Books For World Space Week

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We have been learning all about space this half term

We used the Space topic planning from Plan Bee Teaching

This incorporated science, history and RE

It was aimed at upper key stage two

But with the use of books, puzzles and play

I was able to make our topic work for all four children

Aged 3 to 10

As always our playful learning was punctuated with books

So I thought I would share with you some of the space books

We have been enjoying at Edspire HQ

I hope that you will find the selection useful

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We kicked off our Space topic today reading ALL the books! These are just a fraction of our space library that we had out to read today. We are using a combination of resources from @planbeeteaching @classroomsecrets @twinklresources and @literacyshed to bring our topic together. The scheme of 6 lessons is from PlanBee Teaching and is part of a Soace topic designed for Year 5 and 6. The PlanBee topic plan incorporates science, history, art, DT, RE, music, computing and more. This was our first lesson where we talked about the solar system. The children did lots of different tasks to extend their learning about space. We learned what the solar system is and about the different things that make up our solar system. Edie and Bea joined in the discussions and then they completed a solar system jigsaw together. We also had a planet hunt in the garden and the older kids hunted for solar system facts to answer questions. Fun, active, playful, bookish learning. Perfect!! #ourhomeedjourney #ourhomeedlife #edspirereads #edspirelearns #edspireplays #planbeeteaching

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Incredibly hard to capture our space books in one photograph, and this is not quite all of them. Space is a popular topic in our house. We revisit it every year through our science and history work and also on awareness weeks such as this one. This week is #worldspaceweek and the theme is Satellites Improve Life. We have been learning about satellites with help from @twinklresources and many of these books. We have been learning about Mae Jemison this week. We have been reading our way around the solar system, reading space poetry and designing new planets. William loves space. He knows more about space than most adults. He reads adult non fiction books and listens to Professor Brian Cox as much as he can. He teaches me more about space than I have ever taught him. Keeping him in books is an expensive part of our home education but I would not have it any other way. Our collection is a mixture of fact and fiction, biographies and diaries, beautiful illustrations and state of the art photography, poetry and prose, picture books, board books and chapter books. We have books about planets, stars, moons, oort clouds, dark matter … These are the books that are returned to over and over again, and many of them, especially the starry ones, have a special place in our bookish hearts because of our own little star baby, #matildamae These books remind us of the beautiful world that we live on, of all we still have to learn about our solar system and beyond, the power of humanity, the pace of technology and these books remind us that if we want it, if we believe we can and we work hard then our dreams can come true and we can do anything we want to. #reachforthestars #worldspaceweek2020 #spaceweek #spacebooks #kidsbookshelf #maeamongthestars #spacebooksforkids #childrensbooksofinstagram #kidsbookstagram #bookishlife #raisingreaders #littlereaders #bookstagrammer #bookblogger #booksfortopics #booksforhomeschoolers #readaloudfamily #readersofinstagram #edspirereads

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Do you have a favourite planet? Mine is Uranus as described by @katy_flint in the stunning book Voyage Through Space. “…scientists think diamonds fall like hailstones. Mountains of gems are pulled toward the planet’s core and form shimmering oceans, where massive gems float like icebergs.” I would love to see that! Uranus is also the perfect literary planet with its moons named after characters from Shakespeare plays. Voyage Through Space takes us on a journey through the solar system. Our adventure begins with the sun as the centre of the solar system. We then follow a brave young astronaut and her space dog as she visits all the planets in turn. Each planet is beautifully illustrated by @cornelia_illo over a double page spread. The breathtaking space scenes sparkle and shine. They give a real sense of texture and movement. Each page has a lovely descriptive paragraph for it’s planet or other space object and then has a series of information boxes and other floating facts. This is a wonderful book and has just the right mix of poetic description and fact to capture children’s imaginations and inspire them to want to learn more about the solar system. The book comes with a brilliant glow in the dark poster which we will be exploring more as the nights draw in and we continue our own Space learning adventure. @quartokids #wideeyededitions #worldspaceweek #worldspaceweek2020

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We have absolutely loved this book from @samanthabaines This is a book about a young girl who wears a hearing aid and through her we learn about friendship, kindness, inclusion and the effects of bullying. Harriet has come to live with her Gran while her Dad works away. She is sad about her dad going and struggles to process and deal with her feelings. She is helped by her new non binary friend who uses gender neutral pronouns. This raised a lot of questions from my children and we had some good chats about gender identity. Something I think we need to learn more about as a family. Harriet and her friend Robin find themselves in an alien adventure, saving Earth from the meddlesome Munchas. They are recruited to the SAS, Secret Astronaut Spies, by her Gran! This is a hilarious adventure story with diverse characters and hilarious encounters with some super silly aliens. Harriet makes friends with one Muncha, Sock Muncha, but he is a goodie and not at all what he seems. Through this warm and wonderful space adventure Harriet discovers that her hearing aid translates alien languages making her Earth’s first line of defence as the only one who can understand the invaders. Harriet only wishes she could understand herself and her feelings as well as she understands visitors from Planet Janet. This is such a fun readaloud but it conveys important messages about emotions, inclusion and diversity and respecting and accepting people for who they are. The end of this book has left the story wide open and ready for a sequel which we really hope is coming. This is a smart, funny and inclusive adventure that we have really really enjoyed. @_knightsof #harrietversusthegalaxy Thank you @mrpaynereads for pointing us in the direction of this one x

