Mae Reaches for the Stars Lesson Plan

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Academic Standards

 

Reading Objective:

In honor of Women’s History Month, children will learn about Mae Jemison’s determination to become an astronaut.

 

Social Studies Focus:

Women’s History Month

 

CCSS:

SL.1.2 Discuss a video; L.1.4 Clarify words and phrases; RI.1.1 Key details; RF.1.3 Decode words; RI.1.5 Text features; RF.1.2.A Long/short vowels; RI.1.10 Read and discuss first-grade texts, L.1.1 Conventions of English when writing

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  • Before watching our video Would You Like to Be an Astronaut?, ask kids to answer the video title’s question!
  • After watching, ask kids to think about the ordinary things they do every day. Which of those things do they think would be most diffi cult to do in space? (SKILL: SL.1.2 Discuss a video)
  • Play the vocabulary slideshow. This issue’s featured words are astronaut and spaceship. (SKILL: L.1.4 Clarify words and phrases).
  • Read the issue together.
  • Then project and discuss the reading checkpoint skill sheet. Later, children can fill in their own copies. (SKILL: RI.1.1 Key details)
  • Kids will love exploring space and collecting stars with our online game Sight Word Stars. It also boosts—you guessed it—sight-word recognition! (SKILL: RF.1.3 Decode words)
  • Kids search for headlines, captions, and more with this nonfiction text-feature hunt. (SKILL: RI.1.5 Text features)
  • In this skill sheet, kids use their knowledge of long and short vowels to reveal a “mystery picture” of a rocket blasting off into space! (SKILL: RF.1.2.A Long/short vowels)
Examples of a completed space ship and postcard

Objective: Children will write about a trip to space and create personalized artwork to go with their writing.

Materials: colored construction paper, glue, crayons or markers, Name Rocket Writing templates, pencils

  • Give children squares of construction paper (squares can be different colors) and a paper triangle. Have them write a letter of their name on each square of paper.
  • On another sheet of construction paper, have children paste the squares in order to spell their name, and then glue the triangle on top. For the bottom, kids can draw or cut out fi ns (side triangles), and draw fl ames to make their rocket look like it’s blasting off!
  • Finally, give each child a writing template and have kids complete the sentences. They can cut out the box and paste it next to their rocket, or attach it beneath. (SKILL: L.1.1 Conventions of English when writing)