Summer SAVY, Session 5 Day 1, “Space Academy: Exploring the Work of Astronauts” (3rd-4th)
Today marked an exciting launch into our SAVY Space Academy journey! We began by getting to know one another through a fun icebreaker where each student shared an interesting fact about themselves. This helped us build a sense of community and curiosity—two essential ingredients for a successful week of exploration. We also established our classroom expectations: Be Responsible, Be Kind, Be Respectful, and Be Safe. Students worked together to create visual representations of each expectation, which now decorate our classroom as daily reminders of how we learn and grow together.
To kick off our space-themed learning, students created space alien glyphs—a creative activity that allowed them to express their personalities and interests through symbolic art. Students also completed a pretest, which will help guide instruction and measure growth throughout the week. This assessment is not graded but is a valuable tool for understanding what your child already knows and what they will learn.
We dove into the concept of exploration, discussing five key generalizations that help us understand why and how humans explore. Students shared ideas and made connections to both historical and modern-day explorers. We also explored the question, “What is a scientist?” and discovered that astronauts are scientists too! The word “astronaut” means “space sailor,” and we learned about the rigorous requirements to become a U.S. astronaut. Students were fascinated to learn about NASA and even how much a space suit weighs!
Students were introduced to our Problem-Based Learning (PBL) scenario for the week: a fictional NASA program called Cosmic Cadets, where children are being considered for space travel. This sparked lots of excitement and curiosity! Students brainstormed questions they’d want answered before deciding whether to apply. This activity encouraged critical thinking and set the stage for the scientific investigations we’ll be conducting throughout the week.
To wrap up the day, we began learning about the scientific method, focusing on the first four steps: asking a question, forming a hypothesis, conducting an experiment, and making observations. Students applied this process in a hands-on experiment involving sunlight and lima beans. They made predictions and began observing the effects of sunlight on seed growth. This experiment will continue throughout the week as we collect data and draw conclusions.
Questions to Ask Your Cosmic Cadet Tonight:
- What fun fact did you share with your classmates today?
- Can you explain one of the classroom expectations and the visual your group created for it?
- What did your space alien glyph say about you?
- What does the word “astronaut” mean, and what are some requirements to become one?
- What was your hypothesis for the lima bean experiment? What do you think will happen?