National Science Standard 4... Earth and Space Science

NS.5 - 8.1
Structure of the Earth System
Earth's History
Earth in the Solar System

NS.9 - 12.1
Energy in the Earth System
Geochemical Cycles
Origin and Evolution of the Earth System
Origin and Evolution of the Universe

Speaker... Ret. Col. Al Worden
Apollo 15 Lunar Mission Astronaut

Click Here To View Col. Worden's Presentation On-line
Live stream or file download options available

Essential Questions

1. From space, you can't see the problems people on Earth have such as poverty, pollution, or war. How could you use that view of our planet to inspire people to believe that we must protect each other, which in turn will protect our planetary home?
2. What has man learned from space exploration about the interaction of humans and our natural environment?


Lesson Plans

  • The Solar System: a power point presentation outlining the formation of our Solar System by Al Worden

  • Making Craters a Pieces of Science lesson. Beware...crators forming in the classroom!

  • Orbital Mechanics  an interactive Apollo mission experience.

  • Two by Two
    Objective: To illustrate the interconnectedness of all living things.
    Materials: a list for the students representing a vast range of animal and plant species.
    Activity: Tell this story……” A large meteor is descending on the Earth. A planet much like ours has been discovered in a far off galaxy that could be our salvation. We have the ability to get there BUT, there is no life on this planet. Plenty of water and sunshine and soil but nothing lives there now. We have just a short period of time to pack up what we think we may need to live. We can only take 10 different things. What would you take...and why?

  • Lunar and Earth Rocks another Pieces of Science activity. Use the following "Adopt a Rock" activity as an extension to this lesson.

  • Adopt a Rock
    Objective: to become keenly aware of the subtle differences in things often over looked in nature as being "all the same"
    Materials:     a basket of rocks, similiar in looks yet individual enough to allow for identification when the blindfold is removed, blindfolds
    Activity:     Bring in a basket of rocks. Place blindfolds on the students and ask them to pull a rock out of the basket. Give them two or three minutes to learn all they can about their rock through the sense of touch. While they are studying their rock, take a sharpie and write their name on the bottom of the rock.When all have finished, gather up the rocks and line them up on the floor, with all the names hidden. The students can remove their blindfolds and stand by the rock they believe is theirs. When all the rocks have been claimed, ask the students to check the bottom to make sure the identifications have been done correctly.
    Follow-up: Ask the question: "Where has your rock been for the last 4 million years?" Have the students write a short story detailing their rocks journey ending with its appearance in the classroom that day.

Additional Educator Resources

Books:
"Hello Earth, Greetings from Endeavor"
    Al Worden
"Taking Science to the Moon"
    Donald A. Beattie
"Apollo 15: NASA Mission Reports"
    David Scott, editor
"Space" Andrew Chaikin
A Man on the Moon: the Voyages of the Apollo Astronauts Andrew Chalkin

Videos:
Contact    ...Warner Studios...1997
Apollo 15: Man Must Explore...Fox Home     Entertainment 2004
From the Earth to the Moon...HBO 1998

Websites:
NASA ...home page
Transcript of Apollo 15 mission...Al Wordens EVA Day
Pieces of Science...additional resources
Challenger Centers...visit a Challenger Learning Center near you
Space Link...guides and activities
Astronomy...a to z
NASAkids ...for the younger set
NASA Educators Grades 5 - 8
NASA Educators Grades 9 - 12


Tunes:
Rocketman...Elton John
Moon Dance...Van Morrison
Moonflower...Carlos Santana
Song About the Moon...Paul Simon
There's a Moon in the Sky...B-52's
Man on the Moon...REM
Ticket to the Moon...ELO
Standing on the Moon ..Grateful Dead
Sisters of the Moon...Fleetwood Mac
To the Moon and Back...Savage Garden
       

Journal Topic

"It's about time we start to see it, the Earth is our only home
It's about time we start to face it, we can't make it here all alone
It's about time we start to listen to the voices in the wind
It's about time and it's about changes and it's about time!"

Look at the changes you've seen in the world during just your lifetime; technological, political, environmental.....do they bring the people of the planet Earth closer together? Further apart? If you could make ONE change that would affect the future for the better, what would it be?

Student Self-Evaluation

1. This speaker emphasized…
2. One fact that surprised me was…
3. I will always remember…
4. The important message I would like to pass on is…

Teacher Evaluation

1. The student used the journal question as a reflection after the program.
2. The student was able to answer the self-evaluation questions.
3. The student participated in the discussion of what he or she would take for survival if moving to another planet were the only option.
4. The student used creative writing to show an understanding of the history of our planet and it's place in our solar system.

It's About Time

There’s a full moon over India and Gandhi lives again
Who’s to say you have to lose for someone else to win
In the eyes of all the people the look is much the same
For the first is just the last one when you play a deadly game

It’s about time we realize it we’re all in this together
It’s about time we find out it’s all of us or none
It’s about time we recognize it these changes in the weather
It’s about time, it’s about changes and it’s about time

There’s a light in the Vatican window for all the world to see
And a voice cries in the wilderness and sometimes he speaks for me
I suppose I love him most of all when he kneels to kiss the land
With his lips upon our Mothers breast he makes his strongest stand

It’s about time we start to see it the Earth is our only home
It’s about time we start to face it we can’t make it here all alone
It’s about time we start to listen to the voices in the wind
It’s about time, it’s about changes and it’s about time

There’s a man who is my brother, I just don’t know his name
But I know his home and family because I know we feel the same
And it hurts me when he’s hungry and when his children cry
I too am a father and that little one is mine

It’s about time we begin it, to turn the world around
It’s about time we start to make it, the dream we’ve always known
It’s about time we start to live it, the family of man
It’s about time, it’s about changes and it’s about time
It’s about peace and it’s about plenty and it’s about time
It’s about you and me together and it’s about time

...Lyrics by John Denver
Bill
Nye

Standard 1
Amory Lovins

Standard 2
Jeanne McCarty

Standard 3
Al
Worden

Standard 4
Thomas Zung

Standard 5
Tracy
Fisher

Standard 6

John
Passacantando

Standard 6
Richard Murphy

Standard 7

Curriculum Home Page     Symposium Home Page     Windstar Home Page

The suggested links on the curriculum pages have been recommended by professional educators.
Not all of the sites were created by the Windstar Foundation or our 2004 Symposium Speakers.
Please preview the sites to be sure they are appropriate for your students' age and level.

Curriculum written and designed by Debbie Murphy and Hollie Carter