Online course in Teaching

Teaching Primary Science: Exploring Space

Plan your own space week and learn how space exploration can inspire your primary school science students to work scientifically.

Teaching Primary Science: Exploring Space

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Overview
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Start dates
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Educators
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  • Duration 3 weeks
  • Weekly study 3 hours
  • Learn Free
  • Extra benefits From $54 Find out more

Explore the Moon, Mars, and deep space with your primary pupils

The thrill of space exploration is an exciting context for teaching the primary curriculum.

On this course, you’ll learn how to use examples from space exploration to teach science and technology in school, and discover hands-on activities for your pupils to enjoy.

You’ll address common misconceptions about space, and explore current and future space missions.

As you explore the solar system and beyond, you’ll learn effective ways to engage pupils in science and wider STEM activities, and build a curriculum plan using the context of space exploration to support your pupils’ learning.

What topics will you cover?

In this course, you’ll discuss with other teachers and draw upon a range of resources to develop your approach to teaching primary science with the context of space exploration. You will look at how to:

  • engage children in working scientifically
  • learn about current and future space missions and how they can be linked to the curriculum
  • investigate forces and mechanisms in robotics
  • explore practical activities based upon the search for exoplanets
  • explore careers in space research and industry
  • find out about how we can explore space using telescopes

Completion of this course can be used as evidence for the Space Education Quality Mark in the UK.

When would you like to start?

Most FutureLearn courses run multiple times. Every run of a course has a set start date but you can join it and work through it after it starts. Find out more

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you'll be able to...

  • Investigate opportunities to link space exploration and space missions with your lessons to excite and inspire your pupils.
  • Develop lesson plans that involve working scientifically, using space as a context.
  • Explain using models, some of the scientific concepts and ideas involved in space exploration.

Who is the course for?

This course is for primary teachers of children aged 5-11 years. The course is aligned to the English National Curriculum, but teachers of other curricula will be able to explore how the topic of space exploration supports your pupil’s learning.

Who will you learn with?

Tom Lyons

Tom Lyons

ESERO-UK Teacher Fellow, working for STEM Learning, York. Using the context of space to inspire STEM teaching and learning. Teacher of physics, satellite engineer, father of two.

Rachel Jackson

Rachel Jackson

I spent 10 years working as a primary classroom teacher, 7 as a science subject leader. I've also supported schools as a leading science teacher before joining STEM learning as a primary specialist.

Who developed the course?

The National STEM Learning Centre provides world-class professional development activities and resources to support the teaching of STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) subjects.

ESERO-UK, also known as the UK space education office, provides free resources, support and information for teachers to enhance the teaching and learning of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) using space as a context.

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