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Table of Contents

Part 1 – I n t r o d u c t i o n

Solar System Quest, Vacation Journal 2

Part 2 – Task Descript ion

Your Vacation and How to Enjoy It 3

Part 3 – Vacation Choice

The Solar System Awaits 4

Part 4 – Where Is This Place?

Are We There Yet? 5

Part 5 – What Kind of Place Is It?

So This Is It? 6

Part 6 – What Is It Like There?

What Makes Us Say “Wow!”? (Special Attractions) 8

Part 7 – Presentat ion

Suggestions: Scrapbook, Travel Brochure, Newspaper Article, TV

Story 10

2

Part 8 – Reflection

Is There No Place Like Home? 12

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Part 1

Introduction

Vacationing in Space

Here’s a vacation idea that’s way out there: a trip into space. Imagine that a rocket is waiting to take you anywhere in our solar system. You can choose to virtually visit the sun, moon, Earth, or one of the other parts of our solar system. You can join a group of classroom space adventurers, choose your vacation spot, and blast off. Okay, you’re not actually traveling to your destination, but with the help of Internet links, you’ll get a virtual view of its sensational sights. You can use the links provided to collect solar system information as you follow your quest. You may need to use resources other than those provided to find more information.

Vacation Journal

While visiting your vacation spot, try to discover all you can about what makes this place fascinating. You can keep track of your outer-space experience by filling in the pages of your Vacation Journal. Your group can use this content to prepare its final presentation. Your journal can help guide your research and help organize materials for your group’s presentation. As you follow each Web quest step, turn to the pages that are listed and fill in the boxes and blanks. You always can add more information if you want.

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Part 2

Task Description

Task Overview

You and your group can use Web links to enjoy a virtual vacation somewhere in the solar system. After an exciting session of fact-finding and sight-seeing, you can create a presentation that demonstrates what is important and special about your chosen vacation spot. Step 1: Choose a vacation spot in the solar system that your group would like

to visit. Step 2: Find the location of your vacation spot. Step 3: Learn about its distinguishing features. Step 4: Find out what conditions are like there, and consider what it might take

to support human life. Step 5: Showcase what you have discovered in a creative presentation. Some

ideas to consider are a scrapbook, travel brochure, newspaper article, or news story for television (if a video camera is available).

You may need to use links other than those provided to find more information. You will be evaluated on your contributions to your group and the strength of your combined presentation. An evaluation table is shown on page 11.

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Part 3

Vacation Choice

Name of your vacation spot:

_____________________________

Picture of your vacation spot

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Part 4

Where Is This Place?

Location in the solar system (Mark the map.)

NASA diagram

Distance from the sun:

___________________________________

(Enter 0 i f you are visit ing the sun.)

Distance from Earth:

_____________________________________

(Enter 0 i f you are visit ing Earth.)

Distance to the nearest planet:

__________________________

How long it would take to get there:

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_____________________________________________________

______

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Part 5

What Kind of Place Is It?

Collect pictures of your vacation spot. Add notes

below each picture to identify and describe i t.

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Part 5 – continued

What Kind of Place Is It?

Enter information that wil l help paint a picture

of your solar system vacation spot.

What color is it?

__________________________________________________________________

How bright is it?

__________________________________________________________________

What does it look like?

__________________________________________________________________

What is it made of?

__________________________________________________________________

How big is it compared to the sun? (Leave blank if visiting the sun.)

__________________________________________________________________

How big is it compared to (other) planets?

__________________________________________________________________

How many moons does it have?

__________________________________________________________________

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Part 6

What Is It Like There?

Collect pictures of special features or events (winds,

storms, f lares, etc.). Add notes below each picture to

identify and describe i t.

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Part 6 – continued

What Is It Like There?

Enter information that wil l help paint a picture of

condit ions and special at tractions found at your solar

system vacation spot.

How cold or hot does it get?

__________________________________________________________________

What kind of atmosphere does it have? How strong is its

gravity?

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

What winds or storms or other spectacles are seen there?

