?
 How has our knowledge of the Kuiper Belt changed how we view our
solar system?
Log Reflection #6: 14 Hours and 100 AU’s into Your Flight
Title
Distance traveled (in miles, kilometers, and astronomical units)
Speed
Drawings and notes that represent this part of the journey
Other information from student research and discussion
For LEP students:
-Provide the description of this stage of the journey on an index card for students to
read. Use the following simplified description:
You begin to fly again from the sun. In minutes you have again passed
the orbits of all the inner planets, including the earth, and you are traveling
past the asteroid belt. After 14 hours of traveling at the speed of light, you are
100 AU’s from the earth and past the orbit of the most distant planet. The light
of the sun hides the inner planets. The outer planets, depending on where they
are in their orbits, may reflect enough sunlight for you to continue to see them.
You see the Kuiper Belt that many astronomers are talking about and that have
changed what we think about the solar system and its components.
- Provide visuals to demonstrate “asteroid belt” ”inner planets”, “outer planets” and
Kuiper Belt”.
-Students should complete their journal entry independently as before.
- Allow students to work in pairs/groups to discuss and research answers to the
reflection questions.
About 3 months and 10,000 AU’s into the journey
You look back at the solar system and no planets are visible. The sun appears as
a very bright star against a black sky. From this view there is no evidence of
planets orbiting the star we call the sun. Any light the sun’s planets reflect is lost
in the brightness of light from the sun. You are now in the realm of comets.
6th grade unit
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There may be a trillion comets out here. Even at this distance the gravity of the
sun keeps them moving in orbits around the sun.

You have been traveling at the speed of light for 58 days. What part of a year is
this?
The distances you have traveled are now so great that we need a new unit of
measurement. Even the astronomical unit is getting cumbersome and miles and
kilometers are really just too many! Just as we used meters to measure the distance to
the bus, kilometers to measure distance from your school to Cape Canaveral, and
astronomical units to measure distances within the solar system, astronomers use a unit
of appropriate length to measure distances in deep space. That unit is the light year. It
is equal to the distance light travels in one year. On this imaginary journey you have
been traveling at the speed of light for 58 days or 0.16 year. You have traveled 0.16
light years. (Note to TEACHER: to calculate this fact 58/365= 0.16)
Use a calculator to determine the following information:
 The number of miles, kilometers, and astronomical units in:
o
o
o
o
One light-second
One light-minute
One light-hour
One light-year

If you have traveled 0.16 light years to this point, how many kilometers have you
traveled?
Have pairs or small groups calculate this information and then share in a whole group
discussion. Depending on the academic level of your students you may need to
calculate the information together or omit this part.
Log Reflection #7: About 3 Months and 10,000 AU’s into the Journey
Title
Distance traveled
Speed
Drawings and notes that represent this part of the journey
Other information from student research and discussion:
Show your calculations of the number of miles, kilometers, and
astronomical units in one light year. Show how each of those numbers
could be written in scientific notation.
The Sun’s Nearest Star Neighbors
You have been traveling 16 years at the speed of light. Looking back toward the
sun, you see some of the sun’s nearest star neighbors as points of light in a dark
sky. The Alpha Centauri star system is more than 4 light-years away. Alpha
Centauri is actually a three-star or three-sun system and is seen from earth only
6th grade unit
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from locations south of Miami, FL. Another interesting star close by to the sun
includes Sirius, the brightest star seen in the Northern Hemisphere, in the
constellation Canis Major. Sirius is eight light years away from the earth. Sirius is
a double star. It has a small white dwarf star circling around it. Barnard’s Star is a
bit closer to the sun at about six light years away.

How long does it take light from Sirius and from Barnard’s Star to reach the
earth?
Earth’s star neighbors seen in the night sky are much further away. Betelgeuse, a
red giant star, and Rigel are in the constellation of Orion, the Hunter. Betelgeuse
is 300 light years away from Earth. It will be yet a while into your journey before
you pass this star and many others of the not-so-near neighbors of the sun.
Questions for reflection, class discussion, and/or research:
 How long have you been traveling on this imaginary journey?
 What other stars are less than 16 light years from our solar system?
 What color and kind of stars are they?
 What constellations are they in?
Log Reflection #8: Our Sun’s Nearest Star Neighbors
Title
Distance traveled
Speed
Drawings and notes that represent this part of the journey
Other information from student research and discussion
Heading toward the center of our galaxy
You have been traveling 1600 years at the speed of light and have passed some
of the sun’s nearest star neighbors and those that are most familiar in the night
sky. You are speeding toward the center of the Milky Way galaxy. You may
observe regions where new stars are forming from clouds of gas and dust. The
stars in the Pleiades are examples of stars that are much younger than our sun. If
you had lived during the time of the dinosaurs 150 million years ago, you would
not have seen these stars. The Pleiades is a cluster of young stars that formed
relatively recently and are still surrounded by clouds of the gas and dust from
which they formed. Without a telescope, the six brightest stars of the Pleiades
can be seen from the Earth in the constellation Taurus. With a telescope the
surrounding clouds of gas and dust become visible. Use a NASA website to find a
picture of the Pleiades or use http://www.naic.edu/~gibson/pleiades/ . An even
sharper image can be found at http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap060109.html
with a brief explanation of this star cluster where new stars are forming.
6th grade unit
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Log Reflection #9: Youngest Stars in a Galaxy
Title
Distance traveled
Speed
Drawings and notes that represent this part of the journey
Other information from student research and discussion
Draw the Pleiades and the clouds of gas and dust that surround them as an
example of stars much younger than our sun.
Looking back on the Milky Way
You have been traveling 160,000 years at the speed of light and are now outside
our galaxy. Looking back you see the spiral shape of the Milky Way galaxy, a
system of hundreds of billions of stars, dust, and gases held together by gravity.
