Email Login
Infinite Campus
Schools
Staff DirectorySee also: the Teachers & Group Leaders section of our web site which includes Reservation information, a link to the Planetarium Checklist and more.
2017-2018 Planetarium Programs: General Information
Our programs are designed to meet the needs of students of all ages. The programs support the curriculum of several content areas, but especially science. To assist you in choosing a program, links to specific Wisconsin Model Academic Standards for Science are provided next to the program descriptions below.
There are two basic categories that programs can be placed into: interactive, and automated multimedia. In addition, planetarium staff can offer Planetarium Labs and Custom Designed Programs to meet the needs of your students.
- Interactive programs are live presentations in which the planetarium instructor and the students would typically explore a certain subject using the star projector and other projectors. The following concepts are especially suited for this type of program: day/night, phases of the moon, Earth motions, planetary motions, constellation recognition, and studying the current sky.
- Automated Multimedia programs offer a stimulating array of visuals augmented by a recorded sound track. In addition, there is usually time after the program which can be tailored to suit your needs. If one of these programs fits what you teach, they can be an excellent addition to your curriculum.
- Planetarium Labs are astronomy activities which take advantage of the capabilities of the planetarium technology to engage the students in concepts which are difficult to visualize elsewhere.
- Custom Designed Programs are developed when existing programs can't be modified to meet the needs of the students. Our goal is always to meet the astronomy and space science related needs of your students. Most of our existing programs can be adapted to meet your specific needs. But if you have a special way that you would like to utilize the planetarium as part of your curriculum, we enthusiastically invite you to work with the planetarium staff to design an experience specifically for your students. (For Non-Madison groups, an $18/half-hour planning fee may apply.) This offer is subject to time availability, and aesthetically it may lack some of the smoothness and cohesion of a polished program.
Interactive Program Descriptions
| Program information (abbrev. show title) | Wisconsin Science Standards | NGSS Performance Expectations |
|---|---|---|
| Skywatching Skywatching Teachers Guide Available (all levels, 1-hour program) Become a Skywatcher by exploring the current night sky. Locate visible planets and constellations, and enjoy some sky lore. This show can be adapted to all grade levels and can include specific topics of your choice such as day/night, phases of the moon, seasons, light pollution, and more. If this program will be fulfilling part of a scout badge (ex.: Brownies, Junior Girl Scouts, Girl Scouts, Tiger Cubs, Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, etc.), please let us know the level and name of the badge so that we can review the requirements before the program. |
E.4.4,6 B.8.3 |
1-PS4-2 1-ESS1-1 5-ESS1-1 5-ESS1-2 MS-ESS1-1 |
| Nightwatchers Nightwatchers Teachers Guide Available (grades k-1, 1-hour program) As the planetarium sky slowly changes from day to night, delve into the night-life as we explore the daytime sky, the concepts of day and night, the night-time sky, and nocturnal animals. This program fits well with an interdisciplinary "nighttime" unit. |
E.4.4, 6 | 1-PS4-2 1-ESS1-1 |
| Moonwatch 1 Moonwatch 1 Teachers Guide Available (grades 1-3, 1-hour program) This is the first of two programs which are designed to introduce and wrap-up your moon observation unit. Use Moonwatch 1 before your students start observing the moon. Moonwatch 1 teaches the students how to observe the moon, raises questions about when and where we will be able to see the moon and what it will look like, and introduces the students to observing the moon with telescopes and traveling to the moon (Apollo program). The ideal situation would be to include both programs (Moonwatch 1 and 2) in your unit. See our Daytime Moon Calendar for information about observing the moon, and daytime observations. This program supports the FOSS Air and Weather module. |
E.4.4 E.4.6 |
1-PS4-2 1-ESS1-1 |
| Moonwatch 2 Moonwatch 2 Teachers Guide Available (grades 1-3, 1-hour program) This is the second of two programs which are designed to introduce and wrap-up your moon observation unit. Use Moonwatch 2 after your students have finished observing the moon. See our Daytime Moon Calendar and the teachers guide for information about observing the moon, and daytime observations. Moonwatch 2 summarizes their observations, shows the changes in the planetarium sky, delves deeper into the Apollo program, and introduces the students to the other moons in our solar system. The first part of the program focuses on reporting your observations. It is recommended that teachers bring the class calendar or record with them to this program. Teachers have the option of preparing the students to make a brief presentation which summarizes their observations. (See the Teachers Guide for more information about the report.) The ideal situation would be to include both programs (Moonwatch 1 and 2) in your unit. This program supports the FOSS Air and Weather module. |
