Weeks 8-10 Space Literacy Tasks
Term 2 Weeks 8-10
Purpose of these reading activities is to: increase our knowledge of space
exploration and understand how our knowledge and ideas about space have
changed over time (science). We are also learning to read non-fiction texts
and use our writing skills to share our understanding of this topic and our ideas
(literacy). Throughout this task we will need to use the skills of ‘Thinking’ and
using ‘Language, Symbols and Text.’
exploration and understand how our knowledge and ideas about space have
changed over time (science). We are also learning to read non-fiction texts
and use our writing skills to share our understanding of this topic and our ideas
(literacy). Throughout this task we will need to use the skills of ‘Thinking’ and
using ‘Language, Symbols and Text.’
Learning Intentions
I am learning to skim and scan text to identify the main ideas.
I am learning to locate the key sentences and questions in texts.
I am learning to use sub-headings to guide me to the main ideas in text.
I am learning to summarise the main ideas in the texts I read.
(from the Karoro Programme of work for Reading)
I am learning to write well structured paragraphs.
Success Criteria
I will be successful when I can show….
-I have have scanned text to find key ideas.
-I have summarised the main ideas from the reading.
-I have put my answers in chronological order.
-I have written two well structured paragraphs explaining how some of our ideas about space have
changed over time (introductory sentence, supporting detail, concluding sentence).
changed over time (introductory sentence, supporting detail, concluding sentence).
Read the three paper based reading activities given to you about Stephen Hawking, Galileo Galilei and
The Telescope. You will be put with a buddy to do this work. We will mark and discuss our answers
together as a class.
The Telescope. You will be put with a buddy to do this work. We will mark and discuss our answers
together as a class.
To add to our learning we will watch/ read and discuss these following videos or articles. 
After we have completed these reading activities and viewing and discussing the above materials your
task is to write at least two well structured paragraphs explaining how our ideas about space have
changed over time.
task is to write at least two well structured paragraphs explaining how our ideas about space have
changed over time.
Write your paragraphs here.
How our Ideas about Space Have Change
Our ideas about the Universe
Long ago, people thought our Solar System was the whole Universe and that everything went around
Earth. Galileo Galilei was the first to find out the that was wrong. He found out that the Earth went
around the sun and so did all the other planets. Since he was ahead of his time, the Catholic Church
thought the opposite to Galileo, so they put Galileo under house arrest for eight years until his death.
He was later proved right by other scientists. This shows how our ideas about space have changed.
Earth. Galileo Galilei was the first to find out the that was wrong. He found out that the Earth went
around the sun and so did all the other planets. Since he was ahead of his time, the Catholic Church
thought the opposite to Galileo, so they put Galileo under house arrest for eight years until his death.
He was later proved right by other scientists. This shows how our ideas about space have changed.
The Big Bang Theory
In 1927, Georges Lemaitre came up with the Big Bang Theory. He didn’t really think it was true so he
forgot about it. Stephen Hawking was born in 1942 exactly 300 years after the death of Galileo Galilei.
When Stephen Hawking was older he went in depth with the Big Bang Theory and he found out the Big
Bang Theory is very possible and that it could of happened. The Big Bang is when a black hole collapsed
on itself and made everything we know that is in space today. Which means there could be other
universes that the black hole was in. Stephen Hawking showed us that the universe could have started
with a black hole with everything close together and Stephen Hawking thinks that everything is slowly
growing apart with science has proved. The big bang theory is one way that our ideas about space
have changed.
forgot about it. Stephen Hawking was born in 1942 exactly 300 years after the death of Galileo Galilei.
When Stephen Hawking was older he went in depth with the Big Bang Theory and he found out the Big
Bang Theory is very possible and that it could of happened. The Big Bang is when a black hole collapsed
on itself and made everything we know that is in space today. Which means there could be other
universes that the black hole was in. Stephen Hawking showed us that the universe could have started
with a black hole with everything close together and Stephen Hawking thinks that everything is slowly
growing apart with science has proved. The big bang theory is one way that our ideas about space
have changed.
The Evolution of Telescopes
When Hans Lippershey invented the first refracting telescope in 1608 it was a big push in history.
The Following year, Galileo Galilei made the first astronomical telescope. After that, Johannes Kepler
made the refracting telescope better. All though Has Lippershey made the first refracting telescope,
It was very hard to build and use. So Niccolo Zucchi made the first Basic refracting telescope that was
easy to use. When William Herschel built a 40 foot long telescope (12 Metres) in 1789 with the help of
his sister (Caroline Herschel) around 181 Years after the first telescope was built, that telescope was
the leader of all the telescopes (in its time). In 1990 NASA launched the Hubble Space Telescope
(The HST) into space. With the new telescopes we have discovered new Galaxies, Planets and
moons, Solar Systems and new ideas about how the universe was made. Telescopes have helped
us with our ideas about space.
The Following year, Galileo Galilei made the first astronomical telescope. After that, Johannes Kepler
made the refracting telescope better. All though Has Lippershey made the first refracting telescope,
It was very hard to build and use. So Niccolo Zucchi made the first Basic refracting telescope that was
easy to use. When William Herschel built a 40 foot long telescope (12 Metres) in 1789 with the help of
his sister (Caroline Herschel) around 181 Years after the first telescope was built, that telescope was
the leader of all the telescopes (in its time). In 1990 NASA launched the Hubble Space Telescope
(The HST) into space. With the new telescopes we have discovered new Galaxies, Planets and
moons, Solar Systems and new ideas about how the universe was made. Telescopes have helped
us with our ideas about space.
Self assessment
I have an introductory sentence for each paragraph: Yes
I have at least three sentences giving supporting detail: Yes
I have a concluding sentence: Yes 
