Download Uninhabitableearth

Title: Study: Earth Will Be Uninhabitable in 1.75 Billion Years
Date: 19 Sep. 2013
Grade: 3 - 6
Subject: Science
URL: http://www.newsy.com/videos/study-earth-will-be-uninhabitable-in-1-75-billion-years/
Teacher Information: This Newsy.com video can
serve as the starting point to discussions on the
habitable zones of stars, the search for lifesustaining planets, and the life cycles of stars
and planets.
Study: Earth Will Be Uninhabitable in 1.75
Billion Years
September 19, 2013
This lesson can be completed in one 50 minute
class period. Time periods are given as
approximations, however, care should be given
to allow for the full time to be allotted for the
class discussion.
by Jasmine Bailey
Phase
Preparation
Watch
Re-watch
and answer
Group Work
Discussion
Task(s)
Time
Write on the board before students enter the room: “What conditions are necessary to
sustain life on earth?” Brainstorm to review the following term: “Habitable Zone.”
As a class watch the Newsy.com video Study: Earth Will Be Uninhabitable in 1.75
Billion Years at http://www.newsy.com/videos/study-earth-will-be-uninhabitable-in-175-billion-years/
Re-watch the video in pairs and answer the questions on the worksheet at the end o
this lesson plan.
Form into small groups of four of five and discuss the following questions:
 What are the necessary conditions for a planet to support life as we know it?
Are any of these factors more important than the others?
 Are there any other planets in our solar system other than Earth that are in the
habitable zone? Which one(s)?
 Do you believe that there is life on planets other than Earth, or is this notion
really nothing more than science fiction? Why or why not?
 Do you think that humanity will ever be able to find and populate another
inhabitable world before Earth becomes uninhabitable? Why or why not?
 Other than because of the Sun’s expansion, what are some other reasons why
Earth might become uninhabitable?
Full class discussion on the topic and share ideas with the rest of the class.
Study: Earth Will Be Uninhabitable in 1.75 Billion Years
5 min
2:09 min
12 min
20 min
10 min
Title: Study: Earth Will Be Uninhabitable in 1.75 Billion Years
Extended Learning Activities – Optional
Parent Involvement
Research
Research
Report
Students can share the ideas discussed in class with their
parents. What are their parents’ opinions on the topic?
Students can then share their parents’ views with the
class.
Students can research scientists’ recent discoveries of
potentially habitable worlds outside the solar system.
Students can research the life cycle of stars and how that
relates to the habitability of planets.
Students can choose one of the two research topics
listed above and report their findings to the class.
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Looking for related resources? Check out…
PBS: Life Beyond Earth
Learn about the habitable zone and the planets and moons in our own solar system which lie/may lie within it.
Includes information on the once habitable Venus, Mars and the possibly habitable moons Europa and Titan.
http://www.pbs.org/lifebeyondearth/alone/habitable.html
Habitable Zones
This site includes information on the possibilities of habitable zones outside our own solar system. Learn amazing
facts about binary stars and galaxies.
http://phillips.seti.org/kids/habitable-zones.html#
NASA: Kepler
This site includes information about the Kepler mission to find other planets throughout the universe that lie in
habitable zones.
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/kepler/overview/index.html#.Uj6eiMaThnQ
NASA Science
Learn about recent discoveries by the Kepler Space Telescope of three super-Earth planets that lie within the
habitable zones of other star systems.
http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2013/18apr_habitablezone/
Solar System: Earth | eThemes | eMINTS (grades 3 – 8)
Learn about Earth, the fifth largest planet in our solar system and the largest planet among inner planets. Find out
what made our planet suitable for life to be created. Learn about the planet’s rotation, geological composition,
atmosphere, hydrosphere, gravity and other necessary components for species to survive on its surface. The . . .
http://ethemes.missouri.edu/themes/1006
Study: Earth Will Be Uninhabitable in 1.75 Billion Years
Solar System: Sun | eThemes | eMINTS (grades 3 – 6)
Learn about the yellow dwarf star in our solar system – Sun. Find out what the sunspots are, how the Sun creates
nuclear energy and how it affects Earth. These web sites contain photographs, puzzles, and quizzes. Includes a link
to the eThemes Resource on eclipse.
http://ethemes.missouri.edu/themes/1008
Space: Stars | eThemes | eMINTS (grades 3 – 8)
Learn about how stars are formed and their life cycle. Sites include information on size of stars, their colors,
constellations, and history. There is a site with a video showing a star being formed. Also included is an eThemes
Resource on constellations.
http://ethemes.missouri.edu/themes/59
Space: Universe | eThemes | eMINTS (grades 3 – 8)
These sites have information about the universe, the Milky Way, and other galaxies. Learn about the different
types of galaxies. View photographs taken from space, listen to audio files of experts, and play interactive games.
http://ethemes.missouri.edu/themes/618
Study: Earth Will Be Uninhabitable in 1.75 Billion Years