All the stars you can see in the night sky are part of this galaxy. Our sun is
located in a spiral arm about 2/3 of the way from the center. All the brighter stars
(like Sirius, Betelgeuse, Rigel, and Arcturus) seen in the night sky from Earth are
the sun’s neighbors in this spiral arm.
Questions for reflection, discussion, and/or research:
 Why is our galaxy called the Milky Way?
 How big is the Milky Way Galaxy? What unit is used to describe the size of this
galaxy? Why is a mile not an appropriate unit for this measure?
 Where is the sun located in the Milky Way Galaxy?
Log Reflection #10: The Milky Way Galaxy
Title
Distance traveled
Speed
Drawings and notes that represent this part of the journey
Other information from student research and discussion
Cruising the Local Group
You have been traveling 16,000,000 years traveling at the speed of light on this
imaginary journey. Just as the sun in our solar system is a typical yellow star, the
Milky Way galaxy is a typical spiral galaxy amid a family of galaxies called the
Local Group. The Andromeda galaxy, a spiral galaxy like our Milky Way, is
another galaxy in this group. It is the most distant object that can be seen with
the unaided eye in the night sky from Earth. It is about 2.4 million light years from
Earth.
6th grade unit
20
Questions for reflection, discussion, and/or research:



How long does it take light from some of the galaxies in the Local Group to reach
the earth? What unit is used for this distance? Why would miles not be an
appropriate unit for this measure?
Conduct research to find the shape of other galaxies. Try to find pictures of
some of the other galaxies in the Local Group.
Find a picture on the internet showing the Local Group of galaxies.
Log Reflection #11: Our Local Group of Galaxies
Title
Distance traveled
Speed
Drawings and notes that represent this part of the journey
Other information from student research and discussion
Draw the Local Group of galaxies. Be sure to include the Milky Way and
Andromeda galaxies as large spiral galaxies. Also draw in and label some
galaxies of other shapes.
The Journey Ends!
Your imaginary journey ends here. As you look around you from the depths of
space, there are possibly 100 billion galaxies consisting of possibly 1 billion
trillion stars. Our sun is just one star and our Milky Way just one galaxy in a
universe of stars and galaxies. Carl Sagan once wrote that a handful of sand
contains about 10,000 grains of sand, which is more than the number of stars we
can see in the night sky, and that the total number of stars in the universe is
greater than all the grains of sand on all the beaches of planet Earth. The
distances between those stars (even when measured in light years) is mind
boggling to those of us who call planet Earth our home in space!
Reflection #12: The Journey Ends
Students share diagrams in logs, including information obtained in research along the
way, in order to review important points of this imaginary journey into space. This will
be shared with someone from another group utilizing the Think Pair Share strategy.
Questions for reflection and discussion:
 Why did this have to be an “imaginary journey”?
 Will we travel to stars in the next century? Be prepared with ideas to defend your
answer.
 What challenges will have to be overcome if a base is established on Mars?
 Why are units like the astronomical unit and the light year needed to measure
distances in space?
 What are some of the unique features of planet Earth not found elsewhere on our
journey? Which of these features do you think are most important to living
things?
6th grade unit
21
For LEP students:
-Allow students to discuss their journal entry ideas with a partner before writing and
use the sentence starter ideas for guidance.
-Allow students with lower English proficiency to demonstrate their journey during
each step using pictures and have them label the pictures with key terms introduced
at each step.
Evaluate
Reflect on your journey and the vastness of the universe and the uniqueness of planet
Earth in that vast universe. Create a promotional brochure or Power Point illustrating
why planet Earth is the very best place in the universe to call “home.” Include
illustrations of some of the unique characteristics of our planet that make it a hospitable
place for life as we know it.
Write a letter home describing the most important and interesting things you learned on
this imaginary journey at the speed of light. Be sure to include a paragraph as to how
there is just no other place “like our home in space on planet Earth” and another on
what you have learned about distances in space and how they are measured. End your
letter with questions that you still have about space and the immense distances and
interesting objects that make it up. How will you address your letter? If the letter could
travel at the speed of light, how long would it take to get back to your hometown in NC?
“Journey to Space” adapted from “Heading to the Stars,” Science Plus, Holt, Rhinehart,
and Winston, 1992, pp.430-434.
For LEP students:
-The first evaluation assignment is recommended for LEP students since it requires a
reduced quantity of language using PowerPoint and illustrations.
-Present the directions for the task in bullet form and help students understand that
each direction can be the heading of a slide in the PowerPoint.
-Allow students to work in pairs. Group students with lower English proficiency with
more proficient students.
6th grade unit
22
The Pluto Dilemma
Objectives:
1.05, 1.07, 1.08, 1.09, 1.10, 2.02, 5.01
Language (ELP) Objectives for Limited English Proficient (LEP) students:
-Discuss the definition of a planet and form an opinion about what a planet is.
-Listen to a debate and confirm an opinion about planets.
-Write reasons for supporting an opinion about planets.
-Read and summarize information about the classification of planets.
Materials:
 Computer with internet access and Microsoft PowerPoint and Microsoft Word
 Art supplies
• Markers
• Crayons
 Envelopes
 Four corner labels
Teacher notes:
This lesson provides an opportunity to focus on the nature of science and how that body
of knowledge we call science changes over time. As new technology improves our
ability to make observations, it can change the way we view the world and change the
way we try to order and make sense of it. The body of knowledge we know as science
changes as new information increases our understanding of the world around us.
Such is the case with Pluto. New observations and discoveries related to objects in the
Kuiper Belt led some scientists to reconsider (and argue) about what the definition of a
planet should be.
Knowing a definition for “planet” is not a goal for students. These definitions are
included here for teacher information only. The big idea of this lesson is that what you
read in science textbooks change over time as new discoveries are reconciled with past
knowledge.
