• Science: Design a Probe or Rover
  
• Creative Writing Assignment/Language Arts: Invent an Alien
  
• Internet Research - Technology Lab Sheet
  
• Planet Mars Tours

Design a Probe or Rover

You have already chosen a planet to advertise. You have imagined an alien from that world and are creating it.

Now, you need to draw and color the probe or rover for your planet. You need to label each part. Write a description under each label explaining the part. One side of the page should be the labeled picture and the other side should be a story explaining your solar system machine that you have designed. This needs to include:

• name of probe/rover
• where it's going
• why it has been sent
• when it will give feedback to us
• how it travels
• describe its jobs

Invent an Alien

It is your goal to construct a model of an alien being that could live on the world that you picked. You need to create a three-dimensional model made from any material you can find around the house. You have a week to complete this task. You need to write a half-page to one-page description of your alien being, stating why it has the characteristics you have selected.

What are some of the requirements for a "being" to exist on the world you chose? These should include:

1. a means to get food
2. possibly a way to move around the planet
3. a way to breathe
4. other means to sense the environment, equivalant to our five senses.
5. other suggestions you may have, such as the effect of a gravitational pull that is much larger or smaller than we experience.

Internet Research - Technology Lab Sheet

Go to the Mars Team Online Home Page.
View at least 4 images.

Name the images you see and write two very descriptive sentences describing the image.

1. Name of image: _______________________
   Description: __________________________
   ____________________________________
   ____________________________________

2. Name of image: _______________________
   Description: __________________________
   ____________________________________
   ____________________________________
   ____________________________________

3. Name of image: _______________________
   Description: __________________________
   ____________________________________
   ____________________________________
   ____________________________________

4. Name of image: _______________________
   Description: __________________________
   ____________________________________
   ____________________________________

1. Name of Scientist: _____________________

2. Description: __________________________
   _______________________________________
   _______________________________________
   _______________________________________
   _______________________________________
   

Planet Mars Tours

GROUP WORK:

1. Describe your favorite summer vacation.

2. Where have you traveled?

3. What made your adventure special?

4. Where would you like to go if you could go anywhere in the world?

5. Where would you like to go if you could go anywhere in the Solar System?

Imagine it's not 1996, but far into the future. Tourist travel to the planets is just becoming possible and you are working for the first interplanetary travel agency, "Planet Mars Tours, Inc." Your group is going to create a series of brochures or travel posters designed to attract the first space tourists.

Think and discuss in your group:

1. What wonders of Mars do you feel would be most appealing?

2. What adventures could be expected for the well-equipped adventurer -- Ballooning on Mars? Sulfur-surfing on Mars?

3. What creature comforts would be required to tame the chill of Mars?

4. What incredible sights are there to see on Mars?

5. Find and discuss the most exciting sites and sights offered by your planet.

6. What resort attractions might 21st-century technology bring? Snow machines creating a long downhill ski run from a mighty Martian volcano?

Journey Through the Solar System Poster/Brochure

You are an interplanetary travel agent. Your job is to publicize the Planet __________________. You are trying to convince Earthlings to visit and vacation there!
Be sure to include the following factual information:

..photos or drawings
..distance from sun or position from sun
..length of day (rotation)
..length of year (revolution)
..atmosphere
..number of moons/rings
..size
..composition (gas or solid)
..gravity
..method of travel
..temperature