January 29, 2015
Third graders were excited to visit Morehead Planetarium and Science Center this week as an introduction to their study of space. Students participated in an interactive, kinesthetic class called “Round, Round, We Go!” during which they explored the relationship between the Earth, Moon and Sun. Students acted out the parts of the earth, sun, and moon in groups of three, moving their bodies to demonstrate how the objects move. Mrs. Simpson and Dr. Nelson both described this activity as their favorite part of the trip because it was “such a concrete way to understand how they move.”
Third graders also watched a planetarium show called “Earth, Moon, and Sun,” which featured Coyote, a funny character with various misconceptions about earth and the planets. One student said she loved the movie because “I learned all the phases of the moon, and Coyote was really funny.” Another student said he learned what misconception meant thanks to Coyote. According to the planetarium, Coyote’s “confusion about the universe makes viewers think about how the Earth, Moon and Sun work together as a system and learn to distinguish between myths and science.”
Field trips provide students with such enriching, hands-on experiences and bring to life concepts that they may only read or learn about in the classroom. One third grader exclaimed, “it felt like we were actually going to the moon!” With students so excited and engaged, Houston, we do not have a problem.
