Arthur Ross Hall of Meteorites: Educators' Online Guide

while you're at the museum

The following activities can be conducted by your students independently or in small groups.

Investigate

All Sciences

Ahnighito Meteorite
©AMNH, Dennis Finnin
Click to Enlarge

During your tour of the exhibition, look for the answers to the questions you formulated before coming to the Museum. Use your magnet to determine which meteorites are made of iron. If you've brought a compass, stand far away from Ahnighito and note where the compass needle points. Walk slowly towards the meteorite. What happens? Why?

Explore

All Sciences

As you tour the exhibition, find specimens from the Moon, an asteroid, a planet, and a comet. Sketch each sample and write three to four sentences describing it.

Locate

All Sciences

Obtain a map of the exhibition from your teacher. Locate the six specimens highlighted on the map. Sketch and describe each specimen. Identify which meteorites are stony, iron, or stony-iron. Explain why the specimen was placed where it is and how it helps tell the story of the exhibition.

Find Evidence

Earth and Planetary Science

Scientists hypothesize that all the planets of the inner solar system have an iron core, a silicate mantle, and a stony crust. How do meteorites support this hypothesis? Find evidence in the exhibition and, based on your research, write a paragraph outlining your findings.

Support a Theory

Earth and Planetary Science

What evidence presented in the exhibition supports the theory that the Moon was formed by the collision of a small planet with the Earth? Create a storyboard that shows the Moon's creation. Include a time line and captions describing each step.