Back to Asteroids – Unit 2: Planetary Geology
Asteroids – Unit 2 Lesson 1: Geology Rocks
In this lesson: First, students will speculate about what NASA can learn about the Earth from satellites in space. Then, they will explore the properties of various types of rocks and relate their findings to the rock cycle. Finally, they will propose three observations or measurements to make on rock samples from other planetary bodies.
Lesson level question: What can we learn about massive objects like planets by observing small things like rocks?
Engage
Students will speculate about the types of information NASA can gather from satellites in space.
Explore
Students will watch a video and explore an interactive rock cycle. Then they will explore their environments, gather rocks, and investigate the properties of each rock.
Explain
Students combine evidence from the video, simulation, their rock collections and measurements, and research to make claims about the types of rocks they found.
Elaborate
Students will compare how they investigated rock types with now NASA satellites, rovers, and astronaut missions explore rocks on other bodies in the solar system.
Evaluate
Students will describe three observations they would make or tests they would carry out on a rock sample from another planetary body, and what they would hope to learn about the planetary body from each test.
Extend (optional)
Three options are provided.