Skip to Main Content

Out of This World

Students will put their imaginations in action as they write and illustrate an imaginative story that takes place in outer space.

Lesson Plan

Supplies Needed

Gather all the supplies needed to bring your craft ideas to life! From paints and markers to glue and scissors, our crafts section has everything to spark creativity and make every project truly special.

  • Textured Materials

Steps

  • Step 1

    The mysteries and wonders of outer space have fascinated people for thousands of years. The vastness of the universe has inspired countless works of fiction. Read a book such as "Space Cadets to the Rescue" by Paul Harrison and Sue Mason or "Mousetronaut Goes To Mars" by Mark Kelly and C.F. Payne. Have students discuss why outer space is a great setting for imaginative stories.

  • Step 2

    Ask students to write a fanciful story that takes place in outer space. Then have them illustrate a space scene using various techniques. They can create textured effects by placing material such as bubble wrap, sand paper, netting, or anything else under a sheet of paper and then rubbing over it with the side of an unwrapped crayon. Or they can apply paint in star shapes and images that remind them of space.

  • Step 3

    When their work is complete, have them present the story and art to the class.

Standards

LA: Write using words, numbers, and images to inform and explain, share experiences, and create narratives, either fictional or non-fictional.  

LA: Develop real and imagined narratives. 

Adaptations

Have students watch some short videos of space exploration. There are video clips of the first astronauts landing on the moon in 1969. There are live videos from the International Space Station. And there's a fun video of astronaut Chris Hadfield singing David Bowie's "Space Oddity" from the Space Station.

Why does Mars look red? What causes the craters on the moon that prompt people to say it looks like Swiss cheese? Have students explore the reasons for these images. For example, Earth appears to be bluish-green because the majority of its surface is covered by oceans.