Pick a Planet

One project my students have always enjoyed is the solar system project we do each year.

They get to pick a planet.  Actually, sometimes I make them draw a planet out of a hat.  No matter how they end up with a particular planet, it's theirs to research.

They find out many things about their planet, from its surface features to its temperature, from its size to its orbit.  They collect their information and then the fun begins.  

Their goal is to persuade others to visit their planet.  They have to take the information they gathered and turn it into a tourism advertisement  There is a poster to make and a paragraph to write.  What is it that makes their planet so great?  

Is it cold?  Attract the winter sport loving type.

Is it mountainous?  Appeal to the adventurous type.

Is it's gravity less than Earth?  Tout your planet's weight-loss perks.

Let your students be creative.  Let their imaginations run wild!

Also included in the project is a timeline of space technology.  How has the space program changed?  Your students will learn about some of the inventions that have allowed us to explore further and further into space.

But is it worth it?  Are the risks worth the rewards?  Your students will read about the benefits of space travel and the risks involved.  They will then need to decide which side of the issue they are on and write a paragraph supporting their stance.  

A lively classroom debate will ensue as students speak for and against the risks of space exploration.

The project is organized into a single file folder.  All parts have a place and the end product is an easy to store, easily transported project.  I just love that about it!

Want to give this project a spin?  You can find it here at my TpT store.  It includes all the student pages, the timeline, debate reading, planet info sheet, grading rubric and answer key.

Enjoy your journey through space!

It's Time for an Independent Project

School is wrapping up.  It's getting close to the end of the year.  The kids are antsy and the teachers are tired.  It's that time of year.  It's time for an independent project!

I love projects that not only follow the objectives, but allow the students some freedom and creativity.  Our last unit is all about ecosystems and organisms, so in an effort to hold their attention for just a little while longer, I came up with a project they have really been enjoying.

This project has a lot of flexibility.  It can be completed entirely by the student if able to research in a library or on the Internet or it can be done piece by piece under the direction and guidance of the teacher (and a lot of other ways in between!).  I allow my students to use the computers available in my classroom as well as their own Internet compatible devices in order to do their research.

The students start by working through twelve vocabulary terms.  They write the definitions and illustrate the terms.

Then, the fun part.  They choose an organism (producer or consumer) to research.  A list of possible organisms is included for those who lament, "I just can't think of anything!"

The project walks them through the structure of an ecosystem from organisms to populations to communities.  And has them list the biotic and abiotic factors from the ecosystem their organism is found.

Energy flow in an ecosystem is also researched.  Students have to determine the differences between producers and consumers, as well as herbivores, carnivores and omnivores.  

They then have to construct both a food chain and a food web that contains their chosen organism.

Student directions are plainly written and easy to follow.  The final step has the student mount the completed project to a file folder for a neat and finished look! 

This is a great assignment for bulletin board displays or student presentations!

You can find this product here at my store.