__________________________________________________________________

If you traveled somewhere other than Earth, what do you

think would be necessary to support human life here?

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

What does Earth have that enables it to support life?

__________________________________________________________________

What makes this place unique?

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__________________________________________________________________

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Part 7

Final Presentation

This is your chance to put the results of your research into a creative presentation package—an inspiring look at outer space. You can use the ideas and images that you have collected in this journal. Here are a few format suggestions for your presentation:

Scrapbook

Think of the ideas and images that will make your scrapbook a memorable piece. Be sure to add labels, descriptions and explanations to your pictures, photos and other elements. If you have a story to tell, you may want to organize the contents in a storytelling order.

Travel Brochure

Remember that brochures try to get people excited about the subjects in them. Choose words that will persuade people. Include graphics that capture attention. Keep paragraphs brief. After all, you are inviting readers to go to the trouble and expense of traveling to a very distant location. The reasons for making this journey should stand out clearly. What you say, how you say it, and what you show will contribute to the impact that you are trying to make.

Newspaper Article

Draw readers into your article by using interesting facts, information, and pictures. Include labels or captions to identify main points. Make it easy to read. The writing can be somewhat detailed in places, but most paragraphs should be short, with just one or two facts included in each one. The writer’s purpose is not just to explain the subject, but also to create interest and build excitement.

TV News Story (if a video camera is available)

This type of presentation can follow the basic guidelines for the newspaper article. A major difference, of course, is that most of the words probably will not appear as text; they will be spoken. Newscasters who are delivering the story may or may not be pictured. It’s your choice.

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Evaluation

This rubric shows how your presentation will be graded. The row labeled “Participation” will be used to evaluate your work as a group. If you are working by yourself, this row will not apply.

Excellent

4

Satisfactory

3

Needs

Improvement

2

Not Acceptable

1

Score

Participation

• Group members cooperate, respect the ideas of others, and learn from one another.

• Group needs little or no teacher help.

• Group members work together and share questions, ideas, and sources.

• Group needs some teacher help.

• Group members work together on some tasks, but not all.

• Group needs teacher help.

• Group members fail to work together.

• Group needs much teacher help.

Content

• All information is about the topic.

• Many types of sources are used.

• Little or no teacher help is needed.

• Most information is about the topic.

• Different types of sources are used.

• Some teacher help is needed.

• Some information is about the topic.

• Only one type of source is used.

• Teacher help is needed.

• Little information is gathered.

• Not all information is about the topic.

• Much teacher help is needed.

Organization

• Project ideas are orderly, creative, and connected.

• Little or no teacher help is needed.

• Project ideas are put together in an orderly and connected way.

• Some teacher help is needed.

• The project is not put together in an orderly way and has few connections.

• Teacher help is needed.

• The project is incomplete.

• Much teacher help is needed.

Presentation

• Students are well-prepared and excited about the topic.

• The presentation is interesting, creative, and encourages participation.

• Teacher seldom guides group members during the presentation.

• Students are prepared and excited about the topic.

• The presentation is interesting and encourages questions.

• Teacher sometimes guides group members during the presentation.

• Students are somewhat prepared and interested in the topic.

• The presentation is somewhat interesting and encourages some questions.

• Teacher often guides group members during the presentation.

• Students are not prepared and show little interest in the topic.

• The presentation is not interesting and does not encourage audience participation.

• Teacher must guide group members during the presentation.

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Part 8

Reflection

During your quest, you probably saw some of the amazing sights and special attractions found in our solar system. Now that you have had a chance to enjoy your outer-space vacation spot, think about these questions:

If you actually were chosen for a mission into space, where would you most like to go and why?

Do you think it is important to send people or machines into space to research different planets? Why or why not?

How are the objects in space similar to one another? How are they different?

Humans have wondered about celestial bodies throughout history, but have only recently had the technology to venture out into space. What kind of discoveries do you think scientists will make in the future?

The sun provides light and heat for Earth. What role do you think the other celestial bodies in our solar system have? Do you think the Earth would be the same without them? Why or why not?