👽 Alien Encounters: A Space-Themed Gifted Mini-Unit

Grade Range: 1st–2nd (High Ability)
Length: 8 Lessons (20–30 minutes each)
Theme: Teaching and Exploring with Aliens

Lesson 1 – Journal: Teaching Aliens

• Activity: Students write step-by-step instructions to an alien on how to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich (or alternative if allergies).

• GT Focus: Creativity, precision in communication, critical thinking.

• Student Task: Pretend your alien doesn’t know anything. Write and draw each step.

• Extension: Swap papers—can a classmate follow the directions exactly?

Lesson 2 – Razzle Dazzle Words (Space Edition)

• Activity: Students create a visual dictionary of 10–12 space terms (orbit, asteroid, galaxy, etc.) with definition, illustration, synonyms, and part of speech.

• GT Focus: Vocabulary, creativity, synthesis.

• Student Task: Make your page engaging enough that an alien would understand it without words.

• Extension: Use the words in a short alien adventure story.

Lesson 3 – Name Aliens

• Activity: Students transform their names into alien creatures, decorating them based on rules (pets = antennae, consonants = arms, vowels = eyes, etc.).

• GT Focus: Listening skills, creativity, spatial reasoning.

• Student Task: Create and label your “Name Alien.” Write 3 things it likes and 3 challenges it faces.

Lesson 4 – Build a Planet

• Activity: In small groups, students make paper mâché planets for their aliens.

• GT Focus: Design thinking, creative storytelling.

• Student Task: After building, write a planet profile (name, climate, dangers, resources, culture).

• Presentation: Share your planet as a “Travel Commercial.”

Lesson 5 – Space Research Choice Board

• Activity: Students choose from 6 research prompts, e.g.:

  1. How astronauts eat in space

  2. The story of a famous astronaut

  3. The moon landing

  4. Mars exploration

  5. Black holes explained

  6. Tools scientists use in space

• GT Focus: Research, autonomy, presentation skills.

• Student Task: Use books/approved kid websites. Present with poster, slideshow, or skit.

• Rubric Included.

Lesson 6 – Would You Rather Jump Game

• Activity: Tape line across classroom. Pose space-themed “Would You Rather” dilemmas:

  • Would you rather live on the Moon or Mars?

  • Would you rather eat freeze-dried ice cream or space spaghetti forever?

  • Would you rather explore black holes or galaxies?

• GT Focus: Affective development, quick reasoning, verbal justification.

• Student Task: Jump to one side & defend your answer in 2–3 sentences.

Lesson 7 – Constellation Races

• Activity: Students race to build constellations using glow-in-the-dark stars and playdough.

• GT Focus: Visual-spatial reasoning, pattern recognition.

• Student Task: Identify constellation name, then invent a new constellation and its story.

Lesson 8 – Galactic Number Order

• Activity: Give students giant numbers for planet distance from the sun or size. They must order them correctly.

• GT Focus: Number sense, critical thinking.

• Student Task: Once ordered, calculate differences in size/distance. Then “become” one planet and write: Why should aliens visit me?

🌟 Culminating Project – Alien Expo Day

• Students display planets, aliens, constellations, and research at an “Alien Expo.”

• Families/other classes can tour, ask questions, and vote on:

  • Best Alien Design

  • Most Interesting Planet

  • Best Space Research Presentation

• Integrates writing, speaking, creativity, math, science, and teamwork.

📝 Student Packet

Lesson 1: Journal – Teaching Aliens

Directions: Pretend an alien landed in your yard. They don’t know anything about food, spoons, or sandwiches. Write step-by-step instructions to teach them how to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Draw a picture for each step.

Steps:

Picture Box for Each Step

Extension: Swap with a partner! Can they follow your steps exactly?

Lesson 2: Razzle Dazzle Words (Space Vocabulary)

Directions: Fill in the chart for each word.

Word Definition Picture Sentence Part of Speech

Challenge: Write a short space story using at least 5 of your words.

Lesson 3: Name Aliens

Directions: Use your name to design your alien.

• Vowels = eyes

• Consonants = arms

• Pets = antennae

• Birthday month = skin color

Alien Drawing Box

Now write:
My alien’s name is ___________________.
It lives on _______________________.
It likes __________________________.
It does not like ___________________.
It spends most of its time _______________________.

Lesson 4: Build a Planet

Directions: Create a paper mâché planet and answer:

• My planet’s name: ________________________

• The weather is: __________________________

• Aliens eat: ______________________________

• Dangers: _________________________________

• Special feature: __________________________

Draw your planet here: [drawing box]

Extension: Write a 30-second “travel commercial” inviting visitors to your planet.

Lesson 5: Space Research Choice Board

Pick ONE project and how you’ll present it.

Project How I Will Share

Astronaut foods Poster ☐ Slides ☐ Skit ☐ Model ☐

Moon landing Poster ☐ Slides ☐ Skit ☐ Model ☐

Famous astronaut Poster ☐ Slides ☐ Skit ☐ Model ☐

Mars facts Poster ☐ Slides ☐ Skit ☐ Model ☐

Black holes Poster ☐ Slides ☐ Skit ☐ Model ☐

Space tools Poster ☐ Slides ☐ Skit ☐ Model ☐

3 Facts I Found:

Mini-Rubric
✔ Clear facts
✔ Creative presentation
✔ Easy to understand

Lesson 6: Would You Rather Jump Game

Directions: Jump to one side of the line to show your answer. Then turn to a partner and explain why in 2–3 sentences.

Examples:

• Would you rather visit Mars or the Moon?

• Would you rather eat freeze-dried ice cream or space spaghetti forever?

• Would you rather explore a black hole or another galaxy?

Lesson 7: Constellation Races

Task 1: Use stars + playdough to build the constellation your teacher shows.
Task 2: Invent your OWN constellation.
Name it: ________________________
Draw it: [drawing box]
Write a story about it:

Lesson 8: Galactic Number Order

Directions: Work with your group to order planets by distance or size.

• Smallest → Largest

• Closest → Farthest

Extension: Pretend you are your planet. Write:
“I am ___________________. You should visit me because ___________________________.”

🌟 Culminating Project – Alien Expo

What to Share:

• Your alien

• Your planet

• Your constellation story

• Your research project

Visitors will vote on:

• Best Alien Design

• Most Interesting Planet

• Best Space Research