Rural Exceptional Student Talent Opportunities, Resources, & Experiences
ALIEN ENCOUNTERS:
A SPACE-THEMED ADVENTURE
A SPACE-THEMED ADVENTURE
(Gr. 1-2)
Rural Exceptional Student Talent Opportunities, Resources, & Experiences
(Gr. 1-2)
👽 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.:
How astronauts eat in space
The story of a famous astronaut
The moon landing
Mars exploration
Black holes explained
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