Exploring Space: Sparrows Take Learning Beyond Earth

In our K/1 Sparrows classrooms, students have been immersed in a rich and imaginative study of space, one that blends scientific thinking with collaboration and play. Through this work, students are developing the ability to ask questions, solve problems, and think beyond what they already know.

In Sparrows East, students began by traveling through our solar system and have now “crash-landed” on a newly discovered planet beyond Pluto. From there, their work has shifted into true inquiry. Students are studying the planet’s unique characteristics, working together to name it, and imagining how they might communicate their findings to NASA. As their exploration deepens, they are tackling big questions: What would humans need to survive here? How could we transform this environment to support life? Through this process, students are building the ability to think critically, collaborate with others, and approach complex challenges with creativity and persistence.

In Sparrows West, the excitement of space exploration has come to life through imaginative play and hands-on experiences. Students have been closely following the recent moon flyby accomplished by the Artemis II and have been bringing that energy into the classroom through their own “trips” in a cardboard Orion spacecraft complete with a floating banana and Nutella demonstration that sparked wonder and lots of laughter. Through collaborative storytelling and pretend play, students are developing language, perspective-taking, and the ability to construct and communicate ideas. Their space travel posters, created using printmaking techniques, combine artistic expression with purposeful design, strengthening both creativity and communication skills.

Earlier this month, both classes extended their learning beyond the classroom with a field trip to the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum, where students connected their classroom experiences to real-world examples of flight and space exploration.

Across both classrooms, this study of space is helping students develop confidence as thinkers, strengthening their ability to collaborate and communicate, and see themselves as capable of exploring and understanding complex ideas.