{"id":1154,"date":"2025-06-25T03:21:15","date_gmt":"2025-06-25T03:21:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/discover.hubpages.com\/education\/stars-comets-and-asteroids-lesson-plan"},"modified":"2025-06-25T03:21:15","modified_gmt":"2025-06-25T03:21:15","slug":"comets-asteroids-meteors-stars-constellations-hands-on-stem-lesson-plan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/shannon.wasmer.app\/?p=1154","title":{"rendered":"Comets, Asteroids, Meteors, Stars, &amp; Constellations Hands-on STEM Lesson Plan"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><time datetime=\"2025-06-24T23:21:15-04:00\" title=\"Jun 24, 2025\">Jun 24, 2025<\/time><br \/><a><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Sun cookies\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/archived\/27f389d239e83bd469c2ced122247d70.jpg\" style=\"max-height: 500px; width: auto;\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Sun cookies<\/p>\n<p>This is part 3 of a 4 part hands-on unit study on Astronomy. Make a comet, study and paint Van Gogh&#8217;s <em>Starry Night<\/em>, decorate a cookie to learn the parts of the sun, form asteroids out of mashed potatoes, assemble constellations marshmallows, and more! My lessons are geared toward elementary level children. These are lessons I created to do with a weekly co-op. We meet each week for 2 1\/2 hours and have 14 children between the ages of 1-13. <strong>Use these fun lessons with your classroom, family, after school program, or co-op!<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>*Tip:<\/strong> You don&#8217;t have to do everything we did. Feel free to pick and choose the activities and books that appeal to you.<strong>*<\/strong><\/p>\n<h2>Introduction &amp; Comets<\/h2>\n<p><a><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Comet C\/1995 O1 (Hale-Bopp) taken on April 04, 1997\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/archived\/de0159c4082ee8fc0b5afb5b5185848b.jpg\" style=\"max-height: 500px; width: auto;\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Comet C\/1995 O1 (Hale-Bopp) taken on April 04, 1997<\/p>\n<p>1) Discuss Psalm 147:4 &amp; Philippians 2:12-16a.<\/p>\n<p>2) Discuss comets and look at pictures by using a book such as Solar System Voyage by Serge Brunier or Comets and Meteors by Jeanne Bendick. You can <strong>share SOME of the below information<\/strong> that you think might be of interest.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Comets are in orbit around the Sun as are our planets.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>Comets are composed of ice, dust, and rocky debris. They&#8217;re sometimes called DIRTY SNOWBALLS.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>Comets have been seen for thousands of years. There are records of them from Ancient Chinese &amp; other civilizations. Haley\u2019s Comet comes every 76 years. Chinese stargazers recorded it 240 years before Christ was born.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>Name: Greek word kometes, means \u201chead of hair\u201d = star with a head of hair<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>Comets range from a few miles to tens of miles wide, but as they orbit closer to the Sun, they heat up and spew gases and dust into a glowing head that can be larger than a planet. This material forms a tail that stretches millions of miles.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>The current number of known comets is: <strong> 3,859<\/strong><\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>Comet orbits are elliptical; they orbit close and then far away to the Sun.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>Short-period comets orbit the Sun every 20 years or less. Long-period comets orbit the Sun every 200 years or longer. Those comets with orbits between 20 and 200 years are called Halley-type comets.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>When frozen, they are the size of a small town. When a comet&#8217;s orbit brings it close to the Sun, it heats up and spews dust and gases into a giant glowing head larger than most planets. The dust and gases form a tail that stretches away from the Sun for millions of miles.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>Comets have three parts: the nucleus, coma, and tails.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>The nucleus is the solid center component made of ice, gas, and rocky debris.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>The coma is the gas and dust atmosphere around the nucleus, which results when heat from the Sun warms the surface of the nucleus so that gas and dust spew forth in all directions and are driven from the comet&#8217;s surface.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>The tails are formed when energy from the Sun turns the coma so that it flows around the nucleus and forms a fanned out tail behind it extending millions of miles through space. (They probably don\u2019t have tails when far away from the sun.)<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>A comet&#8217;s coma and tail can be seen because sunlight reflects off the dust (in the coma and dust tail) and because the energy from the Sun excites some molecules so that they glow and form a <strong>bluish<\/strong> tail called an ion tail (burning steam) and a yellow one made of neutral sodium atoms (dust particles).<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>Are there any comets that might be visible this year? (Look online. You might be surprised! We did see one the last time I taught this.) *Be sure to look for comets because comets usually only appear once in your lifetime!<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>All of this reminds us of the glory of God &amp; how He formed the world to show us how Great He is. He gave us special gifts of light in the sky that reflect His bright, shining glory.<\/li>\n<p><\/ul>\n<p><strong>YOU WILL NEED:<\/strong> a book on comets such as Solar System Voyage by Serge Brunier (what I used) or Comets and Meteors by Jeanne Bendick<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>(Note:<\/strong> I do not teach that comets originate in the Kuiper Belt &amp; Oort Cloud. There is little evidence that new comets are being created. You can read Astronomy and the Bible by Donald DeYoung and\/or Exploring Creation Through Astronomy by Fulbright for more information.)