Space Extravaganza
Updated: Aug 12
This was an amazing collaboration with my Grade One Teachers. The three classes were exploring space and the planets during the 2023 winter term. I was asked to help with making paper mache planets for a hallway gallery walk. I love all things messy so I gladly agreed.
We tarped the gym for an entire afternoon and invited parents as helpers.
All three Grade One classes came to the gym smocked and ready to get messy. The teachers divided the students into 9 groups with at least one parent per group.
The groups were responsible for putting three layers of paper mache on their planet.
Regular balloons and punching balloons were used to create size and scale. The string handles of the punching balloons proved helpful for hanging later.
The sun and eight planets were left to dry in milk crates covered in plastic bags. A fan sped up the drying time and our lovely custodian diligently turned them around throughout the evening so that all the sides could dry evenly.
A few days later, I mended a few holes that were missing paper mache. Then, it was time for painting!
The nine planets/sun were divided among the three classes. Students worked together to paint their planet based on their previous research.
Spray insulation foam was used for Saturn's rocks and the sun's solar flares. A mini land rover was glued onto mars, and cotton balls were stretched and attached to Earth for clouds.
The planets and sun were hung in the hallway for the school and parents to enjoy.
Making the planets and sun:
Finished planets and sun:
A walk through:
Space Drumming
Another part of the Space Extravaganza was a musical piece called space drumming. Both Kindergarten classes joined the three Grade One classes for the drumming.
A slideshow of planet videos downloaded from Pixabay was made and with the help for my husband, who luckily is a music teacher, we created a musical score for boom whackers and rhythm sticks.
It was definitely a team effort with our Aboriginal Support Worker, several SEAs, and the classroom teachers coming together to help pull it off.