I Wanna Be an Astronaut
Inspiration Book:
Mae among the stars by Ahmed, Roda — Harper, in imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers, 2018 -E-; Int Lvl: K-3; Rd Lvl: 2.8. Little Mae is a girl with big dreams, a supportive loving family, unbounded passion, and all the right stuff to dance among the stars. Against all odds, she will overcome any obstacle to become an astronaut one day. NSTA List 2019
Rationale: The original lesson/storyhour I planned about astronausts was inspired by Buzz Aldrin’s book Look to the Stars (Putnam, 2009). In the world of space and science, information changes quickly and so should our storyhours and lessons. As a result, when the picture biography of Mae Jemison was named an Outstanding Science Trade Book in 2019, it was time to take another look at astronauts. Several excellent new books about astronauts for primary students have been published. I’m hoping that with the U.S.A.’s re-entrance in the space program, more interest in being an astronaut will develop. Use this storyhour/lesson when the primary classrooms are studying space exploration or space travel. The bibliography that follows is updated, years 2010 through 2020, with at least five positive reviews plus a couple of older classics. This is basically a storyhour/lesson for grades two and three with an additional storyhour for younger students that is about astronauts, but doesn’t include the Inspiration Book. The skill is telling the difference between fact and fiction books.
The first My Books Alive entry of 2020 was based on the book Countdown. Check out that entry for a series of book activities for grades 4-8 about the Apollo Project that took astronauts to the moon. The next science post for My Books Alive will feature mathematicians and computer programmers, especially women, who made the space program possible, the hidden people. Watch for that post coming on February 2nd. And create a mini unit about space exploration.
Grades 2-3--Dream Fulfilled
Background: Use this lesson as part of the second and third grade space lessons. This is a way to introduce careers and fiction/nonfiction. You could also add one of the Wonderopolis videos listed in the Teacher Resource Section.
Introduction: The first time I met Mae Jemison, the main character in two of our books was in 2008 when the book Moon Over Star was published. In 2018 another picture book about Mae Jemison, this time a picture biography, was published. Think of yourself today and your dreams. That’s what Mae was doing in our first book.
Read aloud:
The moon over Star by Aston, Dianna Hutts; illustrated by Pinkney, Jerry, Dial Books for Young Readers, 2008 -E-; Int Lvl: K-3; Rd Lvl: 4.8. On her family's farm in the town of Star, eight-year-old Mae eagerly follows the progress of the 1969 Apollo 11 flight and moon landing and dreams that she might one day be an astronaut, too.
What do you dream about being now? (Allow time for responses.) What did Mae dream about? Do you think her dreams came true? Let’s look at the second book, that was published ten years later and was the inspiration for this lesson.
Read aloud:
Mae among the stars by Ahmed, Roda — Harper, in imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers, 2018 -E-; Int Lvl: K-3; Rd Lvl: 2.8. Little Mae is a girl with big dreams, a supportive loving family, unbounded passion, and all the right stuff to dance among the stars. Against all odds, she will overcome any obstacle to become an astronaut one day. NSTA List 2019
Was it easy to become an astronaut? What are some of the things Mae did before she became an astronaut? (Have students recall as many as they can. Prompt them if needed by showing pictures from the book.
One of the books I just read was a fiction book, the other nonfiction. Can you tell which was which? (Allow students to give their ideas.) A fiction book is a made up story; a nonfiction book is a fact book. Often fiction books may start with a fact, like Mae Jemison was a real person, and then ideas that can’t be confirmed or verified are added.
I have another picture book about an astronaut. Listen and then tell me whether it is a true book or a fiction book.
Read aloud:
The darkest dark by Hadfield, Chris — Little, Brown and Company, 2016 -E-; Int Lvl: K-3; Rd Lvl: 3.0. oung Chris loves pretending he's a brave astronaut, exploring the universe. Only one problem--at night, he's afraid of the dark. Only when he watches the moon landing on TV does he realize how exciting the unknown can be. Inspired by the childhood of real-life astronaut Chris Hadfield.
Fact or fiction? Why?
ADJUNCT LESSON: Grades K-1--I Wanna Be an Astronaut
Background: Astronauts have been involved in space exploration from the early days of exploration as the actual explorer, a scientist, or a project leader. However, most students don’t know what it takes to be an astronaut--that’s what this story hour is all about, being an astronaut. Several fine non-fiction books and biographies have recently been published that are factual, interesting, and fun.
Preparation:
Make an astronaut paper plate mask or face puppet. Cut a half circle from the bottom of a dinner size inexpensive paper plate. This will be the area where your face shows. Add black circles to side area to simulate earphones, add a flag sticker to top of helmet or USA at neck area. You may want to add a clear plastic sheet overthe cutout section. Add a craft stick to hold the mask/puppet.
