The October PlacenTinker kickoff was out of this world...literally! Our space-themed event began with the book Moustronaut by Astronaut Mark Kelly. Meteor, the space loving rodent, is the smallest mouse but the most hard working on his team. This little mouse models perseverance, believing in oneself, and Growth Mindset.

We expanded our conversation about Space to include the International Space Station. We talked about Mark Kelly’s twin brother Scott Kelly who was aboard the ISS for one year! We discussed the International Space Station’s unified work environment, with astronauts from around the globe collaborating and cooperating on their projects. Students were then charged with the task of creating a PlacenTinker Space Station for our favorite astronaut Peppy! They had to design and build a prototype of a Space Station while demonstrating empathy for Peppy. We used cardboard, aluminum foil, tape and pipe cleaners. As always, each team shared their space stations with the class and discussed their process and how their designs evolved.