Big Ideas
Lvl 1

• Everything began with the Big Bang
• The Big Bang was a big stretch, not a loud explosion.
• We know the Big Bang happened because things in space are getting farther apart.

• The Big Bang was not an explosion in space, but the rapid expansion of space itself.
• Time, space, and matter began at the same moment.
• Scientists use evidence like background radiation and redshift to learn about the Big Bang.

Hands on Activity: Universe Expansion with a Balloon
Materials

• Balloon 
• Sharpie 

Discussion Questions
Level 1
1. What was the universe like before the Big Bang in the story?
Sample Answer: “There was nothing — no planets, no stars, no space.”

2. Why does the story say the Big Bang wasn’t like fireworks or a balloon popping?
Sample Answer: “Because it wasn’t loud and it didn’t happen in just one place.”

3. What happened right after the Big Bang began?
Sample Answer: “Space got bigger, time started, and tiny bits of stuff moved around.”

4. The story says we don’t know what came before the Big Bang. How does that make you feel?
Sample Answer: “It’s a mystery, and mysteries are exciting.”

5. Why do scientists say the universe is still expanding?
Sample Answer: “Because things in space are still moving farther apart.”

6. If you could travel back to the very first moment of the Big Bang, what do you think you would see or feel?
Sample Answer: “I might see bright light and feel like I was going really fast.”

Level 2
1. What do scientists think the universe was like before the Big Bang?
Sample Answer: “There was no space, no time, and no matter — basically, nothing existed the way we understand it.”

2. Why is the Big Bang not like fireworks or a balloon popping?
Sample Answer: “Because it didn’t happen in one spot, and it didn’t make sound like we hear — it was the expansion of everything at once.”

3. What occurred immediately after the Big Bang began?
Sample Answer: “Space started expanding, time began, and tiny particles of matter and energy spread out.”

4. The lesson says we don’t know what came before the Big Bang. How does that make you feel?
Sample Answer: “It’s mysterious and makes me curious — there’s still so much we don’t understand about the universe.”

5. Why do scientists believe the universe is still expanding today?
Sample Answer: “Scientists see galaxies moving away from each other, like dots on a balloon getting farther apart as it inflates. They also notice red shift in light and leftover radiation from the Big Bang, called cosmic microwave background, which shows the universe is still stretching.”

6. If you could witness the very first moment of the Big Bang, what might you experience?
Sample Answer: “I might see an incredibly bright, hot glow and feel the universe stretching very quickly around me.”

Optional Schedules
4 Day Schedule

Level 2

4 Day Schedule