According to http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/5282440.stm
The scientists agreed that for a celestial body to qualify as a planet:

It must be in orbit around the Sun

It must be large enough that it takes on a nearly round shape

It has cleared its orbit of other objects
Pluto was automatically disqualified because its highly elliptical orbit overlaps with that
of Neptune. It will now join a new category of dwarf planets.
6th grade unit
23
Engage
Ancient people identified five “wanderers” in the night sky. Most stars stayed put in
familiar patterns of constellations that changed with the seasons. But there were five
bright “stars” that seemed to move from constellation to constellation near the ecliptic,
the path of the sun and moon across the sky. These objects we know now are the
planets: Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. The bright “wanderers” were
visible to the ancients only because they reflect sunlight and are not really stars at all.
The word “planet” comes from the ancient word for “wanderers.” Until the telescope was
invented, the solar system was thought to consist of six planets: the earth and the five
“wanderers.” With the discovery of the telescope, new planets were added: Uranus on
March 13, 1781, and Neptune on September 23, 1846. Finally, Pluto was discovered in
1930. The addition of Pluto brought the number of planets in the solar system to nine.
For years, students have used the mnemonic “My Very Earnest Mother Just Sent Us
Nine Pizzas.” As of 2006 a new mnemonic is needed as Pluto is no longer considered
to be a planet. Our solar system now has eight planets and a new group of bodies
called “dwarf planets,” of which Pluto is now a member.
Read to the students an article about the recent change in the definition of a planet that
left our solar system with only eight planets and a new category of bodies to be known
as dwarf planets. You can get these articles from the following websites:
 http://www.astro.cornell.edu/~jlm/planet.html
 http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/solarsystem/planet_confusion_0011011.html
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Definition_of_planet
Have students do a “four corners” activity taking a stand on the statement “Should Pluto
be classified as a planet?” Students will move to one of the four answer choices that are
posted in the room. (Yes, no, maybe, not sure). It may be helpful to have students write
on a slip of paper the “corner” they choose BEFORE asking students to move.
The teacher will pose the following questions for them to answer:
(See label template that follows:)
 The definition of a planet is . . .
 The definition of a dwarf planet is . . .
 Are there other planets in the universe?
 Is Pluto a planet?
Explore
Pluto has always been considered an “oddball” planet. Use internet and textbook
resources to find some of the ways that Pluto is different from other planets. Also
research why astronomers created a new classification of “dwarf planets.” What new
discoveries in the region beyond Neptune made astronomers rethink the definition of a
planet?
There are still those who think that it was a mistake to redefine planets in such as way
as to remove Pluto. What are some of the “facts” or reasons for this viewpoint?
6th grade unit
24
Summarize your research on differing views on this issue in a poster or PowerPoint to
share with the class.
For LEP students:
Allow students to work in pairs for this activity and provide specific websites for them
to research the information – this will reduce “wasted” time trying to find useful
information and reduce the amount of reading and searching LEP students will need
to do to figure out whether the website is helpful or not.
Explain
Students will present posters or use student generated power point presentations.
Students should make a class list of those facts that seem to support the reclassification
of Pluto. Remind students that often scientists disagree and argue for a long time about
issues like this. Make another class list of reasons why Pluto should still be considered
a planet.
For LEP students:
Allow students to discuss facts for each list with a partner and to create their own list
in writing to add to the class list.
Elaborate
Divide the class for a debate on the issue of whether Pluto’s status as a planet should
be changed. Use the class lists as a starting point to prepare arguments either in
support of or against the change in Pluto’s status. Set the ground rules and have the
debate.
After the debate have students do the “four corners’ activity a second time to see if
there are any students who change their minds after hearing the “facts” from both sides.
Each student will take a stand on the statement “Pluto should not be classified as a
planet.” Students will move to one of the four answer choices that are posted in the
room (Yes, no, maybe, not sure). The teacher will pose the following questions for them
to answer:
 What is a planet?
 What is a dwarf planet?
 Are there other planets in the universe?
Students indicate responses to this question by moving to the place in the room where
their answer choice is posted. Students may be given time to discuss and then share
reasons for their position on this question:
 Is Pluto a planet?
6th grade unit
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Evaluation:
Students will be asked to write a letter defending their stand on the question of “Is Pluto
a planet?” They will be asked to address their letters to:
 International Astronomical Union (IAU)
 National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
This letter will be graded using a rubric. (See rubric below)
For LEP students:
-Since the format of letter writing is different across cultures, review the format of
writing formal letters in English with LEP students. You could also provide a format
template for students to follow. Give directions for including the name and address of
the writer, the sender’s address, the date, a greeting, an opening paragraph,
supporting paragraphs and a closure statement.
-Consider assessing students more rigorously on their formatting and the content of
the letter rather than grammar, spelling, etc. (depending on the English proficiency of
the student). Students should demonstrate a command of the key terms used during
this and previous lessons.
6th grade unit
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Letter-Writing: Is Pluto a Planet?
Student Name: ________________________________________
CATEGORY 4
3
2
1
Sentences & Sentences and
All sentences are Most sentences Many sentence
Paragraphs paragraphs are complete and
are complete and fragments or runcomplete, wellwell-constructed well-constructed. on sentences OR
constructed and (no fragments, no Paragraphing
paragraphing
of varied
run-ons).
needs some
needs lots of
structure.
Paragraphing is work.
work.
generally done
well.
Salutation
Salutation and
Salutation and
Salutation and
Salutation and/or
and Closing closing have no closing have 1-2 closing have 3 or closing are
errors in
errors in
more errors in
missing.
capitalization and capitalization and capitalization and
punctuation.
punctuation.
punctuation.
Grammar & Writer makes no Writer makes 1-2 Writer makes 3-4 Writer makes
spelling
errors in
errors in grammar errors in grammar more than 4
(conventions) grammar or
and/or spelling.
and/or spelling
errors in grammar
spelling.
and/or spelling.
