Download unabridged assignment
What if Vorgons had decided to do a cost-benefit analysis of all 8 planets before choosing which one to destroy?
Scientists are often faced with difficult choices and must look at all the facts before making final recommendations. Which planet is the least valuable or the most valuable? How would the removal of any one of the planets affect human life and our solar system in general?
You will be part of a planetary delegation who will create a formal written argument in defense of preserving your home planet. You will present this to the Vogon Planning Council (aka your class). When all submissions have been presented, the council will meet to discuss and vote on which planet is to be blown up. All decisions of the Council are final.
Step One:
After you have been assigned a planet, start to collect information that would prove your planet to be very valuable to human beings. Key your planet's name into this Wolfram Alpha computational search. More resources at bottom of page.
There are two categories to cover.
1. Human-Habitable
- Can humans live on your planet? What adaptations could make it more habitable? Costs?
- In order to sustain human life, a planet needs to have the following: an energy source, liquid water, an atmosphere, carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen and oxygen, and a healthy distance from large-mass poisonous bodies (such as gas giants).
2. Not Habitable by Humans
- Your planet can still be of great value (Many toxic materials are valuable and accessibility is vital.) What physical, chemical, geological or other resources does it have?
- Consider other factors such as: place in solar system, mass, distance from sun, and earth, (advantages and disadvantages), axial tilt, gravity, proximity of asteroids and moon, day-night cycle, etc.
Note-taking form: Save our planet because . . .
|
Argument: planet supports human life |
EVIDENCE (proof: facts, statistics) * That prove planet supports life
|
|
|
1 2 3 Source (citation information)
|
|
Argument: planet has resources valuable to man |
2 3 Source (citation information) |
Step Two:
Now share your notes with your planet delegates. Pull out the strongest scientific evidence to prove how valuable your planet is.
Anticipate what questions the Vogan council might ask you to put holes in your arguments (Remember, they are arguing to save their own planet and weakening your position could help them). Be prepared with counter arguments.
Note-taking form
|
MAIN ARGUMENT/THESIS |
EVIDENCE (proof: facts, statistics) |
|
|
1 2 3 Source (citation information) |
|
POSSIBLE WEAKNESSES |
COUNTER ARGUMENTS (proof: facts, statistics) |
|
|
1 2 3 Source (citation information) |
Step Three:
Prepare a impassioned 5-minute speech to defend your planet. It must have a power beginning, strong arguments and a terrific ending. Choose one person to deliver it or all members can participate. Answers challenging questions with intelligence! NO VISUALS PLEASE – Persuade the Council with strong emotions and scientific proof. (power point makes your audience sleepy)
Step Four: Your job as part of the Vogon Planning Council
Listen to all the planet delegate's speeches with an open mind. As a member of this democratic council it is your responsibility to make sure that the wrong planet does not get destroyed. (not unlike voting for the right person in government!). You get to question them, so the more you know about the the solar system, the better. Here are some criterion on which to judge them.
Individual Planet Evaluation Sheet
|
Name of planet |
Circle score (3 = Out of this World) |
|
Opening got my attention. |
1 2 3 |
|
Well developed argument with evidence. |
1 2 3 |
|
Strong conclusion |
1 2 3 |
|
Group was well organized, ready to start. |
1 2 3 |
|
Originality |
1 2 3 |
Final Council Discussion: Cost - Benefit Analysis
|
Planet |
scores 1-3 |
Value to Human Beings, list 1-8 |
Conclusion? |
|
Mercury |
|
|
|
|
Venus |
|
|
|
|
Earth |
|
|
|
|
Mars |
|
|
|
|
Jupiter |
|
|
|
|
Saturn |
|
|
|
|
Uranus |
|
|
|
|
Neptune |
|
|
|
|
Pluto (or not) |
|
|
|
RESOURCES
Exploring the Planets online exhibit from 2002 "highlights the history and achievements of planetary explorations, both Earth-based and by spacecraft." It features information about tools of exploration and about the planets, asteroids, and comets in our solar system. Information for planets includes atmosphere, moons, magnetic fields, images, and more. From the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.
Haughton-Mars Project, an international scientific research project conducted around the Haughton impact structure on Devon Island, a region that is similar to the surface of the planet Mars.
The New Solar System: It's Not Just Planets Anymore
An article (and a video lecture) about contemporary scientific views of the solar system. From the Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii.
How Many Planets Do You Want in the Solar System?
This blog post considers alternative ways to calculate the number of planets in our solar system. From the New York Times website.
Welcome to Mars is a slide show of Mars as seen from Earth, from spacecraft, and up close and personal from the surface in pictures taken by the Mars Pathfinder vehicle. Includes audio clips and hyperlinks to a planet glossary. From the Jet Propulsion Laboratory of the California Institute of Technology, in conjunction with NASA.
What Makes a Planet?
Brief introduction for the layperson about the definition of what is a planet and about the 2006 controversy about whether Pluto is a planet. This site notes "there are many things that make Pluto quite different from the [other eight] planets," so that it is "very hard to classify Pluto with the rest of the major planets." From a professor in the Department of Astronomy at Cornell University.
Chasing Venus: Observing the Transits of Venus, 1631-2004
This exhibit provides background information and history of transits of Venus, the astronomical events where "the planet Venus passes directly between Earth and the Sun, appearing as a small black dot on the Sun's disk." Features details about seven past transits of Venus (1631, 1639, 1761, 1769, 1874, 1882, 2004), and the upcoming transit in 2012. Includes links to related sites. From the Smithsonian Institution Libraries.
Planetary Rings Node
A website "devoted to archiving and distributing scientific data sets relevant to planetary ring systems." In addition to technical data, the site features resources on the ringed planets (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune) and missions (such as Cassini and Voyager) involving planetary ring systems. A project of NASA Ames Research Center and the Center for Radar Astronomy at Stanford University. From the SETI Institute.
Geology of Mars
"Here you can learn about the six geological processes that are either currently operating on Mars or have operated during Martian history. These include the aeolian, cratering, hydro, landslides, tectonic, and volcanic processes." Features essays accompanied by images of the surface of Mars
Mars
This profile of Mars features facts, news, and photos. Includes information about missions, Canada's role in Mars exploration, the use of Canadian Arctic areas for space research, and an annotated timeline of Mars missions from the Soviet probes in the early 1960s to the present. Provides links to related stories and resources. From the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC).
Saturn: Moons: Titan
Planets of the Solar System : journey through the galaxy provides an overview of, and data table for, the nine planets of the Solar system; links are provided to pages of further information for each planet. This educational resource forms part of a larger site entitled Journey Through the Galaxy created by students at Case Western Reserve University.
