I can't think of anything much more exciting for a young child who is crazy about reading, space, and astronauts than to be read to by an astronaut who is in space!
Did you know that's a thing? Because I didn't. So I'm pretty excited about the new website, Story Time from Space, from the Global Space Education Foundation. They send STEM-related children's books (most of them about space) to the International Space Station (ISS), where astronauts film themselves reading the books. Those videos are then edited and uploaded to the Story Time from Space website for everyone to enjoy! So far, I've counted 20 books that have been read aloud and uploaded.
The astronauts on the ISS are also conducting experiments that reflect or reinforce the concepts in these books. You can find some of the ones that they've already completed under the Science Time Videos tab in the menu bar.
The Global Space Education Foundation is also working on curricula and activity guides to complement these books. The first one - Newton's Law of Motion - is available for sale on the website.
They've even posted their first video in Spanish with astonaut Joseph Acaba (the first Puerto Rican astronaut!) reading Max viaja a Marte from the Japanese laboratory in the International Space Station.
Another Hispanic reading in space is Serena Maria Auñón-Chancellor (a Cuban-American astronaut) reading Luciana, Braving the Deep. What I enjoyed most about this particular video was how she paused here and there to give commentary about something in the story and how it relates to the work that the astronauts do on the space station.
If you want to learn more, follow Story Time from Space on Facebook. I just did!
I mean, really, how is this not the most fantastic thing? It's perfect for families, educators, or both (homeschoolers).