Introduction: In the future many scientists start to believe that the only way the human race can survive is to start colonizing other planets. We can assume that in fifty years the moon will already be colonized and have no more room for new colonists. We can also assume that the following technology has been developed:

1. The ability to fabricate air to breathe if the necessary elements are available. (nitrogen, oxygen, argon, carbon dioxide, etc.)http://rainbow.ldeo.columbia.edu/ees/climate/slides/table_1.htm

2. The ability to grow plants using artifical light and minimal space.

3. The ability to recycle and reuse all of our wastes. http://www.montenayenergy.com/, http://www.clp-energy.com/entrance.htm, http://www.livingmachines.com/

4. The ability to travel through space at at least ten times the speed we now can.

5. The ability to construct biospheres and to transport them to other planets. (We will already have the experience of doing this on the moon.) http://www.bio2.edu/home.htm

The Task:

Your group needs to investigate each one of the other planets in the solar system to determine which one of them we should colonize first.You can use library books in addition to the Internet links provided below. Be careful if you use books, because some of the information is very old.

First: Familiarize yourself with the way people live inside of Biosphere II. Make a list of the requirements and conditions necessary for colonization. Visit the sites listed above for information. Make a list of what the group knows about each planet before doing any research. Decide how to divide up the work and make a list. These three lists need to be turned in to your teacher and will count toward your grade.

Second: Investigate each planet and record the information a-i (Sample of TABLE to be used to record your data.)

a. high and low temperature,

b. intensity of sun and radiation, the length of a day and a year

c. the scientific (and/or economic) benefits of colonizing this planet

d. the existence and state of water

e. the existence of the elements needed to make air to breathe

f. the source of energy we could use: http://www.entropysystems.com/NewsRelease.htm www.green-power.com, http://www.powersavers.com/greensmart/greensmart.htm

g. the condition of the surface

h. the distance from earth to the planet and the time to get there (Use a ratio: time/distance from earth=6.5 years/distance from earth to Saturn. This will tell you how long it would have take in 1997. If you substitute the time it takes to get to Mars and the distance between earth and Mars you will have a more recent figure.)

i. gravity, mass, and air pressure on the planet (Be sure to use the gravity, mass, and air pressure on earth for comparison.)

Third: Make a HyperStudio stack (or Powerpoint cards) for each planet with four or more pictures of the planet and all the information which you collected about the planet.Use illustrations on each card. (photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov)  If any information will cause a problem for us you must explain the problem and propose a solution. (This information should also be included with more details in your table.)

Fourth: As a group make a large chart summarizing the information collected about each planet and the problems on each planet. Help each other work out solutions.

Fifth: Discuss what you have found out and come to a consensus about which planet we should colonize. Make a Hyperstudio stack (or Powerpoint cards) with your decision and five or more reasons which you will be able to defend.

Sixth: Present the results of your research and your conclusions to the rest of the class. You need to be prepared to answer questions such as: What results were you expecting? Were there any surprises? How do we know that your conclusions are correct? Is more research needed? What are the other possibilities? Is there another way in which this investigation could have been done?

Table presenting several links for each planet:

Grade:

25% Preparation and way in which you worked as a group(Step one lists and teacher observation)

25% Accuracy and thoroughness of individual research

25% Evaluation of the information and proposed solutions to problems.(Problems and solutions in Hyperstudio stacks and table)

25% Visual and oral presentation of information to the rest of the class

Standards: Language Arts 2.4 (multimedia presentations); Science grades 9-12: Content Standard A (Science as Inquiry), Content Standard D (Earth and Space Sciences), Content Standard E (Science and Technology: identify problems and needed solutions and communicate possible solutions), Content Standard F (Science in Social and Personal Perspective), K-12 Program Standard C (Correlation with Mathematics to collect, organize and analyze data) http://books.nap.edu/html/nses/html/6e.html#csa912

Montgomery High School ESLERS: Collaborative Workers, Effective Communicators, Quality Producers, Critical and Creative Thinkers, Self Directed Learners