CURRICULAR MATERIALS
There are two main categories of curricular resources.
1. The Student-Led Investigations: Modeling the Process of Science section provides resources you will find useful as your students conduct authentic research.
2. Launchpad Activities are stand-alone activities that are designed to promote and spark an interest for student-led investigations of Earth and/or planetary comparisons. Use one or more of these with your students!
STUDENT-LED INVESTIGATIONS:
MODELING THE PROCESS OF SCIENCE
Student Scientist Guidebook: This guidebook is probably the most useful resource for you to use with your students. As students conduct their investigations, the guidebook is designed to step them through each aspect of the process of science. It includes information about each step along with probing questions to help students work their way through this inquiry-based process. Additionally, this guidebook will assist students as they provide details about their research on their Team Workspace Wiki.
Data Request Form: Although this is not a formal activity, it is used for teams who are conducting an investigation and wish to request new data to be acquired by an astronaut on the International Space Station. Only one request form per class is permitted.
LAUNCHPAD ACTIVITIES:
Spheres of Earth: This activity is great to use as a launchpad for students to gain an interest and awareness of features visible in astronaut photographs. Students will be introduced to features associated with the atmosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and litho/geosphere and how they are all connected.
Blue Marble Matches: This launchpad activity is especially useful to for students who may want to learn about and conduct planetary comparisons. It introduces students to geologic processes on Earth and models how scientists use Earth to gain a better understanding of other planetary bodies in the solar system.
Oh, What A Pane!: This inquiry based activity provides a mathematical approach to investigating windows on Earth and in space! Students will be able to collect and analyze data as well as mathematically describe astronaut photographs. Feel free to complete the entire activity or pick and choose the individual parts that best apply to what you are teaching.