#346. Sun, Moon, and Stars

, level: Elementary
Posted by Sheryl Mosca (YonderMom@aol.com).
Boutwell, Wilmington, MA

Hi! This is one of my favorite units. This is off the top of my head so it may be jumbled as it is 4:30 am.

Moon Belts: I teach the kids the phases of the moon. We then sponge paint with white paint moon belts wing the phases to make patterns. After donning their belts they try to walk like astronauts on the moon.

Sun and stars- the kids have a hard time understanding why they can't see the stars when the sun is out. With the lights on, I pick out several children to walk in a circle inside the group circle. I ask the children why they think I picked these certain children. Then I shut out all the lights. The chosen children all have the sneakers that light up when they walk. (I hope they don't go out of style!!!)

Day and night: Once again in a dark room, the kids stand in a circle with a lamp as the only light. They face the sun for day and turn around at night. I have them observe half the class doing the activity, then swap.

Sun Song: ( rewrote Goodness Gracious Great Balls of Fire for our musical Kinderonian Soup- based on Stone Soup with the visitors from the planet Kinderon) I love how goofy you can be in Kindergarten!!

Goodness Gracious Great Balls of Fire

You give us light and you make things grow.
At dawn and sunset, well, you hang real low.
Your are a star.
Closest by far.
Goodness Gracious Great Balls of Fire!

You may have sunspots and solar flares.
We know at you to never stare.
We all use sunsceen.
Sunburn makes us scream.
Goodness Gracious Great Balls of Fire

Sun, kiss me , baby! (They cross their arms and shake themselves as they bend at the knees. It makes their voices quiver)
Feels good!
Sun, warm me, baby!
You warm me like the sun should.
You're bright!
At night!
Come on an shine you light, light, light, light!

You give us light and you make things grow.
At dawn and sunset, well, you hang real low.
Your are a star.
Closest by far.
Goodness Gracious Great Balls of Fire!

We listen to the Jerry Lee Lewis version but slow it down a ccapella. It looks like a lot but the kids seem to love it.

Our dramatic play area becomes Nasa Central with a cardboard box rocket as the rocket.

Try this web site ww.seasky.org. Nasa also has one for kids but I can't find it right now.

Hope this helps.
Sheryl/k/MA (in teacher's lounge)