Online Resources and Tools
Stellarium-web.org : I thought this was a fantastic website and I could see how it would engage the children and give them the opportunity to star gaze virtually. It lends itself to many integration possibilities; drama and art in particular. I would allow the children to imagine and act out their journey through the stars – who did they meet and what did they see? I would give the children the opportunity to recreate some of the star patterns that they observed, using either black sugar paper and chalk or a 3-D version using marshmallows and toothpicks. I also thoroughly enjoyed exploring the websites ESA and ESA Kids. I bookmarked many activities that I would love to try out with my own class. The interactive games and puzzles would be a great way to hook the children and engage them in the topic. I would also use them as a conclusion to the lesson, to consolidate the children’s learning. The wide range of stories available on these websites also offer many possibilities for integration across the curricular strands. The interactive activities on Milo and Marvin allow for the topic of space to be explored in many subject areas including Numeracy and Literacy.