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Alice J. RamsayBS, Physics; MS, Electrical EngineeringLombard, ILWhen my daughterwas in preschool,she wasfascinated by my telescopeand astronomy magazines,but our library had practicallyno astronomy material forher age group. Her preschoolteacher agreed the kids hadan interest, but without theright materials it was easierto stick to fluffy bunny storybooks.She jumped at myoffer to talk to the class aboutastronomy.After researchingpreschool-level astronomy, Isettled on two topics: day andnight and naming the planets.The kids and I enjoyed it.It was successful enough toget me invited the next yearto talk to both the three- andfour-year-old classes.Eleven years of that hasdefined my mission: fillingthe astronomy void for kidsin third grade and under.Plenty of age-appropriate materialsexist for fourth gradersand up, so I focus on theyounger stargazers. I regularlytalk with the second andthird graders at my daughter’sschool. Using hands-onactivities, the second graderslearn the phases of the moonand how to recognize constellations,and third graders eagerlyhear about the life cycleof stars and what happenedto Pluto. That always comesup in the Q&A sessions.This year I added thepreschool and kindergartenat my church’s day care. Thepreschool kids were introducedto constellations withsewing cards, “star scopes,”and a make-your-own-constellationactivity. We readthe constellation stories aloudand decorated star cookies.I spent a week with the kindergarteners,talking aboutthe planets and space travel.We learned a planet song andbuilt a space ship and spacesuits out of grocery bags. Iread about dogs travelingthrough space. The last daywas a trip through the solarsystem. Each room in thechurch was a different planet.As we rocketed from oneroom to the next, we talkedabout what each planet waslike. The kids loved it andlearned a lot, too. When theysaw me coming they’d yellout, “Here comes the SpaceLady!”The teachers appreciatethe age-appropriate materialsand activities, and theytell me the kids can see mypassion. A bonus is that theteachers, too, have becomemore comfortable with thesubject. For years to comeI’m planning to find moreways to get kids excited aboutastronomy and science. rAnna M. Quider, PhDAAAS/APS CongressionalScience Fellow & 2012Quadrennial PhysicsCongress Workshop LeaderWashington, DCYou are just like Ms.Frizzle!” Anyone whohas been led on anadventure by the endearinglyenthusiastic and quirky scienceteacher from the MagicSchool Bus series would takethis as nothing but the highestcompliment. This is a loadedcompliment, though, whenit comes from the volunteercoordinator for the 2nd AnnualUSA Science and EngineeringFestival held in Washington,DC, on April 28–29, 2012. Andthat is how I found myself in aplanet-themed dress, Jupiterand Saturn dangling from myears, being Ms. Frizzle at theABOVE LEFTAlice Ramsay talksto four-year-oldpreschool childrenholding homemade”starscopes” aboutthe constellations.Photo courtesy ofAlice J. RamsayABOVE RIGHTAnna Quider asMs. Frizzle withScholastic’s MagicSchool Bus exhibitbefore the 100,000attendees arrived atthe USA Science andEngineering Festival.Photo courtesy ofAnna M. QuiderSpring 2012 Radiations 19