Planetary Debate - Work Sheet (adapted for TXESS Revolution PDA 5)
Name: _____________________
Assigned Planetary Bodies: ___________________
Challenge: You are a tour operator for (pick a name for your team such as Galaxy
Guides) promoting tourist travel (could be real or virtual tourism) to the planetary body,
or bodies, which you have been assigned.
1. Day one – you will be assigned to a team comprising four or five participants with
whom you will work on this project. Your team will be assigned planetary bodies from
list below to research.
Team 1:
Team 2:
Team 3:
Team 4:
Mercury, First Rock from the Sun
Venus, the Veiled Planet
Earth's Moon, A Muse for all Ages
Mars, the Red Planet
Team 5:
Team 6:
Team 7:
Team 8:
Jupiter, Giant Among Planets
Saturn, the Elegant Planet
Uranus, the Sideways Planet
Neptune, the Windy Planet
Team 9:
Team 10:
Pluto, Mr. X
Eris, 2003UB313 (Object found in outer solar system)
Team 11:
Io, Europa, Ganymede, Callisto (moons of Jupiter),
the Galilean Satellites
Triton, the Retrograde (moon of Neptune) and Titan, the Wet One
(moon of Saturn)
Team 12:
2. Also on Day one - Use suggested resources to begin research on your planet/moon.
These Internet sites are a good place to start, but you may use other sources as well. It
may be a good idea to divide up the research among team members since we have
limited time. Please remember to cite all your sources properly.
Windows to the Universe (Our Solar System Section) http://www.windows.ucar.edu
The Nine Planets http://www.nineplanets.org/
Google Search http://www.google.com
Ask Jeeves http://www.ask.com
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Our solar system
Solar system formation
Solar system pictures
Use the Windows to the Universe Journal Tool
The Nine Planets
NASA JPL Homepage
Astrobiology Magazine
NASA Astrobiology Institute
Astrobiology at NASA Ames
TERC's Astrobiology Curriculum
NASA Origins Program
NASA's PlanetQuest Program
3. Day two – Finish any research, write opening and closing arguments, and create
PowerPoint presentation. Remember that your team is limited to 4 slides per
presentation. If you make to the final round, you will be able to show as many as 12
different slides.
4. Day three (breakfast) - Refine opening and closing arguments and practice these
along with the PowerPoint slides. The tournament schedule will be posted in the
morning so make sure to look up the basics about your opponents' planet/moon so you
can use these facts during rebuttal time. Late morning: Great Planetary Debate!
Remember to cite your resources on each PowerPoint slide or in a list at the end of the
presentation. Examples:
1. USGS, Science for a Changing World, Water Science for Schools, Earth’s Water,
http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/mearth.html, (accessed June 23, 2009).
2. Llano Estacado, Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Llano_Estacado, (accessed June 23, 2009).
Planetary Debate – Information Sheet (adapted for TXESS Revolution PDA 5)
Name: _____________________
Assigned Planetary Bodies: ___________________
Remember that the point of the Great Planetary Debate is to convince voting
classmates you’re your planet/moon, or group of planetary bodies, is the most
interesting place to visit in our Solar System. Your presentation should consider the
relationship of your planet/moon, or group of planetary bodies, to the sun and
compare it with our own planet Earth.
The questions below are designed to guide you to find the information that will
help you with your presentation.
1. What is the order of this planet from the sun? If you are researching a moon (s),
what is its order from the mother planet?
2. What is the average distance from the sun? (miles and kilometers) If you are
researching a moon, use the average distance of the mother planet.
3. What is the minimum distance from Earth? (miles and kilometers) If you are
researching a moon, use the minimum distance of the mother planet. Hint: use
the Windows to the Universe site for this!
4. What is the mythological origin of the name of your planet/moon? Why was that
name chosen for your planet/moon?
5. What is the diameter of your planet/moon in miles and kilometers?
6. Compare the size of your planet/moon to that of the Earth (using diameters of
the two bodies). How much larger or smaller is your planet than the Earth?
7. Compare the gravity of your planet/moon to that of the Earth. If an object
weighed 100 pounds on the Earth, what would it weigh on your planet/moon?
8. What is the temperature range, highs and lows, found on your planet/moon
(Fahrenheit and Celsius)?
9. What does your planet/moon look like? Describe its colors, surface features or
appearance of clouds/atmosphere, and unique features.
10. List the common elements present and their state of matter (solid, liquid, gas).
11. What is the atmosphere like on your planet/moon? List the gases present and
their percentages.
12. What are the names of your planet's moons? Describe any unique features
found on your planet's moons. If you are researching a moon, omit this question.
13. What probes have been sent or will be sent to your planet/moon? What did they
find out? (If many missions have been sent, list the most important and their
findings).
14. Based on what you have learned, do you think life, as we know it, can be found
on your planet/moon? Explain your answer using fact and reason.
15. Give any other information that you would like to share about your
planet/moon. (What makes your planet unique? special? distinct from the
others?)
Please write your opening or closing statement here. These statements should provide
important facts and information about the planet/moon and should convince the class
they want to visit your planet/moon above any other! Remember, you will only have 2
minutes for your opening and closing statements (so practice, practice, practice!).