As members of the Space Colonization committee, you must analyze each of the planets in the solar system in order to decide which ones would be suitable for human life. To gather information about the planets and to complete your analysis, you will use the web sites described below.

Your group is responsible for recording the information that you find about each planet, and your group must write a report for the committee once you have completed your research. In your report, you should list the planets that you think people could live on, and you should explain why you have chosen those planets. In addition, you should list the planets that you do not think would be suitable for humans, and you should explain why you have not chosen them.

Be prepared to present your group's report orally when your research is complete. When you give the presentation, you will need to defend each of your proposals with the specific information that you have gathered.

Before you begin your research on the other eight planets in our solar system, you must determine what conditions humans need in order to survive. Make a list of the elements that are necessary for life, and then use these conditions as criteria for deciding which planets would be suitable for human life and which ones would not be.  Please use the information on the  Windows to the Universe web site if you need help making this list. When you get to the Windows to the Universe web site:

            Enter the site by clicking on "Enter Site"
            Click on "Kids' Space"
            Click on the words "Ask a Scientist"
            Scroll down the screen to the Archived Questions section
            Click on "Alive and Living"
            Click on question #4: "What lifeforms could live on Jupiter or Mars?"

*Your group may choose to make a checklist using the criteria you have selected in order to make it easier to decide which planets would be suitable for human life and which ones would not be.

Now that you have your list of what conditions humans need in order to survive, you are ready to begin your search for information about the planets in our solar system. Use the following web sites to collect the information you need in order to determine whether or not the planets are suitable for human life:

 Internet Space Station
In the "Mission to the Planets" section of this web site, you can gather information about the surface, atmosphere, water availability, and temperature of each of the planets in our solar system. This site also includes "fun facts" about the planets and an image gallery where you can view pictures of the planets that you are studying.

 Windows to the Universe
In addition to finding information in the "Ask a Scientist" section, you can also find information about the planets on this web site. At the bottom of every screen on this site, there is a box that contains images and the names of the planets. Click on the image of a planet in order to read information about it. This site is useful because it allows the user to choose the level of difficulty by clicking on "beginner," "intermediate," or "advanced."

 Nine Planets Just for Kids
The Nine Planets is a very comprehensive information site featuring the nine planets of our solar system. It is a web site that targets an adult audience. Nine Planets Just for Kids, however, has a simpler, more focused atmosphere. Some of the more advanced concepts have been eliminated, and the more basic concepts have been emphasized. Overall, it has a 'kid-friendly' look-and-feel.

To explore the planets, you must click on "the portal."  Read the introduction that appears and then, click on the picture of the rocket to find out more about the planets. Then, click on the words, "click here to explore the nine planets."

On this site there is also a weigh station where you can figure out how much you would weigh on each planet!

 Planets for Kids
Get ready, fasten your seatbelts and prepare for blastoff! Join Mrs. Fitzgerald's 1999-2000 second grade class at Pocantico Hills School in Sleepy Hollow, NY and travel to the planets. This site contains illustrated reports about each of the planets in our solar system, which are created by the second grade students in the class.

 Kids Adventures in Space
This site contains very basic information about each of the planets in the solar system. On the home page, click on "The Planets." There you will find small graphics next to one-two line factual descriptions of the planets.

 The Solar System
This web site is fun to look at. It contains detailed, moving graphics and a space-like background. The information that is provided is written in simple language. The facts that are listed are useful and not too complex. To find the information about the planets, scroll down the home page screen and click on the word "planets."

Jessica's Solar System Page
This well-organized and informative site contains one paragraph of information about each of the nine planets. To view the information about the planets, click on the words "Terrestrial Planets" and "Gaseous Planets." The language of this site is appropriate for more advanced students.

 A Voyage on the Surface of Mars
Imagine that you have traveled to Mars to study it. This site guides you through a tour of the surface of the planet Mars. It is composed of several pages of photographs and descriptions of the planet. The site is part of the NASA Observatorium web site where a wealth of information about space is stored.

Views of the Solar System
This site presents a vivid multimedia adventure which shows the splendor of the Sun, planets, moons, comets, asteroids, and more. Discover the latest scientific information, or study the history of space exploration, rocketry, early astronauts, space missions, spacecraft through a vast archive of photographs, scientific facts, text, graphics and videos. Views of the Solar System offers enhanced exploration and educational enjoyment of the solar system and beyond.

The language of this site is quite advanced, although some of the terms are defined for you. If a word is underlined and written in blue, you can click on it for a definition.
 

 Emergency Exit from Earth!
On this web site, you can read about an ongoing debate over whether it would be best for humans to move to Mars or to the Moon. Students from all over the United States have added their opinions on this topic to the web site. You may also send your opinion by e-mailing a letter to the webmaster of the site.

This site also provides interesting information about how scientists calculate a planet's distance from the sun, find out if there is water available on the planet, and discover the planet's surface composition.