“E.T. Phone Home”

1. “E.T. Phone Home” 6th Grade Earth and Space Unit EXAMPLE from BSU Student

2. Essential Question • How do extraterrestrial locations compare and contrast to one another? • What makes earth habitable compared to extraterrestrial locations?

3. Goals For Student Achievement Standard 2: Earth and Space Science (2010) 6.2.4 Compare and contrast the planets of the solar system with one another and with asteroids and comets with regard to their size, composition, distance from sun, surface features, and ability to support life. Standard 3: Life Science (2010) 6.3.3 Describe how certain biotic and abiotic factors, such as predators, quantity of light and water, range of temperatures, and soil composition, can limit the number of organisms that an ecosystem can support. Conceptual: How do other planets compare to earth? How do asteroids and comets compare to other planets and to earth? What is necessary to support life? What kinds of science and technology are required to be able to complete a successful moon or extraterrestrial planet landings and/or space travel/exploration?Affective: What is necessary for space travel? What are some of the risks and challenges involved in a space mission? What is necessary to inhabit/colonize/explore the moon and/or other extraterrestrial environments? (http://www.indianascience.org)

4. Instructional Sequence Before Reading: • Brainstorm: What is necessary for successful life/survival on earth? • KWL: What do you already know about Earth and space (planets, other celestial bodies; space travel, astronauts, aliens, etc.)? What do you want to know about Earth and space? Only complete K and W portions for now. (http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/printouts/chart-a-30226.html#ideas)

5. Instructional Sequence Frontloading Activities: • Anticipation Guide: Used as a preparation for a preliminary discussion of the unit as a whole. • Tool to gauge levels of misconceptions/assumptions of prior knowledge. • Video Clip: PBS website: Secret Life of Scientists: Caroline Moore: Teen Astronomer. http://video.pbs.org/video/1445097912 • Use clip to demonstrate how people near their age can use information they will learn in the unit and to motivate/build interest in content. • Provide link to participate in similar program as Caroline: http://www.zooniverse.org/home

6. Anticipation Guide Directions: On the continuum in front of each of the numbers, place an "x" that indicates where you stand in regard to the statement that follows. Be prepared to defend and support your opinions with specific examples. After the unit, you will complete this again and compare your impressions. (http://web001.greece.k12.ny.us/academics.cfm?subpage=935)

7. Instructional Sequence Frontloading Activities Continued: • Engaging Scenario: • The overarching problem to be solved and/or answers to be found through investigation, observation, experimentation, data collection, and feedback that relates back to unit goals and standards.) • Whole Group Discussion based on controversial statement/engaging scenario: • “I read on the internet that some people used to think that Martians came from Mars. They also think that there may be aliens in outer space. We’ve learned a little bit about what living things need to survive and I wonder if they might be right: That life exists on other planets.” • Discuss as a class and everyone will record feedback from other students. Teacher encourages students to generate questions that can be used to explore and attempt to answer generated questions. Also ask how they propose to answer these questions. Record ideas in journals. • Teacher Directed/Modeling: Introduce Moodle site and how it will be used in conjunction with in class activities. The site contains links to all web based assignment tools (i.e. interactive website pages, online encyclopedia access, suggested resources, video clips). As well as directions for discussion forums/threads, posting of assignments. There is also an area to record the class’ ongoing questions. • Direct Instruction: Introduce group work/behavior expectations rubric for experiment and project expectations

8. Cooperative Learning Rubric (http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/lesson_images/lesson95/coop_rubric.pdf)

9. Instructional Sequence During & After Reading: • Small Groups Discussion: Review of what living organisms need to survive on earth (Use textbook chapter on plant and animal characteristics and adaptations). • Students will use Tovani’s “Highlight and Revisit” to help navigate text and to keep track of quotes that stand out. Share quotes and comments in discussion w/small groups to help build more connections, answer questions, and clarify. Each group will generate list of survival needs and abilities for living organisms on earth. Teacher will post each group’s list in the classroom to build on/reference later. • Exit Slip: Based on what you know about survival needs on Earth, is it possible for humans to survive in extraterrestrial locations? List any exceptions/considerations that are necessary for their success. Reference current claims, evidence and research you have conducted thus far. • Teacher checks for misconceptions that need to be addressed or comments that can be used to explore further.

10. Instructional Sequence During & After Reading Continued: • Series of Inquiry Based Small Group Investigations and Teacher Demonstrations: This series of lessons comes from STC’s Earth in Space Inquiry Based Curriculum. • There are textbooks that are also included with guided inquiry lessons. (See next few slides for a listing of lessons and inquiry investigations.) • The teacher manual contains more in-depth information about all content: http://indianascience.org/manuals/EARTH_TG_COMBO.pdf. • Students will use journals (paper) to keep record of each experiment’s steps (prediction, steps, data/observations, notes, and further questions). Students create individual conclusions which include a claims and evidence based on individual concept building experiment and report out to class from small groups. • Students will also discuss these investigations on Moodle with a partner school in neighboring town that will be doing the same inquiry based experiments.

