As a junior school educator, I love themes and am all about integrated playful learing expereinces.
Stellarium-web.org would be a great introduction to the theme. Displaying the night sky on the IWB with music and let the kids relax into this theme. Allow the children to take in the visuals and enjoy the sky. I would encourage them to point out patterns in the sky. We would then investigate more closer constellations and using chalk and black paper attempt to recreate the constellations.
Milo and Marvin is a good starting point for role play. The students love dressing up and engaging in role play. Dressing up as aliens and having a selection of items that can the students can feed their imaginations and space time in our our role play corner. I have had a space theme before and will be adding Milo and Marvin this year.
ESA and ESA Kids website was of particular interest to me. It offers a strong collection of downloadable resources that are ideal for our junior school aged students. It also allows for group projects as well as more individual tasks during integrated playful experience time. Students would be encouraged to explore concepts like phases of the moon or building a model rocket.
I would also use this website to support designing and creating their own aliens to have a mix of space fact and fiction is always a worthwhile activity. This increases students awareness of what is real and what is not. I would also use this website for space themed arts and crafts using the Images from this website are ideal for other project such as building a space shuttle or investigating the 4 phases of the moon or the planets. So much on this website it is worthwhile having a good look and picking a few things to really work on through SESE.
The interactive games could further enhance and spark the children’s interest.
Space is a wonderful theme and using ESA and ESA Kids provides the teacher with suitable ideas and supporting materials to have a successful spaces theme in any classroom.