# data[].attributes.headline
I’ve used balls of various sizes and torches and we made a model solar system and we have brought a “planetarium” into school.

# data[].attributes.subject
I’ve used balls of various sizes and torches and we made a model solar system and we have brought a “planetarium” into school.

# data[].attributes.headline
Students create 3D planets and role play the movement of the Moon and planets around the Sun star. Mobiles are another way to do it in small groups.

# data[].attributes.subject
Students create 3D planets and role play the movement of the Moon and planets around the Sun star. Mobiles are another way to do it in small groups.

# data[].attributes.body
Hi! I like to use every single tool that can become appealing to my students senses. Usually I use AR apps that show the sun and all the planets in bright colors. I dim the lights a bit to create expectation and we start talking of the incredible view. Then we have a sharing time, when all kids express their doubts or the things they already know.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
VISTA MÁS IMPACTANTE DEL CIELO. La vista del cielo se ha mejorado considerablemente en Night Sky 7 para incluir más de 60 millones de estrellas, una resolución 8 veces mayor para las texturas del espectro luminoso, efectos de salida y puesta del sol, y un nuevo modo de luz diurna.

INTERFAZ DE USUARIO DE MAPAS. La flamante y conocida interfaz de usuario de Night Sky 7, con nuevas funciones de búsqueda rápida, modo nocturno inteligente de visión en rojo, indicador de contaminación lumínica y atractivos mosaicos de características, permite explorar Night Sky más rápido que antes.

MAPA DE LA AURORA (característica Premium). Observa los lugares más próximos en los que la aurora se aprecia mejor con ayuda de la función de resalte y de alertas.

ATENCIÓN PLENA CON NIGHT SKY (característica Premium). Contemplar las estrellas es una de las actividades más relajantes que puede llevarse a cabo. Para que la experiencia sea aún más relajante, añade minutos de atención plena en Apple Health.

ESTRUCTURA INTERNA DE LOS PLANETAS. Con solo tocar un botón, es posible ver la estructura interna de los planetas del sistema solar.

TEST DE NIGHT SKY. Pon a prueba tus conocimientos de Night Sky con un nuevo test integrado compatible con la plataforma ClassKit. Haz un seguimiento de la puntuación que obtienen los alumnos en diferentes materias, como la historia espacial, los satélites, las estrellas y la vida en el espacio.

EXPLORACIÓN DE OBJETOS EN REALIDAD AUMENTADA. Observa los planetas, las estrellas y las constelaciones en realidad aumentada y comparte cualquier objeto a través de la función iMessage con el formato de archivo USDZ.

ACCESOS RÁPIDOS EN SIRI A NIGHT SKY. "Hola, Siri: Muéstrame dónde está la Estación Espacial Internacional"... Crea un acceso rápido en Siri y después pídele al asistente que te muestre dónde está un planeta, o incluso la misma EEI, para que Night Sky te dirija a tu destino.

VISITAS GUIADAS EN NIGHT SKY (característica Premium): Realiza una visita guiada en directo o crea tus propias visitas guiadas en cualquier lugar y a la hora que sea.

NOTIFICACIONES EN MY SKY. Personaliza completamente las notificaciones en Night Sky. Marca como favorito cualquier objeto, incluidos satélites y constelaciones, y recibe una notificación cuando el objeto se eleve hasta tu ubicación.

Night Sky Premium está disponible por USD 3.99/mes o USD 19.99/año (o el equivalente en otra moneda). Puedes suscribirte a esta modalidad y pagar a través de tu cuenta de iTunes. La suscripción se renovará automáticamente a menos que la canceles como mínimo 24 horas antes de que finalice el período en curso. Después de realizar la compra, puedes gestionar tus suscripciones accediendo a los ajustes de usuario de iTunes. Desde aquí también puedes desactivar la renovación automática.
Política de privacidad: http://www.icandiapps.com/icandiapps/privacy-policy/
Términos y condiciones: http://www.icandiapps.com/icandiapps/terms-conditions/

Versión 7.5.3

Actualizamos regularmente la aplicación con mejoras.

MARAVILLOSO

Tener el conocimiento astronómico en la mano

Sky is very nice

Es una aplicación muy excelente te enseña mucho conocimiento y avista miento del spacio me
Encanta mucho

Lo mejor de lo mejor

Simplemente fantástica , muy bien diseñada y fácil de usar ✨

Night Sky Premium - Mensual

Ir premium con un mes gratis!

Ir premium con un mes gratis!

Información

Compatibilidad

macOS 10.15 o posterior. Requiere iOS 11.0 y watchOS 4.0 o posterior. Compatible con iPhone, iPad y iPod touch. Apple TV.

Copyright

© iCandi Apps Ltd.

Compras dentro de la app

1. Night Sky Premium - Mensual USD 3.99

2. Night Sky Premium USD 19.99

3. Night Sky Premium - Mensual USD 3.99
Más

Compartir en familia

Hasta seis miembros de una familia podrán usar esta app mientras la función Compartir en familia esté activada.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
‎VISTA MÁS IMPACTANTE DEL CIELO. La vista del cielo se ha mejorado considerablemente en Night Sky 7 para incluir más de 60 millones de estrellas, una resolución 8 veces mayor para las texturas del espectro luminoso, efectos de salida y puesta del sol, y un nuevo modo de luz diurna.

# data[].attributes.body
I use models with torches and spheres. I usually darken the classroom for it so students can see better illuminated and not illuminated sides of the Moon and the Earth, for example. I also use apps, such as Sky View, and Stellarium (online version).

# data[].attributes.body
I recently started to use pictures (I made them with NASA photos printed on photo paper). Each kid gets a picture and they love it. I then use it to explain the difference between Galaxy, planet, star and moon. I lile to get everybody involved, I invite them to say put loud their answer to a question (all at once). I also make them use their hand to reproduce a phenomenon (formation of a star, Big Bang). I reproduce the relative motion of a moon, a planet and a star with kids turning around each other. I can then tell them about other stellar systems using the same image.

# data[].attributes.headline
I like to make sure that the children are able to create and experiment so that they have a hands on approach in the younger grades.

# data[].attributes.subject
I like to make sure that the children are able to create and experiment so that they have a hands on approach in the younger grades.

# data[].attributes.body
I use flash cards and picture books. As a starter I use videos to enthuse my pupils for the topic.

# data[].attributes.headline
I have given students a table of the relative sizes of planets and taken the students outside. They drew the planets to a much smaller scale using chalk on the ground. Students were suprised by the huge differences in size.

# data[].attributes.subject
I have given students a table of the relative sizes of planets and taken the students outside. They drew the planets to a much smaller scale using chalk on the ground. Students were suprised by the huge differences in size.

# data[].attributes.body
Hi,
I use my students as planets and make a circle by instructing them to stand in shape of a cicle to revolve around the sun. I make them a group of solar system and through this activity they learn more effectively.

# data[].attributes.body
I use videos for teaching about solar system. Merge cube is also useful to learn how planets move in our solar system.

# data[].attributes.headline
I normally start a class discussion to see what knowledge the students already have. We look at some videos. We demonstrate the movement of the planets with groups of students and a lamp to represent the sun.  The students then have the opportunity to make models of the solar system with different materials. We investigate gravity by making parachutes and hopefully we will have resources to investigate light in the classroom this year. 

# data[].attributes.subject
I normally start a class discussion to see what knowledge the students already have. We look at some videos. We demonstrate the movement of the planets with groups of students and a lamp to represent the sun.  The students then have the opportunity to make models of the solar system with different materials. We investigate gravity by making parachutes and hopefully we will have resources to investigate light in the classroom this year. 

# data[].attributes.headline
I use different videos ,pictures about space to learn more information 

# data[].attributes.subject
I use different videos ,pictures about space to learn more information 

# data[].attributes.headline
I do not teach science, but if I had to, I would try 1. To use reliable and authentic resources-I.e. the NASA website;2. Making the children learn through experiments that could apply their hypothesis about a fact, in order to verify their knowledge or suppositions

# data[].attributes.subject
I do not teach science, but if I had to, I would try 1. To use reliable and authentic resources-I.e. the NASA website;2. Making the children learn through experiments that could apply their hypothesis about a fact, in order to verify their knowledge or suppositions

# data[].attributes.body
W1

# data[].attributes.headline
I think children understand the solar system better if they recreate it using various different sizes of objects for each of the planets and then we recreate the different orbits on the playground. i have also asked chn to develop their own mnemonic for remembering the order of the planets.

# data[].attributes.subject
I think children understand the solar system better if they recreate it using various different sizes of objects for each of the planets and then we recreate the different orbits on the playground. i have also asked chn to develop their own mnemonic for remembering the order of the planets.

# data[].attributes.headline
I use the Nasa kids website and Nasa's youtube channel as a helpful resource for learning.

# data[].attributes.subject
I use the Nasa kids website and Nasa's youtube channel as a helpful resource for learning.

# data[].attributes.body
https://www.nasa.gov/kidsclub/index.html

# data[].attributes.body
Experience and exploration is a big thing for science so I would take them to the observatory or have them take a virtual reality tour like this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwHBpykTloY

Students love anything to do with food, so to teach moon phases we used oreos to help students with observing what the moon looks like.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
First-Ever 3D VR Filmed in Space | One Strange Rock

# data[].attributes.body
we use labs
we go museums like the Planetarium
we invite scientists to school

# data[].attributes.body
Dear colleagues, you posted tons of interesting tips! I'll use my summer vacations to read them all :-)

Just a little contribution from my experience: I use role play to let the kids experience the orbits and the relationships between the Sun and the Earth ot the Earth and the Moon.

# data[].attributes.headline
I use videos and pictures to introduce lessons and concepts and always try to have an element of active learning incorporated in to the lesson, where the children are engaging in discussion and finding their own information.

# data[].attributes.subject
I use videos and pictures to introduce lessons and concepts and always try to have an element of active learning incorporated in to the lesson, where the children are engaging in discussion and finding their own information.

# data[].attributes.body
There are a range of different videos available online. Tigtag is a great website with a large number of resources. The NASA app for the iPads is another great resource.
I like carrying out practical activities especially in relation to planets orbiting the sun and day/night caused by the movement of the Earth.

# data[].attributes.body
I prefer to try to do a practical / investigation first. This allows the children time to think about what and why they have done it. This leads to more empowerment and the children making the links rather than here's a lecture with an investigation to consolidate the learning. I use a multi sensory approach with carefully selected videos  - lots of resources from stem.org.uk and courses from the Ogden trust.

# data[].attributes.headline
I like to teach this science by making 3d versions of the topic to be presented to the class. For example, a solar system with the planets hanging on a string in class. Kids like videos but adding something tangible,like a model, allows them to get a better grasp of what has been said. 

# data[].attributes.subject
I like to teach this science by making 3d versions of the topic to be presented to the class. For example, a solar system with the planets hanging on a string in class. Kids like videos but adding something tangible,like a model, allows them to get a better grasp of what has been said. 

# data[].attributes.body
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttS4IKUUtIA

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
"We Are the Planets," the Solar System Song by Story Bots (lyrics added)

# data[].attributes.body
I´ve always love science and explain what I know and learned. Many times I´ve learned from diferent books, internet videos, podcasts or   talks by famous scientific comunicators.
I often teach to my friends, partners and other people who wants to know about the universe or some other questions about the cosmos. It´s very passional for me, and I enjoy every sigle question.

# data[].attributes.body
I would like first to make sure people watch a video explaining well what is our Solar System formed by. Like this link of an youtube video which is very pretty and makes sure you understand everything.

# data[].attributes.body
Moon phases - moons on sticks and lamps to visualise. Oreo biscuits to create moon phases on a plate.

# data[].attributes.body
it is so amazing....

# data[].attributes.headline
Rotation and revolution,  a movement activity

# data[].attributes.subject
Rotation and revolution,  a movement activity

# data[].attributes.body
Well, for example when I teach the subject of rotation and revolution to 7 to 8 years old student,  I usually this items, that are in the photo. We go out of the classroom at the playground area,  I pick three students, one of them receive a sign (that is around the neck) of the sun, the other the sign of the earth, and finally a child represent the moon. So the  other students represents the orbit, they move all together in their own and independently rhythm. We stop sometimes to view how the planet or the moon moves specifically. The unique problem when I put this idea into action, is that sometimes some kids annoy others because their to close, or perhaps they only like to play to mischief in the class. Other than that, is good option to engage the students  simultaneously.

# data[].attributes.body
My approach to teaching science is by competencies, in this way, the student has to acquire certain performance from the area of ​​development to obtain the appropriate level of achievement.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Ethan mira las CONSTELACIONES de estrellas en el cielo - Aprende con Ethan el Camión Volquete | D...

# data[].attributes.headline
I read almost all of this experiences and enjoy about it  Thanks to this course which gives me the opportunity for teaching space and astronomy 

# data[].attributes.subject
I read almost all of this experiences and enjoy about it  Thanks to this course which gives me the opportunity for teaching space and astronomy 

# data[].attributes.headline
In our Inquiry based classroom interest grew from a few children very interested in building rockets during a free creative time. This grew into questions and deepening curiosity and our curriculum has been building around the growing interest in rockets. We introduced origin tales of the constellations to give cultural context and they began writing their own stories and creating their own constellations. Some children then began creating models of planets and researching space in general. Observing this growing interest we invited an inflatable planetarium to our school and interest really has taken off from that visit. Now the whole class (which is multi age K-4) is engaged in research in small groups and creating their own short film based on a planet in the solar system. Props, research, models, music and stories are all being created based on facts, research and curiosity about our solar system. 

# data[].attributes.subject
In our Inquiry based classroom interest grew from a few children very interested in building rockets during a free creative time. This grew into questions and deepening curiosity and our curriculum has been building around the growing interest in rockets. We introduced origin tales of the constellations to give cultural context and they began writing their own stories and creating their own constellations. Some children then began creating models of planets and researching space in general. Observing this growing interest we invited an inflatable planetarium to our school and interest really has taken off from that visit. Now the whole class (which is multi age K-4) is engaged in research in small groups and creating their own short film based on a planet in the solar system. Props, research, models, music and stories are all being created based on facts, research and curiosity about our solar system. 

# data[].attributes.body
To teach science I like to explain to my students the subject of the day, then using small videos found on Youtube I show them the basic concept. What I prefer and what is most effective for them is the experience part. For example, when we first studied volcanoes, I asked them questions: what is a volcano for them? What is it composed of? Why is there lava? Where do we find volcanoes, ...
Then I showed them the video on Youtube 'what is a volcano?' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCLUjU2Nm7A
After seeing the video I explain the vocabulary to them and answer their new questions.
Finally we finished with an experiment, to make lava flow outside a volcano built in class.

# data[].attributes.body
We start with learni
 We start with learning about how the earth and the moon move around the sun.  I have student stand up and model the movements of the sun, earth, and moon.  I also use a flashlight and an old globe that I have painted white to show how the phases of the moon  works.
I often give them fruit of various sizes and put out lots of reference books so they can order planets. They sort and annotate on post-its then photograph their work
I often give them fruit of various sizes and put out lots of reference books so they can order planets. They sort and annotate on post-its then photograph their work
Firstly, I introduce about the topic in related to astronomy and tell the students what I will be talking about. And then I start my speech, after preaching I ask some questions to see that they have understood that. I like to teach astronomy and help others to make and cultivate astronomy in their minds.
Firstly, I introduce about the topic in related to astronomy and tell the students what I will be talking about. And then I start my speech, after preaching I ask some questions to see that they have understood that. I like to teach astronomy and help others to make and cultivate astronomy in their minds.
A great activity is to show models of the sun and planets according to their real size. The sun is represented by a giant beach ball, and Earth is just a peppercorn. Then you can go outside and measure how far they would be apart to scale!
A great activity is to show models of the sun and planets according to their real size. The sun is represented by a giant beach ball, and Earth is just a peppercorn. Then you can go outside and measure how far they would be apart to scale!


Our Universe..
Our Universe..
Firstly I will introduce the terms that related with Universe such as stars, our solar system, planets,. etc.,  And then I will present some facts about our universe like how our universe was formed. After that i will move on another step to introduce about our solar system in details.And then I will let the students to build the model of our solar system.
He we start off with a song about how the elements were formed and then make a scale model of the solar system in the playground and them we link the elements to Earth science and human biology so the students think of themselves as part of space not something seperate from it.
He we start off with a song about how the elements were formed and then make a scale model of the solar system in the playground and them we link the elements to Earth science and human biology  so the students think of themselves as part of space not something seperate from  it.
Solar System project
Solar System project
This is a project of the Solar System we did with my daughter as part of her Units of Inquiry. It's a great way to learn things and really enjoy them. She loved it!

At a recent Star Party that my local astronomical society organised, we had a gravity well demonstration (a sheet stretched over a frame), a Solar System Walk (Sun and Planets laid out to scale), an optics demonstration (light sources, lenses and mirrors) and a scale model of the Lunar Surface to show the shadows around the terminator and the phases. The kids loved it!
At a recent Star Party that my local astronomical society organised, we had a gravity well demonstration (a sheet stretched over a frame), a Solar System Walk (Sun and Planets laid out to scale), an optics demonstration (light sources, lenses and mirrors)  and a scale model of the Lunar Surface to show the shadows around the terminator and the phases.  The kids loved it!
In the past I have made a fruit solar system, paper mache solar system, scale solar systems and had children research a planet and present a poster about it to the rest of the class.
In the past I have made a fruit solar system, paper mache solar system, scale solar systems and had children research a planet and present a poster about it to the rest of the class.
Е
Е
Teaching astronomy
Teaching astronomy
I have never taught astronomy before, yet have some experience in teaching children. I think children would enjoy making posters about solar system, singing songs and playing games (related to the topic). Modelling, making maps are great fun too! 
Nice song! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGgZalXIwqI
How I teach Astronomy in In
How I teach Astronomy in In
How I teach astronomy depends on where I it takes, regulary I teach in multimedia room in Bosscha Observatory, using PPT slide and I variate the material based on the group of audience (who are they, where they came from and their level of study). I love to teach basic solar system for elementary student but when I face senior high school student I want to expand their space knowledge by present the advance space exploration mission such as Rosseta mission from ESA.
But If I go to school without computer facility there I use pictures to explain space (like in the photo), and bring small telescope.
Teaching space
Teaching space
With my 4yo, we have done solar system art work and models. She loves the videos on scishowkids. We also use apps like StarWalk, Google Sky Map and SkySafari to see the phases of the moon and stars/planets. We've also started using the ISS HD live app to look at the space station too. And of course a trip to the science museum and planetarium!

In the classroom, we've done travel guides to the planets and models. Modeling the phases of the moon is very effective. I haven't done it myself but I have seen outdoor scaled models (in the playground) of the solar system which looks great. 
UNGA FAKTA, CLEAR PICTURES, INTERESTING SHORT FILMS AND ASKING QUESTIONS My name is Håkan Lindgren and I'm from Sweden. I haven't taught astronomy to kids yet, but when I do, I will use the excellent website "ungafakta". It's a Swedish educational site about different subjects, for young people. The set-up is really exciting and triggers the imagination. I will also use clear and visual pictures, like the one I show here about the solar system. I will use interesing and pedagogical short films. Finally I will educate by asking questions. What are the pupils interested in and what do they already know?
UNGA FAKTA, CLEAR PICTURES, INTERESTING SHORT FILMS AND ASKING QUESTIONS My name is Håkan Lindgren and I'm from Sweden. I haven't taught astronomy to kids yet, but when I do, I will use the excellent website "ungafakta". It's a Swedish educational site about different subjects, for young people. The set-up is really exciting and triggers the imagination. I will also use clear and visual pictures, like the one I show here about the solar system. I will use interesing and pedagogical short films. Finally I will educate by asking questions. What are the pupils interested in and what do they already know? 
http://www.ungafakta.se/stjarnorplaneter/himlakroppar/om.asp

https://youtu.be/GoW8Tf7hTGA
📎 Photo
U
U
I used CrashCourse a
 I used CrashCourse a lot to introduce a unit.
Redshift Doppler
Redshift Doppler
How do we know the universe is expanding and how do we know the approximate time since the big bang?
When a police car comes towards us the tone of the siren is different from when it passes and moves away. This is because as it approaches it is pushing its sound wave and as it goes away it's stretching it. If it were stationary the pitch would be the same and this works with light waves too.
If a star is moving away from us it stretches its lightwave into the red spectrum and if it's coming towards us it compresses its lightwave into the blue part of the spectrum (Redshift and Blueshift)
This is not something particularly visible with the eye but a computer wil analyse it and determine the speed in which it is moving and if you run the process backwards you come to a time when everything comes to a single point in space around 13.8 billion years ago - The Big Bang.

Memory
Memory
I am not yet a teacher but as a child I remembering visiting a planetarium with my mum and enjoying the view of our solar system. I also remember a science museum representative visiting my Primary school with a tent-like dome and projecting different space constellations on the ceiling and explaining their location. Both experiences were very informative and memorable.
Inquiry
Inquiry
Students have  asked questions, undertaken their own research, been to the museum connected to the  ESA and made presentations to share . 
Orbits
Orbits
One of the best lessons I have done was teaching the orbits of the different planets but getting the children to all have a role. Some were planets, others moons and the asteroid belt. First they only learnt there orbit then we put them altogether to see how all the planets and move at the same times. 
MT - Solar System
MT - Solar System
I usually start by making a Big Bang with paint. I usually read the beginning of “Earth Story” until the creation of the Universe. We talk about stars and constellations. Then we make up a Sun and put it on the ceiling of the classroom. We then hang models of the planets (unfortunately not to scale). We then talk about the sizes of the Sun and the planets and show videos and share information taken from the NASA website for children. The children love counting moons, so we do that as well.

Free iPad apps
Free iPad apps
There are quite a few that I have used including:Earth as Art, Google Earth, Gravitarium, Heat Pad, ISS Live,  and Star Chart.
Space Oddity Animation
Space Oddity Animation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyadA8VcJ6g
I have used this to start or end a session
Journey to a star: Lemongrass
Journey to a star: Lemongrass
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXIERd-mVQ4 
This is a great video/song to end a session
Songs on Youtube
Songs on Youtube
I am a homeschooling
 I am a homeschooling Mum ... I am using a teaching product called 'Astronomy 2' by Pandia Press and it is serving as a wonderful backbone to my teaching. We also spend hours on you-tube watching documentaries, finding explanations for the 101 questions we have, and gazing at beautiful pictures of the cosmos. 

Time zones and moon phase
 Time zones and moon phases
Time zones and moon phases
I make a ring of times, 24 in all, then show how the moon, in different positions, at different times of day.  Why can you see the moon at 3pm? Or 6 am?  
i also do lots of scale activities like sun and planet diameter and distance.  Moon/earth to scale using a globe.  I could only link one video, but the other two show models and the time zones connection. 

 https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=HWMS5qczb0w  And 
 https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=pBJXgKYnkRA
And    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=AVkw7vfwC9k
I used balls and a torch
 I used balls and a torch to teach ch
Empty
Planets and distance
Planets and distance
I think practical and visual is always a great way to teach. The scale of the universe is always something that the children are in awe of and one what that I have explained the distances between the planets is by using a scale involving toilet roll. The exact distances can be found online but the children just can't believe the vastness! It is great!

I have also taught the phases of the moon using oreos. Which is just fun!
Teaching the planets in the Solar system
Teaching the planets in the Solar system 

I would personally use models of planets (3D) that I have in my science lab, before moving to use 2D models (diagrams/pictures). To engage the students about the planets, I will first start my lesson by eliciting their knowledge on planets. What do they know about planets and then we will move on to watching a video on the planets. This is an example of a cartoon about the solar system: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLOi2jJBai0
For the follow up activity, we will do some group discussion with a task on arranging all the planets (cut outs) on a manila card for each group.The students will then present their diagrams and explain to the rest of the class about the solar system. 
Solar System
Solar System
A funny way to give an idea od planet distances it to use models of the Planets an put them in a room on a proportional distance
Explaining the sky
Explaining the sky
Working in a Planetarium, one way to explain the sky, and constellation is to give students an astrolabio (or even have them build one by cutting a pre-printed one) explain how it works and then move in the dome-room in order ti project stars on the dome and verifying if the astrolabio really works.
Solar Eclipse
Solar Eclipse
When there was a partial solar eclipse we set up pin-hole cameras and several binoculars to project the solar eclipse on a screen. We had a live broadcast on a large screen of the total solar eclipse (in a different country) so people could see the solar corona when it occurred during the eclipse. Students and parents were invited.
Constellations, changing night sky.
Constellations, changing night sky.
I used planetarium software to demonstrate how the night sky can be used to navigate at night. You can show the constellations, the moon and the planets. Plus you can see the sky from different locations on the planet.

I like the way that view of the night sky can be taken back and forward in time rapidly, by skipping hours, days, years and millennium. The children got excited about looking at what the sky would have looked like at the time of the dinosaurs. We looked how the planets move in the sky compared to the stars. We looked at where the sun and moon rise.