11. Earth in Space: STC Inquiry Unit CurriculumPart 1: Sun-Earth-Moon System Lesson 1: Thinking about Earth as a Planet Inquiry 1.1 Examining Our Ideas About Space Lesson 2: Introducing the Sun-Earth-Moon (SEM) System Inquiry 2.1 Demonstrating what we know about the SEM system Inquiry 2.2 Scaling the SEM System Lesson 3: Tracking Shadows Inquiry 3.1 Analyzing Shadows Inquiry 3.2 Collecting Computerized Shadow Data Inquiry 3.3 Modeling Winter and Summer Shadows Inquiry 3.4 Analyzing the Effects of Earth’s Rotation Lesson 4: Seasons on Earth Inquiry 4.1 Investigating Seasons on Earth Inquiry 4.2 Observing the North Star Inquiry 4.3 Investigating Seasonal Variations at Different Latitudes Lesson 5: Investigating Lunar Phases Inquiry 5.1 Investigating the Moon’s Reflected Light Inquiry 5.2 Modeling Lunar Phases Lesson 6: Solar and Lunar Eclipses Inquiry 6.1 Investigating Lunar and Solar Eclipses Inquiry 6.2 Analyzing the Geometry of Eclipses Lesson 7: The Sun as an Energy Source Inquiry 7.1 Investigating the Effects of Radiant Energy Inquiry 7.2 Designing an Energy Investigation Lesson 8: Sunspots and Space Weather Inquiry 8.1 Projecting Images of the Sun Inquiry 8.2 Tracking Sunspots Inquiry 8.3 Analyzing Long-Term Sunspot Data Lesson 9: SEM System Assessment

12. Earth in Space: STC Inquiry Unit CurriculumPart 2: Solar System Lesson 10: Anchor Activity: Space Exploration Inquiry 10.1 Beginning the Anchor Activity Lesson 11: The Solar System: Designing a Scale Model Inquiry 11.1 Designing a Model Solar System Inquiry 11.2 Using a Scale Factor Inquiry 11.3 Building a Scale Model of the Solar System Lesson 12: Impact Craters Inquiry 12.1 Making General Observations About Impact Craters Inquiry 12.2 Investigating Impact Craters Lesson 13: Surface Features Inquiry 13.1 Investigating Planetary Processes Lesson 14: Surface Gravity Inquiry 14.1 Analyzing Weight on Each Planet Inquiry 14.2 Investigating Mass and Weight Lesson 15: Gravity and Orbital Motion Inquiry 15.1 Gravity’s Effect on Objects in Motion Inquiry 15.2 Testing Balanced and Unbalanced Forces Inquiry 15.3 Observing Planetary Motion Inquiry 15.4 Investigating the Effect of Planetary Mass on Moon’s Orbit Lesson 16: Gravity and Tides Inquiry 16.1 Analyzing Tidal Data

13. Earth in Space: STC Inquiry Unit CurriculumPart 3: Earth’s History as a Planet Lesson 17: Asteroids, Comets, and Meteoroids Inquiry 17.1 Examining Asteroids Inquiry 17.2 Studying Asteroid Impact Lesson 18: Fossils as Evidence of Asteroid Impact Inquiry 18.1 Excavating Fossils Inquiry 18.2 Examining the Relative Ages of Fossils Inquiry 18.3 Modeling Molds and Casts Lesson 19: Comparing Planets: Is Earth Unique? Inquiry 19.1 Comparing the Planets Lesson 20: Exploring Space Technology Inquiry 20.1 Researching a Space Spinoff Product Lesson 21: Presenting the Space Technology And Research (STAR) Posters Inquiry 21.1 Communicating Our Findings Lesson 22: Solar System Assessment

14. Instructional Sequence During & After Reading Continued: • Think-Pair-Share: With a partner, students discuss their answers to: Should we travel into space? What is necessary to travel into space and return safely? • The pair will generate list of assumed considerations/requirements/opinions and share out to the class. Teacher will record reported information and post it in the classroom to build on/reference later. • Individual Student “Missions” Webquest: Students will evaluate the success of past and current space travel missions and need to be prepared to use gathered information in a whole class debate. • Students will use video clips that are uploaded to the Moodle and/or bookmarked from Learn360 website (students given password access) and NASA website to collect information about space missions. • Students will use the QAR Questioning Scheme (structure to assist in their navigation of the digital text and information collection. (http://web001.greece.k12.ny.us/academics.cfm?subpage=947)

