Fourth Grade

Shows

What’s Up?

Definiti Space Theater
Grades 2-5
25 minutes
IL State Standards Addressed: 11A, 12D, 12F, 13B

What's Up? is a highly interactive sky show designed by the Adler Planetarium for students in grades 2-5. This show, which replaces the Discover Our Universe Show, provides a lighthearted introduction to the processes occurring in the Solar System and how they affect our lives here on Earth. Using the awesome capacities of the digital Definiti Theater, students zoom from Chicago to other places on Earth, and around the Solar System, to address a variety of processes from day and night to planetary orbits. Students direct the travel to amazing places in our Solar System and beyond, by choosing from a variety of tools to observe common objects in the night sky. When viewed through the lens of the Hubble telescope or through the visor of a visiting astronaut, that "dot of light" in the sky may turn out to be something completely different and more beautiful.

Earth, Moon & Sun
Definiti Space Theater
Grades 3-6
25 minutes
IL State Standards Addressed: 12F, 13B

Explore the relationship between the Earth, Moon and Sun with the help of Coyote, an amusing character adapted from Native American oral traditions. Coyote has many misconceptions about our home planet and its most familiar neighbors. His confusion about the universe makes viewers think about how the Earth, Moon and Sun work together as a system. Native American stories are used throughout the show to help distinguish between myths and science. Learn why the Sun rises and sets and the basics of fusion and solar energy. Examine the Moon's orbit, craters, phases and eclipses. The show also explores past and future space travel to our Moon and beyond.

Undiscovered Worlds
Definiti Space Theater
Grades 3-12
25 minutes
IL State Standards Addressed: 12F

The Search is on for Undiscovered Worlds at the Adler Planetarium! Through the discovery of exoplanets—hundreds of planets found orbiting far-away stars— we have learned our solar system is not alone in the universe, causing us to redefine our understanding of planets and solar systems. With new instruments like the Kepler Telescope and rapidly improving technologies, the discovery of exoplanets puts us one step closer to finding an Earth-like world. Will this change how we view our place in the universe?

Technology Classroom Programs

Survival in Space: Human Space Exploration Technology Classroom Program
Grades 3-5
45 minutes
Maximum capacity of 30 students
IL State Standards Addressed: 11A, 12B, 12F

Space science meets human biology in this inquiry experience. What would it take for humans to live in space? Adler educators help students investigate the things we need to survive. Capping this experience, students explore each planet in our Solar System to see how much – or how little – they have in common with Earth’s environment. For example, is there water? What about an atmosphere? Students gather information at each planet to determine which are most hospitable to human exploration.

Guided Gallery Experiences

In Our Solar System Guided Gallery Experience
Grades 2-6
45 minutes
Maximum capacity of 30 students
IL State Standards Addressed: 12F, 13B

Enjoy a 45-minute guided gallery experience that highlights important aspects of the Shoot for the Moon and Our Solar System galleries. This guided gallery experience covers historical artifacts, as well as important people and inventions.

Exhibition Galleries

All of Adler Planetarium’s exhibition galleries offer engaging learning opportunities for students. We welcome you and your students into our exhibition galleries. We’ve highlighted some not-to-miss galleries that we think you and your students will find particularly engaging and fun!

Fourth Grade Exhibitions

Cyberspace
IL State Standards Addressed:12D, 12F, 13B, 16A

CyberSpace is an all-electronic exhibition gallery, distance-learning studio and computer education center that can be easily updated as discoveries in astronomy are made and new educational themes are selected.

Our Solar System
IL State Standards Addressed: 12C, 12D, 12E, 12F

Our Solar System gallery offers interactive exhibitions designed to help visitors explore the planets, moons, comets, and asteroids that orbit our Sun.

Shoot for the Moon Logo

Shoot for the Moon
IL State Standards Addressed: 11B, 12B, 12F, 13B

Shoot for the Moon consists of two galleries: A Journey with Jim Lovell and Mission: Moon. A Journey with Jim Lovell features highlights of Captain James A. Lovell, Jr.'s life and career, including his initial setbacks and ultimate triumphs. The restored Gemini 12 spacecraft is the centerpiece in a dramatic presentation of the culminating mission of the Gemini Program.

The exhibition contains artifacts from Lovell's personal collection, including his rejection letter from the NASA Mercury program, his collection of childhood memorabilia and Gemini 12 flight manuals. Mission: Moon tells the story of the destiny-changing accomplishments of the Apollo Program and how it became a springboard to the future. Visitors will re-live the thrilling and dramatic moments of the Apollo program during which America realized its goal of having a man walk on the Moon.

Telescopes Through the Looking Glass
IL State Standards Addressed: 12C, 12F, 13B

Telescopes: Through the Looking Glass presents the technology used to gather information about the Universe. Featuring some of the world’s most important telescopes and one-of-a-kind hands-on interactives, the exhibition explores the extraordinary beauty and technology of these amazing instruments and the objects they enable us to discover.

Universe in Your Hands

IL State Standards Addressed: 13B, 16A

The Adler houses one of the world's greatest collections of astronomy-related tools, rare books, photographs, early maps, charts, and star atlases. Universe in your Hands displays unique objects from a time when people believed the Earth was the center of the Universe. Since ancient times, people have looked at the heavens with awe and wonder, but they have also used the sky as an inspiration and resource for the entire spectrum of their lives. This gallery helps visitors understand the cultural significance of astronomy in societies around the world and over thousands of years

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