Purchase some freeze dried fruits or space ice cream to share.
Computer with Internet access and projection capability.
Write words to the song(s) and/or fingerplay on chart/board or word process for computer projection.
I'M A LITTLE ROCKET
(I'm a Little Teapot)
I'm a little rocket,
Pointing at the moon.
Now I'm getting fueled up
We'll be ready soon.
When it's time to board me
Then I'll say:
Blast off! Zoom! We're on our way!
Astronaut (to the tune of "Where Have you Been , Billy Boy?")
Tell me, where have you been,
Astronaut, astronaut?
Tell, me where have you been
In your rocket?
I have landed on the moon,
And I may return there soon
With a space station
That will help me dock it!
Tell me, what did you do, Astronaut, Astronaut?
Tell me, what did you do,
In your rocket?
I took pictures of the stars
And the craters found on Mars,
And I brought home some moon rocks
In my pocket!
Zoom, Zoom, Zoom
Zoom, zoom, zoom
[Rub hands.]
I'm going to the moon
[Fly hands upward.]
If you want to take the trip,
Climb aboard my rocket ship
[Pretend to climb imaginary ladder.]
Zoom, zoom, zoom
[Rub hands.]
I'm going to the moon!
Preview the teacher resources to determine which, if any, you’d like to use any.
Introduction: (Hold astronaut mask in front of face.) I want to be something special. Can you guess from my mask, what it is? (Hopefully, somebody will say astronaut, but don’t be surprised if somebody thinks you’re a scuba diver or an alien.) Yes, and I want you to come with me today on a space adventure.
Fingerplay: Zoom! Zoom! Zoom! (repeat several times)
View:
A child in this book wants to be an astronaut, too.
Read aloud:
I want to be an astronaut by Barton, Byron — HarperCollins, c1988 p1992--E-; Int Lvl: K-3; Rd Lvl: 1.6 A young child thinks about what it would be like to be an astronaut and go out on a mission into space.
OR
Astro girl by Wilson-Max, Ken— Candlewick Press, 2019 -E-; Int Lvl: K-3; Rd Lvl: 1.8. Astrid has loved the stars and space for as long as she can remember. 'I want to be an astronaut!' she says to everyone who will listen. While her mama is away, Astrid and her papa have fun acting out the challenges an astronaut faces on a space mission--like being in zero gravity ('I can do that all day long!' she says), eating food from a kind of tube, and doing science experiments with the help of cookie sheets. When at last it's time to meet Mama at the air base, Astrid wears her favorite space T-shirt to greet her. But where exactly has Mama been?
Repeat Zoom! Zoom! Zoom!
In our next book, the main character, wants to be an astronaut, too, and daydreams about it while she watches the first moon landing.
The moon over Star by Aston, Dianna Hutts; illustrated by Pinkney, Jerry, Dial Books for Young Readers, 2008 -E-; Int Lvl: K-3; Rd Lvl: 4.8. On her family's farm in the town of Star, eight-year-old Mae eagerly follows the progress of the 1969 Apollo 11 flight and moon landing and dreams that she might one day be an astronaut, too.
If you were an astronaut, what would you eat? Our next video clip will help us find out
Share freeze dried fruit or space ice cream, food that won’t get an astronaut in trouble.
Related Titles about Astronauts:
Life on Mars by Agee, Jon — Dial Books for Young Readers, 2017 -E-; Int Lvl: K-3; Rd Lvl: 1.6. A young astronaut is trying to find life on Mars, but he's made a very big oversight.
The space walk by Biggs, Brian — Dial Books for Young Readers, 2019 -E-; Int Lvl: K-3; Rd Lvl: 1.6. When Astronaut Randolph Witherspoon takes a walk--a space walk, that is!--he doesn't hear Ground Control's order to not talk to strangers and winds up making a new friend.
My journey to the stars by Kelly, Scott — Crown Books for Young Readers, 2017. 629.45; Int Lvl: K-3; Rd Lvl: 1.7. A picture book memoir about NASA astronaut Scott Kelly that takes readers on a journey through his childhood as an average student to his record-breaking year among the stars. NSTA List 2018
The astronaut who painted the moon : the story of Alan Bean by Robbins, Dean — Orchard Books, an imprint of Scholastic Inc., 2019. 629.45; Int Lvl: K-3; Rd Lvl: 2.3. Journey to the moon on the Apollo 12 mission with Alan Bean, the fourth astronaut to walk on the lunar surface and the only artist to paint its beauty firsthand!
