Messages from Space: The Solar System and Beyond. Grades 508. Teacher's Guide. Great Explorations in Science (GEMS).

Building on collaborative work between the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) Institute and the Lawrence Hall of Science, this curriculum takes advantage of humans' fascination with extraterrestrials to catalyze the study of the solar system and beyond. The unit begins when students attempt to decode a fictitious message from outer space. Imagining that they are SETI scientists, students begin to analyze where in our solar system and beyond there may be conditions favorable for life. Students investigate how our solar system and other planetary systems may have formed, and consider how information about our solar system fits into a bigger picture of the universe. This book includes background information for teachers and diverse resources. Teachers do not need to have special knowledge of astronomy to present this unit successfully. (WRM)