Elementary & Secondary Education Services
The Northcountry Planetarium at SUNY Plattsburgh is committed to promoting and providing quality astronomy and space science education for our local area schools.
Educational programming is available for all grade levels from pre-kindergarten through
high school. Our educational experiences typically combine topic-specific commercially
available productions with a seasonally appropriate narrated sky ephemeris that may
either be live or pre-recorded. Such a combination allows time for our staff to interact
with student patrons, while using the full capabilities of our star theater to produce
a realistic night sky as well as virtual journeys to celestial phenomena.
Please note that although our school programs are designed to be both academic-level and content specific, individual presentations vary slightly with the age, maturity and experience of each student group. Typical show runtimes range from 45 to 75 minutes.
For further information and details concerning typical grade-level appropriate topics, content and program length, please select the desired grade level below or call our staff at 518-564-3168 anytime Monday–Friday between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.
Educational Programs
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Pre-school & Kindergarten
Accidental Astronaut
(accompanied by a short seasonal sky ephemeris)
- Age Range: 4–6 years
- Running Time: 50 minutes
- Show Style: Commercial Animation Production; Pre-recorded Ephemeris
Join Cy and Annie as they accidentally find themselves on a wild adventure that takes them into space and around our Solar System. Watch as they visit the Moon and Sun as well as other Solar System objects. As they rocket through space, they also learn valuable lessons about perseverance, independence and self-esteem.
Please note that individual presentations vary slightly with the age, maturity and experiences of each group as well as the individual operator/presenter. Please allow additional time for Q & A as well as travel to and from your transportation.
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Grade 1
Little Star That Could
(accompanied by a short seasonal sky ephemeris)
- Age Range: 6–7 years
- Running Time: 55 minutes
- Show Style: Commercial Animation Production; Pre-recorded Ephemeris
As described by the FDDB, this show tells the “story of Little Star, an average 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, Little Star finds his planets. Each planet is introduced to your audiences with basic information about our Solar System.”
Please note that individual presentations vary slightly with the age, maturity and experiences of each group as well as the individual operator/presenter. Please allow additional time for Q & A as well as travel to and from your transportation.
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Grade 2
Perfect Little Planet
(accompanied by a short seasonal sky ephemeris)
- Age Range: 7–8 years
- Running Time: 55 minutes
- Show Style: Commercial Animation Production; Pre-recorded Ephemeris
As described by the FDDB, “Imagine the ultimate space vacation. Discover our solar system through a different set of eyes — a family from another star system seeking the perfect vacation spot. Fly over the surface of Pluto, our best known Dwarf Planet. Dive over the ice cliffs of Miranda. Sail through the rings of Saturn. Feel the lightning storms at Jupiter. And walk on the surface of Mars. Which destination would you choose? This is the solar system journey for space travelers of all ages.”
Please note that individual presentations vary slightly with the age, maturity and experiences of each group as well as the individual operator/presenter. Please allow additional time for Q & A as well as travel to and from your transportation.
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Grade 3 & 4
Part of the Sky Called Orion
(accompanied by a seasonal sky ephemeris)
- Age Range: 8–10 years
- Running Time: 55 minutes (3rd grade) – 65 minutes (4th grade)
- Show Style: Commercial Animation Production; Pre-recorded Ephemeris
As described by the FDDB, the Part of the Sky Called Orion “looks at the big ideas that have guided human understanding of the cosmos and its patterns in the sky.” The Bays Mountain narrators specifically demonstrate how three vastly different cultures; Greek, Egyptian and Inupiaq, all incorporate various stars that are found in the portion of the sky we commonly call Orion into their individual mythologies. Particularly appropriate for winter months when the stars of Orion are easily observed high in our southern sky.
OR
Planetary Visions
(accompanied by a seasonal sky ephemeris)
- Age Range: 8–10 years
- Running Time: 55 minutes (3rd grade) – 65 minutes (4th grade)
- Show Style: Commercial Animation Production; Pre-recorded Ephemeris
As described by Bays Mountain, Planetary Visions is “an adventurous tour of the Solar System — a perfect mix of fantastic fun and tack-sharp content. The big surprise is that the audience thinks they are receiving a standard star-ID with the current sky and planets, but then you’re interrupted by a video phone call that leads to space-age adventure!
A distinctive feature of this program is that it is fully interactive! The presenter converses with the main characters at key points to utilize the theater in your planetarium.”
Please note that individual presentations vary slightly with the age, maturity and experiences of each group as well as the individual operator/presenter. Please allow additional time for Q & A as well as travel to and from your transportation.
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Grade 5 & 6
Trip Through Space
(accompanied by a long seasonal sky ephemeris)
- Age Range: 10–12 years
- Running Time: 60 minutes
- Show Style: Commercial Production; Pre-recorded Ephemeris
As described by FulldomeFX, Trip Through Space “takes an exciting tour of several constellations found in the Winter evening sky, the Solar System, stars, nebulae, galaxies and much more.”
OR
Discover the Stars
(accompanied by a seasonal sky ephemeris)
- Age Range: 10–12 years
- Running Time: 55 minutes
- Show Style: Commercial Production; Pre-recorded Ephemeris
As described by Bays Mountain and FDDB, “On a clear, dark night, most of us, at one time or another, have gazed upon the stars and wondered about all those tiny points of light. Many of us are able to identify different patterns and constellations in the stars. But, what are those tiny points of light? This exciting program takes viewers beyond a simple observation of the night sky and delves into the fascinating lives of stars.”
