Inspired by: Toys in Space - Week 3

Exploring the cosmos becomes a captivating learning journey with the 'Starry, Starry Night Facts' activity. The toys from "Toys in Space" are eager to learn about the celestial bodies that adorn the night sky. To aid their exploration, students are tasked with creating a comprehensive 'Planet and Star Book'. They use reference materials and the internet to research various types of stars such as Red Dwarf, Yellow, Blue Giant, and Giant Stars, as well as the diverse planets in our solar system. Each student compiles information including the name of the planet, its distance from the sun, size, composition, and weather patterns. The culmination of this research is a class set of Planet Fact Cards, complete with headings that might include the planet's name, year of discovery, diameter, rotation and orbit times, temperature, and gravitational pull, integrating their maths learning into the activity.

Delving into character analysis, 'The Toys Speak' activity encourages students to draw inferences from dialogue. By examining the words spoken by the toys, children gain insight into their distinct personalities. The toys, including Blue Rabbit and WonderDoll, express themselves in unique ways, and the students use these expressions to infer character traits and speculate on the toys' names. The activity extends to considering WonderDoll's potential superhero status, exploring her appearance, attire, and demeanour. Children compare her to known comic superheroes and predict her role in the story, drawing parallels from other narratives. The session also includes an exploration of various narrative forms such as comic strips, graphic novels, and manga comics, enhancing their understanding of character roles within stories.