Exploring Space Topic

#TheCompleteTopic18lessons

In the History lessons your KS1 class will learn about Galileo's discoveries, use sources to explore the Apollo 11 Moon landing, will make fact files on important people in the history of space travel and create a time-line of key events in the history of space exploration. The Science lessons are all linked to materials and their properties. With this Space KS1 pack, your class will go on material hunts, sort materials using Venn diagrams and will investigate the materials used in an astronaut's space suit. They will then plan and carry out an investigation into the most insulating material for an astronaut. In PE, children will use energy balls to smash meteors into the opposing team's spacecraft and will train like astronauts on the International Space Station. Your KS1 class get creative in the DT lessons where they design and make moon buggies from junk modelling materials and make moving space pictures. In Art, children use clay to make a model alien and a space tile with relief. After learning about the planets, they also make colourful chalk pictures. In the Geography lessons your class will LOVE helping the aliens guide their spacecraft through an asteroid field using the four compass directions and will also use maps to locate the Kennedy Space Center.

This pack contains 18 space KS1 lessons planned by an experienced teacher and everything you could possibly need is included in the pack! There is an interactive slideshow featuring friendly alien characters for every single lesson, highly detailed and well thought through lesson plans with differentiated activities and all the printable resources needed. Does your KS1 class want to find out more about our home planet? Then download this Our Amazing World topic bundle to help them learn even more about the planet we call home - Earth!

#AllHISTORYLessonsinTopic

In this series of five History of Space KS1 lessons, your class will become experts in the history of space exploration!

Their mission begins with a lesson all about Galileo and how his improvements to the telescope invention enabled him to make incredible discoveries about space. Your KS1 class will then get to find out about the space race and Apollo 11 mission which resulted in the first human ever setting foot on the Moon. Then, children will find out about the important impact two individuals made on our understanding of space: Neil Armstrong (the first human to set foot on the moon) and Katherine Johnson (an incredible mathematician whose calculations enabled the Apollo 11 Moon landing to succeed). Timelines are the focus of the next lesson and children will learn about the amazing developments in space exploration over the years. Your KS1 class will order significant events chronologically to create timelines of space exploration. In the final lesson, your KS1 class will find out about how Mars rovers have enabled us to better understand the red planet and will compare how these incredible vehicles have developed over the years.

This Space KS1 pack contains everything you need to get your budding KS1 astronauts excited about the history of space. It really is an incredible story of human achievement and everything you need to teach this sequence of five engaging lessons is contained in the pack, including a detailed slideshow for each lesson, lesson plans with differentiated activities and all the printable resources required.

#AllSCIENCELessonsinTopic

In this Space KS1 pack there is a sequence of four Science lessons in which your KS1 class will help the friendly alien characters they meet learn all about the materials we have on Earth and their properties.

In the first lesson, your KS1 class will go on a materials hunt and will name the materials they can find all around them. Children will learn to distinguish between the object and the material used to make it. They will then learn some scientific vocabulary to describe the properties of these materials and will use Venn diagrams to sort materials according to them. In the next lesson, children will learn about the materials used in a space suit and how the materials used are chosen because of their properties. In the final lesson, your KS1 class will plan and conduct an investigation into which material will be the most insulating for an astronaut going to the Moon!

This Space KS1 pack contains everything you need to help your KS1 class become confident in naming, sorting and describing the properties of the materials we have on Earth. Everything you need to teach this sequence of four engaging lessons is contained in the pack including a detailed slideshow for each lesson, lesson plans with differentiated activities and all the printable resources required.

#AllGEOGRAPHYLessonsinTopic

In this Space KS1 pack there is a sequence of two Geography lessons in which your KS1 class will learn how to use directional language to guide a spacecraft through an asteroid field in space. They will then learn about the location of the Kennedy Space Center in the US.

In the first lesson, your KS1 class will learn how to describe routes on grid using the four compass directions. They will then have to use their skills to describe routes to guide a spacecraft through an asteroid field to safety! In the following lesson, children will learn to name the continents of the world and will locate the Kennedy Space Center in North America. They will apply their understanding of the compass directions to describe the position of it within the state of Florida.

