The Planet Quiz Show

THE PLANET QUIZ SHOW IS UPDATED IN PREPARATION FOR THE 2008 BATTLES.

Introduction Rules Team Names The Questions PA Standards

INTRODUCTION

The Planet Quiz Show is a vehicle for creating a participatory and competitive spirit for learning basic information associated with the solar system. After the classroom orientation, two teams of students will receive identical sets of questions supplied by the ASD Planetarium. The teams will be responsible for discovering the answers to these questions through trips to the school library, teacher-assisted classroom discussions, Internet searches, querying parents or other resource persons, as well as interacting with one another.

Answers to the questions are supplied with this teacher’s manual. Teachers are to provide the balance that will maintain a sense of fairness, momentum, and competitiveness between the two teams as they attempt to locate the answers to their questions. The Planet Quiz Show is not meant to be a homework exercise for teachers, nor is the presentation to be an assignment in frustration for the children. Discovering the answers should be considered a fun exercise, and teachers are encouraged to provide some of the answers when problems arise. The classroom orientation is also designed to help answer many of the questions that will be asked during the presentation at the Planetarium.

During the Planetarium program, the two groups will be asked to respond to the questions that they have been studying. The format will be the same as a TV game show. The two opposing teams will sit on opposite sides of the room. The multimedia capabilities of the Planetarium will be available for immediate reinforcement of answers as well as to provide new information throughout the presentation. During the program, the accompanying teacher will act as the official scorekeeper for The Planet Quiz Show.

A list of questions for students is provided with this lesson to help the class prepare for the competition. Since these are identical to the questions that will be used during the Planetarium program, it will be important for the pupils to have a working knowledge of the information associated with the answers to these questions. Since the Planetarium will be dark during most of the program, students should not bring their question sheets or any writing materials with them to the Planetarium program.

Teachers should review with their students the following set of game rules and suggestions designed to help The Planet Quiz Show run smoothly. A practice session may prove useful so that the children can become familiar with how the game is structured.

PRIOR TO THE PLANETARIUM VISIT

1. The classroom teacher or students will select two teams of equal academic potential. Each respective team will elect a captain, as well as an alternate. Teams should be separated when they enter the Planetarium to facilitate an expeditious seating of the players.

2. Each team will select a name based on an appropriate astronomical theme, such as the Pluto Dwarfs versus the Saturn Ringers, or the Martian Warriors against the Jupiter Giants. Teams are encouraged to bring along with them signs for easy identification.