15. http://web001.greece.k12.ny.us/files/filesystem/Qar.pdf

16. Instructional Sequence During & After Reading Continued: • Individual Student “Missions” Webquest Continued: • The information collected from these sites will result in students producing a digital document which compare/contrasts the characteristics of manned versus unmanned missions. Also a digital document that compare/contrasts successful missions versus unsuccessful missions. • Students will share their self created digital documents with members of their lab group (2-3 other students) and hold an online discussion in the forum to help build more connections, answer questions, and clarify using a digital version of Tovani’s “Comprehension Connector” (p.85) to keep track of each other’s quotes that stand out. • As a group, they will submit one “comprehension connector” document based on their group’s discussion. Students will have time to record their “connect/question/confusion”. • They will also combine each of their compare/contrast documents into one of each and submit those (3 total documents per group) for whole class observation/feedback.

17. Compare and Contrast: Missions • http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/printouts/compare-contrast-chart-30198.html

18. Compare and Contrast: Missions • http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/printouts/compare-contrast-chart-30198.html

19. Webquest: Missions Student Resources for this Webquest are listed below: • Listen to interviews about space missions: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/tothemoon/hear.html • Space Station(includes link to interactive demo): • http://www.nasa.gov/topics/shuttle_station/index.html • Fun Fact PDF:http://www.nasa.gov/externalflash/expedition_10_years/ISSInfoGraphic.pdf • Track the Space Station tonight!http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/realdata/sightings/index.htm • Space Suits:http://www.nasa.gov/externalflash/nasa_spacesuit/ • Space Shuttle: (also follow links at bottom of this series of paragraphs)http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/k-4/stories/what-is-the-space-shuttle-k4.html • Gemini Video (precursor of Apollo missions) http://player.discoveryeducation.com//views/flashView.cfm?guidAssetId=93025b4a-8574-4637-a1e0-03c179302652 • Short clips about individual Apollo missions:http://www.nasa.gov/externalflash/apollo11_40/ • Past NASA missions (Apollo and others included):http://www.nasa.gov/missions/past/index.html • Videos of missions:http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/topnav/materials/listbytype/Discovery_Education_NASA_at_50.html • Current NASA missions:http://www.nasa.gov/missions/current/index.html • Future planned NASA missions:http://www.nasa.gov/missions/future/index.html • Magazine Article (Follow all links on page)http://magma.nationalgeographic.com/ngexplorer/0110/articles/iss_0110.html

20. Instructional Sequence During & After Reading Continued: • Teacher Facilitated Whole Group Discussion: • Arrange seats in giant circle • Students discuss: • What is necessary for space travel? • What are some of the risks involved in a space mission? Challenges? • What is necessary to inhabit/explore other extraterrestrial environments?

21. Instructional Sequence Gateway activities • Small Groups “Extraterrestrial” Webquest: Using the ReQuest Questioning Scheme, students will research extra terrestrial locations in space. Students will investigate what is known about locations within the solar system as well as outer space locations. Students will have a list of suggested sites, but are open to using texts from the library or sites of their choosing. Teacher will remind students to search for reliable resources if they us other sources besides those listed. • On the line: Gather factual information about the environment and physical features/characteristics about each planet in our solar system, as well as comets, meteors, and asteroids (in general). • Between the lines and Beyond the lines: Using information and experience obtained thus far, determine the likelihood of life originating from extra terrestrial locations in the past, present, or future. Also attempt to determine a success rate of organisms introduced to these locations. Their implied/inferred/extended evaluations and applications from this lesson will be used in a debate. • Whole Group Debate: Based on what you know about the environmental conditions of other planets in our solar system, are any extraterrestrial locations capable of supporting life forms similar to that of Earth? List any exceptions/considerations that are necessary for their success. Reference current claims/evidence and research you have conducted thus far. • Students are divided into “Yes there are...” and “No, there are not...” and sit at tables that run the length of the classroom and face each other. • Each side takes turns speaking and the teacher acts as moderator. If a student changes their mind, they must provide an explanation before moving to the other side.

22. Webquest: Extraterrestrial Student Resources for this Webquest are listed below: • Developing Space Colonies/Extraterrestrial Habitats: (Follow links to other related pages)http://www.nss.org/spacemovement/environment.html • Multiple Links to related pages:http://www.nasa.gov/topics/solarsystem/index.html • Clips of different activities in zero gravity: http://settlement.arc.nasa.gov/Video// • What Would You Pack for a Trip to Outer Space?http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/spaceship-earth/ • Follow links for wide variety of information, video, and graphics:http://www.space.com/solarsystem/

