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Could there be life on other planets?

Could there be life on other planets?

Lesson narration:
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DISCUSS:

What places would YOU visit in our Solar System? What kinds of dangers would you have to protect yourself from?

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DISCUSS:

How would YOU decide which exoplanet to visit FIRST?

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planet


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a large, round object in outer space that orbits a star
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solar system


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all the planets and other objects that orbit around a star
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exoplanet


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a planet that orbits a star outside of our solar system
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atmosphere


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the air that surrounds a planet
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carbon dioxide


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a type of gas that plants sometimes take in and that animals release when they breathe
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habitable


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a place with conditions where a living thing can survive
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Goldilocks Zone


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the area around a star that is not too hot or too cold for liquid water to exist
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astronomer


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a scientist who studies outer space
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telescope


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a tool used to make very distant objects look closer, often used to look at outer space
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bright


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describes when there is a lot of visible light; the opposite of dim
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dim


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describes when there is not a lot of visible light; the opposite of bright
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Lesson narration:

Activity Prep

Print Prep

In this lesson, students discover that the Earth is in the “Goldilocks Zone” — a distance from the Sun with the right amount of light and heat for life to exist. In the activity, Star Explorer, students plan a space mission to another planet outside our Solar System based on the amount of heat and light that reaches the planet’s surface. Once students plan their space mission, they will reflect on what our Sun would look like from this far-away planet.

Preview activity

Exploration

16 mins

Wrap-Up

4 mins

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