REACH A Space Podcast for Kids

Latest Episodes:

Life On Other Worlds! with Dr. Cynthia B. Phillips and Jaime Moyer Feb 02, 2021

Show notes

Could life exist on other worlds? What if the answer could be found on an ice covered moon of Jupiter? If you could go anywhere in the solar system, where would you go? We discuss all of this and more and have a visit with a very popular moon on this episode of REACH.

Hosts: Brian Holden and Meredith Stepien

Written by: Sandy Marshall with Nate DuFort, Meredith Stepien and Brian Holden.

Co-Created, Produced by: Nate DuFort and Sandy Marshall

Edited by: Nate DuFort

Music composed by: Jesse Case

Casting Consultant: Beth Kligerman

Logo by: Steven Lyons

Special thanks to:

Dr. Cynthia B. Phillips, Europa Project Staff Scientist and Science Communications Lead at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Io was played by good friend Jaime Moyer who you may know from voicing two characters on Bob's Burgers, NBC’s A.P. Bio, Modern Family and K.C. Undercover. Follow her on Twitter @Jaime_Moyer

Our friends at NASA Space Place, and Kay Ferrari at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory

To learn more about the NASA’s Europa Clipper Mission, visit https://europa.nasa.gov/

All about Europa: https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/europa/en/

All about Io: https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/moons/jupiter-moons/io/overview/

NASA’s “Scientist for a Day” Essay Contest: https://rps.nasa.gov/scientist-for-a-day/

At-home activity: Looking for Life: https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/teach/activity/looking-for-life/

Check-out NASA’s Ocean Currents Game: https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/ocean-currents/en/

And as always, a big hooray to our REACH learning community. Thank you to Hank and Ari. You can hear Hank and his mother Phoebe on their podcast The Adventures of Power Dog in Dogland! and you can hear Ari on his podcast At Your Level both available wherever you get your podcasts.

Do you have a space related question that we didn’t get to? Well, you can submit that question for our bi-weekly “Reaching Out” episodes. Just get your parents permission and give us a call at 312-248-3402 (or an email at ReachthePodast@gmail.com) and leave us a message with your first name, where you're from and your question for a chance to be featured in an upcoming episode.

You can find REACH on Twitter and Instagram or at http://www.ReachThePodcast.com

REACH: A Space Podcast for Kids is a production of Soundsington Media committed to making quality programing for young audiences and the young at heart. To find out more go to http://www.soundsingtonmedia.com

REACHing Out: Is Time Travel Possible? Jan 26, 2021

Show notes

REACHing Out are bi-weekly mini-episodes where we answer YOUR Questions. This week's question comes from Hunter and Greta in Minnesota who ask "Is Time Travel Possible?"

Hosts: Brian Holden and Meredith Stepien

Written by: Sandy Marshall with Nate DuFort, Meredith Stepien and Brian Holden.

Co-Created, Produced by: Nate DuFort and Sandy Marshall

Edited by: Nate DuFort

Music composed by: Jesse Case

Logo by: Steven Lyons

Special thanks to Dr. Alina Kiessling, Astrophysicist and Dr. Jason Rhodes, Senior Research Scientist: both from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

We’d also like to offer thanks to our friends at NASA Space Place as well as Kay Ferrari at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

To learn more about time travel, visit NASA Space Place at: https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/time-travel/en/

Do you have a question for a future edition of “Reaching Out?” Just get your parents permission and give us a call at 312-248-3402 (or an email at ReachthePodast@gmail.com) and leave us a message with your first name, where you're from and your question for a chance to be featured in an upcoming episode.

You can find REACH on Twitter and Instagram or at www.ReachThePodcast.com

REACH: A Space Podcast for Kids is a production of Soundsington Media committed to making quality programing for young audiences and the young at heart. To find out more go to www.soundsingtonmedia.com

Telescopes in Space! with Dr. Eric Smith and Jack McBrayer Jan 19, 2021

Show notes

What makes a space telescope different from a telescope here on Earth? If you could take a picture of anything in space, what would you photograph? We discuss all of this and more and have a visit with our favorite former planet on this episode of REACH.

Hosts: Brian Holden and Meredith Stepien

Written by: Sandy Marshall with Nate DuFort, Meredith Stepien and Brian Holden.

Co-Created, Produced by: Nate DuFort and Sandy Marshall

Edited by: Nate DuFort

Music composed by: Jesse Case

Casting Consultant: Beth Kligerman

Logo by: Steven Lyons

Thank you to Dr. Eric Smith, NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope Program Scientist, and Astrophysics Division Chief Scientist. To learn more about space telescopes check out the links below.

Pluto was voiced by the incredible Jack McBrayer who you may know from his amazing work inWreck-It Ralph, Ralph Breaks the Internet, Disney’s Wander Over Yonder, NBC’s 30 Rock and so much more.

