Northern Ireland Key Stage 3

What is a star?

We can see thousands of stars in the night sky - small points of light in the vastness of space. But what are stars? How do they make light? Why are they different colours? Watch this video to find out some more information about stars!



A photo of the Sun with the text What is a star? on a black background


What is a nebula?



Images of nebulae in space with a question mark in the centre


What is the Solar System?



An illustration of the Solar System


Planet Facts Posters

Do you know how many planets in our Solar System have rings? Or how many have moons? Learn some interesting facts about the planets in our Solar System with these free printable posters!



Thumbnail of the 8 Planet Facts Posters


Measure Mountains on the Moon

Short Intro Text: 

Did you know there are mountains on the Moon? How tall do you think they are? Are they higher than mountains on Earth?

Complete this activity to find out! You will use high resolution images of the Moon and a bit of maths to investigate the answer.





Make a Play-doh Solar System

You may know that Jupiter is the largest planet in the Solar System, but do you know how much larger than the Earth it is?

Find out by creating a scale model of each planet in our Solar System!

 



The 8 planets of the Solar System made out of Play-Doh


Host A Space Debate

Should humans colonise Mars? Is there life in the Universe? Science continually seeks to answer big questions - but it takes a lot of research and communication to come to a consensus. Why not host a debate and try it yourself?



Three people standing on a debate stage in front of a large crowd.


Space Jobs Game

When you think of space jobs, do you think of astronauts? Did you know there are lots of other jobs out there for people who like space, science, or technology?



Cartoons of people doing different jobs linked to science, technology, engineering and maths, against a backdrop of space


Skills for Space



A drawing of an astronaut standing on the Earth against a dark starry background with the words 'myth vs. reality' to the right of the astronaut


Predict the Solar Cycle

The Sun is a constant presence in our life on Earth. It gives us the heat and light we need to survive. But it is not a stable place. The Sun is a ball of hot plasma which is constantly changing.



Predicting the Sun's Cycle


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