Transit of Venus
Focus Questions
1. Before you watch the BtN story, make some predictions about what you think the story is about.
2. Captain James Cook travelled to which place to witness the transit of Venus?
3. In which century did he make the journey?
4. What were scientists and astronomers hoping to learn from the mission?
5. What was Captain Cook’s secret mission?
6. Describe Wayne’s feelings about Cook’s trip to New Zealand.
7. Why did students in New Zealand ask for plant seeds to be sent back from England?
8. Where did Cook go to from New Zealand?
9. Why was the transit of Venus significant to the European settlement of Australia?
10. How close were your predictions that you made before you watched the story? What was surprising?
Transit of Venus
Negotiate with students how many activities they will need to complete from each section.
Remember and understand
· Write a true or false quiz using facts from the BtN Transit of Venus story.
· What does Venus mean in Roman and Greek mythology?
· Make a list of words that you associate with the planet Venus. Display the words using Wordle http://www.wordle.net/
Apply and Analyse
· The transit of Venus occurs every 105 years, then 8 years after that, then another 105 years later, and so on. If the next time this astronomical event will happen is in 2117, how many more times will Venus cross the face of the sun before the year 2600? (Answer 10)
· Describe the mission of James Cook to Tahiti in 1769 to observe the transit of Venus. What did it mean for the European settlement of Australia?
· Investigate the following question: Could people ever live on Venus? Present your research using publishing software of as a poster.
Evaluate and create
· Create a profile of Venus that gives an insight into the planet. Include information about:
How long it takes for Venus to orbit the sun and complete one rotation (in Earth years).
Average temperature
Distance from Earth
Atmosphere and surface conditions of Venus
Venus sometimes called Earth’s `sister planet’. In what ways are they similar?
Any other interesting information
· Design a plant or animal life that might survive on Venus. What features make your plant and animal able to survive?
· Create an artwork or model that shows what the surface of Venus might look like. Use images on the internet to help you with your artwork.
8 Related Research Links
ABC Catalyst – NZ transit of Venus
http://www.abc.net.au/catalyst/stories/3515136.htm
ABC News – Eyes to the sky as Venus transits the sun
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-06-06/transit-of-venus-day/4054510
ABC Science – Why is the transit of Venus so rare?
http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2012/05/25/3510139.htm?topic=space
ABC Science – Your guide to the transit of Venus
http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2012/05/23/3508538.htm
NASA – James Cook and the transit of Venus
http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2004/28may_cook/
© ABC 2012