Teaching Space in year 5

Are you looking for planning resources to teach Space in Year 5? Here’s how you can use our downloadable lesson packs to create memorable lessons that produce the sticky knowledge Ofsted will be looking for…

Where to start?

Most children love space, but it is quite an abstract concept as they can’t properly experience it. Before they start investigating and experimenting, it’s important they are armed with the knowledge and vocabulary they need through watching video clips or reading suitable materials, as stated by Ofsted. Once they have this scientific understanding, it’s so important that pupils still have practical hands-on lessons so they can spot what is happening. Our knowledge organiser is a great aid to help them use the correct terminology in practical lessons.

How to sequence your lessons.

We have several lesson packs for teaching about space. When starting the topic, pupils need to know the order of the planets and how far away they are from Earth. In our lesson pack called ‘Make a solar system’, there is a simple paper model for pupils to make.

After they understand how far away the planets are, it is important to move on to the Moon and the Sun. We have a great lesson pack which teaches the phases of the Moon and explains how the Moon orbits Earth. Using our ‘Phases of the moon’ lesson pack, pupils will create their own Moon board that they can poke their head through, pretending to be the Earth.

Pupils should then understand how we get day and night. The Sun stays in the same place, but the Earth and Moon orbit around it and the Earth also rotates. Pupils will make a simple sundial which involves measuring the shadow to see how the Earth has moved position.

Once pupils have a clear understanding, you can then move on to discussing how scientists have found out information about other planets. We have two great lesson packs about looking for signs of life on Mars.

Plus, we have a new lesson pack on what alien life might look like on Ganymede, one of the many moons that orbit Jupiter.

Guided reading

To help consolidate pupils’ learning, adding texts with science content into your reading sessions is a great idea. We have over 20 different reading comprehensions related to space for Year 5. Here are just a few of them:

Whizz Pop Bang magazine and teaching resources are brilliant ways to enhance your school’s science teaching:

  • We provide downloadable science lesson plans, PowerPoint presentations, hands-on investigations and science reading comprehensions written by primary school teachers.
  • Whizz Pop Bang teaching resources link to the National Curriculum, ensuring correct coverage.
  • All of our resources are year group specific, ensuring progression between the years.
  • We make cross-curricular links to other subjects, such as English, Maths, History, Geography, Art, Design and Technology and PSHE.

Prices from as little as £197.99 per year for a copy of Whizz Pop Bang magazine through the post each month and whole-school access to our ever-growing library of downloadable teaching resources, with unlimited teacher logins.

We’ve also just launched a new individual membership option so teachers and home educators can access all of our amazing downloadable resources for just £20 for the whole year


Post Comment

Take the flying paper challenge!

Looking for some simple science activities to keep children busy during the holidays? Here are three fantastic ways to make paper soar through the air.

Discover new twists on paper planes – just download, print, cut, fold and launch! Try out one design, or challenge your children to make all three and compare how they travel.

If you’re a teacher looking for ideas of primary science ideas, head this way to read about how to use these resources in the classroom and playground throughout primary school.

Make an air-powered rocket:
Whizz-Pop-Bang-air-powered-rocket-2-1


Make a stunt plane that flies in a circle!
https://www.whizzpopbang.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Whizz-Pop-Bang-Stunt-planes-1.pdf


Make straw planes
https://www.whizzpopbang.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Whizz-Pop-Bang-Stunt-planes-1.pdf


Whizz Pop Bang is a top-quality, gender-neutral, advert-free science magazine for families everywhere. Each issue is packed with experiments, activities, amazing facts, puzzles, jokes, riddles and more. Find out more here and flick through a space-themed issue here!


Post Comment

What age is Whizz Pop Bang for?

What age range is Whizz Pop Bang magazine for? We’re often asked this question, and the answer is it really depends on the child. As a guide we say our magazines are written and designed for 6 to 12-year-olds, however the best way to see if it’s suitable for your child is to have a browse before you buy! It’s also worth having a read of some of the reviews from parents and grandparents who tell us the ages of the children they subscribe for.

Have a flick through our Planetary Adventures issue here 👇🏾

If you have any questions about Whizz Pop Bang visit our FAQ page, send us an email or call us on 0330 2233790. We’re always happy to hear from our customers!


Post Comment
Whizz Pop Bang science magazine for kids Shooting star

Looking for a cheap and easy kids science party? Host a stargazing party!

September is the ideal time of year for a stargazing party; it’s cheap, easy to host and the kids get to stay up ‘late’ which is always deemed to be fun in itself!

Inside issue 13 is the ultimate guide to the night sky, along with a pull-out stargazing map to help the kids decipher the constellations and find out how to spot Mars, and depending on the conditions, maybe Saturn too!

We’ve put together a party planner for your science party with a difference, including the recipe for planet cake pops to impress all your party guests. And don’t forget to order copies of Whizz Pop Bang science magazine for really cool goodie bags, order single issues here.

Whizz Pop Bang Science magazine for kids pull-out star map

Whizz Pop Bang science party ideas

For your stargazing party you will need:

  • Blankets to lie on in the garden
  • Binoculars (and a telescope if you have one or can borrow one)
  • Flasks/cups of hot chocolate and marshmallows
  • Jam jars and tea lights to decorate the garden, and lead the way to the stargazing blankets
  • Planet cake pops already made and ready to eat
  • Glow in the dark stickers or glow sticks to play with together
  • Tell your guests to bring a jumper and a wooly hat so they don’t get too cold!

The ultimate evening to hold your stargazing party will be on Saturday 10th September as the Moon will be visible in the evening sky and it will be dark by around 8pm.


Post Comment