Life as an astronaut primary resource

This PSHE primary resource helps children to understand the work and experience of a scientist and astronomer, whose work lead him to take two trips into outer space! Discover what it feels like to lift off in a spacecraft. What did astronauts eat and drink on the space shuttle? Do stars look different in space? What was the view like from the window of the shuttle?

Pupils will discover what an astronomer is, and the variety of work that they do in our National Geographic Kids’ PSHE careers resource sheet.

The teaching resource can be used in study group tasks for discussion about the different pathways people can take to become an astronaut. It could be used as a printed handout for each pupil to review and annotate, or for display on the interactive whiteboard for class discussion.

Activity: As a class, ask the children what they know about jobs at NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration). What kinds of work do they do there? Have the children ever wondered what it would be like to be an astronaut? Read the resource sheet as a class. Would anyone in the class like to be an astronaut when they grow up? Pupils could use the resource and our Mars mission: Science primary resource to write a piece of creative writing, such as a diary entry, about what it might be like to take on a space mission to Mars. Children could think about the spacecraft they might travel in; what they might eat and drink; what it would feel like to take off; and what they might see out the window. They could consider the work they might do when they arrive on the planet.

N.B. The following information for mapping the resource documents to the school curriculum is specifically tailored to the English National Curriculum and Scottish Curriculum for Excellence. We are currently working to bring specifically tailored curriculum resource links for our other territories; including South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. If you have any queries about our upcoming curriculum resource links, please email: schools@ngkids.co.uk

This PSHE primary resource assists with teaching the following Key Stage 1 & 2 objectives from the National Curriculum: 

2.1 Every state-funded school must offer a curriculum which is balanced and broadly based and which:  

• prepares pupils at the school for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life.  

As a Science primary resource, this resource assists with teaching the following Upper Key Stage 2 Science (Year 5) objectives from the National Curriculum:

Pupils should be taught:

• describe the movement of the Moon relative to the Earth 

• describe the Sun, Earth and Moon as approximately spherical bodies

This PSHE primary resource assists with teaching the following Health and wellbeing Early level objectives from the Scottish Curriculum for Excellence:

• In everyday activity and play, I explore and make choices to develop my learning and interests. I am encouraged to use and share my experiences.

• I can describe some of the kinds of work that people do and I am finding out about the wider world of work.

Scottish Curriculum for Excellence First level Health and wellbeing objectives:

• Through taking part in a variety of events and activities, I am learning to recognise my own skills and abilities as well as those of others.

• I can describe some of the kinds of work that people do and I am finding out about the wider world of work.

Scottish Curriculum for Excellence Second level Health and wellbeing objectives:

• Opportunities to carry out different activities and roles in a variety of settings have enabled me to identify my achievements, skills and areas for development. This will help me to prepare for the next stage in my life and learning.

• I am investigating different careers/occupations, ways of working, and learning and training paths. I am gaining experience that helps me recognise the relevance of my learning, skills and interests to my future life.

Scottish Curriculum for Excellence Third level Health and wellbeing objectives:

• I am developing the skills and attributes which I will need for learning, life and work. I am gaining understanding of the relevance of my current learning to future opportunities. This is helping me to make informed choices about my life and learning.

• I am investigating different careers/occupations, ways of working, and learning and training paths. I am gaining experience that helps me recognise the relevance of my learning, skills and interests to my future life.

Scottish Curriculum for Excellence Fourth level Health and wellbeing objectives:

• Based on my interests, skills, strengths and preferences, I am supported to make suitable, realistic and informed choices, set manageable goals and plan for my further transitions.

• I am investigating different careers/occupations, ways of working, and learning and training paths. I am gaining experience that helps me recognise the relevance of my learning, skills and interests to my future life.

As a Science primary resource, this resource assists with teaching the following Sciences Early level objectives from the Scottish Curriculum for Excellence:

• I have experienced the wonder of looking at the vastness of the sky, and can recognise the sun, moon and stars and link them to daily patterns of life.

Scottish Curriculum for Excellence Sciences First level objectives:

• By safely observing and recording the sun and moon at various times, I can describe their patterns of movement and changes over time. I can relate these to the length of a day, a month and a year.

Scottish Curriculum for Excellence Sciences Second level objectives:

• By observing and researching features of our solar system, I can use simple models to communicate my understanding of size, scale, time and relative motion within it. 

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