Demonstrating Gravity and Orbits
Demonstrating Gravity and Orbits
I got children to hold a large sheet out taught, this was space. We then put a heavy, large toy in the centre to create a slight dip, this was a sun. We next slowly rolled a tennis ball across the sheet; it rolled straight down to the heavy toy. This was an object not escaping our 'sun's' gravity. Then we rolled the ball at different speeds. Sometimes we were able to make it spiral round before hitting the 'sun'; this was something in orbit. Other times we got the ball to dip slightly but keep going and fly off the sheet in another direction; this was the slingshot effect.
I've gone out onto t
 I'
 I've gone out onto t
 I've gone out onto the field and the children have enacted the planets circling the sun.  Then we've tried to recreate the distances.  That's always a fun one as you've got one child practically in someone's garden!  We've made fabric planets, tie dying fabric and hanging the finished spheres (ish) relative distances apart.  Again, most are close then you've got two (big ones) at the other end of the school.  Good talking points.
Different space ston
 Different space stones

Auriga Dome
Auriga Dome
This mobile planetarium visits our  Y5 pupils every year.
The Proprietor, Dave is a member of the NASA museums program and actively involved in an International Astronomical Union program to improve the quality of Astronomy communication worldwide. He engages the interest of the children immediately and is a mine of information.
http://www.auriga-astronomy.com
📎 Photo

Going to space
Going to space
 padlet.com/gdemarini/2qg532pwq7b4 


I would like first t
 I would like first to introduce them to astronomy using this video. 
 Introduction to Astronomy: Crash Course Astronomy #1
Introduction to Astronomy: Crash Course Astronomy #1
Welcome to the first episode of Crash Course Astronomy. Your host for this intergalactic adventure is the Bad Astronomer himself, Phil Plait. We begin with answering a question: "What is astronomy?"
youtube
Techniquest
Techniquest
We might use a local science museum to enhance what we teach...Techniquest has brilliant resources and as resources may be an issue sometimes we may as well go where they have them!
 Techniquest * Science Centre UK * Science Discovery
Techniquest * Science Centre UK * Science Discovery
Techniquest is the UK's longest-established science centre, with a mission to embed science in Welsh culture through interactive engagement. The UK's longest-established science centre Techniquest, Stuart Street, Cardiff, CF10 5BW 029 2047 5475 info@techniquest.org During local school holidays 10.00am-5.00pm Bank Holidays, seven days a week. School term 9.30am-4.30pm Tuesday-Friday; 10.00am-5.00pm Saturday and Sunday.
techniquest
https://youtu.be/K5mgTBkDaCs
https://youtu.be/K5mgTBkDaCs
I Would play the above video to give introduction to the concepts.
more_vert
 https://www.jp
 more_vert
https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/teach/
https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/teach/
I am not a teacher but know that NASA, in particular, 
I would start with a brainstorm using a picture of the solar system to elicit words they know. Then, by using pictures and relia I put everything together. The following class, I play this video and revise concepts. Finally, to close the topic, we make together a summary of what we have learnt.
I would start with a brainstorm using a picture of the solar system to elicit words they know. Then, by using pictures and relia I put everything together. The following class, I play this video and revise concepts. Finally, to close the topic, we make together a summary of what we have learnt.
 SOLAR SYSTEM - The Dr. Binocs Show | Best Learning Videos For Kids | Peekaboo Kidz
SOLAR SYSTEM - The Dr. Binocs Show | Best Learning Videos For Kids | Peekaboo Kidz
Learn Solar System in detail with Dr. Binocs only on Peekaboo. Wanna know what is there in Space? What is the Milky Way? What are the various planets in our Solar System? Keep calm and watch this video where Dr.Binocs explains the Solar System in an interesting and detailed way!
youtube
📎 Video
SOLAR SYSTEM - The Dr. Binocs Show | Best Learning Videos For Kids | Peekaboo Kidz
SOLAR SYSTEM - The Dr. Binocs Show | Best Learning Videos For Kids | Peekaboo Kidz
Learn Solar System in detail with Dr. Binocs only on Peekaboo. Wanna know what is there in Space? What is the Milky Way? What are the various planets in our Solar System? Keep calm and watch this video where Dr.Binocs explains the Solar System in an interesting and detailed way!
youtube
https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/teach/
https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/teach/
I am not a teacher but know that NASA, in particular, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, has some wonderful tools for teachers to use to educate about space. Check them out!

The Crab Nebula (catalogue designations M1, NGC 1952, Taurus A) is a supernova remnant in the constellation of Taurus. The now-current name is due to William Parsons, 3rd Earl of Rosse, who observed the object in 1840 using a 36-inch telescope and produced a drawing that looked somewhat like a crab.[5] Corresponding to a bright supernova recorded by Chinese astronomers in 1054, the nebula was observed later by English astronomer John Bevis in 1731. The nebula was the first astronomical object identified with a historical supernova explosion.
The Crab Nebula (catalogue designations M1, NGC 1952, Taurus A) is a supernova remnant in the constellation of Taurus. The now-current name is due to William Parsons, 3rd Earl of Rosse, who observed the object in 1840 using a 36-inch telescope and produced a drawing that looked somewhat like a crab.[5] Corresponding to a bright supernova recorded by Chinese astronomers in 1054, the nebula was observed later by English astronomer John Bevis in 1731. The nebula was the first astronomical object identified with a historical supernova explosion.
 
Solar eclipse and lunar eclipse by biscuits
Solar eclipse and lunar eclipse by biscuits 
A solar eclipse happens when the moon gets in the way of the sun’s light and casts its shadow on Earth. That means during the day, the moon moves over the sun and it gets dark. Isn’t it strange that it gets dark in the middle of the day?

 
Shadow of love
Shadow of love
 
Empty
OCEAN WORLDS
OCEAN WORLDS
poster for students
 
Motivation
Motivation
Show it to students
 
📎 Photo

Meteorite
 Meteorite 
 
Astro famil
 Astro famil
 
Fict
 Fict
 
I try to include as many current news articles as possible that involve space exploration, discoveries, International Space Station, meteor showers that are visible from our location etc. Children have delighted in investigating the progress of of space suits used since space exploration started and the reasons why each particular part of the suits were important for comfort/safety of the astronauts. They then designed suits that they thought they could wear on a trip to a space destination of their choice. This involved them researching conditions of destinations as well as needs to ensure their survival. Their favourite viewing includes the NASA you tubes about living on the ISS where astronauts male and female explain how they cope with daily chores.
I try to include as many current news articles as possible that involve space exploration, discoveries, International Space Station, meteor showers that are visible from our location etc. Children have delighted in investigating the progress of  of space suits used since space exploration started and the reasons why each particular part of the suits were important for comfort/safety of the astronauts. They then designed suits that they thought they could wear on a trip to a space destination of their choice. This involved them researching conditions of destinations as well as needs to ensure their survival. Their favourite viewing includes the NASA you tubes about living on the ISS where astronauts male and female explain how they cope with daily chores.
Homework!
Homework!
The children are actively encouraged to create a model of the solar system (to their own design).  The teaching always starts by finding out what they know already.  They study the planets and the phases of the moon.
Teaching science
Teaching science
We use an inquiry model at our school. We introduce and excite students about a topic using a mystery box, object, video etc. then we use a KWL chart to help shape the unit. We also use student questions, wonderings, to help drive the learning making it more student focused. We then explore, sort and organise our information asking our questions and the unit ends with an authentic action.
Create a video explaining a space concept to put on our school website, run a class info session for parents or invite other schools etc to explain our learning to. Create a universe in the classroom. We have a focus on skills, classifying, scientific drawings etc throughout the learning.
 
Teaching the solar sytem
Teaching the solar sytem
I utilise IT as much as possible to bring it into the classroom, hands on experiences, using spheres in relative sizes paced out on the school oval, role play, wordlinks, investigations and much more. Recently we had a stardome visit and a nighttime guided observation with amazing telescopes to view stars, planets and the moon from our school oval.  Our whole school visited the stardome and most attend the night guided viewing as there was no cost to families. This has given real experiences from which students have asked questions, sought information, pondered where they fit and so much more.
Teaching about the solar system.
Teaching about the solar system. 
I used a variety of techniques, such as videos, drawings, pictures, written text, creating models in groups worked best for me. I found it to be agreed topic for group activities. 
Another thing that I did was to get a number of balls of different sizes and labeled them with planet names. I then took the students outside and we recreated how they orbit the earth. Useful for explaining length of years. 
I used something like this
I used something like this
 
I haven't taught at a school but I used to do a session with my Beaver Scouts (age 6 - 8) and I have scale models of all the planets plus the sun and we would go out into the field and place them a scale distance apart so they could get an idea of the size of the solar system.
I haven't taught at a school but I used to do a session with my Beaver Scouts (age 6 - 8) and I have scale models of all the planets plus the sun and we would go out into the field and place them a scale distance apart so they could get an idea of the size of the solar system.
We start with a problem that needs investigating. Once the children are hooked, we filter in relevant information and use creative writing to record the knowledge. e.g diary of an astronaut using the correct vocab.
We start with a problem that needs investigating. Once the children are hooked, we filter in relevant information and use creative writing to record the knowledge. e.g diary of an astronaut using the correct vocab. 
I love to explore th
 I love to explore the planets with my students with real photos in this link

 Earth - Overview | Planets - NASA Solar System Exploration
Earth - Overview | Planets - NASA Solar System Exploration
Earth is the third planet from the sun and the fifth largest in the solar system. Just slightly larger than nearby Venus, Earth is the biggest of the terrestrial planets. Our home planet is the only planet in our solar system known to harbor living things.
nasa solar system exploration
Scaled down solar system
Scaled down solar system
I usually something along the lines of just how big or far away the planets are 
 
interactive notebooks
interactive notebooks
after practical activities and discussion, written work for their books like this makes it more memorable
 
I am only just beginning to teach astronomy. We started by building a model solar system. We are lucky to live in an area where we have a good view of the night sky, with little light pollution, so we have started star gazing, just recently, which has resulted in needing to know more.
I am only just beginning to teach astronomy.  We started by building a model solar system.   We are lucky to live in an area where we have a good view of the night sky, with little light pollution, so we have started star gazing, just recently, which has resulted in needing to know more.
I am not currently teaching astronomy but if I did I would ask lot of questions to see what everyone thought it was, what it includes and take it from there.
I am not currently teaching astronomy but if I did I would ask lot of questions to see what everyone thought it was, what it includes and take it from there.
I have not
I have not 
I start with a brain storming session to see what the kids have in mind..
I start with a brain storming session to see what the kids have in mind..
I display some pictures maybe videos to explain
I let them draw the space
Teaching About the Stars
Teaching About the Stars

I always do a brainstorm session with my first graders to find out what they already know about stars and what they'd like to learn.  I use lots of different kinds of stories - fiction and non-fiction to try to answer their questions. We also talk about the importance of stars in history and how travellers used them to navigate. As having access to a planetarium is very difficult for my age group in Paris, I decided to make my own. Out of large, black garbage bags and strong tape, I made a planetarium. My garbage bag planetarium has a long garbage bag tube that is connected to a fan which when turned on, inflates in the form of a large pillow. One adult and three children can enter the pillow through a slit on the side. Inside, I have decorated the roof with glow in the dark stars to create the night sky. As we learn about the different major constellations, I invite my students to try to find the constellations inside. It's great fun for the class as well as the parents!
TO TEACH ASTRONOMY
TO TEACH ASTRONOMY
USING PRACTICAL OBJECTS THAT WILL INTEREST THE STUDENTS

Teaching The Solar System and Space
Teaching The Solar System and Space
Check out my Padlet on "The Solar System" at https://padlet.com/lswanepoel1/3g4pt5r8nhgl
 
Dark Sky Ranger
Dark Sky Ranger
I take people stargazing. It is great as there is lots to see and discuss. As I also do outdoor learning we often have a fire and I use this as the sun for a scale model of the Solar System using lights. I can use torches too for things like moon phases.
Clear Skies, Elizabeth Tindal
Ok
Ok
Haven't taught it yet and that is why I am learning on this course!
Haven't taught it yet and that is why I am learning on this course!
TEACHING ATRONOMY
TEACHING ATRONOMY
We teach astronomy through graphics on whiteboard. 

I've just taught phases of the moon using Oero biscuits the kids loved it and it reinforced the work we'd done in the previous lesson
I've just taught phases of the moon using Oero biscuits the kids loved it and it reinforced the work we'd done in the previous lesson
I've also done scale models of the solar system using toilet roll and fruit
L m
L m 
Teaching Space
Teaching Space
We are fortunate to have a local observatory... One of the highlights of the school year is our night time field trip.

Papier-mâché planets
 Papier-mâché planets 
 
Good science CPD
Good science CPD
http://www.reachoutcpd.com/ it's free - just sign up and do online modules.
Experience phases of the moon
Experience phases of the moon
I do this with a swivel chair- get one student on the swivel chair to be the earth and recap that it takes 24h for the earth to spin on its axis. Get one student to hold the torch (sun) and reiterate that the sun doesn't move. As you move the ball around the chair the student is sitting on, they can clearly see the phases of the moon. You can also model a solar and lunar eclipse in this way.
 Moon Phases Demonstration
Moon Phases Demonstration
Emily Morgan, author of Next Time You See the Moon, takes you through the phases of the Moon in a demonstration that will be easy to replicate in your own classroom. http://www.nsta.org/store/product_detail.aspx?id=10.2505/9781938946332 http://www.nsta.org/nexttime-moon
youtube
Just wanted to use Padlet for the first time. Some fascinating ideas here.
Just wanted to use Padlet for the first time. Some fascinating ideas here.
Lisa
Art lesson, which th
 Art lesson, which the scale was better 
 
Learning to teach
Learning to teach
As an undergraduate student, i am yet to have any experience in teaching primary science.

But in terms of teaching generally, I like to give students opportunities to learn themselves thus would like to use lot of resources. 
Solar System
Solar System
The youtube channel of Dr. Binocs is wonderful. I use plenty of videos from you tube and I encourage my students to work on their own exploration and investigation about planets and the solar system.
Lunar Phase Simulator
Lunar Phase Simulator
http://astro.unl.edu/naap/lps/animations/lps.swf
Good link to work on lunar phases with older children.
What not to do!
What not to do!
Try not to do too much - Phases of the Moon has just appeared in the lower secondary school curriculum in Ireland. Don't try to cover everything in one go - allow time for reflection, discussion and consolidation before doing more. Spiral the ideas over two or three years. So I do 1. size of earth and moon and distance between them
then 2. orbits (so that they understand that typical model of Earth as your head and  Moon as your fist - needs an arm that is the length of the classroom)
3. then phases
4. then eclipses
5. then why not eclipses each month.
Frances / BCO

Scale model of the solar system
Scale model of the solar system
With a little knowledge (e.g Earth and Venus are the same size as each other, Jupiter is the biggest planet, mercury is the smallest... etc) this is quite a fun task to put the fruit on their tables and get them to guess which fruit represents which planet, then put them in order.
 
New to Teaching
New to Teaching
I have not had the opportunity to teach this subject yet. 

I do like using children as resources in their own learning, so maybe construct a solar system using the students. 
Blast off!!
Blast off!!
I usually use songs as a motivation, then we go to more "serious" activities like making models or watching videos. I love the Oreo biscuit activity to explain moon phases.
 The Solar System Song
The Solar System Song
It's a song about the Sun and the planets for children of all ages. This song was written and performed by A.J. Jenkins. Video by KidsTV123 Copyright 2011 A.J. Jenkins/KidsTV123: All rights reserved. This is an ORIGINAL song written in 2011 - any copying is illegal.
youtube
Solar SYSTEM
Solar SYSTEM
We can make 
Students more interested by using the models such as using different size of balls as planets and using stones as asteroid belts and meteoroids. 
Solar system
Solar system
Mission X
Mission X
This was a great activity for to get the children interested and curious about space. Lots of great resources and opportunities too
 Mission X Train Like An Astronaut | Train Like An Astronaut
Mission X Train Like An Astronaut | Train Like An Astronaut
Tim Peake sends a message from the ISS....No matter if you are in Space or on Earth we all need to work together!! Let's train like astronauts together and upload points to help Astro Charlie walk from Earth to the Moon.
trainlikeanastronaut
Starting Out
Starting Out

I have not taught this topic yet so am looking forward to using what I have learnt. We use Primary Connections, but I would love to use other ideas and resources as well.

 
Moon phases
 Moon phases
 
Students as planets!
Students as planets!
Using students with planets and the playing fields as the universe. This is a great resource to help you work out the relative distances etc http://www.exploratorium.edu/ronh/solar_system/ They especially like using the toilet paper idea!

the position of the planets
the position of the planets
Making models, of rough sizes using balloons for gas planets and plastercine for rock planets. All hung with strings from the ceiling. They are on a diagonal coming out from a sun in one corner in order to get a perspective of the vast distances involved between some of the bodies (the fact the planets are not evenly spaced in orbits around the sun.
Rotation and revolution
Rotation and revolution
Last time I explained that, U told my students to stand up and spin, first, and move around their tables, later. I was surprised, because some of them decided to do both movements at the same time.
Library Resources
Library Resources
We've got some great readers in our school about the solar system. I usually start with the one about our planets together to gauge students' understanding and then let them explore the collection on their own. 
 
Solar System
Solar System
Day and night
Day and night 
I have only ever taught day and night to younger children so I used 2 balloons ,one blue and one yellow to show how the earth moves round the sun and how the seasons come about.
The big Outdoors
The big Outdoors
Going out on and look up up the is as good way teach astronomy as it helps any who is a visual leaner.

And using visual aids is a good way of teaching sciences.
Vacío
Padlet is the easiest way to create and collaborate in the world
Padlet is the easiest way to create and collaborate in the world
From your hobby to your career, your class notes to your final exam, your mood board to your runway show, padlets help you organize your life.
padlet
📎 Video
Brian Cox visits the world's biggest vacuum chamber - Human Universe: Episode 4 Preview - BBC Two
Brian Cox visits the world's biggest vacuum chamber - Human Universe: Episode 4 Preview - BBC Two
Programme website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0276q28 Brian Cox visits NASA's Space Power Facility in Ohio to see what happens when a bowling ball and a feather are dropped together under the conditions of outer space.
youtube
Shape on Moon
Shape on Moon
The children love this Oreo biscuit activity.
 Space Place: The Moon's Phases in Oreos
Space Place: The Moon's Phases in Oreos
This article explains the monthly variations in the Moon's appearance as seen from Earth. Directions for using Oreo cookies to illustrate the four major phases of the Moon are provided. The article is targeted to children ages 10-12.
nasa wavelength digital library
Movement of the Moon
Movement of the Moon
This is a very good explanation - I then get the children to imitate this in a darkened room.
 Stargazing Challenge: Phases of the Moon (KS2), Series 2, Stargazing Live - BBC Two
Stargazing Challenge: Phases of the Moon (KS2), Series 2, Stargazing Live - BBC Two
Waxing, waning, gibbous?
bbc
Distance of the planets
Distance of the planets
This is a good activity. We then go out into the playground and look at the distances
 40587-ESERO%20-%20Rosetta%20resource%20book%20%28Activity%2006%29.pdf
40587-ESERO%20-%20Rosetta%20resource%20book%20%28Activity%2006%29.pdf
stem
How we have day and night
How we have day and night
I tend to introduce this by using a globe with a lego character stuck on and a torch. I model how the character is in the light and night. I get the children to repeat this using a football and a torch. They have to explain to each other.
The we go in a large area and arrange children in a circle, with their hands linked but facing outwards from the centre. I stand on the outside the circle holding a torch to represent the Sun. I get the children to move in an anticlockwise direction and as they pass me, they can see you the torch so it is day time and times when I am not visible at all (night time). 
You can develop it to introduce
children ‘sunrise’ as they first see the Sun (torch), ‘midday’ when they are directly in front of the Sun, ‘sunset’ as they turn away from the Sun and ‘midnight’ when they are opposite the Sun and facing away from it.
This is a good website, you will need to use flash

 earthandbeyond_b_stamp.swf
earthandbeyond_b_stamp.swf
113 KB swf file
manchester
SWF
Discussing how we know Earth is a spherical...
Discussing how we know Earth is a spherical...
For children it now seems pretty obvious as they have access to so many photos from space.
We look use BBC videos to introduce how scientists first worked out how our planet isn't flat.
They then have to work in teams to make a TV programme explaining what they have learnt. One can be the "expert" and another can be the presenter and interviewer. I encourage them to use props to explain.
 BBC Bitesize - KS2 Science - How do we know the Earth is spherical?
BBC Bitesize - KS2 Science - How do we know the Earth is spherical?
The evidence for the Earth being round or spherical using Aristotle's reasoning.
bbc
I always start with a video to get them thinking and then pose a set of questions to get the children thinking and to assess their prior knowledge
I always start with a video to get them thinking and then pose a set of questions to get the children thinking and to assess their prior knowledge
So in groups they have to discuss: Does the Earth move? How do we get day and night? Within these two questions, I give them various statements for them to discuss whether they are true or false. For example, the Earth stays still and the Sun orbits us. This gives me a good picture of where they are all a
My experience will p
 My experience will probably be a little different to most people here as I work as a science interpreter at The National Space Centre in Leicester, teaching people of all ages about space.
The best way to hook children is to put something physical that looks interesting out, as children naturally want to know what it is and why it's there (adults are A LOT more difficult to hook as they are nowhere near as inquisitive about the world.)
When the child is interested, turn whatever you have into a game as children love playing and it will make them really think about you're saying as children are very competitive (especially if there is a prize for getting it right like a sticker!) Let them keep guessing and changing things until they get it right, as it encourages them to go with their instincts and that it's okay in science to not always be right first time and experimenting with things is good!
Game of Marbles
Game of Marbles
I use a game of marbles with my youngest students to show how celestial bodies collide.

Lots of fun!
 
When teaching the sk
 When teaching the skills of the Nature of Science this is a great video I've used for observation
 Test Your Awareness : Whodunnit?
Test Your Awareness : Whodunnit?
Test your Awareness with Do The Test's Whodunnit. Who Killed Lord Smithe? TFL cycling safety advert! How observant are you? How did you do? www.dothetest.co.uk
youtube
Walking through it...
Walking through it...
Whenever demonstrating movement, although this is very tricky, I ask children to help act it out.  I did this when we had a partial solar eclipse (child in the middle was the moon, another at one end held a torch as the sun and on the opposite side was a child as Earth) and for understanding orbits and rotation.  It really helped us all understand how orbits are created and how they change what we can see from Earth.
I haven't taught spa
 I haven't taught space yet as have spent the majority of my career in year 3. I will be teaching it this year though. I'm looking at some sort of WOW starter - hopefully an AR space experience - to get the children hooked. We also use mind maps for initial knowledge and then add to that at the end of the unit in another colour to show progress. I think that videos can be a great resource for this topic and we will take the children to the observatory as an end of unit trip.
I always try to start a topic with something exciting to grab the children's attention, such as a video or an open ended question that we will answer over the course of the unit. Additionally, we always use a title page, glossary, mind map (that the children put their initial ideas into and then revisit in a different colour pen to show progress) and concept cartoons that the children attempt to answer. I feel this sparks curiosity in the topic and really gives them a buzz about what they are going to be learning. These two are particular favourites:
I always try to start a topic with something exciting to grab the children's attention, such as a video or an open ended question that we will answer over the course of the unit. Additionally, we always use a title page, glossary, mind map (that the children put their initial ideas into and then revisit in a different colour pen to show progress) and concept cartoons that the children attempt to answer. I feel this sparks curiosity in the topic and really gives them a buzz about what they are going to be learning. These two are particular favourites:



 To Scale: The Solar System
To Scale: The Solar System
On a dry lakebed in Nevada, a group of friends build the first scale model of the solar system with complete planetary orbits: a true illustration of our place in the universe. A film by Wylie Overstreet and Alex Gorosh alexgorosh.com wylieoverstreet.com Copyright 2015
vimeo
Intro video 2:
Intro video 2:
 Brian Cox visits the world's biggest vacuum chamber - Human Universe: Episode 4 Preview - BBC Two
Brian Cox visits the world's biggest vacuum chamber - Human Universe: Episode 4 Preview - BBC Two
Programme website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0276q28 Brian Cox visits NASA's Space Power Facility in Ohio to see what happens when a bowling ball and a feather are dropped together under the conditions of outer space.
youtube
 add
I've gone out onto t
 I've gone out onto the field and the children have enacted the planets circling the sun.  Then we've tried to recreate the distances.  That's always a fun one as you've got one child practically in someone's garden!  We've made fabric planets, tie dying fabric and hanging the finished spheres (ish) relative distances apart.  Again, most are close then you've got two (big ones) at the other end of the school.  Good talking points.
Different space ston
 Different space stones

Auriga Dome
Auriga Dome
This mobile planetarium visits our  Y5 pupils every year.
The Proprietor, Dave is a member of the NASA museums program and actively involved in an International Astronomical Union program to improve the quality of Astronomy communication worldwide. He engages the interest of the children immediately and is a mine of information.
http://www.auriga-astronomy.com
📎 Photo
Going to space
Going to space
 padlet.com/gdemarini/2qg532pwq7b4 


I would like first t
 I would like first to introduce them to astronomy using this video. 
Techniquest
Techniquest
We might use a local science museum to enhance what we teach...Techniquest has brilliant resources and as resources may be an issue sometimes we may as well go where they have them!
https://youtu.be/K5mgTBkDaCs
https://youtu.be/K5mgTBkDaCs
I Would play the above video to give introduction to the concepts.
more_vert
 https://www.jp
 more_vert
https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/teach/
https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/teach/
I am not a teacher but know that NASA, in particular, 
I would start with a brainstorm using a picture of the solar system to elicit words they know. Then, by using pictures and relia I put everything together. The following class, I play this video and revise concepts. Finally, to close the topic, we make together a summary of what we have learnt.
I would start with a brainstorm using a picture of the solar system to elicit words they know. Then, by using pictures and relia I put everything together. The following class, I play this video and revise concepts. Finally, to close the topic, we make together a summary of what we have learnt.
📎 Video
https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/teach/
https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/teach/
I am not a teacher but know that NASA, in particular, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, has some wonderful tools for teachers to use to educate about space. Check them out!

