Space Quest

Level: 5 & 6
Duration: 5 6 weeks
Week lessons 50min per week
KEY UNDERSTANDINGS
This is an investigation into:
Our Solar System, what planets are and how and why they do/ or do not support life?
INQUIRY QUESTIONS
These questions will be answered and explored by students during the completion of the topic:
What is in our solar system? (Remembering)
How our solar system is structured, e.g. location of sun moon planets, orbits?
(Understanding)
How do we calculate time on and Earth? (Applying)
How the Sun and the location of the Earth enable life to survive on Earth and how does
this differ from other planets? (Analysing)
Earths resources, and how these support life?(Creating)
Could another planet support life? What would that planet need to support life?
(Evaluating)

STUDENT INQUIRY QUESTIONS
During the i-quest mission students will be able to research and find answer to topics of their own
interest.
Task 1 (1 2 weeks)
Objective:
Introduce students to the solar system, give them an over view of planet information and the role of
the sun in our solar system. Students will also recognise how important the sun and our moon are to
Earth.
AUSVELS:
Science:
Compare different approaches to developing scientific knowledge or solving a scientific
problem, including the role of scientific debate.
Explain the dynamic interactions within and between systems in biological, chemical, earth
and space, and physical science contexts.
The Earth is part of a system of planets orbiting around a star (the sun) (ACSSU078).
Recognising the role of the sun as a provider of energy for the Earth.
Experiencing a range of ways of investigating questions, including experimental testing,
internet research, field observations and exploring simulations.
Art:
Independently and collaboratively experiment with and apply a range of skills, techniques and
processes using a range of media, materials, equipment and technologies to plan, develop,
refine, make and present arts works.
Investigate a range of sources to generate ideas and manipulate arts elements, principles
and/or conventions in a range of arts disciplines and forms as they explore the potential of
ideas.
Communication:
Experience a variety of aural, written and visual communication forms in both formal and
informal settings for example electronic communication, performance and oral presentations.
Begin to understand that individual interpretation of communicated information may be
influenced by their own knowledge, values and beliefs, by persuasive devices such as
emotive language, and by the opinions of others.
For formal presentations they begin to select appropriate forms for sharing knowledge and
influencing others.
Students summarise and organise ideas and information, logically and clearly in a range of
presentations.

English:
Select voice effects for different audiences and purposes, such as tone, volume, pitch and
pace, recognising the effects these have on audience understanding and engagement
(ACELY1804 Listening and speaking interactions)
Plan, rehearse and deliver of presentations for defined audiences and purposes, with
attention to making choices for modality and emphasis (ACELY1710 Oral presentations)
Use strategies and skills for interaction to match increasing formality (ACELA1516 Language
for social interaction, ACELY1816 Listening and speaking interactions)
Analyse, for example by making connections between ideas and information in and across
texts to clarify understanding, and synthesise ideas and information from print and digital
sources (ACELY1703 Comprehension strategies)
Key Learning Intention:
Students will know the names of all planets in the solar system and key features of these planets, as
well as gain a basic understanding of our sun and moon.
Teachers Notes, Links and Resources:
Facts on Planet in
our Solar System.docx

http://video.nationalgeographic.com.au/video/101-videos/sun-101-sci
http://video.nationalgeographic.com.au/video/101-videos/moon-101-sci
http://www.planetsforkids.org/moon-moon.html
http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/412508main_What.Is.a.Planet.Lithograph.pdf
Task 2 (1 week, 3 X 50min lessons)
Objective:
For students to gain perspective of planet sizes and the distances between objects in space by
scaling the solar system to help visualise the scale of the planets and sun in our solar system.
AUSVELS:
Science:
Modelling the relative size of and distance between Earth, other planets in the solar system
and the sun.
The Earth is part of a system of planets orbiting around a star (the sun) (ACSSU078).
Recognising the role of the sun as a provider of energy for the Earth.
Identifying the planets of the solar system and comparing how long they take to orbit the sun
Experiencing a range of ways of investigating questions, including experimental testing,
internet research, field observations and exploring simulations.
Math:
Identify and describe factors and multiples of whole numbers and use them to solve
problems(ACMNA098)
Exploring techniques for multiplication such as the area model, the Italian lattice method or
the partitioning of number
Applying the distributive law and using arrays to model multiplication and explain calculation
strategies

