Earth, Sun, and Moon

Earth, Sun and Moon KS2 

Duration: 1 hour, max capacity: 35 students 

Our Magic Globe shows how the movement of the Earth relates to day and night. Students learn about the seasons, the size and order of the planets in our solar system, our moon and it’s phases, and in teams build and launch model rockets.

Key Words:

Space, Solar System, Earth, Sun, Moon phases, Orbit, Day and night, Planets, Stars, Seasons, Rotation

Learning objectives - students will: 

Understand that the Sun is a star around which the Earth and other planets orbit

Understand that day and night are caused by the rotation of the Earth on its axis

Understand that the seasons result from the orbit of the Earth around the Sun and the tilt angle of its axis

Gain an appreciation that the Moon orbits the Earth which results in its change in appearance throughout the month

Understand that Space is a vacuum

Use of appropriate terminology to describe measurements such as latitude, longitude and moon phases

Content - students will:

Observe our Magic Globe to explore how the Earth’s movement and tilt cause day and night and the seasons.

Line up the planets in order from the Sun, finding out a bit about them.

View the phases of the moon and understand why it appears to change shape in the sky.

Consider how far human beings have travelled in space and how they, and other space craft, have got there.

Curriculum Links:

Light, Year 3

Notice that light is reflected from surfaces

Earth and Space, Year 5

Describe the movement of the Earth, and other planets, relative to the Sun in the solar system

Describe the movement of the Moon relative to Earth

Describe the Sun, Earth and Moon as approximately spherical bodies

Use the idea of the Earth’s rotation to explain day and night and the apparent movement of the sun across the sky

Forces, Year 5

Explain that unsupported objects fall towards the Earth because of the force of gravity acting between the Earth and the falling object

Geography KS2

Identify the position and significance of latitude, longitude, Equator, Northern and Southern Hemisphere

Potential Hazards and accessibility

The Magic globe can become hot - students will be advised to stay at a safe distance.

Rocket build and launch - students will be moved to a safe distance from the target.