Students research volcanoes on the Internet to compare/contrast the volcanoes on Earth to the ones found on Io, a moon of Jupiter. Students list the similarities and differences in science journals, and illustrate pictures of the volcanoes.

What is most useful about this lesson plan is the "Student Explanet Worksheet," a set of instructions for collaborative groups to use to collect information about an assigned planet. After students have researched and organized their...

Students discover how remote sensing is used to identify the signatures of life even when the particular life form is not directly observable. They investigate how a satellite "sees" objects on the surface of Earth.