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A Cosmic Creation

Activity

Design a World from Scratch

Create your own planet and be sure to give it a name! What features will it have? What kind of life exists there? Start with a ball of some kind and decorate with various materials, creating physical features to match your description.
Astro 1
Astro 1 (3)
Astro 1 (2)

Science Seed

The sun is a star. There are many stars in the universe, and some have planets orbiting around them. Our solar system is made up of 8 planets orbiting around the sun. Earth is the 3rd planet from the sun and is the only planet that is inhabited by living things. We have one moon. Other planets have several moons and some have rings around them. 70% of Earth’s surface is covered by water, almost all of which is salty ocean water. Earth’s surface also has mountains, valleys, glaciers made of ice, lakes, rocks, and rivers. Earth is surrounded by a protective layer of atmosphere that allows life to exist. Some things to consider when designing your own imaginary planet: How large is your planet? Is it small and rocky like Mars, or a large ball of gas like Jupiter? Is the atmosphere breathable with oxygen like Earth, or does it have toxic sulfuric acid clouds like Venus? How far is it from its star (sun)? Is it very hot or cold? How many moons or rings does it have? What kind of geologic features does it have? Does it have oceans, mountains or continents like Earth? What is the climate like? Are there intelligent beings on your planet? What do they look like?
botany jar illustration

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earn Badges

Badges can be earned through hands-on experiences within each of the 16 branches of science, or “Science Slices.” You can earn a badge in each branch of science by doing four activities in these categories. We also encourage participants to keep a Nature Journal to record their memories, and to express themselves creatively through writing or drawing after each activity. We recommend that each child (and parent if they’d like) write or draw in a journal after each activity, with expectations of your children that match their age (the goal is self-expression, not perfection).

Explore Sanchez Elementary

join Families in Nature

It is our vision to inspire all families to fall in love with nature and foster the next generation of conservationists. Becoming a member of Families in Nature will give your family the opportunity to have adventures in nature, experience field science, develop as youth conservation leaders, and make memories that will last a lifetime. Memberships are free for everyone.

Who are we?

Families in Nature works to create opportunities for nature connection with the purpose of sparking a deep love and desire to protect, conserve and restore the environment. Our mission is to connect children and their families to nature and to each other through time spent learning, playing, and volunteering outdoors. It is our vision to inspire ALL families to fall in love with nature and foster the next generation of conservationists.

Sánchez Elementary School is close to downtown on Austin’s east side. Built in 1976, the campus boasts murals by Raul Valdez depicting the school’s Hispanic history and heritage. Sánchez was one of the district’s first to introduce two-way dual language education- fitting because the school’s namesake, George Sánchez, was a pioneer in bilingual education. This project was made possible by HEB.

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