Week 8: Asteroids, Comets, and Meteors –

Activities
Activity One: Comet Stories
Halley’s Comet last appeared in February 1986. Recall or image what you might
have been doing when it last streaked across the sky. Share your story with
family and friends.

Activity Two: Comet on a Stick

Make your comet fly around the room with this creative activity.

Materials
Chopsticks or a popsicle stick
Metallic ribbon (red, silver and gold)
Scissors
Tin foil

Instructions
1. Cut five pieces of ribbon: two long pieces, one each of silver and gold; two
medium pieces, one each of silver and gold; and one short piece of red. If
you want an extra-long tail, make the long pieces about three feet in length.
2. Tie your ribbons around the end of chopsticks or popsicle stick. Tie the knot
as close to the edge of the ribbon as possible to get the longest ribbon.
3. Cut three pieces of tin foil so they’re roughly square shaped.
4. Hold the ribbon pieces off to one side and father the one tin foil square
around the end of the stick where the ribbon is tied.
5. Form the tin foil into a ball while keeping the ribbon tail off to the side.
6. Repeat with the other two sheets of tin foil. Add more tin foil to create a
larger comet.

From NASA Science Space Place: Comet on a Stick. Visit the site for more
information and facts on comets.
Activity Three: Asteroids You can Eat!
Make delicious potato asteroids you can eat. A great activity for all ages!
Ingredients
 Potatoes enough to make 4 to 8 cups of mashed potatoes
 1 cup grated cheddar cheese (or cheese of preference)
 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) of butter or margarine
 Extra butter or margarine to grease the cookie sheet and, if you like, to melt
over the hot asteroids before you eat them.
Utensils
 Depending on how you make your mashed potatoes, you might need a pot
and a potato masher or electric mixer
 Mixing bowl and spoon
 Oven mitt or pot holders
 Cookie sheet
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 Celsius).
2. Take a little slice of the butter or margarine and rub it evenly on the cookie
sheet so the asteroid won’t stick.
3. Make the mashed potatoes. Make a lot (8cups) or a little (4 cups).
4. Add the cheese (if desired), butter, salt and pepper to the potatoes and mix
well. The mixture should stick together. If it’s too dry, add a little milk. If it’s
too moist, add a little flour (start with 2 tablespoons).
5. Take a handful of potatoes (about 1/2 cup or more) and shape it into your
own idea of an interesting asteroid shape. Use your fingers to poke dents in
it for craters.
6. Set the asteroid on the greased cookie sheet.
7. Use all the potatoes to make asteroids.
8. Put the cookie sheet full of asteroids in the hot oven for about 20 to 25
minutes, or until they are brown Using the hot pads or oven mitt, removed
the cookie sheet from oven.
9. Transfer the asteroids to serving plate using spatula.

Eat and enjoy.

From NASA Science Space Place: Make Asteroids You can Eat!