process

step1

On this “Utopia planet quest” mission, you will work in teams of four to complete the mission. To begin with, you need to choose your role in the team. The team will include one Crew Commander, one Scientific Specialist, one Space Analysis Expert, and one Record Keeper.

alien Crew Commander:
The Crew Commander is the captain in the team. The Commander is in charge of assigning duties for each member and supervising the team’s progress. The Commander supports other members in their tasks as well as helps make final decisions in any debate. The Crew Commander should have a responsible attitude, the ability to prioritize work, and the decision-making abilities. (S)he also should be good at planning ahead and remaining calm under pressure.

alien Scientific Specialist:
The Scientific Specialist is a master of the solar system. The Specialist’s responsibility is to gather information about the three most possibly habitable planets basing on the required data on the Planet chart. The Specialist is supposed to navigate the Internet to find out relevant information about each planet, and then transfer the information to other members. The Specialist is expected to be good at critical thinking and to have great interest in planetary exploration.

alien Space Analysis Expert:
The Space Analysis Expert takes charge of analyzing the data collected by the Scientific Specialist and evaluates the level of habitability to identify the most potential habitat in the solar system. The Expert is expected to develop a statistical analysis of the most suitable planet to become the “second Earth” and demonstrate his/her idea to the other members. The Expert should have a logical mind and be selective about which information s(he) should pay most attention to in the analysis.

alien Record Keeper:
The Record Keeper is the expert in managing research data and creating a comprehensive glossary for the team. The Keeper should gather information from the team members and organize the information neatly and correctly on charts, tables or paper. The Keeper is also responsible for compiling resource materials into database and then creating a PowerPoint presentation to present to the Federation President and other scientists of other teams.


step2

After you have decided on the role you will lead, it is time to join the quest! Firstly, you should print out the Planet chart in order to know needed information about the planet. Then, you will do a small investigation on the planets in the solar system and discuss with your fellows about which three planets have better chance to replace the Earth and become the new planet for humans.


step3

Once the three planets are chosen, you are now ready to collect data about the planets on your Planet chart. You should complete the chart while you are gathering information.


From the Planet chart, you can see there are six important criteria that you should focus during your quest for the utopia planet. Below is more detailed information for each criterion:

 

1. Distance from Sun:

Particularly, you should consider how far each planet is from the sun in kilometers. If a planet is too close to the Sun, the average temperature on the planet can be appreciably affected.

2. Size of the planet:

You should aware how big the planet is in diameter. A habitable planet should be enormous enough for all human habitats.

3. Average temperature:

You should pay attention to the weather and the temperature on the planet. Specifically, you should raise question: What is the weather like on the planet? What is the temperature during day and night? If the weather is too harsh, humans cannot live on the planet.

4. Period of rotation:

This refers to the orbital properties of the planet. Specifically, you should answer the question: How many hours/ days on Earth is equal to one day on the planet? The speed of the rotation of the planet has various effects, including the planet’s shape, climate, ocean depth and currents, as well as tectonic forces.

5. Atmosphere:

In terms of atmosphere, you should consider: What is the air like on the planet? It should be known that the structure and composition of a planet’s atmosphere are responsible for creating conditions suitable for the existence of humans on the planet.

6. Potential energy resources:

An essential requirement for life is energy resources. Thus, you should find out whether there are potential energy resources on the planet to harvest and what they are.

7. Potential chemical interactions:

You should also be alert to the possibility of chemical interactions that may occur on the planet. It is advisable to find out more about the composition of the planet as well as main chemical components on the planet.

8. Potential risks from meteors:

You should consider whether or not the planet is in the orbit of a meteor which may cause fatal impacts on human existence.

 

step4

After completing the chart, you will make an in-depth analysis of the potential to sustain life of each planet. This analysis can be written on paper or typed in form of Word document and it must be sent to the Federation President (the teacher) before the oral presentation.


step5

As a team, you will together draw a conclusion about which planet among the three chosen planets has the highest possibility of being the utopia planet – a planet which can replace the Earth and support life for humans. Your team will then prepare a PowerPoint presentation about your planet to report to Federation President and other scientists from other teams. The presentation should include:

- Introduction of the planet with data on the Planet chart and demonstration pictures

- Brief comparison of the chosen planet with the two other planets

- Thorough analysis for your choice.

Besides good preparation for the presentation, it is advisable for your team to practice presentation skills, such as voice, gestures and postures before your presentation.

 

Notice:

During your process of the WebQuest, you are suggested to make use of the referent materials provided in the Resources page. Those resources will help contribute to your performance of the webQuest mission!

 

 

 

alienalien