World Space Week

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• LessonUp
• PSHE
• +4
• Lower Secondary (Key Stage 3)
• Upper Secondary (Key Stage 4)
• Further Education (Key Stage 5)
• BTEC, GCSE

Introduction

It's World Space Week! This lesson has been made with the aim of informing students about World Space Week, combining fun, educational activities with an element of careers teaching. There are lots of engaging animations and an unusual aims and objectives slide using video! Due to the animations you might find this harder to edit but it's deceptive - you can place text boxes over existing text and modify that way. World Space Week highlights the technology, history, and scientific principles driving modern space exploration. Students analyse key astronomical concepts, evaluate mission logistics, and consider future careers within the space industry. Interactive Highlights: Word Cloud: Brainstorming core space terminology to activate prior knowledge. Multiple Choice Questions: Testing knowledge on planetary science, Earth's magnetic shielding, galactic structure, solar system composition, and UK spaceflight history. Open Questions: Planning group space missions, matching personal strengths to space industry careers, and evaluating the societal impact of space travel. Best Suited For: Tailored for KS3, GCSE, and FE students during STEM lessons or dedicated World Space Week events. Works effectively as a whole-class live interactive presentation or as a guided small-group activity.

Instructions

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Hello and welcome to Space! Well, World Space Week!

I hope you enjoy this lesson, I've put notes on each slide to help explain my thinking about certain activities.

Key historical milestones and satellite technology clarify how space exploration impacts daily human life. Targeted exercises address common misconceptions about satellite orbits, international space law, and historical achievements like Sputnik 1.

Activates prior knowledge by gathering key technical vocabulary and foundational concepts connected to space technology and orbital science.

Stretch: Select three submitted words from the cloud and write a single coherent sentence linking them to modern satellite operations.

Device-Free: Give pairs 60 seconds to write as many subject-specific terms as possible on a mini-whiteboard before pooling ideas on the main board.

Information slide - the bullet points here are non editable as they are part of the starfield animation. A text box could be placed over this if you wanted to make a new slide. 

1957: Sputnik 1 – First artificial satellite

1961: Yuri Gagarin – First human in space

1969: Apollo 11 – Moon landing

1998: International Space Station launched

2021+: Mars rover missions and private spaceflight (SpaceX, Blue Origin)

A fun timeline activity, you may be able to make this appear on a student device or go through on the board if you prefer. 

A

Earth

B

Jupiter

C

Mars

D

Zog

Note: This multiple-choice question checks for foundational recall of planetary characteristics and addresses potential misconceptions about surface compositions within the solar system.

Stretch: Identify the specific chemical compound responsible for the distinct red colouration of the Martian surface and explain how it forms.

Device-Free: Direct students to write their chosen planet on a mini-whiteboard and hold it up simultaneously for a quick visual check of class understanding.

A

The magnetic field

B

The atmosphere

C

NASA

D

Jupiter

This multiple-choice question checks for foundational recall of planetary characteristics and addresses potential misconceptions about the Earth's natural defense systems.

Stretch: Explain the precise mechanism by which the Earth's magnetic field deflects charged solar particles and describe what would happen to the atmosphere if this field disappeared.

Device-Free: Direct students to write their answer on a mini-whiteboard and hold it up simultaneously for a quick visual check of class understanding.

A

The Milky Way

B

Galaxy Prime

C

Centralis Galactica

D

Andromeda

This multiple-choice question tests recall of galactic terminology and addresses common confusion between planetary systems, nebulae, and larger cosmic structures.

Stretch: State the structural classification of the Milky Way and identify its relative position within the Local Group of galaxies.

Device-Free: Ask students to write the correct galactic name on mini-whiteboards for a immediate visual check of understanding.

A

6

B

7

C

8

D

9

This multiple-choice question tests basic astronomical recall while addressing lingering misconceptions regarding Pluto and dwarf planet classification.

Stretch: Detail the criteria established by the International Astronomical Union for defining a planet and explain why Pluto was reclassified.

Device-Free: Ask students to write the correct total on a mini-whiteboard and show their responses simultaneously.

A

Tim Peake

B

Patrick Moore

C

Michael Foale

D

Helen Sharman

This multiple-choice question tests recall of key historical spaceflight milestones and targets the common misconception confusing Helen Sharman's 1991 mission with Tim Peake's later flight.

Stretch: Identify the space station visited during Project Juno in 1991 and outline how commercial funding made the mission possible.

Device-Free: Direct students to write the name of the astronaut on mini-whiteboards and hold them up for a simultaneous check of class understanding.

This slide sets up the group work!

Directs students to evaluate logistics, crew allocation, and risk management for a space mission rather than simply listing basic facts.

Stretch: Challenge groups to justify their primary resource allocation trade-offs and outline a contingency strategy for an unexpected life-support system failure.

Device-Free: Assign specific crew roles within small groups and have them map out their core mission strategy on a single sheet of paper before pitching it to the class.

Astronaut

Trains for years to live and work in space. Needs science, engineering, or military experience – plus physical and mental fitness. Works on the International Space Station (ISS) or future missions to the Moon and Mars.

Space Engineer

Space EngineerDesigns spacecraft, rockets, and satellites. Solves problems like how to land safely or survive in extreme temperatures. Can work on Earth or join space missions

Astrobiologist

An astrobiologist studies the possibility of life beyond Earth. Examines extreme environments on Earth to predict where life could exist in space. Works with space probes and robotic rovers to search for life clues.

Space Artist

Creates visuals for missions, sci-fi media, or education.Helps people imagine life in space or communicate complex ideas.Some work with space agencies to visualise future missions or technology.

Satellite Technician

Builds, tests, and maintains satellites used for weather, communication, or Earth observation. May work with private companies or government space programmes.

Space Psychologist

Helps astronauts cope with stress and isolation in space.

Space Communicator

Explains space science to the public through media, museums or YouTube!

UX Designer/Coder

Designs the interfaces astronauts use to control spacecraft and suits.

You can either lead from the board with this or share to student devices to explore themselves. 

Directs students to evaluate personal skill sets and align them with technical or operational space sector roles rather than simply listing traditional astronaut jobs.

Stretch: Require students to identify a specific UK space sector organisation and detail how their chosen role supports ongoing satellite, launch, or research operations.

Device-Free: Have students write their strongest academic skill on mini-whiteboards and swap with a partner to match it to a relevant space industry career.

Encourages students to evaluate the broader philosophical and societal impacts of human space exploration rather than simply recalling historical facts.

Stretch: Require students to justify whether long-term space expenditure is ethically defensible given pressing terrestrial environmental challenges.

Device-Free: Direct students to discuss their perspectives in pairs for two minutes, then write a single defining sentence summarizing their stance on a mini-whiteboard.

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