Students get inside ‘the planet’ for Earth Day

Kit Carson Elementary third-, fourth-, and fifth-grade students traveled around the globe Tuesday without leaving the school’s gymnasium.

In honor of Earth Day, students had the chance to explore a giant inflatable globe, stretching nearly to the ceiling at 19 feet and spanning wide enough, 22 feet, to fit two classrooms of children inside.

The globe was created from images taken from space structures and printed on silk. It is one of only six in existence, said Brent Wick, a representative of Mobile Ed Productions, who is known as “the world’s tour guide.”

After walking around the globe and sitting next to it, the students were asked to take off their shoes and enter it. From within the Earth, students were told grade-appropriate geography facts.

“When you think of Earth Day, you think of planting a tree or something hands-on,” said Stephanie Beard, Kit Carson’s family resource center director. “The experience of seeing the world so huge and from a new perspective will, hopefully, be just as impactful, if not more.”

Seeing the expressions on their faces and hearing them repeatedly exclaim “wow” as they stepped inside “the world” confirmed they were enjoying the experience, Beard said.

And seeing the continents and just how big the oceans are reinforced what the student have learned in class, she added.

Reach Machaela Ballard at mballard@richmondregister.com or at 624-6623.