Space Theme Interdisciplinary Portfolio

Overview

Rationale: I chose space as my theme for this interdisciplinary project because it is a topic that fascinates many and can be incorporated into other disciplines easily. Not only is space interesting, but it is also relevant, because we live here. As David Milgrim writes in Here in Space, “I live in space. I have lived here since birth, On a big ball of rock that is called planet Earth!”Space is also a good way to get students interested in science, which is usually not a favorite topic of children–or adults for that matter. Science in general, as well as space specifically, goes hand-in-hand with math topics. Literacy can also be added to space through poems, songs, labels, and more. Art can really make space come alive as well. With determination and creativity this theme can be implemented across all disciplines.

Objectives:
The students will be able to (TSWBAT) identify numbers and their other representations.
TSWBAT count to at least 10.
TSWBAT create artwork to represent ideas and concepts.
TSWBAT sing simple songs.
TSWBAT create actions to represent ideas in songs and poems.
TSWBAT ask and answer questions about unknown words in the text.
TSWBAT use various methods to learn the meaning of unknown words.
TSWBAT identify rhyming words.
TSWBAT recognize planets, the sun, and basic constellations.
TSWBAT match labels to their objects.
TSWBAT identify and form letters.
TSWBAT recognize the beginning sounds of words.

Table of Contents:
Math Project
Art Project
Poems, Songs, and/or Fingerplays
Literature and Vocabulary Project
Chart Project
Communication Tool/Strategy Project
Letter Recognition and Formation Activity
Learning Centers (Math and Literacy)

 

Activities (Brief Descriptions)

Math: Space puzzles with number representations (numeral, tally, ten frame, pictures)

Art: Sun painting

Poems, Songs, and/or Fingerplays: Read space poems/songs and create actions

Literature & Vocabulary Project: Here in Space by David Milgrim

Chart Project: Planet Roll Call by Meish Goldish

Communication Tool: Felt board with planets, constellations, and labels

Letter Recognition and Formation Activity: Letter sorting and body writing constellations

Learning Centers (Math and Literacy):
Math-Rocket/Astronaut Ten Frame Match-Up
Literacy-Beginning Sounds

 

Bibliography

Children’s Literature:

• Here in Space by David Milgrim
• Astronauts and What They Do by Liesbet Slegers
• Space Walk by Salina Yoon
• Hello, World! Solar System by Jill McDonald
• Little Explorers: Outer Space by Ruth Martin and Allan Sanders
• I Want to Be an Astronaut by Byron Barton
• The Big Dipper by Franklyn Branley and Molly Coxe
• Kindergarten Goes to Outer Space for the Day by St. Mark Kindergarten
• Comets, Stars, the Moon, and Mars: Space Poems and Paintings by Douglas Florian
• National Geographic: Little Kids First Big Book of Space by Catherine D. Hughes
• Cool Astronomy: 50 Fantastic Facts for Kids of All Ages by Malcolm Croft
• What’s Out There: A Book About Space by Lynn Wilson

 

References and Resources:

(n.d.). ASCD: Professional Learning & Community for Educators. Readiness/Phonemic Awareness. Retrieved December 10, 2016, from http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/103316/chapters/Readiness~Phonemic-Awareness.aspx

 

Building Number Sense in First Grade. (n.d.). Retrieved November 6, 2016, from http://missgiraffesclass.blogspot.com/2015/07/building-number-sense-in-first-grade.html

H. (2016). Astronaut Ten Frame Matching Game – The Kindergarten Connection. Retrieved November 21, 2016, from http://thekindergartenconnection.com/astronaut-ten-frame-matching-game/

H. (2016). Beginning Sound Cards Printable. Retrieved November 24, 2016, from http://astheygrowup.com/2015/08/friday-freebie-beginning-sound-cards/

Lengel, T., & Kuczala, M. (2010). The kinesthetic classroom: Teaching and learning through movement. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.

Milgrim, D. (1997). Here in space. Mahwah, NJ: BridgeWater Books.

 

Moss, P., & profile, V. my complete. (2012, October 20). Henry and Mudge and the Starry night activities. Retrieved November 27, 2016, from Pattie’s Classroom, http://pattiesclassroom.blogspot.com/2012/10/henry-and-mudge-and-starry-night.html?m=1

Preschool Education Music & Songs: Space. (n.d.). Retrieved December 10, 2016, from http://www.preschooleducation.com/sspace.shtml

Space. (n.d.). Retrieved December 10, 2016, from http://www.canteach.ca/elementary/songspoems34.html

Stephanie. (2012, November 24). Solar System Quiet Book Page. Retrieved November 25,
2016, from Imagine Our Life, http://www.imagineourlife.com/2012/11/24/solar-system-quiet-book-page/

8 Planets. (n.d.). Retrieved November 11, 2016, from https://www.scribd.com/document/63951665/8-Planets

Space Theme Letter Recognition and Formation Activity

Rationale: These lessons tie into the space theme but also give a foundation for literacy. Students will be learning how to identify and form letters, which will help them later when they begin to learn word formation.

