By Steph Morgado, Dr. Carl Pennypacker

How do we help students grasp the vastness of the universe and the invisible forces that shape it? In the Dance of the Universe workshop at the 2025 CASE Conference, a collaboration between the Solano County of Education and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, educators explored a hands-on, movement-based approach to astronomy instruction: one that blends scientific modeling, performing arts, and NGSS-aligned learning. By embodying the life cycle of a star, including the dramatic moment of a supernova, our educators engaged with celestial phenomena in a way that is memorable, collaborative, and scientifically grounded. Here is a brief video of the culminating dance from the workshop.

At its heart, the workshop demonstrates how kinesthetic modeling can counter the well-documented “curve of forgetting.” Traditional lecture methods see retention drop dramatically within hours, while whole-body learning has been shown to improve conceptual understanding and positive attitudes toward science. By becoming atoms, molecules, stellar material, and finally dispersed supernova remnants, students feel the processes they are learning, not just hear about them.

The session centers on a movement simulation of a 15 solar-mass star, from diffuse interstellar matter to fusion, collapse, shockwave, and the dispersal of heavy elements that eventually seed new stars and planetary systems. Students plan each stage using a structured movement script, integrating props like veils to represent gas clouds and using spatial movement to illustrate attraction, collapse, and expansion.

Beyond the Workshop: Expanding Kinesthetic Science
While the supernova model is the anchor activity, kinesthetic modeling can extend far beyond astronomy. Similar strategies can support learning in biology, chemistry, and physics. For instance:

• Circulatory system modeling where students embody red blood cells, oxygen exchange, and directional flow.
• States of matter simulations using spacing, speed, and pattern of movement to represent solids, liquids, and gases.
• Neural transmission dances that show signals traveling across neuron chains and synapses.

Why this Matters for Today’s Classrooms
Integrating dance into science isn’t about performance, it’s about modeling. Kinesthetic learning offers an equitable entry point for multilingual learners, students with limited prior content exposure, and those who may not connect with abstract instruction. When students collaborate to design, test, and refine movement models, they engage deeply in the NGSS practices of modeling, argumentation, and explanation.

The Dance of the Universe workshop offers a compelling example of STEAM done authentically: art elevating the science rather than just decorating it. As schools seek more inclusive, engaging, and multimodal approaches to instruction, kinesthetic modeling stands out as a powerful tool for helping learners of all ages make sense of the cosmos and their place within it.

For more information, please contact:
Steph Morgado
Program Manager, STEAM and Robotics
Solano County Office of Education
SMorgado@SolanoCOE.net

Dr. Carl Pennypacker
Astrophysicists
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
CRPennypacker@LBL.gov

CASE workshop participants modeling the life cycle of a 15 solar mass star using colorful veils. See this video for the final model.

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