23. Instructional Sequence Extensions: • Interviews of NASA scientists (online or classroom visit) • Contact information: http://www.nasa.gov/about/contact/index.html • Request a speaker: http://www.nasa.gov/about/speakers/index.html • Biography Information (follow other links also): http://www.nasa.gov/astronauts/ • Field Trips: • Virgil I. “Gus” Grissom Memorial Museum (Mitchell, IN), • HUBBLE 3D IMAX Movie (Indiana State Museum in Indianapolis, IN) (http://www.imax.com/hubble/) • Extensions Online: • Send your name to Mars (http://marsparticipate.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/participate/sendyourname/) • Be a Martian: Interactive site to explore Mars (http://beamartian.jpl.nasa.gov/welcome)

24. Final Project • Entry Slip: If you could live on any planet, which planet would you move to and why? Support explanation using factual detail and suspension of realistic expected survival rate. • Glogster: Each student creates a page for one extra terrestrial location studied within this unit. • Overall design should reflect that of a travel brochure at first glance. • Student’s goal is to make the location seem attractive enough to persuade observers to suspend reality and want to vacation in your location. • Include factual information about location’s environment, physical characteristics and features. • Also include interesting facts that make your location stand out. • A small disclaimer that explains the realistic survival to your location and on your location must also be included somewhere in your content. Include the extent of accommodations that would be necessary for successful survival in your location. • At least one video clip (live or animated), one musical element, and 2 images must be included (they can reflect any factual information researched or scientific phenomenon exhibited by your location).

25. Resources • (PBS), P. B. (2009). Caroline Moore: Teen Astronomer: Secret Life of Scientists. Retrieved December 12, 2010, from PBS Video: http://video.pbs.org/video/1445097912 • AIM Education, I. (2010). Learn360. Retrieved December 12, 2010, from Learn 360: http://www.learn360.com • Alliance, C. S. (2009). Zooniverse: Real Science Online. Retrieved December 12, 2010, from Zooniverse: http://www.zooniverse.org/home • Association/NCTE, I. R. (2010). Retrieved December 12, 2010, from ReadWriteThink: http://www.readwritethink.org/ • Britt, R. (2010). All About the Solar System. Retrieved December 12, 2010, from Space.com: http://www.space.com/solarsystem/ • District, G. C. (2009). QAR. Retrieved December 12, 2010, from QAR: http://web001.greece.k12.ny.us/files/filesystem/Qar.pdf • District, G. C. (2009). QAR: Question-Answer Relationships. Retrieved Dcecmber 12, 2010, from Greece Central School District: http://web001.greece.k12.ny.us/academics.cfm?subpage=947

26. Resources • Dunbar, B. (2009). NASA-Index of World Book @ NASA Articles. Retrieved December 12, 2010, from World Book at NASA: http://www.nasa.gov/worldbook/ • Dunbar, J. W. (2010, December 10). NASA. Retrieved December 12, 2010, from NASA: http://www.nasa.gov/home/index.html • Foundation, P. O. (2010). To The Moon. Retrieved December 12, 2010, from NOVA ONLINE: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/tothemoon/hear.html • Indiana Department of Education, I-STEM Resource Network, BioCrossroads, Lilly Corporation. (2010). Science 2010. Retrieved December 12, 2010, from Indiana Science: http://www.indianascience.org/ • Images: Microsoft Office 2007 PowerPoint Clip art Files • Literacy, N. C. (2010). What Would You Pack for a Trip to Outer Space? Retrieved December 12, 2010, from Wonderpolis Blog Archive: http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/spaceship-earth/ • Marcovitz, H. (2001). Reaching for the Moon: The Apollo Astronauts. Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishers. • National Science Resources Center, N. A. (2006). Teacher Manual for Science and Technology Concepts for Middle School Teachers (STC) Earth in Space Teacher’s Guide. Burlington, North Carolina: Carolina Biological Supply Company.

27. Resources • Padilla, M. (2005). Science Explorer: Indiana Grade 6. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall. • Society, N. G. (2001). Living It Up in Space. Retrieved December 12, 2010, from National Geographic Explorer Magazine: http://magma.nationalgeographic.com/ngexplorer/0110/articles/iss_0110.html • Society, N. S. (2010, February 25). Space Settlement and the Environment. Retrieved December 12, 2010, from The Space Movement: http://www.nss.org/spacemovement/environment.html • Thimmesh, C. (2006). Team Moon: How 400,000 People Landed Apollo 11 on the Moon. New York, New York: Houghton Mifflin Company. • Tovani, C. (2004). Do I Really Have to Teach Reading? Content Comprehension, Grades 6-12. Portland, Maine: Stenhouse Publishers. • WETA Washington, D. (2010). Reading Rockets: 103 Things to Do Before/During/After Reading. Retrieved December 12, 2010, from Reading Rockets: http://www.readingrockets.org/article/82 • Wilhelm, J. D. (2007). Engaging Readers & Writers with Inquiry. New York, New York: Scholastic.