The Crab Nebula (catalogue designations M1, NGC 1952, Taurus A) is a supernova remnant in the constellation of Taurus. The now-current name is due to William Parsons, 3rd Earl of Rosse, who observed the object in 1840 using a 36-inch telescope and produced a drawing that looked somewhat like a crab.[5] Corresponding to a bright supernova recorded by Chinese astronomers in 1054, the nebula was observed later by English astronomer John Bevis in 1731. The nebula was the first astronomical object identified with a historical supernova explosion.
The Crab Nebula (catalogue designations M1, NGC 1952, Taurus A) is a supernova remnant in the constellation of Taurus. The now-current name is due to William Parsons, 3rd Earl of Rosse, who observed the object in 1840 using a 36-inch telescope and produced a drawing that looked somewhat like a crab.[5] Corresponding to a bright supernova recorded by Chinese astronomers in 1054, the nebula was observed later by English astronomer John Bevis in 1731. The nebula was the first astronomical object identified with a historical supernova explosion.
Solar eclipse and lunar eclipse by biscuits
Solar eclipse and lunar eclipse by biscuits 
A solar eclipse happens when the moon gets in the way of the sun’s light and casts its shadow on Earth. That means during the day, the moon moves over the sun and it gets dark. Isn’t it strange that it gets dark in the middle of the day?

Shadow of love
Shadow of love
Empty
OCEAN WORLDS
OCEAN WORLDS
poster for students
Motivation
Motivation
Show it to students
📎 Photo
Meteorite
 Meteorite 
Astro famil
 Astro famil
Fict
 Fict
I try to include as many current news articles as possible that involve space exploration, discoveries, International Space Station, meteor showers that are visible from our location etc. Children have delighted in investigating the progress of of space suits used since space exploration started and the reasons why each particular part of the suits were important for comfort/safety of the astronauts. They then designed suits that they thought they could wear on a trip to a space destination of their choice. This involved them researching conditions of destinations as well as needs to ensure their survival. Their favourite viewing includes the NASA you tubes about living on the ISS where astronauts male and female explain how they cope with daily chores.
I try to include as many current news articles as possible that involve space exploration, discoveries, International Space Station, meteor showers that are visible from our location etc. Children have delighted in investigating the progress of  of space suits used since space exploration started and the reasons why each particular part of the suits were important for comfort/safety of the astronauts. They then designed suits that they thought they could wear on a trip to a space destination of their choice. This involved them researching conditions of destinations as well as needs to ensure their survival. Their favourite viewing includes the NASA you tubes about living on the ISS where astronauts male and female explain how they cope with daily chores.
Homework!
Homework!
The children are actively encouraged to create a model of the solar system (to their own design).  The teaching always starts by finding out what they know already.  They study the planets and the phases of the moon.
Teaching science
Teaching science
We use an inquiry model at our school. We introduce and excite students about a topic using a mystery box, object, video etc. then we use a KWL chart to help shape the unit. We also use student questions, wonderings, to help drive the learning making it more student focused. We then explore, sort and organise our information asking our questions and the unit ends with an authentic action.
Create a video explaining a space concept to put on our school website, run a class info session for parents or invite other schools etc to explain our learning to. Create a universe in the classroom. We have a focus on skills, classifying, scientific drawings etc throughout the learning.
Teaching the solar sytem
Teaching the solar sytem
I utilise IT as much as possible to bring it into the classroom, hands on experiences, using spheres in relative sizes paced out on the school oval, role play, wordlinks, investigations and much more. Recently we had a stardome visit and a nighttime guided observation with amazing telescopes to view stars, planets and the moon from our school oval.  Our whole school visited the stardome and most attend the night guided viewing as there was no cost to families. This has given real experiences from which students have asked questions, sought information, pondered where they fit and so much more.
Teaching about the solar system.
Teaching about the solar system. 
I used a variety of techniques, such as videos, drawings, pictures, written text, creating models in groups worked best for me. I found it to be agreed topic for group activities. 
Another thing that I did was to get a number of balls of different sizes and labeled them with planet names. I then took the students outside and we recreated how they orbit the earth. Useful for explaining length of years. 
I used something like this
I used something like this
I haven't taught at a school but I used to do a session with my Beaver Scouts (age 6 - 8) and I have scale models of all the planets plus the sun and we would go out into the field and place them a scale distance apart so they could get an idea of the size of the solar system.
I haven't taught at a school but I used to do a session with my Beaver Scouts (age 6 - 8) and I have scale models of all the planets plus the sun and we would go out into the field and place them a scale distance apart so they could get an idea of the size of the solar system.
We start with a problem that needs investigating. Once the children are hooked, we filter in relevant information and use creative writing to record the knowledge. e.g diary of an astronaut using the correct vocab.
We start with a problem that needs investigating. Once the children are hooked, we filter in relevant information and use creative writing to record the knowledge. e.g diary of an astronaut using the correct vocab. 
I love to explore th
 I love to explore the planets with my students with real photos in this link

Scaled down solar system
Scaled down solar system
I usually something along the lines of just how big or far away the planets are 
interactive notebooks
interactive notebooks
after practical activities and discussion, written work for their books like this makes it more memorable
I am only just beginning to teach astronomy. We started by building a model solar system. We are lucky to live in an area where we have a good view of the night sky, with little light pollution, so we have started star gazing, just recently, which has resulted in needing to know more.
I am only just beginning to teach astronomy.  We started by building a model solar system.   We are lucky to live in an area where we have a good view of the night sky, with little light pollution, so we have started star gazing, just recently, which has resulted in needing to know more.
I am not currently teaching astronomy but if I did I would ask lot of questions to see what everyone thought it was, what it includes and take it from there.
I am not currently teaching astronomy but if I did I would ask lot of questions to see what everyone thought it was, what it includes and take it from there.
I have not
I have not 
I start with a brain storming session to see what the kids have in mind..
I start with a brain storming session to see what the kids have in mind..
I display some pictures maybe videos to explain
I let them draw the space
Teaching About the Stars
Teaching About the Stars

I always do a brainstorm session with my first graders to find out what they already know about stars and what they'd like to learn.  I use lots of different kinds of stories - fiction and non-fiction to try to answer their questions. We also talk about the importance of stars in history and how travellers used them to navigate. As having access to a planetarium is very difficult for my age group in Paris, I decided to make my own. Out of large, black garbage bags and strong tape, I made a planetarium. My garbage bag planetarium has a long garbage bag tube that is connected to a fan which when turned on, inflates in the form of a large pillow. One adult and three children can enter the pillow through a slit on the side. Inside, I have decorated the roof with glow in the dark stars to create the night sky. As we learn about the different major constellations, I invite my students to try to find the constellations inside. It's great fun for the class as well as the parents!
TO TEACH ASTRONOMY
TO TEACH ASTRONOMY
USING PRACTICAL OBJECTS THAT WILL INTEREST THE STUDENTS

Teaching The Solar System and Space
Teaching The Solar System and Space
Check out my Padlet on "The Solar System" at https://padlet.com/lswanepoel1/3g4pt5r8nhgl
Dark Sky Ranger
Dark Sky Ranger
I take people stargazing. It is great as there is lots to see and discuss. As I also do outdoor learning we often have a fire and I use this as the sun for a scale model of the Solar System using lights. I can use torches too for things like moon phases.
Clear Skies, Elizabeth Tindal
Ok
Ok
Haven't taught it yet and that is why I am learning on this course!
Haven't taught it yet and that is why I am learning on this course!
TEACHING ATRONOMY
TEACHING ATRONOMY
We teach astronomy through graphics on whiteboard. 

I've just taught phases of the moon using Oero biscuits the kids loved it and it reinforced the work we'd done in the previous lesson
I've just taught phases of the moon using Oero biscuits the kids loved it and it reinforced the work we'd done in the previous lesson
I've also done scale models of the solar system using toilet roll and fruit
L m
L m 
Teaching Space
Teaching Space
We are fortunate to have a local observatory... One of the highlights of the school year is our night time field trip.

Papier-mâché planets
 Papier-mâché planets 
Good science CPD
Good science CPD
http://www.reachoutcpd.com/ it's free - just sign up and do online modules.
Experience phases of the moon
Experience phases of the moon
I do this with a swivel chair- get one student on the swivel chair to be the earth and recap that it takes 24h for the earth to spin on its axis. Get one student to hold the torch (sun) and reiterate that the sun doesn't move. As you move the ball around the chair the student is sitting on, they can clearly see the phases of the moon. You can also model a solar and lunar eclipse in this way.
Just wanted to use Padlet for the first time. Some fascinating ideas here.
Just wanted to use Padlet for the first time. Some fascinating ideas here.
Lisa
Art lesson, which th
 Art lesson, which the scale was better 
Learning to teach
Learning to teach
As an undergraduate student, i am yet to have any experience in teaching primary science.

But in terms of teaching generally, I like to give students opportunities to learn themselves thus would like to use lot of resources. 
Solar System
Solar System
The youtube channel of Dr. Binocs is wonderful. I use plenty of videos from you tube and I encourage my students to work on their own exploration and investigation about planets and the solar system.
Lunar Phase Simulator
Lunar Phase Simulator
http://astro.unl.edu/naap/lps/animations/lps.swf
Good link to work on lunar phases with older children.
What not to do!
What not to do!
Try not to do too much - Phases of the Moon has just appeared in the lower secondary school curriculum in Ireland. Don't try to cover everything in one go - allow time for reflection, discussion and consolidation before doing more. Spiral the ideas over two or three years. So I do 1. size of earth and moon and distance between them
then 2. orbits (so that they understand that typical model of Earth as your head and  Moon as your fist - needs an arm that is the length of the classroom)
3. then phases
4. then eclipses
5. then why not eclipses each month.
Frances / BCO

Scale model of the solar system
Scale model of the solar system
With a little knowledge (e.g Earth and Venus are the same size as each other, Jupiter is the biggest planet, mercury is the smallest... etc) this is quite a fun task to put the fruit on their tables and get them to guess which fruit represents which planet, then put them in order.
New to Teaching
New to Teaching
I have not had the opportunity to teach this subject yet. 

I do like using children as resources in their own learning, so maybe construct a solar system using the students. 
Blast off!!
Blast off!!
I usually use songs as a motivation, then we go to more "serious" activities like making models or watching videos. I love the Oreo biscuit activity to explain moon phases.
Solar SYSTEM
Solar SYSTEM
We can make 
Students more interested by using the models such as using different size of balls as planets and using stones as asteroid belts and meteoroids. 
Solar system
Solar system
Mission X
Mission X
This was a great activity for to get the children interested and curious about space. Lots of great resources and opportunities too
Starting Out
Starting Out

I have not taught this topic yet so am looking forward to using what I have learnt. We use Primary Connections, but I would love to use other ideas and resources as well.

Moon phases
 Moon phases
Students as planets!
Students as planets!
Using students with planets and the playing fields as the universe. This is a great resource to help you work out the relative distances etc http://www.exploratorium.edu/ronh/solar_system/ They especially like using the toilet paper idea!

the position of the planets
the position of the planets
Making models, of rough sizes using balloons for gas planets and plastercine for rock planets. All hung with strings from the ceiling. They are on a diagonal coming out from a sun in one corner in order to get a perspective of the vast distances involved between some of the bodies (the fact the planets are not evenly spaced in orbits around the sun.
Rotation and revolution
Rotation and revolution
Last time I explained that, U told my students to stand up and spin, first, and move around their tables, later. I was surprised, because some of them decided to do both movements at the same time.
Library Resources
Library Resources
We've got some great readers in our school about the solar system. I usually start with the one about our planets together to gauge students' understanding and then let them explore the collection on their own. 
Solar System
Solar System
Day and night
Day and night 
I have only ever taught day and night to younger children so I used 2 balloons ,one blue and one yellow to show how the earth moves round the sun and how the seasons come about.
The big Outdoors
The big Outdoors
Going out on and look up up the is as good way teach astronomy as it helps any who is a visual leaner.

And using visual aids is a good way of teaching sciences.
📎 Padlet is the easiest way to create and collaborate in the world
📎 Video
Shape on Moon
Shape on Moon
The children love this Oreo biscuit activity.
Movement of the Moon
Movement of the Moon
This is a very good explanation - I then get the children to imitate this in a darkened room.
Distance of the planets
Distance of the planets
This is a good activity. We then go out into the playground and look at the distances
How we have day and night
How we have day and night
I tend to introduce this by using a globe with a lego character stuck on and a torch. I model how the character is in the light and night. I get the children to repeat this using a football and a torch. They have to explain to each other.
The we go in a large area and arrange children in a circle, with their hands linked but facing outwards from the centre. I stand on the outside the circle holding a torch to represent the Sun. I get the children to move in an anticlockwise direction and as they pass me, they can see you the torch so it is day time and times when I am not visible at all (night time). 
You can develop it to introduce
children ‘sunrise’ as they first see the Sun (torch), ‘midday’ when they are directly in front of the Sun, ‘sunset’ as they turn away from the Sun and ‘midnight’ when they are opposite the Sun and facing away from it.
This is a good website, you will need to use flash

Discussing how we know Earth is a spherical...
Discussing how we know Earth is a spherical...
For children it now seems pretty obvious as they have access to so many photos from space.
We look use BBC videos to introduce how scientists first worked out how our planet isn't flat.
They then have to work in teams to make a TV programme explaining what they have learnt. One can be the "expert" and another can be the presenter and interviewer. I encourage them to use props to explain.
I always start with a video to get them thinking and then pose a set of questions to get the children thinking and to assess their prior knowledge
I always start with a video to get them thinking and then pose a set of questions to get the children thinking and to assess their prior knowledge
So in groups they have to discuss: Does the Earth move? How do we get day and night? Within these two questions, I give them various statements for them to discuss whether they are true or false. For example, the Earth stays still and the Sun orbits us. This gives me a good picture of where they are all a
My experience will p
 My experience will probably be a little different to most people here as I work as a science interpreter at The National Space Centre in Leicester, teaching people of all ages about space.
The best way to hook children is to put something physical that looks interesting out, as children naturally want to know what it is and why it's there (adults are A LOT more difficult to hook as they are nowhere near as inquisitive about the world.)
When the child is interested, turn whatever you have into a game as children love playing and it will make them really think about you're saying as children are very competitive (especially if there is a prize for getting it right like a sticker!) Let them keep guessing and changing things until they get it right, as it encourages them to go with their instincts and that it's okay in science to not always be right first time and experimenting with things is good!
Game of Marbles
Game of Marbles
I use a game of marbles with my youngest students to show how celestial bodies collide.

Lots of fun!
When teaching the sk
 When teaching the skills of the Nature of Science this is a great video I've used for observation
Walking through it...
Walking through it...
Whenever demonstrating movement, although this is very tricky, I ask children to help act it out.  I did this when we had a partial solar eclipse (child in the middle was the moon, another at one end held a torch as the sun and on the opposite side was a child as Earth) and for understanding orbits and rotation.  It really helped us all understand how orbits are created and how they change what we can see from Earth.
I haven't taught spa
 I haven't taught space yet as have spent the majority of my career in year 3. I will be teaching it this year though. I'm looking at some sort of WOW starter - hopefully an AR space experience - to get the children hooked. We also use mind maps for initial knowledge and then add to that at the end of the unit in another colour to show progress. I think that videos can be a great resource for this topic and we will take the children to the observatory as an end of unit trip.
I always try to start a topic with something exciting to grab the children's attention, such as a video or an open ended question that we will answer over the course of the unit. Additionally, we always use a title page, glossary, mind map (that the children put their initial ideas into and then revisit in a different colour pen to show progress) and concept cartoons that the children attempt to answer. I feel this sparks curiosity in the topic and really gives them a buzz about what they are going to be learning. These two are particular favourites:
I always try to start a topic with something exciting to grab the children's attention, such as a video or an open ended question that we will answer over the course of the unit. Additionally, we always use a title page, glossary, mind map (that the children put their initial ideas into and then revisit in a different colour pen to show progress) and concept cartoons that the children attempt to answer. I feel this sparks curiosity in the topic and really gives them a buzz about what they are going to be learning. These two are particular favourites:



Intro video 2:
Intro video 2:
Time zones and moon phases
Time zones and moon phases
I make a ring of times, 24 in all, then show how the moon, in different positions, at different times of day.  Why can you see the moon at 3pm? Or 6 am?  
i also do lots of scale activities like sun and planet diameter and distance.  Moon/earth to scale using a globe.  I could only link one video, but the other two show models and the time zones connection. 

 https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=HWMS5qczb0w  And 
 https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=pBJXgKYnkRA
And    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=AVkw7vfwC9k
I used balls and a torch
 I used balls and a torch to teach ch
Empty
Planets and distance
Planets and distance
I think practical and visual is always a great way to teach. The scale of the universe is always something that the children are in awe of and one what that I have explained the distances between the planets is by using a scale involving toilet roll. The exact distances can be found online but the children just can't believe the vastness! It is great!

I have also taught the phases of the moon using oreos. Which is just fun!
Teaching the planets in the Solar system
Teaching the planets in the Solar system 

I would personally use models of planets (3D) that I have in my science lab, before moving to use 2D models (diagrams/pictures). To engage the students about the planets, I will first start my lesson by eliciting their knowledge on planets. What do they know about planets and then we will move on to watching a video on the planets. This is an example of a cartoon about the solar system: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLOi2jJBai0
For the follow up activity, we will do some group discussion with a task on arranging all the planets (cut outs) on a manila card for each group.The students will then present their diagrams and explain to the rest of the class about the solar system. 
Solar System
Solar System
A funny way to give an idea od planet distances it to use models of the Planets an put them in a room on a proportional distance
Explaining the sky
Explaining the sky
Working in a Planetarium, one way to explain the sky, and constellation is to give students an astrolabio (or even have them build one by cutting a pre-printed one) explain how it works and then move in the dome-room in order ti project stars on the dome and verifying if the astrolabio really works.
Solar Eclipse
Solar Eclipse
When there was a partial solar eclipse we set up pin-hole cameras and several binoculars to project the solar eclipse on a screen. We had a live broadcast on a large screen of the total solar eclipse (in a different country) so people could see the solar corona when it occurred during the eclipse. Students and parents were invited.
Constellations, changing night sky.
Constellations, changing night sky.
I used planetarium software to demonstrate how the night sky can be used to navigate at night. You can show the constellations, the moon and the planets. Plus you can see the sky from different locations on the planet.

I like the way that view of the night sky can be taken back and forward in time rapidly, by skipping hours, days, years and millennium. The children got excited about looking at what the sky would have looked like at the time of the dinosaurs. We looked how the planets move in the sky compared to the stars. We looked at where the sun and moon rise.

Demonstrating Gravity and Orbits
Demonstrating Gravity and Orbits
I got children to hold a large sheet out taught, this was space. We then put a heavy, large toy in the centre to create a slight dip, this was a sun. We next slowly rolled a tennis ball across the sheet; it rolled straight down to the heavy toy. This was an object not escaping our 'sun's' gravity. Then we rolled the ball at different speeds. Sometimes we were able to make it spiral round before hitting the 'sun'; this was something in orbit. Other times we got the ball to dip slightly but keep going and fly off the sheet in another direction; this was the slingshot effect.
I've gone out onto t
 I'
 I've gone out onto t
 I've gone out onto the field and the children have enacted the planets circling the sun.  Then we've tried to recreate the distances.  That's always a fun one as you've got one child practically in someone's garden!  We've made fabric planets, tie dying fabric and hanging the finished spheres (ish) relative distances apart.  Again, most are close then you've got two (big ones) at the other end of the school.  Good talking points.
Different space ston
 Different space stones

Auriga Dome
Auriga Dome
This mobile planetarium visits our  Y5 pupils every year.
The Proprietor, Dave is a member of the NASA museums program and actively involved in an International Astronomical Union program to improve the quality of Astronomy communication worldwide. He engages the interest of the children immediately and is a mine of information.
http://www.auriga-astronomy.com
📎 Photo

Going to space
Going to space
 padlet.com/gdemarini/2qg532pwq7b4 


I would like first t
 I would like first to introduce them to astronomy using this video. 
 Introduction to Astronomy: Crash Course Astronomy #1
Introduction to Astronomy: Crash Course Astronomy #1
Welcome to the first episode of Crash Course Astronomy. Your host for this intergalactic adventure is the Bad Astronomer himself, Phil Plait. We begin with answering a question: "What is astronomy?"
youtube
Techniquest
Techniquest
We might use a local science museum to enhance what we teach...Techniquest has brilliant resources and as resources may be an issue sometimes we may as well go where they have them!
 Techniquest * Science Centre UK * Science Discovery
Techniquest * Science Centre UK * Science Discovery
Techniquest is the UK's longest-established science centre, with a mission to embed science in Welsh culture through interactive engagement. The UK's longest-established science centre Techniquest, Stuart Street, Cardiff, CF10 5BW 029 2047 5475 info@techniquest.org During local school holidays 10.00am-5.00pm Bank Holidays, seven days a week. School term 9.30am-4.30pm Tuesday-Friday; 10.00am-5.00pm Saturday and Sunday.
techniquest
https://youtu.be/K5mgTBkDaCs
https://youtu.be/K5mgTBkDaCs
I Would play the above video to give introduction to the concepts.
more_vert
 https://www.jp
 more_vert
https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/teach/
https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/teach/
I am not a teacher but know that NASA, in particular, 
I would start with a brainstorm using a picture of the solar system to elicit words they know. Then, by using pictures and relia I put everything together. The following class, I play this video and revise concepts. Finally, to close the topic, we make together a summary of what we have learnt.
I would start with a brainstorm using a picture of the solar system to elicit words they know. Then, by using pictures and relia I put everything together. The following class, I play this video and revise concepts. Finally, to close the topic, we make together a summary of what we have learnt.
 SOLAR SYSTEM - The Dr. Binocs Show | Best Learning Videos For Kids | Peekaboo Kidz
SOLAR SYSTEM - The Dr. Binocs Show | Best Learning Videos For Kids | Peekaboo Kidz
Learn Solar System in detail with Dr. Binocs only on Peekaboo. Wanna know what is there in Space? What is the Milky Way? What are the various planets in our Solar System? Keep calm and watch this video where Dr.Binocs explains the Solar System in an interesting and detailed way!
youtube
📎 Video
SOLAR SYSTEM - The Dr. Binocs Show | Best Learning Videos For Kids | Peekaboo Kidz
SOLAR SYSTEM - The Dr. Binocs Show | Best Learning Videos For Kids | Peekaboo Kidz
Learn Solar System in detail with Dr. Binocs only on Peekaboo. Wanna know what is there in Space? What is the Milky Way? What are the various planets in our Solar System? Keep calm and watch this video where Dr.Binocs explains the Solar System in an interesting and detailed way!
youtube
https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/teach/
https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/teach/
I am not a teacher but know that NASA, in particular, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, has some wonderful tools for teachers to use to educate about space. Check them out!

The Crab Nebula (catalogue designations M1, NGC 1952, Taurus A) is a supernova remnant in the constellation of Taurus. The now-current name is due to William Parsons, 3rd Earl of Rosse, who observed the object in 1840 using a 36-inch telescope and produced a drawing that looked somewhat like a crab.[5] Corresponding to a bright supernova recorded by Chinese astronomers in 1054, the nebula was observed later by English astronomer John Bevis in 1731. The nebula was the first astronomical object identified with a historical supernova explosion.
The Crab Nebula (catalogue designations M1, NGC 1952, Taurus A) is a supernova remnant in the constellation of Taurus. The now-current name is due to William Parsons, 3rd Earl of Rosse, who observed the object in 1840 using a 36-inch telescope and produced a drawing that looked somewhat like a crab.[5] Corresponding to a bright supernova recorded by Chinese astronomers in 1054, the nebula was observed later by English astronomer John Bevis in 1731. The nebula was the first astronomical object identified with a historical supernova explosion.
 
