Information and guidance
Before using the content
Tell the children that today’s theme is a visitor from ‘outer space’:
• Can the children name any planets?
• Do they know anything about ‘aliens’?
• What do they know about the stars, the moon and the sun?
Movement language
The following vocabulary will be used in the programme: twinkling, reaching, picking, clicking, slowly, gently, spinning, turning, big, round, roly-poly.
Movement
While seated the children pretend to be looking at the stars in the sky from their bedroom window. They reach up and pick out one twinkling star from the sky. As they continue to pick more stars they click their fingers and whisper ‘Twinkle, twinkle, Little Star.’
Next the children think about the planets spinning around in space. As they listen to the next verse - ‘Planet, planet, far away’ - they clench their hands and gently ‘roly-poly’ them around each other to represent the planets spinning and turning in space.
Standing up they imagine that they are looking at a huge ‘full moon’ and use their hands to make big circle ‘moon’ shapes gently and slowly. Smiling they listen to the final verse ‘Smile on, smile on, shiny moon’.
The children then find a friend and sit down together, as they listen to a strange space message. Continuing to sit together they turn to face their friend and make up movements to accompany the space sounds. The children can copy each other’s actions (like a mirror) perhaps waving, nodding and smiling as they try to communicate and understand each other. With the music they repeat all the actions as they smile and sing ‘Twinkle, twinkle, Little Star.’
Song
Twinkle, twinkle, Little Star
How I wonder what you are?
Up above the world so high
Like a diamond in the sky
Twinkle, twinkle, Little Star
How I wonder what you are?
Planet, planet far away
Send your message night and day
While we wake and while we sleep
Bip-bop, bip-bop, bip-bop-beep
Planet, planet, far away
Send your message night and day
Smile on, smile on, shiny moon
We can hear your moonbeam tune
As we listen out through space
We can see your smiley face
Smile on, smile on, shiny moon
We can hear your moonbeam tune…
Story: Ethel the Space Alien
Ethel the Space Alien lives on the planet Casa - a very long way from Earth! She loves travelling and making new friends - especially when she is given her very own spaceship.
See the Teacher's Notes for more information and guidance on using the content.
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