Science // Area
Space Exploration
Age coverage
Ages 5 to 14
Starts at age 5 // 5 topics
Starting at age 5
Your child is beginning their journey into space science — learning about astronauts and the Moon's phases, identifying objects in the sky, and discovering that we live in a solar system with other planets.
- Sun, Moon & Stars
Identify the Sun, Moon, and stars as objects in the sky and describe basic differences: the Sun gives light and heat during the day, stars are tiny points of…
Ages 5 to 7Concept - Our Solar System
Know that there are other planets besides Earth and that our group of planets orbiting the Sun is called the solar system — and that space is the vast area…
Ages 5 to 7Concept - What Astronauts Do
Know that astronauts are people who travel to space in rockets, that humans have walked on the Moon (Apollo missions), and that astronauts today live and work…
Ages 5 to 7Concept - Moon Phases
Observe and describe the Moon's changing shape over about a month, recognising that it goes through a repeating cycle of phases from new moon (invisible) to…
Ages 5 to 7Concept - Spotting Constellations
Recognise a few star patterns (constellations) in the night sky, starting with the Big Dipper (the Plough), and understand that the North Star (Polaris) can be…
Ages 5 to 7Concept
Starts at age 7 // 8 topics
Starting at age 7
Your child is discovering how our solar system works — learning about Earth's movements that create day and night, exploring the eight planets and their features, and understanding how we use robots and telescopes to study space.
- The Sun is a star
Know that the Sun is a star — the closest star to Earth — and that it is at the centre of our solar system, with all eight planets orbiting around it
Ages 7 to 9Concept - Earth's Spin & Orbit
Understand that Earth moves in two ways: it rotates (spins) on its axis once every 24 hours causing day and night, and it orbits (travels around) the Sun once…
Ages 7 to 9Concept - The Eight Planets
Name the eight planets in order from the Sun (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune), know that Pluto is a dwarf planet, and distinguish…
Ages 7 to 9Concept - Space Robots & Rovers
Describe how robots and rovers have explored places humans cannot easily go — Mars rovers like Curiosity and Perseverance drive across Mars taking photos…
Ages 7 to 9Concept - Planet Features
Describe a key feature of each planet: Mercury is smallest and closest, Venus is the hottest, Mars is red with rust, Jupiter is the largest with a Great Red…
Ages 7 to 9Concept - The Moon's Orbit
Know that the Moon orbits Earth approximately once a month, that it does not make its own light but reflects sunlight, and that its changing appearance (phases)…
Ages 7 to 9Concept - Asteroids, Comets & Dwarf Planets
Identify other objects in the solar system beyond planets: asteroids (rocky bodies mostly between Mars and Jupiter), comets (icy bodies with tails when near the…
Ages 7 to 9Concept - How Telescopes Work
Know that telescopes are instruments that help us see distant objects in space, and that space telescopes like Hubble and James Webb orbit above Earth’s…
Ages 7 to 9Concept
Starts at age 9 // 8 topics
Starting at age 9
Your child is discovering the wonders of space — learning about stars, planets, and galaxies, understanding how our ideas about the solar system have changed over time, and exploring humanity's journey into space.
- Why the Sun Looks Brightest
Explain why the Sun appears much brighter than other stars: it is the nearest star to Earth, not the biggest or brightest star in the universe — understanding…
Ages 9 to 11Concept - Gravity Pulls Things Down
Understand gravity as a force that pulls objects towards the centre of the Earth, that 'down' means towards Earth’s centre regardless of where you stand on the…
Ages 9 to 11Concept - Space Exploration Milestones
Describe key milestones in human space exploration: the Space Race (Sputnik, Yuri Gagarin, Apollo 11 Moon landing), the Space Shuttle era, the International…
Ages 9 to 11Concept - Seasonal Constellations
Recognise named constellations visible in different seasons and understand why we see different constellations at different times of year — because Earth’s…
Ages 9 to 11Concept - Changing Ideas About Space
Understand that ideas about the solar system changed over time: ancient people believed Earth was at the centre (geocentric model, Ptolemy), until Copernicus…
Ages 9 to 11Concept - The Vast Scale of Space
Describe the scale of the universe in nested layers: Earth is one planet in our solar system, the Sun is one star among billions in the Milky Way galaxy, and…
Ages 9 to 11Concept - Life Cycle of Stars
Understand the basics of a star’s life cycle: stars are born in clouds of gas and dust (nebulae), shine for millions or billions of years by fusing hydrogen…
Ages 9 to 11Concept - Scale of the Solar System
Use scale models, diagrams, or calculations to represent the relative sizes and distances of objects in the solar system, understanding that the distances…
Ages 9 to 11Method
Starts at age 11 // 2 topics
Starting at age 11
- Finding Exoplanets
Describe how astronomers detect planets around other stars using transit photometry (dip in starlight as a planet crosses) and radial velocity (Doppler wobble…
Ages 11 to 13Concept - Observing with Light Waves
Explain how the electromagnetic spectrum is the primary tool of modern astronomy — different wavelengths (radio, infrared, visible, ultraviolet, X-ray…
Ages 11 to 13Concept
Starts at age 12 // 2 topics
Starting at age 12
- Orbital Mechanics
Apply Newton's laws to explain orbital motion: why orbit is continuously falling sideways rather than floating; how a gravity assist (slingshot manoeuvre)…
Ages 12 to 13Concept - Where Elements Come From
Explain stellar nucleosynthesis: the Big Bang produced mainly hydrogen and helium; main-sequence fusion builds elements up to iron; and supernovae produce…
Ages 12 to 14Concept
Starts at age 13 // 1 topic
Starting at age 13
- Journey to Mars
Evaluate the engineering and human challenges of long-duration spaceflight to Mars — radiation exposure, muscle and bone loss, psychological isolation…
Ages 13 to 14Thinking skill