Grades 3-5
27 activities—209 pages

Elementary students are fascinated by space and love to learn about stars, planets, and galaxies. In Probing Space, students will discover the many wonders of astronomy and find out some of the early ideas of astronomers Aristotle, Galileo, and Copernicus. The book offers exciting hands-on activities for the following space science topics:

• Our Solar System

In this section, students will explore the order, relative sizes and distances of the planets from the sun, as well as model how they orbit.

• Stars, Constellations, and Other Things in Space

Expect wonder and amazement as students track the motion of constellations, create model galaxies using glitter and sand, and look at patterns in the data of comet observations.

• Space Exploration and Technology

Students will use logic games and Internet scavenger hunts to learn about the history of space exploration and technology.

Many concepts in Probing Space are reinforced through rubber band books—small, easily assembled student books that present information in a kid-friendly way. Children can keep and refer to these later as well as take them home to discuss and share with their parents.