For many families these days, staying healthy and safe at home means figuring out ways to keep children constructively engaged.  As we remotely wrap up the second semester here at Bates, we share one example of student work that may help parents of fifth-graders do just that. It’s called Sky Tour, and it’s a board game based on the Fifth Grade Next Generation Science Standards for Astronomy.  We are grateful to Emily Bass, a member of the class of 2021 and creator of Sky Tour, for sharing the game with our network.

 “I created the game because I know that adjusting back to classroom learning is going to be really difficult for children after the pandemic. I think it’s really important that we create resources that make learning as fun and engaging as possible, and my hope is that this game will do that for Fifth Grade students. In the meantime, I also hope this game can be used as a tool for those who are attempting to homeschool their children, since the game is easily printable and takes just a few minutes to assemble.

As a student at Bates, my favorite projects have consistently been the ones that allow us to create something tangible for the Lewiston community. I’m so grateful for the opportunity to have been given a final project for Astronomy that encouraged us to try something new and to create something with children in mind.

I was never a confident science student as a kid, and to this day, I still shy away from STEM courses. I’m hoping that being able to use a board game for learning purposes will encourage students who might not always look forward to science to find this kind of learning more enjoyable.”

– Emily Bass ‘21

Click here to download Sky Tour materials.

Click here for an instructional video on Sky Tour.