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We are absolutely loving this book by Grace Lin. The little girl in the story reminds me so much of Edie. Edie loves to bake with Daddy and as soon as the cakes are eaten she wants to bake more. In this story Little Star and her mummy make a delicious moon cake. Mama tells little star that she must not eat the cake straight away, she must wait. But in the middle of the night Little Star wakes up and having forgotten what her mama said she takes just a tiny nibble of the big moon cake. Each night Little Star wakes thinking of the sweet and tasty cake. Each night she takes a little nibble and flys back to her bed. Nibble, nibble … yum! Night after night the cake gets smaller and smaller, just like the waning moon! The gorgeous illustrations show young readers the different phases of the moon. Until one night the moon cake was gone. The smile shared between Little Star and her mama is filled with joy and understanding and bursting with love. Together they make another moon cake. This book celebrates the Asian Mid-Autumn Moon Festival and is such a warm hearted story and a stunning illustration of a lunation. This is a wonderful book filled with quiet joy, love and beauty. A new favourite readaloud in our home. Best enjoyed with Jaffa cakes, Oreos and moon cakes x

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We are absolutely loving this brilliant poetry anthology from @troikabooks Pages of poetry all about the moon. It is a perfect readaloud for #enwcharvestmoonweek and provides wonderful inspiration and guidance for children to get creative with their own poems about and pictures of the moon. Ever since I have been able to write I have written poetry. I love to write poems and my blog is written in a poetic lyrical style. After Tilda died I wrote a lot of poems. I also love to read poetry and I love teaching poetry, exploring the possibilities that poetry provides for playing with language and breaking rules to paint pictures with words. Poetry can be incredibly moving and also hilariously funny and a whole lot of fun. This lunar collection has a little bit of everything and it is an absolute joy to read. Esther and William love listening to the poems and having a go at writing their own versions. If you swipe through you can see some of our favourites from the book. Dom Conlon has written notes about each of his poems to help children talk about them and think about their content and style. There is a lovely section encouraging children to write their own poetry and giving ideas how to start and develop their own ideas. William and I went for a walk this evening and together we composed some moon haiku inspired by This Rock That Rock New moon quarter moon Waxing waning gibbous moon Crescent moon full moon Bringer of the tides Ruler of the seven seas Night sky commander Chaser of the sun Lighter of the night sky Sleeping satellite Come to the dark side The darkest side of the moon You’ll love the dark side A beautiful orb Silver sphere in the sky A night light for earth Silver disco ball Light grey puddle in the sky Mirror of the night If you are studying space or the moon in school or at home x this is a wonderful anthology to read for pleasure and to inspire budding young poets x it is perfect for @nationalpoetryday

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“If you can dream it, if you believe it and work hard for it, anything is possible.” We have started #worldspaceweek and #blackhistorymonth with one of our favourite books, Mae Among The Stars. This is the inspirational story of a little girl who had a dream and with the love and support of her family she believed she could do it and worked hard to achieve her dream. This is the story of Mae Jemison, the first African American female astronaut and the first African American woman in space. I love Mae’s story and the message of this beautiful book. Reach for the stars, believe hard and work hard and you can achieve your dreams. This is a special book for us as a family as we feel like this amazing lady from history is urging us on to reach our goals and also our very own Mae among the stars, Matilda Mae, our Baby Tilda in the sky. Books to remember and honour lost loved ones are not always sad they are sometimes books that encourage us to live and inspire us to do more #livingfortilda #maeamongthestars #matildamae #maejemison #spaceweek #spaceweek2020 #aweandwonder #reachforthestars @harpercollinsch

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This is one of my all time favourite books. When The Stars Come Out is an absolutely stunning exploration of life after dark, depicting in beautiful prose and breathtakingly beautiful illustrations what happens when the stars come out. This book is a real treasure for home educators and teachers as it covers so many topics in such a creative and inspirational way. This book is just one I love to read aloud with the children and we live poring over the pictures. There is always something new to see and learn. We begin by exploring how night works and looking back at the history of the night. We learn all about the sky at night and why we do not need to be afraid of the dark. We learn about the moon and the lunar cycle and what we can see in the stars. Young readers are introduced to the Northern Lights, moonbows and meteor showers. Real life magic that inspires true wonder and awe. We learn about the Earth at night and explore different wild habitats after dark. We explore the concept of sleep in different species including humans. We think about dreams and night time visitors. This wonderful book teaches curious little ones about nocturnal animals and what humans do at night. The book ends with fireworks and festivals as we celebrate the night. Every page is stunning and filled with the magic of nature and the ingenuity of the animal kingdom as it takes the reader on an adventure into the magical realm that is our universe at night. Perfect for nature explorers and inspiring children and their grown ups to stay curious and to indulge in the awe and wonder, magic and mystery of night time @nic_writes @littletigerbooks #whenthestarscomeout #worldspaceweek #worldhabitatday #weareallstardust #edspirereads