Materials:
-Letters in the form of constellations (https://madisoneluke.files.wordpress.com/2016/12/f5243-2.png)
-Paper cutouts of stars

Motivation (Introduction): “Today class we are going to work on the alphabet. Let’s go through the alphabet together first. [sing the alphabet] Good job! Now we are going to practice finding the letters and making letters ourselves.”

Procedure:
Recognition:
-Give each student a set of constellation letters with multiple of each letter
-Have students sort the letters and put them in order
-You can also call out letters and have students pick out the letters that you call

Formation:
-Start by placing stars on the floor as the points of a letter (like the points on the constellation letters used in the recognition activity)
-Have students take turns walking between the points to “write” the letters with their own bodies
-After awhile, students can place the stars down themselves and then walk
-After the whole activity, you can have students sit down and write out the letters they practiced writing with their movement

Resources:
-Letter recognition idea is based on an ASCD article (http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/103316/chapters/Readiness~Phonemic-Awareness.aspx)
-Letter formation idea is based on an activity from an educational textbook

Bibliography:
(n.d.). ASCD: Professional Learning & Community for Educators. Readiness/Phonemic Awareness. Retrieved December 10, 2016, from http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/103316/chapters/Readiness~Phonemic-Awareness.aspx

Lengel, T., & Kuczala, M. (2010). The kinesthetic classroom: Teaching and learning through movement. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.

Space Theme Poems, Songs, and/or Fingerplays

Rationale: This project will give students practice seeing and hearing words as well as showing them the different print conventions between books and poems. The songs included give students some exposure to music. All of these can be combined with motions to include movement in the classroom.

Materials:
-Packet of space themed songs

Motivation (Introduction): “Okay, friends. We have been reading stories about space and learning about how text is usually written. Today I have some poems and songs to share with you. Let’s look at one. [project or have a chart with a space poem on it] What do you notice is the same as with the books we have read? [allow time for responses and discussion] What is different? [allow time for responses and discussion]

Procedure:
-Pick a poem or song to read with the class
-Allow students to give input on what actions should be done along with the text
-Perform the poem or song
-Repeat if there is time, or do one a day for the unit

Resources:
-Songs are from a preschool education site and an elementary site with songs (preschool – elementary)

Bibliography:

Preschool Education Music & Songs: Space. (n.d.). Retrieved December 10, 2016, from http://www.preschooleducation.com/sspace.shtml

Space. (n.d.). Retrieved December 10, 2016, from http://www.canteach.ca/elementary/songspoems34.html

Space Theme Communication Tool

Rationale: This project can be used to teach science concepts about the solar system as well as literacy, as it involves labels. You could potentially make this into a math related unit by having students sort the different manipulatives.

Materials:
-Trifold board
-Wide black felt
-Assorted colors of 9″x12″ felt sheets (grey, black, red, yellow, green, blue [dark and light], and tan)
-Glitter glue (for constellations)
-Printer paper (for labels)
-Laminating paper (for labels)
-Velcro (to make labels stick to the board)

Motivation (Introduction): “Hello, friends! We have been learning about the solar system and planets lately. I have a new way to show the planets, on this board here! Who can tell me the order of the planets? [help the students list the planets while putting the planet pieces and labels on the board] Great job! Now let’s learn some more about the solar system.”

Project:
-Initially, the board can be used as a tool for the teacher to show the order of planets, the sun, and some easily recognizable constellations.
-Once the students are familiar with the board, it can be placed in part of the room as a tool in one of the centers. The pieces can all be in a bag or bin and students can practice ordering the planets, sorting, or recognizing constellations and words.

Sources:
-This board was a self-created idea (layout, what to include, etc.)
-The templates for the planets came from a link on Pinterest for a quiet book: http://www.imagineourlife.com/patterns/SolarSystem-Pattern.pdf

Bibliography:
Stephanie. (2012, November 24). Solar System Quiet Book Page. Retrieved November 25,
2016, from Imagine Our Life, http://www.imagineourlife.com/2012/11/24/solar-system-quiet-book-page/

Space Theme Literature and Vocabulary Project

Title: Here in Space by David Milgrim

Rationale: This project can be used to improve vocabulary skills. It can also help teach rhyming and print conventions (Title, author, return sweep, etc.).

Materials:
–Here in Space book
-Children’s dictionary, print or online (for example, http://kids.wordsmyth.net/wild/)
–Chart to show rhymes (to show rhymes)

Project:
-Have a chart with the whole book written out in couplets to highlight the rhyming.
-Have students point out where the rhymes are and talk about whether or not there is a rhyme pattern (can be tied into math patterns).
-Discuss how some words that rhyme do not have the same spelling.

