INTRODUCTION

Have you ever wondered what it would have been like to be Neil Armstrong, the first human to ever set foot on the moon? Do you know what the moon looks like? Do you know what the earth looks like from the moon? Pretend that you are an astronaut in training. You must conduct extensive research on the moon and report back to your teacher before you are allowed to make your trip to the moon.

THE TASK

After reading The Moon Book; by Gail Gibbons, you will conduct your research on the moon by visiting a few Internet websites. As you read the information on the websites, be sure to write down the characteristics and physical features of the moon. After you have done all your research, you will write a one page letter to your teacher discussing what you have learned about the moon. On the back of your letter you will need to draw a picture of the moon.

RESOURCES

~The Moon Book by Gail Gibbons

~Internet sites: (bookmark these sites)

http://starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/StarChild/shadow/solar_system_level1/moon.html

http://www.vuw.ac.nz/~mackie/SciTechFund/StaRS/Educ8_12/moon_facts.html

http://home.hiwaay.net/~krcool/Astro/KCmn.htm

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/astronomy/moon

THE PROCESS

Follow these steps to complete your quest:

1. As a class read The Moon Book by; Gail Gibbons.

2. Visit all the websites to conduct your research on the moon.

**Be sure to write down on a piece of paper any important information you read about the moon. You must have at least 5 facts about the moon.

For example:

What does the moon look like?

What color is the moon?

What are some special characteristics of the moon?

Where does the moon travel?

How was the moon formed?

Is the moon hot or cold?

The websites:

http://starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/StarChild/shadow/solar_system_level1/moon.html

http://www.vuw.ac.nz/~mackie/SciTechFund/StaRS/Educ8_12/moon_facts.html

http://home.hiwaay.net/~krcool/Astro/KCmn.htm

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/astronomy/moon

3. After you are done with your research, write a one page letter to Mrs. Bowers telling her what you have learned about the moon. In your paper, you must include the 5 parts of a friendly letter, 5 facts about the moon and a detailed sketch of the moon on the back of your letter.

EVALUATION

4 Includes everything a level 3 must have, as well as 5 more

moon facts and a labeled moon picture.(Example: draw

and label the craters in the moon)

3 Student must have included all parts of the friendly letter.

Their letter must have 5 facts about the moon, as well as, a drawing of the moon.

2 Student did not have all parts of the friendly letter complete

and did not include 5 facts they learned.

1 Incomplete

CONCLUSION

Congratulations! You have done a great job, now prepare yourself for a mission to the moonJ