For our end of year trip, we were very excited to be visiting the National Space Centre at Leicester. This was a fantastic opportunity for the children to explore objects and information linked to their previous learning, particularly in Key Stage 1 where, in history, the children had been focusing on the explorer Neil Armstrong and his voyage to the moon.
The day began with the whole school visiting the planetarium to watch a film about how an astronaut gets ready to go into space. It was then time for the key stages to go separate ways.
Key stage 1 children had the opportunity to explore the space centre. We ventured up the 4 levels of the building, alongside the space rocket. We even got to see a piece of the moon! We were informed that there are only three pieces of the moon in the UK and that this piece is the largest in Europe!
We found an interactive room where the children could experience what it might look like on different planets. This caused great excitement amongst us!
KS2 had a workshop booked looking at the difficulties of life in space presented to an astronaut. First we looked at the vigorous training that an astronaut had to undertake, to ensure that they are both mentally and physically ready for the experiences ahead. Some of the hazards faced by an astronaut whilst in space are not things we would ever consider on earth, such as, the extreme velocity of any moving object and even the tiniest projectiles can reek havoc to an astronaut if they are struck. A serious consideration has to be given to all materials being used in any space programme. The materials chosen for a space suit were examined under a thermal imaging camera to better appreciate the insulating properties necessary for protection against both extreme heat and cold. They also looked at the effects on the human body of spending time in a vacuum as well as the fact that astronauts often wear adult nappies for their prolonged journeys through space!!!
The day concluded with a trip to the gift shop, where we all bought a reminder of our visit.