Vocabulary:
Mysterious, explore, thundering, eerie, frontier, rambling, pioneer.

Method One: As a class, use a children’s dictionary (or an online dictionary if you do not have access to a print version) to look up words they do not know. They will learn the vocabulary and get practice using dictionaries. Write the definitions on the board or on a blank sheet of paper.

Method Two: As a class use context clues, such as the surrounding text and pictures, to determine what the word might mean. For those words that are applicable, create actions to help remember the words.

Sources:
-Here in Space by David Milgrim
-This project and the vocabulary methods were self-created.

Bibliography:
Milgrim, D. (1997). Here in space. Mahwah, NJ: BridgeWater Books.

Space Theme Math and Literacy Centers

Math Center

Rocket/Astronaut Ten Frame Match-Up

Rationale:
This activity helps students recognize multiple representations of numbers. This activity can be modified to be easier or harder for students depending on their ability level.

Materials:
-Ten frame and numeral cards

Motivation (Introduction):
“Hello, friends. We have been learning about how to show numbers with ten frames. We have also been talking about outer space lately. Who can tell me what we call the people who go to space? [wait for answer, “astronauts”] Good. Now, what do astronauts travel in? [wait for answer, “space ship” or “rocket”] I have a game for us to play where we have to use math to help these astronauts find their space ships.”

Procedure:
-For an easier game, have the cards face up and let students match up the numbers with their ten frames.
-As students get better, have them play the game in a memory format.
-Shuffle the cards and flip them upside down.
-Have students flip over two cards per turn, trying to make matches of numbers to ten frames.
*Note: to make this game more age appropriate, I mounted the cards on different colored paper so all of the ten frames are one color and all of the numerals are their own color so students can pick one of each color every turn.

Resources:
-This idea came from a link on Pinterest: http://thekindergartenconnection.com/astronaut-ten-frame-matching-game/

 

Literacy Center

Beginning Sound Cards

Rationale:
This activity teaches students to sound out words and identify letter sounds.

Materials:
-Beginning sound cards
-Paper clips or clothes pins

Motivation (Introduction):
“Hello, class. We have been working on our alphabet and letter sounds. Let’s go through the alphabet to remind ourselves what sounds the letters make. [Point at the letters as you make the letter sounds, indicating short and long sounds for vowels] Good job! Now, I have some space words that are missing letters! Can you help find the beginning sound each one needs?”

Procedure:
-Each card gets a paper clip or clothes pin
-Have students put the paper clip or clothes pin on the missing letter in the word from the left side of the card.

Resources:
-This idea came from a link on Pinterest: http://astheygrowup.com/2015/08/friday-freebie-beginning-sound-cards/
-I used assorted clip art from Google Images

Bibliography:
H. (2016). Beginning Sound Cards Printable. Retrieved November 24, 2016, from http://astheygrowup.com/2015/08/friday-freebie-beginning-sound-cards/

Space Theme Unit Chart

Title: Planet Roll Call

Author: Meish Goldish

Rationale: This project focuses on multiple disciplines. The poem can be used to help teach literacy, including lessons on return sweep and rhyme. This project also includes some math. The planets are numbered, which helps students think about order and counting. This poem also teaches some science since it is space-themed. Students learn the names of the planets and some traits of each one.

Materials: You will need the poem “Planet Roll Call” by Meish Goldish (from Scholastic) and poster board or tag board to write the poem on. The following are the words to the poem:

“Nine planets around the sun,
Listen as I call each one:
Mercury? Here! Number one,
Closest planet to the sun.
Venus? Here! Number two,
Shining bright, just like new!
Earth? Here! Number three,
Earth is home to you and me.
Mars? Here! Number four,
Red and ready to explore!
Jupiter? Here! Number five,
Largest planet, that’s no jive.
Saturn? Here! Number six,
With rings of dust and ice that mix.
Uranus? Here! Number seven,
A planet tilted high in heaven.
Neptune? Here! Number eight,
With one dark spot whose size is great.”

Motivation (Introduction): “Good morning, kindergarteners! Today I have a special poem to share with you about the planets. Can anybody tell me what a planet is? [wait for answers] That’s right. Planets are large objects that orbit the sun, like Earth! Who knows how many planets we have in our solar system? [wait for answers] Yes! We have eight planets. Now, let’s read this poem about the planets. The planets are written in purple and their numbers are written in red.”

Resources:
-I found the poem initially on Pinterest: https://www.scribd.com/document/63951665/8-Planets
-I based my planet art on a picture from Google Images:
http://www.clipartkid.com/images/844/our-planets-clip-art-collection-is-a-set-of-royalty-free-vector-9UopKI-clipart.png

Bibliography:
8 Planets. (n.d.). Retrieved November 11, 2016, from https://www.scribd.com/document/63951665/8-Planets