Some might think that four year olds are far too young to learn about astronomy and space science. Leah Shin, a teacher in South Korea, was originally sceptical too, but now incorporates space sciences into the curriculum each week with the help of Universe in a Box.
The free educational kit, created by Universe Awareness, provides educators with over 40 interactive activities to introduce their young students to the beauty and enormity of the universe. Aimed at children between the ages of 4 to 10, these fun and practical activities serve to inspire an early love of science, astronomy and technology. Universe Awareness also seeks to introduce children to the idea of global citizenship, tolerance and empathy through a greater understanding of our place within the universe.
But what is it like in practice? At first, Leah Shin found it challenging to hold the children’s attention, as anyone who works with four year olds can appreciate! Parent helpers offered to give a hand and this individualized approach allowed the magic of the universe to unfold.
Masks of the sun and moon, storytelling and drawing images on the face of the moon all helped to inspire the children’s imagination and make them eager to discover more. Leah recalled, ‘they all liked the mask activity. When the kids engaged in the activities, even if it was only simple things like touching and holding materials, they giggled a lot. They were especially interested in the images of the Moon in different countries. We had a good conversation on this.’
‘Personally, I have learned a lot by preparing and studying the content. It was a valuable experience for me to rethink and reset the concept and knowledge these kids have of the Universe. That was huge… that’s why I can never let Universe Box go away. So, as of January 2018, I will use Universe Box in two different classes once a week.’
You can incorporate these unique, high quality resources into your teaching, too. Check out Universe Awareness for more details!
