Level 1: Outer Space Unit Study

• Smart Kids: Space: For Kids Who Really Love Space! by Sarah Powell
• A Hundred Billion Trillion Stars by Seth Fishman
• There’s No Place Like Space: All About Our Solar System by Tish Rabe

Build a model of the solar system with your model kit and a little help from these printable planet cards. (We recommend printing on cardstock or other thicker paper, or laminating for durability. Print two sets—you’ll use the second set for a later activity.)

Use the included paints (blue, white, tan, orange, yellow, green and gray) to make this kit come to life. Using the printed space cards, identify the names of each sphere and paint each planet or moon. Use the cards to guide your color choices. As your child paints each planet, read to them from the card and give them the facts and details they can absorb based on their age and attention. Here’s a video to share if you need more inspiration for your painting project. Once it is built, discuss the orbit of the planets around the sun. You can also sing this song from Story Bots to help teach the order of the planets.

(-)If your child is still learning their colors, this would be a great time to reinforce this skill.

***Note: Keep the model safe. We will use it again later in our unit!

Let’s demonstrate the orbit of the earth around the sun with this simple activity. (You can also use this method to discuss the moon’s orbit around the earth in tomorrow’s lesson.)

(+) Need a little help discussing orbit with a child who wants to know more? Try this video.

Play a memory game to learn the names of the planets and other spheres in our solar system. Using both sets of planet cards that you printed, place all cards face down and alternate taking turns with your child to find matches. Identify each planet as you play the game to reinforce the names. If your child seems engaged, provide one fact about each planet as you play.

Let’s work on a constellation lacing project. First, print these constellation cards on cardstock. Use a hole punch to punch out the stars on each card. Next, give your child colorful yarn to thread through each hole as the work on some fine motor sills.

(-) For younger children, you may also want to provide a plastic yarn needle to help them navigate the holes.

Create a constellation diorama. Using black construction paper, line the inside of a medium-sized box. Use chalk or a white crayon or marker and the constellation cards from the activity above to draw real star patterns inside the box. Once you have finished decorating the inside of your box, put your model solar system from Lesson 1 into the box and complete your diorama of the solar system.

***We want to see your space dioramas! Post a photo on Instagram with #learnandliveletter and tag @learnandliveletter!

Constellation hole punch craft. That link shows you how to do the activity, but you can use the second set constellation cards you printed for the lacing project to do this as well—just use a pin instead of a hole punch to create smaller holes. Be sure to put a cutting board or other protective surface beneath the paper before your child starts poking holes.

Let’s work on some letter writing. Print these space-themed letter cards (you can start with the lower case, or print both). Next, create a “galaxy sand” tray with the black sand. Use a colorful pom pom “planet” to indicate for your child where the letter begins and let your child practice writing the letters with their finger or a stick. Do as many letters as your child is interested in doing. You may also want to create a story for the activity. For example, you could tell them their finger is a rocket ship taking off from the planet!

Want more? Bake up these constellation cookies for a sweet treat you can eat while you stargaze.

Cookie Moon Phases. Print out these printable moon cards to guide you in creating your own moon phases using sandwich cookies. Watch this video while you enjoy your cookie snack.

Moon Rocks. Use this activity to practice fine motor skills and letter recognition. 

Moon craters are clearly seen from earth. But how did they get there? This article helps explain it.  Let’s see this in action. Take a deep 8×11 pan and fill it with flour. Next, add a layer of cocoa powder over your flour mixture. Then, try dropping items of different weights (coins, a rubber ball, a marshmallow, marbles) to see what kind of impact they make. Measure the depth of the crater with a ruler. (Don’t have one? Print one here!) Have your older child chart the results like this:

Try this version of the moon crater experiment.

Make a rocket craft. (You can add your finished rocket to your diorama!)

Let’s build this rocket puzzle to practice shapes (trapezoids, squares, triangles and rectangles). Print the pages on cardstock or other thicker paper for best results. Our printable suggests a few different ways to play with this math activity.

Pages 3 and 4 of the printable are an additional activity to help your child practice spelling their name. If desired, you can add magnets to the backs of the pieces so your child can arrange them on the fridge or another metal surface.

Print this tracing or copywork sheet for some space-themed writing practice.

(+) Print the second page for more practice.

Print these pages to practice writing number 1-14.

Now that we have been inspired by Van Gogh, let’s make a craft. Use the craft to teach the concept of foreground, middleground, and background. Discuss Starry Night with your child identifying the three sections. The foreground, middleground, and background divide the landscape into different planes that the artist uses to create a sense of depth.

Supplies:

• White paper
• Paint and brushes
• Plastic fork

What to do:

• Begin by painting the paper dark blue.
• Use the plastic fork and white, black, and light blue paint to paint the middle ground of your piece. Add the stars and the moon using yellow paint to paint the background. Add the large tree and little houses to the foreground.

Visit this page for photo inspiration.

(-) Need something simpler? This foil and paint craft is perfect for little learners.

(+) Ready for more? Try this Starry Night inspired melted crayon craft.

Star Wars music lesson. One of the most iconic space movies had an unforgettable theme—play it for your child and discuss it! A song written for a film or a movie is called a film score. John Williams was the composer. He also composed songs for a lot of other films your child may or may not know (yet!).

***Get more tips on how to turn a song into a lesson here!

Create a nebula in a jar. What is a nebula, you ask? Short answer: It’s a cloud of gases and dust.

Here are more details from Britannica Kids: A nebula is a cloud of gas and dust in space. Nebulas appear in many shapes and colors. Sometimes a nebula blocks out the light of stars beyond it. When this happens, the nebula may look like a dark cloud. Other times a nebula glows a bright color, such as blue or red. This happens when the nebula reflects light from nearby stars or when nearby stars heat the nebula so that it glows. (source)

Galaxy sensory bin.