Please note that individual presentations vary slightly with the age, maturity and experiences of each group as well as the individual operator/presenter. Please allow additional time for Q & A as well as travel to and from your transportation.
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Grade 7 & 8
Two Small Pieces of Glass
(accompanied by Losing the Dark & a seasonal sky ephemeris)
- Age Range: 12–14 years
- Running Time: 60 minutes
- Show Style: Two Commercial Productions; Pre-recorded Ephemeris
As described by FDDB, “Two Small Pieces of Glass — The Amazing Telescope, follows two students as they interact with a female astronomer at a local star party. Along the way, the students learn the history of the telescope from Galileo’s modifications to a child’s spyglass — using two small pieces of glass — to the launch of the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope and the future of astronomy. Aiming to engage and appeal to audiences of all ages, the show explores the wonder and discovery made by astronomers throughout the last 400 years.”
As described by Loch Ness & FDDB, Losing the Dark explores how “starry skies are a vanishing treasure because light pollution is washing away our view of the cosmos. It not only threatens astronomy, it disrupts wildlife, and affects human health. The yellow glows over cities and towns — seen so clearly from space — are testament to the billions spent in wasted energy from lighting up the sky. The International Dark-Sky Association introduces and illustrates some of the issues regarding light pollution, and suggests three simple actions people can take to help mitigate it.”
Please note that individual presentations vary slightly with the age, maturity and experiences of each group as well as the individual operator/presenter. Please allow additional time for Q & A as well as travel to and from your transportation.
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High School Grades 9 through 12
From Earth to the Universe
(accompanied by a seasonal sky ephemeris)
- Age Range: 14–18 years
- Course Recommendation: Astronomy, Earth Science, or Physics
- Running Time: 60 minutes
- Show Style: Commercial Production; Pre-recorded Ephemeris
As described by ESO and FDDB, “The night sky, both beautiful and mysterious, has been the subject of campfire stories, ancient myths and awe for as long as there have been people. A desire to comprehend the Universe may well be humanity’s oldest shared intellectual experience. Yet only recently have we truly begun to grasp our place in the vast cosmos. To learn about this journey of celestial discovery, from the theories of the ancient Greek astronomers to today’s grandest telescopes, we invite you to experience From Earth to the Universe. This stunning, 30-minute voyage through space and time conveys, through sparkling sights and sounds, the Universe revealed to us by science. From Earth to the Universe takes the audience out to the colourful birthplaces and burial grounds of stars, and still further out beyond the Milky Way to the unimaginable immensity of a myriad galaxies. Along the way, the audience will learn about the history of astronomy, the invention of the telescope, and today’s giant telescopes that allow us to probe ever deeper into the Universe.”
OR
Space Aliens: Looking for Life in the Universe
(accompanied by a seasonal sky ephemeris)
- Age Range: 14–18 years
- Course Recommendation: Astronomy, Biology, or Chemistry
- Running Time: 55 minutes
- Show Style: Commercial Production; Pre-recorded Ephemeris
As described by FDDB, “Join our alien ‘experts’ — Hopeful and Skeptical — as they try to convince each other whether or not life exists beyond the Earth. Follow their astrobiology arguments from the ocean floor to a journey across the galaxy!”
OR
Black Holes
(accompanied by a seasonal sky ephemeris)
- Age Range: 14–18 years
- Course Recommendation: Astronomy or Physics
- Running Time: 65 minutes
- Show Style: Commercial Production; Pre-recorded Ephemeris
As described by FDDB, “Black Holes takes you on a fully immersive journey through one of the most mystifying, awe-inspiring phenomena in the universe: a black hole. Where do they come from? Where do they go? How do we find them? Is there one on Earth’s horizon? What was Einstein’s connection to them?”
OR
Seeing
(accompanied by Losing the Dark a seasonal sky ephemeris)
- Age Range: 14–18 years
- Course Recommendation: Biology or Physics
- Running Time: 55 minutes
- Show Style: Two Commercial Productions; Pre-recorded Ephemeris
As described by ESO, “Follow the journey of a single photon as it is produced in a distant star, before traveling across the vast expanse of space to land on someone's retina. This fulldome planetarium show explores some of the fascinating processes of the cosmos, from astrophysics to the biology of the eye and brain. Funded through a generous grant from ZEISS, the show is narrated by astronomer and science communicator, Neil deGrasse Tyson.”
As described by Loch Ness & FDDB, Losing the Dark explores how “starry skies are a vanishing treasure because light pollution is washing away our view of the cosmos. It not only threatens astronomy, it disrupts wildlife, and affects human health. The yellow glows over cities and towns — seen so clearly from space — are testament to the billions spent in wasted energy from lighting up the sky. The International Dark-Sky Association introduces and illustrates some of the issues regarding light pollution, and suggests three simple actions people can take to help mitigate it.”
OR
Earth Science Curriculum
(accompanied by a seasonal sky ephemeris)
- Age Range: 14–18 years
- Course Recommendation: Earth Science or Astronomy
- Running Time: 60-120 minutes depending on desired content
- Show Style: Live presentation; Live or Pre-recorded Ephemeris
Demonstration and discussion of NYS Earth Science curriculum content; including an introduction to observational astronomy (stars, constellations and deep space objects and other celestial phenomena) as well as the fundamentals of apparent celestial motions (earth, sun, moon and stars). Please note that this program is still in development and is not available until 2020. Please call our NCP staff for further information.
Please note that individual presentations vary slightly with the age, maturity and experiences of each group as well as the individual operator/presenter. Please allow additional time for Q & A as well as travel to and from your transportation.