<\/li>\n<p><\/ul>\n<h2>Comet on a Stick (3 options)<\/h2>\n<p><a><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Comet on a stick made using a tennis ball and curling ribbon on a wooden skewer\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/archived\/55763270fde6c93b532419f407b7cece.jpg\" style=\"max-height: 500px; width: auto;\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Comet on a stick made using a tennis ball and curling ribbon on a wooden skewer<\/p>\n<p><a><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Easiest: Comet on a stick made an aluminum foil ball and curling ribbon on a wooden skewer\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/archived\/7ba24acb45ded0078a628b479be39f0e.jpg\" style=\"max-height: 500px; width: auto;\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Easiest: Comet on a stick made an aluminum foil ball and curling ribbon on a wooden skewer<\/p>\n<p><a><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"This gives you a side view of the aluminum foil ball comet model so you can see the stick\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/archived\/2820faeea50895d4b21a6644c03dd617.jpg\" style=\"max-height: 500px; width: auto;\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>This gives you a side view of the aluminum foil ball comet model so you can see the stick<\/p>\n<p><a><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Most realistic: Comet on a stick made of frozen water with dirt with a craft\/popsicle stick\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/archived\/3f7870a2cdfc3f90e532d2eacaeaec0b.jpg\" style=\"max-height: 500px; width: auto;\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Most realistic: Comet on a stick made of frozen water with dirt with a craft\/popsicle stick<\/p>\n<p>3) <strong>Comet on a Stick: <\/strong>Simulate a comet orbiting the sun. Share <strong>SOME<\/strong> of the below information if desired.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Ahead of time create a comet for each student. (If you&#8217;re not limited by time, they can each create their own.) There are 3 options:<\/li>\n<p><\/ul>\n<ol>\n<li>Easiest: Crumble up a ball of aluminum. Tape streams of BLUE curling ribbon to the ball. If desired, insert a shish kabob skewer or dowel rod for ease of holding it.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>Most Realistic: Ahead of time put dirt in disposable cups (one for each student). Cover with water and stick a craft\/popsicle stick and BLUE curling ribbon in each cup. Freeze them. Remove the cups after they are frozen.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>Reusable: Cut a small X into a tennis ball. Insert a shish kabob skewer or dowel rod for ease of holding it. Tape streams of BLUE curling ribbon to the ball.<\/li>\n<p><\/ol>\n<ul>\n<li>Point out each of the parts of the comet and have the students repeat and touch the three parts: nucleus, coma, and tails.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>Have students walk in an elliptical (elongated or oval) orbit holding out their comets.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>Have someone be the &#8220;Sun&#8221; and stand in place with the hairdryer or pneumatic gun, blowing it at each comet as they pass by. This will allow for them to see the tail. The heat from the Sun warms the surface of the comet nucleus, which causes gas, ice, particles and rocky debris of various sizes to burst from the comet in all directions (called coma) and the solar wind causes these substances to flow back behind the nucleus to form a &#8220;tail&#8221; behind the comet. This tail flows in opposition to the Sun so that the nucleus is between the Sun and the tail.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>As it travels away, the lost influence of the Sun causes the tail to diminish or in this case, fall.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>The solar wind from the Sun, which is made of electrically-charged particles, uses electrostatic attraction and electrical transfer to form the comet&#8217;s gas and debris into a tail.<\/li>\n<p><\/ul>\n<p><strong>YOU WILL NEED:<\/strong> a hair dryer or pneumatic gun and a &#8220;comet&#8221; for each child (see above for options on how to make them)<\/p>\n<h2>Sample a Comet<\/h2>\n<p><a><img decoding=\"async\" alt='Sampling a \"comet\" made from ice cream and an Oreo cookie = Spoonful of ice cream (ice) dipped in crushed Oreo cookie (dirt) = coma &amp; spoon is tail' src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/archived\/18f7555054b9eeaf726bfc8cfad4c7c3.jpg\" style=\"max-height: 500px; width: auto;\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Sampling a &#8220;comet&#8221; made from ice cream and an Oreo cookie = Spoonful of ice cream (ice) dipped in crushed Oreo cookie (dirt) = coma &amp; spoon is tail<\/p>\n<p>4) Pretend to be an instrument on the <strong>Deep Impact Spacecraft called a spectrometer.<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Ahead of time sprinkle crushed Oreo cookies on top of vanilla ice cream. Don&#8217;t let students see you do this.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>For many years people wondered what comets were made of. Comets don&#8217;t stop moving and are VERY fast, so it&#8217;s difficult to get a sample to test it.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>NASA tried many methods to catch samples. One method was to catch particles of the comet in something called Aerogel, which is like really thick Jell-o.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>We&#8217;ve just received some samples of a comet. You get to pretend to be an instrument called a spectrometer on the Deep Impact Spacecraft. Your job is to determine what a comet is made of.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>Give each student a spoonful sample from the &#8220;comet&#8221; (the container of vanilla ice cream with crushed cookie on top) and decide what the &#8220;comet&#8221; is made of.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>The spoonful of ice cream = ice, crushed Oreo cookie = dirt, together they make = coma ,&amp; spoon = tail.