The Introduction

You are an astronaut on a mission to another planet in our solar system. You will join a crew to gather information about your planet and then voyage to the planet to collect additional data. After exploring it, you will contact Mission Control on Earth by Cyber Postcard to communicate your impressions and data.

The Task

Pre-flight requirements:
With your crew choose your planet.
Name your mission and design a crew patch or badge.
Data Collection:
You will have several data sheets to complete before and during your journey. 
Communication:
Your crew will create a Cyber Postcard using a virtual postcard site. Your postcard will include a report about your planet. Each crew member will be responsible for part of the report.
You will also share your report and additional information at a debriefing session with crews from other missions. 

The Process

Stage 1 Getting Ready
Mission Control Management (your teacher) will assign you to a crew.
With your crew choose a planet from our solar system. 
Design a patch for your mission. To view crew patches used on other space flights and to learn how to make your own patch, click on the following link  Creating a Crew Patch.
Save a copy of the Data Collection Sheets to your computer folder and print out a copy for your crew.
Decide which data sheets and activities each crew member will be responsible for completing.
Stage 2 Getting Information
To do your research, click on the name of your planet destination listed at the bottom of this page.
Click on one of the Web Site links for your planet.
Scan the site for contents, headings, keywords or images to check it contains information you need. 
Skim read or read in detail for the information. 
Make notes under the correct headings on your data sheets.
Remember, only make dot point notes. 
When you have finished checking the first Web Site, view another Web Site link for your planet. 
Check for new or different information that you need to complete your data sheets.
Keep checking different websites from the list until you have all the information you require. 
Use your information to complete to a high standard all the tasks you were allocated by your crew.
Stage 3 Getting Together
Meet with your crew. 
Print out and use the Crew Checklist to ensure you have completed all the steps of your task so far.
Share ideas for what will be included in your Cyber Postcard and allocate sections of the postcard report to crew members.
Be sure to include facts about your planet in your postcard and share some of your 'adventures' too!
Stage 4 The Cyber Postcard
Each crew member will write their part on a Cyber Postcard Draft sheet. 
Remember to write the postcard paragraphs in complete sentences. Be sure to spell correctly, and use capital letters and punctuation where appropriate.
When you have finished editing, you will be ready to create your joint Cyber Postcard. 
Click this link to go the Virtual Postcard site, follow the instructions.
Copy and paste your different sections into the postcard.
Send your message to Mission Control (your class email account). In the subject line place your planet and crew name.
Print a copy of your postcard for each crew member.
Print out and complete a Self-Evaluation sheet. 
Make sure all your work is saved and a named copy provided to Mission Control Management.
Stage 5 Debriefing:
Your crew will share the information you've collected about your planet at a debriefing session back on Earth at Mission Control. As a crew, first practise how you will present your data. Use a clear, loud voice. Make eye contact with your audience. 
Present your data and Cyber Postcard at the debriefing session with crews from other missions at Mission Control. 
Hand in all your work for evaluation.

Your mission patch, data sheets, cyber postcard, and presentation about your planet will be evaluated. There is a Crew Checklist to help you make sure that you have completed all the necessary steps of the Planet WebQuest.
Print out this checklist. Check to confirm that you have completed all the steps. 
When you have finished all your tasks you need to complete a Self-Evaluation sheet. Give a printed copy of the completed self-evaluation to Mission Control management.
Your teacher will also evaluate your WebQuest using this Evaluation Rubrix

During your WebQuest, you have learned many facts about your planet, yet there is much more to learn about our Solar System. The vastness of space has given us many challenges and questions.
Does life exist elsewhere? What are some of the latest scientific findings? How can you use the information gathered in your WebQuest to help others? Check out some of the links below to learn more about space. Can you find other web sites that have interesting information about space?