ART Update

Reaching for the Stars: Year 2’s Amazing Orrery Creations

The Year 2 students are currently in the exciting process of designing and creating their own Earth and Moon orreries as part of their Visual Arts and STEM learning.

Students have been learning what an orrery model is and how it helps us understand the movement of celestial bodies in space. An orrery is a model of our solar system that shows the Sun in the centre and the planets moving around it. Some orreries can even move using gears or motors, helping people better understand how planets orbit in space.

Throughout this project, students have been developing their creativity, design thinking, and scientific understanding by using a variety of materials to construct their models, including paper mâché to create celestial bodies such as Earth and the Moon.

Our learning goals include:

• I can explain what an orrery model is.
• I can design an Earth and Moon orrery.
• I can use different materials to build my model.
• I can use paper mâché to create celestial bodies like Earth and the Moon.

A special highlight of the unit was when Stella from Year 2SH brought along her LEGO Solar System and proudly explained to her peers how it worked. It was wonderful to see the students so engaged and excited about the history, function, and design of orreries while creating their own Earth and Moon models.

The students have shown fantastic curiosity, creativity, and enthusiasm throughout this learning experience