Break is Over...Finally!

While two weeks of relaxed curriculum (in recognition of the "holidays") was a nice break--and something I looked forward to--I have to say I'm happy they're over! I pulled down my snowflakes and snowmen (saved the snowflakes), but left up the dark blue and lights. Because one subject I've always loved is...OUTER SPACE!!!

OUTER SPACE!

Now tell me that isn't awesome.

What's better is that the rocket is interactive. The kids can go behind it and take pictures looking out the windows--and the rocket is a half-circle of pure grade-A materials...AKA cardboard and butcher paper! my design went something like this:

The kids loved it and couldn't WAIT for it to be finished. They spent much of their afternoon watching me. It was like being on stage--they literally lined up chairs and watched. And spent about half that time asking me when it would be finished so they could try it out.

I can't wait!

Besides having all the planets in relative size (sort of...enough for the to get the picture. I discovered at the Pacific Science Center today that my relative sizes are nowhere near realistic, but that's alright), a moon and an astronaut, I have a table that needed to be filled with something to do. I generally struggle most with the table, and usually come up with some last-minute art project to fit there.

Not this week!
(Can you tell I had two weeks to plan?)

This week, I've created galaxy playdough! I found the idea on Pinterest, and used the recipe, but I didn't have black food coloring so I had to improvise. You can find the recipe here. MY playdough looked more like this:

We couldn't help but play with it. Here is my sea serpent, among a few other things we created

We used a LOT of blue and purple food coloring. My hands look like I tried to fend off muggers while in Seattle today.

Yesterday, at the Boeing Museum of Flight, I bought rocket ship and shooting star cookie cutters. If I have time, I'll stop for some glow-in-the-dark stars to add to it, and the station will be complete. Space week, here I come!