<\/li>\n<p><\/ul>\n<p><strong>YOU WILL NEED PER CHILD:<\/strong> spoon, vanilla ice cream, crushed Oreo cookie, napkin<\/p>\n<h2>C-o-m-e-t Song<\/h2>\n<p>5) If you&#8217;re not limited by time, sing the C-O-M-E-T song (tune: B-I-N-G-O) (Revised from <a href=\"http:\/\/deepimpact.umd.edu\/educ\/storysong.html\">this C-O-M-E-T song<\/a>)<\/p>\n<p>Comets are very cold <em>(Cross arms in front of chest and shake like you&#8217;re cold)<\/em><\/p>\n<p>A &#8220;dirty snowball&#8221; I&#8217;ve been told <em>(Pretend to pack and then throw a snowball)<\/em><\/p>\n<p>C-O-M-E-T (3x)<\/p>\n<p>Comets are very cold <em>(Cross arms in front of chest and shake like you&#8217;re cold)<\/em><\/p>\n<p>The coma &amp; tails shine like gold <em>(Wiggle fingers in front of you like the tail)<\/em><\/p>\n<p>The sun makes their gases explode<em> (Raise up both arms to signal an explosion)<\/em><\/p>\n<p>C-O-M-E-T (3x)<\/p>\n<p>The coma &amp; tails shine like gold <em>(Wiggle fingers in front of you like the tail)<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Ice, dust, and rock to behold <em>(Hold out both hands with palms up)<\/em><\/p>\n<p>An elliptical orbit Halley&#8217;s Comet strolled <em>(Move index finger around in an elliptical shape)<\/em><\/p>\n<p>C-O-M-E-T (3x)<\/p>\n<p>Ice, dust, and rock to behold <em>(Hold out both hands with palms up)<\/em><\/p>\n<h2>Asteroids<\/h2>\n<p><a><img decoding=\"async\" alt='\"Asteroids\" (really just black pieces broken from my driveway) ' src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/archived\/0cd0c7867eaecefb67f2f659c648a38a.jpg\" style=\"max-height: 500px; width: auto;\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Asteroids&#8221; (really just black pieces broken from my driveway) <\/p>\n<p>6) Review planets and mention asteroid belt. Show pictures of asteroids using a book such as Solar System Voyage by Serge Brunier. Show some black rocks. (I used ones that used to be part of the driveway or road.) Mention <strong>SOME<\/strong> of the below information.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The Asteroid Belt may be there because there might have been a planet between Mars and Jupiter but it got destroyed. Many asteroids are made of the same material as rocks here on Earth. (You can read Exploring Creation Through Astronomy by Fulbright for more information.)<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>There are currently <strong> 1,269,310 known asteroids.<\/strong> The total mass of all the asteroids combined is less than that of Earth&#8217;s Moon.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>Most asteroids are irregularly shaped, though a few are nearly spherical, and they are often pitted or cratered.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>As they revolve around the Sun, the asteroids also rotate, sometimes quite erratically, tumbling.<strong> &#8212;&gt; <\/strong> *Demonstrate this by rotating around the rocks.*<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>More than 150 asteroids are known to have a small companion moon (some have two moons).\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Main Asteroid Belt:<\/strong> The majority of known asteroids orbit within the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. The belt is estimated to contain between 1.1 and 1.9 million asteroids larger than (0.6 miles) in diameter, and millions of smaller ones.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li><strong>Trojans: <\/strong>These asteroids share an orbit with a larger planet, but do not collide with it. The Jupiter trojans form the most significant population of trojan asteroids. It is thought that they are as numerous as the asteroids in the asteroid belt. There are Mars and Neptune trojans, and NASA announced the discovery of an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jpl.nasa.gov\/news\/nasas-wise-finds-earths-first-trojan-asteroid\">Earth trojan in 2011<\/a>.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li><strong>Near-Earth Asteroids: <\/strong>These objects have orbits that pass close by that of Earth. Asteroids that actually cross Earth&#8217;s orbital path are known as Earth-crossers.<\/li>\n<p><\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<p><\/ul>\n<p><strong>YOU WILL NEED:<\/strong> a book that shows asteroids such as Solar System Voyage by Serge Brunier. and black rocks such as ones that are part of a road or driveway<\/p>\n<h2>Meteors, Meteoroids, and Meteroites<\/h2>\n<p><a><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Testing rocks to see if they're magnetic\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/archived\/1056ecddb78a29762ae0d54cd9240041.jpg\" style=\"max-height: 500px; width: auto;\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Testing rocks to see if they&#8217;re magnetic<\/p>\n<p><a><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"stars-comets-and-asteroids-lesson-plan\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/archived\/911d1260a29597bf6f314468420675d1.jpg\" style=\"max-height: 500px; width: auto;\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>7) Show examples of rocks and the pieces of road\/driveway that LOOK like meteorites.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Meteorites are usually made of the same materials as rocks we have on the Earth, so they&#8217;re not easy to identify unless you&#8217;re in a place that they really stick out, like on the snow and ice of Antarctica or in the desert sands of the Sahara.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>Many meteorites are made of magnetic rock, so people looking for meteorites in Antarctica and in deserts in Africa will test rocks they find using a magnet. Allow students to test rocks using a magnet. (Make sure to have one that is magnetic.)<\/li>\n<p><\/ul>\n<p><strong>YOU WILL NEED:<\/strong> pieces of black &#8220;rock&#8221; such as pieces of a driveway or road (make sure one can crumble), a magnetic rock, &amp; a magnet<\/p>\n<p>8) Show how an asteroid breaks off after getting smashed by breaking off a piece of the road\/driveway &#8220;rock&#8221; and then toss it to the side as it flies through &#8220;space.