E.4.4 E.4.6 |
1-PS4-2 1-ESS1-1 |
| Home Sweet Home 1 Home Sweet Home 1 Teachers Guide Available (grades 1-2, 1-hour program) This program is designed to help students learn to make observations of the Sun and Moon during the day, looking for patterns which would help them to make predictions. We explore changes in the Sun's path throughout the year, looking for more patterns and making predictions along the way. Students then apply what they've learned in the daytime sky to observations and predictions of changes they can see in the night sky. We learn how to find planets and a few star patterns in the current sky in order to practice observing changes in the real sky. |
E.4.4 E.4.6 |
1-PS4-2 1-ESS1-1 4-PS4-2 |
| Home Sweet Home 2 Home Sweet Home 2 Teachers Guide Available (grades 3-5, 1-hour program) This program takes you to a deeper understanding of our home planet as part of larger systems; such as the Earth and Moon system, Solar System, and the Milky Way Galaxy. Concepts related to the Earth's motions (day/night, seasonal constellations, changes in the apparent path of the sun) are addressed. This program matches well with the FOSS "Sun, Moon, Stars" module for grades 3-4 and NGSS ESS performance expectations for 5th grade. |
E.4.4 E.4.6 E.8.7 E.8.8 |
1-ESS1-1 1-ESS1-2 4-PS4-2 5-ESS1-1 5-ESS1-2 |
| Hunting for Rocks in the Solar System (grades 2-5, 1-hour program) Get the "big picture" on rocks and minerals! Explore the Solar System in search for rocks! Featuring astronauts collecting rock samples on the moon, photos of Mercury, photos of the rocky surface of Venus, show how the rovers on Mars are studying the rocks there, explore asteroids, and even examine rocks made out of water on Saturn's moon, Titan. Your students will apply and expand their understanding of rocks and minerals in ways that are out of this world! This program supports the FOSS Earth Materials module. |
E.4.1-4 E.8.1,5,7 |
4-ESS1-1 |
| Rocks on Other Worlds (grades 6-adult, 1-hour program) Do the same processes that form and change rocks on Earth take place on other worlds? In this program, we examine data gathered by orbiting spacecraft, landers, and rovers to answer that question. Students will apply what they know about weathering, erosion, deposition, and rock types as they strive to unlock the same mysteries that planetary geologists are wrestling with today -- unraveling the geologic history of other worlds. This program fits best toward the end of a unit on the rock cycle (formation and evolution of sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic rock). |
E.4.1-4 E.8.1-5 E.12.3 |
4-ESS1-1 MS-ESS2-2 MS-ESS2-1 |
| Cosmic Perspectives Cosmic Perspectives Teachers Guide Available (grades 6-adult, 1-hour program) In a current sky setting, explore the structure of the solar system, galaxies, and the universe as we find our place in the cosmos. Students will explore concepts related to the Earth's motions (day/night, seasonal constellations, changes in the apparent path of the sun), as well as changes in the moon's position and appearance. Patterns in changes seen over time will also be addressed. This program supports the FOSS Planetary Science middle school unit. |
E.4.4 E.4.6 E.8.7 E.8.8 |
|
| Planetary Energy Revealed Planetary Energy Revealed Teachers Guide Available (grades 6-adult, 1-hour program) Explore the concepts of temperature and thermal energy locally and globally. We’ll get a visual representation of temperature and explore locally how light interacts with matter using an infrared camera. These principles will then be applied to why your car heats up on a sunny day. This phenomenon can also be applied globally to understand the Greenhouse Effect in the context of climate change. The differences between what we see in visible light and what we can see in infrared light will be used to build a case for exploring the universe around us in all types of light. Students will also learn about NASA’s SOFIA aircraft which carries a large infrared telescope, and the James Webb Infrared Space Telescope. Comparing infrared images of Earth and Jupiter will raise questions about the source of each planet’s thermal energy. To explore their ideas, students will observe the Sun’s path for each season as seen in Wisconsin, and compare this to what people experience at the equator. Then we’ll travel to Jupiter to the Sun’s role in Jupiter’s thermal energy for comparison. This experience supports and extends the following units taught in 6th grade science in MMSD: Thermal Energy; Ocean, Atmosphere, Climate; and Earth’s Changing Climate. The timing of this visit may fit best in the Earth’s Changing Climate unit. |
SCI.ESS2.A SCI.ESS2.C SCI.ESS2.D SCI.ESS3.D |
|
| Books and Stories of the Night Books and Stories of the Night Teachers Guide Available (grades 1-3, 1-hour programs) Books and clear night skies have at least one thing in common -- they capture the imagination. This interdisciplinary program explores the night sky, and nighttime as guided by several children's books. Concepts addressed in the program include day & night, nocturnal animals, current night sky (constellations and planets), the moon, and our place in the universe. |
E.4.4 E.4.6 |
1-ESS1-1 5-ESS1-1 |