Ideas
Ideas are
somewhat
organized, but
were not very
clear. It took more
than one reading
to figure out what
the letter was
about.
Capitalization Writer makes no Writer makes 1-2 Writer makes 3-4
and
errors in
errors in
errors in
Punctuation capitalization and capitalization and capitalization and
punctuation.
punctuation.
punctuation.
Content
Accuracy
Ideas are
expressed in a
clear and
organized
fashion. It was
easy to figure out
what the letter
was about.
The letter
contains at least
5 accurate facts
about the topic.
Ideas are
expressed in a
pretty clear
manner, but the
organization
could have been
better.
The letter
contains 3-4
accurate facts
about the topic.
6th grade unit
The letter
contains 1-2
accurate facts
about the topic.
The letter seems
to be a collection
of unrelated
sentences. It was
very difficult to
figure out what
the letter was
about.
Writer makes
more than 4
errors in
capitalization and
punctuation.
The letter
contains no
accurate facts
about the topic.
27
Neatness
Letter is typed,
clean, not
wrinkled, and is
easy to read with
no distracting
error corrections.
It was done with
pride.
Letter is neatly
hand-written,
clean, not
wrinkled, and is
easy to read with
no distracting
error corrections.
It was done with
care.
Letter is typed
and is crumpled
or slightly stained.
It may have 1-2
distracting error
corrections. It was
done with some
care.
Letter is typed
and looks like it
had been shoved
in a pocket or
locker. It may
have several
distracting error
corrections. It
looks like it was
done in a hurry or
stored
improperly.
Date Created: Feb 01, 2007 02:37 pm (CST) at http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php
6th grade unit
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YES
NO
MAYBE
NOT
SURE
6th grade unit
29
Galaxy Pickins’
Objectives:
1.03, 1.05, 1.06, 1.07, 1.08, 1.09, 1.10, 2,02, 2.03, 5.01, 5.04, 5.05, 5.06
Language (ELP) Objectives for Limited English Proficiency (LEP) students:
-List and categorize key terms associated with the Solar System.
-Discuss in pairs similarities and differences between different space probes.
-Read and identify facts about space probes and present information in a poster.
-Listen and follow directions for building a model of a piece of space equipment.
Notes to teacher:
The questions that are listed for the teacher will be completed in a whole group
discussion format. These questions are meant to probe the students and evoke
discussion of the space content that is being covered.
Materials:




Note cards
Possible picture cards
Website list-research
Various art supplies
o Markers
o Crayons
o Poster board
o Construction paper
Engage:
Ask students to brainstorm a list of solar system terms or words that they associate with
the solar system. Students could also be given the set of terms included with this
lesson. Students will work in cooperative groups to arrange words into categories.
See handouts that follow (list of terms and websites that could be used to find pictures
to use with this activity). You may have students write terms on note cards, then they
can shuffle the cards among groups until they decide on different groupings.
The teacher will ask questions such as:
 What do these terms have in common?
 Can you form any other groups within the groups that your group made?
 Why did you form the groups that you did?
 How many different ways can the terms be grouped?
For LEP students:
Post the terms generated with definitions/pictures on the wall and leave posted
throughout the unit.
6th grade unit
30
Explore:
Show pictures of the nine planets from the internet. Be prepared with internet pictures of
interesting moons, comets, asteroids, etc. Suggest that some of these interesting things
may deserve more careful study and attention from sixth graders than they sometimes
get. The class can remedy that by researching what makes these bodies interesting and
preparing a campaign to make the current year (2008, 2009, etc.) the Year of the
___________. This blank will be replaced with the topic that is researched by the group
as well as by individuals.
Student groups draw a number and choose topic to research by number drawn.








Planetary rings
Asteroid
Meteoroid
Moons of Jupiter
Moons of Saturn
Moons of Uranus
Comet
Sun
Using the Frayer Model, students can conduct research to find the answers to the
following questions:
 What is the item that you researched?
 What is the relationship of your research item to other bodies in the solar
system?
 What are interesting examples of this topic?
 What are other important facts that you have discovered while completing this
research?
Example of the Frayer Model: Adapted from Frayer, D., Frederick, W.C., and
Klausmeier, H.J. (1969) A Schema For Testing the Level of Cognitive Mastery.
Madison, WI: Wisconsin Center for Education Research
Description
3 most important facts
TERM
Examples
Diagrams
Explain
Students will participate in a “museum walk” observing the Frayer Models after which
the cooperative groups will choose a topic to create a poster, PowerPoint presentation,
or a skit to campaign for one of the Solar Systems components. Students will present
posters, power points, etc to campaign for a member of the sun’s family that should get
6th grade unit
31
more attention when students study the solar system. The teacher can pose the
following questions:
 What similarities did you find?
 What were some important differences?
 How did we learn about these far away objects?
 How has our view of these far away objects changed over time?
The students can vote on the presentations made and decide what fills this blank: “This
should be the Year of the ________________!”
Elaborate:
The students will research unmanned space probes that explored the solar system.
When researching the assigned probes the students will be looking for any dates,
purpose, accomplishments, and at least three interesting facts dealing with the
missions.
Possible missions to research for this assignment are as follows:
 Mars Observer
 Magellan
 Viking 1
 Venera
 Viking 2
 Pioneer
 Voyager 1
 Mariner
 Voyager 2
 Other missions of interest
 Galileo
Possible discussion questions could be as follows:
 In which year was this space mission started?
 What was the primary objective of this mission?
 What kind of data was collected by this mission?
 How was this data collected?
 Who do you think will use this data?
 How will the data be used?
 What was the most important thing learned as a result of this mission?
 Is this space probe still in space?
 How much time did it take to reach its destination?
 What sorts of constraints did the engineers and scientists have to consider when
designing the spacecraft and planning the mission?
 What technological advances have been made with this space mission?
 What practical uses does this technological advancement have?
