Students develop a travel plan for a space mission to an imaginary planet. They describe the conditions on the planet and determine what they would need to travel to and explore the planet. They prepare an account of their imaginary voyage and prepare a television presentation on it for the Earth community. Students investigate the various energy sources used in space. Students use simple equipment to demonstrate how a satellite stays in orbit.
Students research the effects of microgravity on the human body during space travel.
They demonstrate their scientific skills and processes when they prepare research reports, demonstrations, and simulations. Skills and processes The teacher uses a checklist with a rating scale to assess the effectiveness of the simulation of space travel. The teacher assesses the time line of the major discoveries relating to flight and space exploration by looking for inclusion of major discoveries and accurate time placement. Self-assessment Students discuss or write about the ways of learning science that are most effective for them. The teacher encourages students to use their insights about their learning to make plans for helping themselves be more effective.