Kindergartners visit the moon without leaving school
Kindergarten students Ryder Reardon, Caleigh Coletti, Rae Leandro travel to the next planet via space rover. Submitted photos
Middleboro High School seniors Jenna Tatarczuk and Kaitlyn Joyce, who were kindergarten astronauts themselves, operate the space rover.
Astronauts wear moon boots to get ready for a space walk.
Students Ramsey Langill and Willow Norvish prepare for takeoff 
Students and teachers before the School Committee presentation.
K teachers Carly Paling, Katie Cook, Courtney Secher, Krystina Stoker with Sean Siciliano, center, from the Middleboro schools media department. 
K astronaut Maeve Owens prepares for liftoff
Interim School Superintendent Michael Perrone rode on the space rover.
Kindergarten students Ryder Reardon, Caleigh Coletti, Rae Leandro travel to the next planet via space rover. Submitted photos
Middleboro High School seniors Jenna Tatarczuk and Kaitlyn Joyce, who were kindergarten astronauts themselves, operate the space rover.
Astronauts wear moon boots to get ready for a space walk.
Students Ramsey Langill and Willow Norvish prepare for takeoff
Students and teachers before the School Committee presentation.
K teachers Carly Paling, Katie Cook, Courtney Secher, Krystina Stoker with Sean Siciliano, center, from the Middleboro schools media department.
K astronaut Maeve Owens prepares for liftoff
Interim School Superintendent Michael Perrone rode on the space rover.
MIDDLEBORO -- Kindergarten students blasted off into space recently without leaving the familiar confines of the Memorial Early Childhood Center.
The children spent several weeks learning about the solar system.
In addition to the eight officially recognized planets, Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune, the children also included Pluto, which was officially downgraded from planet status 20 years ago.
The kindergartners were “pretty much outraged’’ by the downsizing, kindergarten teacher Carly Paling said, and insisted that Pluto be included.
The lessons culminated with a special day known as Space Camp.
The day’s events showcased hands-on activities that brought the information they had learned to life.
Slime experiments taught about liquid properties in the segment dedicated to Mars. Children created craters with flour.
They painted “radioactive’’ moon rocks which in reality were of course totally safe, and ate freeze-dried fruit, similar to what might be found in an astronaut’s diet.
The students also took a ride on a space rover that bore a striking resemblance to a traveling cart. Interim Superintendent of Schools Michael Perrone even took a spin.
The space lessons and subsequent Space Camp take place each year, Paling said, but this year, the students had a special treat. The educational segment coincided with the real-life launch of Artemis, the first staffed mission to the moon in more than 50 years.
One lucky student was even in Florida to view the launch.
During their Space Camp celebration, the kindergartners were accompanied by high school students who may have experienced a sense of déjà vu. The older students attended Space Camp when they were a decade or so younger.
When camp concluded, participants of all ages received a NASA badge to reflect all they had learned.
They also had the chance to present their work to the School Committee at a recent meeting.
The effort takes work, Paling said, but the results extend far beyond textbook learning. The learning becomes “really hands-on and engaging.’’
“These hands-on events are what the kids will walk away’’ from and remember, she said.
“It really is an out-of-this-world day for the kindergartners.’’
