Educational Product National Aeronautics and Teachers Grades 5-12 Space Administration Exploring Meteorite Mysteries A Teachers Guide with Activities for Earth and Space Sciences EG-1997-08-104-HQ National Aeronautics and Space Administration Exploring Meteorite Mysteries A Teachers Guide with Activities for Earth and Space Sciences Office of Space Science Solar System Exploration Division Office of Human Resources and Education Education Division August 1997 This publication is in the Public Domain and is not copyrighted. Permission is not required for duplication. Acknowledgements This teacher’s guide was developed in a partnership between scientists in the Planetary Materials Office, at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, and teachers from local school districts. NASA and Contractor Staff Teachers On the Cover— Marilyn Lindstrom JoAnne Burch Project Coordinator and Meteorite Curator Pearland ISD, Several aspects of a meteorite NASA Johnson Space Center Elementary fall are depicted on the cover. Houston, Texas Pearland, Texas The background is a painting created by an eyewitness of Karen Crowell Jaclyn Allen the Sikhote-Alin fireball. At Scientist and Science Education Specialist Pasadena ISD, Lockheed Martin Engineering & Sciences Co. Elementary the top is the asteroid Ida, a Houston, Texas Pasadena, Texas possible source of meteorites. At the bottom is Meteor Allan Treiman* and Carl Allen Roy Luksch Crater in Arizona—the first Alvin ISD, Planetary Scientists identified meteorite impact Lockheed Martin Engineering & Sciences Co. High School Houston, Texas Alvin, Texas crater. Anita Dodson Karen Stocco Graphic Designer Pasadena ISD, Lockheed Martin Engineering & Sciences Co. High School Houston, Texas Pasadena, Texas Bobbie Swaby Pasadena ISD, Middle School National Aeronautics and Pasadena, Texas Space Administration Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center Earth Science and Solar System Kay Tobola Exploration Divison Alvin ISD, Middle School Alvin, Texas We would also like to thank the following for reviews and meteorite samples: NASA - Don Bogard, Mark Cintala, Everett Gibson, Kathleen McBride, Dave Mittlefehldt, Larry Nyquist, Cecilia Satterwhite, Carol Schwarz, Roberta Score,** Faith Vilas, and Mike Zolensky. NASA/OSU - Richard Adams, Jim Fitzgerald, Larry Gilbert, Les Gold, Tibisay Marin, Debbie Shearer, Greg Vogt, and Ralph Winrich. Teachers - Gregg Baumgartner, Stephanie McNeel, and Susan Ross (Alvin ISD); Jean Groover and John Ristvey (Clear Creek ISD); Cathy Corley and Jeanie Thuneman (Friendswood ISD) and John Beasley (Stafford MSD). Organizations - U.S. Antarctic Program (NSF), NNMH Smithsonian Institution, NASA, and the Field Museum of Natural History. *Now at the Lunar & Planetary Institute, Houston, Texas. **Now at Antarctic Support Services, Denver, Colorado. NASA EG-1997-08-104-HQ i Contents About Exploring Meteorite Mysteries ........................................................................................................................... iii About the Meteorite Disk ................................................................................................................................................ iv About the Slide Set.......................................................................................................................................................... iv Science Process Skills ...................................................................................................................................................... v Science and Mathematics Standards ..............................................................................................................................vii Lesson Topic Planner ...................................................................................................................................................... ix Lesson Sequence Suggestions ......................................................................................................................................... x Teacher’s Guide Meteorites, Clues to Solar System History ............................................................................................................... 1 Meteorite ABC’s Fact Sheet .................................................................................................................................... 29 Solar System ABC’s Fact Sheet .............................................................................................................................. 31 Mysterious Meteorites Lesson 1: Noblesville Fall ..................................................................................................................................... 1.1 Where Do They Come From? Lesson 2: Follow the Falling Meteorite................................................................................................................. 2.1 Lesson 3: Searching for Meteorites ....................................................................................................................... 3.1 Lesson 4: The Meteorite-Asteroid Connection ..................................................................................................... 4.1 Lesson 5: Looking at Asteroids ............................................................................................................................. 5.1 Lesson 6: Impact Craters — Holes In the Ground! ................................................................................................ 6.1 Lesson 7: Crater Hunters ........................................................................................................................................ 7.1 What Are They? Lesson 8: Edible Rocks ......................................................................................................................................... 8.1 Lesson 9: Meteorite Sleuths! ................................................................................................................................. 9.1 How Did They Form? Lesson 10: Building Blocks of Planets ............................................................................................................... 10.1 Lesson 11: Changes Inside Planets ...................................................................................................................... 11.1 Lesson 12: Building Blocks of Life..................................................................................................................... 12.1 Lesson 13: Solving a Mystery ............................................................................................................................. 13.1 What Effect Do They Have? Lesson 14: Direct Hit at the K-T Boundary ......................................................................................................... 14.1 Lesson 15: Historical Meteorite Falls .................................................................................................................. 15.1 Lesson 16: Near Miss ........................................................................................................................................... 16.1 How Can I Use Them? Lesson 17: Asteroid Resources ............................................................................................................................ 17.1 Is There a Career for Me? Lesson 18: Antarctic Meteorite Teams ................................................................................................................. 18.1 What Can We Believe? Lesson 19: The Daily Shooting Star .................................................................................................................... 19.1 Glossary ........................................................................................................................................................................ A.1 Education Resources .................................................................................................................................................... B.1 ii NASA EG-1997-08-104-HQ About Exploring Meteorite Mysteries Teachers and scientists designed this book to engage students in inquiry science and to extend science with interdisciplinary connections. The study of meteorites provides a unifying theme that links almost every aspect of Earth and planetary science with mathematics, physics, chemistry and even biology. The effects of meteorite impacts have serious implications for social science. The activities in this book are designed for upper elementary to high school levels. Many of the lessons begin with a simple activity and build to more complex ones. The Curriculum Content Matrix, Lesson Topic Planner and Lesson Sequence Suggestions may assist teachers in integrating the meteorite activities with their existing Earth science curricula and standards requirements. The Teacher’s Guide, Meteorites, Clues to Solar System History, gives a broad introduction to many aspects of meteorite science. It tells the story of solar system history from the formation of the planets to catastrophic impacts on Earth. It helps the students learn how scientists use studies of these rocks from space to decipher that history. The Meteorite ABC’s and Solar System ABC’s Fact Sheets contain important information about meteorites and bodies in the solar system in convenient table format. The Activities are divided into units based on key questions students may ask about meteorites. For example, the unit entitled “Where do they come from?” contains six