"Live" shows have a staff member as narrator and allow for interaction. A "multimedia" show involves a soundtrack. "Films" utilize our 35mm film projector which displays a picture two-stories tall! Note that some programs may not be available at certain times. See the show descriptions for availability. You can also choose any current shows being offered to the public.

             Grade level:

• Pre 2
• 3+
• 4+
• Pre 5
• 5+
• 6+
• 7+
• Kindergarten 3
• Kindergarten 5
• Films

Sun, Moon, and Stars	Pre-2	Live Narrated	Sun, Moon, and Stars Guide
The youngest stargazers are introduced to the spinning Earth and the night sky, plus pay a visit to the Moon. "Sun, Moon, and Stars" was designed for first grade teachers in the Unit 4 district who use the unit of the same name. The program content can be altered to support your classroom instruction.
Shapes in the Sky	Pre-2	Live Interactive	Shapes in the Sky Guide
A "mini-version" of our popular 'Prairie Skies" program where children first discuss various shapes and then try to find them in the current night sky
Zubenelgenubi's Magical Sky	Pre-2	Live/Multimedia	Zubenelgenubi's Magical Sky Guide
Our program for young skywatchers features Zubenelgenubi and friends Tracy, Hydro, plus the Sun and Moon. Characters come alive as the daytime and nighttime sky are explored. Written by the Great Lakes Planetarium Association.  This show will be unavailable beginning May, 2008.
In My Backyard	Pre-2	Multimedia	In My Backyard Guide
Lets explore the night sky from our own backyards! Through the use of storytelling, poetry, and songs, children are encouraged to participate in the show while learning about the seasons, Ursa Major, planets, meteors, and the Moon. Narrated by Fred Penner.
Larry Cat in Space	Pre-2	Multimedia	Larry Cat in Space Guide
Larry stows away in his master's baggage and becomes the first cat on the Moon. What problems will Larry encounter, first as a weightless cat and later as a lunar lightweight?
Santa's Secret Star	Pre-2	Multimedia
How will Santa find his way home? You, too, can find Santa's secret star in the sky in this holiday show about the winter sky. Learn about the North Star and how the sky changes as we travel northward. Available in November and December only.
Space Pioneers	2-4	Live Narrated	Space Pioneers Guide
Witness Moon phases and planet motions, and learn about the pioneers of astronomy who explained these motions. Through the eyes of astronauts and other explorers, students learn about the Earth-Moon system and envision their roles as future space pioneers.
Prairie Skies	3 and up	Live Narrated	Prairie Skies Guide
Locate planets and constellations in our current night sky while hearing legendary stories of the heavens. What star groups and planets will we see tonight?
Reasons for the Seasons	3 and up	Live Interactive	Reasons for the Seaons Guide
Examine why we have seasons by watching the apparent motion of the Sun throughout the year and how its changing altitude affects our climate. If time permits, we then travel to the North Pole and the equator to see how the climate is affected by the Sun. An excellent companion to our film entitled "Seasons!"
Odyssey	3 and up	Multimedia	Odyssey Guide
Beginning with human curiosity about the sky, you will visit the planets in our Solar System and then travel out to the stars. Encounter galaxies, black holes, an exploding star, and the "Big Bang." Our first feature and still one of our best. (This feature should not be seen in combination with Planet Search or Star Journey.)
Rites of the Season	3 and up	Multimedia	Rites of the Season Guide
Available In December only. Explore our winter sky and the traditions of the holiday season. Learn the origins of our celebrations of Christmas, New Year's Day, Hanukkah, and the Winter Solstice.
The Stargazer	4 and up	Multimedia	The Stargazer Guide
Come along on a journey to the stars with University of Illinois astronomy James B. Kaler in a new program written and produced by the Great Lakes Planetarium Association. Nichelle Nichols (from the original "Star Trek") and Dr. Kaler narrate this personal look at gravity, light, and the spectrum and how they help us decipher the lifestyles of the stars. SHOW IS CURRENTLY UNAVAILABLE
The Cowboy Astronomer	4 and up	Multimedia	The Cowboy Astronomer Guide
Join cowboy storyteller Baxter Black beneath the stars of the western outdoors. Hear about the constellations and legends of the sky as you've never heard them before! Yee-haa!
Our Place in Space	4 and up	Live Narrated	Our Place in Space Guide
Written for the Unit 4 curriculum, this program begins in the depths of space and then zooms towards our Earth. We investigate our place in the universe and look closely at the phases of the Moon.
Skies of Galileo	4 and up	Live Multimedia	Skies of Galileo Guide
The apparent motions of the stars, Moon, and planets are discussed as we see them with our own eyes. We then "take a look" through Galileo's telescope and try to explain what we are seeing. See how the telescope revolutionized our views of the universe.
Planet Search	4 and up	Live Multimedia	Planet Search Guide
Find the planets in our current night sky and see how they move before we are whisked away on an imaginary tour of the Solar System.
Geography Under the Stars	4 and up	Live Narrated	Geography Under the Stars Guide