&#8221;<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>What&#8217;s the difference? Meteoroids fly through the void of space. (Meteoroid rhymes with void.) Meteors shower into the Earth&#8217;s atmosphere. Meteorites land right on the ground. (Meteorites has the word &#8220;right&#8221; in it.)<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>Demonstrate these differences by breaking off another piece of &#8220;rock&#8221;.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>This piece of rock flying through the void of space is a meteoroid.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>Have it smash through a piece of plastic wrap (the Earth&#8217;s atmosphere). It&#8217;s now a meteor showering into the Earth&#8217;s atmosphere.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>Have it drop down onto the table. It&#8217;s now a meteorite because it landed right on the ground<\/li>\n<p><\/ul>\n<p><strong>YOU WILL NEED:<\/strong> piece of black &#8220;rock&#8221; such as pieces of a driveway or road &amp; plastic wrap<\/p>\n<p>9) Share <strong>SOME<\/strong> of the below information:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Meteoroids<\/strong> are objects in space that range in size from dust grains to small asteroids. Think of them as \u201cspace rocks.&#8221; It\u2019s flying through the VOID of space.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>When meteoroids enter Earth\u2019s atmosphere (or that of another planet, like Mars) at high speed and burn up, the fireballs or \u201cshooting stars\u201d are called <strong>meteors<\/strong>. Meteor shower.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>Sometimes meteors can even appear brighter than Venus &#8212; that\u2019s when we call them \u201c<strong>fireballs<\/strong>.\u201d Scientists estimate that about <strong>48.5 tons of meteoritic material falls on Earth each day<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>When there are lots more meteors, you\u2019re watching a <strong>meteor shower<\/strong>. Some meteor showers occur annually or at regular intervals as the Earth passes through the trail of dusty debris left by a comet (and, in a few cases, asteroids).<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>Meteor <strong>showers<\/strong> are usually named after a star or constellation that is close to where the meteors appear to originate in the sky.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>***Lyrids ***April 21-22 ***18per hour *** Comet C\/1861 G1<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>Most of this comet debris is between the size of a grain of sand and a pea and burns up in the atmosphere before reaching the ground. Sometimes, meteor dust is captured by high-altitude aircraft and analyzed in NASA laboratories.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>When a meteoroid survives a trip through the atmosphere and hits the ground, it\u2019s called a <strong>meteorite<\/strong>. It lands RIGHT on the Earth.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>Most space rocks smaller than a football field will break apart in Earth\u2019s atmosphere. Traveling at <strong>tens of thousands of miles per hour<\/strong>, the object disintegrates as pressure exceeds the strength of the object, resulting a bright flare. Typically <strong>less than 5 percent of the original object will ever make<\/strong> it down to the ground.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>These meteorites, pieces of meteors that are found, typically range between the <strong>size of a pebble and a fist<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>It can be difficult to distinguish a meteorite from an Earth rock by appearance alone in most parts of the world, but there are some special places where they\u2019re much <strong>easier to identify<\/strong>: deserts. In <strong>sandy deserts<\/strong> with large, open regions of sand and few rocks<strong>, dark<\/strong> meteorites stand out clearly. Similarly, meteorites can be much easier to spot in cold, icy deserts, such as the frozen plains of <strong>Antarctica<\/strong>. MOST probably fall into the <strong>oceans<\/strong> (Earth is 70% ocean)<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>Meteorites may resemble Earth rocks, but they usually have a <strong>burned exterior<\/strong> that can appear <strong>shiny<\/strong>. This \u201cfusion crust\u201d forms as the meteorite\u2019s outer surface melts while passing through the atmosphere.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>Most meteorites found on Earth come from <strong>shattered asteroids<\/strong>, although some come from Mars or the Moon. In theory, small pieces of Mercury or Venus could have also reached Earth, but none have been conclusively identified. Of these, <strong>99.8 percent come from asteroids<\/strong>. The remaining small fraction (0.2 percent) of meteorites is split roughly equally between meteorites from Mars and the Moon.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>Today, we know of about <strong>190 impact craters<\/strong> on Earth. One of the most intact impact craters is the Barringer Meteor Crater in Arizona. It\u2019s about 0.6 miles (1 kilometer) across and was formed by the impact of a piece of iron-nickel metal approximately 164 feet (50 meters) in diameter.<\/li>\n<p><\/ul>\n<h2>Nebulae<\/h2>\n<p><a><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Dust cloud smudge art\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/archived\/7674f58880dce9096b3ab8f154777018.jpg\" style=\"max-height: 500px; width: auto;\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Dust cloud smudge art<\/p>\n<p>10) Look at pictures from Hubble telescope &amp; quickly discuss nebulae by using pictures from a book such as Solar System Voyage by Serge Brunier.<\/p>\n<p>(Note: I do not teach that new stars are being created. Stars are dying, though. You can read Astronomy and the Bible by Donald DeYoung for more information.)<\/p>\n<p><strong>YOU WILL NEED:<\/strong> Pictures of nebulae from a book such as Solar System Voyage by Serge Brunier.<\/p>\n<p>11) Make dust cloud smudge art: On black construction paper, use pastels and smudge the colors so they blend together to look like a dust cloud. Dip toothbrush in white and\/or silver paint and make lots of star spots. Glue on some sequins. (From pp. 18-19 from Art Facts Space Art Activities by Polly Goodman).