Grade 6 Students Create Science-Based Exoplanets for ‘Interstellar Travel Fair’

The classroom of Middle School science teacher Ashley Baffa was its own little universe this week, with 92 exoplanets of different shapes, sizes, colors and names filling the room as part of an “Interstellar Travel Fair.”

It was the result of a project where grade 6 Earth science students applied their creativity and scientific knowledge toward the “discovery” of their own exoplanet. The students brainstormed a distant exoplanet and detailed its science-based features, such as size, atmospheric makeup and whether it was suitable for life. They then created a physical scale model of their planet along with a travel brochure which outlined the features of the planet and what explorers could expect to find.

The unit culminated with an Interstellar Travel Fair, where students could observe their fellow classmates’ creations and vote on which exoplanets are most worthy of further exploration.

Many students brought in skills from other subjects into their project, such as using digital art to make their travel brochures.