Project title: Apollo 8 White

8th Grade Subject area: Language Arts/ScienceScenarioYou are an

astronaut having just launched into space. You mission is visit Mars
and report back to mission control your findings on the recently
discovered civilization there. In order to give a clear understanding of
this new culture, your spacecraft has been equipped with Skype
equipment so you can interview an inhabitant and send real-time audio
visual footage to mission control.Guiding Questions:Possible topics
to cover include—

INTERVIEWER

1. Why kinds of questions will you ask the member of a newly

discovered race of people?
2. How will you be sure to get sufficient information in order to
report to earth (as opposed to yes/no answers)?
3. What do you think mission control will most want to know about
the new civilization?
4. What do you think people outside of mission control will most
want to know about the new civilization?
5. How can you make the interview interesting for viewers?

INTERVIEWEE

6. What information would you most want to share with earthlings?

7. What scientific advances does your civilization have Earth does
now?
8. What are your first impressions of humans? How will you
communication with them?
9. What will you do if Martians and Earthlings speak a different
language?

Web Resources
Journalism 101
http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=7346
A scholastic site with interview tips

Academy of Future Science

http://www.futurescience.org/
Examination of future scientific ideas

Popular Science
http://www.popsci.com/
Current events in science
Technology Review
http://www.technologyreview.com/
MIT Publication

Future For Allhttp://www.futureforall.org/

Predications for future technological advancements

Prerequisites
Students have been studying the interview processStudents have
researched technology of the futureStudents have experience working
in collaborative groupsStudents have experience creating a video
presentation
Instructional Objectives
 Students will conduct research on a variety of topics across
disciplines.
 Students will work collaboratively in groups in order to meet
instructional goals.
 Students will explore Skype technology.
 Students will learn and understand how to conduct an interview.

Standards
 PA R,W,S & L, 1.6, Speaking and Listening
 PA R,W,S & L, 1.8, Research
 PA R,W,S & L,1.9, Information, Communication & Technology
Literacy
 PA Science 3.4.D Abilities for a Technological World

Timeline
Week One: Students will research future technological and science
advancements in Science class.

Week One- Students will research and practice interviewing techniques

in Language Arts.

Week Two- Students will explore and test Skype video conferencing
technology in both classes and write initial research reports.

Week Three- Launch! Students will conduct practice interviews and

later in the week launch into space in Science reporting back to
“Mission Control” (Language Arts).

Materials/Equipment/Resources
Computers with Internet access Scenario
Pre-Determined Research Websites
Two computers equipped with Skype
Word Processing Capabilities

Procedure
Students will be assigned groups in both Language Arts and Science to
work together across both classes. Each group will be given the
scenario and choose jobs determined by the group. Ex. Interviewer,
Interview Subject, Interpreter, Etc.

Students will then conduct research and begin to formulate interview

questions or future technology data depending on their role. They will
then conduct mock interviews and prepare to “launch” in Science class
after establishing a connection with mission control (Language Arts).
Once in space they will conduct interviews and broadcast them back to
“earth.”
Student Product:
Students will produce a (prepared) Skype video interview.
Assessment:
Students will be assessed in the areas of research, prepared script or
report and live interview.