Outer Space: Day Four

Stars

Read books about stars and constellations. Get out the children's "telescopes" and look up into the stars. Display pictures of constellations and discuss them with your children.

Sing "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" with the children.
Twinkle Song

The Twinkle Song

(sung to LONDON BRIDGES)

Twinkle, twinkle little stars
Friends of Jupiter and of Mars
I'd like to take you home in jars
And watch you twinkle, twinkle

If wishes really do come true
I'll wish a wish tonight on you
In bed I'll smile the whole night through
And feel myself twinkle, twinkle

My Own Constellation

Materials:

• Paper
• Paint or stickers
• Chalk

Directions:

• Give all of your children black paper. Let them either use paint to make stars or use star stickers. Finally they can connect the stars with paint or chalk and make their own constellation

Star Games:

1. Cut several different sizes of stars out of white or yellow posterboard. Let your children take turns arranging the stars from smallest to largest or from largest to smallest.
2. Cut stars out of red, yellow, and blue posterboard. Mix up the stars and place them in a box. Then have the children sort the stars by color into three piles.
3. Cut pairs of stars from white or yellow posterboard. On one star in each pair, write a numeral and on the other star, draw a corresponding number of dots. Mix up the stars and invite the children to find the match-ups.


Constellation of Holes

Materials:

• Black Paper
• Hole Punch
• Various Other Art Supplies of Your Choice

Directions:

• After showing your children several pictures of constellation, give them a piece of black paper and a hole punch. Tell them to make holes everywhere they want a star to be in their very own constellation. You can then let them add anything else they want to the picture. To make the constellation more visible you can put a yellow piece of paper behind it or just hold it up to the light.

Stars in a Jar

Put syrup, glitter, blue water, and star confetti in a baby food jar or Zip Loc Bag and glue the top shut. Your children will love this suspended space station.

Coffee Can Galaxy

Put black paper around the inside of a large coffee can, then put three marbles (or one ping pong ball in a mixture of white paint and glue. Next take the marbles out and spoon them into the coffee can. Have one of your children shake and roll the can. Finally take the paper out and let your student put stars on the orbit path created by the marbles.

Stars: Set out star cookie cutters and pour white tempera paint over flat sponges placed in shallow pans. Have your children press the cookie cutters onto the sponges and print white stars on pieces of black construction paper.