Lesson Plan - Finders Keepers?

Watch the Video

Play the video “Newsie’s Challenge: Exploring Our Solar System” and answer the game show-style questions as a class. Ask: Which fact from the video do you find most interesting? Why?

Preview Words to Know
Project the online vocabulary slideshow and introduce the Words to Know.

• geologist
• curator

Set a Purpose for Reading
As students read, have them think about what they think should happen to meteorites.

1. According to Maria Elizabeth Zucolotto, what are some of the disadvantages of allowing collectors to buy meteorites?
According to Maria Elizabeth Zucolotto, one disadvantage of allowing collectors to buy meteorites is that it doesn’t give scientists a chance to examine the rocks and learn from them. Another disadvantage is that kids may never get the chance to see the meteorites in museums. 
_{(RI.4.8 Reasons and Evidence)}

2. What does the article mean when it says that who owns a meteorite depends on where the rock is found?
When the article says that who owns a meteorite depends on where the rock is found, it means that rules vary from place to place. For example, the article notes, “In the U.S., if a meteorite falls on a person’s property, it belongs to that person. In other places, like Canada and Mexico, meteorites can’t be removed from the country without permission.” 
_{(RI.4.1 Inference)}

3. What is the main purpose of the sidebar, “Mars on Earth”?
The main purpose of the sidebar, “Mars on Earth,” is to describe the biggest known meteorite from Mars. The 54-pound rock was found in Niger in 2023. 
_{(RI.4.7 Text Features)}

FEATURED SKILL: Reading a Diagram

Use the skill builder “Space Rocks” to explore differences among asteroids, meteoroids, meteors, and meteorites. 
_{(RI.4.7 Text Features)}