Astronomy Final Project: Discovering the Difference:
Between Science Fact and Science Fiction
Due Date: Monday, March 5,2012.
You may work on this with other 6th grade DSA students from other classes or by yourself.
The names of all the DSA students working on a project must be included. Hint: It might
be easier to work on this by yourself, since we will not be working on this in class.
Goals and Objectives
The purpose of this activity is to review the content and inquiry processes that have been used
throughout the unit.
Science Content Objectives
Students will demonstrate that they have:
1) A clear understanding of astronomical concepts and processes.
2) An ability to distinguish between science fact and science fiction based on evidence.
3) An ability to weave science fact and science fiction together to produce a convincing
communications piece.
The Astronomy Project
Your task is to create an interesting and creative presentation for the general public on an
astronomy topic you have learned about in this unit. You are going to work on this project on your
own or in a group.
You might want to focus on some of the basic science you learned about astronomy, or you might
prefer to deal with some of the exciting new findings coming out of the field of astronomy.
When you finish, we will hopefully have time to share them. We still may run out of time!!!!!!!!!
You may present it in any form that you like. Here are some suggestions:
*Comic book
*TV Show
*Science Fiction story
*Other ideas can be discussed with me
*Commercial
*Radio show
*Movie Trailer
Guide to the project
1)
Go over the project
2) Select a topic for the project. Here are some examples, but you are not limited to these:
a. Water on Mars
b. Remote space travel to distant planets
c. Search for extraterrestrial intelligence
d. New planets
e. U.S. space program compared to other countries’ programs
f. Space Shuttle flights
g. The Apollo missions
h. New technologies used for space observation
i. History of astronomy (famous astronomers)
j. Potential space hazards
3) Research your topic. Find factual information that you will use for your project.
4) Take your accurate information and decide how you will weave fiction into your piece. It
might be useful to limit the fiction, so that your audience isn’t overwhelmed.
5) Decide how you will communicate your presentation to the audience and do your work!
 Science Fiction Rubric
10-9
Elements of
You have at least
Space Science
eight references
to the facts we
learned in the
Astronomy unit.
Blend of Fact
You used science
and Fiction
fact to support
your science
fiction every
time you used
fiction.
Awareness of
You mentioned
Space
at least 5
Technology
references to
space technology
(satellites,
shuttles, rockets,
etc.) in your
science fiction
product.
Acknowledge of You
Space History or acknowledged
important person the work of
in Space history
space history
(man’s first Earth
orbit as an
example) or
person from
space history
(John Glenn for
example) in your
product. You
continued the
references
throughout your
product.
Creative Product
This product was
creative, easy to
follow, and
contained all the
elements
required to be
called science
fiction.
8-7
You have 6-7
references to the
facts we learned
in the Astronomy
unit.
You used science
fact to support
your science
fiction 75% of
the time that you
used fiction.
You mentioned
four references to
space technology
(satellites,
shuttles, rockets,
etc.) in your
science fiction
product.
6-5
You have 4-5
references to the
facts we learned
in the Astronomy
unit.
You used science
fact to support
your science
fiction 50% of
the time that you
used fiction.
You mentioned
three references
to space
technology
(satellites,
shuttles, rockets,
etc.) in your
science fiction
product.
You
You
acknowledged
acknowledged
the work of
the work of
space history
space history
(man’s first Earth (man’s first Earth
orbit as an
orbit as an
example) or
example) or
person from
person from
space history
space history
(John Glenn for
(John Glenn for
example) in your example) in your
product. You
product. You
mentioned it at
mentioned it
the beginning,
once, but did not
but did not
continue the
continue the
references
references
throughout your
throughout your
product.
product.
This product was This product was
creative,
informative on
however, you
the science, but
focused on the
you left out the
fiction, and used creative piece.
very little
science.
4-0
You have three
or less facts
referenced to the
Astronomy unit.
You used less
than 50% science
fact to support
your science
fiction.
You mentioned
two references to
space technology
(satellites,
shuttles, rockets,
etc.) in your
science fiction
product.
You did not
acknowledge
space history or
an important
person in space
history.
I’m still trying to
figure out what
this product was
about.