IN THE CLASSROOM:

Squeals and gasps emitted all day Monday from inside a massive, gray, balloon-like sphere in Andersen Elementary’s multipurpose room in Newport Beach.

Program instructor Anwar Rodriguez brought the Discovery Science Center’s Starlab portable inflatable planetarium to teach Andersen kids firsthand about science.

After finding a comfortable spot inside the large structure, kids relaxed as the lights went out and spent time learning about the constellations delineated by groups of humans from around the world, as well as the myths surrounding them.

Rodriguez taught them about Orion’s belt and its Native American variant, as well as the vain Cassiopeia, queen of Ethiopia.

“Some stars are so small that they actually fit in the palm of your hand,” Rodriguez told his students.

“It was actually quite interesting,” student Kate Dwyer, 12, said afterward. “We learned about how different people connected the stars.”

Some kids came in to check out the exhibit during lunchtime; one student left Rodriguez a note asking if he subscribed to the current theory that there’s a super-massive black hole at the center of the galaxy.

“We’re the ‘Wow’ of science,” Rodriguez said.

His goal is to make kids’ book learning easier by giving them tangible, real-life experiences to associate with their vocabulary and other lessons.

Rodriguez got interested in astronomy after being amazed by pictures in one of his textbooks, he said; he now hopes to instill that same passion in other kids.

The Starlab program meets state curriculum standards, Rodriguez said.

“We want them to be interested in learning, not just science,” he said.

KIDS TALK BACK

What was your favorite part of the lesson?

“Orion and the dog.”

Brandon Huang, 11

?

?

?

?

?

“I really liked the zodiac belt.”

?

?

?

?

?

?

Seeing the different individual constellations.”

Maria King, 11 ?

?

?

?

?

?

“The Greek mythology and the horoscope constellations.”

Kate Dwyer, 12

?

?

?

?

“I thought seeing Orion’s belt was really interesting.”

Alexander Francois, 12

Reporter CANDICE BAKER can be reached at (714) 966-4631 or at candice.baker@latimes.com.