<\/p>\n<p><strong>YOU WILL NEED:<\/strong> sequins, white and\/or silver paint, black construction paper (1\/4 sheet of construction paper), glue, toothbrushes, &amp; pastels or chalk<\/p>\n<h2>The Sun (Our Nearest Star)<\/h2>\n<p><a><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Sun cookies\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/archived\/618d33822c44844036028abbf8504b9e.jpg\" style=\"max-height: 500px; width: auto;\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Sun cookies<\/p>\n<p><a><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"If teaching this to young PreK children, frost the cookies and lay out the decorations on napkins ahead of time.\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/archived\/ef2b0fa011e261bb934c57dedeac32c9.jpg\" style=\"max-height: 500px; width: auto;\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>If teaching this to young PreK children, frost the cookies and lay out the decorations on napkins ahead of time.<\/p>\n<p>12) Read parts of a book about the sun such as Sun by Steve Tomecek or The Sun by Jeanne Bendick.<\/p>\n<p><strong>YOU WILL NEED:<\/strong> a book about the sun such as Sun by Steve Tomecek or <strong>The Sun<\/strong> by Jeanne Bendick.<\/p>\n<p>13) <a href=\"http:\/\/sunearthday.nasa.gov\/2007\/materials\/solar_cookie.pdf\"> Decorate sun cookies.<\/a> <strong>Decorate 1 ahead of time <\/strong>to serve as a model.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>What does the Sun look like? Is it the same all over? Is it the same all the time? Show telescope images of the sun.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li><strong>Sun looks like huge WHITE golf ball (dimpled) <\/strong>but it has different parts. (If desired, show a golf ball.)<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>Spread white frosting on top of cookie. Shake some yellow and red sprinkles on the frosting = granular appearance of the photosphere.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>Place a few chocolate chips on = sunspots. Sunspots appear in pairs so put <strong>2 chips close<\/strong> to each other.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>Place a few pieces of red licorice = small arches. They can stand straight up or lie flat to protrude off the edge of the cookie = prominences. Prominences are generally found near sunspots, where the <strong>area is active &amp; has a stronger magnetic field<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<p><\/ul>\n<p><strong>YOU WILL NEED PER STUDENT:<\/strong> sugar cookie, white frosting, yellow and red sugar crystals (in baking aisle), short strips of red licorice string, miniature chocolate chips or brown miniature M&amp;M&#8217;s, spoon, napkin, &amp; cup for water (optional) + a golf ball (optional)<\/p>\n<p>14) Share<strong> SOME<\/strong> of the below information while they decorate and then eat their sun cookies.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The Sun is the largest object in our solar system. The Sun\u2019s volume would need <strong>1.3 million Earths to fill it<\/strong>. The Sun is about 100 times wider than Earth and about <strong>10 times wider than Jupiter,<\/strong> the biggest planet. If the Sun were as tall as a typical front door, Earth would be about the <strong>size of a nickel<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>Its gravity holds the solar system together, keeping everything from the biggest planets to the smallest bits of debris in orbit around it.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>The Sun is the <strong>only star in our solar system<\/strong>. It is the center of our solar system, and its gravity holds the solar system together. Everything in our solar system revolves around it \u2013 the planets, asteroids, comets, and tiny bits of space debris. The Sun doesn\u2019t have moons, but it\u2019s orbited by eight planets, at least five dwarf planets, tens of thousands of asteroids, and perhaps three trillion comets and icy bodies.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>Measuring a \u201cday\u201d on the Sun is complicated because of the way it rotates. It doesn&#8217;t spin as a single, solid ball. This is because the Sun\u2019s surface isn&#8217;t solid like Earth&#8217;s. Instead, the Sun is made of super-hot, electrically charged gas called plasma. This plasma rotates at different speeds on different parts of the Sun. At its equator, the Sun completes one rotation in 25 Earth days. At its poles, the Sun rotates once on its axis every 36 Earth days.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>The part of the Sun we see from Earth \u2013 the part we call <em>the surface<\/em> \u2013 is the photosphere. The Sun doesn\u2019t actually have a solid surface because it\u2019s a ball of plasma.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>Several spacecraft are currently investigating the Sun including Parker Solar Probe, STEREO, Solar Orbiter, SOHO, Solar Dynamics Observatory, Hinode, IRIS, and Wind.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>The temperature in the Sun&#8217;s core is about <strong>27 million degrees Fahrenheit<\/strong> \u2013 hot enough to sustain nuclear fusion. This creates outward pressure that supports the star&#8217;s gigantic mass, keeping it from collapsing.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>The Sun\u2019s activity, from its powerful eruptions to the steady stream of charged particles it sends out, <strong>influences the nature of space throughout the solar system.<\/strong><\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>Above the Sun\u2019s surface are its thin chromosphere and the <strong>huge corona (crown). This is where we see features such as solar prominences, flares, and coronal mass ejections<\/strong>. The latter two are <strong>giant explosions of energy and particles that can reach Earth<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>The Sun is a dynamic and active star. If you look at it with a telescope, or even with a pin-hole camera or special eclipse glasses, you can see features on the sun that are moving and changing. (Remember you should never look directly at the sun!)