The end product for this section of the lesson is for groups to create a small poster
illustrating highlights of the mission. Display information on a class timeline of space
achievements and explorations.
Evaluate:
Student groups will make a Venn diagram which will allow them to choose any two
missions researched above and compare and contrast the information in each. Students
6th grade unit
32
will share their diagram with other students, noting the similarities and differences they
found.
For LEP students:
Provide students with the following sentence frames to show similarities and differences
between space probes:
A_______ and a __________ are both/both have____________. They are both
used for______________.
A ________ has a/is used for __________ing but a ___________ has a/is used
for ____________ing.
Extensions:
Mission to Mercury
You can build your own space vehicle to launch specific functions on planet Mercury at
the website listed. In this interactive lesson students plan which pieces of scientific
equipment they will need on board the spacecraft in order to complete the goals of a
mission successfully. The equipment must not only fit on the spacecraft, but the cost of
the equipment must also fall within a specified budget. It is an interesting interactive tool
for students to incorporate math and science together.
http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/messenger/mission.htm
Also, the website has an evaluation lesson on “planning my own mission.”
For LEP students:
Assign pairs of students a specific piece of equipment to research and build.
Assist students with understanding the information about the equipment
presented on the website.
6th grade unit
33
Engage handouts
Outer Space
Neptune
Darth Vader
Stars
Solar Cells
Comets
Star Trek
Solar panels
Uranus
Space ships
Sun
Venus
Pluto
Mars
Mercury
Saturn
Earth
Martians
Jupiter
Galaxy
Satellite
Astronaut
Man-made
Meteoroid
Space
Outer space
Meteor
Telescope
Star Wars
Natural
Meteorite
Asteroid belt
Asteroid
Moon
Aliens
Probe
Pictures can be obtained at the following sites:
http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=space
http://www.nasa.gov/home/index.html
6th grade unit
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Explore
Websites to find information/ resources:
1. http://space.jpl.nasa.gov- This interactive site shows different space phenomena
as seen by different probes as well as areas in space. This site also provides
virtual fieldtrips to the different planets.
2. http://solarviews.com/- This site gives different pictures as well as information
about each of the planets as well as different space objects in the universe as we
know it. This site is also a great resource for ESL adaptations because
information is given in different languages.
3. http://www.kidsastronomy.com/solar_system.htm- This site gives different
pictures and information about each of the planets as well as different space
objects in the universe as we know it.
4. http://www.nineplanets.org/overview.html This site is gives different pictures as
well as information about each of the planets as well as different space objects in
the universe as we know it.
5. http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/profile.cfm?Object=SolarSys&Display=Overv
iew- This site gives information about the Solar System.
6. http://www.ncwiseowl.org – A research site for teachers, students, and parents
for multiple topics7. http://amazing-space.stsci.edu/resources/explorations/index.shtml - This website
provides interactive link to space explorations, comet myths and legends,
properties of waves etc.
8. http://www.seasky.org/solarsystem - This site gives information about statistics of
each planet and its moons, constellations, and life cycle of a star.
9. http://stardate.org/resources/ssguide/explorations.html - This website provides
information about various space explorations with their dates and pictures.
10. http://www.spacegrant.hawaii.edu/class_acts/index.html - This site provides
lessons on how old are you and how much you would weigh on each planet.
11. http://btc.montana.edu/messenger/main/epo.php – This site provides detailed
information about the planet Mercury.
6th grade unit
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Venn Diagram
6th grade unit
36
Resources:
http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php?ts=1169864285
http://www.mwpisd.esc18.net/sudderth/Sud_Web_R/MDutton(2)/introduction.htm webquest on the journey to SOLAR SYSTEM CAREERS
6th grade unit
37
Scaling Down the Universe
Objectives:
1.01, 1.03, 1.05, 1.06, 1.07, 1.08, 1.09, 1.10, 2.02, 5.01, 5.02, 5.05
Language (ELP) Objectives for Limited English Proficient (LEP) students:
-Discuss findings about planets in pairs.
-Read a chart of measurements and make a scale model of a planet.
-Create a foldable and write information about a selected planet.
-Listen to the explanation of distance to scale and apply the information to creating a
scale model of a planet.
Notes to teacher:
This lesson involves math integration. Be prepared to address mathematical problems
that may arise. You might want to team teach with the math teacher.
Materials:
• Measuring tools
• Compasses for drawing circles
• Clay or play dough for making
spheres
•
•
•
•
Markers
Register tape
Chart paper
Shelf paper
Engage:
The teacher will pose the following discussion questions to the class:
 How do sizes and distances in the solar system compare?
 What is the relationship of size and distance from the sun?
 Do pictures in textbooks accurately display size and distance relationships
in the solar system?
ACTIVITY:
If the diameter of the Earth were reduced to the diameter of a penny, how big do you
think the sun would be? Answer this question for students by lining up 108 pennies side
to side across the floor. Measure a piece of register tape equal to the length of the line
of pennies. Compare the register tape to the diameter of a penny. Even more powerful
is cutting a circle out of an old yellow sheet that is equal to the diameter of 108 pennies
and then comparing that circle to a penny. Paper punches can also be used to make
this comparison. One paper punch equals the diameter of the earth. Paper punches
(108) glued side to side on a large piece of paper would represent the diameter of the
sun. A circle could be cut from the paper with a diameter of 108 paper punches and
compared to one paper punch.
The student will be asked the following questions for discussion:
 How accurate is your idea of size and distance in the solar system?
 Are the textbook diagrams and pictures accurate?
 How can we correct the misconceptions that people often have about objects in
space in terms of the sizes and distances from the sun in the solar system?
6th grade unit
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Explore:
The students will be given the following charts.
