Space Place

Group Visits

We regret that we are not able to schedule group visits at this time.  This page will be updated when we able to resume group visits.

The UW Space Place presents a variety of workshops for school groups, clubs, and special interest groups in astronomy and space science. Each workshop is taught in a classroom style with a completed project for each child to take home. The workshops have been divided into recommended grade levels so that the workshop content will be age-appropriate. The workshop is about an hour in length; however, plan on a visit of an hour and a half in order to see the exhibits and enjoy more of the UW Space Place.

Reservations for Space Place workshops will be accepted for groups of up to 30 people. The fee for each workshop is $3.00 per student (there is no charge for adults/chaperones) with a minimum fee of $45 (15 people). You may schedule a workshop for less than 15 students but you will be required to pay the minimum fee.

We often get inquiries regarding birthday parties. We do not host birthday parties but you are welcome to schedule a workshop as part of the celebration. However, you would have to find another location for opening presents and/or offering food.

Myths of the Constellations: Grade K-2, 3-5, or 6-8

Learn what constellations are visible in the night sky and how to find them. Students will have the opportunity to hear Greek and Native American myths about several of the constellations. We do not have a planetarium but use a software program to simulate the current sky.

Grades K-2 make a “star umbrella” showing five constellations visible to us throughout the year.

Grades 3-5 make an adjustable star chart that can be set for any time of night on any day of the year to compare the sky in different seasons.

Grades 6-8 learn to use their own star and planet locator (by Edmund Scientific) to find the location of stars, constellations, and planets for the specified hour and date.

Comets in the ClassroomA woman smiles at a plate with a science experiment on it.

Grade K-2 or 3-5

Comets are often called “dirty snowballs”. Find out where comets are in the solar system, what materials are in a comet, and the difference between comets and meteors. During the workshop, we will make the nucleus of a comet out of common materials such as dry ice, dirt, and water.

Grades K-2 make their own comets out of cotton and crepe paper.

Grades 3-5 make a comet “flip book” to illustrate the orbit of a comet.

Three people stand in the front of the image, with a cut out of an astronaut in the background, someone sticking their head through the astronaut head.Space Travel: Grades K-2, 3-5, or 6-8

What would it be like to live in a place where everything floats? How do astronauts eat, sleep, or even take a bath? Students discuss living in microgravity and why astronauts float in space.

Grades K-2 cut out and assemble a flat model of the Space Shuttle.

Grades 3-5 make a flying model of the orbiter of the Shuttle.

Grades 6-8 use the principle of action/reaction to make a spinning balloon rocket.

Phases of the Moon: Grades 3-5Kids sit on the floor coloring sheets on paper.

Students discuss the order and names of the moon’s phases and explore how the moon’s position relative to the Earth creates the phases. With simple materials, students also make their own model of the phases of the moon.

Small Group Workshop: Worlds in Comparison

Two kids sit around a table playing with clay, smiling and looking into the camera.

This workshop is designed for groups of 30 students or less in grades 3-5 and 6-8. The fee is $3 per student.

This activity allows students to develop an understanding of the relative sizes (volumes) of the planets in our solar system. Students start with a big ball of playdough and divide it up following instructions. When they are done, they see how the planets vary in size. By the time they get to tiny Pluto, they are always amazed!