A Vacation Beyond Expectations

The year is 2035 and you have been hired as a team to promote travel to the planet _________________.  Many other students who graduated from high school with you will be looking for a place to celebrate the 25th anniversary of their graduation.  If you do a good job, many of them will choose the orbiting hotel at your planet for the big party.

You will be assigned to a group of 4 or 5, with each member of the group assigned one of the following titles. (Groups of 5 will share a job.)

Mission Specialist: You are responsible for discovering the location of the assigned planet in the solar system. You will compare the size of the planet to that of the earth. You must also determine the amount of travel time needed to go from earth to your given planet if traveling speed was based on 186,000 miles per second.

Environmental Engineer<: You are going to compare the atmosphere and weather of the planet to that of the earth’. You will determine the length of the days and years of your planet. It is your duty to inform the agency of the high and low temperature extremes of the planet and compare these numbers to those of the earth.

Geographical Engineer: You are a specialist when it comes to the surface of the planet. You will describe the surface composition and terrain of your planet. You must determine if the planet has any naturally existing points of interest that visitors would want to see.

Planetary Historian and Photographer: You are going to use your background as a Historian to research the history of  your planet. You will research who discovered the planet and when it was. You will also tell how the planet got its name. You have also been hired as the photographer. It is your responsibility to find photos of your planet and share these with the other members of your group.

Your Jobs (Assignments)>:

1. Usingthe Internet and library research materials, students will include the following information in a multimedia presentation. Presentation will be done on PowerPoint. The presentation will include 15 required slides.

Each slide show will contain the following information:

1. Cover page. (Designed by whole group)
2. Describe the history of the planet. Include when it was discovered and who is credited with finding it. (Designed by Planetary Historian)
3. Describe how the planet was named. (Designed by Planetary Historian)
4. Compare the size of the planet to the size of the earth. (Designed by Mission Specialist)
5. Compare the gravitational pull of the planet to that of the earth. (Designed by Mission
6. Determine the amount of travel time needed to go from the earth to assigned planet when it is closest to Earth if traveling at 186,000 miles per second. (Designed by Mission Specialist)
7. Determine the availability of water. Describe how the travel agency might solve the water shortage problem if any. (Designed by Environmental Specialist)
8. Compare the atmosphere and weather of assigned planet to that of the earth. (Designed by Environmental Specialist)
9. Determine the length of days and years of assigned planet. (Designed by Environmental Specialist)
10. Compare the high and low temperature extremes with those of the earth. (Designed by Environmental Specialist)
11. .Describe the surface composition and terrain. (Designed by Geog. Engineer)
12. .Determine if the planet or its moons have any naturally existing points of interest that visitors would want to see. (Designed by Geographical Engineer)
13. Describe how conditions would have to change on your planet in order for the travel agency to build a hotel on it to accommodate human travelers. (Designed by Geographical Engineer)
14. Credit authors of the project. Include a photo of the group. (Designed by Planetary Historian)
15. Cite resources used to gather information. (Designed by Planetary Historian)

In the fifteen slides listed above, students will include a minimum of at least one image from two of the following categories:

2. To accompany the slide show, the group, under the direction of the Mission Specialist will design a print brochure encouraging tourists to visit your orbiting hotel and your assigned planet.  Include any of the interesting information from the slide show.  Make the brochure at least 4 half pages with each member of the group responsible for one part.  These four sections are:  general information about the planet, special sights to see on the planet or its moons, information about the orbiting hotel’s amenities, and a picture of a creature from the planet with an explanation how it has adopted to live on the planet or one of its moons.
3. On a large piece of drawing paper, draw a view of the orbiting hotel.  Use a key to explain what is found in each module, and why it is needed.

Extra Credit: To accompany the multimedia presentation, create a three dimensional model of the space craft that will take vacationers from earth to the assigned planet.

Some Useful Internet Sites:

Space Education Web site List

NASA Resources

• www.education.nasa.gov  (overview of the NASA Education program)
• http://www1.jsc.nasa.gov/er/seh (Space Handbook)
• http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov (Mars site)
• http://www1.sc.nasa.gov/er/seh Space Handbook - Good info
• http://spacelink.nasa.gov  (aeronautics and space educational resources)
• http://spacelink.nasa.gov/ercn  (Educator Resource Centers)
• http://spacelink.nasa.gov/products  (NASA educational products)
• http://core.nasa.gov   (multimedia materials for the classroom)
• http://spacelink.nasa.gov/education.file  (NASA Educational Television)
• http://NASAexplores.com  (articles and lesson plans for K-12)
• http://teachspacescience.stsci.edu/  (space science education resource directory)
• http://www.thetech.org/exhibits/online/satellite/home.html  (resource for teaching satellites)
• http://rotored.arc.nasa.gov  (interactive children’s book that introduces aeronautics and rotocraft)
• http://spacelink.nasa.gov/products/Cassini-Unveiling.the.Myth.of.Saturn/  (educational poster on Saturn)
• http://spacelink.nasa.gov/Instructional.Materials/Curriculum.Support/Space.Science/Our.Solar.System/
• http://spacelink.nasa.gov/products/Liftoff.to.Learning.Brochure/  (“Liftoff to Learning” brochure)
• http://voyager.cet.edu/iss/challenges/matchallenge/index.asp  (NASA Classroom of the Future)
• http://spacelink.nasa.gov/products/Microgravity.Bookmark/  (highlights areas of study in microgravity)
• http://spacelink.nasa.gov/Instructional.Materials/Curriculum.Support/Physical.Science/Microgravity/

General Resources

• http://spaceresearch.nasa.gov/general_info/sts107museum.html   (space research multi-media presentation   for museums)
• http://Pumas.jpl.nasa.gov  (practical examples of math and science topics for K-12)
• http://Spacekids.hq.nasa.gov/osskids/education.htm (space science activities for kids)
• http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/space/index.html (meet and learn about NASA people and programs)
• http://Spaceplace.jpl.nasa.gov/spacepl.htm  (space science and technology ideas for the classroom)
• http://www.thursdaysclassroom.com  (weekly space-related lesson plans based on NASA research for teachers)
• http://www.mathcounts.org  (a national coaching and competition program for middle school students)
• http://www.bestinc.org  (general information on BEST robotics competition)

Space Education Web site List

Johnson Space Center Resources

• http://education.jsc.nasa.gov  (Johnson Space Center Education and Student Programs)
• http://www.spacecenter.org/educator_resource.html  (Johnson Space Center Educator Resource Center)

AIAA Educational Programs and Pre-College Partners

• http://www.aiaa.org  (American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics)
• http://www.aiaa.org/Education/index.hfm?edu=2  (AIAA educational programs)
• http://edu.larc.nasa.gov/connect  (NASA Langley Research Center Education Office)
• http://whyfiles.larc.nasa.gov/treehouse.html  (NASA Langley Research Center Education Office)
• http://www.challenger.org   (Challenger Center)
• http://www.aviationeducation.org/  (National Coalition of Aviation Educators)
• http://www.jets.org/  (The Junior Engineering Technical Society)
• http://www.spaceday.com/  (Space Day)
• http://www.capnhq.gov/nhq/aeroed/ETA/AE_Home.htm  (Civil Air Patrol Aerospace Education Program)