The Sun and Us

Classroom Activities

There are nine classroom activities for the students to complete in this unit.  There are hands-on activities that can be completed in small groups or as a whole class. The activities reinforce the science concepts for the Earth, the Moon, the Sun, Saturn, asteroids, and comets. The complete description of these activities (activities 1-7) is listed on the NASA Science Space Place Explore Earth and Science! the portion of the NASA website.  In addition to the activities presented, this website is designed for children to learn about space.

1. Earth – Students will create a stained-glass window ornament of Earth. Students will create this by using a paper plate cutout with the Earth's template attached and blue, green, and white tissue paper.
2. The Moon – Students will practice creating the phases of the moon: full, new, first, and third quarters shapes with Oreo cookies. A template is included on the NASA website.
3. The Sun – Students will create the Sun with Sunspots by placing orange and yellow icing on a sugar cookie and adding small (mini) chocolate chips to represent the Sunspots.
4. Saturn – Students will create a hanging CD Saturn. The students will place 2-inch styrofoam balls (cut in half) on the middle of both sides of the CDs. Glitter will be applied to the CDs to cover create Saturn’s rings. This will also cover any writing on the CDs.
5. Asteroid potatoes – Asteroid shapes will be created out of mashed potatoes, butter, and cheddar cheese. The asteroids should be irregular in shape and size.
6. Comets – Students will create a comet. Different lengths of ribbon will be tied to a popsicle stick. The ribbons represent the comet’s tail. Pieces of foil will be shaped in a ball shape. around the ribbons that are tied to the stick. A ball of foil will be attached to a popsicle stick to form the comet. The ball of foil represents the nucleus of the comet.
7. Coloring pages for the solar system are located on the NASA kids section of the website. These pages will give students fine motor skill practice and further practice with the science content.
8. Ultraviolet-sensitive beads (UV) beads – Students will experience the change in color that ultraviolet-sensitive beads can have when presented with Sunlight and Sunscreen.
9. Planet Race! Inner/Outer Planets – Students will practice science skills as they race around the game board. The game was created with a socially distanced option.  The game boards for the planets can be separated.

Figure 5: Planet Race! Inner/Outer Planets