This Space KS1 pack is ready to blast off with everything you will need! There are interactive slideshows featuring friendly alien characters, detailed lesson plans with differentiated activities and all the printable worksheets and resources you need.

#AllARTLessonsinTopic

In this Space KS1 pack is a series of three space-themed art lessons. Your KS1 class will have lots of fun creating artwork all around the theme of space!

In the first lesson, your KS1 class will learn the skills needed to shape and join clay correctly. They will apply their learning to create a cute alien figure. In the following lesson, children will learn what is meant by relief and will design and make a space-themed clay tile with a relief element. It could be a planet, a spaceship, an asteroid...it's their choice! Using chalks is the focus of the final lesson and after finding out about the planets of the solar system, children will use them to create a colourful picture of the planets.

Do you have lots of budding artists in your class? Looking for some beautiful space-themed art to liven up those display boards? Then download this Space KS1 pack which contains everything you need to get your KS1 class creative! There are inspiring slideshows with photographs of the step-by-step processes to follow, detailed lesson plans with differentiated activities and all the printable resources you need.

#AllDTLessonsinTopic

In these two engaging lessons, your space-loving KS1 class will get to design and make a moon buggy and also a moving space picture.

In the first of the two lessons, children will find out about the moon buggy which was used in the final Apollo missions. They will identify its features and will use their imagination to design a brand new moon buggy! Then, it is time for your KS1 class to get busy and will use junk modelling materials to bring their design to life! In the following lesson, children will learn how to make simple sliding and lever mechanisms. They will then use their skills to design and make a moving space picture. Maybe it will feature a rocket blasting off from the Kennedy Space Center or perhaps an alien appearing from a UFO - it is up to them!

Download this Space KS1 pack for everything you need to teach these creative space-themed DT lessons. Included in the pack are interactive slideshows, detailed lesson plans with differentiated activities and all of the printable worksheets and resources needed.

#AllPELessonsinTopic

In this Space KS1 pack are two PE lessons in which your KS1 class will be learning to throw energy balls with accuracy and power to deflect meteors and will be training like astronauts! What's not to love?!

In the first lesson, a warm-up game of meteor ball will get your class's hearts pumping. They will then work in teams to practise throwing energy balls with an underarm throw to hit meteor targets. They will work on a set of five key skills and will reflect on their developing skills throughout. Then, they will imagine being on a spacewalk and will see how many times they can pass a vital piece of equipment without dropping it into the depths of space! In the following lesson, children learn about the importance of exercise for astronauts on the International Space Station and the ingenious fitness equipment that NASA and others have developed. They will then take part in a circuit of activities to prepare them to be astronauts and strengthen their bones, muscles and hearts.

This Space KS1 pack contains everything you need to get your KS1 class moving and enjoying two space-themed PE lessons. Included in the pack are engaging slideshows, detailed lesson plans with differentiated activities and all the printable resources required.

#Lesson1HistoryGalileoandhistelescopeofdiscoveries

In this space KS1 lesson, children will learn how Galileo ingeniously adapted the recently invented telescope and in so doing, made some incredible discoveries about space.

Children will find out about Galileo's five main discoveries: that the Moon does not have a smooth surface, Venus orbits the Sun, Jupiter has moons that orbit it, the Earth is not at the centre of the solar system and that the Milky Way is not just a band of light in the sky. At the end of the lesson, your KS1 class will learn about the most recent photographs taken by NASA and will reflect on how Galileo might feel were he to see how his invention has developed over time.

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

#Lesson2HistoryTheApollo11Moonlanding

In this Space KS1 lesson, your KS1 class will begin by learning what the space race was and how it kick-started NASA's Apollo program.

