The Scenario: You are a team of official investigators, sent by Earth authorities to research the possibility of establishing diplomatic relations with a newly discovered world. Your job is to investigate the planet and produce a report summarizing your findings and suggesting means for establishing relations.
Three questions here first start with an introductory paragraph that states the main ideas that you will be writing about. Second, end the report with a closing paragraph that summarizes what you wrote and learned.
Third, potentional Resources: Tell what natural resources this planet has that Earth might need. These can include minerals, metals, plants, animal products, workforce, brain power, or some other resource. Include at least one â??specialâ? substance available only on this world and explain its necessity (For example, petroleum is found only in certain areas on the planet, and now is necessary for production of fuels, lubricants, and plastics).
This is a group project that will be combined into one report. The other sections that will be covered are:
The Planet's Name: How did this planet get its name? What does its name mean?
Position in its Solar System: Where is your planet located (for example, Mars in the fourth planet from the Sun)? How far from its Sun does it orbit? Is its orbit unusual?
Rotation on its Axis: How long does it take for your planet to rotate on its own axis? (This is one day on your planet.)
Size: How big is your planet? How does it rate in terms of the other planets in terms of size (is it the biggest, the smallest)? What is your planet's mass?
Gravity: What is the force of gravity at the surface of your planet? For example, what would a 100-pound person weigh on that planet?
Orbit: How long does it take for your planet to orbit its Sun? (This is one year on your planet.)
Atmosphere: What is the composition of the atmosphere of your planet? Is it a thick or a thin atmosphere?
Temperature: What is the temperature range your planet? How does this compare to the temperature on Earth?
Composition of Your Planet and its Appearance: What type of planet is it (is it rocky or a gas giant)? What is its internal composition? What does your planet look like?
Moons: If there are moons orbiting your planet, describe them and when they were discovered.
Rings: If there are rings orbiting your planet, describe them and when they were discovered.
Flora and Fauna: What sorts of plants and animals live on this world? How are they distributed? Regions with similar flora and fauna constitute a biome, and biomes correspond more or less with climate areas. What are the major climate areas (i.e. desert, rainforest, poles) and what sorts of things live in different biomes?
How Would a Human Being Fare on Your Planet: On your planet, would a person choke in the atmosphere, be squashed by the extreme gravity, float with ease, freeze, burn up, or something else?
Something Special: Is there anything special about your planet? This can often be the best part of the report, taking you off on interesting topics. For example, are there 100-year-long storms on your planet? Are there giant volcanoes? Does your planet have a very tilted axis (giving it extreme seasons)? Have spacecraft visited your planet? If so, what have they discovered? Is your planet in an orbital resonance with another body?