Lesson Plan

Is There Life on Earth?

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This Is There Life on Earth? lesson plan also includes:

To find life on another planet, scientists look for gases (atmosphere), water, and temperatures that are not extreme. In this activity, groups of pupils become "Titan-ians," scientists who want to explore Earth for possible life forms. Groups analyze instruments used on Cassini-Huygens and generate questions the scientists would want their mission to answer.  

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CCSS: Adaptable
Additional Tags
Instructional Ideas
  • Generate a list of each group's questions and at the end, determine which are the most important and why
Classroom Considerations
  • Each group needs access to a computer and the Internet
  • Depending upon level of learners, amount of time given to research instruments, and length of class discussions, the activity duration is 30 minutes to 1 hour
  • Could be used in unit on planets or during a unit on what makes something a living thing
  • Part 18 in a series of 22
Pros
  • Activity requires little prep work and only computers for materials
  • Great way for learners to see that when scientists look for life on other planets, that "life" probably isn't human
Cons
  • Under "Useful Links," only the third link works
Common Core