Solar eclipse and lunar eclipse by biscuits
Solar eclipse and lunar eclipse by biscuits 
A solar eclipse happens when the moon gets in the way of the sun’s light and casts its shadow on Earth. That means during the day, the moon moves over the sun and it gets dark. Isn’t it strange that it gets dark in the middle of the day?

 
Shadow of love
Shadow of love
 
Empty
OCEAN WORLDS
OCEAN WORLDS
poster for students
 
Motivation
Motivation
Show it to students
 
📎 Photo

Meteorite
 Meteorite 
 
Astro famil
 Astro famil
 
Fict
 Fict
 
I try to include as many current news articles as possible that involve space exploration, discoveries, International Space Station, meteor showers that are visible from our location etc. Children have delighted in investigating the progress of of space suits used since space exploration started and the reasons why each particular part of the suits were important for comfort/safety of the astronauts. They then designed suits that they thought they could wear on a trip to a space destination of their choice. This involved them researching conditions of destinations as well as needs to ensure their survival. Their favourite viewing includes the NASA you tubes about living on the ISS where astronauts male and female explain how they cope with daily chores.
I try to include as many current news articles as possible that involve space exploration, discoveries, International Space Station, meteor showers that are visible from our location etc. Children have delighted in investigating the progress of  of space suits used since space exploration started and the reasons why each particular part of the suits were important for comfort/safety of the astronauts. They then designed suits that they thought they could wear on a trip to a space destination of their choice. This involved them researching conditions of destinations as well as needs to ensure their survival. Their favourite viewing includes the NASA you tubes about living on the ISS where astronauts male and female explain how they cope with daily chores.
Homework!
Homework!
The children are actively encouraged to create a model of the solar system (to their own design).  The teaching always starts by finding out what they know already.  They study the planets and the phases of the moon.
Teaching science
Teaching science
We use an inquiry model at our school. We introduce and excite students about a topic using a mystery box, object, video etc. then we use a KWL chart to help shape the unit. We also use student questions, wonderings, to help drive the learning making it more student focused. We then explore, sort and organise our information asking our questions and the unit ends with an authentic action.
Create a video explaining a space concept to put on our school website, run a class info session for parents or invite other schools etc to explain our learning to. Create a universe in the classroom. We have a focus on skills, classifying, scientific drawings etc throughout the learning.
 
Teaching the solar sytem
Teaching the solar sytem
I utilise IT as much as possible to bring it into the classroom, hands on experiences, using spheres in relative sizes paced out on the school oval, role play, wordlinks, investigations and much more. Recently we had a stardome visit and a nighttime guided observation with amazing telescopes to view stars, planets and the moon from our school oval.  Our whole school visited the stardome and most attend the night guided viewing as there was no cost to families. This has given real experiences from which students have asked questions, sought information, pondered where they fit and so much more.
Teaching about the solar system.
Teaching about the solar system. 
I used a variety of techniques, such as videos, drawings, pictures, written text, creating models in groups worked best for me. I found it to be agreed topic for group activities. 
Another thing that I did was to get a number of balls of different sizes and labeled them with planet names. I then took the students outside and we recreated how they orbit the earth. Useful for explaining length of years. 
I used something like this
I used something like this
 
I haven't taught at a school but I used to do a session with my Beaver Scouts (age 6 - 8) and I have scale models of all the planets plus the sun and we would go out into the field and place them a scale distance apart so they could get an idea of the size of the solar system.
I haven't taught at a school but I used to do a session with my Beaver Scouts (age 6 - 8) and I have scale models of all the planets plus the sun and we would go out into the field and place them a scale distance apart so they could get an idea of the size of the solar system.
We start with a problem that needs investigating. Once the children are hooked, we filter in relevant information and use creative writing to record the knowledge. e.g diary of an astronaut using the correct vocab.
We start with a problem that needs investigating. Once the children are hooked, we filter in relevant information and use creative writing to record the knowledge. e.g diary of an astronaut using the correct vocab. 
I love to explore th
 I love to explore the planets with my students with real photos in this link

 Earth - Overview | Planets - NASA Solar System Exploration
Earth - Overview | Planets - NASA Solar System Exploration
Earth is the third planet from the sun and the fifth largest in the solar system. Just slightly larger than nearby Venus, Earth is the biggest of the terrestrial planets. Our home planet is the only planet in our solar system known to harbor living things.
nasa solar system exploration
Scaled down solar system
Scaled down solar system
I usually something along the lines of just how big or far away the planets are 
 
interactive notebooks
interactive notebooks
after practical activities and discussion, written work for their books like this makes it more memorable
 
I am only just beginning to teach astronomy. We started by building a model solar system. We are lucky to live in an area where we have a good view of the night sky, with little light pollution, so we have started star gazing, just recently, which has resulted in needing to know more.
I am only just beginning to teach astronomy.  We started by building a model solar system.   We are lucky to live in an area where we have a good view of the night sky, with little light pollution, so we have started star gazing, just recently, which has resulted in needing to know more.
I am not currently teaching astronomy but if I did I would ask lot of questions to see what everyone thought it was, what it includes and take it from there.
I am not currently teaching astronomy but if I did I would ask lot of questions to see what everyone thought it was, what it includes and take it from there.
I have not
I have not 
I start with a brain storming session to see what the kids have in mind..
I start with a brain storming session to see what the kids have in mind..
I display some pictures maybe videos to explain
I let them draw the space
Teaching About the Stars
Teaching About the Stars

I always do a brainstorm session with my first graders to find out what they already know about stars and what they'd like to learn.  I use lots of different kinds of stories - fiction and non-fiction to try to answer their questions. We also talk about the importance of stars in history and how travellers used them to navigate. As having access to a planetarium is very difficult for my age group in Paris, I decided to make my own. Out of large, black garbage bags and strong tape, I made a planetarium. My garbage bag planetarium has a long garbage bag tube that is connected to a fan which when turned on, inflates in the form of a large pillow. One adult and three children can enter the pillow through a slit on the side. Inside, I have decorated the roof with glow in the dark stars to create the night sky. As we learn about the different major constellations, I invite my students to try to find the constellations inside. It's great fun for the class as well as the parents!
TO TEACH ASTRONOMY
TO TEACH ASTRONOMY
USING PRACTICAL OBJECTS THAT WILL INTEREST THE STUDENTS

Teaching The Solar System and Space
Teaching The Solar System and Space
Check out my Padlet on "The Solar System" at https://padlet.com/lswanepoel1/3g4pt5r8nhgl
 
Dark Sky Ranger
Dark Sky Ranger
I take people stargazing. It is great as there is lots to see and discuss. As I also do outdoor learning we often have a fire and I use this as the sun for a scale model of the Solar System using lights. I can use torches too for things like moon phases.
Clear Skies, Elizabeth Tindal
Ok
Ok
Haven't taught it yet and that is why I am learning on this course!
Haven't taught it yet and that is why I am learning on this course!
TEACHING ATRONOMY
TEACHING ATRONOMY
We teach astronomy through graphics on whiteboard. 

I've just taught phases of the moon using Oero biscuits the kids loved it and it reinforced the work we'd done in the previous lesson
I've just taught phases of the moon using Oero biscuits the kids loved it and it reinforced the work we'd done in the previous lesson
I've also done scale models of the solar system using toilet roll and fruit
L m
L m 
Teaching Space
Teaching Space
We are fortunate to have a local observatory... One of the highlights of the school year is our night time field trip.

Papier-mâché planets
 Papier-mâché planets 
 
Good science CPD
Good science CPD
http://www.reachoutcpd.com/ it's free - just sign up and do online modules.
Experience phases of the moon
Experience phases of the moon
I do this with a swivel chair- get one student on the swivel chair to be the earth and recap that it takes 24h for the earth to spin on its axis. Get one student to hold the torch (sun) and reiterate that the sun doesn't move. As you move the ball around the chair the student is sitting on, they can clearly see the phases of the moon. You can also model a solar and lunar eclipse in this way.
 Moon Phases Demonstration
Moon Phases Demonstration
Emily Morgan, author of Next Time You See the Moon, takes you through the phases of the Moon in a demonstration that will be easy to replicate in your own classroom. http://www.nsta.org/store/product_detail.aspx?id=10.2505/9781938946332 http://www.nsta.org/nexttime-moon
youtube
Just wanted to use Padlet for the first time. Some fascinating ideas here.
Just wanted to use Padlet for the first time. Some fascinating ideas here.
Lisa
Art lesson, which th
 Art lesson, which the scale was better 
 
Learning to teach
Learning to teach
As an undergraduate student, i am yet to have any experience in teaching primary science.

But in terms of teaching generally, I like to give students opportunities to learn themselves thus would like to use lot of resources. 
Solar System
Solar System
The youtube channel of Dr. Binocs is wonderful. I use plenty of videos from you tube and I encourage my students to work on their own exploration and investigation about planets and the solar system.
Lunar Phase Simulator
Lunar Phase Simulator
http://astro.unl.edu/naap/lps/animations/lps.swf
Good link to work on lunar phases with older children.
What not to do!
What not to do!
Try not to do too much - Phases of the Moon has just appeared in the lower secondary school curriculum in Ireland. Don't try to cover everything in one go - allow time for reflection, discussion and consolidation before doing more. Spiral the ideas over two or three years. So I do 1. size of earth and moon and distance between them
then 2. orbits (so that they understand that typical model of Earth as your head and  Moon as your fist - needs an arm that is the length of the classroom)
3. then phases
4. then eclipses
5. then why not eclipses each month.
Frances / BCO

Scale model of the solar system
Scale model of the solar system
With a little knowledge (e.g Earth and Venus are the same size as each other, Jupiter is the biggest planet, mercury is the smallest... etc) this is quite a fun task to put the fruit on their tables and get them to guess which fruit represents which planet, then put them in order.
 
New to Teaching
New to Teaching
I have not had the opportunity to teach this subject yet. 

I do like using children as resources in their own learning, so maybe construct a solar system using the students. 
Blast off!!
Blast off!!
I usually use songs as a motivation, then we go to more "serious" activities like making models or watching videos. I love the Oreo biscuit activity to explain moon phases.
 The Solar System Song
The Solar System Song
It's a song about the Sun and the planets for children of all ages. This song was written and performed by A.J. Jenkins. Video by KidsTV123 Copyright 2011 A.J. Jenkins/KidsTV123: All rights reserved. This is an ORIGINAL song written in 2011 - any copying is illegal.
youtube
Solar SYSTEM
Solar SYSTEM
We can make 
Students more interested by using the models such as using different size of balls as planets and using stones as asteroid belts and meteoroids. 
Solar system
Solar system
Mission X
Mission X
This was a great activity for to get the children interested and curious about space. Lots of great resources and opportunities too
 Mission X Train Like An Astronaut | Train Like An Astronaut
Mission X Train Like An Astronaut | Train Like An Astronaut
Tim Peake sends a message from the ISS....No matter if you are in Space or on Earth we all need to work together!! Let's train like astronauts together and upload points to help Astro Charlie walk from Earth to the Moon.
trainlikeanastronaut
Starting Out
Starting Out

I have not taught this topic yet so am looking forward to using what I have learnt. We use Primary Connections, but I would love to use other ideas and resources as well.

 
Moon phases
 Moon phases
 
Students as planets!
Students as planets!
Using students with planets and the playing fields as the universe. This is a great resource to help you work out the relative distances etc http://www.exploratorium.edu/ronh/solar_system/ They especially like using the toilet paper idea!

the position of the planets
the position of the planets
Making models, of rough sizes using balloons for gas planets and plastercine for rock planets. All hung with strings from the ceiling. They are on a diagonal coming out from a sun in one corner in order to get a perspective of the vast distances involved between some of the bodies (the fact the planets are not evenly spaced in orbits around the sun.
Rotation and revolution
Rotation and revolution
Last time I explained that, U told my students to stand up and spin, first, and move around their tables, later. I was surprised, because some of them decided to do both movements at the same time.
Library Resources
Library Resources
We've got some great readers in our school about the solar system. I usually start with the one about our planets together to gauge students' understanding and then let them explore the collection on their own. 
 
Solar System
Solar System
Day and night
Day and night 
I have only ever taught day and night to younger children so I used 2 balloons ,one blue and one yellow to show how the earth moves round the sun and how the seasons come about.
The big Outdoors
The big Outdoors
Going out on and look up up the is as good way teach astronomy as it helps any who is a visual leaner.

And using visual aids is a good way of teaching sciences.
Vacío
Padlet is the easiest way to create and collaborate in the world
Padlet is the easiest way to create and collaborate in the world
From your hobby to your career, your class notes to your final exam, your mood board to your runway show, padlets help you organize your life.
padlet
📎 Video
Brian Cox visits the world's biggest vacuum chamber - Human Universe: Episode 4 Preview - BBC Two
Brian Cox visits the world's biggest vacuum chamber - Human Universe: Episode 4 Preview - BBC Two
Programme website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0276q28 Brian Cox visits NASA's Space Power Facility in Ohio to see what happens when a bowling ball and a feather are dropped together under the conditions of outer space.
youtube
Shape on Moon
Shape on Moon
The children love this Oreo biscuit activity.
 Space Place: The Moon's Phases in Oreos
Space Place: The Moon's Phases in Oreos
This article explains the monthly variations in the Moon's appearance as seen from Earth. Directions for using Oreo cookies to illustrate the four major phases of the Moon are provided. The article is targeted to children ages 10-12.
nasa wavelength digital library
Movement of the Moon
Movement of the Moon
This is a very good explanation - I then get the children to imitate this in a darkened room.
 Stargazing Challenge: Phases of the Moon (KS2), Series 2, Stargazing Live - BBC Two
Stargazing Challenge: Phases of the Moon (KS2), Series 2, Stargazing Live - BBC Two
Waxing, waning, gibbous?
bbc
Distance of the planets
Distance of the planets
This is a good activity. We then go out into the playground and look at the distances
 40587-ESERO%20-%20Rosetta%20resource%20book%20%28Activity%2006%29.pdf
40587-ESERO%20-%20Rosetta%20resource%20book%20%28Activity%2006%29.pdf
stem
How we have day and night
How we have day and night
I tend to introduce this by using a globe with a lego character stuck on and a torch. I model how the character is in the light and night. I get the children to repeat this using a football and a torch. They have to explain to each other.
The we go in a large area and arrange children in a circle, with their hands linked but facing outwards from the centre. I stand on the outside the circle holding a torch to represent the Sun. I get the children to move in an anticlockwise direction and as they pass me, they can see you the torch so it is day time and times when I am not visible at all (night time). 
You can develop it to introduce
children ‘sunrise’ as they first see the Sun (torch), ‘midday’ when they are directly in front of the Sun, ‘sunset’ as they turn away from the Sun and ‘midnight’ when they are opposite the Sun and facing away from it.
This is a good website, you will need to use flash

 earthandbeyond_b_stamp.swf
earthandbeyond_b_stamp.swf
113 KB swf file
manchester
SWF
Discussing how we know Earth is a spherical...
Discussing how we know Earth is a spherical...
For children it now seems pretty obvious as they have access to so many photos from space.
We look use BBC videos to introduce how scientists first worked out how our planet isn't flat.
They then have to work in teams to make a TV programme explaining what they have learnt. One can be the "expert" and another can be the presenter and interviewer. I encourage them to use props to explain.
 BBC Bitesize - KS2 Science - How do we know the Earth is spherical?
BBC Bitesize - KS2 Science - How do we know the Earth is spherical?
The evidence for the Earth being round or spherical using Aristotle's reasoning.
bbc
I always start with a video to get them thinking and then pose a set of questions to get the children thinking and to assess their prior knowledge
I always start with a video to get them thinking and then pose a set of questions to get the children thinking and to assess their prior knowledge
So in groups they have to discuss: Does the Earth move? How do we get day and night? Within these two questions, I give them various statements for them to discuss whether they are true or false. For example, the Earth stays still and the Sun orbits us. This gives me a good picture of where they are all a
My experience will p
 My experience will probably be a little different to most people here as I work as a science interpreter at The National Space Centre in Leicester, teaching people of all ages about space.
The best way to hook children is to put something physical that looks interesting out, as children naturally want to know what it is and why it's there (adults are A LOT more difficult to hook as they are nowhere near as inquisitive about the world.)
When the child is interested, turn whatever you have into a game as children love playing and it will make them really think about you're saying as children are very competitive (especially if there is a prize for getting it right like a sticker!) Let them keep guessing and changing things until they get it right, as it encourages them to go with their instincts and that it's okay in science to not always be right first time and experimenting with things is good!
Game of Marbles
Game of Marbles
I use a game of marbles with my youngest students to show how celestial bodies collide.

Lots of fun!
 
When teaching the sk
 When teaching the skills of the Nature of Science this is a great video I've used for observation
 Test Your Awareness : Whodunnit?
Test Your Awareness : Whodunnit?
Test your Awareness with Do The Test's Whodunnit. Who Killed Lord Smithe? TFL cycling safety advert! How observant are you? How did you do? www.dothetest.co.uk
youtube
Walking through it...
Walking through it...
Whenever demonstrating movement, although this is very tricky, I ask children to help act it out.  I did this when we had a partial solar eclipse (child in the middle was the moon, another at one end held a torch as the sun and on the opposite side was a child as Earth) and for understanding orbits and rotation.  It really helped us all understand how orbits are created and how they change what we can see from Earth.
I haven't taught spa
 I haven't taught space yet as have spent the majority of my career in year 3. I will be teaching it this year though. I'm looking at some sort of WOW starter - hopefully an AR space experience - to get the children hooked. We also use mind maps for initial knowledge and then add to that at the end of the unit in another colour to show progress. I think that videos can be a great resource for this topic and we will take the children to the observatory as an end of unit trip.
I always try to start a topic with something exciting to grab the children's attention, such as a video or an open ended question that we will answer over the course of the unit. Additionally, we always use a title page, glossary, mind map (that the children put their initial ideas into and then revisit in a different colour pen to show progress) and concept cartoons that the children attempt to answer. I feel this sparks curiosity in the topic and really gives them a buzz about what they are going to be learning. These two are particular favourites:
I always try to start a topic with something exciting to grab the children's attention, such as a video or an open ended question that we will answer over the course of the unit. Additionally, we always use a title page, glossary, mind map (that the children put their initial ideas into and then revisit in a different colour pen to show progress) and concept cartoons that the children attempt to answer. I feel this sparks curiosity in the topic and really gives them a buzz about what they are going to be learning. These two are particular favourites:



 To Scale: The Solar System
To Scale: The Solar System
On a dry lakebed in Nevada, a group of friends build the first scale model of the solar system with complete planetary orbits: a true illustration of our place in the universe. A film by Wylie Overstreet and Alex Gorosh alexgorosh.com wylieoverstreet.com Copyright 2015
vimeo
Intro video 2:
Intro video 2:
 Brian Cox visits the world's biggest vacuum chamber - Human Universe: Episode 4 Preview - BBC Two
Brian Cox visits the world's biggest vacuum chamber - Human Universe: Episode 4 Preview - BBC Two
Programme website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0276q28 Brian Cox visits NASA's Space Power Facility in Ohio to see what happens when a bowling ball and a feather are dropped together under the conditions of outer space.
youtube
 add
I've gone out onto t
 I've gone out onto the field and the children have enacted the planets circling the sun.  Then we've tried to recreate the distances.  That's always a fun one as you've got one child practically in someone's garden!  We've made fabric planets, tie dying fabric and hanging the finished spheres (ish) relative distances apart.  Again, most are close then you've got two (big ones) at the other end of the school.  Good talking points.
Different space ston
 Different space stones
Auriga Dome
Auriga Dome
This mobile planetarium visits our  Y5 pupils every year.
The Proprietor, Dave is a member of the NASA museums program and actively involved in an International Astronomical Union program to improve the quality of Astronomy communication worldwide. He engages the interest of the children immediately and is a mine of information.
http://www.auriga-astronomy.com
📎 Photo
Going to space
Going to space
 padlet.com/gdemarini/2qg532pwq7b4 


I would like first t
 I would like first to introduce them to astronomy using this video. 
Techniquest
Techniquest
We might use a local science museum to enhance what we teach...Techniquest has brilliant resources and as resources may be an issue sometimes we may as well go where they have them!
https://youtu.be/K5mgTBkDaCs
https://youtu.be/K5mgTBkDaCs
I Would play the above video to give introduction to the concepts.
more_vert
 https://www.jp
 more_vert
https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/teach/
https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/teach/
I am not a teacher but know that NASA, in particular, 
I would start with a brainstorm using a picture of the solar system to elicit words they know. Then, by using pictures and relia I put everything together. The following class, I play this video and revise concepts. Finally, to close the topic, we make together a summary of what we have learnt.
I would start with a brainstorm using a picture of the solar system to elicit words they know. Then, by using pictures and relia I put everything together. The following class, I play this video and revise concepts. Finally, to close the topic, we make together a summary of what we have learnt.
📎 Video
https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/teach/
https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/teach/
I am not a teacher but know that NASA, in particular, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, has some wonderful tools for teachers to use to educate about space. Check them out!

The Crab Nebula (catalogue designations M1, NGC 1952, Taurus A) is a supernova remnant in the constellation of Taurus. The now-current name is due to William Parsons, 3rd Earl of Rosse, who observed the object in 1840 using a 36-inch telescope and produced a drawing that looked somewhat like a crab.[5] Corresponding to a bright supernova recorded by Chinese astronomers in 1054, the nebula was observed later by English astronomer John Bevis in 1731. The nebula was the first astronomical object identified with a historical supernova explosion.
The Crab Nebula (catalogue designations M1, NGC 1952, Taurus A) is a supernova remnant in the constellation of Taurus. The now-current name is due to William Parsons, 3rd Earl of Rosse, who observed the object in 1840 using a 36-inch telescope and produced a drawing that looked somewhat like a crab.[5] Corresponding to a bright supernova recorded by Chinese astronomers in 1054, the nebula was observed later by English astronomer John Bevis in 1731. The nebula was the first astronomical object identified with a historical supernova explosion.
Solar eclipse and lunar eclipse by biscuits
Solar eclipse and lunar eclipse by biscuits 
A solar eclipse happens when the moon gets in the way of the sun’s light and casts its shadow on Earth. That means during the day, the moon moves over the sun and it gets dark. Isn’t it strange that it gets dark in the middle of the day?

