The purpose of this WebQuest is for the students to get more familiar with our Solar System. It is important for students to know about all the planets as well as their distances from the Sun. Students should also know why the planets are at their distances.
I designed this WebQuest with the help of a WebQuest I found online. Link is down below. I used their idea of creating a WebQuest around the Solar System, however I completely changes the focus and made it my own. The students will pretend they are Astronauts working for NASA. I came up with this idea to make the lesson more enjoyable. I believe the students will enjoy working on this WebQuest.
NASA needs you
Introduction
You have just become an Astronaut, and you are being sent up into space on your first mission. NASA has just confronted you with a problem. They have lost all their files regarding to each planet's temperature, size, and distance away from the sun. They know there is a reason for the planets distance but they need to figure out what that reason is. It is up to you to collect each planets information and save NASA!
Task
Your mission is to stop at each planet, collect their temperatures, measure their size, and document how far away from the sun they are. Once you have collected all this information, you must put together a paper map of all the planets and their distances. Then it is up to you to explain to NASA what is the cause for each planet's distance away from the sun.
Process
Recourses
Conclusion
Nice job! Not only have you saved NASA from trouble with the Government, but you have also gained more knowledge about our Solar System! You have earned the Astronaut of the year metal. Feel free to continue to explore our recourses, and learn more about our Solar System!
- Gather the planets size, temperature, distance from the Sun from the Recourses below.
- Draw a Distance Map on paper showing the distance's of each planet from the Sun.
- Then come up with an answer to our larger question; What particular trait of the planets effect their distance from the sun?
Recourses
Conclusion
Nice job! Not only have you saved NASA from trouble with the Government, but you have also gained more knowledge about our Solar System! You have earned the Astronaut of the year metal. Feel free to continue to explore our recourses, and learn more about our Solar System!
WebQuest adapted from Original WebQuest Joslin. A Solar System WebQuest. Retrieved from http://teach.fcps.net/trt8/SolarSystem/Planets.htm
Earth image retrieved from www.clipartpanda.com
Mercury, Uranus, Neptune, and Saturn images retrieved from www.clipartlord.com
Venus image retrieved from www.clipshrine.com
Pluto image retrieved from www.iconbug.com
Mars image retrieved from www.wissenmitlinks.de