Planet
Distance form the Sun
Diameter (in Earth units)
Mercury
.38 AU
0.5
Venus
.72 AU
1.0
Earth
1.0 AU
1.0
Mars
1.5 AU
0.6
Jupiter
5.0 AU
11.0
Saturn
9.5 AU
10.0
Uranus
19.0 AU
4.0
Neptune
30.0 AU
4.0
The students will choose one of the planets from the above chart and make a scale
model to present to the class. (This should be a 3-D Model, not just a computer
generated presentation). Students will use this information for either size or distance,
select an appropriate scale, and create a model of the planets that accurately reflects
relative size or distance from the sun.
Explain
Each team will share their model with an explanation of the scale they chose, and their
reasoning in selecting that scale.
The following questions can be used to guide class discussion about the students’
findings:
 How are all the models of diameters the same? How are they different?
 How are all the models of the distances the same? How are they different?
 How are these scaled models of the planets size and distances from the sun
different from diagrams of the planets that you often see in textbooks?
 What are some important observations about the comparative size of planets?
 Which planets are closest in size?
 Why is Venus sometimes called the “Earth’s twin”?
 Are there other ways that Venus is similar to Earth other than those shown in this
activity?
 Are there ways that Venus is very different and not very much like a “twin” to the
earth?
 What do the first four planets have in common according to the models?
 What do the last four planets have in common according to the models?
 What can you conclude by looking at the scale model your team made about the
distance/ diameter of the planets in relationship to our Earth?
The students will write a paragraph summarizing the most important things they learned
as a result of doing and discussing this activity. Students will be invited to add diagrams
to illustrate their paragraph(s.)
6th grade unit
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For LEP students:
Allow pairs/groups of students to discuss the questions above and note possible
answers before discussing as a whole group. Provide a written copy of the questions
on a worksheet for students to read and note their answers. Pair those students with
lower English proficiency with more fluent peers.
Elaborate:
Explain to the students that they will now take the information that was given and
calculate a scale that can be used to make a model of both the distance from the sun
and the diameter of the planets. The model may be so small it fits on register tape or so
large the length of the football field is needed to contain it.
The teacher will ask the following questions:




Why do you think it is important to have the same scale for both pieces of
information in this model?
Why do you think it is necessary to place the planets with the correct diameters
on the same model with the correct distance from the sun?
How do you think the units of measurement are important in this activity?
How would this activity have been more difficult if you been given distances in
miles or kilometers?
Part two:
Students will organize the key concepts by creating a “foldable” that will allow them to
compare and contrast the inner and outer planets. Each student will create two different
foldables, one for the inner planets (Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars) and one for the
outer planets (Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune, Uranus)
See handouts that follow (Directions for foldable).
For LEP students:
Provide students with a list of information they need to include in the foldable. Provide
them with access to textbooks, etc. where they can collect additional information they
need to complete the foldable.
A double Venn diagram is a good way to analyze information of the foldables to
compare and contrast inner (terrestrial) and outer (jovian) planets.
Evaluate:
The students will be asked to plan a trip through the solar system. Each student will be
asked to visit two inner planets as well as two outer planets on their journey. The
students will be required to calculate the distance in scaled version as well as to make
the conversion to “real” distance in miles and/or kilometers.
6th grade unit
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For LEP students:
Use the information presented on the foldable or the product of previous parts of the unit
to evaluate students’ performance during this unit or be assigned an extension activity
such as “Design your own planet” or “Design a postcard” from the Extension section of
this unit part.
Extensions:
Visualizations of the Solar System Using Real Life Items:
Sun-any ball, diameter 8.00 inches
Mercury-a pinhead, diameter 0.03 inch
Venus-a peppercorn, diameter 0.08 inch
Earth-a second peppercorn
Mars-a second pinhead
Jupiter-a chestnut or a pecan, diameter 0.90 inch
Saturn-a hazelnut or an acorn, diameter 0.70 inch
Uranus-a peanut or coffee bean, diameter 0.30 inch
Neptune-a second peanut or coffee bean
Planet Mobiles:
Students would use the diameters to correctly size the planets in the universe.
Students will have to perform calculations and convert the sizes of each planet to a
workable size. Once the conversions are made, they can construct their model trying to
arrange the planets to make the mobile level. The science teacher could correlate this
lesson with the math teacher.
Design your own planet:
After studying the planets and objects in the Solar System, the students could be
challenged to design their own planet. The students could design a travel brochure
explaining the features of their created world. In this brochure they would address the
world’s physical features, possible life forms, climate patterns, seasonal activities,
known transportation, as well as a location by drawing a map placing their planet within
the known Solar System.
See handouts that follow (description/ rubric of project)
 Technology extension: have the students use Microsoft Paint and/or Microsoft
PowerPoint in this project.
Design a postcard:
Students could be assigned a planet at random and asked to design a postcard
that could be sold. On this post card they would have to decide what type of picture
would be the most beneficial for the front of the card, compose an accurate description
of their picture for the back of the card as well as design appropriate postage that could
be used to send this to their family here on Earth.
 In the design of the stamp, have the students explain the history behind that
stamp (a writing extension).
6th grade unit
41

In the entire design, have the students utilize the program of Microsoft Paint
and or Microsoft PowerPoint to digitally design this product (a computer
extension).
Design a Space Creature:
To explore the worlds that we have yet to visit, students could use the known
facts to design a life form that could possibly be hidden on this planet. The students
would have to think about what make us as humans unique and what qualities our Earth
possesses that allow us to live. Once the creatures have been designed, students will
write a description and reasons for the characteristics that their creature has.
For example:
 We have a nose and mouth to allow for intake of oxygen from the atmosphere.
 Fish have gills that allow them to gain oxygen through the filtering of water.
6th grade unit
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Directions for foldable
2007 Dinah-Might Adventures, LP
6th grade unit
43
Foldable Rubric
Student Name:
CATEGORY
Foldable
________________________________________
4
3
2
1
Content
All content is in Almost all content At least half of the Less than half of
the student’s own is in the student’s content is in the
the content is in
words and is
own words and is
student’s own
the student’s own
accurate.
accurate.
words and is
words and/or is
accurate.
accurate.