<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>Even when the Sun appears to be shining as brightly as ever to us, it sometimes has some dark spots. They\u2019re called <strong>sunspots<\/strong>. They can happen when the magnetic field of the Sun changes slightly in some places. These spots are a little colder and darker than the surrounding area.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>The <strong>sunspots<\/strong> can last for a few days or even a few months. During that time, they move across the surface of the Sun and change in size, growing and shrinking as they go. But the sunspots eventually go away.<\/li>\n<p><\/ul>\n<h2>Stars Introduction<\/h2>\n<p>15) Read parts of a book about stars: <em>Stars<\/em> by Steve Tomecek. If you are teaching preschoolers or kindergarten, read <em>Stars! Stars! Stars!<\/em> by Nancy Wallace.<\/p>\n<p><strong>YOU WILL NEED:<\/strong> a book about stars such as <em>Stars<\/em> by Steve Tomecek or <em>Stars! Stars! Stars!<\/em> by Nancy Wallace<\/p>\n<h2>Van Gogh&#8217;s Starry Night<\/h2>\n<p><a><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Starry Night\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/archived\/b12561ca627189bf8d2bb075eb32b8ae.jpg\" style=\"max-height: 500px; width: auto;\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Starry Night<\/p>\n<p>16) Ask what shape stars typically are (5 sided). What shape are they really? (a circle like our sun). Look at &#8220;Starry Night&#8221; from Van Gogh and discuss how he painted stars. <\/p>\n<p><strong>YOU WILL NEED:<\/strong> A copy of Starry Night by Vincent Van Gogh<\/p>\n<p>17) Paint your own version of &#8220;Starry Night.&#8221; Looking at the picture for a model, paint the concentric circles for stars. If desired, also paint the rigid-lined town below OR cut out pieces of paper as house shapes and paste them to the bottom of the painting. (from p. 47 of Discovering Great Artists by MaryAnn Kohl)<\/p>\n<p><strong>YOU WILL NEED:<\/strong> white, yellow, and blue paint (mix some white into the yellow &amp; blue to give you lighter shades), piece of black construction paper (1\/2 sheet of construction paper), paintbrushes, glue (optional), scissors (optional), &amp; scraps of paper (optional)<\/p>\n<h2>Constellation Finder<\/h2>\n<p><a><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"stars-comets-and-asteroids-lesson-plan\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/archived\/926228a69d44424e856c4d61b28e33e9.jpg\" style=\"max-height: 500px; width: auto;\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>18) Read short parts of books about constellations: The Big Dipper by Franklyn M. Branley, Once Upon a Starry Night by Jacqueline Mitton, and Zoo in the Sky by Jacqueline Mitton.<\/p>\n<p><strong>YOU WILL NEED:<\/strong> a book about constellations such as The Big Dipper by Franklyn M. Branley, Once Upon a Starry Night by Jacqueline Mitton, and Zoo in the Sky by Jacqueline Mitton<\/p>\n<p>19) Make constellation finder using the printables from the below Star Wheel.<\/p>\n<p><strong>YOU WILL NEED PER STUDENT:<\/strong> Copy of <a href=\"http:\/\/www.lawrencehallofscience.org\/starclock\/skywheel.html\"> the first two pages of this Star Wheel <\/a>(please cut out ahead of time) and tape<\/p>\n<p>20) Read Job 9:9 and Job 38:31-32.<\/p>\n<h2>Glowing Constellations<\/h2>\n<p><a><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"stars-comets-and-asteroids-lesson-plan\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/archived\/d70c85ed566f08e0f6ef47b33829a449.jpg\" style=\"max-height: 500px; width: auto;\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>21) If you are not limited by time, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.uen.org\/Lessonplan\/preview.cgi?LPid=2512\">Discuss &amp; demonstrate how stars in a constellation are actually far apart from each other: <\/a><\/p>\n<p>Ask if they think stars in a constellation are close together or far apart. Stars in a constellation are not all the same distance from Earth. Although stars in our night sky seem to be the same distance away from Earth, they are not. Most stars are trillions of miles away from Earth, and from each other. It&#8217;s just that stars are all so far away that our eyes can&#8217;t tell how much farther some are than others. Stars that form constellations are not usually close to each other. Choose 3 children to represent three stars in the handle of the Big Dipper. Give each child a flashlight. One child is Mizar (MY-zar) and is 78 light years away from Earth. Child #2 will stand two feet to the left of and two feet behind Mizar. He\/she is Alioth (AL-ee-oth) and is 81 light years away from Earth. Child #3 should stand five feet to the right of and six feet behind Mizar. He\/she is Alkaid (al-KAYED) and is 100 light years away from Earth. Turn off the lights. Have Mizar, Alioth, and Alkaid turn on their flashlights and point them toward the rest of the group. What do the children notice about the stars? Do the stars appear to be the same distance away? (The stars should appear to be close to each other). Why do they think this happens? Because stars are so far away from Earth, they appear to line up in the sky and form constellations. Stars in the Big Dipper are closer to each other than most stars are in other constellations.<\/p>\n<p><strong>YOU WILL NEED:<\/strong> 3 flashlights<\/p>\n<p>22) (If you have extra time) Go into a dark room (like the bathroom) and project a constellation globe OR read a glow-in-the-dark constellation book like The Glow-In-the-dark Planetarium Book by Annie Ingle.<\/p>\n<p><strong>YOU WILL NEED:<\/strong> a constellation globe or a glow-in-the-dark constellation book like The Glow-In-the-dark Planetarium Book by Annie Ingle.<\/p>\n<h2>Marshmallow Constellations<\/h2>\n<p><a><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Big dipper constellation using marshmallows\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/archived\/c16675d6fe728dfbe936f692928b9fac.jpg\" style=\"max-height: 500px; width: auto;\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Big dipper constellation using marshmallows<\/p>\n<p>23) Make marshmallow constellations<\/p>\n<p><strong>YOU WILL NEED:<\/strong> 1-2 boxes of toothpicks, 2 bags of miniature marshmallows (preferably colored), &amp; 5 copies of p. 2 printed from <a href=\"http:\/\/circle.adventist.org\/files\/nadscience5-8\/Print%20Materials\/ACTIVITIES\/ES-MARSHMALLOW%20CONSTELLATIONS.pdf\">p. 2 of this lesson that shows the constellation patterns.