Planets, planets everywhere

The children have always loved science.  We have tons of books and biographies on scientists and every morning when they eat breakfast they are usually reading a book on science (or history or religion).  Right now Tucker is on a HUGE astronomy kick (I should say on a kick "again"- he did this 2 years ago before he got into flags).  He is obsessed with planets and all things space related.

His favorite planet is Uranus because it's a pretty blue and spins on it's side- naturally he likes the one that spins its own way.  :)  He made himself a Uranus costume the other day. 

Charlie making Mars-

Julia made a little Uranus with hands and feet for Tucker-

It has a front and back with shoulder straps-

We decided to have his little costume laminated so he could really use it, and I think we've created a monster (he wants to laminate every single thing he does).  :)  He immediately made some planets that we could laminate so he could make a planet mobile for his bed.  Charlie then made a bunch of sheep so we could laminate them and make him a sheep mobile.  (By the way, the names of Charlie's sheep were written on the back by him and they were hilarious- Popolish, Popcorn, Keisha, Barh, Charlie, Sheepy, Hepp, Andrew, Yap).  Julia laminated her horse tracings. 

Tucker also made mini planet puppets with paper and brads (so they can wave)- here is, of course, Uranus-

He reads about them constantly- and each book teaches him something new.  The other day in the car he and Julia got into a disagreement about whether Jupiter had rings.  He insisted it did, and Julia, of course, insisted it didn't.  We were inclined to agree with Tucker- he doesn't really get these things wrong.  He kept saying, "Julia- the rings on Jupiter are made of small rocks and dust instead of ice and you don't see them very well- and most books don't mention them.  But I have read two books that DID tell me that it has rings and I believe them!"  A quick google search reveals- Jupiter has rings.  :)

Julia reading "Magic School Bus Lost in the Solar System" to them after breakfast.  They've also watched the Space Adventures movie many, many times.  

More space puppets-

 Everyday there are papers full of planets- I mean, everyday all day- like he's done at least 50 of these over the past month- they are all different and tell a story. 

Speaking of stories- he's been dictating stories for us to type for him.  Here are a few:

The Planet Story

By: Tucker A

            There once was a big star. It was known as the Sun. He lived with eight other planets. There was Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. Jupiter and Mars weren’t fond of each other, so Uranus and Neptune decided to put asteroids between them, which was known as the Asteroid Belt. Neptune put another belt at the edge of the Solar System. This was known as the Kuiper Belt. But when Uranus and Neptune put asteroids to separate Mars and Jupiter, Uranus’s rings got stuck. So the Sun shouted to the outer planets, “check the Kuiper Belt!”  They checked the whole Kuiper Belt but no planet could find them.  So the Sun told the Inner planets check the asteroid belt and THEY FOUND THEM!!! So Mars gave his rings back and Uranus put his rings on and all the planets including the Sun celebrated!  

The Story of MERCURY

By:  Tucker A

            Once upon a time there was a little planet called Mercury.  He had seven other friends, those were:  Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.  Mercury’s best friend was Venus.  Earth’s best friend was Mars.  Jupiter’s best friend was Saturn, and Uranus’s best friend was Neptune.  All the other planets remembered the time Uranus’s rings got stuck in the Asteroid Belt and Mars found them. 

Mercury and Venus were the moonless planets.  Earth and Mars were the unusual planets.  Jupiter and Saturn were the giant planets, and Uranus and Neptune were the blue planets.  Mercury wished he had a moon like Earth and Mars.   He asked the Sun why everybody had a moon except him and his best friend Venus.  The Sun said, “God made planets special.  And you are the first planet from me so you must be special without a moon with your best friend Venus.  If you needed a moon, God would have given you one.”

                Mercury felt much better.  He was glad that he got to be closest to the Sun. 

He made a planet ring that he spins to show what his favorite planet of the day is- never underestimate the fun that brads can bring to crafts.  :)  (Julia made a horse wheel so she can put it on her favorite horse of the day)

I was in HomeGoods the other day and saw this space coverlet and had to get it for my little astronomer.  He went crazy!  The next morning I woke up to a little face right up next to my face saying, "Mommy, I slept in the solar system last night!"  :)

Speaking of science, the children are taking a "History of Science" class at a co-op at our church this fall.  They are also taking science labs at the science center, and Tucker and Charlie are doing zoo biology classes as well.   I also just received the History of Science pack by Beautiful Feet Books and am so excited to jump in.  (I also bought their Geography through Literature series).