Planet
Web Quest
A WebQuest for Grade 3 (Science / Language Arts)
Designed by
Rita Gunning and Wendy Thomson
Introduction | Task| Process |Evaluation | Conclusion | Teacher Page
You are an astronaut on a mission to another planet in our solar system. You will join a crew to gather information about your destination. When you become experts, you will voyage to this planet. After exploring it, you will contact Mission Control on Earth by cyber postcard to communicate your impressions and data.
Your job is to collect data about your planet. Your crew of astronauts will work as a team to collect this scientific information. You will need to show your data sheet to Mission Control before blast off.
***
Pre-flight requirements:
- Know your destination (planet)
- Name your mission and design a patch (badge)
- Namesake (Who is your planet named after?)
- Distance from the Sun (How many kilometers?)
- Diameter (What is the distance across is your planet?)
- Period of revolution (How long is one year on your planet in Earth years?)
- Rotation period (One day on your planet equals how many hours/days on Earth?)
- Moons (How many? What are their names?)
- Atmosphere (What gases are in the atmosphere?)
- Temperature (How hot or cold is it?)
- Composition (What is your planet made of?)
- Other Interesting facts (Special features. Does it have volcanoes, craters, rings, valleys, etc..?)
- Create a Cyber Postcard using a virtual postcard site (contact Mission Control).
Debriefing session:
- Present your data as a crew to your peers and Mission Control.
-
*First,
Mission Control (your teacher) will assign you to a crew
( 3 students ). - *Contact Mission Control for your planet destination.
-
*Design
a patch for your mission. To learn how, click on the following link for directions
on Creating
a Crew Patch
- *Print out each of the Data Collection Sheets.
- *Decide which data sheet each crew member will be responsible for completing with information about your planet destination.
- *You are now ready to start collecting data. Remember, only make jot notes.
- *To do your research, click on the name of your planet destination listed at the bottom of this page.
- *Next, click on one of the Web Site links for your planet. Read the information and make your jot notes under the correct headings.
- *When you have finished reading the first Web Site, view another Web site link for your planet. Read the information and decide if there is any new information that should be added to your report.
- *Now you are ready to write the rough copy for your cyber postcard.
- *Click here and print out draft sheets for each of your crew.
- *Using the jot notes you have made on your Data Collection Sheets, each write a paragraph to Mission Control on your draft sheet.
- *Be sure to include facts about your planet. Share some of your 'adventures' too!
- *Remember to write the postcard paragraphs in complete sentences. Be sure to spell correctly, and use capital letters and punctuation where appropriate.
- *Peer conference with another crew to edit your rough copy.
- *When you are finished editing, you are ready to create your cyber postcard. Click this link to go the virtual postcard site, follow the instructions, and send your message to Mission Control (your teacher's email account). Print a copy of your postcard for each crew member.
- *Finally, your crew will share the information you've collected about your planet at a debriefing session back on Earth at Mission Control. As a crew, first practise how you will present your data. Use a clear, loud voice. Make eye contact with your audience. Hold your paper still and away from your face.
- *Print out and use the Crew Checklist to ensure you have completed all the steps of your task.
- *Print out and complete a self-evaluation sheet. (See Evaluation.)
- *Present your data and cyber postcard at the debriefing session with Crews from other missions at Mission Control.
- *Hand in all your work for evaluation.
 MERCURY |
 VENUS |
 MARS |
 JUPITER |  SATURN |  URANUS |
NEPTUNE |  PLUTO | 
Good luck on your Quest! |
Your mission patch, data
sheets, cyber postcard, and presentation about your planet will be evaluated.
There is a
checklist to help you make sure that you have
completed all the necessary steps of the Planet WebQuest
Print
out this checklist. Check to confirm that you have completed all the steps. Your
teacher will also evaluate your WebQuest using this
form
During your WebQuest, you have learned many facts about your planet, yet there is much more to learn about our Solar System. The vastness of space has given us many challenges and questions.
Does life exist elsewhere? What are some of the latest scientific findings? How can you use the information gathered in your WebQuest to help others? Check out some of the links below to learn more about space. Can you find other web sites that have interesting information about space?
Choose picture books, novels or poems in the science- fiction genre. Does this literature contain factual information? On what scientific facts has the author chosen to base his or her story? Why? Write a response to a selection in your Journal.
http://www.artyastro.com/artyastro.htm
http://www.windows.ucar.edu/cgi-bin/tour.cgi?link=/kids_space/kids_space.html
Facing challenges on a cooperative planet research mission, listing the planets in order, observing and comparing different planetary terrain, composing a text from research facts and creative ideas, sending a message by e-mail, presenting and discussing research... these are some of the activities proposed for young astronauts on this Planet WebQuest.
The objective of this WebQuest is to develop reading comprehension of factual text through researching, recording, and consolidating scientific information using technology. This synthesis and the navigation of the Web also requires deductive reasoning and cooperative skills.
The following links;Space Links, Space Books, and Evaluation Rubric provide a list of resources and evaluation for the Planet WebQuests completed by your students.
Procedure:
- * Link the Planet WebQuest on the computer station in order that students can have easy access
- * Use one of the resources listed as a motivational set to intoduce the WebQuest and the idea of team work.
- * Present the WebQuest to the students as a large group and emphasize that research information can be found using the Internet, classroom books, library books or books students may have at home.
- * Decide on groupings and assign planet destinations. Complete the mission badge activity and review the concept of making jot notes before beginning research.
- * During research, it is important that the teacher be available to monitor Internet access, provide navigation assistance and explain any unfamiliar scientific vocabulary. Also, ensure that students know how to print selections.*
- * After groups have completed research notes and a rough draft of their text, it is useful to present the virtual post card site to the class as a large group, and send a post card as an example. If the e-mail address for mission control ( teacher's e-mail address) is posted near the computer station, students will be able to type it in as required.
- * Print out copies of the evaluation rubric to have on hand before presentations. After the sharing session, encourage a comment and question time. Take a digital photo of each group wearing their mission badges for display, and as a group momento.
- * Review the order of the planets in the solar system by brainstorming an acrostic phrase, first in groups, and then as a class. (My Very Eager Mother Just Sat Upon Nine Planets).
- * If time allows, students can click on the links suggested in the Conclusion of the Planet WebQuest for enrichment and further practice navigating on the Web.