| Solar System Update Solar System Update Teachers Guide Available (grades 3-adult, 1-hour program) How are we currently exploring the solar system? What have scientists learned recently about our solar system? Where are the space probes now? Is Pluto a planet? Learn the answer to these questions and more as we explore the planets in our current sky. Note: this program is intended for groups that have already learned the basic characteristics of objects in the solar system before they visit the planetarium. |
E.4.4 B.4.3 B.8.1-2 |
4-ESS1-1 MS-ESS1-3 MS-ESS2-2 MS-ESS2-1 |
| Living and Working in Space (grades 3-adult, 1-hour program) Discover what life would be like to live in space aboard the International Space Station. Learn about this orbital laboratory, how the astronauts get to the space station, and how they deal with things like eating, sleeping, and moving around in a "microgravity" environment. Students will also learn when they can go out and see the space station pass over their location. |
G.4.1 H.4.1 G.8.1-2 |
|
| US History and Space Exploration (grades HS-adult, 1-hour program) The Space Race was an important part of modern U.S. History. Trace the history of space exploration from the development of the V2 rockets at the end of WWII, through the race to the Moon, to current events in human and unmanned exploration of space. Connections are developed between the space program, our culture, and the ways our lives are affected by technology developed for and by NASA (spin-offs). This program connects nicely to a high school Social Studies Modern U.S. History course. [Supporting Social Studies Standards: B.12.9,10; D.12.4] |
G.4.1 H.4.1 G.8.1-2 |
|
| Astronomy in the Scientific Revolution (grades HS-adult, 1-hour program) Modern science emerged out of a time when developments in natural and physical science transformed views of the world around us and our place in the universe. Fast-forward through time using the planetarium’s simulated sky to explore the observations that became the foundations of early theories. Starting in the Renaissance era, renewed scrutiny brought refined observations and new theories. Delve into the evolving models of how the cosmos works as we explore this time in history. This program supports a high school Modern Europe study of this time period we refer to as the Scientific Revolution. [Supporting Social Studies Standards: A.12.10; B.12.10; E.12.11] |
B.4.3 B.8.1,2 E.4.4,6 E.8.7,8 |
Nature of Science: Scientific knowledge is open to revision in light of new evidence |
| Follow the Drinking Gourd Follow the Drinking Gourd Teacher's Guide Available (grades 1-4, 1-hour program) Through this interdisciplinary program, students explore the concepts of day and night, rising and setting motions, constellations, and seasonal changes as they discover how slaves may have used the Drinking Gourd (Big Dipper) and a song to find their way to freedom. This show is based on the children's book and the folk song by the same title. Bring your singing voices! |
E.4.4, 6 | 1-ESS1-2 5-ESS1-2 |
| Mythology (grades 4-12, 1-hour program) People all over the world have always connected the sky to their culture. Explore the constellations and learn how they fit into myths from around the world. The program is set up to concentrate on Roman and Greek mythology, but can be adapted to include more of Native American and Chinese mythology. |
B.4.3 B.8.3 |
5-ESS1-2 |
| Energy from Stars Energy from Stars Teachers Guide Available (grades 9-12, 1-hour program) Explore the source of the energy that drives our weather and the carbon cycle--the sun. How can so much energy be released for so long? Exploration leads us through fusion, stellar formation and evolution. |
E.12.1 D.12.3 D.12.12 |
HS-ESS1-1 HS-ESS1-3 |
| Fusion and Stars (grades 9-12, 1-hour program) When we look at the composition of the Sun, we see that it's primarily hydrogen and helium, but is also made up of many of the elements we find here on Earth. Where did all of these elements come from? Nuclear fusion! We explore all the way back to the beginning of the universe to find the source of the lightest elements, and peer deep inside of stars to find more. Star formation and stellar evolution are keys to the source of these elements as well. |
E.12.1 D.12.3 D.12.12 |
HS-ESS1-1 HS-ESS1-3 |
Automated Program Descriptions
| Program information (abbrev. show title) | Wisconsin Science Standards Addressed | NGSS DCIs |
|---|---|---|
|
The Friendly Stars |
E.4.4,6 | 1-PS4-2 |
| Cosmic Colors Cosmic Colors Teachers Guide Available (grades 5-adult, 1-hour program) Get ready for an amazing adventure across the entire electromagnetic spectrum -- discovering the reasons for color, journeying inside the human eye, using x-rays to explore black holes and bones, and more! |
D.8.8 E.8.7 |
5-ESS1-1 MS-PS4-2 |
|
Stargazer |
B.8.1 D.8.8-9 B.12.1 |
5-ESS1-1 MS-ESS1-2 HS-ESS1-1 HS-ESS1-3 |
Planetarium Labs
| Program information (abbrev. show title) | Wisconsin Science Standards Addressed | NGSS DCIs |
|---|---|---|
|
Seasons |
E.8.8 A.12.6 |
5-ESS1-2 MS-ESS1-1 MS-ESS2-6 |
|
Spectroscopy |
D.8.8-9 | 5-ESS1-1 |
|
Strange Planets |
E.4.4 E.4.6 E.8.7 E.8.8 |
5-ESS1-1 MS-ESS1-2 MS-ESS1-3 HS-ESS1-4 |
Custom Designed Programs
If the offerings listed above do not serve the needs of your students, you are invited to work with the planetarium staff to design a unique program which will fit into your curriculum. Extra planning for a Non-Madison program may be subject to a $18 per half-hour fee. Contact the planetarium staff for more information.
Calendars
Donate
Employment
Library Catalogs
Staff Only