RIC-20953 Early years Science - Space

Cross-curricular activities
Health and physical education
• Discuss rules for
keeping safe in the
sun. List these in the
form of a rebus. For
example,
‘Slip on a .’
‘Slap on .’
• The children crumple
up sheets of A3
art paper or A4
photocopy paper.
These represent
weightless moon
rocks. Hold a
competition to see
who can throw
their moon rock the
furthest.
• Connect a skipping rope to a hoop. Then tie the rope to a strong climbing frame. The
children take turns standing inside, and holding onto, the hoop and going for a ‘moon
walk’. The hoop represents the spacesuit and the frame is the spaceship/shuttle.
• Cover an area of the fl oor or outside area with objects such as pillows and large blocks etc.
then drape large sheets over the objects to represent the terrain of the moon. The children
take turns to walk around the moon’s terrain individually or in pairs. To make the activity
more interesting, make ‘space boots’ from shoeboxes for them to wear while walking.
Alternatively, provide a foam mattress for them to bounce on in bare feet.
• Groups of fi ve children to sit in a circle on the fl oor with their legs extended in a ‘V’ shape
to touch each other’s toes and create a ‘star’ shape. If desired, take a digital photograph of
them from above so that the children can see the star shape they made.
• Clap, jump, hop, tap toes, click fi ngers etc. eight times each to present the number of
planets in the solar system.
• Create the solar system using children. In groups of nine, one child stands in the middle as
the sun and the others walk around in circular shapes around it to ‘orbit’ the sun.
• Play ‘Astronaut, astronaut, alien’ instead of ‘Duck, duck, goose’. Refer to for instructions about how to
play.
• Combine physical education and other learning areas by rewarding children who correctly
answer questions and allowing them to throw a bean in one of the three tubs marked Earth,
Sun or Moon.
Society and environment
• Read stories such as Lester and Clyde by James Reece.
The book describes how pollution affects the habitat
of two frogs. Discuss pollution in general and how the
children can help to look after their home, planet Earth.
• The children view pictures of the landscape of the moon
and describe what they see. List and draw human-made
objects in space, such as satellites, rockets, shuttles, and
moon modules, for child reference in the writing corner.
• Relate (or view televised historic footage of) the fi rst
moon landing.
• Read The sun: Our nearest star by Franklyn Mansfi eld
Branley and discuss how the sun helps us grow the food
we eat.
• Relate or read simple information about the Chinese
Moon Festival. Explain that the festival was to celebrate
the end of the harvest and usually occurred at the time
of the full moon. Show (or paint) pictures of the full
moon, read legends such as The Hare – Jade Rabbit
and bake moon cakes as they do in China. Refer to
for information about the Moon Festival, and for information
about the Star Festival.
• View pictures of astronauts
working or living in space.
Discuss or make a list of
things astronauts do as
part of their job. Pretend to
do some aspects of their
job.
• Relate or read information about the Japanese Star Festival
(Tanabata 7 July). The children dictate, draw or write
their wishes on coloured strips of paper to hang on the
branches of trees, just as Japanese children do for the
Star Festival.
• Ask the children to draw (and write) about things
they do during the day and at night. As a class,
sort these into groups to show similar and different
characteristics among people.
46 Early years themes—Science—Space www.ricpublications.com.au – R.I.C. Publications ®