To introduce this activity, read a book that discusses various constellations in simple terms. Show children how the stars can form images when they are connected with lines. Provide each child with a piece of black construction paper and a paper plate with yellow paint and star-shaped sponges on it. Ask students to create a night sky picture using the sponges. Once the paint has dried, provide each child with a white crayon and encourage the children to form their own constellations in the sky they created.
This activity is more appropriate for older preschool children, who will be able to grasp the concept of orbits. To introduce the activity, discuss how the planets of the solar system orbit the sun, each following its own track. Point out that planets further from the sun are colder. Clear an area of the classroom and, using tape, create orbit circles around a central point. Let children take turns sitting in the center as the sun and moving in circles along the tape as planets.
This project is a take-home activity, so send parents a note in advance describing what you would like to do. Explain the different phases of the moon to your class. This does not have to be particularly complex. Emphasize that the moon changes shape over the course of a month. Send a long piece of butcher paper home with each child, with a note asking parents to take their children out every few nights to observe the moon and draw a picture of its shape. After a month, ask parents to send the paper back with their children, and have children compare their moon charts with friends.
This fun activity is appropriate for preschool children of all ages. To introduce it, read a book or look at pictures of the moon's surface and of moon rocks that have been brought back to Earth. Explain, in simple terms, the moon's terrain. Take your children for a walk and ask each to find his own moon rock, setting a limit for how large the rock can be. Once back inside, provide each child with gray paint mixed with silver glitter, and encourage students to paint their moon rocks.