Blast Off With Mae Jemison! Lesson Plan

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Academic Standards

 

Reading Objective:

Children will discuss Mae Jemison’s journey as the first Black woman to go to space.

 

Science Focus:

space, astronauts

 

Social Studies Focus:

Black history

 

Page 4 Skill:

alphabet

 

Vocabulary:

astronaut, helmet, spacesuit, space shuttle

 

CCSS:

RI.K.1, RF.K.2, RF.K.2.D, RF.K.3.B, RF.K.3.C. SL.K.2

Download TEKS Standards
  • Before watching our video Would You Like to Be an Astronaut?, ask kids to answer the 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 difficult to do in space?
  • Read the magazine together.
  • Then use the Show What You Know printable to assess comprehension.
  • Kids will love exploring space and collecting stars with our online game Sight Word Stars. It also boosts— you guessed it—sightword recognition!
  • In our Color by Vowel Sounds skill sheet, kids use their knowledge of short-vowel CVC words to reveal a “mystery picture” of a rocket blasting off into space!
A paper rocket that spells out the name "Hazel"

Materials: colored construction paper, glue, crayons or markers

  • This activity can be as simple or as “fancy” as you like. 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 fins (side triangles) if desired, and draw f lames to make their rocket look like it’s blasting off!
  • For a fun display, post the rockets on a bulletin board with a dark background. Kids can count whose names have the most and least letters, how many kids have names that start with M, and so on!