Project Title: Paper Space Ships
Description: Kids decorate their own spaceships that can be launched with a straw. A great way to introduce trust. Astronauts have to trust each other in order to persevere through space together.
Project Ideas: technology, trust, team building, body kinesthetic
Author: Candice Carroll
Grade level or Target Age Range: preschool to early elementary
Historical Art Examples or References: Nasa is a great resource for information about outer space. Depending on how much information you want to provide for the students, you can discuss the history or just provide spaceship photographs.
NASA kids– NASA kids club provides mazes, facts and more for young students
Image of the Day – NASA image of the day provides images of space,planets, and ships
Vocabulary: gravity, astronauts, launch site, NASA
Materials: paper, stapler, tape, straws, markers, colored pencils, yarn or ribbon, and hole punch
Anticipatory Set: images and discussion of NASA spaceships
Demo/Directions: (Roughly plan amount of time it takes to do each procedure)
1. Decorate exterior of spaceship on one piece of paper. (5- 10 minutes)
2. Staple together lengthwise to form a cylinder and then use tape to close the top end of the ship. (5 minutes)
3. Trace and cut out a circle for the top of the ship (you can also allow time to decorate the top). (5 minutes)
4. Staple circle together into a cone shape and then staple to ship. (5 minutes)
5. Punch 4 holes on the bottom of the rocket. (5 minutes)
6. Tie yarn to the bottom of the spaceship. (5 minutes)
7. Use straw to blow into spaceship to make it fly!
Discussion: Life applications; how the lesson might apply to non-art related experiences or other types of knowledge.
1. What planets have spaceships enabled us to explore?
- How long do astronauts train?
- How long do spaceships stay in outer space?
Instructional Reflection: Which instructional tools or strategies interested or helped these students learn? What additional techniques tools or materials could be used to better support student learning? What adaptations could be made to this lesson for students with different needs levels or skill sets?
1. Creating a small top for the ship makes it easier to launch.
2. If you do not close the entire top hole with tape, it will be difficult to launch.