Topic world · ages 6–10

Space

The Sun, the planets, the Moon and life in space. Read the cards, try one thing at home and answer the 10-question quiz.

Cards

The Moon has no light of its own
The Moon shines because it reflects sunlight. The side the Sun lights up looks bright to us.
Try at home: Shine a torch on a ball in a dark room. Turn the ball slowly and watch the bright part change.
Astronauts eat special food
Many space foods are dried, frozen or sealed in packs. Dried food gets water added before eating.
Try at home: Taste a dried fruit and a fresh fruit. Say what is different.
A rocket pushes gas down to go up
A rocket pushes hot gas downward, and the gas pushes the rocket up. This is called action and reaction.
Try at home: Blow up a balloon, hold the opening and let it go. Watch which way it flies.
Sound does not travel through space
Sound needs a material such as air to travel. Space is almost empty, so sound cannot move through it.
Try at home: Put a ticking clock in a jar and close the lid. Hold the jar to your ear and listen.

Ten questions, one at a time. A wrong answer is not a loss: try again, and a hint is there.

The Moon card and the quiz use the same facts. Ask: why does the Moon look different each night?
Ask after the quiz: which fact was new, and which one would you like to try at home together?
Sources are listed at the end of this section. The phase line on the page uses this device's date and needs no internet.