Go with science, science fiction, or the metaphor of space and stars as achievement: space always makes a great classroom theme. We have a special download for your space theme, too.
A space theme has lots of ready-made options for bulletin boards:
- Space Exploration: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow! focuses on the scientists and explorers who’ve helped increase our knowledge of space.
- Reach for the Stars is designed for your classroom door.
- Our Solar System has photos of the planets.
- Our Future Is Limitless uses space as a theme for that upbeat message.
- Cool cartoonish posters bring positive messages, too.
- Reading Is a Blast banners set the mood in your reading corner.
Shapes, etc. has a fun idea for a space-themed bulletin board. Use rockets, astronauts, and planets (find the pieces in the bulletin board sets listed above, use notepads, or make your own) to show your class blasting off into learning. I also liked their idea of adding paper streamers to the tail of a rocket for a 3-D touch. Hang 3-D stars from the ceiling. Making them can be a good lesson on following directions, dimensions, and symmetry — or, if you want a starry sky to amaze your students on the first day, just make a passel yourself while you watch a good summer movie.
Fun stuff to add to your classroom:
- Astronaut Ice Cream Neapolitan (Pack of 10)
- Solar System Rug
- Learning Resources Inflatable Solar System Set
- Solar System Mobile Kit
- Motorized Solar System (an orrery, or mechanical solar system, which allows you to see the planets in orbit)
- Toy Mars Expedition Station or the Playmobil Space Rocket for your dramatic play area.
- For over the top fun, try a Space Station Tent with Tunnels.
Online resources:
- Space.com may load slowly on your classroom computer, it has lots of ads, and the pages are cluttered. If you can tolerate all that, it’s a great source of videos on everything from solar flares to how astronauts use the toilet in space.
- NASA’s educator page is a terrific source of resources. Each state has its own resource center, too — find yours by clicking in the lower right hand corner once you get to the educator’s page.
- NASA also offers quests, web-based interactive lessons.
- Amazing Space is another fine repository of space resources.
We’d also like to offer you our own special paper rocket to print, cut, fold, and play with. Experiment with adjustments and adaptations (put a paperclip on the nose, for example) and get some great lessons on force and motion going.
Enjoy!
More relevant resources:
- Space Lesson Plans
- Counting Worksheet
- Space Lesson Plans with Google Sky
- Science Fiction Lesson Plans
- Mars Lesson Plans
