Cross-curricular Project

<Note: Follow the link from Stories from the Stars. Other links (in red) are not active as the site is no longer active.>

Comet Hale-Bopp

Explore this exciting astronomical phenomenon using the following Internet resources and activities.

Building Background

Discuss with students what they know about comets. You may want to use the following questions as prompts:

• Where do you think you would look if you wanted to see a comet?

• What do you think a comet is made of?

• Have you heard of Halley's Comet or Comet Hyakutake? What have you heard about them?

Define for students a comet as a giant ball of ice and rock moving rapidly through space. Point out that the body of a comet is a chunk of ice (both water and frozen gases) and dust. Tell students that this is why a comet is sometimes compared to a "dirty snowball," and that a comet is also surrounded by a cloud of dust, and a tail made of dust and gases.

One of the largest and oldest comets, Comet Hale-Bopp is headed for a visit in our part of the solar system. Tell students that they will be on a Comet Watch for Hale-Bopp, as they learn more about comets.

Activities

Guide students through the following activities:

Science

Comets, Meteors, and Meteorites - Students learn the difference between a comet, a meteor, and a meteorite, and create a diagram charting this information.

Reading & Language Arts

Stories from the Stars - Students read and discuss a Native American myth about "shooting stars" and meteorites, and write their own myths.

Social Studies

Capture the Comet in Time - Students summarize events in their lives on a timeline related to comets.

Wrap-up

When students have completed the activities, you may want to:

• Post their work to create a Comets classroom bulletin board.

• Print out for students this fun Comet Quiz. (Here are the anwers.)

Visit the Cyber Schoolhouse Science room for monthly updates on Comet Hale-Bopp. Are there topics you would like to see covered in the Cross-curricular Project? Tell us you what you think.

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