Longway Planetarium Theater Field Trips
Immersive astronomy in space and science shows
Plan your field trip to Michigan's largest planetarium! Longway Planetarium’s state-of-the-art Digistar 7 digital planetarium system offers immersive experiences with space and science topics, as well as high-resolution visuals of the night sky during interactive star talks. Our high quality shows are designed to inspire a lifelong interest in astronomy, and many fulfill GLCE and NGSS standards.
Use the 2023 - 2024 Education Guide to plan your field trip or outreach program. View the PDF.
Admission is $5.50 per student, or $5.00 per student when you book a second or third program for the same day at either Sloan Museum of Discovery or Longway Planetarium. A variety of hands-on science and social studies programs are available.

Educational Shows
Live Programs and Shows available for field trips for the 2023 - 2024 school year
Programs and Shows listed by grade level:
K - 1ST GRADE

In My Backyard
Full Dome Feature
Join children’s entertainer Fred Penner from TV’s Nickelodeon as he explores things large and small, from the colors of the rainbow, to the reasons for the seasons. Through the use of entertaining songs and immersive environments, children are encouraged to participate while learning about the planets, constellations, meteors, the moon, and more.
45 minutes

Magic Globe - A Story of the Seasons
Full Dome Feature
Follow the adventures of Cy, Annie, and their dog Armstrong as they embark on an unexpected journey into space! Explore the Earth, Sun and Moon system with a wise-cracking starship computer. Bounce along with them on the surface of the Moon. Get up close and personal with a solar storm, and gain a new appreciation of our home planet.
50 minutes
GLCE: E.ES.01.11, P.FM.03.22
NGSS: 1-ESS1-1

Sky Sleuths
Live Planetarium Program
Investigate the sky and discover patterns of motion of the Sun and stars throughout the year. Students will embark on a quest with handy clues to find glowing constellations in the night sky, engage in an interactive reading to identify patterns of the day and night cycle, and view the seasonal shifts of the Sun along the horizon.
50 minutes
NGSS: 1-ESS1-1

The Accidental Astronauts
Full Dome Feature
Follow the adventures of Cy, Annie, and their dog Armstrong as they embark on an unexpected journey into space! Explore the Earth, Sun and Moon system with a wise-cracking starship computer. Bounce along with them on the surface of the Moon. Get up close and personal with a solar storm, and gain a new appreciation of our home planet.
50 minutes
GLCE: E.ES.01.11, P.FM.03.22
NGSS: 1-ESS1-1
2ND GRADE

Dinosaurs of Antarctica
Full Dome Feature
From the Permian through the Jurassic, journey to the south polar landscapes of Antarctica hundreds of millions of years ago. Roam the primitive forests and thick swamps with bizarre dinosaurs and colossal amphibians. Join Antarctic scientists on a quest to understand the ice continent's profound transformation through time.
50 minutes
NGSS: 2-ESS1-1, 2-LS4-1

Planets: Rocky Worlds - Live Program
Live Planetarium Program
Students will visit the inner planets while comparing and contracting their geological characteristics. Students will travel to mountains, volcanoes, canyons, and craters on the planets and investigate the origin of these features.
45 minutes
NGSS: 2-ESS1-1, 2-ESS2-1, 2-ESS2-3
3RD GRADE

Motion of the Skies
Live Planetarium Program
This program investigates the motion of the Sun, Moon, Planets, and stars in the sky. Students investigate the causes of motion including Earth's rotation, the orbits of the Earth, Moon, and Planets. Students will use this knowledge to predict future motions and occurences in the sky.
GLCE: NGSS: 3-PS2-2

Earth's Ecosystem
Live Planetarium Program
Students will explore the diversity of Earth's ecosystems by digitally taking a trip around the globe. Students will learn about different types of climates and use real world data to make observations about their properties.
NGSS:3-ESS2-1, 3-ESS2-2

Dinosaurs of Antarctica
Full Dome Feature
From the Permian through the Jurassic, journey to the south polar landscapes of Antarctica hundreds of millions of years ago. Roam the primitive forests and thick swamps with bizarre dinosaurs and colossal amphibians. Join Antarctic scientists on a quest to understand the ice continent's profound transformation through time.
50 minutes
NGSS: 2-ESS1-1, 2-LS4-1
4TH GRADE

An Ever-Changing World
Live Planetarium Program
Students will examine how the Earth has changed over time using satellite imagery from agencies such as NOAA and NASA. Processes that drive changes on Earth will be discussed including erosion, draught, deforestation, and climate change.
50 minutes
NGSS: 4-ESS1-1, 4-ESS1-2, 4-ESS3-2

Two Small Pieces of Glass
Full Dome Feature
Telescopes come in many different shapes and sizes. Students will learn about the different types of telescopes - including reflectors and retractors - the components that make them work - and the types of objects that can be seen with a telescope.
GLCE: NGSS: 4-PS3-2, 4-PS4-2
5TH GRADE

We Are Stars
Full Dome Feature
Where did it all come from? Students will learn about the evolution of the Universe from the earliest moments of the Big Bang. Explore the secrets of our cosmic chemistry, and our explosive origins. Connect life on Earth to the evolution of the Universe by following the formation of Hydrogen atoms to the synthesis of Carbon, and the molecules for life.
50 minutes
GLCE: E.ES.01.11, P.FM.03.22
NGSS: 1-ESS1-1

Stars
Full Dome Feature
Stars focuses on the lives of the stars, how they are born, how they die, and how human understanding of the stars has changed over time. From Native Americans to Newton, from the electromagnetic spectrum to Einstein, audiences will explore nebulae, star clusters, pulsars, black holes, and more.
50 minutes
GLCE: E.ST.04.25, E.ST.05.23, E.SE.06.61
NGSS: 5-ESS1-1, MS-ESS1-2
MIDDLE SCHOOL

We Are Stars
Full Dome Feature
Where did it all come from? Students will learn about the evolution of the Universe from the earliest moments of the Big Bang. Explore the secrets of our cosmic chemistry, and our explosive origins. Connect life on Earth to the evolution of the Universe by following the formation of Hydrogen atoms to the synthesis of Carbon, and the molecules for life.
50 minutes
GLCE: E.ES.01.11, P.FM.03.22
NGSS: 1-ESS1-1

Dinosaurs of Antarctica
Full Dome Feature
From the Permian through the Jurassic, journey to the south polar landscapes of Antarctica hundreds of millions of years ago. Roam the primitive forests and thick swamps with bizarre dinosaurs and colossal amphibians. Join Antarctic scientists on a quest to understand the ice continent's profound transformation through time.
50 minutes
NGSS: 2-ESS1-1, 2-LS4-1

Building a Better Tomorrow
Live Planetarium Program
This program discusses the human impact on our world. The effects of resource consumption, pollution, and harmful emissions will be analyzed in a data-driven process. Present and future solutions to minimize human impact will be explored on both an individual and global scale.
50 minutes
NGSS: MS-ESS3-3, MS-ESS3-4, MS-ESS5
PORTABLE DOME THEATER
Let Us Bring The Stars To You!
Longway Planetarium’s traveling program uses an inflatable dome to bring state-of-the-art video technology to your location, immersing your school in a dark, cloudless night sky during the daytime.


Plan Your Field Trip!
For reservations, call 810-237-3409
Use the 2023-2024 Education Guide to plan your field trip or outreach program.
View the PDF.
View the current programs:
History & Social Studies at Sloan Museum
Hands-on Science at Longway Planetarium
Planetarium Theater Shows
Portable Dome Theater