For Teachers

Grades: K-8
Seasons: Year-round

Bring the stars to your school with the Wenatchee River Institute’s Traveling Planetarium. Witness the night sky during different times of the year, learn constellations and get to know our sun, moon and stars like never before. Each show is live and presenters can modify the program based on interest.

WRI's Traveling Planetarium dome transforms any space into an extraordinary immersive environment. The dome is made of a thick, durable fabric that is inflated within minutes with a portable fan. It is approximately 11 feet tall and about 20 feet in diameter and has a zippered doorway as an entrance. Approximately 25 people can fit comfortably inside. A video or interactive software is projected inside for a breathtaking night sky or journey through the solar system.

Curriculum is aligned with the following Next Generation Science Standards (dependent on grade level):

• 1-ESS1-1 Use observations of the sun, moon, and stars to describe patterns that can be predicted. 
• 1-ESS1-2 Make observations at different times of year to relate the amount of daylight to the time of year. 
• 5-ESS1-2 Represent data in graphical displays to reveal patterns of daily changes in length and direction of shadows, day and night, and the seasonal appearance of some stars in the night sky.
• MS-ESS1-1 Develop and use a model of the Earth-sun-moon system to describe the cyclic patterns of lunar phrases, eclipses of the sun and moon, and seasons. 

Considerations for the Traveling Planetarium Program at your school:

Timing:

• The earliest time available to begin is 9:00am to allow for travel and set-up.
• Sessions run 30-50 minutes which includes entering and exiting the planetarium. 
• For a full day of programming, there should be a half-hour break mid-day for staff lunch and for the planetarium to cool down.  

Location:

• It is approximately 11 feet tall (and would need a room with a minimum of 12 foot ceilings) and is about 20 feet in diameter. Please measure the space ahead of time. Schools have previously utilized the gym, band room, or library as suitable spaces to set it up. 
• It’s ideal if the temperature can be adjusted to a cooler temperature in the room where the planetarium is set up.
• Ideally, the planetarium will have its own room without other activities going on during planetarium presentations. This will assure that your classes have the best planetarium experience possible. 
• For presentations over multiple days, it is essential that the planetarium is in a secure space by itself where the room can be locked when the planetarium isn’t in use. 
• Please have the space swept, clean, cleared and ready for the planetarium the day before the planetarium visits. 
• WRI staff will set up a time to do a brief pre-program site visit to see the space (if necessary). 

Pricing:

• $640: Full day program (up to 6 hours of program consecutively plus a half-hour lunch).
  • Includes: pre-trip site visit (if needed), set-up, clean-up, and 6 hours of program (30-50 minute sessions).
• $500 for each subsequent full day.
• $350: Half-day program (~2 hours of program) 
• Note: The pricing is for locations that are within 60 miles roundtrip from WRI; there will be a surcharge for locations over 60 miles roundtrip.