Did you see last night’s “supermoon”?
My second grader has been counting down the days, nay, minutes until 11:34 p.m. on Saturday, May 5, 2012, when the moon was positioned a mere 221, 802 miles from the Earth. According to my daughter’s science worksheet, that’s about 15,300 miles closer than average.
In other words, last night’s full moon was the biggest and brightest of the year.
In other words, my kid stayed up extra late last night.
Chock it up to science, and a letter from my child’s teacher encouraging parents to foster the study of astronomy via last night’s supermoon.
Hey, I’m all for using special occasions to promote learning, but in this mom’s opinion, 11 p.m. is kind of late for a second grader to be gazing at the moon.
That said I know some parents who took the teacher’s suggestion and ran with it. One of my daughter’s classmates hosted a supermoon party complete with star-shaped cookies, make-your-own paper towel roll telescopes and games, such as Pin the Tail on the Comet.
Our local planetarium also got in on the act by remaining open throughout the night so that families with burgeoning astronomers and astronauts could take part in special supermoon-related activities.
Whereas I wasn’t exactly thrilled about the timing of this “super” event, there’s no denying that it got my kid excited about space exploration. Not only did she enthusiastically complete a number of math and science-themed projects her teacher sent home on Friday, but also, this afternoon we spent hours visiting websites dedicated to outer space. One of the best is NASA for Kids, which is a haven for games, factoids, and hands-on activities. Astronomy Kids, from Oracle Education’s Thinkquest, is another great option. It offers a virtual telescope which allows kids to see what constellations and planets look like up close without hitching a ride on a space shuttle. There’s also a solar system activity page filled with fun facts, quizzes and games.
Did the supermoon affect your child the way it did mine?
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