Extraterrestrials Visit Earth

1. Students research individual planets of the solar system in small groups to learn about the characteristics that make each planet unique. With Crayola® Metallic Colored Pencils, create a chart on construction paper comparing the characteristics of each planet with characteristics of Earth. Students discuss how to make Earth sound more appealing than the other planet researched.
2. Cover the work area with newspaper. Work together to create a travel brochure advertising the most appealing aspects of Earth that would attract extraterrestrials to visit. For example, you might depict postcard scenes of lakes, oceans, and streams to advertise Earth's unique bodies of water.
3. Make several scenes by brushing water over white paper with a paintbrush. Draw with Crayola Washable Markers on wet paper. Dry.
4. Add details with markers. Arrange drawings on a large piece of construction paper folded into thirds to make a giant brochure. Attach drawings with Crayola Washable Glue Sticks. Write captions in Crayola Metallic FX Crayon.
5. Use metallic colored pencils to write facts about Earth. Add humorous, fictional quotes from extraterrestrials comparing Earth to other planets. Sketch space vehicles with Crayola Washable Markers, Crayons, and Colored Pencils.

LA: Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.

LA: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions with diverse partners on grade level topics and texts, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly.

LA: Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

LA: Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an experience in an organized manner, using appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details to support main ideas or themes; speak clearly at an understandable pace.

SCI: Ask questions about the natural and human-built worlds.

SCI: Construct drawings or diagrams as representations of events or systems.

SS: Describe ways in which language, stories, folktales, music, and artistic creations serve as expressions of culture and influence behavior of people living in a particular culture.

SS: Use appropriate resources, data sources, and geographic tools to generate, manipulate, and interpret information.

SS: Describe how people create places that reflect ideas, personality, culture, and wants and needs as they design homes, playgrounds, classrooms, and the like.

VA: Intentionally take advantage of the qualities and characteristics of art media, techniques, and processes to enhance communication of experiences and ideas.

VA: Select and use the qualities of structures and functions of art to improve communication of ideas.

In small groups, students create similar brochures for other planets in the solar system. Students may want to include Pluto in this grouping.

Students who are tech-savvy can re-create their brochures using Microsoft Publisher or another brochure template.

Encourage students to think about traveling to another planet. What would you bring with you? What would your choices tell about you and the planet Earth? Use a recycled shoe box as your suitcase. Design your suitcase to reflect your life on Earth.