Thinking Processes:
Thinking Processes, they make observations and pose questions about people and events
within and beyond their own experience, and develop a growing awareness of the complexity
of the world around them.
Communication:
Students begin to recognise the purpose of specialised language across the curriculum and to use this
appropriately in their own communication
English:
Plan, draft and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive print and multimodal texts, choosing
text structures, language features, images and sound appropriate to purpose and audience
(ACELY1704)
Key Learning Intention:
Students will recognise the enormity of the solar system and will understand how great the distance is
between planets and the sun.
Teachers Notes, Links and Resources
Learning areas: Science, Literacy, Mathematics, Arts.
Teacher preparation: As a teacher for this task you will need to know or quickly refer to facts about
the planets such as distance, size, temperatures, whether it is terrestrial (made mostly rock, metals)
or jovial (gas giants), what its made of, moons, life presence features. This task is to encourage
students to see their place in the solar system especially in regards to scale.
From the build a solar system website, note the distance of the nearest star with the scale students
have chosen eg. 20mm size sun the next nearest star is 540km away, prompt the students to guess
in the yard when doing the scale task.
Students should understand that the earth is only a small part of the solar system and a minor
planet revolving around the sun. Students should be prompted to ponder in this scaling task about
the effect the sun has on the different planet locations in the solar system (light, temperature,
gravity, orbits etc).
The task itself should be conducted mostly as a whole class working together to decide on scale on
the Interactive whiteboard. Then the groups from the previous model task will be used to place their
planets or sun models in correct position measuring from the suns starting position. The teacher will
have to help delegate tasks to a couple of individuals such as measuring wheel operator and planet
distance confirmer. An option for the teacher would be to film each student standing in their scaled
positions with their planets.
The activity will have to be monitored for accuracy throughout. Are students using the measuring
wheel properly? Putting planets in correct distances and positions? Teacher should prompt
discussion about solar system and earths place in space. Prompt students on positions relative to the
sun and the energy received from the sun. Also, orbits, gravity, where the stars in the sky might be
anything to help student visualise concepts that they can learn.
Maths question
DISTANCE OF NEPTUNE/ DISTANCE OF EARTH =(number)TIMES FURTHER FROM SUN THAN EARTH
4499900000km / 149570000km = Neptune is 30.09 times further from the sun than earth
Challenge question
MOON DISTANCE/ HOURS = SPEED
384400/8.75 = 43,931.4 km/hr
DISTANCE NEPTUNE/SPEED=TIME TRAVELLED
4,499,900,000/43,931.4 = 102,430.2 hours/24
= 426,792 days/365
=11.7 years
Lesson guide:
Lesson 1: -TWLH chart on whiteboard as a class brainstorm to check for knowledge and engage the
class into space.

- begin quest 2 and do the Cosmos4kids quiz.
-Correct the quiz so they all pass the astronaut pre-entry test.
-Start mission 1: whole class hands on scale task. Help guide students through build a solar system
website if time permits
Lesson 2: - Guide students through the whole class scale task procedure







A guide for students answering their science journal questions

Lesson 3:- Discussion brainstorm of what everyone learnt on scale task. Science Journal entries finish
at home if not finished.

Assessment
Scale task: Pre Assessment cosmos4kids quiz, this quiz will help give teacher feedback for basic
knowledge of solar system and any areas that students require learning.
Formative: Feedback on understanding of scale, measuring distances, applying scale and cooperation.
Individual insights into scale and earths place in space (science journals). Formative assessment of
interpersonal skills for each student in the whole class task.
Websites Links:
http://splash.abc.net.au/media/-/m/30339
http://www.cosmos4kids.com/extras/quiz_solsystintro/index.html
http://www.exploratorium.edu/ronh/solar_system/

Task 3 (1 week, 3 X 50min lessons)
Objective:
For students to gain perspective of how Earth and the moon orbit in comparison to other planets in our
solar system.
Give students insight into how a year works and compare this with other planets.
AUSVELS:
Science:
The Earth is part of a system of planets orbiting around a star (the sun)
identifying the planets of the solar system and comparing how long they take to orbit the sun
Science inquiry skills
With guidance, plan appropriate investigation methods to answer
questions or solve problems (ACSIS086)
Communicate ideas, explanations and processes in a variety of ways, including multi-modal texts
(ACSIS110)
Literacy
Plan, draft and publish informative using multimodal texts, choosing text structures, language features,
images and sound appropriate to purpose and audience (ACELY1704)
Information and Communication Technology
They learn to use tools, such as graphic organisers, to organise and analyse data and information.
When problem solving, students use recommended search engines and begin to refine search questions
to locate information quickly on the Internet. This involves applying criteria for assessing the integrity of
information, such as the reliability of the web host and the accuracy of the information.
Maths
Compare 12- and 24-hour time systems and convert between them (ACMMG110)
Key Learning Intention:
Students will have created an information poster that displays their knowledge of how the planets orbit
in our solar system.
Students will recognise that a year is one revolution around the sun and that an Earth year is 365 days
around the sun.
Teachers Notes, Links and Resources
Observation
sheet.docx

Task 4 (1 week, 3 X 50min lessons)
Objective:
For students to understand how/why earth is the only planet that can sustain life and compare this to
other planets of our solar system.
The features specific to earth, which enable plant and animal life.
AUSVELS:
Science
Recognising the role of the sun as a provider of energy for the Earth
Living things have structural features and adaptations that help them to survive in their environment
(ACSSU043)
Literacy
Use metalanguage to describe the effects of ideas, text structures and language features on particular
audiences(ACELT1795)
Plan, draft and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive print and multimodal texts, choosing text
structures, language features, images and sound appropriate to purpose and audience (ACELY1704)
Humanities (Geography)
Using an inquiry-based approach, students explore environmental issues
Information and Communication Technology
They learn to use tools, such as graphic organisers, to organise and analyse data and information.
When problem solving, students use recommended search engines and begin to refine search questions
to locate information quickly on the Internet. This involves applying criteria for assessing the integrity of
information, such as the reliability of the web host and the accuracy of the information.
Interpersonal Development
As students work towards the achievement of Level 6 standards in Interpersonal Development, they
develop skills and behaviours for connecting with a variety of groups, including peer and community
groups.
Key Learning Intention
At the end of this task students will understand the key features to support life on earth
Teacher Notes, Links and Resources
http://www.bobthealien.co.uk/earthlife.htm
http://splash.abc.net.au/media/-/m/1389653/alien-life-form
http://splash.abc.net.au/media/-/m/104100/how-plants-work
fishbone-diagram.pd
f

