The Activity Set I would choose is Space and Aliens.
I would most likely use this lesson below as a follow on from Planets and after having a look at the Mars landscape with the children. (Using lessons for the Space Week Workbook) We would have created our own models of a mars landscape through Art and Crafts using clay, sand, paint and modelling tools and completing a comparison lesson to Earths landscape.
I would start by reading a picture book- All Time favourite ‘Aliens love Underpants’ by Claire Freeman and Ben Cort in circle floor time. It really engages the children and brings even the more reserved pupil out of their shell with laughter. While there are great activities and lesson ideas you can take from this book for literacy , it is a greater starter for Talk and discussion on the activity Set Space and Aliens. Do Aliens exist? Have people ever found aliens? What might they look like? We would discuss the children’s ideas together before allowing them to draw their own alien/Marian on paper. Each child may show their alien to the class and describe it. (Children could be encouraged to use their maths shape and spatial language here.
Following on from this activity I would build an aistear plan for the week using the following stations.
1. Creative Arts and Crafts- Using your drawing can you make your alien from the modelling and craft materials. Maths language flash cards for shape, lines, length would be available to inspire the chidren to describe their aliens to others. We could encourage children to use language in describing their aliens to others without showing the finished product. Can the others follow your instructions.
2. Drama: Space Exploration . Using our Big Cardboard Box the children can turn it into a space ship to travel to and explore Mars where they will meet some Aliens. Children could use aliens drawing or 3D created models for small world play using their mars landscapes.
3. Construction: Lego The children could build alien spaceships for the 3d alien models
4. Communication: Puzzles and board games. Rockets and comets from Orchard Games. The children will play the games using space vocabulary developing good social and communication skills.
There are many cross curricular opportunities (Literacy, Maths, Geography, STEM, Art, Drama) and skills development opportunities while teaching this topic.