Introduction

This lesson was developed as a class project for ELRC 4507 Technology for Educators at LSU in Baton Rouge.

This lesson is a multimedia group project on Space Exploration.  Students are asked to collaborate on a plan and presentation.

Learners

This lesson is aimed at 8th or 9th grade science students. It could, however be used in a computer literacy course, or in an English class as an exercise with organization or project skills.

The students will need to know basic internet search skills, as well as the operation of the presentation software, and basic word processing for the project sections that  require those skills.  Also, if hypermedia is used, the students will need access to the software and have some understanding of it.

Curriculum Standards

This Web Quest will involve several levels of learning that are related to curriculum.  Students will learn basic scientific concepts involving the solar system and the relationship of the planets, as well higher level thinking skill that will be needed to create a mission profile.  Also students will be learning basic organization skills, and higher level group dynamics.

This lesson addresses the following content standards taken from the Curriculum guide for the State of Louisiana: ESS-H-D7, ESS-E-B1, ESS-E-B6, ELA-2-M1, ELA-2-M2,  ELA-2-H1 
+

Process

Students will do the following steps to complete this activity.

1. 1. Divide your team into the 4 occupations described above. Search the Web sites linked below, your school library, encyclopedia, and other sources that you can find to get information on technology and the possibility of Mars missions and of building a Mars Ship. The Scientist, Astronaut and Engineer each need to look for information that is related to your  area of specialty
2. 2.  Create a file on your computer to hold this information.  Create a text document to store factual information to be used in your report.  Create a place in your folder to save graphics that might be used to illustrate your story. Each member of the team should contribute information that is appropriate to his area.  The Mission Coordinator is responsible for organizing the team, and collecting the information.
3. 3.  Create a brief report in Word, or Word Perfect, explaining why you want to go to Mars, the benefits to mankind, and what is involved in building a Mars Ship and actually going there.
4. 4.  Create a slide show in Powerpoint or Corel Presentations to convince Congress to fund your mission.  The Mission Coordinator will then present this to the class.

5.  Last, working as a group using either  Publishing Software, or a word processor that supports graphics, or a hypermedia program, create an illustrated story of a trip to Mars.  Give ideas of what might have happened on this imaginary voyage.

This lesson is designed to take about a week for the students to complete working in groups in or out of class.  The teacher will need to supervise and help in some cases with internet searches.  It will also be understood that some instruction is given on operation of the software needed to complete the project.

If desired, or needed due to time constraints it could be necessary to leave out one of the three final projects, however each project has content that is appropriate more to certain group members than others. 

Resources Needed

You will need, at minimum, one internet connected computer with a graphic capable word processor (Work, Works, Word Perfect, or equivalent), desktop publishing software (e.g. Print Shop), and presentation software (Corel Presentations or Powerpoint) installed.  If each student has a computer, so much the better, but this is not strictly required.

Evaluation

It is suggested that you use the evaluation tools provided in the lesson.  At the end of the lesson the students should have understanding of the benchmarks provided above in the curriculum section.  It is up to the teachers discretion whether to use group or  individual grading or both.  Also, you may to decide to give follow up general quizzes on the subject matter covered.

You may also wish to combine student self evaluation with teacher evaluation on either of the evaluation rubrics provided with this lesson.

Conclusion

This lesson should be an enjoyable project for students at this grade level, and should provide learning on both the science involved in this project, as well as organizational skills.

Credits & References

Based on a template from The Web Quest Page

Evaluation rubric based on The Comet Web Quest by Sue Anderson,  Salt Lake City.

Some graphics courtesy of NASA.