Three dance sessions taking children on an exciting journey into space!
1. Preparing for launch. audio
The children get ready to start their adventure in space.
2. Binary stars and black holes. audio
Once in space the children create dances representing binary stars and black holes.
3. Spacewalk and return to Earth. audio
In the final session children take a spacewalk to mend the rocket before returning to Earth.
Journey through space
The unit begins with getting dressed as an astronaut and gathering equipment for a space journey. A countdown needs sudden changes between still-shapes at different levels and directions: 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1鈥
Then, small groups build a rocket and make it鈥ift off! We operate the rocket controls and see the earth disappear鈥nd the moon come into view. But on the way to the moon and planets, the rocket goes wrong and whizzes through space-time at hyper-speed into deep space. Pairs circle around each other to represent 鈥榖inary stars鈥 and small groups make 鈥榖lack hole鈥 shapes for others to travel through, under the force of gravity.
Next, we take a spacewalk to mend the rocket, before returning home. On the way the children perform a 鈥榮olar system鈥 movement sequence in a class circle, with actions for the different planetary bodies. A final splashdown brings the astronauts in a landing capsule into the sea, and back to Earth for a relaxing cool down.
Resources
Guidance on using the dance sessions in this unit with your group (pdf)
Download extended music sequences for this unit (without presenter instructions)
Space songs. video
Five songs for KS1 / KS2 about the planets and Apollo 11
More units from KS1 Dance: Time to Move
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Antarctica. collection
Diane Louise Jordan has a three-part unit inspired by the climate and wildlife of Antarctica.
