Space Case

Language: English

When the thing from outer space visits earth, it is mistaken first for a trick-or-treater. Then it is mistaken for a robot. What would it be like to meet beings from another planet? LeVar sends a special invitation to all the aliens that might be watching—to visit Earth, and shows them some of the Earth’s wonders. Viewers visit Puerto Rico to learn about the biggest radio receiver/telescope on earth where scientists listen to outer space, and then to California to see an observatory where astronomers use a gigantic telescope to scan the skies.

Here are activities to do after watching this episode:

Junk Spacecraft

Have your children collect all sorts of materials to use to build a model spacecraft.

You may need:

materials such as boxes, plastic bottles and jugs, pie pans, paper or plastic cups, cardboard tubes, small containers, clean tin cans (no sharp edges)
glue, tape and cardboard
construction paper scraps
scissors
length of fishing line or string
markers or paint.

Directions:

Using an assortment of materials, your children can design a spacecraft adding details by cutting and gluing or taping cardboard and construction paper features. Let the glue dry.
Color or paint the completed spacecraft as desired.
Suspend the spacecraft from the ceiling using a length of fishing line or string.

Countdown

For this countdown, you don’t need a spacecraft, only a deck of cards.

To play: Shuffle a deck of cards and place the deck face down.
Each player takes a turn counting like this: ace, king, queen, jack, joker, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2. Each time you count turn over a card from the deck. If what you say matches what you turn over, you lose.
Continue the game until everyone is out or you run out of cards. Shuffle the deck and begin again.

Slide-One Secret Code

If a creature from outer space were to visit, you might want to use a secret code to communicate with one another. Here is an easy code for your children to try.

Write out the alphabet. Next to each letter, writer the letter that comes before it in the alphabet. (Z will come before A.) so, if you slide back one letter your code would be: A=Z B=A C=B D=C E=D F=E G=F H=G I=H J=I K=J L=K M=L N=M O=N P=O Q=P R=Q S=R T=S U=T V=U W=V X=W Y=X Z=Y

If you code the message:
Meet me in the yard.
It will look like this:
Ldds ld hm sgd xzqx.

GZUD ETMI (meaning) HAVE FUN!

Check out some of these books on your
next trip to the library:

Astronuts: Space Jokes And Riddles compiled by Charles Keller
Is There Life In Outer Space? by Franklyn M. Branley
Legend Of The Milky Way retold by Jeanne M. Lee

READING RAINBOW has a resource library that includes teacher guide materials as well as reading programs for use in the public libraries. You can download these resources from GPN at:
www.gpnresources.com

If you would like more information about READING RAINBOW or if you would like to learn more about other educational products please visit the GPN web site.

Space Case

Here are activities to do after watching this episode:

Junk Spacecraft

Countdown

Slide-One Secret Code

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Check out some of these books on your
next trip to the library:

Space Case

Here are activities to do after watching this episode:

Junk Spacecraft

Countdown

Slide-One Secret Code

Activity title goes in this space

Activity title goes in this space

Activity title goes in this space

Check out some of these books on your next trip to the library:

Check out some of these books on your
next trip to the library: