Let's Explore Space!
We begin our unit on space by watching,
"The Magic School Bus - Lost In Space."
"The Magic School Bus - Lost In Space."
Space Unit
Books
Mooncake - Frank Asch
Moon Rope
The Magic School Bus Lost In Space
Moon Rope
The Magic School Bus Lost In Space
Songs and Rhymes
Mr. Sun - Kid's Songs
One Light, One Sun - Raffi
Somewhere In the World - Raffi
Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star
Hey Diddle Diddle
Star Light, Star Bright
One Light, One Sun - Raffi
Somewhere In the World - Raffi
Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star
Hey Diddle Diddle
Star Light, Star Bright
Space Activities
1. To launch the unit, hang large butcher paper sun and moon
cutouts. Ask: What do you know about the sun? The moon?
How are they the same? How are they different? Read sun and
moon poetry. (see poetry section) Ask children to draw a picture
to interpret one of the poems. Post the children's work.
2. Be a moon tracker:
Have the children go outside everynight and observe the moon.
Provide a chart and have the children draw the shape of the moon
and record the date. Have them bring their charts back to school
each day. Every morning draw the shape of the moon on an index
card. Glue the cards in order onto dark blue sentence strips. At
the end of the month, discuss with the children the changes of the
moon. Look for patterns.
3. Illustrate how the sun is a flaming ball of gas and how the
moon is made of rock.
Cover a plastic lid with foil. The foil circle is the moon. When
the lights are on, the moon seems to shine. But when the lights
are off, the moon is dull. Explain that the moon has no light of
is't own. Shine a flashlight on the moon. When the sun
(flashlight) shines on the moon, the moon appears to glow.
Show the children a picture of the earth. Ask: Does the earth
appear to glow? See if the children can apply the reflection
principle to the earth.
4. Make models of the planets. (paper mache)
5. Make a space shuttle. 6. Make a star shaker - Fill baby foods
jars 2/3 full of light corn syrup. Add water to the top. Add glitter
and confetti stars. Hot glue lid to jar. Shake. Add the poem,
Twinkle, Twinkle, to the lid. CHILDREN LOVE THESE!!
7. Make constellations - Discuss constellations with the children.
Show the children pictures of the many constellations in our
galaxy. Have the children create their own or reproduce
constellations such as the Big Dipper. Use tiny cut out stars or
star stickers to create the constellations. Glue to black
construction paper. Connect the stars by using white chalk.
8. I would like to visit...
Draw a space suit and glue to black paper. Add stars. Take a photo of
each of your students. Then have them write where in space they
would like to visit. (see below)
9. Write planet facts on index cards.
cutouts. Ask: What do you know about the sun? The moon?
How are they the same? How are they different? Read sun and
moon poetry. (see poetry section) Ask children to draw a picture
to interpret one of the poems. Post the children's work.
2. Be a moon tracker:
Have the children go outside everynight and observe the moon.
Provide a chart and have the children draw the shape of the moon
and record the date. Have them bring their charts back to school
each day. Every morning draw the shape of the moon on an index
card. Glue the cards in order onto dark blue sentence strips. At
the end of the month, discuss with the children the changes of the
moon. Look for patterns.
3. Illustrate how the sun is a flaming ball of gas and how the
moon is made of rock.
Cover a plastic lid with foil. The foil circle is the moon. When
the lights are on, the moon seems to shine. But when the lights
are off, the moon is dull. Explain that the moon has no light of
is't own. Shine a flashlight on the moon. When the sun
(flashlight) shines on the moon, the moon appears to glow.
Show the children a picture of the earth. Ask: Does the earth
appear to glow? See if the children can apply the reflection
principle to the earth.
4. Make models of the planets. (paper mache)
5. Make a space shuttle. 6. Make a star shaker - Fill baby foods
jars 2/3 full of light corn syrup. Add water to the top. Add glitter
and confetti stars. Hot glue lid to jar. Shake. Add the poem,
Twinkle, Twinkle, to the lid. CHILDREN LOVE THESE!!
7. Make constellations - Discuss constellations with the children.
Show the children pictures of the many constellations in our
galaxy. Have the children create their own or reproduce
constellations such as the Big Dipper. Use tiny cut out stars or
star stickers to create the constellations. Glue to black
construction paper. Connect the stars by using white chalk.
8. I would like to visit...
Draw a space suit and glue to black paper. Add stars. Take a photo of
each of your students. Then have them write where in space they
would like to visit. (see below)
9. Write planet facts on index cards.