Shadow of love
Shadow of love
Empty
OCEAN WORLDS
OCEAN WORLDS
poster for students
Motivation
Motivation
Show it to students
📎 Photo
Meteorite
 Meteorite 
Astro famil
 Astro famil
Fict
 Fict
I try to include as many current news articles as possible that involve space exploration, discoveries, International Space Station, meteor showers that are visible from our location etc. Children have delighted in investigating the progress of of space suits used since space exploration started and the reasons why each particular part of the suits were important for comfort/safety of the astronauts. They then designed suits that they thought they could wear on a trip to a space destination of their choice. This involved them researching conditions of destinations as well as needs to ensure their survival. Their favourite viewing includes the NASA you tubes about living on the ISS where astronauts male and female explain how they cope with daily chores.
I try to include as many current news articles as possible that involve space exploration, discoveries, International Space Station, meteor showers that are visible from our location etc. Children have delighted in investigating the progress of  of space suits used since space exploration started and the reasons why each particular part of the suits were important for comfort/safety of the astronauts. They then designed suits that they thought they could wear on a trip to a space destination of their choice. This involved them researching conditions of destinations as well as needs to ensure their survival. Their favourite viewing includes the NASA you tubes about living on the ISS where astronauts male and female explain how they cope with daily chores.
Homework!
Homework!
The children are actively encouraged to create a model of the solar system (to their own design).  The teaching always starts by finding out what they know already.  They study the planets and the phases of the moon.
Teaching science
Teaching science
We use an inquiry model at our school. We introduce and excite students about a topic using a mystery box, object, video etc. then we use a KWL chart to help shape the unit. We also use student questions, wonderings, to help drive the learning making it more student focused. We then explore, sort and organise our information asking our questions and the unit ends with an authentic action.
Create a video explaining a space concept to put on our school website, run a class info session for parents or invite other schools etc to explain our learning to. Create a universe in the classroom. We have a focus on skills, classifying, scientific drawings etc throughout the learning.
Teaching the solar sytem
Teaching the solar sytem
I utilise IT as much as possible to bring it into the classroom, hands on experiences, using spheres in relative sizes paced out on the school oval, role play, wordlinks, investigations and much more. Recently we had a stardome visit and a nighttime guided observation with amazing telescopes to view stars, planets and the moon from our school oval.  Our whole school visited the stardome and most attend the night guided viewing as there was no cost to families. This has given real experiences from which students have asked questions, sought information, pondered where they fit and so much more.
Teaching about the solar system.
Teaching about the solar system. 
I used a variety of techniques, such as videos, drawings, pictures, written text, creating models in groups worked best for me. I found it to be agreed topic for group activities. 
Another thing that I did was to get a number of balls of different sizes and labeled them with planet names. I then took the students outside and we recreated how they orbit the earth. Useful for explaining length of years. 
I used something like this
I used something like this
I haven't taught at a school but I used to do a session with my Beaver Scouts (age 6 - 8) and I have scale models of all the planets plus the sun and we would go out into the field and place them a scale distance apart so they could get an idea of the size of the solar system.
I haven't taught at a school but I used to do a session with my Beaver Scouts (age 6 - 8) and I have scale models of all the planets plus the sun and we would go out into the field and place them a scale distance apart so they could get an idea of the size of the solar system.
We start with a problem that needs investigating. Once the children are hooked, we filter in relevant information and use creative writing to record the knowledge. e.g diary of an astronaut using the correct vocab.
We start with a problem that needs investigating. Once the children are hooked, we filter in relevant information and use creative writing to record the knowledge. e.g diary of an astronaut using the correct vocab. 
I love to explore th
 I love to explore the planets with my students with real photos in this link

Scaled down solar system
Scaled down solar system
I usually something along the lines of just how big or far away the planets are 
interactive notebooks
interactive notebooks
after practical activities and discussion, written work for their books like this makes it more memorable
I am only just beginning to teach astronomy. We started by building a model solar system. We are lucky to live in an area where we have a good view of the night sky, with little light pollution, so we have started star gazing, just recently, which has resulted in needing to know more.
I am only just beginning to teach astronomy.  We started by building a model solar system.   We are lucky to live in an area where we have a good view of the night sky, with little light pollution, so we have started star gazing, just recently, which has resulted in needing to know more.
I am not currently teaching astronomy but if I did I would ask lot of questions to see what everyone thought it was, what it includes and take it from there.
I am not currently teaching astronomy but if I did I would ask lot of questions to see what everyone thought it was, what it includes and take it from there.
I have not
I have not 
I start with a brain storming session to see what the kids have in mind..
I start with a brain storming session to see what the kids have in mind..
I display some pictures maybe videos to explain
I let them draw the space
Teaching About the Stars
Teaching About the Stars

I always do a brainstorm session with my first graders to find out what they already know about stars and what they'd like to learn.  I use lots of different kinds of stories - fiction and non-fiction to try to answer their questions. We also talk about the importance of stars in history and how travellers used them to navigate. As having access to a planetarium is very difficult for my age group in Paris, I decided to make my own. Out of large, black garbage bags and strong tape, I made a planetarium. My garbage bag planetarium has a long garbage bag tube that is connected to a fan which when turned on, inflates in the form of a large pillow. One adult and three children can enter the pillow through a slit on the side. Inside, I have decorated the roof with glow in the dark stars to create the night sky. As we learn about the different major constellations, I invite my students to try to find the constellations inside. It's great fun for the class as well as the parents!
TO TEACH ASTRONOMY
TO TEACH ASTRONOMY
USING PRACTICAL OBJECTS THAT WILL INTEREST THE STUDENTS

Teaching The Solar System and Space
Teaching The Solar System and Space
Check out my Padlet on "The Solar System" at https://padlet.com/lswanepoel1/3g4pt5r8nhgl
Dark Sky Ranger
Dark Sky Ranger
I take people stargazing. It is great as there is lots to see and discuss. As I also do outdoor learning we often have a fire and I use this as the sun for a scale model of the Solar System using lights. I can use torches too for things like moon phases.
Clear Skies, Elizabeth Tindal
Ok
Ok
Haven't taught it yet and that is why I am learning on this course!
Haven't taught it yet and that is why I am learning on this course!
TEACHING ATRONOMY
TEACHING ATRONOMY
We teach astronomy through graphics on whiteboard. 

I've just taught phases of the moon using Oero biscuits the kids loved it and it reinforced the work we'd done in the previous lesson
I've just taught phases of the moon using Oero biscuits the kids loved it and it reinforced the work we'd done in the previous lesson
I've also done scale models of the solar system using toilet roll and fruit
L m
L m 
Teaching Space
Teaching Space
We are fortunate to have a local observatory... One of the highlights of the school year is our night time field trip.

Papier-mâché planets
 Papier-mâché planets 
Good science CPD
Good science CPD
http://www.reachoutcpd.com/ it's free - just sign up and do online modules.
Experience phases of the moon
Experience phases of the moon
I do this with a swivel chair- get one student on the swivel chair to be the earth and recap that it takes 24h for the earth to spin on its axis. Get one student to hold the torch (sun) and reiterate that the sun doesn't move. As you move the ball around the chair the student is sitting on, they can clearly see the phases of the moon. You can also model a solar and lunar eclipse in this way.
Just wanted to use Padlet for the first time. Some fascinating ideas here.
Just wanted to use Padlet for the first time. Some fascinating ideas here.
Lisa
Art lesson, which th
 Art lesson, which the scale was better 
Learning to teach
Learning to teach
As an undergraduate student, i am yet to have any experience in teaching primary science.

But in terms of teaching generally, I like to give students opportunities to learn themselves thus would like to use lot of resources. 
Solar System
Solar System
The youtube channel of Dr. Binocs is wonderful. I use plenty of videos from you tube and I encourage my students to work on their own exploration and investigation about planets and the solar system.
Lunar Phase Simulator
Lunar Phase Simulator
http://astro.unl.edu/naap/lps/animations/lps.swf
Good link to work on lunar phases with older children.
What not to do!
What not to do!
Try not to do too much - Phases of the Moon has just appeared in the lower secondary school curriculum in Ireland. Don't try to cover everything in one go - allow time for reflection, discussion and consolidation before doing more. Spiral the ideas over two or three years. So I do 1. size of earth and moon and distance between them
then 2. orbits (so that they understand that typical model of Earth as your head and  Moon as your fist - needs an arm that is the length of the classroom)
3. then phases
4. then eclipses
5. then why not eclipses each month.
Frances / BCO

Scale model of the solar system
Scale model of the solar system
With a little knowledge (e.g Earth and Venus are the same size as each other, Jupiter is the biggest planet, mercury is the smallest... etc) this is quite a fun task to put the fruit on their tables and get them to guess which fruit represents which planet, then put them in order.
New to Teaching
New to Teaching
I have not had the opportunity to teach this subject yet. 

I do like using children as resources in their own learning, so maybe construct a solar system using the students. 
Blast off!!
Blast off!!
I usually use songs as a motivation, then we go to more "serious" activities like making models or watching videos. I love the Oreo biscuit activity to explain moon phases.
Solar SYSTEM
Solar SYSTEM
We can make 
Students more interested by using the models such as using different size of balls as planets and using stones as asteroid belts and meteoroids. 
Solar system
Solar system
Mission X
Mission X
This was a great activity for to get the children interested and curious about space. Lots of great resources and opportunities too
Starting Out
Starting Out

I have not taught this topic yet so am looking forward to using what I have learnt. We use Primary Connections, but I would love to use other ideas and resources as well.

Moon phases
 Moon phases
Students as planets!
Students as planets!
Using students with planets and the playing fields as the universe. This is a great resource to help you work out the relative distances etc http://www.exploratorium.edu/ronh/solar_system/ They especially like using the toilet paper idea!

the position of the planets
the position of the planets
Making models, of rough sizes using balloons for gas planets and plastercine for rock planets. All hung with strings from the ceiling. They are on a diagonal coming out from a sun in one corner in order to get a perspective of the vast distances involved between some of the bodies (the fact the planets are not evenly spaced in orbits around the sun.
Rotation and revolution
Rotation and revolution
Last time I explained that, U told my students to stand up and spin, first, and move around their tables, later. I was surprised, because some of them decided to do both movements at the same time.
Library Resources
Library Resources
We've got some great readers in our school about the solar system. I usually start with the one about our planets together to gauge students' understanding and then let them explore the collection on their own. 
Solar System
Solar System
Day and night
Day and night 
I have only ever taught day and night to younger children so I used 2 balloons ,one blue and one yellow to show how the earth moves round the sun and how the seasons come about.
The big Outdoors
The big Outdoors
Going out on and look up up the is as good way teach astronomy as it helps any who is a visual leaner.

And using visual aids is a good way of teaching sciences.
📎 Padlet is the easiest way to create and collaborate in the world
📎 Video
Shape on Moon
Shape on Moon
The children love this Oreo biscuit activity.
Movement of the Moon
Movement of the Moon
This is a very good explanation - I then get the children to imitate this in a darkened room.
Distance of the planets
Distance of the planets
This is a good activity. We then go out into the playground and look at the distances
How we have day and night
How we have day and night
I tend to introduce this by using a globe with a lego character stuck on and a torch. I model how the character is in the light and night. I get the children to repeat this using a football and a torch. They have to explain to each other.
The we go in a large area and arrange children in a circle, with their hands linked but facing outwards from the centre. I stand on the outside the circle holding a torch to represent the Sun. I get the children to move in an anticlockwise direction and as they pass me, they can see you the torch so it is day time and times when I am not visible at all (night time). 
You can develop it to introduce
children ‘sunrise’ as they first see the Sun (torch), ‘midday’ when they are directly in front of the Sun, ‘sunset’ as they turn away from the Sun and ‘midnight’ when they are opposite the Sun and facing away from it.
This is a good website, you will need to use flash

Discussing how we know Earth is a spherical...
Discussing how we know Earth is a spherical...
For children it now seems pretty obvious as they have access to so many photos from space.
We look use BBC videos to introduce how scientists first worked out how our planet isn't flat.
They then have to work in teams to make a TV programme explaining what they have learnt. One can be the "expert" and another can be the presenter and interviewer. I encourage them to use props to explain.
I always start with a video to get them thinking and then pose a set of questions to get the children thinking and to assess their prior knowledge
I always start with a video to get them thinking and then pose a set of questions to get the children thinking and to assess their prior knowledge
So in groups they have to discuss: Does the Earth move? How do we get day and night? Within these two questions, I give them various statements for them to discuss whether they are true or false. For example, the Earth stays still and the Sun orbits us. This gives me a good picture of where they are all a
My experience will p
 My experience will probably be a little different to most people here as I work as a science interpreter at The National Space Centre in Leicester, teaching people of all ages about space.
The best way to hook children is to put something physical that looks interesting out, as children naturally want to know what it is and why it's there (adults are A LOT more difficult to hook as they are nowhere near as inquisitive about the world.)
When the child is interested, turn whatever you have into a game as children love playing and it will make them really think about you're saying as children are very competitive (especially if there is a prize for getting it right like a sticker!) Let them keep guessing and changing things until they get it right, as it encourages them to go with their instincts and that it's okay in science to not always be right first time and experimenting with things is good!
Game of Marbles
Game of Marbles
I use a game of marbles with my youngest students to show how celestial bodies collide.

Lots of fun!
When teaching the sk
 When teaching the skills of the Nature of Science this is a great video I've used for observation
Walking through it...
Walking through it...
Whenever demonstrating movement, although this is very tricky, I ask children to help act it out.  I did this when we had a partial solar eclipse (child in the middle was the moon, another at one end held a torch as the sun and on the opposite side was a child as Earth) and for understanding orbits and rotation.  It really helped us all understand how orbits are created and how they change what we can see from Earth.
I haven't taught spa
 I haven't taught space yet as have spent the majority of my career in year 3. I will be teaching it this year though. I'm looking at some sort of WOW starter - hopefully an AR space experience - to get the children hooked. We also use mind maps for initial knowledge and then add to that at the end of the unit in another colour to show progress. I think that videos can be a great resource for this topic and we will take the children to the observatory as an end of unit trip.
I always try to start a topic with something exciting to grab the children's attention, such as a video or an open ended question that we will answer over the course of the unit. Additionally, we always use a title page, glossary, mind map (that the children put their initial ideas into and then revisit in a different colour pen to show progress) and concept cartoons that the children attempt to answer. I feel this sparks curiosity in the topic and really gives them a buzz about what they are going to be learning. These two are particular favourites:
I always try to start a topic with something exciting to grab the children's attention, such as a video or an open ended question that we will answer over the course of the unit. Additionally, we always use a title page, glossary, mind map (that the children put their initial ideas into and then revisit in a different colour pen to show progress) and concept cartoons that the children attempt to answer. I feel this sparks curiosity in the topic and really gives them a buzz about what they are going to be learning. These two are particular favourites:



Intro video 2:
Intro video 2:

# data[].attributes.body
We start with learning about how the earth and the moon move around the sun. I have student stand up and model the movements of the sun, earth, and moon. I also use a flashlight and an old globe that I have painted white to show how the phases of the moon works.

# data[].attributes.headline
I often give them fruit of various sizes and put out lots of reference books so they can order planets. They sort and annotate on post-its then photograph their work

# data[].attributes.subject
I often give them fruit of various sizes and put out lots of reference books so they can order planets. They sort and annotate on post-its then photograph their work

# data[].attributes.headline
Firstly, I introduce about the topic in related to astronomy and tell the students what I will be talking about. And then I start my speech, after preaching I ask some questions to see that they have understood that. I like to teach astronomy and help others to make and cultivate astronomy in their minds.

# data[].attributes.subject
Firstly, I introduce about the topic in related to astronomy and tell the students what I will be talking about. And then I start my speech, after preaching I ask some questions to see that they have understood that. I like to teach astronomy and help others to make and cultivate astronomy in their minds.

# data[].attributes.headline
A great activity is to show models of the sun and planets according to their real size. The sun is represented by a giant beach ball, and Earth is just a peppercorn. Then you can go outside and measure how far they would be apart to scale!

# data[].attributes.subject
A great activity is to show models of the sun and planets according to their real size. The sun is represented by a giant beach ball, and Earth is just a peppercorn. Then you can go outside and measure how far they would be apart to scale!

# data[].attributes.body
Firstly I will introduce the terms that related with Universe such as stars, our solar system, planets,. etc.,  And then I will present some facts about our universe like how our universe was formed. After that i will move on another step to introduce about our solar system in details.And then I will let the students to build the model of our solar system.

# data[].attributes.headline
He we start off with a song about how the elements were formed and then make a scale model of the solar system in the playground and them we link the elements to Earth science and human biology  so the students think of themselves as part of space not something seperate from  it.

# data[].attributes.subject
He we start off with a song about how the elements were formed and then make a scale model of the solar system in the playground and them we link the elements to Earth science and human biology  so the students think of themselves as part of space not something seperate from  it.

# data[].attributes.body
This is a project of the Solar System we did with my daughter as part of her Units of Inquiry. It's a great way to learn things and really enjoy them. She loved it!

# data[].attributes.headline
At a recent Star Party that my local astronomical society organised, we had a gravity well demonstration (a sheet stretched over a frame), a Solar System Walk (Sun and Planets laid out to scale), an optics demonstration (light sources, lenses and mirrors)  and a scale model of the Lunar Surface to show the shadows around the terminator and the phases.  The kids loved it!

# data[].attributes.subject
At a recent Star Party that my local astronomical society organised, we had a gravity well demonstration (a sheet stretched over a frame), a Solar System Walk (Sun and Planets laid out to scale), an optics demonstration (light sources, lenses and mirrors)  and a scale model of the Lunar Surface to show the shadows around the terminator and the phases.  The kids loved it!

# data[].attributes.headline
In the past I have made a fruit solar system, paper mache solar system, scale solar systems and had children research a planet and present a poster about it to the rest of the class.

# data[].attributes.subject
In the past I have made a fruit solar system, paper mache solar system, scale solar systems and had children research a planet and present a poster about it to the rest of the class.

# data[].attributes.body
I have never taught astronomy before, yet have some experience in teaching children. I think children would enjoy making posters about solar system, singing songs and playing games (related to the topic). Modelling, making maps are great fun too!
Nice song! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGgZalXIwqI

# data[].attributes.body
How I teach astronomy depends on where I it takes, regulary I teach in multimedia room in Bosscha Observatory, using PPT slide and I variate the material based on the group of audience (who are they, where they came from and their level of study). I love to teach basic solar system for elementary student but when I face senior high school student I want to expand their space knowledge by present the advance space exploration mission such as Rosseta mission from ESA.
But If I go to school without computer facility there I use pictures to explain space (like in the photo), and bring small telescope.

# data[].attributes.body
With my 4yo, we have done solar system art work and models. She loves the videos on scishowkids. We also use apps like StarWalk, Google Sky Map and SkySafari to see the phases of the moon and stars/planets. We've also started using the ISS HD live app to look at the space station too. And of course a trip to the science museum and planetarium!

In the classroom, we've done travel guides to the planets and models. Modeling the phases of the moon is very effective. I haven't done it myself but I have seen outdoor scaled models (in the playground) of the solar system which looks great.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Explore our solar system with Jessi and Squeaks!

# data[].attributes.headline
UNGA FAKTA, CLEAR PICTURES, INTERESTING SHORT FILMS AND ASKING QUESTIONS My name is Håkan Lindgren and I'm from Sweden. I haven't taught astronomy to kids yet, but when I do, I will use the excellent website "ungafakta". It's a Swedish educational site about different subjects, for young people. The set-up is really exciting and triggers the imagination. I will also use clear and visual pictures, like the one I show here about the solar system. I will use interesing and pedagogical short films. Finally I will educate by asking questions. What are the pupils interested in and what do they already know? 

# data[].attributes.subject
UNGA FAKTA, CLEAR PICTURES, INTERESTING SHORT FILMS AND ASKING QUESTIONS My name is Håkan Lindgren and I'm from Sweden. I haven't taught astronomy to kids yet, but when I do, I will use the excellent website "ungafakta". It's a Swedish educational site about different subjects, for young people. The set-up is really exciting and triggers the imagination. I will also use clear and visual pictures, like the one I show here about the solar system. I will use interesing and pedagogical short films. Finally I will educate by asking questions. What are the pupils interested in and what do they already know? 

# data[].attributes.body
http://www.ungafakta.se/stjarnorplaneter/himlakroppar/om.asp

https://youtu.be/GoW8Tf7hTGA

# data[].attributes.body
I used CrashCourse a lot to introduce a unit.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
history biology literature learning education science humanities school "world history" ap tests smart fun chemistry psychology apush whap study "crash cours...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
At Crash Course, we believe that high-quality educational videos should be available to everyone for free! Subscribe for weekly videos from our current courses! The Crash Course team has produced more than 45 courses on a wide variety of subjects, including organic chemistry, literature, world history, biology, philosophy, theater, ecology, and many more!

# data[].attributes.body
How do we know the universe is expanding and how do we know the approximate time since the big bang?
When a police car comes towards us the tone of the siren is different from when it passes and moves away. This is because as it approaches it is pushing its sound wave and as it goes away it's stretching it. If it were stationary the pitch would be the same and this works with light waves too.
If a star is moving away from us it stretches its lightwave into the red spectrum and if it's coming towards us it compresses its lightwave into the blue part of the spectrum (Redshift and Blueshift)
This is not something particularly visible with the eye but a computer wil analyse it and determine the speed in which it is moving and if you run the process backwards you come to a time when everything comes to a single point in space around 13.8 billion years ago - The Big Bang.

# data[].attributes.body
I am not yet a teacher but as a child I remembering visiting a planetarium with my mum and enjoying the view of our solar system. I also remember a science museum representative visiting my Primary school with a tent-like dome and projecting different space constellations on the ceiling and explaining their location. Both experiences were very informative and memorable.

# data[].attributes.body
Students have  asked questions, undertaken their own research, been to the museum connected to the  ESA and made presentations to share .

# data[].attributes.body
One of the best lessons I have done was teaching the orbits of the different planets but getting the children to all have a role. Some were planets, others moons and the asteroid belt. First they only learnt there orbit then we put them altogether to see how all the planets and move at the same times.

# data[].attributes.body
I usually start by making a Big Bang with paint. I usually read the beginning of “Earth Story” until the creation of the Universe. We talk about stars and constellations. Then we make up a Sun and put it on the ceiling of the classroom. We then hang models of the planets (unfortunately not to scale). We then talk about the sizes of the Sun and the planets and show videos and share information taken from the NASA website for children. The children love counting moons, so we do that as well.

# data[].attributes.body
There are quite a few that I have used including:Earth as Art, Google Earth, Gravitarium, Heat Pad, ISS Live, and Star Chart.

# data[].attributes.body
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyadA8VcJ6g
I have used this to start or end a session

# data[].attributes.body
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXIERd-mVQ4
This is a great video/song to end a session

# data[].attributes.body
I am a homeschooling Mum ... I am using a teaching product called 'Astronomy 2' by Pandia Press and it is serving as a wonderful backbone to my teaching. We also spend hours on you-tube watching documentaries, finding explanations for the 101 questions we have, and gazing at beautiful pictures of the cosmos.

# data[].attributes.body
Time zones and moon phases
Time zones and moon phases
I make a ring of times, 24 in all, then show how the moon, in different positions, at different times of day.  Why can you see the moon at 3pm? Or 6 am?  
i also do lots of scale activities like sun and planet diameter and distance.  Moon/earth to scale using a globe.  I could only link one video, but the other two show models and the time zones connection. 

 https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=HWMS5qczb0w  And 
 https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=pBJXgKYnkRA
And    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=AVkw7vfwC9k
I used balls and a torch
 I used balls and a torch to teach ch
Empty
Planets and distance
Planets and distance
I think practical and visual is always a great way to teach. The scale of the universe is always something that the children are in awe of and one what that I have explained the distances between the planets is by using a scale involving toilet roll. The exact distances can be found online but the children just can't believe the vastness! It is great!

I have also taught the phases of the moon using oreos. Which is just fun!
Teaching the planets in the Solar system
Teaching the planets in the Solar system 

I would personally use models of planets (3D) that I have in my science lab, before moving to use 2D models (diagrams/pictures). To engage the students about the planets, I will first start my lesson by eliciting their knowledge on planets. What do they know about planets and then we will move on to watching a video on the planets. This is an example of a cartoon about the solar system: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLOi2jJBai0
For the follow up activity, we will do some group discussion with a task on arranging all the planets (cut outs) on a manila card for each group.The students will then present their diagrams and explain to the rest of the class about the solar system. 
Solar System
Solar System
A funny way to give an idea od planet distances it to use models of the Planets an put them in a room on a proportional distance
Explaining the sky
Explaining the sky
Working in a Planetarium, one way to explain the sky, and constellation is to give students an astrolabio (or even have them build one by cutting a pre-printed one) explain how it works and then move in the dome-room in order ti project stars on the dome and verifying if the astrolabio really works.
Solar Eclipse
Solar Eclipse
When there was a partial solar eclipse we set up pin-hole cameras and several binoculars to project the solar eclipse on a screen. We had a live broadcast on a large screen of the total solar eclipse (in a different country) so people could see the solar corona when it occurred during the eclipse. Students and parents were invited.
Constellations, changing night sky.
Constellations, changing night sky.
I used planetarium software to demonstrate how the night sky can be used to navigate at night. You can show the constellations, the moon and the planets. Plus you can see the sky from different locations on the planet.

I like the way that view of the night sky can be taken back and forward in time rapidly, by skipping hours, days, years and millennium. The children got excited about looking at what the sky would have looked like at the time of the dinosaurs. We looked how the planets move in the sky compared to the stars. We looked at where the sun and moon rise.

