Recreating the Apollo 11 Moon Landing, 50 years ago today. We have absolutely loved using this Revell model building kit, to help us understand more about the different stages of the mission.
Resources
- Revel Apollo: Saturn V model kit
- Silk scarves
- Parachute (made with kitchen roll and string)
- Bowl of water
- Lifeboat
- Non-fiction books
- Space bowl
Method
After watching the footage from 50 years ago, they role played the launch.
We studied diagrams of the different phases of the launch, then they recreated the ‘1st Stage Jettison’ and the ‘Escape Tower Jettison’.
We talked about what happened during the moon landing itself, and watched the footage.
Ioan thought the words should have been, “It’s two small steps for a man, one giant leap for mankind.” He needed two feet to climb down the ladder after all.
Finn was full of questions and loved using the non-fiction books to research the answers. His first being:
“What did they eat for lunch in space?”
He was all ready to sign up for the space programme when he found out they had butterscotch pudding, 4 brownies and grape punch after their first meal.
Finn role played the moon landing over and over, but was equally fascinated by re-entry to Earth’s atmosphere. He fetched a circus scarf to recreate the heat shield melting and eroding away.
Next he made a parachute to slow them down from 40,000km/h. He brought his lifeboat to rescue Michael, Buzz and Neil from the service module. Then he put them in quarantine while he inspected the moon samples for bacteria. It just shows, never underestimate the capabilities of a three year old!
DfES Early Learning Goals (2017)
Communication and language
ELG 03 – Speaking:
Children express themselves effectively, showing awareness of listeners’ needs. They use past, present and future forms accurately when talking about events that have happened or are to happen in the future. They develop their own narratives and explanations by connecting ideas or events.
Understanding the world
ELG 14 – The world:
Children know about similarities and differences in relation to places, objects, materials and living things. They talk about the features of their own immediate environment and how environments might vary from one another.
Expressive arts and design
ELG 17 – Being imaginative:
Children use what they have learnt about media and materials in original ways, thinking about uses and purposes. They represent their own ideas, thoughts and feelings through design and technology, art, music, dance, role-play and stories.