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This is a brilliant book that I bought for Edie. Thinking it was a bright and bold space themed alphabet book. Which it is but it is most definitely not just for toddlers and preschoolers. This is an ABC book that grows with your reader. Even William, our space scientist and historian in residence, was impressed with the content. High praise indeed. Each letter introduces a space object or concept. In three colour coded levels it introduces the word at level 1, adds a simple one sentence explanation at level 2 and level 3 offers a fuller more descriptive and extensive explanation. It is a brilliant book for a mixed age / ability group and for a large family like mine where lots of different children are reading the same books. This book is incredibly educational and I know a lot more about space now than before I read this space alphabet, the work of @drchrisferrie and Julia Kregenow. I have learned about asteroids and binary stars, dark matter, fusion, Kepler’s laws, light years, neutron stars, penumbras, quasars and white dwarfs. It also has a handy page on satellites making it perfect for this year’s #worldspaceweek This really is a great book and I am so very glad that I bought it #spaceweek2020 #spaceweek #abcsofspace @sourcebookskids #boardbooks #toddlerbooks #preschoolbooks #booksforkids #booksforchildren #spacebooks #booksbooksbooks #booksforteachers #booksforschools #booksfortopics #abcbook #abcbooks #edspirereads #edspirelearns #littlelearners #littlereaders #raisingreaders #kidsbookstagram #childrensbookstagram #childrensbooksofinstagram #kidsbookswelove #bookblogger #bookrecommendations #bookreviewers

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The perfect bedtime book for #worldmentalhealthday2020 in the midst of #worldspaceweek2020 This is a bedtime book that combines astronomy, history, storytelling, yoga and beautiful illustrations. Esther and William have always loved guided meditations either at bedtime or to quieten ourselves during the day. The children also all love @cosmickidsyoga This book combines these things together and weaves them among beautiful illustrations and a rich tapestry of stories. You can read this book from start to end or you can take a page at a time in any order you choose. Stars At Bedtime takes you on a journey through the deep, dark night sky. Each double page spread introduces a constellation and tells its story. To accompany the story there is a guided pose or action inviting the children to slow down and be aware of their breathing and their beating hearts. This is a book to promote stillness of body and mind. With expert sleep techniques from Dr Jessamy Hibberd, this fall asleep book is designed to help children clear their minds, get ready for bed and get to sleep faster. It features muscle relaxation, gentle yoga poses and mindfulness. This is a book that is good for adults too and the author recommends that we join in the activities with our children. Our favourite pages feature Draco the Dragon, The Great Bear and Phoenix the Firebird. This is such a magical book that is sure to send children to sleep with heads full of stars to enjoy dreams filled with adventures inspired by the age-old tales of the stars. Goodnight stargazers. @hannahctolson @quartokids #starsbeforebedtime #mindfulnessmeditation #mindfulness #mindfulnessforkids #mindfulnessforchildren #booksforbedtime #bedtimeroutine #mindfulnessbooksforchildren #spaceweek #worldspaceweek #worldmentalhealthday #kidsmentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #mentalhealthmatters #booksforchildren #childrensbooksofinstagram #bookblogger #kidsbookblogger #kidsbookstagram #childrensbedtimestories #edspirereads #bedtimebooks

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You are a star! Today we are learning about stars and constellations starting with the sun. Once Upon A Star is the story of the sun. This is a bold and brightly illustrated book. It takes us back through time to tell us how the universe began with The Big Bang. It tells us how all of space and time began, wry slowly first of all. In lyrical prose we are told how stars are formed and how one of those stars became our sun, our solar system had begun. The beautiful words tell us how the the planets grew and how life began on Earth. We learn that the sun is at the heart of everything, giving us light and warmth. The book asks us do we know what we are. “We’re from that star That seems so far We’re made of stardust Yes we are So what are you? You’re a STAR!” A very simple introduction for littlest readers as poetry and science collide to tell how the sun became the centre of our solar system and how we are all made of stars. #weareallstars #weareallstardust #onceuponastar #worldspaceweek #worldspaceweek2020 #spaceweek #stars @littletigerbooks @caterpillar_books