Demonstrating Gravity and Orbits
Demonstrating Gravity and Orbits
I got children to hold a large sheet out taught, this was space. We then put a heavy, large toy in the centre to create a slight dip, this was a sun. We next slowly rolled a tennis ball across the sheet; it rolled straight down to the heavy toy. This was an object not escaping our 'sun's' gravity. Then we rolled the ball at different speeds. Sometimes we were able to make it spiral round before hitting the 'sun'; this was something in orbit. Other times we got the ball to dip slightly but keep going and fly off the sheet in another direction; this was the slingshot effect.
I've gone out onto t
 I'
 I've gone out onto t
 I've gone out onto the field and the children have enacted the planets circling the sun.  Then we've tried to recreate the distances.  That's always a fun one as you've got one child practically in someone's garden!  We've made fabric planets, tie dying fabric and hanging the finished spheres (ish) relative distances apart.  Again, most are close then you've got two (big ones) at the other end of the school.  Good talking points.
Different space ston
 Different space stones

Auriga Dome
Auriga Dome
This mobile planetarium visits our  Y5 pupils every year.
The Proprietor, Dave is a member of the NASA museums program and actively involved in an International Astronomical Union program to improve the quality of Astronomy communication worldwide. He engages the interest of the children immediately and is a mine of information.
http://www.auriga-astronomy.com
📎 Photo

Going to space
Going to space
 padlet.com/gdemarini/2qg532pwq7b4 


I would like first t
 I would like first to introduce them to astronomy using this video. 
 Introduction to Astronomy: Crash Course Astronomy #1
Introduction to Astronomy: Crash Course Astronomy #1
Welcome to the first episode of Crash Course Astronomy. Your host for this intergalactic adventure is the Bad Astronomer himself, Phil Plait. We begin with answering a question: "What is astronomy?"
youtube
Techniquest
Techniquest
We might use a local science museum to enhance what we teach...Techniquest has brilliant resources and as resources may be an issue sometimes we may as well go where they have them!
 Techniquest * Science Centre UK * Science Discovery
Techniquest * Science Centre UK * Science Discovery
Techniquest is the UK's longest-established science centre, with a mission to embed science in Welsh culture through interactive engagement. The UK's longest-established science centre Techniquest, Stuart Street, Cardiff, CF10 5BW 029 2047 5475 info@techniquest.org During local school holidays 10.00am-5.00pm Bank Holidays, seven days a week. School term 9.30am-4.30pm Tuesday-Friday; 10.00am-5.00pm Saturday and Sunday.
techniquest
https://youtu.be/K5mgTBkDaCs
https://youtu.be/K5mgTBkDaCs
I Would play the above video to give introduction to the concepts.
more_vert
 https://www.jp
 more_vert
https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/teach/
https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/teach/
I am not a teacher but know that NASA, in particular, 
I would start with a brainstorm using a picture of the solar system to elicit words they know. Then, by using pictures and relia I put everything together. The following class, I play this video and revise concepts. Finally, to close the topic, we make together a summary of what we have learnt.
I would start with a brainstorm using a picture of the solar system to elicit words they know. Then, by using pictures and relia I put everything together. The following class, I play this video and revise concepts. Finally, to close the topic, we make together a summary of what we have learnt.
 SOLAR SYSTEM - The Dr. Binocs Show | Best Learning Videos For Kids | Peekaboo Kidz
SOLAR SYSTEM - The Dr. Binocs Show | Best Learning Videos For Kids | Peekaboo Kidz
Learn Solar System in detail with Dr. Binocs only on Peekaboo. Wanna know what is there in Space? What is the Milky Way? What are the various planets in our Solar System? Keep calm and watch this video where Dr.Binocs explains the Solar System in an interesting and detailed way!
youtube
📎 Video
SOLAR SYSTEM - The Dr. Binocs Show | Best Learning Videos For Kids | Peekaboo Kidz
SOLAR SYSTEM - The Dr. Binocs Show | Best Learning Videos For Kids | Peekaboo Kidz
Learn Solar System in detail with Dr. Binocs only on Peekaboo. Wanna know what is there in Space? What is the Milky Way? What are the various planets in our Solar System? Keep calm and watch this video where Dr.Binocs explains the Solar System in an interesting and detailed way!
youtube
https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/teach/
https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/teach/
I am not a teacher but know that NASA, in particular, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, has some wonderful tools for teachers to use to educate about space. Check them out!

The Crab Nebula (catalogue designations M1, NGC 1952, Taurus A) is a supernova remnant in the constellation of Taurus. The now-current name is due to William Parsons, 3rd Earl of Rosse, who observed the object in 1840 using a 36-inch telescope and produced a drawing that looked somewhat like a crab.[5] Corresponding to a bright supernova recorded by Chinese astronomers in 1054, the nebula was observed later by English astronomer John Bevis in 1731. The nebula was the first astronomical object identified with a historical supernova explosion.
The Crab Nebula (catalogue designations M1, NGC 1952, Taurus A) is a supernova remnant in the constellation of Taurus. The now-current name is due to William Parsons, 3rd Earl of Rosse, who observed the object in 1840 using a 36-inch telescope and produced a drawing that looked somewhat like a crab.[5] Corresponding to a bright supernova recorded by Chinese astronomers in 1054, the nebula was observed later by English astronomer John Bevis in 1731. The nebula was the first astronomical object identified with a historical supernova explosion.
 
Solar eclipse and lunar eclipse by biscuits
Solar eclipse and lunar eclipse by biscuits 
A solar eclipse happens when the moon gets in the way of the sun’s light and casts its shadow on Earth. That means during the day, the moon moves over the sun and it gets dark. Isn’t it strange that it gets dark in the middle of the day?

 
Shadow of love
Shadow of love
 
Empty
OCEAN WORLDS
OCEAN WORLDS
poster for students
 
Motivation
Motivation
Show it to students
 
📎 Photo

Meteorite
 Meteorite 
 
Astro famil
 Astro famil
 
Fict
 Fict
 
I try to include as many current news articles as possible that involve space exploration, discoveries, International Space Station, meteor showers that are visible from our location etc. Children have delighted in investigating the progress of of space suits used since space exploration started and the reasons why each particular part of the suits were important for comfort/safety of the astronauts. They then designed suits that they thought they could wear on a trip to a space destination of their choice. This involved them researching conditions of destinations as well as needs to ensure their survival. Their favourite viewing includes the NASA you tubes about living on the ISS where astronauts male and female explain how they cope with daily chores.
I try to include as many current news articles as possible that involve space exploration, discoveries, International Space Station, meteor showers that are visible from our location etc. Children have delighted in investigating the progress of  of space suits used since space exploration started and the reasons why each particular part of the suits were important for comfort/safety of the astronauts. They then designed suits that they thought they could wear on a trip to a space destination of their choice. This involved them researching conditions of destinations as well as needs to ensure their survival. Their favourite viewing includes the NASA you tubes about living on the ISS where astronauts male and female explain how they cope with daily chores.
Homework!
Homework!
The children are actively encouraged to create a model of the solar system (to their own design).  The teaching always starts by finding out what they know already.  They study the planets and the phases of the moon.
Teaching science
Teaching science
We use an inquiry model at our school. We introduce and excite students about a topic using a mystery box, object, video etc. then we use a KWL chart to help shape the unit. We also use student questions, wonderings, to help drive the learning making it more student focused. We then explore, sort and organise our information asking our questions and the unit ends with an authentic action.
Create a video explaining a space concept to put on our school website, run a class info session for parents or invite other schools etc to explain our learning to. Create a universe in the classroom. We have a focus on skills, classifying, scientific drawings etc throughout the learning.
 
Teaching the solar sytem
Teaching the solar sytem
I utilise IT as much as possible to bring it into the classroom, hands on experiences, using spheres in relative sizes paced out on the school oval, role play, wordlinks, investigations and much more. Recently we had a stardome visit and a nighttime guided observation with amazing telescopes to view stars, planets and the moon from our school oval.  Our whole school visited the stardome and most attend the night guided viewing as there was no cost to families. This has given real experiences from which students have asked questions, sought information, pondered where they fit and so much more.
Teaching about the solar system.
Teaching about the solar system. 
I used a variety of techniques, such as videos, drawings, pictures, written text, creating models in groups worked best for me. I found it to be agreed topic for group activities. 
Another thing that I did was to get a number of balls of different sizes and labeled them with planet names. I then took the students outside and we recreated how they orbit the earth. Useful for explaining length of years. 
I used something like this
I used something like this
 
I haven't taught at a school but I used to do a session with my Beaver Scouts (age 6 - 8) and I have scale models of all the planets plus the sun and we would go out into the field and place them a scale distance apart so they could get an idea of the size of the solar system.
I haven't taught at a school but I used to do a session with my Beaver Scouts (age 6 - 8) and I have scale models of all the planets plus the sun and we would go out into the field and place them a scale distance apart so they could get an idea of the size of the solar system.
We start with a problem that needs investigating. Once the children are hooked, we filter in relevant information and use creative writing to record the knowledge. e.g diary of an astronaut using the correct vocab.
We start with a problem that needs investigating. Once the children are hooked, we filter in relevant information and use creative writing to record the knowledge. e.g diary of an astronaut using the correct vocab. 
I love to explore th
 I love to explore the planets with my students with real photos in this link

 Earth - Overview | Planets - NASA Solar System Exploration
Earth - Overview | Planets - NASA Solar System Exploration
Earth is the third planet from the sun and the fifth largest in the solar system. Just slightly larger than nearby Venus, Earth is the biggest of the terrestrial planets. Our home planet is the only planet in our solar system known to harbor living things.
nasa solar system exploration
Scaled down solar system
Scaled down solar system
I usually something along the lines of just how big or far away the planets are 
 
interactive notebooks
interactive notebooks
after practical activities and discussion, written work for their books like this makes it more memorable
 
I am only just beginning to teach astronomy. We started by building a model solar system. We are lucky to live in an area where we have a good view of the night sky, with little light pollution, so we have started star gazing, just recently, which has resulted in needing to know more.
I am only just beginning to teach astronomy.  We started by building a model solar system.   We are lucky to live in an area where we have a good view of the night sky, with little light pollution, so we have started star gazing, just recently, which has resulted in needing to know more.
I am not currently teaching astronomy but if I did I would ask lot of questions to see what everyone thought it was, what it includes and take it from there.
I am not currently teaching astronomy but if I did I would ask lot of questions to see what everyone thought it was, what it includes and take it from there.
I have not
I have not 
I start with a brain storming session to see what the kids have in mind..
I start with a brain storming session to see what the kids have in mind..
I display some pictures maybe videos to explain
I let them draw the space
Teaching About the Stars
Teaching About the Stars

I always do a brainstorm session with my first graders to find out what they already know about stars and what they'd like to learn.  I use lots of different kinds of stories - fiction and non-fiction to try to answer their questions. We also talk about the importance of stars in history and how travellers used them to navigate. As having access to a planetarium is very difficult for my age group in Paris, I decided to make my own. Out of large, black garbage bags and strong tape, I made a planetarium. My garbage bag planetarium has a long garbage bag tube that is connected to a fan which when turned on, inflates in the form of a large pillow. One adult and three children can enter the pillow through a slit on the side. Inside, I have decorated the roof with glow in the dark stars to create the night sky. As we learn about the different major constellations, I invite my students to try to find the constellations inside. It's great fun for the class as well as the parents!
TO TEACH ASTRONOMY
TO TEACH ASTRONOMY
USING PRACTICAL OBJECTS THAT WILL INTEREST THE STUDENTS

Teaching The Solar System and Space
Teaching The Solar System and Space
Check out my Padlet on "The Solar System" at https://padlet.com/lswanepoel1/3g4pt5r8nhgl
 
Dark Sky Ranger
Dark Sky Ranger
I take people stargazing. It is great as there is lots to see and discuss. As I also do outdoor learning we often have a fire and I use this as the sun for a scale model of the Solar System using lights. I can use torches too for things like moon phases.
Clear Skies, Elizabeth Tindal
Ok
Ok
Haven't taught it yet and that is why I am learning on this course!
Haven't taught it yet and that is why I am learning on this course!
TEACHING ATRONOMY
TEACHING ATRONOMY
We teach astronomy through graphics on whiteboard. 

I've just taught phases of the moon using Oero biscuits the kids loved it and it reinforced the work we'd done in the previous lesson
I've just taught phases of the moon using Oero biscuits the kids loved it and it reinforced the work we'd done in the previous lesson
I've also done scale models of the solar system using toilet roll and fruit
L m
L m 
Teaching Space
Teaching Space
We are fortunate to have a local observatory... One of the highlights of the school year is our night time field trip.

Papier-mâché planets
 Papier-mâché planets 
 
Good science CPD
Good science CPD
http://www.reachoutcpd.com/ it's free - just sign up and do online modules.
Experience phases of the moon
Experience phases of the moon
I do this with a swivel chair- get one student on the swivel chair to be the earth and recap that it takes 24h for the earth to spin on its axis. Get one student to hold the torch (sun) and reiterate that the sun doesn't move. As you move the ball around the chair the student is sitting on, they can clearly see the phases of the moon. You can also model a solar and lunar eclipse in this way.
 Moon Phases Demonstration
Moon Phases Demonstration
Emily Morgan, author of Next Time You See the Moon, takes you through the phases of the Moon in a demonstration that will be easy to replicate in your own classroom. http://www.nsta.org/store/product_detail.aspx?id=10.2505/9781938946332 http://www.nsta.org/nexttime-moon
youtube
Just wanted to use Padlet for the first time. Some fascinating ideas here.
Just wanted to use Padlet for the first time. Some fascinating ideas here.
Lisa
Art lesson, which th
 Art lesson, which the scale was better 
 
Learning to teach
Learning to teach
As an undergraduate student, i am yet to have any experience in teaching primary science.

But in terms of teaching generally, I like to give students opportunities to learn themselves thus would like to use lot of resources. 
Solar System
Solar System
The youtube channel of Dr. Binocs is wonderful. I use plenty of videos from you tube and I encourage my students to work on their own exploration and investigation about planets and the solar system.
Lunar Phase Simulator
Lunar Phase Simulator
http://astro.unl.edu/naap/lps/animations/lps.swf
Good link to work on lunar phases with older children.
What not to do!
What not to do!
Try not to do too much - Phases of the Moon has just appeared in the lower secondary school curriculum in Ireland. Don't try to cover everything in one go - allow time for reflection, discussion and consolidation before doing more. Spiral the ideas over two or three years. So I do 1. size of earth and moon and distance between them
then 2. orbits (so that they understand that typical model of Earth as your head and  Moon as your fist - needs an arm that is the length of the classroom)
3. then phases
4. then eclipses
5. then why not eclipses each month.
Frances / BCO

Scale model of the solar system
Scale model of the solar system
With a little knowledge (e.g Earth and Venus are the same size as each other, Jupiter is the biggest planet, mercury is the smallest... etc) this is quite a fun task to put the fruit on their tables and get them to guess which fruit represents which planet, then put them in order.
 
New to Teaching
New to Teaching
I have not had the opportunity to teach this subject yet. 

I do like using children as resources in their own learning, so maybe construct a solar system using the students. 
Blast off!!
Blast off!!
I usually use songs as a motivation, then we go to more "serious" activities like making models or watching videos. I love the Oreo biscuit activity to explain moon phases.
 The Solar System Song
The Solar System Song
It's a song about the Sun and the planets for children of all ages. This song was written and performed by A.J. Jenkins. Video by KidsTV123 Copyright 2011 A.J. Jenkins/KidsTV123: All rights reserved. This is an ORIGINAL song written in 2011 - any copying is illegal.
youtube
Solar SYSTEM
Solar SYSTEM
We can make 
Students more interested by using the models such as using different size of balls as planets and using stones as asteroid belts and meteoroids. 
Solar system
Solar system
Mission X
Mission X
This was a great activity for to get the children interested and curious about space. Lots of great resources and opportunities too
 Mission X Train Like An Astronaut | Train Like An Astronaut
Mission X Train Like An Astronaut | Train Like An Astronaut
Tim Peake sends a message from the ISS....No matter if you are in Space or on Earth we all need to work together!! Let's train like astronauts together and upload points to help Astro Charlie walk from Earth to the Moon.
trainlikeanastronaut
Starting Out
Starting Out

I have not taught this topic yet so am looking forward to using what I have learnt. We use Primary Connections, but I would love to use other ideas and resources as well.

 
Moon phases
 Moon phases
 
Students as planets!
Students as planets!
Using students with planets and the playing fields as the universe. This is a great resource to help you work out the relative distances etc http://www.exploratorium.edu/ronh/solar_system/ They especially like using the toilet paper idea!

the position of the planets
the position of the planets
Making models, of rough sizes using balloons for gas planets and plastercine for rock planets. All hung with strings from the ceiling. They are on a diagonal coming out from a sun in one corner in order to get a perspective of the vast distances involved between some of the bodies (the fact the planets are not evenly spaced in orbits around the sun.
Rotation and revolution
Rotation and revolution
Last time I explained that, U told my students to stand up and spin, first, and move around their tables, later. I was surprised, because some of them decided to do both movements at the same time.
Library Resources
Library Resources
We've got some great readers in our school about the solar system. I usually start with the one about our planets together to gauge students' understanding and then let them explore the collection on their own. 
 
Solar System
Solar System
Day and night
Day and night 
I have only ever taught day and night to younger children so I used 2 balloons ,one blue and one yellow to show how the earth moves round the sun and how the seasons come about.
The big Outdoors
The big Outdoors
Going out on and look up up the is as good way teach astronomy as it helps any who is a visual leaner.

And using visual aids is a good way of teaching sciences.
Vacío
Padlet is the easiest way to create and collaborate in the world
Padlet is the easiest way to create and collaborate in the world
From your hobby to your career, your class notes to your final exam, your mood board to your runway show, padlets help you organize your life.
padlet
📎 Video
Brian Cox visits the world's biggest vacuum chamber - Human Universe: Episode 4 Preview - BBC Two
Brian Cox visits the world's biggest vacuum chamber - Human Universe: Episode 4 Preview - BBC Two
Programme website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0276q28 Brian Cox visits NASA's Space Power Facility in Ohio to see what happens when a bowling ball and a feather are dropped together under the conditions of outer space.
youtube
Shape on Moon
Shape on Moon
The children love this Oreo biscuit activity.
 Space Place: The Moon's Phases in Oreos
Space Place: The Moon's Phases in Oreos
This article explains the monthly variations in the Moon's appearance as seen from Earth. Directions for using Oreo cookies to illustrate the four major phases of the Moon are provided. The article is targeted to children ages 10-12.
nasa wavelength digital library
Movement of the Moon
Movement of the Moon
This is a very good explanation - I then get the children to imitate this in a darkened room.
 Stargazing Challenge: Phases of the Moon (KS2), Series 2, Stargazing Live - BBC Two
Stargazing Challenge: Phases of the Moon (KS2), Series 2, Stargazing Live - BBC Two
Waxing, waning, gibbous?
bbc
Distance of the planets
Distance of the planets
This is a good activity. We then go out into the playground and look at the distances
 40587-ESERO%20-%20Rosetta%20resource%20book%20%28Activity%2006%29.pdf
40587-ESERO%20-%20Rosetta%20resource%20book%20%28Activity%2006%29.pdf
stem
How we have day and night
How we have day and night
I tend to introduce this by using a globe with a lego character stuck on and a torch. I model how the character is in the light and night. I get the children to repeat this using a football and a torch. They have to explain to each other.
The we go in a large area and arrange children in a circle, with their hands linked but facing outwards from the centre. I stand on the outside the circle holding a torch to represent the Sun. I get the children to move in an anticlockwise direction and as they pass me, they can see you the torch so it is day time and times when I am not visible at all (night time). 
You can develop it to introduce
children ‘sunrise’ as they first see the Sun (torch), ‘midday’ when they are directly in front of the Sun, ‘sunset’ as they turn away from the Sun and ‘midnight’ when they are opposite the Sun and facing away from it.
This is a good website, you will need to use flash

 earthandbeyond_b_stamp.swf
earthandbeyond_b_stamp.swf
113 KB swf file
manchester
SWF
Discussing how we know Earth is a spherical...
Discussing how we know Earth is a spherical...
For children it now seems pretty obvious as they have access to so many photos from space.
We look use BBC videos to introduce how scientists first worked out how our planet isn't flat.
They then have to work in teams to make a TV programme explaining what they have learnt. One can be the "expert" and another can be the presenter and interviewer. I encourage them to use props to explain.
 BBC Bitesize - KS2 Science - How do we know the Earth is spherical?
BBC Bitesize - KS2 Science - How do we know the Earth is spherical?
The evidence for the Earth being round or spherical using Aristotle's reasoning.
bbc
I always start with a video to get them thinking and then pose a set of questions to get the children thinking and to assess their prior knowledge
I always start with a video to get them thinking and then pose a set of questions to get the children thinking and to assess their prior knowledge
So in groups they have to discuss: Does the Earth move? How do we get day and night? Within these two questions, I give them various statements for them to discuss whether they are true or false. For example, the Earth stays still and the Sun orbits us. This gives me a good picture of where they are all a
My experience will p
 My experience will probably be a little different to most people here as I work as a science interpreter at The National Space Centre in Leicester, teaching people of all ages about space.
The best way to hook children is to put something physical that looks interesting out, as children naturally want to know what it is and why it's there (adults are A LOT more difficult to hook as they are nowhere near as inquisitive about the world.)
When the child is interested, turn whatever you have into a game as children love playing and it will make them really think about you're saying as children are very competitive (especially if there is a prize for getting it right like a sticker!) Let them keep guessing and changing things until they get it right, as it encourages them to go with their instincts and that it's okay in science to not always be right first time and experimenting with things is good!
Game of Marbles
Game of Marbles
I use a game of marbles with my youngest students to show how celestial bodies collide.

Lots of fun!
 
When teaching the sk
 When teaching the skills of the Nature of Science this is a great video I've used for observation
 Test Your Awareness : Whodunnit?
Test Your Awareness : Whodunnit?
Test your Awareness with Do The Test's Whodunnit. Who Killed Lord Smithe? TFL cycling safety advert! How observant are you? How did you do? www.dothetest.co.uk
youtube
Walking through it...
Walking through it...
Whenever demonstrating movement, although this is very tricky, I ask children to help act it out.  I did this when we had a partial solar eclipse (child in the middle was the moon, another at one end held a torch as the sun and on the opposite side was a child as Earth) and for understanding orbits and rotation.  It really helped us all understand how orbits are created and how they change what we can see from Earth.
I haven't taught spa
 I haven't taught space yet as have spent the majority of my career in year 3. I will be teaching it this year though. I'm looking at some sort of WOW starter - hopefully an AR space experience - to get the children hooked. We also use mind maps for initial knowledge and then add to that at the end of the unit in another colour to show progress. I think that videos can be a great resource for this topic and we will take the children to the observatory as an end of unit trip.
I always try to start a topic with something exciting to grab the children's attention, such as a video or an open ended question that we will answer over the course of the unit. Additionally, we always use a title page, glossary, mind map (that the children put their initial ideas into and then revisit in a different colour pen to show progress) and concept cartoons that the children attempt to answer. I feel this sparks curiosity in the topic and really gives them a buzz about what they are going to be learning. These two are particular favourites:
I always try to start a topic with something exciting to grab the children's attention, such as a video or an open ended question that we will answer over the course of the unit. Additionally, we always use a title page, glossary, mind map (that the children put their initial ideas into and then revisit in a different colour pen to show progress) and concept cartoons that the children attempt to answer. I feel this sparks curiosity in the topic and really gives them a buzz about what they are going to be learning. These two are particular favourites:



 To Scale: The Solar System
To Scale: The Solar System
On a dry lakebed in Nevada, a group of friends build the first scale model of the solar system with complete planetary orbits: a true illustration of our place in the universe. A film by Wylie Overstreet and Alex Gorosh alexgorosh.com wylieoverstreet.com Copyright 2015
vimeo
Intro video 2:
Intro video 2:
 Brian Cox visits the world's biggest vacuum chamber - Human Universe: Episode 4 Preview - BBC Two
Brian Cox visits the world's biggest vacuum chamber - Human Universe: Episode 4 Preview - BBC Two
Programme website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0276q28 Brian Cox visits NASA's Space Power Facility in Ohio to see what happens when a bowling ball and a feather are dropped together under the conditions of outer space.
youtube
 add
I've gone out onto t
 I've gone out onto the field and the children have enacted the planets circling the sun.  Then we've tried to recreate the distances.  That's always a fun one as you've got one child practically in someone's garden!  We've made fabric planets, tie dying fabric and hanging the finished spheres (ish) relative distances apart.  Again, most are close then you've got two (big ones) at the other end of the school.  Good talking points.
Different space ston
 Different space stones

Auriga Dome
Auriga Dome
This mobile planetarium visits our  Y5 pupils every year.
The Proprietor, Dave is a member of the NASA museums program and actively involved in an International Astronomical Union program to improve the quality of Astronomy communication worldwide. He engages the interest of the children immediately and is a mine of information.
http://www.auriga-astronomy.com
📎 Photo
Going to space
Going to space
 padlet.com/gdemarini/2qg532pwq7b4 


I would like first t
 I would like first to introduce them to astronomy using this video. 
Techniquest
Techniquest
We might use a local science museum to enhance what we teach...Techniquest has brilliant resources and as resources may be an issue sometimes we may as well go where they have them!
https://youtu.be/K5mgTBkDaCs
https://youtu.be/K5mgTBkDaCs
I Would play the above video to give introduction to the concepts.
more_vert
 https://www.jp
 more_vert
https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/teach/
https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/teach/
I am not a teacher but know that NASA, in particular, 
I would start with a brainstorm using a picture of the solar system to elicit words they know. Then, by using pictures and relia I put everything together. The following class, I play this video and revise concepts. Finally, to close the topic, we make together a summary of what we have learnt.
I would start with a brainstorm using a picture of the solar system to elicit words they know. Then, by using pictures and relia I put everything together. The following class, I play this video and revise concepts. Finally, to close the topic, we make together a summary of what we have learnt.
📎 Video
https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/teach/
https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/teach/
I am not a teacher but know that NASA, in particular, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, has some wonderful tools for teachers to use to educate about space. Check them out!

