First Grade Prepares for their "Sleepover"

For the past few weeks, students have been learning about our solar system in Reader's, Writer's, and Science Workshops in preparation for their "Sleepover". This is the big event for our first grade students. The "Sleepover" has evolved from reading books about sleepovers years ago to a unit about stars, planets and space. The students do not really sleepover night at the school, but next Thursday on the official day, they will be wearing their pajamas, slippers, and parading around the school as if they were. Last night was the official kick off of the sleepover called, "Night Under the Stars". Students and parents came to school at night and had the opportunity to gaze at the Moon and Jupiter through telescopes. Then they came in the classroom to watch "The Magic School Bus Gets Lost In Space" and enjoyed Moon Pies and Cosmic Brownies.
Learning about the solar system and constellations has given the first grade sleepover more meaning and has made it a genuine learning adventure for the students. They are keenly interested in knowing more about what is outside our Earth and they are learning how precious it is being the only planet with air and water. Hopefully we will have a future astronaut or two in our class who was inspired by this unit on space...next week...our sleepover festivities!!