UPD8

What's moving on Titan review

Apr 10th, 2013

Used twice with lower ability Year 8 groups as part of the solar system topic but also to recap solids, liquids and gases. Very good activity. Both times the focus was on the report, rather than the other activities (which we also did though). Can recommend and will use again.

Reviewer: Sarah Jakoby

What's moving on titan

Apr 7th, 2010

Reviewer: Kumi YATSUZUKA

What's moving on titan

Dec 10th, 2008

This is an great resource to engage students when revising space.

Reviewer: H Mould

Titan July 5th

Jul 5th, 2005

We have just come to the end of the topic on space with year 7. We used it to link particles with space, so encouraged recall. They enjoyed writing their descriptions and made postcards that were 'sent home' to Titan.

Reviewer: Daryl McPhail

UPD8 REVIEW WHAT'S MOVING ON TITAN?

Apr 9th, 2005

COMBERTON VILLAGE COLLEGE

I used this upd8 activity with my Year 9 class with great success. They really enjoyed it partly because of its outer space theme. Not only was it a very topical activity but it linked the ideas found in the Particle Model of matter with examples of compounds like methane which, pupils had a little familiarity with.

Previously, these pupils had encountered methane whilst trying to write out and balance combustion equations. So, it was good for them to encounter methane in a different context. This activity nicely reinforced the ideas about Melting and Boiling points and substances like methane could simultaneously exist as a solid, a gas and possibly a liquid just like water on Earth. In total we spent about 30 minutes on the activity in the last part of a double lesson.

I started by projecting the first slide and discussed the opening questions about what could have caused the strange features found on Titan. There were some interesting suggestions from pupils, including water! The pupils then got into groups as I handed out photocopies of the second sheet for them to look at and then discuss in detail. I have found this quite an effective way of getting pupils to think first of some general ideas and then formulate their ideas further, by a focused group discussion. By giving out only one sheet per group the pupils spend more time discussing their ideas and less time writing (it also cut down on the cost of photocopying).

With the second sheet, each group had to critically review the scientific text. I asked them to underline any keywords, which helped them to understand the text (this is a good Y9 SATs technique for pupils when answering level 6 and 7 exam questions). Once they had done this part of the task the pupils wrote down the group ideas in the text boxes provided. Interestingly, pupils were able to recall quite clearly the ideas about weathering they previously learnt in Y8.

The final sheet was a bit of fun and the most enjoyable part of the activity for them. The task got pupils to compare Titan with Earth and report back as Alien reporters for the Titan Space Agency. Again, pupils had to critically assess the given data about the atmosphere, rocks and volcanic effusions comparing Titan with Earth.

For the last 5 minutes of the activity each group reported their findings to the class. One pupil used a very convincing alien-like voice for added effect!

During the whole Titan activity I found that pupils exhibited a range of different skills including analysis, discussion and critical thinking skills. This activity certainly promoted a nice VAK learning approach to the end of this lesson and gave me a good hook for the follow up, next lesson.

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Reviewer: Richard Waller

Titan

Feb 5th, 2005

This activity is topical and interests (most!) pupils immediately. The suggestion is to use it is part of particles but I think it would work better with the rocks unit and to talk about evidence of igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks. I didn't like the little green aliens on the third sheet and didn't use this.

Reviewer: Sue Reeve