The Crab Nebula (catalogue designations M1, NGC 1952, Taurus A) is a supernova remnant in the constellation of Taurus. The now-current name is due to William Parsons, 3rd Earl of Rosse, who observed the object in 1840 using a 36-inch telescope and produced a drawing that looked somewhat like a crab.[5] Corresponding to a bright supernova recorded by Chinese astronomers in 1054, the nebula was observed later by English astronomer John Bevis in 1731. The nebula was the first astronomical object identified with a historical supernova explosion.
The Crab Nebula (catalogue designations M1, NGC 1952, Taurus A) is a supernova remnant in the constellation of Taurus. The now-current name is due to William Parsons, 3rd Earl of Rosse, who observed the object in 1840 using a 36-inch telescope and produced a drawing that looked somewhat like a crab.[5] Corresponding to a bright supernova recorded by Chinese astronomers in 1054, the nebula was observed later by English astronomer John Bevis in 1731. The nebula was the first astronomical object identified with a historical supernova explosion.
Solar eclipse and lunar eclipse by biscuits
Solar eclipse and lunar eclipse by biscuits 
A solar eclipse happens when the moon gets in the way of the sun’s light and casts its shadow on Earth. That means during the day, the moon moves over the sun and it gets dark. Isn’t it strange that it gets dark in the middle of the day?

Shadow of love
Shadow of love
Empty
OCEAN WORLDS
OCEAN WORLDS
poster for students
Motivation
Motivation
Show it to students
📎 Photo
Meteorite
 Meteorite 
Astro famil
 Astro famil
Fict
 Fict
I try to include as many current news articles as possible that involve space exploration, discoveries, International Space Station, meteor showers that are visible from our location etc. Children have delighted in investigating the progress of of space suits used since space exploration started and the reasons why each particular part of the suits were important for comfort/safety of the astronauts. They then designed suits that they thought they could wear on a trip to a space destination of their choice. This involved them researching conditions of destinations as well as needs to ensure their survival. Their favourite viewing includes the NASA you tubes about living on the ISS where astronauts male and female explain how they cope with daily chores.
I try to include as many current news articles as possible that involve space exploration, discoveries, International Space Station, meteor showers that are visible from our location etc. Children have delighted in investigating the progress of  of space suits used since space exploration started and the reasons why each particular part of the suits were important for comfort/safety of the astronauts. They then designed suits that they thought they could wear on a trip to a space destination of their choice. This involved them researching conditions of destinations as well as needs to ensure their survival. Their favourite viewing includes the NASA you tubes about living on the ISS where astronauts male and female explain how they cope with daily chores.
Homework!
Homework!
The children are actively encouraged to create a model of the solar system (to their own design).  The teaching always starts by finding out what they know already.  They study the planets and the phases of the moon.
Teaching science
Teaching science
We use an inquiry model at our school. We introduce and excite students about a topic using a mystery box, object, video etc. then we use a KWL chart to help shape the unit. We also use student questions, wonderings, to help drive the learning making it more student focused. We then explore, sort and organise our information asking our questions and the unit ends with an authentic action.
Create a video explaining a space concept to put on our school website, run a class info session for parents or invite other schools etc to explain our learning to. Create a universe in the classroom. We have a focus on skills, classifying, scientific drawings etc throughout the learning.
Teaching the solar sytem
Teaching the solar sytem
I utilise IT as much as possible to bring it into the classroom, hands on experiences, using spheres in relative sizes paced out on the school oval, role play, wordlinks, investigations and much more. Recently we had a stardome visit and a nighttime guided observation with amazing telescopes to view stars, planets and the moon from our school oval.  Our whole school visited the stardome and most attend the night guided viewing as there was no cost to families. This has given real experiences from which students have asked questions, sought information, pondered where they fit and so much more.
Teaching about the solar system.
Teaching about the solar system. 
I used a variety of techniques, such as videos, drawings, pictures, written text, creating models in groups worked best for me. I found it to be agreed topic for group activities. 
Another thing that I did was to get a number of balls of different sizes and labeled them with planet names. I then took the students outside and we recreated how they orbit the earth. Useful for explaining length of years. 
I used something like this
I used something like this
I haven't taught at a school but I used to do a session with my Beaver Scouts (age 6 - 8) and I have scale models of all the planets plus the sun and we would go out into the field and place them a scale distance apart so they could get an idea of the size of the solar system.
I haven't taught at a school but I used to do a session with my Beaver Scouts (age 6 - 8) and I have scale models of all the planets plus the sun and we would go out into the field and place them a scale distance apart so they could get an idea of the size of the solar system.
We start with a problem that needs investigating. Once the children are hooked, we filter in relevant information and use creative writing to record the knowledge. e.g diary of an astronaut using the correct vocab.
We start with a problem that needs investigating. Once the children are hooked, we filter in relevant information and use creative writing to record the knowledge. e.g diary of an astronaut using the correct vocab. 
I love to explore th
 I love to explore the planets with my students with real photos in this link

Scaled down solar system
Scaled down solar system
I usually something along the lines of just how big or far away the planets are 
interactive notebooks
interactive notebooks
after practical activities and discussion, written work for their books like this makes it more memorable
I am only just beginning to teach astronomy. We started by building a model solar system. We are lucky to live in an area where we have a good view of the night sky, with little light pollution, so we have started star gazing, just recently, which has resulted in needing to know more.
I am only just beginning to teach astronomy.  We started by building a model solar system.   We are lucky to live in an area where we have a good view of the night sky, with little light pollution, so we have started star gazing, just recently, which has resulted in needing to know more.
I am not currently teaching astronomy but if I did I would ask lot of questions to see what everyone thought it was, what it includes and take it from there.
I am not currently teaching astronomy but if I did I would ask lot of questions to see what everyone thought it was, what it includes and take it from there.
I have not
I have not 
I start with a brain storming session to see what the kids have in mind..
I start with a brain storming session to see what the kids have in mind..
I display some pictures maybe videos to explain
I let them draw the space
Teaching About the Stars
Teaching About the Stars

I always do a brainstorm session with my first graders to find out what they already know about stars and what they'd like to learn.  I use lots of different kinds of stories - fiction and non-fiction to try to answer their questions. We also talk about the importance of stars in history and how travellers used them to navigate. As having access to a planetarium is very difficult for my age group in Paris, I decided to make my own. Out of large, black garbage bags and strong tape, I made a planetarium. My garbage bag planetarium has a long garbage bag tube that is connected to a fan which when turned on, inflates in the form of a large pillow. One adult and three children can enter the pillow through a slit on the side. Inside, I have decorated the roof with glow in the dark stars to create the night sky. As we learn about the different major constellations, I invite my students to try to find the constellations inside. It's great fun for the class as well as the parents!
TO TEACH ASTRONOMY
TO TEACH ASTRONOMY
USING PRACTICAL OBJECTS THAT WILL INTEREST THE STUDENTS

Teaching The Solar System and Space
Teaching The Solar System and Space
Check out my Padlet on "The Solar System" at https://padlet.com/lswanepoel1/3g4pt5r8nhgl
Dark Sky Ranger
Dark Sky Ranger
I take people stargazing. It is great as there is lots to see and discuss. As I also do outdoor learning we often have a fire and I use this as the sun for a scale model of the Solar System using lights. I can use torches too for things like moon phases.
Clear Skies, Elizabeth Tindal
Ok
Ok
Haven't taught it yet and that is why I am learning on this course!
Haven't taught it yet and that is why I am learning on this course!
TEACHING ATRONOMY
TEACHING ATRONOMY
We teach astronomy through graphics on whiteboard. 

I've just taught phases of the moon using Oero biscuits the kids loved it and it reinforced the work we'd done in the previous lesson
I've just taught phases of the moon using Oero biscuits the kids loved it and it reinforced the work we'd done in the previous lesson
I've also done scale models of the solar system using toilet roll and fruit
L m
L m 
Teaching Space
Teaching Space
We are fortunate to have a local observatory... One of the highlights of the school year is our night time field trip.

Papier-mâché planets
 Papier-mâché planets 
Good science CPD
Good science CPD
http://www.reachoutcpd.com/ it's free - just sign up and do online modules.
Experience phases of the moon
Experience phases of the moon
I do this with a swivel chair- get one student on the swivel chair to be the earth and recap that it takes 24h for the earth to spin on its axis. Get one student to hold the torch (sun) and reiterate that the sun doesn't move. As you move the ball around the chair the student is sitting on, they can clearly see the phases of the moon. You can also model a solar and lunar eclipse in this way.
Just wanted to use Padlet for the first time. Some fascinating ideas here.
Just wanted to use Padlet for the first time. Some fascinating ideas here.
Lisa
Art lesson, which th
 Art lesson, which the scale was better 
Learning to teach
Learning to teach
As an undergraduate student, i am yet to have any experience in teaching primary science.

But in terms of teaching generally, I like to give students opportunities to learn themselves thus would like to use lot of resources. 
Solar System
Solar System
The youtube channel of Dr. Binocs is wonderful. I use plenty of videos from you tube and I encourage my students to work on their own exploration and investigation about planets and the solar system.
Lunar Phase Simulator
Lunar Phase Simulator
http://astro.unl.edu/naap/lps/animations/lps.swf
Good link to work on lunar phases with older children.
What not to do!
What not to do!
Try not to do too much - Phases of the Moon has just appeared in the lower secondary school curriculum in Ireland. Don't try to cover everything in one go - allow time for reflection, discussion and consolidation before doing more. Spiral the ideas over two or three years. So I do 1. size of earth and moon and distance between them
then 2. orbits (so that they understand that typical model of Earth as your head and  Moon as your fist - needs an arm that is the length of the classroom)
3. then phases
4. then eclipses
5. then why not eclipses each month.
Frances / BCO

Scale model of the solar system
Scale model of the solar system
With a little knowledge (e.g Earth and Venus are the same size as each other, Jupiter is the biggest planet, mercury is the smallest... etc) this is quite a fun task to put the fruit on their tables and get them to guess which fruit represents which planet, then put them in order.
New to Teaching
New to Teaching
I have not had the opportunity to teach this subject yet. 

I do like using children as resources in their own learning, so maybe construct a solar system using the students. 
Blast off!!
Blast off!!
I usually use songs as a motivation, then we go to more "serious" activities like making models or watching videos. I love the Oreo biscuit activity to explain moon phases.
Solar SYSTEM
Solar SYSTEM
We can make 
Students more interested by using the models such as using different size of balls as planets and using stones as asteroid belts and meteoroids. 
Solar system
Solar system
Mission X
Mission X
This was a great activity for to get the children interested and curious about space. Lots of great resources and opportunities too
Starting Out
Starting Out

I have not taught this topic yet so am looking forward to using what I have learnt. We use Primary Connections, but I would love to use other ideas and resources as well.

Moon phases
 Moon phases
Students as planets!
Students as planets!
Using students with planets and the playing fields as the universe. This is a great resource to help you work out the relative distances etc http://www.exploratorium.edu/ronh/solar_system/ They especially like using the toilet paper idea!

the position of the planets
the position of the planets
Making models, of rough sizes using balloons for gas planets and plastercine for rock planets. All hung with strings from the ceiling. They are on a diagonal coming out from a sun in one corner in order to get a perspective of the vast distances involved between some of the bodies (the fact the planets are not evenly spaced in orbits around the sun.
Rotation and revolution
Rotation and revolution
Last time I explained that, U told my students to stand up and spin, first, and move around their tables, later. I was surprised, because some of them decided to do both movements at the same time.
Library Resources
Library Resources
We've got some great readers in our school about the solar system. I usually start with the one about our planets together to gauge students' understanding and then let them explore the collection on their own. 
Solar System
Solar System
Day and night
Day and night 
I have only ever taught day and night to younger children so I used 2 balloons ,one blue and one yellow to show how the earth moves round the sun and how the seasons come about.
The big Outdoors
The big Outdoors
Going out on and look up up the is as good way teach astronomy as it helps any who is a visual leaner.

And using visual aids is a good way of teaching sciences.
📎 Padlet is the easiest way to create and collaborate in the world
📎 Video
Shape on Moon
Shape on Moon
The children love this Oreo biscuit activity.
Movement of the Moon
Movement of the Moon
This is a very good explanation - I then get the children to imitate this in a darkened room.
Distance of the planets
Distance of the planets
This is a good activity. We then go out into the playground and look at the distances
How we have day and night
How we have day and night
I tend to introduce this by using a globe with a lego character stuck on and a torch. I model how the character is in the light and night. I get the children to repeat this using a football and a torch. They have to explain to each other.
The we go in a large area and arrange children in a circle, with their hands linked but facing outwards from the centre. I stand on the outside the circle holding a torch to represent the Sun. I get the children to move in an anticlockwise direction and as they pass me, they can see you the torch so it is day time and times when I am not visible at all (night time). 
You can develop it to introduce
children ‘sunrise’ as they first see the Sun (torch), ‘midday’ when they are directly in front of the Sun, ‘sunset’ as they turn away from the Sun and ‘midnight’ when they are opposite the Sun and facing away from it.
This is a good website, you will need to use flash

Discussing how we know Earth is a spherical...
Discussing how we know Earth is a spherical...
For children it now seems pretty obvious as they have access to so many photos from space.
We look use BBC videos to introduce how scientists first worked out how our planet isn't flat.
They then have to work in teams to make a TV programme explaining what they have learnt. One can be the "expert" and another can be the presenter and interviewer. I encourage them to use props to explain.
I always start with a video to get them thinking and then pose a set of questions to get the children thinking and to assess their prior knowledge
I always start with a video to get them thinking and then pose a set of questions to get the children thinking and to assess their prior knowledge
So in groups they have to discuss: Does the Earth move? How do we get day and night? Within these two questions, I give them various statements for them to discuss whether they are true or false. For example, the Earth stays still and the Sun orbits us. This gives me a good picture of where they are all a
My experience will p
 My experience will probably be a little different to most people here as I work as a science interpreter at The National Space Centre in Leicester, teaching people of all ages about space.
The best way to hook children is to put something physical that looks interesting out, as children naturally want to know what it is and why it's there (adults are A LOT more difficult to hook as they are nowhere near as inquisitive about the world.)
When the child is interested, turn whatever you have into a game as children love playing and it will make them really think about you're saying as children are very competitive (especially if there is a prize for getting it right like a sticker!) Let them keep guessing and changing things until they get it right, as it encourages them to go with their instincts and that it's okay in science to not always be right first time and experimenting with things is good!
Game of Marbles
Game of Marbles
I use a game of marbles with my youngest students to show how celestial bodies collide.

Lots of fun!
When teaching the sk
 When teaching the skills of the Nature of Science this is a great video I've used for observation
Walking through it...
Walking through it...
Whenever demonstrating movement, although this is very tricky, I ask children to help act it out.  I did this when we had a partial solar eclipse (child in the middle was the moon, another at one end held a torch as the sun and on the opposite side was a child as Earth) and for understanding orbits and rotation.  It really helped us all understand how orbits are created and how they change what we can see from Earth.
I haven't taught spa
 I haven't taught space yet as have spent the majority of my career in year 3. I will be teaching it this year though. I'm looking at some sort of WOW starter - hopefully an AR space experience - to get the children hooked. We also use mind maps for initial knowledge and then add to that at the end of the unit in another colour to show progress. I think that videos can be a great resource for this topic and we will take the children to the observatory as an end of unit trip.
I always try to start a topic with something exciting to grab the children's attention, such as a video or an open ended question that we will answer over the course of the unit. Additionally, we always use a title page, glossary, mind map (that the children put their initial ideas into and then revisit in a different colour pen to show progress) and concept cartoons that the children attempt to answer. I feel this sparks curiosity in the topic and really gives them a buzz about what they are going to be learning. These two are particular favourites:
I always try to start a topic with something exciting to grab the children's attention, such as a video or an open ended question that we will answer over the course of the unit. Additionally, we always use a title page, glossary, mind map (that the children put their initial ideas into and then revisit in a different colour pen to show progress) and concept cartoons that the children attempt to answer. I feel this sparks curiosity in the topic and really gives them a buzz about what they are going to be learning. These two are particular favourites:



Intro video 2:
Intro video 2:

# data[].attributes.body
I make a ring of times, 24 in all, then show how the moon, in different positions, at different times of day.  Why can you see the moon at 3pm? Or 6 am?
i also do lots of scale activities like sun and planet diameter and distance.  Moon/earth to scale using a globe. I could only link one video, but the other two show models and the time zones connection.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=HWMS5qczb0w  And
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=pBJXgKYnkRA
And    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=AVkw7vfwC9k

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Earth and Moon to Scale:  for elementary and middle school science

# data[].attributes.body
I think practical and visual is always a great way to teach. The scale of the universe is always something that the children are in awe of and one what that I have explained the distances between the planets is by using a scale involving toilet roll. The exact distances can be found online but the children just can't believe the vastness! It is great!

I have also taught the phases of the moon using oreos. Which is just fun!

# data[].attributes.headline
Teaching the planets in the Solar system 

# data[].attributes.subject
Teaching the planets in the Solar system 

# data[].attributes.body
I would personally use models of planets (3D) that I have in my science lab, before moving to use 2D models (diagrams/pictures). To engage the students about the planets, I will first start my lesson by eliciting their knowledge on planets. What do they know about planets and then we will move on to watching a video on the planets. This is an example of a cartoon about the solar system:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLOi2jJBai0
For the follow up activity, we will do some group discussion with a task on arranging all the planets (cut outs) on a manila card for each group.The students will then present their diagrams and explain to the rest of the class about the solar system.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Cartoon Animation ESA Video for Children - The Solar System

# data[].attributes.body
A funny way to give an idea od planet distances it to use models of the Planets an put them in a room on a proportional distance

# data[].attributes.body
Working in a Planetarium, one way to explain the sky, and constellation is to give students an astrolabio (or even have them build one by cutting a pre-printed one) explain how it works and then move in the dome-room in order ti project stars on the dome and verifying if the astrolabio really works.

# data[].attributes.body
When there was a partial solar eclipse we set up pin-hole cameras and several binoculars to project the solar eclipse on a screen. We had a live broadcast on a large screen of the total solar eclipse (in a different country) so people could see the solar corona when it occurred during the eclipse. Students and parents were invited.

# data[].attributes.body
I used planetarium software to demonstrate how the night sky can be used to navigate at night. You can show the constellations, the moon and the planets. Plus you can see the sky from different locations on the planet.

I like the way that view of the night sky can be taken back and forward in time rapidly, by skipping hours, days, years and millennium. The children got excited about looking at what the sky would have looked like at the time of the dinosaurs. We looked how the planets move in the sky compared to the stars. We looked at where the sun and moon rise.

# data[].attributes.body
I got children to hold a large sheet out taught, this was space. We then put a heavy, large toy in the centre to create a slight dip, this was a sun. We next slowly rolled a tennis ball across the sheet; it rolled straight down to the heavy toy. This was an object not escaping our 'sun's' gravity. Then we rolled the ball at different speeds. Sometimes we were able to make it spiral round before hitting the 'sun'; this was something in orbit. Other times we got the ball to dip slightly but keep going and fly off the sheet in another direction; this was the slingshot effect.

# data[].attributes.body
I've gone out onto t
 I've gone out onto the field and the children have enacted the planets circling the sun.  Then we've tried to recreate the distances.  That's always a fun one as you've got one child practically in someone's garden!  We've made fabric planets, tie dying fabric and hanging the finished spheres (ish) relative distances apart.  Again, most are close then you've got two (big ones) at the other end of the school.  Good talking points.
Different space ston
 Different space stones

Auriga Dome
Auriga Dome
This mobile planetarium visits our  Y5 pupils every year.
The Proprietor, Dave is a member of the NASA museums program and actively involved in an International Astronomical Union program to improve the quality of Astronomy communication worldwide. He engages the interest of the children immediately and is a mine of information.
http://www.auriga-astronomy.com
📎 Photo

Going to space
Going to space
 padlet.com/gdemarini/2qg532pwq7b4 


I would like first t
 I would like first to introduce them to astronomy using this video. 
 Introduction to Astronomy: Crash Course Astronomy #1
Introduction to Astronomy: Crash Course Astronomy #1
Welcome to the first episode of Crash Course Astronomy. Your host for this intergalactic adventure is the Bad Astronomer himself, Phil Plait. We begin with answering a question: "What is astronomy?"
youtube
Techniquest
Techniquest
We might use a local science museum to enhance what we teach...Techniquest has brilliant resources and as resources may be an issue sometimes we may as well go where they have them!
 Techniquest * Science Centre UK * Science Discovery
Techniquest * Science Centre UK * Science Discovery
Techniquest is the UK's longest-established science centre, with a mission to embed science in Welsh culture through interactive engagement. The UK's longest-established science centre Techniquest, Stuart Street, Cardiff, CF10 5BW 029 2047 5475 info@techniquest.org During local school holidays 10.00am-5.00pm Bank Holidays, seven days a week. School term 9.30am-4.30pm Tuesday-Friday; 10.00am-5.00pm Saturday and Sunday.
techniquest
https://youtu.be/K5mgTBkDaCs
https://youtu.be/K5mgTBkDaCs
I Would play the above video to give introduction to the concepts.
more_vert
 https://www.jp
 more_vert
https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/teach/
https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/teach/
I am not a teacher but know that NASA, in particular, 
I would start with a brainstorm using a picture of the solar system to elicit words they know. Then, by using pictures and relia I put everything together. The following class, I play this video and revise concepts. Finally, to close the topic, we make together a summary of what we have learnt.
I would start with a brainstorm using a picture of the solar system to elicit words they know. Then, by using pictures and relia I put everything together. The following class, I play this video and revise concepts. Finally, to close the topic, we make together a summary of what we have learnt.
 SOLAR SYSTEM - The Dr. Binocs Show | Best Learning Videos For Kids | Peekaboo Kidz
SOLAR SYSTEM - The Dr. Binocs Show | Best Learning Videos For Kids | Peekaboo Kidz
Learn Solar System in detail with Dr. Binocs only on Peekaboo. Wanna know what is there in Space? What is the Milky Way? What are the various planets in our Solar System? Keep calm and watch this video where Dr.Binocs explains the Solar System in an interesting and detailed way!
youtube
📎 Video
SOLAR SYSTEM - The Dr. Binocs Show | Best Learning Videos For Kids | Peekaboo Kidz
SOLAR SYSTEM - The Dr. Binocs Show | Best Learning Videos For Kids | Peekaboo Kidz
Learn Solar System in detail with Dr. Binocs only on Peekaboo. Wanna know what is there in Space? What is the Milky Way? What are the various planets in our Solar System? Keep calm and watch this video where Dr.Binocs explains the Solar System in an interesting and detailed way!
youtube
https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/teach/
https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/teach/
I am not a teacher but know that NASA, in particular, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, has some wonderful tools for teachers to use to educate about space. Check them out!

The Crab Nebula (catalogue designations M1, NGC 1952, Taurus A) is a supernova remnant in the constellation of Taurus. The now-current name is due to William Parsons, 3rd Earl of Rosse, who observed the object in 1840 using a 36-inch telescope and produced a drawing that looked somewhat like a crab.[5] Corresponding to a bright supernova recorded by Chinese astronomers in 1054, the nebula was observed later by English astronomer John Bevis in 1731. The nebula was the first astronomical object identified with a historical supernova explosion.
The Crab Nebula (catalogue designations M1, NGC 1952, Taurus A) is a supernova remnant in the constellation of Taurus. The now-current name is due to William Parsons, 3rd Earl of Rosse, who observed the object in 1840 using a 36-inch telescope and produced a drawing that looked somewhat like a crab.[5] Corresponding to a bright supernova recorded by Chinese astronomers in 1054, the nebula was observed later by English astronomer John Bevis in 1731. The nebula was the first astronomical object identified with a historical supernova explosion.
 
Solar eclipse and lunar eclipse by biscuits
Solar eclipse and lunar eclipse by biscuits 
A solar eclipse happens when the moon gets in the way of the sun’s light and casts its shadow on Earth. That means during the day, the moon moves over the sun and it gets dark. Isn’t it strange that it gets dark in the middle of the day?

