Year 5 Summer 1
Title: Space
Exploration
Theme Description: This is a science based topic, in which we will explore our solar system across
many different contexts. The focus will be on the exploration of space, looking at the space race
and the use of Mars Curiosity Rover to find out more about our solar system.
WOW Starter: We are space explorers! Children to look at the beginning of space exploration –
Why did we begin to explore space? Children to be given some resources to design a rocket, which
rocket will fly the highest?
Experiences/Visits/Learning Outdoors: Creating Rockets, mapping the size of the solar system and
distances between the moon and the Earth. Space Dome visit to explore the solar system.
Opportunities to explore the curriculum
History
The impact of the Space race – Why was it important? How did America use
it to their advantage? What were the implications of the space race?
Geography
English
Using the text ‘Whatever Next’ to create a story about a character travelling
to space, using our knowledge to help our story be more realistic to teach
children about the planets.
Space Poetry – Children to write a poem for the ‘Out of this world’, using ‘if I
could fly to space’ as a text.
Maths
Exploring additive and multiplicative reasoning using context such as:
Using fractions to decode messages from the Voyager Satellite.
Decoding messages using squared numbers.
Designing a space race – budgets of American and Russian space
programmes.
Science/Technology Phases of the moon.
Order of the solar system.
Distance between planets.
Planet factfiles.
Art/Music/Drama
Flag Project. Exploration of local history combined with other schools.
PSHE
New Beginnings.
PE
Swimming
Invasion games.
MFL
ICT
Using scratch to design programmes.
Learning in the Community: Parents invited in to share the space dome experience and to watch
the created animated films in our cinema!
Celebration: Children to use animation to create a version of whatever next using modelling clay,
parents invited in to see the film in a ‘cinema night’. Parents invited in to share with the space doe
experience – what can our children teach our adults?