Special thanks to:

Natasha Pinol, Communications Chief for the James Webb Space Telescope Program

Kay Ferrari at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory

To learn more about the NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, visit https://www.jwst.nasa.gov

Key Facts translated in 40 different languages: https://www.jwst.nasa.gov/content/features/keyFactsInternational/

All about Pluto: https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/dwarf-planets/pluto/overview/

Hubble Inspires: https://www.nasa.gov/content/hubble-inspires-online-activities

How Telescopes Work: https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/telescopes/en/

James Webb Space Telescope juried art: https://www.jwst.nasa.gov/content/features/jwstArt/

And as always, a big hooray to our REACH learning community. Thank you to Rosie, Orin, Ocie, and Blythe.

You can find REACH on Twitter and Instagram or at http://www.ReachThePodcast.com

Season 2 Trailer Jan 05, 2021

Show notes

The next season of REACH: A Space Podcast for Kids is launching into your ears January 19th, 2021. Make sure you're subscribed wherever you get podcasts.

Reach: A Space Podcast for Kids is a weekly, family friendly exploration of our galaxy (and beyond!) with hosts Brian Holden and Meredith Stepien. Built for kids and based on questions from kids, Reach educates with entertaining segments, fun at-home experiments, and interviews presented in association with subject matter experts & thought partners from leading institutions like the Adler Planetarium, Cosmosphere, Exploration Place, and more. Subscribe today, and get knowledge...within your Reach.

REACH presents Unspookable Oct 06, 2020

Show notes

This week on REACH: A Space Podcast for Kids we present the first episode of the new season of fellow Soundsington Media show Unspookable entitled "Book of the Dead.". (Recommended for ages 8+)

Unspookable is a family friendly look at the histories and mysteries behind your favorite scary stories, myths and urban legends. Each week host Elise Parisian discusses such topics as Bloody Mary, Charlie Charlie, and Ouija Boards to find the stories behind the scares.

Unspookable - Book of the Dead

What do you think of when you hear the word mummy? Some of us may imagine a bandaged figure, arms outstretched, stumbling through the desert, but did you know that mummification of the dead served another purpose? Mummification is just a small part of a sacred ritual of Going Forth By Day as captured in something we call The Egyptian Book of the Dead. But this is no book at all as we will find out on this episode of Unspookable.

Host: Elise Parisian

Written by: Ellenor Riley-Condit

Created, Produced, Edited by: Nate DuFort

Music Direction and Composition: Jesse Case: https://www.jessecasemusic.com/

Logo by: Natalie Khuen http://nataliek.myportfolio.com

You can find Unspookable on Twitter and Instagram at:
https://twitter.com/ImUnspookable
https://www.instagram.com/unspookablepodcast/

Unspookable is a production of Soundsington Media committed to making quality programing for young audiences and the young at heart. To find out more go to http://www.soundsingtonmedia.com

REACHing Out: What Are Neutron Stars? Sep 29, 2020

Show notes

REACHing Out are bi-weekly mini-episodes where we answer YOUR Questions. This week's question comes from Alin in Romania who asks "What Are Neutron Stars?"

Hosts: Brian Holden and Meredith Stepien

Written by: Sandy Marshall with Nate DuFort, Meredith Stepien and Brian Holden.

Co-Created, Produced by: Nate DuFort and Sandy Marshall

Edited by: Nate DuFort

Music composed by: Jesse Case

Logo by: Steven Lyons

You can find REACH on Twitter and Instagram or at www.ReachThePodcast.com

A Day in the Life of an Astronaut with NASA Astronaut Matthew Dominick, Darren Criss, & Sean Astin Sep 22, 2020

Show notes

On this episode of REACH, Brian and Meredith learn what it takes to be an astronaut from a very special guest, we hear some space related jokes from the REACH Learning Community, and we have a visit from TWO planets in our segment "Did You Know...?"

Hosts: Brian Holden and Meredith Stepien

Written by: Sandy Marshall with Nate DuFort, Meredith Stepien and Brian Holden.

Co-Created, Produced by: Nate DuFort and Sandy Marshall

Edited by: Nate DuFort

Music composed by: Jesse Case

Logo by: Steven Lyons

Special thanks to NASA Astronaut and U.S. Navy Commander Matthew Dominick. On behalf of everyone at REACH, thanks again to Matthew for joining us on the show.

We’d also like to offer a thanks to Jennifer Hernandez and everyone at NASA’s Public Affairs Office, and to Kay Ferrari at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

Learn more about Matthew Dominick at :

https://www.nasa.gov/astronauts/biographies/matthew-dominick

And more about all NASA Astronauts at: https://www.nasa.gov/astronauts

For space-inspired, at-home creative activities: NASA’s Space Place is launching an art challenge! Each month, Space Place readers will get a new drawing prompt, from which Space Place will feature select drawings on their website.

