How to Build an Indoor Planetarium

Bring ninth grade textbook lessons to life with a variety of engaging physical science projects. You can create hands-on interactive activities as a classroom or in small groups. The study of physical science includes the topics of astronomy, weather patterns, animals, plants and the human body. Teachers can incorporate science projects into corresponding textbook material while adhering to mandated curriculum standards.

Lesson Plans

Transport your class to the final frontier with an indoor planetarium project. Although students can learn about the constellations and related Greek mythology from reading material, the stars themselves can never be viewed and discussed during the school day. Simulate the night sky with a project designed to meet four separate educational objectives. During the course of the week-long project, students will use research skills, identify constellations, make a planetarium model and discover specific mythology stories related to each star.

Project Supplies

Once you have written your lesson plans and covered necessary textbook material, you will need to gather the model building supplies. You will need four strips of black plastic sheeting 6 millimeters thick and ten feet long. The material is commonly available at hardware stores. Black trash bags can be used as a substitute but will need to be taped together firmly to reach the desired length. You will also need a box fan, clear packing tape, chalk or glow-in-the-dark paint, laser pointer, kitchen sheers, yardstick, nails and full soup cans.

Building the Planetarium

After the students have studied a specific constellation either individually or as a small group you can begin building your classroom indoor planetarium. The plastic typically comes in ten-foot wide sections, so you will need to cut it into four foot wide strips. Allow the students to aid in the construction the planetarium as much as possible. Once you have the strips cut, lay two pieces side-by-side with a slight overlap and attach with the clear packing tape. The material will become the planetarium floor. Repeat this step to make the planetarium ceiling and set aside.

Making the Constellations

Students will use the masking tape to represent the starts of their constellation. The tape can simply be torn into small squares with a nail pushed through the center representing the star. Students could also fold the tape over plastic star shape with enough adhesive hanging on all sides to affix it to the planetarium ceiling. Draw the North Star with chalk or glow-in-dark paint on the planetarium ceiling. Students will need to arrange their constellation in relation to the North Star's position on the ceiling before the planetarium pieces are attached together.

Set-Up and Use

Students will be needed to help you carefully place the planetarium ceiling on top of the floor material and tape firmly together. Tape your remaining black plastic around the box fan and cut a hole no larger than two feet in diameter on the side portion of the planetarium. The plastic dangling off the fan needs to be inserted into the hole and taped securely in place. Set the full soup cans on around the edges of the planetarium to help keep the bottom in place. Cut a narrow slit into the front portion of the planetarium to serve as an entrance. Turn the fan on and carefully climb inside with the students. You can use the laser pointer to identify each constellation and have the students share what they learned through their research.