Grade Level(s):  1 - 3

Program Length:  40 minutes

Program Description:
In this lively participatory program, characters come alive as the different colored stars of the nighttime sky and the planets of the Solar System are explored. During the show, the audience is introduced to Little Star a small yellow star in search for planets of his own to protect and warm. Along the way, he meets other stars, learns what makes each star special, and discovers that stars combine to form star clusters and galaxies. Eventually, he finds his planets and the students are introduced to each of his planets and learn some basic information about our Solar System.

Program Objectives:
Upon completion of this program, students will be able to:

1. Explain that stars are just like the Sun, but are located very far away, so they appear small;
2. Explain why stars have different colors;
3. Explain which star color is hottest, and which star color is coolest;
4. Identify the names and order of planets in our solar system;
5. Understand that only certain types of stars are just the right size and temperature to support life on any of their planets.

The Detroit Science Center and the Dassault Systèmes Planetarium are dedicated to assisting all educators in building and utilizing curricula based on the above-mention standards and benchmarks. Each of our school shows keep you and your students in mind. For The Little Star That Could, the Standards & Benchmarks addressed include:

Elementary School:
Constructing New Scientific Knowledge I-1,5
Matter & Energy IV. 1-1,3,4; 2-1;3-1,2,4; 4-3,4
Solar System, Galaxy & Universe V. 4-1,2