Explore a Rock Foundation: The Hunt for an Asteroid!

Students are asked to help their client select the "best" asteroid to explore given several different factors. Students collaborate in small groups to develop a procedure to rate the asteroids. They are then asked to write a letter back to the client, defending and explaining the procedure they developed. This MEA has been written based on NASA's current mission to explore an asteroid to prepare for the mission to Mars.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. Click here to learn more about MEAs and how they can transform your classroom.

Resource ID#: 80283 Type: Lesson Plan

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General Information

Subject(s): English Language Arts, Science

Grade Level(s): 4

Intended Audience: Educators

Suggested Technology: Computer for Presenter, Internet Connection, Interactive Whiteboard

Instructional Time: 2 Hour(s)

Resource supports reading in content area:Yes
Freely Available: Yes

Keywords: MEA, NASA, asteroid, Mars, space, data tables, astronaut, gravity, motion, minerals, mass

Instructional Component Type(s): Lesson Plan, Model Eliciting Activity (MEA) STEM Lesson

Resource Collection: STEM Lessons - Model Eliciting Activity

Aligned Standards

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