The History of Space Exploration

#TheCompleteSeries5lessons

The lessons will help you guide your class through developments in space exploration, from the invention of the telescope to the space race and up to modern space travel. They will also learn about the first black woman in space: Mae Jemison.

Each of these Space KS2 History lessons comes fully prepared and ready for you to teach to your class. Every lesson pack contain a detailed plan, a PDF slideshow presentation for the whole-class input, differentiated activity ideas, and a range of printable resources to support your class as they complete their independent learning tasks.

Please note: These five History lessons can also be found in our Y5/6 cross-curricular Space Topic.

#Lesson1GalileoandtheTelescope

In this Space KS2 History lesson, your class will find out all about Galileo and what he discovered using a telescope.

Children will discover the impact of the invention of the telescope and how Galileo became known as one of the fathers of modern science. After investigating how a telescope works, the your class will look at what discoveries this led to, and how we use powerful telescopes today to discover more and more about space.

Everything you need to help your class become experts on the discoveries of Galileo is included in this lesson pack: an engaging PDF slideshow, a detailed plan with differentiated activities and all the printable resources required.

#Lesson2SpaceRaceTimeline

In this Space KS2 History lesson, your class will learn all about the space race.

Children will explore who was involved in the space race and why it became so important. They discover the key events which led up to the 1969 Moon landing, and also learn about the first men, women and animals in space.

Everything you need to help your class become confident in ordering the events of the space race is included in this lesson pack: an engaging PDF slideshow, a detailed lesson plan with differentiated activities, and all the printable resources required.

#Lesson3MoonLanding

In this Space KS2 History lesson, children will find out all about the Apollo 11 Moon landing of 1969.

After learning about the lead up to the Moon landing in 1969 in previous lessons, the children look in more detail at this key event in history. They learn about the crew involved in landing on the Moon and the things they did whilst on the Moon, including famous speeches and what they brought back to Earth to study.

Everything you need to help your class become experts on the events of the Apollo 11 Moon landing is included in this lesson pack: an engaging PDF slideshow, a detailed plan with differentiated activities, and all the printable resources required.

#Lesson4MaeJemison

In this Space KS2 History lesson, children will learn about a very important woman involved with space exploration: Mae Jemison - the first black woman in space.

After finding out about her childhood and later career with NASA as a Mission Specialist, children look at three famous quotes by Jemison and explore how her experiences shaped what she said.

This pack is full of everything that you need to teach this important lesson about the first black woman in space: Mae Jemison. There is an informative PDF slideshow, a detailed lesson plan with differentiated activities, and all the printable resources needed.

#Lesson5SpaceExplorationToday

In this Space KS2 History lesson, children learn about the different ways in which we explore space today.

Reflecting on what they have learnt so far, the children are challenged to follow the journey of space exploration up to the present day. They discover the different ways astronauts and others explore space, including the Hubble telescope and the International Space Station.

Everything needed to teach this Space KS2 lesson on space exploration today is included in this lesson pack: an engaging PDF slideshow, a detailed plan with differentiated activities and all the printable resources required.

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