Resources
Astronaut Girl
School and Library Resources
Astronaut Girl and her crew are blasting off to your classroom!
Action-packed, easy-to-read stories are the stepping stone a child needs to bridge the gap between being a beginner reader and becoming fluent.
Dear Educator,
Val, aka Astronaut Girl, is on a mission to know everything about outer space! And she has no time to waste on fake science or made-up stories.
Her new neighbor, Wallace, loves imagining different worlds and characters – especially when they involve his favorite science fiction TV show.
The new friends disagree on many things, and they have a habit of wishing for different things at exactly the same time. This is the magic moment that catapults them into their outer space adventures.
Are these adventures real or imagined? No one knows, but the lessons the kids learn during their journeys always come home with them.
Invite Astronaut Girl and her crew into your classroom! Your students will have a blast — with a little help from science!
KEY THEMES
Astronaut Girl and her crew can inspire your students to discuss a variety of key topics:
*STEM/science
*Girl empowerment
*Teamwork/cooperation
*Diversity
*Creativity/imagination
*Friendship
*Writing and personal expression
Prompts for Classroom Discussion
Astronaut Girl #1: Journey to the Moon
*If you had the chance to visit the moon, would you rather practice your back flips or look for artifacts from Apollo 11? Or would you spend your time collecting moon rocks to bring home? What else would you do?
*Would you like to be an astronaut when you grow up? Why or why not?
*What did Val and Wallace do wrong that caused them to become separated? What could they have done differently? Have you ever gotten lost, and what happened?
*Have you ever tasted dehydrated astronaut food? What flavor would you take with you to space?
*If Astro Cat could talk, what do you think he would say about his time on the moon?
Astronaut Girl #2: Star Power
*Would you rather travel to the future (as the crew does in this book) or to the past (like in the first Astronaut Girl adventure)?
*In this story, Val uses her coding skills to save the day. What is your greatest skill, and how do you use it in everyday life?
*Which of the stars the crew visited was your favorite? Which of PRIMROSE’s voices was your favorite? What other funny voices could she have?
*Does your family ever tell stories like Wallace’s? If you got to tell a story at Wallace’s BBQ, what would it be?
*In this story, Zixtar’s tentacle saves the day. What is another useful tool you would like to add to Zixtar’s tentacles?
Astronaut Girl #3: Silver and Gold
*Do you think science will ever be able to turn things invisible (like the ship in this book)? If you could turn yourself or something else invisible, what would you do?
*Val loves the carnival ride in this story because it reminds her of her favorite thing: Outer Space! What’s your favorite thing, and what kind of ride would you like to go on based on that favorite thing?
*Is it possible to have more than one best friend? What happens when a friend moves away? Do you think Val and Carlos are friends at the end of the book? If so, how did that happen?
*Which do you like better, silver or gold? Or is another mineral or gemstone your favorite? Why?
*The Baby, Astro Cat, and Carlos have a dance party on the asteroid! Show us your best out-of-this-world space dance moves!
Class Project Ideas
Astronaut Girl #1: Journey to the Moon
Class science project: Build your own sextant
Class writing project: Keep a diary or create a graphic novel
Class art project: Build a superhero
Astronaut Girl #2: Star Power
Class science project: Map your favorite constellation
Class writing project: Have a storytelling day
Class art project: Fun with funny voices!
Astronaut Girl #3: Silver and Gold
Class science project: Bring in rocks from home and try to identify them
Class writing project: Write an essay about friendship
Class art project: Make mineral/gemstone jewelry