Children will use historical sources to find out about the Apollo 11 mission which led to Neil Armstrong becoming the first human to set foot on the Moon and utter those famous words, "One small step for man - one giant leap for mankind." Your KS1 class will reflect on what information could be gained from different sources and which was the most informative source they looked at in this lesson.

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

#Lesson3HistorySignificantindividualsNeilArmstrongandKatherineJohnson

Who made the biggest impact on space exploration: Neil Armstrong or Katherine Johnson? That is the question children will discuss at the end of this Space KS1 lesson.

In this lesson, children will learn about the life and work of two very important people in the field of space exploration: Neil Armstrong (the first human to set foot on the moon) and Katherine Johnson (an incredible mathematician whose calculations helped the Apollo 11 mission the success that it was). They will find out about both as a class but will then choose one to research in detail, producing a fact file of their research. Alternatively, after learning about Armstrong and Johnson, the children could research a British astronaut and find out about their achievements.

This pack is full of everything that you need to teach this important lesson about two incredible individuals who played a huge part in the exploration of space. There is an interactive slideshow, a detailed lesson plan with differentiated activities and all the printable resources needed.

#Lesson4HistoryAtimelineofspaceexploration

In this History of Space KS1 lesson, children will learn what is meant by the term chronological order. They will practise by ordering events from the Apollo 11 Moon landing chronologically.

Your KS1 class will then learn what a timeline is and how years can be used to order events on a timeline. They will then order event cards detailing key events within the history of space exploration along a timeline. At the end of the lesson, children will reflect on the changes that have occurred over time in this field of discovery.

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

#Lesson5HistoryComparingMarsrovers

In this Space KS1 lesson, children will learn what a rover is and will look in detail at the Sojourner and Perseverance Mars rovers.

The main focus of the lesson is then to compare these two Mars rovers. They will identify similarities and differences between them. At the end of the lesson, children will discuss what they predict the future of Mars exploration will be.

Everything you need to help your class become knowledgeable about Mars rovers and confident in comparing events from history is included in the pack: an engaging slideshow, a detailed lesson plan with differentiated activities and all the printable resources required.

#Lesson6ScienceMaterialsallaroundus

In this Space KS1 lesson, children learn to distinguish between an object and the material it is made from.

Children learn about the most common materials they will encounter in their everyday lives and will then go on a materials hunt around their classroom. At the end of the lesson, children will play a fun matching game in which they will match some scientific vocabulary to describe material properties to their definitions.

Everything needed to teach this KS1 lesson on materials is included in the pack: an engaging slideshow, a detailed lesson plan with differentiated activities and all the printable resources required.

#Lesson7ScienceSortingandgroupingmaterials

In this Space KS1 lesson on sorting and grouping materials, your KS1 class will begin by seeing if they can match up scientific words such as brittle, transparent and flexible to their definitions.

Then, children will be introduced to Venn diagrams and will practise using them to sort materials as a class. Then, children will have a go themselves at sorting materials into Venn diagrams according to their type or properties. The lesson finishes with a challenge to spot objects in the wrong place on a Venn diagram.

Everything needed to teach this KS1 lesson on sorting materials is included in the pack: an engaging slideshow, a detailed lesson plan with differentiated activities and all the printable resources required.

#Lesson8ScienceTheusesofmaterialsinaspacesuit

In this Space KS1 lesson, children will learn how everyday objects are made from particular materials because of their properties. They will look, for example, at why car windscreens are made from glass.

The main focus of the lesson is learning about the different materials used in an astronaut's spacesuit. Children will label a diagram of a spacesuit to identify the materials used and why their properties lend themselves to their function. At the end of the lesson, children will consider why some materials would not be suitable for particular functions.

This pack contains everything needed to teach this KS1 lesson on the uses of materials: an engaging slideshow, a detailed lesson plan with differentiated activities and all the printable resources required.

#Lesson9ScienceInvestigationWhichmaterialwillinsulateanastronautthebest

In this Space KS1 lesson, children will plan and carry out a fair test investigation to find out which material (bubble wrap, cotton wool or tin foil) is the most insulating for an astronaut.