Daring dozen : the twelve who walked on the moon by Slade, Suzanne — Charlesbridge, 2019 629.45; Int Lvl: K-3; Rd Lvl: 2.3. On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong took one small step and made history. Over the course of the next three-and-a-half years, twelve lunar explorers, including Alan Shepard and Gene Cernan, touched down on the moon's surface. Author and engineer Suzanne Slade reveals how the Apollo missions (1969-1972) built upon one another and led to important discoveries about our nearest neighbor in space.
Astronaut handbook by McCarthy, Meghan - Knopf, p2008, c2008--629.45--Int Lvl: K-3--Rd Lvl: 2.8 Illustrations and simple text describe how astronauts prepare for their first mission into space and what it is like to live in outer space.
Moon's first friends : one giant leap for friendship by Hill, Susanna Leonard — Sourcebooks Jabberwocky, 2019. -E-; Int Lvl: K-3; Rd Lvl: 2.9. The Moon has spent her whole life watching the happenings of Earth below, from dinosaurs roaming to planes taking flight, hoping for a visitor, until one day in 1969 when a spaceship soars from Earth. Includes Earth timeline and a history of space exploration.
Eight days gone by McReynolds, Linda — Charlesbridge, 2012--629.45; Int Lvl: K-3; Rd Lvl: 3.1
Colorful illustrations and rhyming text describe the eight-day mission to the moon of "Apollo 11" in 1969. NSTA 2013
If you decide to go to the moon by McNulty, Faith - Scholastic Press, p2005, c2005--629.45--Int Lvl: K-3--Rd Lvl: 3.1 Presents a children's book for early readers that describes what a trip to the moon would be like for a would-be astronaut.
Earthrise : Apollo 8 and the photo that changed the world by Gladstone, James — Owlkids Books, 2018 525; Int Lvl: K-3; Rd Lvl: 3.2. Tells the story of the first human spaceflight to break free of Earth orbit and fly around the Moon
One giant leap by Burleigh, Robert — Puffin Books, an imprint of Penguin Group (USA), 2014 629.45; Int Lvl: K-3; Rd Lvl: 3.4. An illustrated retelling of Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin's lunar landing in 1969. NSTA 2015
Go for the moon : a rocket, a boy, and the first moon landing by Gall, Chris — Roaring Brook Press, 2019 629.454; Int Lvl: K-3; Rd Lvl: 3.7. Released in conjunction with the 50th anniversary of the moon landing, this nonfiction picture book offers a step-by-step explanation of how the Apollo 11 spacecraft worked, as told by a young enthusiast.
To the stars! : first American woman to walk in space by Van Vleet, Carmella — Charlesbridge, 2016 629.45; Int Lvl: K-3; Rd Lvl: 3.8. A picture book biography of astronaut Kathryn Sullivan, the first American woman to walk in space. NSSTBm NFD, RB
Comprehensive Educator’s Guide at https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0750/0101/files/to-the-stars-educator-guide.pdf?6665265297067441928
Space Play Dough recipe http://nebula.wsimg.com/77666b3e3f80495c5e6d144eeb73cac8?AccessKeyId=792FFB7868D5BAD109BE&disposition=0&alloworigin=1
Design a new cover http://nebula.wsimg.com/e2944e23a9d2a0e02742988da425d173?AccessKeyId=792FFB7868D5BAD109BE&disposition=0&alloworigin=1
Women of NASA https://women.nasa.gov
Reaching for the moon by Aldrin, Buzz — Collins, 2005 629.45; Int Lvl: K-3; Rd Lvl: 5.1. Presents an illustrated account of astronaut Buzz Aldrin's life and the determination and experiences that led him to be part of the first mission to land men on the moon. NSTA List 2006.
Teacher Resources:
How Will Future Astronauts Travel To Outer Space? PreK to 5 | Activity, Video, Website As the last U.S. space shuttle mission gets set to blast off, hitch a ride with Wonderopolis as we explore the depths of space! http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/how-will-future-astronauts-travel-to-outer-space/
What Do Astronauts Eat In Space? PreK to 5 | Activity, Video, Website A huge "thanks!" goes out to Ms. Herrick and her students at The Academy at Shawnee for today's WONDERful video! As the space shuttle Endeavour gets ready to blast off into outer space for the next-to-last shuttle mission, Wonderopolis takes a look at what astronauts eat once they leave Earth. Read on - the answer might surprise you. http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/what-do-astronauts-eat-in-space/
What Would You Pack For a Trip To Outer Space? PreK to 5 | Activity, Video, Website Building your own private spaceship can be a lot of fun, but what travels with you can be just as important as what the outside looks like. Have you ever thought about what's on an astronaut's packing list? http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/spaceship-earth/
