‘Stargazing’ and the follow-on activities on the projects website  link to the National Curriculum in the following ways:

Science KS2

Sc 1 : Scientific Enquiry
Ideas and evidence in science
Pupils should be taught:

• that science is about thinking creatively to try to explain how living and non-living things work, and to establish links between causes and effects
• that it is important to test ideas using evidence from observation and measurement.

Investigative skills
Pupils should be taught to: 

• ask questions that can be investigated scientifically and decide how to find answers
• consider what sources of information, including first-hand experience and a range of other sources, they will use to answer questions
• think about what might happen or try things out when deciding what to do, what kind of evidence to collect, and what equipment and materials to use
• make a fair test or comparison by changing one factor and observing or measuring the effect while keeping other factors the same

Obtaining and presenting evidence

• use simple equipment and materials appropriately and take action to control risks
• make systematic observations and measurements, including the use of ICT for data logging
• check observations and measurements by repeating them where appropriate
• use a wide range of methods, including diagrams, drawings, tables, bar charts, line graphs and ICT, to communicate data in an appropriate and systematic manner

Considering evidence and evaluating

• make comparisons and identify simple patterns or associations in their own observations and measurements or
• use observations, measurements or other data to draw conclusions
• decide whether these conclusions agree with any prediction made and/or whether they enable further predictions to be made
• use their scientific knowledge and understanding to explain observations, measurements or other data or conclusions
• review their work and the work of others and describe its significance and limitations.

Sc 4 : The Earth and beyond
Pupils should be taught:

• that the Sun, Earth and Moon are approximately spherical

Periodic changes

• how the position of the Sun appears to change during the day, and how shadows change as this happens
• how day and night are related to the spin of the Earth on its own axis
• that the Earth orbits the Sun once each year, and that the Moon takes approximately 28 days to orbit the Earth.

English KS2

En 1: Speaking and Listening
Speaking

1) To speak with confidence in a range of contexts, adapting their speech for a range of purposes and audiences, pupils should be taught to:

• gain and maintain the interest and response of different audiences [for example, by exaggeration, humour, varying pace and using persuasive language to achieve particular effects]
• choose material that is relevant to the topic and to the listeners
• show clear shape and organisation with an introduction and an ending
• speak audibly and clearly, using spoken standard English in formal contexts

Listening
2) To listen, understand and respond appropriately to others, pupils should be taught to:

• ask relevant questions to clarify, extend and follow up ideas
• respond to others appropriately, taking into account what they say.

Group discussion and interaction
3) To talk effectively as members of a group, pupils should be taught to:

• make contributions relevant to the topic and take turns in discussion
• vary contributions to suit the activity and purpose, including exploratory and tentative comments where ideas are being collected together, and reasoned, evaluative comments as discussion moves to conclusions or actions
• qualify or justify what they think after listening to others’ questions or accounts
• deal politely with opposing points of view and enable discussion to move on
• take up and sustain different roles, adapting them to suit the situation, including chair, scribe and spokesperson

Drama
4) To participate in a wide range of drama activities and to evaluate their own and others’ contributions, pupils should be taught to:

• create, adapt and sustain different roles, individually and in groups
• use dramatic techniques to explore characters and issues [for example, hot seating, flashback]

History  KS2

Chronological understanding
1) Pupils should be taught:

• place events, people and changes into correct periods of time
• knowledge and understanding of events, people and changes in the past

2) Pupils should be taught:

• about the social, cultural, religious and ethnic diversity of the societies studied, in Britain and the wider world
• to identify and describe reasons for, and results of, historical events, situations, and changes in the periods studied
• to describe and make links between the main events, situations and changes within and across the different periods and societies studied.

PSHE KS2

Developing confidence and responsibility and making the most of their abilities

1) Pupils should be taught:

• to talk and write about their opinions, and explain their views, on issues that affect themselves and society

Preparing to play an active role as citizens

2) Pupils should be taught:

• to research, discuss and debate topical issues, problems and events
• why and how rules and laws are made and enforced, why different rules are needed in different situations and how to take part in making and changing rules
• to reflect on spiritual, moral, social, and cultural issues, using imagination to understand other people’s experiences