We will be changing for this session so all PE kits need to be in school. Warm up - moving like rockets and astronauts to music by Holst. We will remind the children that this week we are focusing on space again! Then we will begin by talking about children’s knowledge of the sea. Encourage them to share their ideas about what they know about space and space travel. Explain to the children that today they are going to work together as a team to create a ‘whoosh’ like a rocket using the parachute. We will model how to hold / grip the parachute and explain the rules. Then we will explore creating a variety of gentle movements as the rocket warms up - finding out how to control and manoeuvre the parachute effectively. Adults will then complete a countdown before the rocket lifts off and the parachute goes up as high as we can reach. Next we will play a game when we all have to work together again - as the children lift the parachute a group of children need to travel underneath it like astronauts, we will repeat this until everyone has had a turn. We will also play a game when the children sit in the middle and explore how it feels to orbit as they twist the parachute or are spun round. As a cool down the children will take it in turns to lie under the parachute as the remainder of the children create a gentle breeze over them (using the parachute) as they travel back to earth.

Lily suggested that we could make ladders for climbing onto the rocket. We will create this using wooden planks outside, (reminding the children how some of them created a jumping game with hoops and dice outside last week). Once our ladders are created we will play a game when we see how many throws of the dice (with only dots representing 1-3) it takes for a child to reach the end of the ladder. One child in each group will act as the astronaut travelling along the ladder, one child will roll the dice and use subitising skills to identify how many spaces the astronaut should travel. The children will take turns until they have all had a turn at each role.

We have a Forest School session at the start of the day. Please ensure that your child is dressed suitably.

Teddy suggested that we could make a red screen to pull down to stop rocks flying in our faces when we are in space! First the children need to make a name badge to show that they are designers and engineers. They will need to find their name card and then write their name on a sticker, using the pinch and flick technique and an appropriate grip. Then they can wear their sticker. Next adults will show the children some tools: hole punch, stapler, scissors, glue spreader. We will ask children to model how these are used to join pieces. (If the children are unsure then adults will model this). Then the children will work independently to create their screens or visors (sadly they will be clear and not red). They can choose which tools they would like to use, there will be thick paper and card as well as elastic to attach to their plastic visor. They will need to make sure they can see through the visor and that they use the tools safely throughout.

Fiadh suggested that we could make an astronaut outfit. She thought we would need “white stuff” to make it, Ellie suggested tape, Marsaili said that we could draw it on dark paper with a white pen and Ernie said we could paint our design. Jamie suggested that we got some plastic and put some white paint on there and add some white boxes. So … we will start with some big black paper on each table then it is up to the children. First one child in each group will need to draw or paint the outline for a big astronaut. Then the children will need to discuss which materials they would like to use to create the suit. We will encourage them to remind each other where they would find the tools or resources that they would need in the classroom. They will be encouraged to gather their resources and then start creating their suit. Throughout we will model sharing ideas and suggest that they explain to each other why they have chosen what they are using.

Friday

Lily explained that rockets go very high and asked how they go high with fire. Kai asked “how do rocket ships go into space?” and Milo asked “How do rocket ships blast off?” So today we are going to be scientists and explore launching rockets. The children will work as a large group, discussing and agreeing how each rocket launcher works. (They will also have the opportunity to explore the rocket launchers during child initiated play later in the day). Adults will introduce each of the rocket launchers one at a time. We will offer no explanation but ask the children how they think they could launch the rocket – we will try out the ideas until we come to a successful solution. Throughout we will talk about being safe and will encourage the children to act as ‘Danger Detectives’. We will encourage the children to build on their experiences of ‘what works’ as we introduce each new rocket launcher. The two types are: Straw rockets and mouse rockets.  We will make links between the forces needed to make these work and the rocket boosters on real rockets.