Pre-K Space Theme Unit

~ Pre-K & Preschool theme ideas for learning about space: planets, stars, astronauts. ~

Books

Rhymes

Countdown Fingerplay

Come on, everybody! Let's go to the moon!
(Motion "come one" with one hand)
Hurry, hurry! We're leaving soon!
(Pretend to tap watch)
Put up your hand and let's all count.
(Hold up 5 fingers)
We're going to lift off and zoom about!
(Sweep other hand upward from hip)
Ready? 5...4...3...2...1...
(Show each number of fingers)
Blast off!
(Jump up and raise both hands in the air)
-- from The Mailbox

Songs

Countdown to Blastoff, by Jack Hartmann on the "Math All Around Me" CD

Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star, by Jack Hartmann on the "Rhymin' to the Beat Vol. 1" CD

Starlight, Starbright, by Jack Hartmann on the "Rhymin' to the Beat Vol. 2" CD

Chu Ech On, "Multicultural Rhythm Stick Fun" CD, by Kimbo

The Planets, by Gustav Holst

Activities

Moonwalk

[Large Motor]
We listened to slow music and pretended we were on the moon, moving in slow motion.

Counting Backward

[Large Motor, Math]
We erased numbers 10-1 from the board as the class counted backward. We pretended to be space shuttles. The children squatted on the floor and counted backwards to blastoff. Everyone jumped up as high as they could.

Alien Eyes

[Fine Motor Skills]
Mix wiggle eyes into the play dough for children to find.

Coffee Filter Planets

[Art]
The children painted a coffee filter with watercolors, and glued it onto black paper.

Planet Earth

[Art]
Children cut a circle out of white construction paper, covered the circle with blue tissue paper, and painted over it with liquid starch to make it stick. They tore pieces of green construction paper and glued them on the circle for the land.

Constellation Viewers

[Art]
The children colored a paper towel tube with markers. We covered the end with a circle of black paper, attached it with a rubber band, and poked holes in the paper with a toothpick. When the viewer is held up to the light it looks like stars are shining through.

Name Rocket

[Literacy, Art]
Children wrote each letter of their name on squares of paper, glued the letters in order on paper, and decorated it to look like a rocket.

Story Retelling

[Literacy]
Choose a space-themed book that you would consider good literature (good characters, plot, beginning, middle, end, etc.) Show the book to the children and tell them to think about what happened in the story, and the people (characters) and places they saw in the story. Think about what each character said. Give each child a piece of paper and ask them to draw something they remember from the story. Remind them that this should not be a picture of their cat or their friends, but only pictures of things from the book. After each child has illustrated the story, have them retell the story in their own words. Either record each child with a voice recorder or write their dictation on the page.

Star Sizes

[Math]
Each child had a small, medium and large sheet of black paper, and small, medium and large paper stars. They sorted the stars by size and glued them on the three papers.

Pattern Block Stars

[Math]
Children made colorful stars with pattern blocks using a pattern block mat.

Number Constellations

[Math]
Children were given a piece of construction paper with a number written on it in black ink. The children placed the paper on the carpet and poked small holes along the numeral with a toothpick. When they finished, they held the paper up to the light, and it looked like stars were shining through in the shape of the number. This activity can also be done with letters.

Space Grid Game

[Math]
Children used a grid game board with ten wooden stars spray-painted gold. They rolled a die and counted out that amount of stars to put on the grid. The object of the game is to fill the grid. Children can play alone or with other players. This game was made with stickers bought at Michaels.

Paper Rockets

[Science]
We made paper rockets, which use a breath of air to blast off. To make paper rockets: Cut 9x12 paper in 1/4 pieces (so that your pieces are 2 1/4" x 12"). Each child gets a 1/4" strip. Help them fold it in half (hot dog fold). Tape it, leaving one inch at the bottom. Fold the top in a point and tape. Tear paper into 3 strips on the untaped end. Decorate the rockets with markers. Slide a straw in the untaped end of the rocket, and blow on the straw to make the rocket fly.

Moonscapes

[Science, Art]
First we looked at photos of the moon and talked about its surface (color, craters, mountains, etc.) Then we made a model moonscape. The children spread Crayola Model Magic onto a paper plate. They used toothpicks for carving and small rocks ("asteroids") to crash into the dough to make craters. We painted them gray and added a mini American cupcake flag (can be found at Hobby Lobby and other stores).

Day and Night

[Science, Art]
On one half of the paper, children drew things they would see in the sky at night (stars, moon, etc). On the other half, they drew things they would see in the sky in the day (sun, clouds, etc).

Resources

Links