Age 9-11- Alien Record Cards/Top Trumps

This is an I.T. lesson based on a journey to Mars. In this lesson we look at what databases are, where and why they are used, before creating alien record cards in preparation for creating an alien database in a future lesson. There is visual, auditory and kinaesthetic support using picture, actions and talk-times.

We compare record cards to top trumps, adding number values to reflect invented abilities and text fields to create a small descriptive paragraph before drawing the alien. Differentiation is provided with colour coded cloze procedures, visual support sheet and pre-lined top trump cards with cloze if needed. Practise sections are also provided.

This lesson runs alongside a Maths unit where children create their own diary on Mars to document mathematical findings and a Literacy unit where they write their own non-chronological report on Mars.

This unit is aimed at children at an age 9-11 level (Year 5 & 6 in England and Wales). The unit’s context revolves around a mission to Mars. Pre-lesson preparation is provided with three short animations from an astronaut’s first-person point of view as he or she travels and lands on Mars. One in-lesson animation introduces an alien on Mars.

A PowerPoint provide structure, modelling, examples and explanation.

There is a lesson plan which includes:

• suggested links to curriculums;
• notes to provide background information;
• optional pre lesson preparation of animations/images;
• starter, main, groups and plenary sections with suggested timings (please change depending on your class);
• visual, auditory and kinaesthetic support;
• sections of the lesson are linked to Blooms taxonomy;
• talk-time suggestions;
• PowerPoint presentations to support teaching;
• differentiated group activities with extra ideas for early finishers;
• consideration of, and reference to, different learning styles; and
• independent activities that are planned to aim to allow the teacher to support or extend an assessment group within the lesson

Plans and PowerPoints are detailed and thorough to provide teaching structure, if needed, for the whole, or parts, of the lesson. An alternative streamlined PowerPoint is also provided.

Thankyou,

Team Teaching Alive

P.S.- See PowerPoints for any copyright info.
P.P.S.- PowerPoints and PDFs are read only but there is no problem with any requests for changes (within reason).