<\/a><\/p>\n<h2>Review Songs &amp; Lesson  <\/h2>\n<p><a><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"stars-comets-and-asteroids-lesson-plan\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/archived\/5dd1fcb5251ba57bcd4f719ef32cf158.jpg\" style=\"max-height: 500px; width: auto;\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<h3>We&#8217;ll sing these songs during our star gazing party at the end of our unit.<\/h3>\n<p>24) Review <em>Planets Go Spinning<\/em> song from the Solar System lesson.<br \/>(Tune: &#8220;When Johnny Comes Marching&#8221;)<br \/>(Revised version from Ranger Rick Naturscope: Astronomy)<br \/>The planets revolve around the sun in Orion&#8217;s Arm. (Flex arm muscle)<br \/>The planets revolve around the sun in Orion&#8217;s Arm. (Flex arm muscle)<br \/>The planets revolve around the sun (Twist index finger in a circle)<br \/>And spin on their axes every one. (Spin around in place)<br \/>As they all go spinning, (Spin around in place)<br \/>Around and around in the Milky Way. (Spin around in place)<\/p>\n<p>Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars (Terrestrial planets) (Hold up 1, 2, 3, &amp; then 4 fingers)<br \/>Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars (Terrestrial planets) (Hold up 1, 2, 3, &amp; then 4 fingers)<br \/>Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars, (Hold up 1, 2, 3, &amp; then 4 fingers)<br \/>All whirling and twirling among the stars (Spin around in place)<br \/>As they all go spinning, (Spin around in place)<br \/>Around and around in the Milky Way. (Spin around in place)<\/p>\n<p>Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune (The Gas Giants) (Hold up 1, 2, 3, &amp; then 4 fingers)<br \/>Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune (The Gas Giants) (Hold up 1, 2, 3, &amp; then 4 fingers)<br \/>We now have to leave Pluto out of this tune (Hold out both hands, shake head, &amp; frown)<br \/>As they all go spinning, (Spin around in place)<br \/>Around and around in the Milky Way. (Spin around in place)<\/p>\n<p>25) Review <em>Day, Night, &amp; Year<\/em> song from last week&#8217;s The Sun &amp; Moon lesson.<br \/>(Tune: The Farmer in the Dell)<br \/>(Revised version from Solar System in Motion)<br \/>The Earth rotates around, (Spin around in place)<br \/>The Earth rotates around,<br \/>Once a day, in 24 hours, (Tap wrist like you&#8217;re tapping a watch)<br \/>The Earth rotates around.<\/p>\n<p>The moon rotates &#8217;round the Earth, (Hold up 1 finger &amp; spin around in place)<br \/>The moon rotates &#8217;round the Earth,<br \/>Once a month, 29 days, (Tap wrist like you&#8217;re tapping a watch)<br \/>The moon rotates &#8217;round the Earth.<\/p>\n<p>The Earth revolves &#8217;round the sun, (Hold out one finger &amp; wave around in a large circle)<br \/>The Earth revolves &#8217;round the sun,<br \/>Once a year, 365 days, (Tap wrist like you&#8217;re tapping a watch)<br \/>The Earth revolves &#8217;round the sun.<\/p>\n<p>26) Five minute review of what we&#8217;ve learned.<\/p>\n<h2>More of Our Favorite Books on Space Rocks <\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Caroline&#8217;s comets : a true story by  McCully, Emily Arnold<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>What Miss Mitchell saw by Barrett, Hayley <\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>Look Up!: Henrietta Leavitt, Pioneering Woman Astronomer <\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>Annie Jump Cannon, Astronomer by Carole Gerber <\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>Finding the speed of light : the 1676 discovery that dazzled the world by  Weston, Mark <\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>Maria&#8217;s Comet by Deborah Hopkinson <\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>Meteors by  Stewart, Melissa<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>A math journey through space by  Rooney, Anne<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>Solar System Voyage by Serge Brunier<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>Comets and Meteors by Jeanne Bendick<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>Comets, meteors, and asteroids by  Simon, Seymour<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>Stardust from space by Grady, M. M.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>Solar System Voyage by Serge Brunier<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>Shooting Stars by Branley<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>The Magic School Bus Out of This World<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>The lonely existence of asteroids and comets by  Weakland, Mark<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>Discover space rocks by Nicolson, Cynthia Pratt <\/li>\n<p><\/ul>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><strong>Ready for the next lesson?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Making planet pizzas from Lesson 1 on the solar system\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/archived\/8214cadeae0c40f6d90df59f5646cc51.jpg\" style=\"max-height: 500px; width: auto;\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Making planet pizzas from Lesson 1 on the solar system<\/p>\n<p>Make planet pizzas as you study planets, form the lunar phases using Oreo cookies as you study the moon, study and paint Van Gogh&#8217;s &#8220;Starry Night &#8221; as you study stars, build and blast off rockets as you study space exploration, make presentations on individual planets, and more during this 4 part hands-on unit study on the solar system.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li> <a href=\"https:\/\/shannon.wasmer.app\/solar-system-lesson-plan-for-homeschool-in-astronomy-unit\">Solar System Lesson<\/a> &#8211; This is part 1 of a 4 part hands-on unit on Astronomy. Make planet pizzas, take a planet walk, and more in this exciting lesson on our fascinating solar system!