When we had all finished painting our rocket ship it looked fabulous! The ship became a big draw during playtime.
As the children began to role play in the rocket ship, we asked them what their wonderings were about space. We recorded our questions and musings on mural paper and began to look for answers.
We read books about the planets, the stars, the sun and the moon and researched specific questions online. A group of students decided they wanted to create a model of our solar system. They painted styrofoam balls and we hung them from our ceiling.
We have been very excited about our learning and many parents have commented on the interest their child has in all things about space.
Here are some quotes of some of our questions, our original thinking, and our new learning…
Our Space Wonderings
Q: “Why are stars white?”
We were thinking: “They look nice to see them white.”
We learned: “Stars are yellow, white, blue, red, and brown.”
“The colour means how hot they are.”
“Blue ones are the hottest!”
Now we are wondering: “How come blue is hottest?”
“It should be red.”
Q: “How do stars turn on?”
We were thinking: “God pulls a rope.”
We learned: “Stars are gas just like the sun.”
” The sun is a star too.”
Q: “How come the moon has holes?”
We were thinking: “Spaceships and Aliens crash into the moon.”
We learned: “Craters and stuff like rocks crash into the moon. They sometimes got fire on the
back of them.”
Q: “Do planets go ‘round the sun?”
We were thinking: “The sun chases around the planets and goes to all the countries.”
We learned: “Yes. The planets go around the sun.”
“There are 8 planets to go around the sun.”
Q: “What does Mars look like?”
“Is Mars hot?”
“Is Mars cold?”
We were thinking: “It’s round.”
“… or maybe a square.”
” It’s probably gas.”
“Oh no, no gas on it.”
“No dirt either.”
We learned: “Mars is cold.”
“Mars is brown and red.”
“It’s called the red planet.”
“It has dust on it.”
“There was a land rover on Mars.”
“It has no water on it.”
“It’s got lots of dirt and rocks and volcanoes and craters.”
“You can’t breathe on Mars.”
Now we are wondering: “Can we live on Mars?”
Q: “What planet is the hottest?”
We were thinking: “The cooking one.”
“Or maybe Mars ‘cause it’s red.”
We learned: “It’s venus.”
“It’s so hot it can cook you like an oven.”
Q: “Do Aliens live on Pluto?”
We were thinking: “Actually, aliens do live there.”
“Pluto is not a real planet. It’s a old planet where soldiers were so aliens live
there now.”
We did learn a few things about Pluto but we never did find anything that confirmed whether or not aliens live there.
Some questions we still are wondering…
“Why does the moon get fat?”
“Why does the moon follow you everywhere?”
“Why does the moon shine?”
Journey Together FDK 