Process
Step 1:
To begin your trip to another planet, you and your partner need to decide what planet you are interested in. You may choose from: Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. You may not choose Earth because it is too crowded on Earth. Pluto is also not an option because it is our class example.
After you have decided on the planet that you want to visit, you need to research your planet. Use the worksheet below to prompt your research. These questions should help you decide what to pack for your trip to this planet. Underneath each picture there are links to websites on that individual planet. Use each website to help your research.
Worksheet:
*Print this Worksheet*
Examples:
Mercury
Venus
Mars
Jupiter
Saturn
Uranus
Neptune
Pluto
Step 2:
Next, you and your partner need to develop 5 highly important qualifications that are needed in order to have life on a planet. Consider the different aspects about Earth that allow us to live day by day. Discuss with your partner the important things that humans and other life forms need in order to live. Then come up with a general list of 5 items. Use the worksheet below to list, describe, and illustrate each item.
Life
*Print this Worksheet*
It is very important that you take these activities seriously, because the possibility of living on another planet is a real situation that NASA is considering. Use the "Information on Earth" link to understand aspects of Earth that allow us to live day by day. Compare those aspects with the information you found for your planet. Then, after developing a list of 5 very important aspects, you and your partner should develop a visual, diagram, or a list that describes your ideas of a "perfect" planet other then Earth.
Step 3:
Considering the qualifications a planet needs to inhabit life, you, individually, should explain to the United States President whether or not the planet you choose is a planet where humans can live. Make sure to answer these questions in your paper:
- Why did you choose to research this planet?
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Is this planet suitable for human life?
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if so, why
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if not, why not?
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- What other planets do you think could serve as a place for human life? (Your predictions will be answered when your classmates present their planets in class)
Lastly,
Then you and your partner will present the information you found on your planet, your visuals, and whether or not you think it is a planet that humans can live on.