For more info, visit

https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/art-challenge

Venus was voiced by our very own Starkid, the incomparable Darren Criss, who you know as Blaine Anderson on the hit television show Glee and on the Quibi series Royalties. You can find Darren online at @darrencriss.

Jupiter was voiced by the legendary Sean Astin who you know from unforgettable movies like The Goonies, Rudy, and of course The Lord of the Rings trilogy and television series such as No Good Nick and Stranger Things. Find Sean online at @seanastin.

And as always, a big hooray to our REACH learning community for the really fun space jokes! Thanks to James and Blythe and Bella who you can regularly hear on the Soundsington Media podcast Unspookable. giving their takes on the origins of urban legends and scary stories.

You can find REACH on Twitter and Instagram or at http://www.ReachThePodcast.com

REACHing Out: How are solar systems formed? Sep 15, 2020

Show notes

REACHing Out are bi-weekly mini-episodes where we answer YOUR Questions. This week's question comes from Megan in Perth Australia who asks "How are solar systems formed?"

Hosts: Brian Holden and Meredith Stepien

Written by: Sandy Marshall with Nate DuFort, Meredith Stepien and Brian Holden.

Co-Created, Produced by: Nate DuFort and Sandy Marshall

Edited by: Nate DuFort

Music composed by: Jesse Case

Logo by: Steven Lyons

You can find REACH on Twitter and Instagram or at www.ReachThePodcast.com

Working Together as a Team...In Space! with Shannon Whetzel & Dan Saks of Noodle Loaf Sep 08, 2020

Show notes

On this episode of REACH, Brian and Meredith learn the importance of teamwork when problem solving in space, what it means to curate a museum collection, we have a visit from the fastest planet, and then try to make a telescope at home.

Hosts: Brian Holden and Meredith Stepien

Written by: Sandy Marshall with Nate DuFort, Meredith Stepien and Brian Holden.

Co-Created, Produced by: Nate DuFort and Sandy Marshall

Edited by: Nate DuFort

Music composed by: Jesse Case

Logo by: Steven Lyons

Special thanks to Shannon Whetzel, Curator at the Cosmosphere International Science Center and Space Museum, which is the only place in the Midwest where you can see flown spacecrafts from all three early spaceflight programs. Discover more at cosmo.org.

Mercury was voiced by the amazing Dan Saks. Dan is a musician and music educator as well as the host and producer of Noodle Loaf, a popular music education podcast for kids and grown ups alike. Noodle Loaf is available on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get podcasts. You can also find Dan’s latest book entitled Families Belong at noodleloaf.com or wherever books are sold.

And special thanks this week to our REACH learning community: Blythe and Merrick. You can hear more of Merrick weekly on the Hello Family podcast available wherever you get podcasts. and more of Blythe on Soundsington Media's own Unspookable.

Build Your Own Telescope Activity

You will need:

two small dollar store magnifying glasses (it works best if one is larger than the other but not necessary)
a cardboard tube - paper towel roll or gift-wrapping paper roll (it helps if it is long)
duct tape or other strong tape
scissors
a ruler, or tape measure
sheet of paper with print on it like a newspaper, magazine, or even a book

Here's what you need to do:

Get the two magnifying glasses and a sheet of printed paper.
Hold one of your magnifying glasses between you and printed paper. The image of the print will may blurry, but that's okay.
Hold the second magnifying glass between your eye and the first magnifying glass.
Move the second glass until the print comes into focus where you will see that the print is both larger and upside down.
Have a friend or family member measure the distance between the two magnifying glasses and write the distance down.
Cut a slot in the cardboard tube about one inch away from the front opening, but do not cut all the way through the tube. The slot should be wide enough to hold the first magnifying glass.
Cut your second slot in the tube the same distance from the first slot as your friend or family member wrote down. This is where your second magnifying glass will go.
Place the two magnifying glasses in their slots and tape them in with the duct tape
Leave approximately 1 inch of tube behind the second magnifying glass and cut off any excess tube remaining.
Check to see that it works by looking at the printed page. You may have to adjust slightly to get the exact distances between the two glasses right so that the image comes to a focus.

We'll post a photo of Brian and Meredith's telescope on our Instagram and if you're having issues we found a lot of similar plans online with the google search "how to build a telescope at home" ranging from simple like ours to very detailed plans.

You can find REACH on Twitter and Instagram or at http://www.ReachThePodcast.com

REACHing Out: What is a shooting star? Sep 01, 2020

Show notes

REACHing Out are bi-weekly mini-episodes where we answer YOUR Questions. This week's question comes from Ryan in Philadelphia who asks "What is a shooting star?"

Hosts: Brian Holden and Meredith Stepien

Written by: Sandy Marshall with Nate DuFort, Meredith Stepien and Brian Holden.

Co-Created, Produced by: Nate DuFort and Sandy Marshall

Edited by: Nate DuFort

Music composed by: Jesse Case

Logo by: Steven Lyons

You can find REACH on Twitter and Instagram or at www.ReachThePodcast.com