Astronomy extension activities

Geometric Solids

We explored what shapes can spin in our previous lesson. As an extension, you can introduce the other shapes in the Montessori Geometric Solids set and conduct 3-part lessons for the rest of them.
Language can be introduced through the three-part cards for the shapes.

When my older kids were younger we also did nets for certain shapes like the pyramids, the prisms and the cube. There are also clear shapes available now which students can fill to learn about volume and matter, such as those seen here.

For those near the Malay peninsula, children can be exposed to the traditional game of "gasing". I personally have no knowledge how this is played but you can start with simple spinning tops.


Walking in Circles

To extend on this you can place a meter tape on the floor and show the child how to walk in line on it. Try different paces and with carrying different items, like a bell. Child can also try to balance something on her head while trying to walk the line.

When this has been mastered, child can then try to walk on a circle-shaped tape.

For writing, child can try tracing circles on a sandbox. You can also introduce the letter "O" and the three-letter words that has it. Draw continuous circular shapes on the blackboard and allow the child to copy you in his main lesson book. I chose this because it complements the universe-atom book we made in our first lesson.

Science

We explored the different states of matter before the Story of Creation.
You can revise this with your child by looking at things around the house in the different states- steaming water, water and ice is a simple start.

In a class, you can start with just one student freely moving around the room. Slowly fill up with more students as you move towards liquid and solid to let them feel how the atoms are arranged in different states. This could get ugly though.

For a simple depiction, you can use cereals like in this sample. 


Time- study

We learned why night and day happens, you can revise this using the model that was made in the lesson. Again, you can use a circular shape to represent earth and shine a light on it to show how one side gets dark and the other light as the earth spins.

Make a simple booklet about the different routines the child does at different times of the day. This is also a good opportunity for the child to learn the different times for solar.

Another extension to this is to show how light is reflected, absorbed and dispersed by shining the torchlight at different materials that are transparent, translucent and opaque.