<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/shannon.wasmer.app\/the-sun-and-the-moon-lesson-plan-in-homeschool-astronomy-unit-\">The Sun and the Moon Lesson<\/a> &#8211; This is part 2 of a 4 part hands-on unit study on Astronomy. Form the lunar phases using Oreo cookies, drop balls in flour to make a crater-filled lunar surface, recreate Galileo&#8217;s famous gravity experiment, and more!<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/shannon.wasmer.app\/stars-comets-and-asteroids-lesson-plan\">Comets, Asteroids, Meteors, Stars, &amp; Constellations<\/a> &#8211; This is part 3 of a 4 part hands-on unit study on Astronomy. Make a comet, study and paint Van Gogh&#8217;s &#8220;Starry Night,&#8221; decorate a cookie to learn the parts of the sun, form asteroids out of mashed potatoes, assemble constellations using marshmallows, and more!<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/shannon.wasmer.app\/space-exploration-lesson-plan\">Astronauts, Rockets, and Space Ships Lesson<\/a> &#8211; This is part 4 of a 4 part hands-on unit on Astronomy. Make rockets, try out astronaut tasks, make and eat a spacecraft, and more in this fun lesson on space exploration!<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/shannon.wasmer.app\/astronomy-presentations-and-field-trip-ideas\">Astronomy Presentations and Field Trip Ideas<\/a> &#8211; This is the culminating activity we did after a 4 part hands-on unit on astronomy. We held a star-gazing party and dinner. The children each presented on an assigned planet and they sang the astronomy songs we&#8217;ve been learning during our unit. Also included are the field trips we took during this unit.<\/li>\n<p><\/ul>\n<h2>Konos Curriculum<\/h2>\n<p><a><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Konos Volume 1\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/archived\/cd3621818171b6993c824d446fd23e04.jpg\" style=\"max-height: 500px; width: auto;\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Konos Volume 1<\/p>\n<h3>Would you like to teach this way every day?<\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.konos.com\/www\/index.html\">Konos Curriculum<\/a><\/p>\n<p>I use Konos Curriculum as a springboard from which to plan my lessons. It&#8217;s a wonderful curriculum and was created by moms with active boys!<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/homeschoolmentor.com\/\">Konos Home School Mentor<\/a><\/p>\n<p>If you&#8217;re new to homeschooling or in need of some fresh guidance, I highly recommend Konos&#8217; HomeSchoolMentor.com program! Watch videos on-line of what to do each day and how to teach it in this great hands-on format!<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u00a9 2011 Shannon<\/strong><\/p>\n<h2>What Is Your Favorite Constellation? &#8211; Or just leave me a note. I love getting feedback from you!<\/h2>\n<p><strong>Shannon (author)<\/strong> from Florida on October 18, 2013:<\/p>\n<p>@Babu Mohan: Thank you so much!<\/p>\n<p><strong>Mohan Babu<\/strong> from Chennai, India on October 14, 2013:<\/p>\n<p>A very refreshing perspective on solar system bodies like asteroids and comets.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Shannon (author)<\/strong> from Florida on November 11, 2012:<\/p>\n<p>@rtlmom: Thank you!<\/p>\n<p><strong>rtlmom<\/strong> on November 10, 2012:<\/p>\n<p>We are loving your astronomy unit.  So fun!<\/p>\n<p><strong>Shannon (author)<\/strong> from Florida on July 16, 2012:<\/p>\n<p>@antoniow: Thank you!<\/p>\n<p><strong>antoniow<\/strong> on July 16, 2012:<\/p>\n<p>Very interesting lens, great job! Squidlike<\/p>\n<p><strong>WritingForChange<\/strong> on May 16, 2012:<\/p>\n<p>Fantastic lens. I&#8217;d add &#8220;The Little Prince&#8221; to the book list for adding fun and a bit of whimsy to any astronomy based lesson. My homeschooled 11 year old also learns a huge amount from the Bad Astronomy website &#8211; run by an astronomer who teaches astronomy through talking about all the myths and unrealities perpetrated by TV, movies and other popular culture.<\/p>\n<p><strong>julieannbrady<\/strong> on March 10, 2012:<\/p>\n<p>Wow, I was wondering where you were going with the toothbrush and the hair dryer!  It&#8217;s great to have a level of creativity and interest to your lesson plans!<\/p>\n<p><strong>CruiseReady<\/strong> from East Central  Florida on November 29, 2011:<\/p>\n<p>Really cool demo using jello to show how aerogel works!<\/p>\n<p><strong>anonymous<\/strong> on June 02, 2011:<\/p>\n<p>Nice!<\/p>\n<p><strong>lasertek lm<\/strong> on May 16, 2011:<\/p>\n<p>Very informative and great looking lens. Awesome job!<\/p>\n<p><strong>anonymous<\/strong> on March 18, 2011:<\/p>\n<p>WoW! Such a wealth of information for all those interested in the heavenly bodies. Thanx a lot for the share.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Jun 24, 2025 Sun cookies This is part 3 of a 4 part hands-on unit study on Astronomy. Make a comet, study and paint Van Gogh&#8217;s Starry Night, decorate a cookie to learn the parts of the sun, form asteroids out of mashed potatoes, assemble constellations marshmallows, and more! My lessons are geared toward elementary [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1154","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/shannon.wasmer.app\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1154","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/shannon.wasmer.app\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/shannon.wasmer.app\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shannon.wasmer.app\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shannon.wasmer.app\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1154"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/shannon.wasmer.app\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1154\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/shannon.wasmer.app\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1154"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shannon.wasmer.app\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1154"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shannon.wasmer.app\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1154"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}