But instead of watching a two-dimensional video on a flat television screen, the students were huddled into the district's portable planetarium, outfitted with small pillows to sit on, to watch a video projected onto the 11-foot inflatable dome.
School officials say the planetarium is the first in the state, giving students a break from the traditional way of learning and providing a new way to see their lessons come to life.
Rebecca Zcenzak, the district's instructional technology specialist, said she learned of the technology during a conference she attended last spring. Through discussions with Noha Abdel-Hady, assistant superintendent for instructional services, the district acquired the planetarium in August, just in time for the new school year.
The planetarium, which cost $44,802, was prioritized within the district's technology budget, Abdel-Hady said.
Much like the typical planetariums found at museums, this one has a projector unit in the middle that provides a 360-degree visual experience through its fisheye lens that displays the picture on the walls.
"There's a computer unit attached to the projector. It's all inside one unit. When that is on, that connects to our iPad which runs a special app, and from that app we're able to show immersive films," Zcenzak said. "It's exciting to experience because you can hear the students, their connection while it is running."
But what makes this one particularly special is its portability. While it is normally stored at Windsor High School or the LP Wilson Community Center, the unit can be transported to any of the district's schools. And although the planetarium must remain on-site in Windsor, other school districts can request to visit a Windsor school on a field trip to use it.
For students with mobility issues who cannot use the zippered entrance, the 70-pound planetarium can be lifted up for them so they can go inside.
"It's very easy to get into the planetarium, you just unzip it, you step in," Zcenzak said during Superintendent Terrell Hill's December podcast. "And we can lift the planetarium up and put it over someone."
For third grader Aria Sangster, learning about light pollution from inside the dome gave her a new perspective and a new interest in the topic.
"It was very cool and I liked going inside because there were a lot of cool pictures on the wall, and you could see a lot of cool things," Aria said. "I'm going to start talking to my family about light pollution and telling all my friends."
Zcenzak said reactions like Aria's are why having such technology is so important in getting students more engaged.
"This is the most magical part of having this type of experience," she said. "When you're inside, you can really hear their reactions. They're making connections to their learning and what we often see is at the end of the experience, they will clap. They will have some type of positive reaction. They may also be disappointed because they don't want the experience to be over with, and they often will see us in the schools and say, 'when can we visit the planetarium again?'"
While the third graders took to the air, kindergartners at Oliver Ellsworth School will instead go under the sea in March for an oceanography lesson. The videos are not preloaded into the system, Zcenzak said, which gives educators a wider variety of videos to choose from.
"I take the MP4 file from a credible website and I sync that to our system, and then we're able to watch it in 360," she said.
During his December podcast, Hill said having this technology gives teachers and their students a chance to engage like never before.
"I think we have an opportunity to ignite passion again in teachers for their own subjects," he said. "We're getting away from slides and a Smart Board."
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