Key Stage 1: Space rocks for little explorers
Ten short lessons for Years 1 and 2 about the sky, shooting stars and rocks from space, with simple activities, counting and a quiz at the end of each one.
This course is written for children aged 5 to 7 to share with a grown-up. The sentences are short, and every lesson has something to do: look, touch, sort, count or make. It supports the Key Stage 1 science of naming and sorting materials and observing the world closely, as well as maths, history and geography.
Read each lesson aloud together, try the activity, then do the quiz. Each takes about 20 to 30 minutes.
- Look up at the skyThe sky is full of things to see. In this lesson you will find out about the Sun, the Moon and the stars.
- Shooting starsSometimes a bright streak of light zooms across the night sky. People call it a shooting star. But it is not a star at all!
- Rocks from spaceSometimes a bigger space rock does not burn up. A piece lands on the ground. It is called a meteorite.
- Rock or metal?Some meteorites are made of rock. Some are made of metal. Some are a mix of both. Let's sort them!
- Heavy or light?Meteorites often feel heavier than other rocks of the same size. In this lesson you will compare things that are heavy and light.
- Space rocks make holesA very big space rock can hit the ground so hard that it makes a giant round hole. It is called a crater. You can make your own!
- People on the MoonA long time ago, in 1969, astronauts went to the Moon and brought back Moon rocks.
- Where in the world?Meteorites can land anywhere. But some places are easier to find them in than others. Let's look at a map of the world.
- Dinosaurs and the giant space rockA very long time ago, a giant space rock hit Earth. It changed the world and helped to end the time of the dinosaurs.
- Be a meteorite detectiveScientists are like detectives. They look for clues and stay safe. In this last lesson you will learn how to be a meteorite detective.
How it links to what you study
- Year 1 science, everyday materials: naming rock and metal, and describing and sorting materials (lessons 4 and 5).
- Year 1 science, seasonal changes: day and night and day length (lesson 1).
- Working scientifically: observing closely, using simple equipment, simple tests, sorting and recording (lessons 4, 5, 6 and 10).
- Maths: counting, comparing numbers, measuring and comparing mass (lessons 2, 5, 6 and 8).
- History: events beyond living memory, such as the first Moon landing in 1969 (lesson 7).
- Geography: the world's continents and hot and cold places (lesson 8).
Each lesson has learning goals, a short activity and a five-question quiz. Finish every quiz to unlock the printable certificate. Your progress is saved on this device only.