Ever wonder what it’s like to go to the Moon? The award winning children’s book, “Max Goes to the Moon” by Dr. Jeffrey Bennett, takes the audience on such an adventure. In this first book of the Max Science Adventure series, Max (the dog) and a young girl named Tori take the first trip to the Moon since the Apollo era. Along the way, the story sets the stage for the more sophisticated science including “Phases of the Moon,” “Wings in Space?,” and “Frisbees and Curve Balls on the Moon” — all thoughtfully explained so that grownups and children can learn together about science. Toward the end, Max and Tori’s trip proves so inspiring to people back on Earth that all the nations of the world come together to build a great Moon colony from which “the beautiful views of Earth from the Moon made everyone realize that we all share a small and precious planet.”
On February 24, 2011, the Space Shuttle Discovery launched on its final mission. Astronaut Alvin Drew took along the Max Science Adventure books on this mission, so that he could read them to children while orbiting Earth. To our knowledge, this made them the first children’s books ever to be read out loud from space!
Astronaut Alvin Drew reads Max Goes to the Moon during STS-133, the final mission of the Space Shuttle Discovery.
The book has already received many accolades, including:
WINNER — Young Voices Foundation Silver Award, Children’s Picture Book (Legacy) 2009
WINNER — Creative Child Magazine Preferred Choice Award, Educational Book 2009
WINNER — Colorado Book Award, Best Children’s Book 2004
WINNER — Parents’ Choice Recommended Award 2004
National Science Teachers Association Recommends List, Grades K-8
NASA Outstanding Educational Product
The story of Max the dog and his adventure to and from the Moon with his friend Tory was adapted to a planetarium show! Coupled to this great story is a lot of very interesting science geared for children in grades K-5. The science content in the NLSI-funded planetarium show was also designed to fit the current Colorado education standards.
The adaptation of “Max Goes to the Moon” is a great new show for kids, families, and school groups. The show is currently playing at Fiske Planetarium in Boulder, Colorado. The Max Goes to the Moon planetarium show premiered with special guest astronaut Alvin Drew for two sold-out shows on March 16 & 17, 2012.
Now you can stream a flat screen version of the show for your school or home enjoyment! [269 MB .MP4]
School groups interested in a special showing should contact Fiske by phone (303-492-5002) or e-mail (firstname.lastname@example.org). Planetariums wishing to obtain the show for their own theaters should contact Matt Benjamin or Tito Salas at Fiske Planetarium by calling 303-492-5002. The show will also be available in Spanish by early 2013.
Name: Fiske Staff
For more information, visit: http://www.bigkidscience.com/max_moon.html
Posted by: Soderman/NLSI Staff
Source: NLSI Team