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As a house of story lovers we adore myths and legends, fairy stories and folk tales. This is a wonderful new folk tale from author illustrator @poonammistryart The beautiful tale tells us how the stars came to be. The words are beautiful and the illustrations have to be seen to be believed. With shapes and patterns inspired by nature and Indian art every page is a breathtakingly stunning work of art. There is no glitter in this book and yet every page sparkles. It is a little bit of stardust, every page is sprinkled with magic. Photos do not do it justice. The poetic tale tells of a fisherman’s daughter who worries that her father will get lost at sea on the nights when there is no moon to guide him home. The sun helps the concerned daughter by throwing a golden ray down to earth where it shatters into a million glowing pieces. The young girl places each piece, each star, into the night sky. She begins with Polaris and then creates beautiful pictures that become known across the land. After a few month of hard work the girl becomes tired and there are still so many stars to place. A cheeky monkey steals the stars, the girl and the monkey fight and the stars fly up into the sky causing a smudge of stars. At first the fisherman’s daughter is upset but then she sees how the streak of stars lights up the sky and the entire landscape below. She knows that these are the stars that will keep her father safe and guide him home. Such a wonderful tale of how the stars came to be. Filled with awe and wonder and shimmering stardust. Full of love and hope and a sense of community, looking out for one another and keeping each other safe. A perfect tale for today as we end Space Week and look to the stars for inspiration and guidance through what may well be a long dark winter. This book is dedicated to Poonam’s twin sister Priya, a doctor for the NHS. It is dedicated to all NHS workers. A thank you, a we stand with you. We are all made of stars x @tatepublishing #howthestarscametobe #folktale #folktales #storytelling #weareallstars #wearestardust #stars #constellations #spaceweek #worldspaceweek #worldspaceweek2020 #thankyounhs #childrensbooksofinstagram

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With four children educated at home I try to have books that are accessible by all the children and suited to their very different reading abilities and subject knowledge. Today we have been learning about stars and constellations. This is Edie’s book. Starry Skies by @samchagollan and @nilaaye This book introduces little readers to the constellations above us. Showing young children that every night the sky is filled with stars that tell a thousand stories. We meet young stargazers and see the starry stories that they see unfold in the sky. Draco the dragon, Leo the Lion, The bears Ursa Major and Ursa Minor. We see children reflecting the starry stories with their own earthly tales. A boy fishing spies Pisces in the sky. A playful puppy gazes up at Canis Major. Two twins are looking at the constellation Gemini. This is a lovely book that shows how exciting stargazing can be, how we can act out the stories from the stars in our play. The black and white line drawings with yellow stars showing the stars Gran and hold children’s attention. Edie lives joining the stars and tracing the lines of the constellations. This is a book to encourage curious young explorers to look up at the stars and search for the stories they hold. Every night the stars put on a show. The next clear night, wrap up warm, go outside and look up. Reach for the stars! @quartokids #starrysky #starryskies #stargazing #constellations #booksforlittles #worldspaceweek #worldspaceweek2020 #booksfortoddlers #booksforpreschoolers #kidsbookswelove #spaceweek #allthestars #curiouslittleexplorers #curiouslittlereaders #edspirereads #homeeducation #homelearning

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Today we are rounding off our space topic and #worldspaceweek We are also beginning our work for #blackhistorymonth and celebrating #uninternationaldayofthegirl We have been learning about Mae Jemison and Maggie Aderin-Pocock this term. We have also been learning about Katherine Johnson and absolutely adore the book Counting on Katherine. Today we are reading Hidden Figures and this coming week Esther, William and I will be watching the film. Hidden Figures tells the true story of four black women and the space race. Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, Katherine Johnson and Christine Darden were good at maths. Really good. They all wanted to serve their country but found it incredibly hard to get a job. They were black and they were women. They lived at a time when laws segregated black people and white people. All of these amazing women did not give up, they all fought for their dreams and worked incredibly hard to achieve their goals and get the jobs they were more than capable of doing. Each of these women was intelligent, resilient, determined and fiercely passionate. They participated in some of NASA's greatest successes, like providing the calculations for America's first journeys into space. These are the kinds of role models I want for my girls. They persisted. They knew their worth. They fought for what they believed to be right, they did their best work and played a vital role in the first moon landing. These inspirational strong women used their amazing mathematical minds, big hearts and fierce passion to change the world. These four mighty women overcame gender and racial barriers to succeed in a highly challenging STEM-based career in a time when it was thought to be impossible. Their incredible determination, intelligence and skill saved lives and helped to alter the course of history. And they all began their journey as a little girl who wished upon a star x Their stories should be known by all children everywhere and by every little girl with a dream x

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What a wonderful topic!

To celebrate Esther, William and I are going to be watching two movies

Hidden Figures

and …

Space Camp a film I adored in the 80s

Which I am sure will not be as good as I remember it to be

Do you have a favourite space book or film?

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