Name:_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Names of Team Members:__________________________________________________________________________

Team Activities
Bolded are required, highlight 3 chosen options
Activity Description
Comments/Questions
Each team of researchers will need to build a
rocket. You will be given access to many
materials. If you would like different
materials, just ask. You will be given until the
end of the unit to test and experiment rockets.
On the last day of the unit, teams will compete
to see who's rocket will go the furthest!
Watch this video with your teammates. Once
you have watched the video, compose a short
skit (including a script) highlighting 3
important details from the video.
Take a virtual tour of the Sun and learn about
previous Sun Space Missions that NASA has made!
With your team, read the book The Sun by Carol
Ryback and conduct a book talk, similar to the
book talks we participate in during Daily 5. Be
sure to complete the book talk pre-write to turn
in!
Create a board game with your team that includes
graphical representations of day and night and
seasonal appearances of some stars and important
information about the brightness of the Sun.
Read this Native American Folktale about how the
stars came to be in the Sky. With your team,
complete a planning graphic organizer and write
your own folktale that is scientifically accurate
about star formations in the sky and their changes
in appearance throughout the seasons.
With your team, observe the colors in the flame of
a burning candle. Have a discussion using the
question prompts in the handout and then record
your observations and reflections in your Science
Journals.
With your team, create a blog with at least 3
entries written from the Sun's perspective.

Individual Activities
Bolded are required, highlight 3 chosen options
Complete the following lab on Solar Brightness
with a partner, Each partner needs to
complete the lab in their Science
Journals. Click here to begin the lab!
Use the following two interactive activities,
investigate the Earth's orbit around the Sun
and the length of days and nights! Use the
question prompts on the handout to complete
this activity in your Science Journals. Click
here for the first interactive website! Here is
the second website!
At home, keep a journal recording the changes
in appearance and brightness of the stars. The
journal could include data as well as illustrations.
Create a Sun out of construction paper and list
facts about the Sun's brightness on each ray of the
Sun.
Create a model of Earth's Cycles. Materials needed
as well as pictures of a sample are here!
Investigate the shadows that the sun casts using
the template at this website. Click here!
Research more information about stars and create
an informational flyer about the most important
facts 5th graders should know about stars. Click
here for a link to help you get started!
Look a little more into the different stages of the
stars here by creating your own model. (May work
with 1 or 2 other people - double check with the
teacher)
FINAL ASSESSMENT - Each NASA research team
will present their findings and information to
the class. Your job is to persuade the class and
the teacher that your team's research should
be used in this mission near the Sun. You may
choose to present in any form you would like,
be creative! Below is the rubric in which you
will be graded.