Exoplanets and the Search for Life Elsewhere – Winter 2024 – 10 Weeks – Grades 5-8

Are we alone in this vast sea of stars and galaxies?

This has been a question we have been trying to answer, but there is still no conclusive evidence. Some say we are alone. Others say the universe is teeming with life. While SETI (the SEARCH for EXTRATERRESTRIAL INTELLIGENCE) has not made (as of yet) any discoveries of intelligent signals from other civilizations, this does not mean they don’t exist. Maybe we need to use a different method for detecting alien signals. Perhaps the life forms “out there” are of a lower form that can’t yet communicate with us?

Through the discovery of other planets, there has been a renewed passion to find out the haunting question: Are we alone? We are on the threshold of finding other life elsewhere.

Will it be microbial organisms under the surface of Mars? Or on some of the moons of Jupiter and Saturn? Beyond this, we may be very close to finding possible signs of intelligent life on some of the planets orbiting other stars.

Hands-on activities will demonstrate how planets are found around other stars and methods used to detect possible life elsewhere.

NOTE: This class must reach the minimum of five students by December 15th, 2023 to run. If we do not reach this minimum, parents will be notified via email.