Space exploration STEM teaching pack

Journey into space with this Space exploration STEM teaching pack for KS2. Visit the International Space Station, find out if pupils have what it takes to become an astronaut and design a space vehicle for space travel.

This fully resourced, no-prep pack contains everything needed for a fun approach to STEM learning.

Who’s the pack for?
This pack has been designed for a primary school science unit on space exploration aimed at KS2. It can be used in conjunction with existing curriculum materials or as a standalone space science unit.

Suitable for both new and more experienced teachers, you'll find a variety of fun STEM activities that can be differentiated to suit different types of learners, with engaging extension activities to ensure pupils are challenged.

What’s included?

This comprehensive pack has detailed lesson plans with step-by-step instructions, ideas for enhancing and extending learning and a handy teacher assessment sheet. Lesson plans are linked to ready-to-use printable teaching resources, handouts and worksheets in the teacher pack and pupil pack.

For the teacher

• Lesson plans, formative and summative assessment opportunities, extension activities and homework tasks.
• A Teacher pack with accompanying learning resources and printable worksheets with answers.

For the pupil

• A Pupil pack with colourful learning worksheets and clear guidance for all tasks. 
• Fun activities to learn all about space exploration, including virtual tours, research tasks and design tasks. 

How is the pack structured?
The pack consists of five milestones, which if completed in sequence will build pupils' knowledge to enable them to complete a summative assessment activity in the final milestone. 

Lesson activities are organised as follows:

• Prepare (Bell-ringer/starter activity)
• Present (Teach/model)
• Produce (Pupil project work)
• Participate (Pupil/group share)
• Practise (Homework/assessment/independent activities)

What's inside?

Milestone 1: Building background knowledge of space exploration

• Explore different NASA astronaut training activities and then explain the steps in the astronaut selection process.
• Explain why it is so hard to become an astronaut.

 Milestone 2: Famous astronauts

• Answer questions about a famous astronaut by conducting research.
• Explain the characteristics of successful astronauts.

Milestone 3: Spacecraft and space travel

• Explore the changes in spacecraft over time.
• Identify the parts of a spacecraft and explain what they do.
• Design a vehicle to travel in space.

Milestone 4: Building a new space vehicle

• Explain the changes in spacecraft over time. 
• Design their own spacecraft.

Milestone 5: Describing a trip to space

• Write a story about a journey into outer space.
• Explain if they would like to be an astronaut.

How to use this teaching pack
This pack should be used for teaching and reinforcing concepts in a primary school science unit for KS2. It is designed to be flexible and can be used as a standalone space science unit or in conjunction with other curriculum materials, STEM resources or STEM lessons. The teaching pack is designed to be delivered over five lessons but can be dipped into to supplement other learning plans.

Explore more resources like this
Try our Solar system STEM teaching pack, browse our  STEM teaching packs or explore Teachit Primary’s complete collection of teaching packs. 

We’d like to thank colleagues at TeacherVision.com for allowing us to re-use their original content.