SPACE Curriculum: A Closer Look
Summary
Play, skit, and lessons explore international cooperation, geography, and languages. Kids even create a flip book illustrating the different phases of the moon.
Introduction
When his formula for glue wins a national contest, Tom and his classmates get an opportunity to send their experiment to the International Space Station. But Tom is absent from school on the big day and everyone is worried about him – until the space shuttle arrives at the ISS with the experiment and with Tom! It seems Tom became an unintentional stowaway when he fell asleep in the experiment container. When a technical problem threatens to end the International Space Station’s mission forever, it is Tom’s classroom experiment that saves the day. The Untrue Adventures of Major Tom is a humorous exploration of science and space that will inspire students to ask questions about outer space, space flight, foreign languages and international cooperation.
Teacher Guide
· Background · Director/Educator Preparation · Casting Notes · Performers · Working with your Set · Program · Integrating Curriculum · Fun Facts
Two Act Play
Script for 18 actors
The setting includes a Classroom on Earth and Ground Control. When the Classroom students and teacher are speaking, the Ground Control characters are frozen. When the Ground Control characters are speaking, the Classroom characters are frozen.
Short Skit
Script for 3 actors
The setting is the interior of the Space Station. TOM stands center stage on the space station. All the characters face the audience when they speak to each other – not each other. Tom moves in slow motion to give the illusion of weightlessness up in space.
Creative Play Ideas
4 Scenarios for Imaginative Play
Scenario 2: Pretend that you are an astronaut on the Space Station. You meet another astronaut who does not speak your language. Try to show him or her around without using words. Use facial expressions and gestures to explain the various areas depicted on the backdrop.
Lesson #1
Vocabulary Strategy - Word Tree
Subjects: Reading, Vocabulary
Lesson #2
Dear Mom – A Letter from Space
Subject: Writing
National Standards:
NL-ENG.K-12.3 Evaluation Strategies
NL-ENG.K-12.5 Communication Strategies
Lesson #3
Eye Spy – A Flip Book of The Moon
Subject(s): Earth and Space Science
National Standards:
NS.K-4.1 Science as Inquiry
NS.K-4.2 Physical Science
NL-ENG.K-12.6 Applying Knowledge
NS.K-4.4 Earth and Space Science
Lesson #4
Konnichiwa! – How International is the Space Station?
Subject(s): Geography; Language Arts, Reading, Writing
National Standards:
NS.4.1 Properties and functions of geographic representations
NS.4.4 The interpretation of geographic representations
A Sneak Peek Inside
