IMPORTANT INFORMATION
We adjust our program to meet the Science Standards adopted by your institution.
Our program is divided into three distinct phases!
PHASE I - We provide PowerPoint Pre-lessons with directions for the instructors to use prior to our visit. The PowerPoint is developed with specific grade levels in mind. It is designed to coincide with the date of the presentation in your institution. If you do not have access to Smart Boards you can print up hard copies of the PowerPoint.
PHASE II - We arrive at your building with our portable planetarium. Once inside the Dome, the children and their instructors are able to reinforce the concepts presented in the pre-lesson. The presentation is interactive and students get the opportunity to assist the presenter. See list of programs offered on next page.
PHASE III - We provide culminating activities which further enhance the planetarium experience. The activities are both fun and educational.
We can do up to six presentations per day. For younger children the presentations would be about 30 minutes in duration. The length of the presentation increases as the grade levels advance.
Our program is also ideal for after school programs and in camp settings.
We are a Certified Business and Fully Insured!
Hi Matt,
I want to thank you for the wonderful program that you showed to our about the stars, galaxies etc. I especially appreciate the fact that although the electrical issue was ours you came back so that the one class that missed the presentation could see it in its entirety. Very few businesses would be so understanding and accommodating.
Thank you for your professionalism, extensive knowledge and your ability to work with children age 4 through 12.
Rosemary Schutz
Principal
Highlands Elementary School
State of NJ Lighthouse Award Recipient
Pride, Tradition, Excellence
December , 2017
The School Eight students and staff had an incredible experience with the Starlab Portable Planetarium System.Thanks to this fantastic presentation, our students were able to explore the evening sky right from our school; their joy and enthusiasm were truly infectious!
Wendy Munoz
Principal
School 8 Learning is great at school Eight
#One-Clifton
Clifton Public Schools
October, 2023
Article found in NJ.com April 17, 2017
Traveling planetarium visits kids at Union elementary school
Our program is divided into three distinct phases!
PHASE I - We provide PowerPoint Pre-lessons with directions for the instructors to use prior to our visit. The PowerPoint is developed with specific grade levels in mind. It is designed to coincide with the date of the presentation in your institution. If you do not have access to Smart Boards you can print up hard copies of the PowerPoint.
PHASE II - We arrive at your building with our portable planetarium. Once inside the Dome, the children and their instructors are able to reinforce the concepts presented in the pre-lesson. The presentation is interactive and students get the opportunity to assist the presenter. See list of programs offered on next page.
PHASE III - We provide culminating activities which further enhance the planetarium experience. The activities are both fun and educational.
We can do up to six presentations per day. For younger children the presentations would be about 30 minutes in duration. The length of the presentation increases as the grade levels advance.
Our program is also ideal for after school programs and in camp settings.
We are a Certified Business and Fully Insured!
Hi Matt,
I want to thank you for the wonderful program that you showed to our about the stars, galaxies etc. I especially appreciate the fact that although the electrical issue was ours you came back so that the one class that missed the presentation could see it in its entirety. Very few businesses would be so understanding and accommodating.
Thank you for your professionalism, extensive knowledge and your ability to work with children age 4 through 12.
Rosemary Schutz
Principal
Highlands Elementary School
State of NJ Lighthouse Award Recipient
Pride, Tradition, Excellence
December , 2017
The School Eight students and staff had an incredible experience with the Starlab Portable Planetarium System.Thanks to this fantastic presentation, our students were able to explore the evening sky right from our school; their joy and enthusiasm were truly infectious!
Wendy Munoz
Principal
School 8 Learning is great at school Eight
#One-Clifton
Clifton Public Schools
October, 2023
Article found in NJ.com April 17, 2017
Traveling planetarium visits kids at Union elementary school
Pictured with Matthew Meyer is Caroline Laverty, Joshua and Elena Jensen, fourth grader. Julia Laverty, third grader. Lola Parades, second grader. Sofia Carreto and Gabriela Caixhina, first graders. Leila Parades , Alexandra Caixhina and Patrick Laverty, Kindergarteners. (Courtesy of Alison Brehm)
"I didn't know you could see so much in the night sky with the naked eye," said fourth grader Aidan Nason . "I thought I needed a telescope to see everything, but you can see planets with your own two eyes!"
Battle Hill students in Union, grades kindergarten through fourth grade, were treated to a "night sky" experience when Matthew Meyer visited the school with his Starlab Portable Planetarium System. He brought the universe to the students with an onsite fieldtrip, courtesy of the Battle Hill PTA.
Meyer, a Union resident and former educator, visits schools in New Jersey, parts of New York, Connecticut and Pennsylvania to share his passion of astronomy and space with his company "What's Out There...LLC.". The Starlab Portable Planetarium System is also ideal for after school programs and camp settings.
According to Alison Brehm, fourth-grade teacher at Battle Hill, students and teachers alike were mesmerized at the giant planetarium they saw as they entered the auditorium. It immediately grabbed their attention and the excitement in the room began to buzz. "What's Out There...LLC" has three distinct phases of their program, Brehm explained.
During Phase One, Meyer provided power point presentations for the teachers, each developed for the different grade levels which would be attending the presentation. These pre lessons were provided with talking points to give the students prior knowledge before visiting the planetarium.
For Phase Two, Meyer brought the giant dome to Battle Hill. Although Meyer has a smaller dome for smaller venues, the one he brought to Battle Hill had a diameter of 22 feet and stands almost 14 feet high. The giant dome can hold up to 60 people at a time, so two classes attended the 45-minute presentation over two days. Once inside the Dome, the students were able to reinforce the concepts presented in the pre lesson. The presentation was interactive and the students had the opportunity to assist Meyer.
Phase 3 provided culminating activities that further enhanced the planetarium experience. The activities were fun and educational. Brehm said Meyer's passion and enthusiasm was evident from the moment he began to speak to the students. He immediately engaged them by asking questions and listening to what they knew about the solar system and what they wanted to know. Students were engrossed once they entered the dome.
Inside the planetarium, students were shown the planets, moons, constellations, and other celestial objects as they appear in the evening sky. Meyer pointed out Venus to the students and explained that it was the last week to see Venus at night. He also pointed out Mars, Jupiter and Saturn. He taught them how to use the Big Dipper to find the North Star. For the older students he spoke about Greek Mythology and the different animals you can locate in the night sky. The students were captivated at the images projected in the planetarium.
"The presentation was very interesting," said fourth grader Sophia Weiss. "The constellations were the most interesting part. It was really cool that they form so many different animals and that the stars are so many different colors based on their age."
"What's Out There...LLC" presentations also include Native American Mythology and African Mythology. Native American Mythology explains how they perceived the origins of the Earth and Sky. While the African Mythology focuses on the difference in the sky seen in the Northern Hemisphere. Meyer selects his presentations for each venue based on grade level, curriculum support needs and student interest.
Meyer began this company because of the inspiration provided by his father. He's always had an enthusiasm for learning from a young age. With his presentations, he hopes to stimulate a love of learning, for all subject matter, but especially astronomy. Knowing students go home and are excited to share their day with their family is one of the most rewarding parts of his job. His hope is to inspire future astronomers and inspire an appreciation of astronomy and a genuine curiosity about the world around them.
"I learned so much about the solar system," said fourth grade student Samantha Dos Santos. "I didn't know that Jupiter was a gas planet."
The students and staff were grateful that the PTA provided such a wonderful experience for the Battle Hill Community. They look forward to his visits for years to come!
Visit www.starstogo.net for additional information or contact Matthew Meyer via email at WhatsOutThereLLC@gmail.com.
This item was submitted by Alison Brehm, 4th Grade Teacher.