Exploring Planets and Moons introduces three people and the various ways they study planets and moons.
Students read about astronaut Eugene Cernan and how the work of the Apollo 17 mission added to our understanding of the surface of the Moon.
They are introduced to engineer Jessica Collisson Samuels, learning about her work on the Mars rovers Spirit and Opportunity, which have added greatly to our understanding of conditions on the planet Mars.
Students then read about space scientist Gibor Basri, who uses powerful telescopes to gather information about distant planets orbiting other stars.
Exploring Planets and Moons sets the context for the unit and helps students see that there are a variety of ways to explore the Solar System and beyond.
Grade 4-5