How do we know the Earth is round? Journey to other parts of the globe to see how we may learn the size, shape, and motions of the Earth by observing the sky. If time permits, seasons and climate are discussed in a visit to both the equator and the "Land of the Midnight Sun."
Teddy's Quest	Pre-5	Multimedia	Teddy's Quest Guide
Share in the adventures of Teddy, a bear from outer space, as he searches for a friend among the stars and constellations. Join him on the Moon and at the North Pole.
Rusty Rocket's Last Blast	Pre-4	Multimedia
Flight instructor Rusty Rocket takes a class of rookies on their first tour of the Solar System.  Along the way, he discusses how rockets work, some space exploration highlights, and how long it takes to deliver a pizza to Pluto!
Solar System Safari	2-5	Multimedia	Solar System Safari Guide
NEW FOR 2008! A jungle adventurer uses a magical camera to take visitors on an exciting safari through the Solar System. The Sun, Moon, planets, and dwarf planets come to life, taking on unique personalities and describing their own characteristics and eccentricities. Learn about the planets and the current status of Pluto.   This show will be available beginning June, 2008.
Skywatchers of Africa	5 and up	Multimedia	Skywatchers of Africa Guide
This program from the Adler Planetarium is a celebration of the many diverse African cultures and their observations & explanations of the sky. Follow the Tuareg people across the Sahara and see how the Egyptians explained the rising and setting of the stars. This program was made possible by a generous grant from the Staples Foundation. A tub of teacher's resources is available for two-week check out. The guide for the tub is here. SHOW IS CURRENTLY UNAVAILABLE.
Spirits from the Sky, Thunder on the Land	5 and up	Multimedia	Spirits From the Sky, Thunder on the Land Guide
Come with us on a never-before-seen journey into the culture of the Pawnee Native American Nation, who lived in what is now Nebraska and northern Kansas from the 1600's to 1876. Their culture grew out of their legends and lore of skywatching. The show takes you inside a Pawnee earth lodge through the development of the agricultural calendar and the Pawnee creation legend.   This show will be available when it opens to the public in early May, 2008.
Night Lights	5 and up	Multimedia	Night Lights Guide
The stars themselves may be immune to humanity's influence, but the night sky is not. It's streetlight versus starlight! It's a bright subject . . . so don't be caught in the dark! See how we are blinding our view of the true wonders of the night sky and what you can do about it. This show is unavailable at this time.
Geology of the Planets	5 and up	Live Narrated	Geology of the Planets Guide
Compare geologic features of our Earth to similar features found throughout the Solar System, and see how planetary surfaces have been shaped by volcanism and meteorite bombardment.
Messages of Starlight	5 and up	Live Interactive	Messages of Starlight Guide
How can we discover the temperatures and compositions of the stars given their great distances? Students will analyze the spectra of several light sources and then try to unlock the secrets of starlight.
Star Journey	6 and up	Live Multimedia	Star Journey Guide
Starting with our current night sky, learn about past and present views of the stars, their characteristics, and lifestyles. Then travel into space and time for encounters with stars, galaxies, black holes, and the Big Bang.
Follow the Drinking Gourd	K-5	Multimedia	Follow the Drinking Gourd Guide
Learn the song sung by slaves fleeing the South and how the Drinking Gourd (the Big Dipper) can be used to determine directions.
Rainbow War		Film
This is an award-winning film with a message. Three kingdoms - one red, one blue, one yellow - battle to take over the world. And it really gets messy when the paint start lying! This film may be combined with a short talk on the current night sky.
Flower Planet		Film
In this award-winning animated film for all ages, the struggle of make-believe characters on a "hostile" planet is depicted. Will they survive? This film may be combined with a short talk on the current night sky.
Arctic Light		Film	Artic Light Guide
In an examination of life above the Arctic Circle, you visit the "Land of the Midnight Sun' and thrill to eerie time-lapse photography of the Northern Lights.
Genesis		Film	Genesis Guide
See how our planet is in a constant state of change as new continents are born and oceans reshaped. An excellent treatment of plate tectonics and volcanism.
The Great Barrier Reef		Film	The Great Barrier Reef Guide
This show thrills us with the greatest assemblage of life forms on this planet in the largest structure built by living creatures anywhere on Earth. Filmed almost entirely beneath the waves!
Seasons		Film	Seasons Guide
The focus is on the remarkable adaptations of life to the seasons. With the Zeiss planetarium, we add a short explanation of the Sun's changing path during the year. William Shatner narrates.
The Space Shuttle: An American Adventure		Film
Join our astronauts as they prepare for launch and then as they live and work in space. Surrounded by the action, you will find this to be the next best thing to going into outer space yourself.
The Eruption of Mount Saint Helens		Film
Relive the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens and the devastation that immediately followed. Then witness the subsequent return of life to the mountain ten years later. Have a blast at this one!