Planet X

Introduction: You may have heard that our planet is in crisis. We are rapidly depleting our non-renewable natural resources such as coal, petroleum and natural gases. Scientists believe that even within our lifetime great measures will need to be taken to protect those resources. Our organization, PEople for A Changing Earth (PEACE), has been investigating options in case conservation efforts fail.

One of those options is to plan for colonization of a new world. However, there are many considerations when thinking about moving humans to a new planet. Energy sources, natural resources and living environments are a few of the issues that need to be researched.

Task: A top secret division of National Aeronautics and Space Association (NASA) has located a tenth planet not far from planet Earth. A confidential report has been sent to your teacher. Do not share this information with anyone. Once you have read the information, your task is to decide if humans can successfully live on this planet which is temporarily named Planet X. Your group needs to present a report showing Planet X's resources in comparison to Planet Earth's. Then you will figure out what type of environment is necessary for human life forms and come up with a group presentation.

Process:

1. Your teacher will create a large data retrieval chart in your classroom that you will use for the next several activities. (see chart)
   1. using go.groliers encyclopedia, research natural disasters. You can also use books. Write several facts about each on post-it notes. Then place them on the chart. Add other weather conditions.
   2. Write an animal and its habitat on a post-it note place it on the chart under animal and plant life. Add in what you know about plant life.
   3. Read Chadwick and the Garplegrungen written by Priscilla Cummings and illustrated by A.R. Cohen. Discuss natural resources. Write ideas about protecting natural resources on post-its. Add others showing renewable and non-renewable resources.
2. Read the letter from the PeACE organization.
3. Read the confidential report from NASA. Using the data retrieval chart, fill out the information about Planet X and Earth. Compare the two and report out to the class. You may choose your own form of presentation (poster, written report, pictures with labels, etc.)
4. Read the second letter from PeACE.
5. Using Discovery Works-Forms of Energy (Silver Burdett Ginn Science) software, visit the Energy and Endless Supply section to learn about renewable and non renewable resources. Using post-it notes, add any new details about these resources to your class chart.
6.  Read science trade books (links to list of tradebooks recommended by Fairfax County Public Schools) located in your classroom to find out more information.
7. Using your data retrieval chart, class books and the software figure out what humans need to survive on a planet. Come up with a recommendation of requirements for a new planet. Choose a way to present your information. Report to the class. A rubric will be used to grade your oral presentation and group cooperation.
8. A follow-up home project was assigned. Each child received a copy of the project guidelines. A rubric will be used to grade your project.

Opportunities to share:

1. Students chose a wide variety of presentation methods to compare Planet X and Earth. These were shared with classmates.
2. Then they were able to choose other methods to present their ideas about a livable planet for human life forms.
3. The whole class shared the large data retrieval chart and group charts were also used.

Assessment:

A teacher createdtest on Earth's resources was created. The test items were taken from FCPS science resources, the SOL test preparation packet and patterned after the types of questions used in past SOL's. Rubric for home project.

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   Teacher section: This unit was designed for two third grade teachers. It took approximately 3-4 weeks to complete. The Need Project-http://www.need.org/guides.htm is a good resource for information on renewable and non-renewable resources. Students developed a song one year. Words to the song can be found here. Another good resource is the Department of Energy's Kid's Page.

To see pictures from the unit, click on the planet.

Back to Time 4 Teachers Main Page

Unit designed by Michelle Crabill and Sang Im.
Page created by Brooks Widmaier
April 2004