Clarity and
Neatness
Foldable is easy Foldable is easy Foldable is hard Foldable is hard
to read and all
to read and most to read with rough to read and one
elements are so
elements are
drawings and
cannot tell what
clearly written,
clearly written, labels. It would be goes where. It
labeled, or drawn labeled, or drawn. hard for another
would be
so that another
Another person
person to create
impossible for
student could
might be able to this item without another person to
create the item if
create the item
asking lots of
create this item
necessary.
after asking one
questions.
without asking lots
or two questions.
of questions.
Spelling &
Grammar
No spelling or
grammatical
mistakes on a
foldable with lots
of text.
Required
Elements
Foldable included Foldable included Foldable included
One or more
all required
all required
all required
required elements
elements as well elements and one
elements.
missing from the
as a few
additional
foldable.
additional
element.
elements.
No spelling or
One spelling or
grammatical
grammatical error
mistakes on a
on the foldable.
foldable with little
text.
http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php?ts=1169864285
6th grade unit
44
Several spelling
and/or
grammatical
errors on the
foldable.
Design your own Planet
Directions: Your assignment is to create your own imaginary planet. With this project you will create a
travel brochure telling others why they would enjoy going to your planet. You will receive only ONE piece
of paper- planning is the key. The following rubric will be used in scoring this project:
Student
check-off
Point
value
20
points
20
points
20
points
20
points
10
points
Description
Teacher
grade
1. Cover of brochure: On the cover of your brochure the
following items need to be present:
 A drawing of your planet- how does it look in space?
 Planet’s name
 Your name and block
Remember the eight real planets. Does your planet have
moons? Rings? Craters that are visible? Quinkernots?
2. Life forms: These are the living creatures on your
planet. Remember this could include plants and animals.
This section must address:
 What do they look like- pictures?
 Eating habits?
 Breathing/water intake?
 Habitats for each creature.
 Would a human need anything special to live on your
planet?
How do these creatures live on your planet?
3. Physical characteristics:
 Does your planet have seasons?
 How is the climate (hot/cold, oxygen/ carbon dioxide,
planet’s tilt?)
 Mountains? Water?
 Add pictures and descriptions.
4. Seasonal activities or attractions:
 What would visitors do for fun on your planet?
 Is there a best time to come to your planet?
 Why would we want to visit your planet?
 What does the trip cost?
 Add pictures and descriptions of the things to do on
your planet. Include what a human would need to bring
if visiting your planet.
5. Transportation/ map:
 What kind of transportation is on your planet?
 Are there cars or rockets? Boats or trains?
 Make sure to add a picture of what the transportation
would look like.
MAP: How would I get to your planet if I were leaving
Earth? Draw a map explaining how to get to your planet,
how long it would take, special means of transportation to
6th grade unit
45
10
points
get there etc.
EXTRA INFO- Bonus credit- be creative and surprise us.
Presentation to the class.
6th grade unit
46
Resources:
http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php?ts=1169864285
http://www.mwpisd.esc18.net/sudderth/Sud_Web_R/MDutton(2)/introduction.htm webquest on the journey to SOLAR SYSTEM CAREERS
6th grade unit
47
Man in Space
Objectives:
1.03, 1.05, 1.06, 1.07, 1.08, 1.09, 1.10, 2.02, 2.03, 5.04, 5.06
Language (ELP) Objectives for Limited English Proficient (LEP) students:
-Listen and watch video clips of Apollo astronauts landing on the moon.
-Discuss and list advantages and disadvantages of manned space exploration.
-Read note cards and classify information in order of importance for space travel.
-Prepare a poster showing a space mission.
Materials:
Computers and internet access
Construction paper and markers
Engage
Show a picture of Apollo astronauts on the surface of the moon. Find these on a NASA
website such as http://grin.hq.nasa.gov/IMAGES/SMALL/GPN-2000-001102.jpg or
show video (53 sec) or audio clip (4 min 23 sec) from Apollo 11 landing on the moon
found at http://www.history.com/media.
After viewing/listening to images of Apollo 11, use questions such as these to focus
student thinking on the challenges and opportunities of a manned exploration of space:
 What are your feelings about this picture (or video clip)?
 What do you think Armstrong meant by the comment “One small step for man,
one giant leap for mankind”?
 Why do you think he said that?
 What missions developed technologies that made the moon landing possible?
 Why do scientists create missions to go to outer space or to other remote
locations?
 What opportunities has space travel made available to humans?
 Would you like to take a mission to the moon or to space? Why or why not?
 What difficulties would you face on such a mission?
Discuss national pride and scientific excitement that accompanied the successful
landing of Apollo 11 on the lunar surface. Discuss current and possible future manned
missions in space such as the International Space Station and a possible mission to
Mars. Do these missions have the same excitement and widespread interest and
support today that the Apollo Mission had 50 years ago? Why or why not?
Have students create a t-chart or a plus/delta chart to brainstorm advantages and
disadvantages of manned space exploration. Student groups should complete charts
and share with the class. Use all ideas to create a class chart of ideas.
6th grade unit
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Have groups consider items on the list and select the two most important and the two
least important ones on each list. Groups should share choices with the class and
defend them with the rationale used in making those choices.
For LEP students:
Discuss and give examples/explain/use visuals to demonstrate the following terms as
the topic is introduced to ensure that students understand the content of the present
topic:
astronaut
to land
manned/unmanned
to explore
a challenge
advantage +
disadvantage –
most(important)
least(important)
Provide example advantages and disadvantages to help students begin their plus/delta
chart.
