I choose the activity set on the planets. This year I engaged my class in creating the solar system using paper mache to form each of the planets.
To begin the lesson, I engaged the children in looking at and predicting what the picture book “Solar system” is about. I then read the book, asked and answered questions about the book. I explained to the children that our focus for this lesson was the planets. I engaged the children in discussing each the planets and their features as a whole class. I then divided the class into small groups and allowed them to choose a planet. Each group chose a different planet. I then encouraged the children to brainstorm the colours and sizes of their planet and discuss how they were going to create their planet. We created the planets in accordance to their sizes in paper mache. We completed the paper mache and allowed them to dry over the weekend. We then recalled our brainstorms and decorated the planets using paint and a variety of other material to create the features of the planets. Once all of the planets were complete, we hung them up in order on the roof in our classroom.
