Mystery Blast Off!
Books to Share
- Alistair in Outer Space by Marilyn Sadler.
- Big Silver Space Shuttle by Ken Wilson-Max.
- Curious George Gets a Medal by Hans A. Rey.
- Harold's Trip to the Sky by Crockett Johnson.
Books to Show and Booktalk
- Best Book of Spaceships by Aan & Ian S. Graham.
- Blast Off To Earth: A Look At Geography by Loreen Leedy.
- Me and My Place In Space by Joan Sweeney.
- Space Shuttle Eye on the Universe by Jacqueline Camillo.
- To Space and Back by Sally Ride.
Bulletin Board
Blast Off for a Good Read!
Against a sky-blue background, attach "Inflate Astronauts" from Oriental Trading Company. Surround them with rockets cut from construction paper with the titles, authors, and call numbers of books about space written on them. Place large letters with the words "Blast Off For A Good Read!" across the top of bulletin board.
Display
Blast Off for a Good Read!
Create a large rocket with "Blast Off for a Good Read!" written on it and place it on a table with a long blue tablecloth. Place books about space around the rocket.
Nametags
As children enter the storytime area, give them a nametag shaped like the Space Shuttle.
Action Rhyme
Rocketship
(By Leila Raven Parrish)
Here I am (Point to self)
In a rocket ship (Raise hands over head to create a point)
With just enough room
Getting ready to BLAST OFF (Crouch down)
To the moon! (Point to ceiling, still crouching)
Ready for the countdown?
10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1! (Shout out and slowly begin to stand up)
ZOOM! (Jump up)
Poem
"High Flight" by John Gillespie Magee, Jr. in Imaginary Gardens by Charles Sullivan.
Crafts
Rocket Pin
(Adapted from Crafts for Kids Who Are Wild About Outer Space by Kathy Ross.)
Materials
- Old neckties
- Gold and red rickrack trim, cut in 2 ½-inch pieces
- Large safety pin
- Fabric glue
Directions
Precut 3-inch long pieces off the thin, pointed end of the neckties. Let each child select a tie and glue or staple two pieces of red and two pieces of gold rick-rack to the flat end of the tie to create a fiery tail for the rocket. An adult attaches a safety pin to the back of rocket. Optional: Children may add star stickers or the letters "U.S.A." to the rocket.
Rocket Ship
Materials
- Rocket patterns
- Empty toilet paper roll
- Construction paper
- Self-adhesive stars
- Tape
Directions
Pre-cut the cone and fin patterns. Precut pieces of construction paper to an appropriate size to cover the toilet paper rolls. Give each child a toilet paper roll, a piece of construction paper, one cone, and two fins. With the help of an adult, the children wrap pre-cut construction paper around the toilet paper roll and attach it with tape. Tape the fins to the bottom of rocket, roll the cone pattern, and tape it to the top of the rocket. Children then add self-sticking stars to decorate the rocket.
Activity
Blast-Off Maze
Distribute photocopies of the "Blast Off Maze".
Professional Resources
- Crafts for Kids Who Are Wild About Outer Space by Kathy Ross.
- Imaginary Gardens by Charles Sullivan.