Explore
Students are asked to imagine that they are part of an international space exploration
team in the process of training for a manned flight to Mars. As part of their training, the
team frequently flies from a space station orbiting the moon to a moonport located on
the surface of the moon. During the most recent attempt to land at the moonport, an
equipment malfunction resulted in a rough landing which damaged most of the materials
and supplies on board the craft and left the team 120 kilometers from the moonport and
safety. Fortunately, 15 of the items were not damaged.
Give each group a stack of cards with names of the 15 items of undamaged equipment
and supplies. Cards are placed face down on a large sheet of construction paper. Have
students draw a line on the construction paper. Draw the line across the longest edge of
the paper. Label the left end of the line most important and right end least important.
Students take turns drawing cards, reading the name of the item, and placing it on the
paper along the line where it might fall in terms of least/most important items for
survival. An explanation of the rationale for placement of each item is important. Group
discussion may result in changing the position of an item as the group reaches
consensus on its placement.
Repeat until all cards are placed on the line in order of importance to survival of the
team. It may be necessary to reorder cards as new items are added to the line.
Have a member of each team write the names of the 5 highest rated items on a class
chart.
For LEP students:
Ensure students know the equipment names before the activity begins. Attach
visuals to the cards students will use.
6th grade unit
49
Explain
Share group rankings with the class. Each group explains why these items were
selected as the five most essential to survival and the reasons for choosing these over
others. After all groups have shared, have groups return to the cards and make any
changes in the order they would now place the items on the line for most/least important
items.
Have each group either write out the order of all 15 items, with #1 being most important
and #15 being least important or use the worksheet that is included with this lesson.
If the worksheet is used, place a one by the item that is most important and a 15 by the
one that is least important. Provide reasons for your rankings. Compare your rankings
first with your group. Defend your rankings and decide on group rankings for the 15
items.
Give each team a chart with all 15 items listed with the NASA ranking and rationale for
each item. Each group compares their rankings and rationale with that of NASA.
Use these questions to extend student thinking and learning:
 Which items were less important than you originally thought?
 Which items were more important than you originally thought?
 What does this activity indicate to you about the danger and challenge of
manned space exploration?
 Why is manned space travel so dangerous?
 Why is manned space travel so expensive?
 Why might NASA choose to depend on unmanned missions to Mars rather than
planning manned missions?
 What new technologies might make future manned exploration of the planets
more feasible?
Elaborate
Jigsaw (see Strategies document for hints on how to organize a jig saw lesson) manned
space ventures such as Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, Sky Lab, Space Shuttle, and the
International Space Station. Have groups research mission objectives,
accomplishments, and technological spin-offs. Each member of each expert group
prepares a PowerPoint, foldable or poster with diagrams and facts about the mission to
share with home groups.
 Sputnik
 Gemini
 Skylab
 Apollo
 International Space Station
 Space Shuttle
 Mercury
 General Planetary Probes
Possible questions to research include
1. In which year was this space mission started?
2. What was the primary objective of this mission? What data was collected by this
mission?
6th grade unit
50
3. How was this data collected?
4. What will we do with this data?
5. Who do you think will use this data?
6. What did this space mission give us information about?
7. Is this space probe/shuttle still in space?
8. How much time did it take to reach its planet?
9. Did it return with any samples? Why or why not?
10. What sorts of constraints did the engineers and scientists have to consider when
designing the spacecraft and planning the mission?
11. What technological advances have been made with this space mission?
12. What practical uses does this technological advancement have?
For LEP students:
Allow students to work in pairs/groups to pool their knowledge and language to
complete this activity. Limit the number of questions they need to research since they
will need to more time to research than native English-speaking students.
Evaluate
Stage a debate on whether the benefits of manned space exploration offset the danger
and expense involved. Should NASA continue with plans for manned exploration of
Mars?
For LEP students:
Evaluate students on their performance during previous activities in this unit rather
than on a debate where their participation would heavily depend on their speaking
ability in English. Relying on one area of language to evaluate students would not
produce an efficient reflection of their understanding of the concepts taught in this
unit.
Extensions:
You can build your own space vehicle to launch specific functions on planet Mercury at
the website listed. In this interactive lesson, students plan which pieces of scientific
equipment they will need on board the spacecraft in order to complete the goals of a
mission successfully. The equipment must not only fit on the spacecraft, but the cost of
the equipment must also fall within a specified budget. It is an interesting interactive tool.
Have each home group list the three most important facts about each mission. Discuss
these as a class and come to a consensus. Print out “Most Important Facts” sheets for
key missions and make a class timeline of manned space travel.
6th grade unit
51
JIGSAW Activity
Item
Your
ranking
Box of matches
Dehydrated food
50 ft. of rope
Parachute silk
Portable heater
.45 caliber pistol
Case of dehydrated milk
Two oxygen tanks
Map of the moon’s surface
Carbon Dioxide tank
Compass
5 gallons of water
Signal flares
First aid kit with needles
Solar powered FM receiver
transmitter
Answer key:
Item
Your
ranking
Box of matches
Dehydrated food
50 ft of rope
Parachute silk
Portable heater
.45 caliber pistol
Case of dehydrated milk
Two oxygen tanks
Map of the moons
surface
Carbon Dioxide tank
Compass
5 gallons of water
Signal flares
First aide kit with needles
Solar powered FM
receiver Transmitter
Reason for ranking
Expert
ranking
Reason for ranking
No oxygen to sustain flame
Good food source, efficient
Useful to scale cliffs , tying together the
injured
Will provide protection form the suns
rays
Useless on the dark side and not needed
on the lighted side
Possible means of propulsion
Bulky duplication of food
Most pressing need
Primary means of navigation
May be used for propulsion
Magnetic field on moon is not polarized,
useless
Replacement of water loss on the lighted
side
Distress signal when mother ship is sited
Injecting vitamins/ medical care
Talking to the mother ship in short range
– line of site
6th grade unit
52
Expert
ranking
15
4
6
8
13
11
12
1
3
9
14
2
10
7
5