I. Title: "Are we Alone?"
Course: Physical Sciences
Grade Level: 8 - 12
Instructor: Lee Killoren
School: Chetek High School

II.
Objective: To determine by research and critical thinking if we are being visited by extraterrestrial beings.

State Standards:

A12.4 - Constuct arguments that show how conflicting models and explanations of events can start with similar evidence.

C12.7 - Evaluate articles and reports in the popular press in scientific sources, on televisions,on the internet, using critiria related to accuracy, degree of error, sampling, treatment of data, and other standards of experimental design.

H12.6 - Evaluate data and sources of information when using scientific information to make decisions.

III. Materials
Access to IMC, Internet and Physics statistics.

IV. Procedure

1) Pre-assignment: Students will find a common UFO story, photo or report from any source.

2) Students will critical analyse the evidence that is presented in their case.

3) Students will defend and/or debunk the claim they found using various resources.

4) Students will use physics laws to try and defend and/or debunk the UFO claims.

5) Students will devise a scientific experiment that could defend and/or debunk the evidence.

6)Students will hae five to ten sources for their final report/presentation.

7)Students will have at least one alternative scientific explantion for the extrodinary claim.

Objectives to look for:
If defend: did students demonstrate probable defendabel claims - i.e. fuel source, propulsion source, probability of E.T./ Drake Equation, travel time, why, etc.

If debunk: did students demonstrate probable alternatives: observation of planets/satelites, aurora, planes, plasma, human illusion, Drake equation, etc.

Either: Did students present credible scientific based evidence in either case; could they defend their case under skeptisism.

Grades based on class presentation, final summary and evidence of critical scientific thinking.