ETV NTTI Lesson :: Being Nosy About Our Neighbors (Grades 6-8)

South Carolina ETV

South Carolina ETV
1101 George Rogers Boulevard
Columbia, SC 29201-4761
Phone: 803-737-3545

Master Teacher

Donna M. Petty

Time Allotment

Two 70-minute class periods

Overview

If you wanted to travel to another planet, it would have to be one of the rocky, inner planets or a moon of a planet. Scientists use information about our own Earth's geologic processes to infer how the surfaces of other heavenly bodies were shaped. We begin our lesson with an activity that simulates one such process - impact cratering. The sheer joy students get from dropping marbles into a container of flour and watching the "ejecta" which results will get them quickly interested in the lesson. Next we use the video to give us an overview of our solar system and see some amazing computer models combined with real footage of our exploration of our solar system. From there we explore the four surface processes of volcanism, tectonism, gradation, and impact cratering by comparing aerial photos taken of landforms on Earth and comparing them to landforms found elsewhere in the solar system. We use NASA's fantastic Planetary Photojournal with its hundreds of images, to get our information and make inferences of our own. Finally, for our culminating activity, the students will use inferences to write the geologic history of Earth's moon or one of the inner planets, other than Earth.

Subject Matter

Science - Solar System - Terrestrial Planets and Moons

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to

Use the scientific method to explore the effect of size on impact cratering
Compare images of landforms on Earth to those of other planets to compare surface processes;
Infer the geologic history of another heavenly body from observations about landforms.

National Science Education Standards

These can be found at http://www.nap.edu/readingroom/books/nses/html/6d.html

Content standard A:

As a result of activities in grades 5-8, all students should develop

Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry
Understandings about scientific inquiry

Content standard D:

As a result of their activities in grades 5-8, all students should develop an understanding of

Structure of the earth system
Earth's history
Earth in the solar system

South Carolina Standards

(These Standards are available online at http://www.myscschools.com/offices/cso/)

Grade 8 Standards

I. A. 1. Identify process skills that can be used in scientific investigations.
d. Infer - Make inferences based on data (measurements and observations).

2. Design and conduct a scientific investigation.

a. Recognize potential hazards within a scientific investigation and practice appropriate safety procedures.

b. Pose questions and problems to be investigated.

c. Obtain scientific information from a variety of sources (such as Internet, electronic encyclopedias, journals, community resources, etc.).

d. Distinguish and operationally define manipulated (independent) and responding (dependent) variables.

e. Manipulate one variable over time with repeated trials and controlled conditions.

f. Collect and record data using appropriate metric measurements.

g. Organize data in graphical representations.

h. Analyze data to construct explanations and draw conclusions.

III. Earth Science

A. Earth in the Solar System

1. The earth is the third planet from the sun in the system that includes the moon, the sun, eight other planets and their moons, smaller objects, such as asteroids and comets. (Solar system)

a. Describe features of the planets in terms of size, composition, relative distance from the sun, and ability to support life.

b. Compare and contrast the Earth to other planets in terms of size, composition, relative distance from the sun, and ability to support life.

c. Describe features and explain the origins of asteroids, comets, and meteors.

Media Components

Video

Destination Cosmos: Lesson 15: "Rocky Midgets;" Lesson 14: "Realm of the Giants"

Web Sites

NASA Planetary PhotoJournal
http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/
A seemingly endless catalogue of NASA images from every satellite and probe.

Materials

1 container with 5 lb. flour per group
2 marbles of different sizes per group
1 metric ruler per group
goggles for each student
Activity Sheet 1: Impact Crater Lab sheet.
Activity Sheet 2: Student Viewing Guide, one per student
Activity Sheet 3: Studying Geologic Landforms From the Air, class set (in color if possible)
Activity Sheet 4: Planetary Geologic History Instructions sheet, class set

Equipment

TV
VCR
computer with Internet access
AverKey

Prep for Teachers

Purchase materials. Take shoebox-size containers, one per group, and dump one 5 lb. bag of flour into each. Have marbles and rulers ready.

Make copies of Activity Sheet 4: Student Viewing Guide, one for each student and the Geologic History Instructions, a class set.

Cue up video or load digitized version of video via the Internet and pause. Bookmark image web pages from the NASA Planetary Photojournal web site.

When using media, provide students with a Focus for Media Interaction, a specific task to complete and/or information to identify during, or after viewing of video segments, Web sites, or other multimedia elements.

Day 1
Introductory Activity

Step 1: Explain to the students that all terrestrial planets and moons show evidence of impact cratering, one of four geologic processes we will discuss in this lesson. See if any have ever seen one of Earth's many impact craters. Ask what else they know about impact craters and meteorites.

Step 2: Hand out Activity Sheet 1: Impact Crater Lab to the students. Review the scientific method process as you review the directions and the materials they will use.