 
Shadow of love
Shadow of love
 
Empty
OCEAN WORLDS
OCEAN WORLDS
poster for students
 
Motivation
Motivation
Show it to students
 
📎 Photo

Meteorite
 Meteorite 
 
Astro famil
 Astro famil
 
Fict
 Fict
 
I try to include as many current news articles as possible that involve space exploration, discoveries, International Space Station, meteor showers that are visible from our location etc. Children have delighted in investigating the progress of of space suits used since space exploration started and the reasons why each particular part of the suits were important for comfort/safety of the astronauts. They then designed suits that they thought they could wear on a trip to a space destination of their choice. This involved them researching conditions of destinations as well as needs to ensure their survival. Their favourite viewing includes the NASA you tubes about living on the ISS where astronauts male and female explain how they cope with daily chores.
I try to include as many current news articles as possible that involve space exploration, discoveries, International Space Station, meteor showers that are visible from our location etc. Children have delighted in investigating the progress of  of space suits used since space exploration started and the reasons why each particular part of the suits were important for comfort/safety of the astronauts. They then designed suits that they thought they could wear on a trip to a space destination of their choice. This involved them researching conditions of destinations as well as needs to ensure their survival. Their favourite viewing includes the NASA you tubes about living on the ISS where astronauts male and female explain how they cope with daily chores.
Homework!
Homework!
The children are actively encouraged to create a model of the solar system (to their own design).  The teaching always starts by finding out what they know already.  They study the planets and the phases of the moon.
Teaching science
Teaching science
We use an inquiry model at our school. We introduce and excite students about a topic using a mystery box, object, video etc. then we use a KWL chart to help shape the unit. We also use student questions, wonderings, to help drive the learning making it more student focused. We then explore, sort and organise our information asking our questions and the unit ends with an authentic action.
Create a video explaining a space concept to put on our school website, run a class info session for parents or invite other schools etc to explain our learning to. Create a universe in the classroom. We have a focus on skills, classifying, scientific drawings etc throughout the learning.
 
Teaching the solar sytem
Teaching the solar sytem
I utilise IT as much as possible to bring it into the classroom, hands on experiences, using spheres in relative sizes paced out on the school oval, role play, wordlinks, investigations and much more. Recently we had a stardome visit and a nighttime guided observation with amazing telescopes to view stars, planets and the moon from our school oval.  Our whole school visited the stardome and most attend the night guided viewing as there was no cost to families. This has given real experiences from which students have asked questions, sought information, pondered where they fit and so much more.
Teaching about the solar system.
Teaching about the solar system. 
I used a variety of techniques, such as videos, drawings, pictures, written text, creating models in groups worked best for me. I found it to be agreed topic for group activities. 
Another thing that I did was to get a number of balls of different sizes and labeled them with planet names. I then took the students outside and we recreated how they orbit the earth. Useful for explaining length of years. 
I used something like this
I used something like this
 
I haven't taught at a school but I used to do a session with my Beaver Scouts (age 6 - 8) and I have scale models of all the planets plus the sun and we would go out into the field and place them a scale distance apart so they could get an idea of the size of the solar system.
I haven't taught at a school but I used to do a session with my Beaver Scouts (age 6 - 8) and I have scale models of all the planets plus the sun and we would go out into the field and place them a scale distance apart so they could get an idea of the size of the solar system.
We start with a problem that needs investigating. Once the children are hooked, we filter in relevant information and use creative writing to record the knowledge. e.g diary of an astronaut using the correct vocab.
We start with a problem that needs investigating. Once the children are hooked, we filter in relevant information and use creative writing to record the knowledge. e.g diary of an astronaut using the correct vocab. 
I love to explore th
 I love to explore the planets with my students with real photos in this link

 Earth - Overview | Planets - NASA Solar System Exploration
Earth - Overview | Planets - NASA Solar System Exploration
Earth is the third planet from the sun and the fifth largest in the solar system. Just slightly larger than nearby Venus, Earth is the biggest of the terrestrial planets. Our home planet is the only planet in our solar system known to harbor living things.
nasa solar system exploration
Scaled down solar system
Scaled down solar system
I usually something along the lines of just how big or far away the planets are 
 
interactive notebooks
interactive notebooks
after practical activities and discussion, written work for their books like this makes it more memorable
 
I am only just beginning to teach astronomy. We started by building a model solar system. We are lucky to live in an area where we have a good view of the night sky, with little light pollution, so we have started star gazing, just recently, which has resulted in needing to know more.
I am only just beginning to teach astronomy.  We started by building a model solar system.   We are lucky to live in an area where we have a good view of the night sky, with little light pollution, so we have started star gazing, just recently, which has resulted in needing to know more.
I am not currently teaching astronomy but if I did I would ask lot of questions to see what everyone thought it was, what it includes and take it from there.
I am not currently teaching astronomy but if I did I would ask lot of questions to see what everyone thought it was, what it includes and take it from there.
I have not
I have not 
I start with a brain storming session to see what the kids have in mind..
I start with a brain storming session to see what the kids have in mind..
I display some pictures maybe videos to explain
I let them draw the space
Teaching About the Stars
Teaching About the Stars

I always do a brainstorm session with my first graders to find out what they already know about stars and what they'd like to learn.  I use lots of different kinds of stories - fiction and non-fiction to try to answer their questions. We also talk about the importance of stars in history and how travellers used them to navigate. As having access to a planetarium is very difficult for my age group in Paris, I decided to make my own. Out of large, black garbage bags and strong tape, I made a planetarium. My garbage bag planetarium has a long garbage bag tube that is connected to a fan which when turned on, inflates in the form of a large pillow. One adult and three children can enter the pillow through a slit on the side. Inside, I have decorated the roof with glow in the dark stars to create the night sky. As we learn about the different major constellations, I invite my students to try to find the constellations inside. It's great fun for the class as well as the parents!
TO TEACH ASTRONOMY
TO TEACH ASTRONOMY
USING PRACTICAL OBJECTS THAT WILL INTEREST THE STUDENTS

Teaching The Solar System and Space
Teaching The Solar System and Space
Check out my Padlet on "The Solar System" at https://padlet.com/lswanepoel1/3g4pt5r8nhgl
 
Dark Sky Ranger
Dark Sky Ranger
I take people stargazing. It is great as there is lots to see and discuss. As I also do outdoor learning we often have a fire and I use this as the sun for a scale model of the Solar System using lights. I can use torches too for things like moon phases.
Clear Skies, Elizabeth Tindal
Ok
Ok
Haven't taught it yet and that is why I am learning on this course!
Haven't taught it yet and that is why I am learning on this course!
TEACHING ATRONOMY
TEACHING ATRONOMY
We teach astronomy through graphics on whiteboard. 

I've just taught phases of the moon using Oero biscuits the kids loved it and it reinforced the work we'd done in the previous lesson
I've just taught phases of the moon using Oero biscuits the kids loved it and it reinforced the work we'd done in the previous lesson
I've also done scale models of the solar system using toilet roll and fruit
L m
L m 
Teaching Space
Teaching Space
We are fortunate to have a local observatory... One of the highlights of the school year is our night time field trip.

Papier-mâché planets
 Papier-mâché planets 
 
Good science CPD
Good science CPD
http://www.reachoutcpd.com/ it's free - just sign up and do online modules.
Experience phases of the moon
Experience phases of the moon
I do this with a swivel chair- get one student on the swivel chair to be the earth and recap that it takes 24h for the earth to spin on its axis. Get one student to hold the torch (sun) and reiterate that the sun doesn't move. As you move the ball around the chair the student is sitting on, they can clearly see the phases of the moon. You can also model a solar and lunar eclipse in this way.
 Moon Phases Demonstration
Moon Phases Demonstration
Emily Morgan, author of Next Time You See the Moon, takes you through the phases of the Moon in a demonstration that will be easy to replicate in your own classroom. http://www.nsta.org/store/product_detail.aspx?id=10.2505/9781938946332 http://www.nsta.org/nexttime-moon
youtube
Just wanted to use Padlet for the first time. Some fascinating ideas here.
Just wanted to use Padlet for the first time. Some fascinating ideas here.
Lisa
Art lesson, which th
 Art lesson, which the scale was better 
 
Learning to teach
Learning to teach
As an undergraduate student, i am yet to have any experience in teaching primary science.

But in terms of teaching generally, I like to give students opportunities to learn themselves thus would like to use lot of resources. 
Solar System
Solar System
The youtube channel of Dr. Binocs is wonderful. I use plenty of videos from you tube and I encourage my students to work on their own exploration and investigation about planets and the solar system.
Lunar Phase Simulator
Lunar Phase Simulator
http://astro.unl.edu/naap/lps/animations/lps.swf
Good link to work on lunar phases with older children.
What not to do!
What not to do!
Try not to do too much - Phases of the Moon has just appeared in the lower secondary school curriculum in Ireland. Don't try to cover everything in one go - allow time for reflection, discussion and consolidation before doing more. Spiral the ideas over two or three years. So I do 1. size of earth and moon and distance between them
then 2. orbits (so that they understand that typical model of Earth as your head and  Moon as your fist - needs an arm that is the length of the classroom)
3. then phases
4. then eclipses
5. then why not eclipses each month.
Frances / BCO

Scale model of the solar system
Scale model of the solar system
With a little knowledge (e.g Earth and Venus are the same size as each other, Jupiter is the biggest planet, mercury is the smallest... etc) this is quite a fun task to put the fruit on their tables and get them to guess which fruit represents which planet, then put them in order.
 
New to Teaching
New to Teaching
I have not had the opportunity to teach this subject yet. 

I do like using children as resources in their own learning, so maybe construct a solar system using the students. 
Blast off!!
Blast off!!
I usually use songs as a motivation, then we go to more "serious" activities like making models or watching videos. I love the Oreo biscuit activity to explain moon phases.
 The Solar System Song
The Solar System Song
It's a song about the Sun and the planets for children of all ages. This song was written and performed by A.J. Jenkins. Video by KidsTV123 Copyright 2011 A.J. Jenkins/KidsTV123: All rights reserved. This is an ORIGINAL song written in 2011 - any copying is illegal.
youtube
Solar SYSTEM
Solar SYSTEM
We can make 
Students more interested by using the models such as using different size of balls as planets and using stones as asteroid belts and meteoroids. 
Solar system
Solar system
Mission X
Mission X
This was a great activity for to get the children interested and curious about space. Lots of great resources and opportunities too
 Mission X Train Like An Astronaut | Train Like An Astronaut
Mission X Train Like An Astronaut | Train Like An Astronaut
Tim Peake sends a message from the ISS....No matter if you are in Space or on Earth we all need to work together!! Let's train like astronauts together and upload points to help Astro Charlie walk from Earth to the Moon.
trainlikeanastronaut
Starting Out
Starting Out

I have not taught this topic yet so am looking forward to using what I have learnt. We use Primary Connections, but I would love to use other ideas and resources as well.

 
Moon phases
 Moon phases
 
Students as planets!
Students as planets!
Using students with planets and the playing fields as the universe. This is a great resource to help you work out the relative distances etc http://www.exploratorium.edu/ronh/solar_system/ They especially like using the toilet paper idea!

the position of the planets
the position of the planets
Making models, of rough sizes using balloons for gas planets and plastercine for rock planets. All hung with strings from the ceiling. They are on a diagonal coming out from a sun in one corner in order to get a perspective of the vast distances involved between some of the bodies (the fact the planets are not evenly spaced in orbits around the sun.
Rotation and revolution
Rotation and revolution
Last time I explained that, U told my students to stand up and spin, first, and move around their tables, later. I was surprised, because some of them decided to do both movements at the same time.
Library Resources
Library Resources
We've got some great readers in our school about the solar system. I usually start with the one about our planets together to gauge students' understanding and then let them explore the collection on their own. 
 
Solar System
Solar System
Day and night
Day and night 
I have only ever taught day and night to younger children so I used 2 balloons ,one blue and one yellow to show how the earth moves round the sun and how the seasons come about.
The big Outdoors
The big Outdoors
Going out on and look up up the is as good way teach astronomy as it helps any who is a visual leaner.

And using visual aids is a good way of teaching sciences.
Vacío
Padlet is the easiest way to create and collaborate in the world
Padlet is the easiest way to create and collaborate in the world
From your hobby to your career, your class notes to your final exam, your mood board to your runway show, padlets help you organize your life.
padlet
📎 Video
Brian Cox visits the world's biggest vacuum chamber - Human Universe: Episode 4 Preview - BBC Two
Brian Cox visits the world's biggest vacuum chamber - Human Universe: Episode 4 Preview - BBC Two
Programme website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0276q28 Brian Cox visits NASA's Space Power Facility in Ohio to see what happens when a bowling ball and a feather are dropped together under the conditions of outer space.
youtube
Shape on Moon
Shape on Moon
The children love this Oreo biscuit activity.
 Space Place: The Moon's Phases in Oreos
Space Place: The Moon's Phases in Oreos
This article explains the monthly variations in the Moon's appearance as seen from Earth. Directions for using Oreo cookies to illustrate the four major phases of the Moon are provided. The article is targeted to children ages 10-12.
nasa wavelength digital library
Movement of the Moon
Movement of the Moon
This is a very good explanation - I then get the children to imitate this in a darkened room.
 Stargazing Challenge: Phases of the Moon (KS2), Series 2, Stargazing Live - BBC Two
Stargazing Challenge: Phases of the Moon (KS2), Series 2, Stargazing Live - BBC Two
Waxing, waning, gibbous?
bbc
Distance of the planets
Distance of the planets
This is a good activity. We then go out into the playground and look at the distances
 40587-ESERO%20-%20Rosetta%20resource%20book%20%28Activity%2006%29.pdf
40587-ESERO%20-%20Rosetta%20resource%20book%20%28Activity%2006%29.pdf
stem
How we have day and night
How we have day and night
I tend to introduce this by using a globe with a lego character stuck on and a torch. I model how the character is in the light and night. I get the children to repeat this using a football and a torch. They have to explain to each other.
The we go in a large area and arrange children in a circle, with their hands linked but facing outwards from the centre. I stand on the outside the circle holding a torch to represent the Sun. I get the children to move in an anticlockwise direction and as they pass me, they can see you the torch so it is day time and times when I am not visible at all (night time). 
You can develop it to introduce
children ‘sunrise’ as they first see the Sun (torch), ‘midday’ when they are directly in front of the Sun, ‘sunset’ as they turn away from the Sun and ‘midnight’ when they are opposite the Sun and facing away from it.
This is a good website, you will need to use flash

 earthandbeyond_b_stamp.swf
earthandbeyond_b_stamp.swf
113 KB swf file
manchester
SWF
Discussing how we know Earth is a spherical...
Discussing how we know Earth is a spherical...
For children it now seems pretty obvious as they have access to so many photos from space.
We look use BBC videos to introduce how scientists first worked out how our planet isn't flat.
They then have to work in teams to make a TV programme explaining what they have learnt. One can be the "expert" and another can be the presenter and interviewer. I encourage them to use props to explain.
 BBC Bitesize - KS2 Science - How do we know the Earth is spherical?
BBC Bitesize - KS2 Science - How do we know the Earth is spherical?
The evidence for the Earth being round or spherical using Aristotle's reasoning.
bbc
I always start with a video to get them thinking and then pose a set of questions to get the children thinking and to assess their prior knowledge
I always start with a video to get them thinking and then pose a set of questions to get the children thinking and to assess their prior knowledge
So in groups they have to discuss: Does the Earth move? How do we get day and night? Within these two questions, I give them various statements for them to discuss whether they are true or false. For example, the Earth stays still and the Sun orbits us. This gives me a good picture of where they are all a
My experience will p
 My experience will probably be a little different to most people here as I work as a science interpreter at The National Space Centre in Leicester, teaching people of all ages about space.
The best way to hook children is to put something physical that looks interesting out, as children naturally want to know what it is and why it's there (adults are A LOT more difficult to hook as they are nowhere near as inquisitive about the world.)
When the child is interested, turn whatever you have into a game as children love playing and it will make them really think about you're saying as children are very competitive (especially if there is a prize for getting it right like a sticker!) Let them keep guessing and changing things until they get it right, as it encourages them to go with their instincts and that it's okay in science to not always be right first time and experimenting with things is good!
Game of Marbles
Game of Marbles
I use a game of marbles with my youngest students to show how celestial bodies collide.

Lots of fun!
 
When teaching the sk
 When teaching the skills of the Nature of Science this is a great video I've used for observation
 Test Your Awareness : Whodunnit?
Test Your Awareness : Whodunnit?
Test your Awareness with Do The Test's Whodunnit. Who Killed Lord Smithe? TFL cycling safety advert! How observant are you? How did you do? www.dothetest.co.uk
youtube
Walking through it...
Walking through it...
Whenever demonstrating movement, although this is very tricky, I ask children to help act it out.  I did this when we had a partial solar eclipse (child in the middle was the moon, another at one end held a torch as the sun and on the opposite side was a child as Earth) and for understanding orbits and rotation.  It really helped us all understand how orbits are created and how they change what we can see from Earth.
I haven't taught spa
 I haven't taught space yet as have spent the majority of my career in year 3. I will be teaching it this year though. I'm looking at some sort of WOW starter - hopefully an AR space experience - to get the children hooked. We also use mind maps for initial knowledge and then add to that at the end of the unit in another colour to show progress. I think that videos can be a great resource for this topic and we will take the children to the observatory as an end of unit trip.
I always try to start a topic with something exciting to grab the children's attention, such as a video or an open ended question that we will answer over the course of the unit. Additionally, we always use a title page, glossary, mind map (that the children put their initial ideas into and then revisit in a different colour pen to show progress) and concept cartoons that the children attempt to answer. I feel this sparks curiosity in the topic and really gives them a buzz about what they are going to be learning. These two are particular favourites:
I always try to start a topic with something exciting to grab the children's attention, such as a video or an open ended question that we will answer over the course of the unit. Additionally, we always use a title page, glossary, mind map (that the children put their initial ideas into and then revisit in a different colour pen to show progress) and concept cartoons that the children attempt to answer. I feel this sparks curiosity in the topic and really gives them a buzz about what they are going to be learning. These two are particular favourites:



 To Scale: The Solar System
To Scale: The Solar System
On a dry lakebed in Nevada, a group of friends build the first scale model of the solar system with complete planetary orbits: a true illustration of our place in the universe. A film by Wylie Overstreet and Alex Gorosh alexgorosh.com wylieoverstreet.com Copyright 2015
vimeo
Intro video 2:
Intro video 2:
 Brian Cox visits the world's biggest vacuum chamber - Human Universe: Episode 4 Preview - BBC Two
Brian Cox visits the world's biggest vacuum chamber - Human Universe: Episode 4 Preview - BBC Two
Programme website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0276q28 Brian Cox visits NASA's Space Power Facility in Ohio to see what happens when a bowling ball and a feather are dropped together under the conditions of outer space.
youtube
 add

# data[].attributes.body
I've gone out onto the field and the children have enacted the planets circling the sun. Then we've tried to recreate the distances. That's always a fun one as you've got one child practically in someone's garden! We've made fabric planets, tie dying fabric and hanging the finished spheres (ish) relative distances apart. Again, most are close then you've got two (big ones) at the other end of the school. Good talking points.

# data[].attributes.body
Different space stones

# data[].attributes.body
This mobile planetarium visits our  Y5 pupils every year.
The Proprietor, Dave is a member of the NASA museums program and actively involved in an International Astronomical Union program to improve the quality of Astronomy communication worldwide. He engages the interest of the children immediately and is a mine of information.
http://www.auriga-astronomy.com

# data[].attributes.body
padlet.com/gdemarini/2qg532pwq7b4

# data[].attributes.body
I would like first to introduce them to astronomy using this video.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Introduction to Astronomy: Crash Course Astronomy #1

# data[].attributes.body
We might use a local science museum to enhance what we teach...Techniquest has brilliant resources and as resources may be an issue sometimes we may as well go where they have them!

# data[].attributes.body
I Would play the above video to give introduction to the concepts.

# data[].attributes.body
more_vert
https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/teach/
https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/teach/
I am not a teacher but know that NASA, in particular, 

# data[].attributes.headline
I would start with a brainstorm using a picture of the solar system to elicit words they know. Then, by using pictures and relia I put everything together. The following class, I play this video and revise concepts. Finally, to close the topic, we make together a summary of what we have learnt.

# data[].attributes.subject
I would start with a brainstorm using a picture of the solar system to elicit words they know. Then, by using pictures and relia I put everything together. The following class, I play this video and revise concepts. Finally, to close the topic, we make together a summary of what we have learnt.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
SOLAR SYSTEM - The Dr. Binocs Show | Best Learning Videos For Kids | Peekaboo Kidz

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
SOLAR SYSTEM - The Dr. Binocs Show | Best Learning Videos For Kids | Peekaboo Kidz

# data[].attributes.body
I am not a teacher but know that NASA, in particular, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, has some wonderful tools for teachers to use to educate about space. Check them out!

# data[].attributes.headline
The Crab Nebula (catalogue designations M1, NGC 1952, Taurus A) is a supernova remnant in the constellation of Taurus. The now-current name is due to William Parsons, 3rd Earl of Rosse, who observed the object in 1840 using a 36-inch telescope and produced a drawing that looked somewhat like a crab.[5] Corresponding to a bright supernova recorded by Chinese astronomers in 1054, the nebula was observed later by English astronomer John Bevis in 1731. The nebula was the first astronomical object identified with a historical supernova explosion.

# data[].attributes.subject
The Crab Nebula (catalogue designations M1, NGC 1952, Taurus A) is a supernova remnant in the constellation of Taurus. The now-current name is due to William Parsons, 3rd Earl of Rosse, who observed the object in 1840 using a 36-inch telescope and produced a drawing that looked somewhat like a crab.[5] Corresponding to a bright supernova recorded by Chinese astronomers in 1054, the nebula was observed later by English astronomer John Bevis in 1731. The nebula was the first astronomical object identified with a historical supernova explosion.

# data[].attributes.headline
Solar eclipse and lunar eclipse by biscuits 

# data[].attributes.subject
Solar eclipse and lunar eclipse by biscuits 

# data[].attributes.body
A solar eclipse happens when the moon gets in the way of the sun’s light and casts its shadow on Earth. That means during the day, the moon moves over the sun and it gets dark. Isn’t it strange that it gets dark in the middle of the day?

# data[].attributes.body
poster for students

# data[].attributes.body
Show it to students

# data[].attributes.body
Meteorite

# data[].attributes.body
Astro famil

# data[].attributes.body
Fict

# data[].attributes.headline
I try to include as many current news articles as possible that involve space exploration, discoveries, International Space Station, meteor showers that are visible from our location etc. Children have delighted in investigating the progress of  of space suits used since space exploration started and the reasons why each particular part of the suits were important for comfort/safety of the astronauts. They then designed suits that they thought they could wear on a trip to a space destination of their choice. This involved them researching conditions of destinations as well as needs to ensure their survival. Their favourite viewing includes the NASA you tubes about living on the ISS where astronauts male and female explain how they cope with daily chores.

# data[].attributes.subject
I try to include as many current news articles as possible that involve space exploration, discoveries, International Space Station, meteor showers that are visible from our location etc. Children have delighted in investigating the progress of  of space suits used since space exploration started and the reasons why each particular part of the suits were important for comfort/safety of the astronauts. They then designed suits that they thought they could wear on a trip to a space destination of their choice. This involved them researching conditions of destinations as well as needs to ensure their survival. Their favourite viewing includes the NASA you tubes about living on the ISS where astronauts male and female explain how they cope with daily chores.

# data[].attributes.body
The children are actively encouraged to create a model of the solar system (to their own design). The teaching always starts by finding out what they know already. They study the planets and the phases of the moon.

# data[].attributes.body
We use an inquiry model at our school. We introduce and excite students about a topic using a mystery box, object, video etc. then we use a KWL chart to help shape the unit. We also use student questions, wonderings, to help drive the learning making it more student focused. We then explore, sort and organise our information asking our questions and the unit ends with an authentic action.
Create a video explaining a space concept to put on our school website, run a class info session for parents or invite other schools etc to explain our learning to. Create a universe in the classroom. We have a focus on skills, classifying, scientific drawings etc throughout the learning.

# data[].attributes.body
I utilise IT as much as possible to bring it into the classroom, hands on experiences, using spheres in relative sizes paced out on the school oval, role play, wordlinks, investigations and much more. Recently we had a stardome visit and a nighttime guided observation with amazing telescopes to view stars, planets and the moon from our school oval. Our whole school visited the stardome and most attend the night guided viewing as there was no cost to families. This has given real experiences from which students have asked questions, sought information, pondered where they fit and so much more.

# data[].attributes.body
I used a variety of techniques, such as videos, drawings, pictures, written text, creating models in groups worked best for me. I found it to be agreed topic for group activities.
Another thing that I did was to get a number of balls of different sizes and labeled them with planet names. I then took the students outside and we recreated how they orbit the earth. Useful for explaining length of years.

# data[].attributes.headline
I haven't taught at a school but I used to do a session with my Beaver Scouts (age 6 - 8) and I have scale models of all the planets plus the sun and we would go out into the field and place them a scale distance apart so they could get an idea of the size of the solar system.

# data[].attributes.subject
I haven't taught at a school but I used to do a session with my Beaver Scouts (age 6 - 8) and I have scale models of all the planets plus the sun and we would go out into the field and place them a scale distance apart so they could get an idea of the size of the solar system.

# data[].attributes.headline
We start with a problem that needs investigating. Once the children are hooked, we filter in relevant information and use creative writing to record the knowledge. e.g diary of an astronaut using the correct vocab. 

# data[].attributes.subject
We start with a problem that needs investigating. Once the children are hooked, we filter in relevant information and use creative writing to record the knowledge. e.g diary of an astronaut using the correct vocab. 