BASIC

PRODUCTIVITY TOOLS: WORD PROCESSOR

Name: Cassy Davison
Grade Level: 9 -12
Content Area: Astronomy
Basic Productivity Tool Used: Microsoft Word
Standards Addressed:
SAST1. c. Mathematically apply Newtonian gravity to celestial bodies to determine their masses and explain their
motion (e.g. Keplers Laws).
SAST2. c. Compare and contrast the major properties of the components of our Solar System.
SAST6: a. Characterize the habitable zone in solar systems and habitable planetary bodies in our own and other Solar
Systems.

Blooms Level of Critical Thinking:

Remembering Understanding

Applying

Analyzing

Evaluating

Creating

Description of how to implement in the class:

Students will create tourism brochures for different planets, moons and extrasolar planets. Brochures should
include exciting features of their chosen object. Also, brochures should compare and contrast their object to
Earth and to other objects in the Solar System. When possible, students should elaborate on characteristics of
their objects: temperature (in degrees Fahrenheit), gravity, the period of the planet, the mass of the planet, the
density of the planet and the orbit or orbital motions of the planet. Students will use thermodynamic
equations and Keplers Laws when appropriate to find characteristics of their objects.
Students will present their brochures in class. If students choose to create a brochure for an extrasolar planet,
students should elaborate during their presentations on the detection method used to find this planet and the
uncertainties associated with using that technique (e.g. RV and transit methods both determine the mass of
their extrasolar planets based on stellar mass. Most stellar masses are only known as good as 20%, therefore
the extrasolar planets masses are only known to 20%). If students choose to study an object in our Solar
System that is not a planet, they should be able to state why the object is not a planet according the IAU 2007
definition of a planet during their in class presentation.
From information presented on the brochures, students as a class should determine whether these bodies
would habitable or not. After hearing all brochures presented, students will determine general trends in the
Solar System (e.g. planets are colder farther from their heat source, the Sun) and find the exceptions to these
rules (e.g. Venus is hotter due to Global Warming). After completing their presentations, we will skype with an
Astronomer to discuss the objects that we think are most eligible to have extra-terrestrial life and life.

Level of Technology Implementation (LoTi):

This project definitely meets the LoTi level of expansion, as their learning experiences reach beyond the
classroom. Their brochures are published on my website.
Although, students will have the chance to discuss and ask questions with an expert, they will only speak with
an expert after finishing their assignment. The expert advice will not be used to improve their assignment.
Therefore, the students do not meet the criteria of refinement.

Description of the sample spreadsheet and graph/chart provided *:

An example brochure encourage people to visit Mars is attached that was created using a template from
Microsoft Word.

Other comments about your proposed spreadsheet/graph/chart activity:

Students should have and be creative while making their brochures. The universe is an interesting place.
These brochures will be posted on the teachers website for family and friends to see.