Step 3: Divide the students into small groups and have one person from each group come up and get the materials for their group goggles for each student, containers of 5 lbs. of flour, 2 marbles of different sizes, and rulers). Walk around to supervise the groups as they perform the lab.

Step 4: Have students return their materials and discuss what responses they had for each portion of their lab. Have them turn in their lab sheet.

Learning Activities

Step 1: Explain to your students that they will be watching video segments from Destination Cosmos to help them with this lesson. Hand out Activity Sheet 4: Student Viewing Guide to each student. Explain that there are four geologic processes that form the landforms observed on terrestrial planets and moons. Have them complete section A of the viewing guide as you explain the terms:

Say: "Volcanism is the eruption of melted rock (called magma) and its associated gases onto the surface of the Earth. Volcanism commonly produces volcanoes and volcanic flows. Tectonism involves the movement of rock by fracturing and faulting, which results in earthquakes. Gradation involves the erosion, transportation, and deposition of surface materials. On Earth, water, wind, gravity and ice are the major agents of gradation. Impact cratering occurs when material from outside the Earth's atmosphere (meteoroids, comets) strike the surface."

Step 2: Explain to the students that they will complete the next section using clues from the video. Provide students with a FOCUS FOR MEDIA INTERACTION, asking them to listen to the video segments completely through once, and fill in their sheet during the second showing of the video. Start the video at the cued spot at the beginning of the Rocky Midgets segment. Play through the Realm of the Giants segment. Rewind to the beginning of the two segments and start them again. This time they can fill in their sheet. Stop the video after the second segment is completed. Discuss what they found significant about the planets and other objects of our solar system as closure.

Day 2

Step 1: Review the four surface processes shown in the Student Viewing Guide and the term inferring. Explain to the students that in this activity they will do much as scientists do, by using prior knowledge about surface processes on Earth to make inferences about what processes have taken place on other planets. Hand out Activity Sheet 3: Studying Geologic Landforms From the Air and ask students to use their own notebook paper.

Step 2: Have them write the definitions for the four geologic processes as shown in part I.

Step 3: Give the students a focus for media interaction by asking them to read over each topic before going to the suggested web site and then using that site to answer the questions for each topic. Use the Averkey-Computer-TV combination to provide images for the entire class. Give students a chance to write their answers, then discuss them, if you wish, as you go. Take up their papers when you've completed all of the pictures.

Culminating Activity

Step 1: Explain to students that now they are ready to write what they think would be the geologic history of one of the heavenly bodies discussed in this lesson.

Step 2: Hand out Activity Sheet 2: Planetary Geologic History the information sheet and explain the directions - that they will use this information, along with what they've learned to write a half page summary of the geologic events which may have occurred during that planet or moon's "life" in our solar system.

Step 3: They may complete this for homework if you run out of time. Grade them according to how well they covered the processes listed on the information sheet, organization, and any other criteria you feel is appropriate.

Assessment

Each of these activities had some sort of written response which serves as a progressive assessment for the lesson.

Cross-Curricular Extensions

Language-Arts / Student Fiction/Non-Fiction Connections (Grades 6-8):
This is the ideal time to have a unit on science fiction. Adolescents enjoy reading fantasy fiction and sci-fi offers a great opportunity to discuss how sometimes the futuristic components of these stories become reality. See this web site for info:
http://www.yale.edu/ynhti/curriculum/units/1987/2/87.02.04.x.html

Solar Folklore: http://solar-center.stanford.edu/folklore/folklore.html

Social Studies: Studies on space history, the inventors and the inventions involved with space exploration, OR the various countries who are working together on the International Space Station and other programs (satellites, telescopes, etc.) can be researched.

Math: For some planet related math problems use this sheet: http://www.riti.com/images/spaceupdate/lessonplan_planet_math.pdf

Two PBS Mathline Units (excellent!):

http://www.pbs.org/teachersource/mathline/concepts/space2.shtm

http://www.pbs.org/teachersource/mathline/concepts/space.shtm

Art:

Real Solar System
Directions for making a life like model of the solar system using Styrofoam balls, wire, and paint.

Community Connections

South Carolina State Museum, Columbia, South Carolina -- Group reservations can be made to visit various exhibits by calling (803) 737-4999. Exhibits include: "South Carolinians in Space" exhibit -- History Link "Telescopes and Astronomies" exhibit. Welcome to the South Carolina State Museum is their home page on the Internet and can be accessed using the following address: http://www.museum.state.sc.us

Meteorologist Guest Speaker -- Have the class invite a meteorologist from your local television station to informally discuss how the interrelationships among the sun, Earth, and moon affect weather and climate.

Astronomer Guest Speaker -- Have the class invite a local astronomer to informally discuss the stars and constellations in our galaxy.