Craters and their Craters and their formation—An Inquiry formation—An Inquiry

based projectbased project

Bill Lammela

What do you know about the moon?What do you know about the moon?

What do you see?

Are all craters the same?

What is different? Why?

Mars

Earth

Moon

What might cause differences between the craters on the moon?

What might cause differences between the craters on the moon?

Let’s try it!Let’s try it!

• Fill pan 2-3 cm with play sand

• Sprinkle with paprika

• Drop an object from directly above and a distance of 10 cm.

• Observe and measure as you can

• Fill pan 2-3 cm with play sand

• Sprinkle with paprika

• Drop an object from directly above and a distance of 10 cm.

• Observe and measure as you can

How can we study one “variable” involved in crater formation?

How can we study one “variable” involved in crater formation?

• Develop an hypothesis

• Plan Experiment

• Plan how to record and organize data

• Go do it!

• Develop an hypothesis

• Plan Experiment

• Plan how to record and organize data

• Go do it!

How to organize data?How to visualize data?How to organize data?How to visualize data?

Conclusions and ReflectionsConclusions and Reflections

What did the data tell you?

What questions still remain?

Extensions?

How to incorporate into your classes?

ReferencesReferences

• http://www.lpi.usra.edu/education/EPO/explore/craters.pdf (A great resource with pictures of craters, a modified version of this activity, list of pertinent videos and resources).

• webs.wichita.edu/lapo/o30.html. (A similar activity to this one with household materials. Some student questions with teacher’s answers included).

• http://education.gsfc.nasa.gov/experimental/all98invProject.Site/Pages/bolivia-webpage/crater.html. (Another NASA site with a variety of activities related to craters and meteors).

• http://www.lpi.usra.edu/education/EPO/explore/craters.pdf (A great resource with pictures of craters, a modified version of this activity, list of pertinent videos and resources).

• webs.wichita.edu/lapo/o30.html. (A similar activity to this one with household materials. Some student questions with teacher’s answers included).

• http://education.gsfc.nasa.gov/experimental/all98invProject.Site/Pages/bolivia-webpage/crater.html. (Another NASA site with a variety of activities related to craters and meteors).