SPACE EXPLORERS

Dear Parents,

Over the next 10 weeks those of us in Grade 4 will be following a unit of work on a theme which focuses on ‘Astronomy and space’.

This unit of work is part of the International Primary Curriculum. This new curriculum sets out very clearly what children will learn – the learning goals – in three different areas:

1. The subjects of the curriculum. The learning goals for each of these subjects are at least as challenging as anything taught in the curriculum in your child’s own country. In many cases, the learning goals are more challenging.

2. Personal development – the characteristics which will help children become more responsible, independent learners.

3. International understanding – which will help children develop both a sense of the independence of their own country and culture and the interdependence between countries and cultures.

Each unit of work is based around specific targets derived from the learning goals for one or more of the subjects. During this unit we will be focusing on Science, History, Art, Technology and International.

The big idea

We know that when we look up at our sky we will see the Sun, the Moon and the stars. We take them for granted. But why are they there? What do they do? How do they affect the Earth? Astronomy, like all sciences, is about asking questions. By becoming space explorers, we can find out more about our solar system and the deeper mysteries of the universe.

In Science, we’ll be:

• Making a pinhole viewer to record the size of the Sun and the Moon
• Comparing the size of the planets and their distance from the Sun
• Finding out about the movements of the Earth, Sun and Moon and how they affect us
• Classifying rocks and comparing rocks on Earth with those on the Moon
• Finding out about how craters are formed and the forces that are involved
• Making a spectronometer to find out about light and what it contains
• Finding out about how light travels
• Creating a timeline to show the life cycle of a star
• Finding out more about the planets in our solar system

In History, we’ll be:

• Finding out about what people in the past used to think about the Earth, Sun and Moon
• Finding out about Galileo and his findings about the Earth, Sun and Moon
• Finding out about the constellations and the stories that they tell
• Making a timeline to show some of the important events in the history of astronomy and space

In Art, we’ll be:

• Finding out about nebulae and how we can capture their shape, colour and patterns in art
• Finding out about satellites and how we can create our own satellite images

In Technology, we’ll be:

• Finding out about the technology that is being used to explore Mars
• Designing and making our own vehicle to explore a planet’s surface

In International, we’ll be:

• Finding out about the International Space Station (ISS)
• Creating our own Voyager golden record to send into space

All of the work we are going to do has been specially written to help your child reach the learning goals. Children will be reading, researching, writing, illustrating, working on their own and working in groups. We will be checking to see how well your child has learned through particular activities and asking children to explain their work, perhaps to you.

We already know the interest you take in your child’s work. If you can, please discuss with your child the work they have done as the term progresses and let them teach you.

If your child has some work to research, please help them, but without actually doing the work. If you have the chance to further their interest in the ideas of this theme please take it, but your enthusiasm and interest are most important.

By the end of the unit, we hope your child has achieved all of the learning targets. We hope they have had an enjoyable time in the classroom. And we hope you have enjoyed seeing your child work with enthusiasm. If you have any comments about the work your child has done, please get in touch.