The BIS, through its Education and Outreach Committee, works with partners to develop our own resources, as well as being able to sign-post you to fantastic activities from others, and inform you of inspiring places to visit.
Places to Visit
BIS Educational Resources
The BIS is also the official World Space Week National Coordinator for the United Kingdom, overseen by the Education and Outreach Committee, who create and connect resources every year connected with the annual WSW theme.
Space & Sustainability
During October 4-10, 2022 WSW will celebrate two branches of the topic to be covered-achieving sustainability in space, and achieving sustainability from space.
Download or link to our WSW2022 resources below:
OR Direct download the BIS WSW2022 Our Planet and Satellite Science PowerPoint file.
ABOUT THE RESOURCE:
Developed by a member of the BIS Education and Outreach Committee in collaboration with Camilla Evans, the STEM Lead Communicator at Wishford School, this resource takes you through the space technology, right above our heads, and how it informs us of our planet’s activity every day.
Learn more about the fleet and what it records, and consider how this information informs us about our world’s climate.
Please note: The following links are to external websites, and whilst every effort has been made to ensure their content is appropriate, the BIS cannot guarantee this.
All external content will open in a new browser tab.
Information about UK Leadership in Sustainable Space (UK Government)
UK’s National Space Strategy (UK Government)
Space Sustainability Rating (World Economic Forum)
Sustainable Space (Airbus)
Since 2020, Space Presentor and BIS Fellow, Jerry Stone, creates an annual wordsearch based on the Annual World Space Week theme for the BIS.
Download his wordsearches below:
COMING SOON!
In 2011, marking 50 years since Yuri Gagarin became the first human in space, Gagarin expert and BIS Fellow, Vix Southgate, gave permission for to share her teaching resources, as well as donating 200 copies of her Yuri Gagarin – The First Spaceman book to the BIS.
Vix also negotiated permission for use of the Space Nutrition Activity Sheet, she produced for the Northern Ireland Space Office, as part of their WSW2014 events.
All these resources can be downloaded below:
Activity Outline:
Introduction to the life and achievements of Yuri Gagarin through a simple Powerpoint presentation, and activity pack.
Target Audience:
KS1 and KS2
Equipment Needed:
Activity sheets (printed)
Pen / Pencil
Colouring-in equipment: felt-tip pens, pencils, crayons
Fun Prizes/incentives
Lesson Time:
45 mins
Topics Covered:
Space
Yuri Gagarin’s life and achievements
The first human spaceflight
Russian Space Programme
Learning Outcomes:
Basic introduction to the history of human spaceflight.
The intention is to engage and inspire whilst being entertaining and fun
Download presentation:
Yuri Gagarin KS1 & KS2 Presentation
(The presentation is edit-protected: please choose ‘Read Only’ to access it)
Download teachers’ resource:
Air-Powered Rocket Instructions (YuriGagarin50)
Activity Outline:
These instructions include a Gagarin information sheet, UK in space information sheet, curriculum links, and air-powered rocket making instructions.
NB: These resources were created to celebrate Yuri Gagarin’s 50th anniversary in 2011, so some links are no longer active.
Target Audience:
KS1, KS2, KS3 and KS4
Curriculum links were created for KS3 and KS4 in 2011
Equipment Needed:
Items are per maker:
1cm diameter tube, or sheet of thin card
1 piece A4 paper
1 piece A5 paper
Scissors
Sticky Tape
Poster putty (blu-tac, plasticine, playdoh)
Lesson Time:
45 mins – 1 hour (with launches)
Topics Covered:
Space, Rockets, energy and forces
Yuri Gagarin’s life
The UK in Space (in 2011)
Learning Outcomes:
Fun introduction to rockets and space travel
Download:
Space Nutrition Activity Sheet (WSW 2014)
Activity Outline:
Fun activity sheet, which uses a space theme to focus on good nutrition.
NB: This activity was created by Vix Southgate for a chain of restaurants in Northern Ireland in 2014 as part of nutrition awareness, and it has been kindly offered as a fun resource to BIS.
All information was relevant for 2014.
Target Audience:
KS1 and KS2
Equipment Needed:
Activity sheets (printed)
Pen / Pencil
Lesson Time:
30 mins
Topics Covered:
Space
Nutrition
Learning Outcomes:
Basic nutritional information and space facts.
Download:
Space Nutrition Activity Sheet
Download teachers’ resource:
Educational Partner Resources
Please note: The following are external websites, and whilst every effort has been made to ensure their content is appropriate and safe, the BIS cannot guarantee this.
Build your own model Satellites
- Build your own spacecraft (NASA)
- Build your own Aeolus (ESA)
- Build your own Rosetta (ESA – opens as PDF)
- Airbus Activities
Geocaching links
- As Creatives – creative learning programmes for children and young people.
- The National Schools Observatory – providing schools in the UK and
- Ireland with free access to the Liverpool Telescope
- CASSiE the STEM Mascot – For use in schools to enhance Space Science and STEM engagement.