See the stars next week at Smith Valley School

A portable planetarium is coming to Smith Valley School next week.

The traveling Starlab planetarium will be on loan from Montana Sate University-Bozeman on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. Students and community members will be able to view and learn about astronomy in the 10 1/2-foot-tall dome.

The public is invited to schedule a time to view the Starlab from 3:30 through 7 p.m. Admittance will be scheduled in half-hour intervals.

Smith Valley first-grade teacher Melissa Martin is planning to speak on different topics each night: the constellations on Monday, Milky Way star field Wednesday and the celestial navigation of Lewis and Clark on Thursday.

Smith Valley students also will learn about Greek and American Indian star mythology during the school day.

The Starlab was brought to Smith Valley School through a $3,000 NASA grant awarded to Martin.

“I am to use it to share something with our community they would not normally participate in,” Martin said.

She also is using grant money to assemble a “space trunk” containing real space suits for students to try on.

Martin applied for the grant during a LiftOff Summer Institute she participated in where she compiled two binders full of more than 50 different science- and math-related lesson plans.

“We had speakers that came talking about space exploration vehicles, new robots being made, and we had an entire day learning how to incorporate science with math,” Martin said about some of the activities.

Martin initially received the email to apply for the institute by mistake.

“It was sent to me by pure accident,” Martin said.

She took a chance and applied.

“It took three hours to fill out. When I taught third grade I loved teaching the space units,” Martin said.

To schedule a time to visit the Starlab, call the Smith Valley School main office at 756-4535.

Reporter Hilary Matheson may be reached at 758-4431 or by email at hmatheson@dailyinterlake.com.