planet outlines.docx

www.readyed.com.au/urls/inquiry/space.htm
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/astronomy/planets/earth/
Rich Task
Our task involves the students producing a presentation of choice video,
Poster, PowerPoint, podcast, piece of writing etc. This presentation will explain and design their perfect
planet to sustain life and one planet that could not sustain life Including factors such as location, size,
geological makeup, factors that help it sustain life, and these factors will also be used to explain why the
other planets could not sustain life.
Objective:
For students to apply their knowledge that they have developed throughout the i
quest. Students will demonstrate that have understood, would the key features are on Earth which
allow the planet to sustain life and why other planets at this stage do not sustain life.
AUSVELS:
Science:
The Earth is part of a system of planets orbiting around a star (the sun) (ACSSU078)
recognising the role of the sun as a provider of energy for the Earth
Living things have structural features and adaptations that help them to survive in their environment
(ACSSU043)
Communicate ideas, explanations and processes in a variety of ways, including multi-modal texts
(ACSIS093)

Communication:
Students summaries and organise ideas and information, logically and clearly in a range of presentations. They
identify the features of an effective presentation and adapt elements of their own presentations to reflect them.
Using provided criteria, they evaluate the effectiveness of their own and others presentations.
English:
Compare texts including media texts that represent ideas and events in different ways, explaining the
effects of the different approaches (ACELY1708)
Use a range of software, including word processing programs, learning new functions as required to
create texts (ACELY1717)
Plan, rehearse and deliver presentations, selecting and sequencing appropriate content and multimodal
elements for defined audiences and purposes, making appropriate choices for modality and emphasis
(ACELY1710)
Information and Communications Technology:
Students safely and independently use a range of skills, procedures, equipment and functions to process different
data types and produce accurate and suitably formatted products to suit different purposes and audiences.
Interpersonal Development:
Students work effectively in different teams and take on a variety of roles to complete tasks of varying length and
complexity.
Teacher Notes, Links and Resources

Rich Task
Rubric.docx

Desired Learning Outcomes:
Students will demonstrate their understanding of this unit by using accurate knowledge in their final
presentations.
At the end of the presentations, as a celebration of learning students will watch the movie Wall-
LEARNING RESOURCES
Resource required for activities
Teacher References:
Bourke. J. ( 2007). Space; Internet Inquiry. Sydney: Ready Ed Publications.
Earths place in Space, Year 5, Earth and space sciences Primary connections
Student recourse, Graphic organisers and sheets.
fishbone-diagram.pd
f
planet outlines.docx Observation
sheet.docx

Rubrics:
Rubric- Poster - Task
3.docx
Rich Task
Rubric.docx

Other resource
Polystyrene ball ( Task 1 )
Paint
String
Torch
Balls tennis balls, basket or netballs (task 3)
A3 paper
Wheat grass (Task 4)
Container
Soil
Other resources to enhance topic
Excursions / Incursions ideas:
The planetarium (http://museumvictoria.com.au/planetarium/)
Hands on Science (http://www.handsonscience.com.au/science-and-technology-
incursions/)

Websites
http://www.planetsforkids.org/planet-earth.html
http://www.planetsforkids.org/planet-jupiter.html
http://www.planetsforkids.org/planet-saturn.html
http://www.planetsforkids.org/planet-neptune.html
http://www.planetsforkids.org/planet-uranus.html
http://www.planetsforkids.org/planet-mercury.html
http://www.planetsforkids.org/planet-venus.html
http://www.planetsforkids.org/planet-mars.html
http://www.planetsforkids.org/planet-pluto.html
http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forkids/kidsclub/flash/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KsF_hdjWJjo
http://splash.abc.net.au/media/-/m/30339 www.kidsastornomy.com/space_size.html
http://video.nationalgeographic.com.au/video/101-videos/sun-101-
scihttp://video.nationalgeographic.com.au/video/101-videos/moon-101-sci
http://www.planetsforkids.org/moon-moon.html
http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/412508main_What.Is.a.Planet.Lithograph.pdf
iPad Apps:
Solar Walk
http://www.ipadsforeducation.vic.edu.au/education-apps/apps/188-solar-walk
Star Walk
http://www.ipadsforeducation.vic.edu.au/education-apps/apps/45-star-walk-hd
NASA App
http://www.ipadsforeducation.vic.edu.au/education-apps/apps/163-nasa-app