Children will first make a prediction and will then look at how they might conduct the investigation in a fair way. After planning their investigation, children will carry it out and record their results in a table. They will then draw a simple conclusion and evaluate the success of their fair test investigation.

All you need to get your class investigating materials is included in the pack. There is an interactive slideshow, a detailed lesson plan with differentiated activities and all the printable resources you will need.

#Lesson10GeographyNavigatetheasteroidfield

Give your KS1 class control of the spacecraft and see if they can use the compass directions to navigate an asteroid field!

This lesson begins with children practising using the compass directions to guide a spacecraft through a series of planets on a map. However, their newly acquired skills are soon put to use as they have to navigate the spacecraft through an asteroid field! At the end of the lesson, children describe routes to each other and they have to see if they can work out which planet on the map they have been taken to.

This exciting space lesson is sure to engage your KS1 class and everything you need is included. There is an interactive slideshow, a detailed lesson plan with differentiated activities and all the printable resources required.

#Lesson11GeographyWhereistheKennedySpaceCenter

In this Space KS1 lesson children learn to locate the Kennedy Space Center and describe its position using the four compass directions.

To begin with, the children locate the continents of the world and equator on a world map. Then, your KS1 class will look at a map of North America and will locate the Kennedy Space Center within the state of Florida. They will learn how to describe its location in relation to other places in the state using their knowledge of the four compass directions.

This pack contains everything you need to teach this lesson. Included in the pack is an engaging slideshow, a detailed lesson plan with differentiated activities and all the printable resources needed to make this lesson a success.

#Lesson12ArtAnintroductiontoclay

By the end of this Space KS1 lesson, your class will have developed the joining and shaping skills they need to make a clay alien figure.

To begin with, children take part in some activities to develop their shaping and joining skills. They learn how to use their hands to roll a ball, to roll out the clay so it is long and thin, to make a cube, to use a rolling pin to flatten out the clay and to use clay tools to add pattern and texture to the surface of the clay. They also learn how to join clay using the score and slip method. They make a meal on a plate from the clay and see if others can guess what they have made. They then have the chance to bring together everything they have learnt to create a clay alien figure.

Everything you need to teach this space-themed art lesson for your KS1 class is included. There is an interactive slideshow, a detailed lesson plan with differentiated activities and all the printable resources required.

#Lesson13ArtUsingclaytomakeaspacetilewithrelief

In this Space KS1 lesson, your KS1 class will learn what is meant by the term relief.

They will then apply the clay skills developed in the previous lesson to design and make a clay tile with relief. It could be a rocket ship, a planet, an asteroid - it's up to them! At the end of the lesson they will evaluate their own and each other's work.

Everything you need to teach this space-themed art lesson for your KS1 class is included. There is an interactive slideshow, a detailed lesson plan with differentiated activities and all the printable resources required.

#Lesson14ArtUsingchalkstomakeaplanetpicture

Develop your class's skills in using chalk in this Space KS1 Art lesson.

This lesson begins with an introduction to the various planets of the solar system. Children will learn some interesting facts about them and will make close observations of them. They will then learn how to use circular templates of varying sizes and chalks to create a picture of the planets. Children might then add in shooting stars to bring their picture to life!

Looking to make a lovely display of colourful space art for your KS1 class? Well this lesson would be perfect! Everything needed to teach it is included within the pack including an engaging slideshow featuring photographs of the step-by-step process children need to follow, a detailed lesson plan with differentiated activities and all the printable resources required to make this lesson a success!

#Lesson15DTDesigningandmakinganewmoonbuggy

In this Space KS1 DT lesson, children will design and make their own moon buggy from junk modelling materials.

To start the lesson, children will find out about the moon buggy which was part of the final Apollo Moon landings. They will find out about the various parts of the buggy and their function. Your space-loving KS1 class will then be challenged to design their own new moon buggy and will have chance to build it using junk modelling materials.

