Group+8+Quest



A WebQuest for 3-4th Graders (Earth Science- Solar System) Designed by: Mandeep Sahota Jenny Nowinski Dennis Lui Lila Brown  **Introduction**

News Flash: Our Solar System has been disturbed by a giant meteor! The planets are no longer in order and the solar system is in complete mayhem. In order to save our planets from being sucked into the big black hole, we must re-organize our solar system! N.A.S.A has chosen you to join their top astronauts to help save our planets!

 **The Task**

At the end of this journey not only will you save our solar system but also become astronomical experts on the characteristics of our planets!

 **The Process**

Part 1. First you will organize the planets in their proper order starting with the planet closest to the sun and ending with the planet furthest from the sun. While researching the order, make sure to take note of how far each planet is from the sun. Click on the following website to determine the order: http://www.movingplanets.com/img/maps/planets.jpg

Now that you have this information, please make a poster model which N.A.S.A can use in the future.

Part 2. Now that the planets are in the right order, we need you to travel to each planet (starting at Mercury) to make sure their original compositions were not damaged by the meteor. We have issued you a spacesuit which will protect your body each planet's dangerous elements.



In order to utilize the spacesuit you must program the correct correlating temperature of each planet. To do this, make a list of each planet's temperature that you can refer to on your quest.

Click on the following website for each planet's temperature: http://www.smartconversion.com/otherInfo/Temperature_of_planets_and_the_Sun.aspx

Part 3. While at each planet, N.A.S.A needs you to record information about each planet. Include the following planetary properties: color personal weight at each planet size, physical property (gaseous? solid? rocky?)

Click on the following websites for research: http://science.nationalgeographic.com/science/space/solar-system/earth.html http://www.kidsastronomy.com/solar_system.htm

Part 4. After completing these tasks, please write a report describing your findings.

Part 5. Lastly we need you to turn in your research to our local N.A.S.A representative (i.e your teacher). Thank-you for your heroic efforts and saving our solar system from devastating mayhem.



 **Evaluation**

You will receive the following points: Task 1: Organizing the planets into the proper order- 10 points Stating each planet's distance from the sun- 10 points

Task 2: Finding the correct temperature of each planet- 20 points

Task 3: Including information about the planet's various properties -30 points

Task 4: Write a research report about your journey through the solar system- 20 points

Clarity and Organization- 10 points

 **Conclusion**

After completing this journey, you will become an astronomical expert on our beautiful solar system. You will know the right order of the planets in our solar system. You will also know how far each planet is from the sun, the planets' temperatures, colors, physical properties (i.e gaseous or solid), and gravitational pull.

In order to learn more about the solar system and the universe please visit the following website: http://www.kidsastronomy.com/universe.htm

In order to learn more about N.A.S.A and how to join the astronaut club please visit the following website: http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:aHVBLpRLiDMJ:kids.msfc.nasa.gov/+n.a.s.a+for+kids&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us

 **Credits & Re** **ferences**

 Individual Contributions:

Lila Brown: Creative Concept creator Dennis Lui: Researched resources and images Jenny Nowinski: Researched resources and images <span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Mandeep Sahota: Typed out Webquest

<span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Images:

"Image Editor (September 1,2008) 01 The Solar System PIA10231, mod02 . Retrieved from http://www.flickr.com/photos/11304375@N07/2818891443/in/photostream/lightbox/#/"

"stayka (September 4, 2009) Captain Future - Space Hero. Retrieved from http://stayka.deviantart.com/ art/Captain-Future-Space-Hero- 135851358"

"Matthew Simantov (April 5, 2010) STS-131 Space Shuttle Discovery. Retrieved from http://www.flickr.com/photos/msimdottv/4493158970/lightbox/#/"

"Retrieved from http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/images/results.aspx?qu=space#ai:MM900046490 on September 9, 2010"