Apart from the junk modelling materials, everything you need to teach this space-themed DT lesson for your KS1 class is included. There is an interactive slideshow, a detailed lesson plan with differentiated activities and all the printable resources required.

#Lesson16DTMakingamovingspacepicturewithslidersandlevers

In this Space KS1 lesson children will design and make their own moving space picture.

To start the lesson, your KS1 class will practice making a sliding mechanism to make a rocket fly along the page. Then they will learn how to use paper fasteners to create a waving astronaut! With these skills mastered, children will be challenged to design and make their own moving space picture.

Everything you need to teach this space-themed DT lesson for your KS1 class is included. There is an interactive slideshow, a detailed lesson plan with differentiated activities and all the printable resources required.

#Lesson17PEAimingandthrowing

Begin this space-themed KS1 PE lesson with a warm-up game of meteor ball in which children must avoid being hit by the meteor!

Then, children will develop their underarm throwing skills in an activity requiring them to knock meteors off course using their 'energy balls'. You can then decide to either play a game of space invaders with your KS1 class or, alternatively, challenge them to work in groups to go on a spacewalk and see how many passes they can make without dropping the ball and losing it forever in outer space!

This pack contains everything you need to teach this space-themed PE lesson for KS1. Included in the pack is an engaging slideshow, a detailed lesson plan with differentiated activities and all the printable resources needed to make this lesson a success.

#Lesson18PETrainlikeanastronaut

Ever wondered how astronauts stay fit and healthy on the International Space Station? In this Space KS1 lesson, you can teach your class all about it and help them train like an astronaut!

Children will begin with a warm-up game of big-body rock, paper, scissors. Then, the children learn all about the importance of exercise for astronauts and cosmonauts aboard the International Space Station. Your KS1 class will then take part in a circuit of activities that will help keep their muscles, bones and heart healthy - just like an astronaut!

This pack contains everything you need to teach this space-themed PE lesson for KS1. Included in the pack is an engaging slideshow, a detailed lesson plan with differentiated activities and all the printable resources needed to make this lesson a success.

Free Overview (Medium-Term Plan)

Download a free overview to support your teaching of this topic.

Free Assessment Grid

Download a free, editable assessment grid to support your teaching of this topic.

Curriculum Objectives covered

• to use a range of materials creatively to design and make products
• to use drawing to develop and share their ideas, experiences and imagination
• to use sculpture to develop and share their ideas, experiences and imagination
• to develop a wide range of art and design techniques in using colour, pattern, texture, line, shape, form and space

• design purposeful, functional, appealing products for themselves and other users based on design criteria
• generate, develop, model and communicate their ideas through talking, drawing, templates, mock-ups and, where appropriate, information and communication technology
• select from and use a range of tools and equipment to perform practical tasks [for example, cutting, shaping, joining and finishing]
• evaluate their ideas and products against design criteria
• explore and use mechanisms [for example, levers, sliders, wheels and axles], in their products

• name and locate the world's seven continents and five oceans.
• use world maps, atlases and globes to identify the United Kingdom and its countries, as well as the countries, continents and oceans studied at this key stage
• use simple compass directions (North, South, East and West) and locational and directional language [for example, near and far; left and right], to describe the location of features and routes on a map

• events beyond living memory that are significant nationally or globally [for example, the Great Fire of London, the first aeroplane flight or events commemorated through festivals or anniversaries]
• the lives of significant individuals in the past who have contributed to national and international achievements. Some should be used to compare aspects of life in different periods

• asking simple questions and recognising that they can be answered in different ways
• observing closely, using simple equipment
• performing simple tests
• identifying and classifying
• using their observations and ideas to suggest answers to questions

• distinguish between an object and the material from which it is made
• identify and name a variety of everyday materials, including wood, plastic, glass, metal, water, and rock
• describe the simple physical properties of a variety of everyday materials
• compare and group together a variety of everyday materials on the basis of their simple physical properties

• identify and compare the suitability of a variety of everyday materials, including wood, metal, plastic, glass, brick, rock, paper and cardboard for particular uses