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Teacher lesson plan |

TheExploration

competition

BIG

IntroductionThe BIG Exploration competition is an opportunity for children of 5-11 to let their imaginations fly by picturing themselves as real life explorers! Entrants are given the opportunity to say where, given completely free choice, they would like to explore and how they would need to prepare for their adventure. This could be anywhere in the world, across the universe or even in fictional lands!

Top Tips for schools entering the competition

1. Read the competition entry guidelines below

2. Ensure that children understand that they can choose to explore any kind of place:• Somewhere on earth• Somewhere in space or across the universe• Somewhere fictional: a land from a book or a film!

3. Children should say where they want to explore, why they have chosen this place and how they will prepare, with an emphasis on staying sun safe.

4. Teachers should aim for quality of entry not quantity: entrants need to sum up their proposed adventure in an effective way.

5. Entries can be in the form of a short video, drawing/comic strip/poster or written piece of work.

6. Use the competition learning resources and short activities in this pack to help children start to generate ideas and think about the possibilities for their exploration.

7. Encourage parental involvement where possible:• Encourage children to talk to parents/carers about the competition• Use the competition homework activity sheet• Give an opportunity for children to share the ideas that their families/supporters came

up with from the homework activity sheet.

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Competition entry guidelines

1. Competition entries can be submitted in the following formats: written documents, cartoons/drawings/photos, pdf or video files.

2. Children should say where they want to explore, why they have chosen this place and how they will prepare, with a special emphasis on staying sun safe.

3. Word limits/time limits for the entries are as follows: a. Written entries: no more than 1000 words b. Drawn or photography entries should be submitted as a .pdf c. Video entries should be no more than 5 minutes in length.

5. All entries should cite the sources of information or visual references used to create the submission.

Judging criteria

The competition judges will review entries based on the following criteria:• Originality of ideas• Quality of content• Adherence to the competition guidelines• Clarity and creativity



Curriculum areas supportedEngland English: Writing/composition; spoken language/collaborative conversations/discussion and presentation.Science: Animals/basic needs of humans for survival; Earth & Space/the movement of the planets; Animals/the impact of exercise.Geography: Locational knowledge; Place knowledge; geographical vocabulary.PSHE (non-statutory guidance from PSHE Association): Health and wellbeing; living in the wider world.

ScotlandEnglish: Listening & talking; finding and using information; creating texts; tools for writing.Sciences: Planet earth/space; Biological systems/body systems.Social sciences: People, place and environment.Health and wellbeing: physical wellbeing.

WalesEnglish: Oracy/speaking; listening; collaboration and discussion.Science: Interdependence of organisms; the sustainable Earth.Geography: Locating places, environments and patterns; Understanding places, environments and processes.PSHE: Health and wellbeing; Sustainable development and global citizenship.

Northern IrelandLanguage and Literacy: Talking and listening; reading; writing.The world around us: Interdependence; place.Persona development and mutual understanding: Personal understanding and health.



Short Classroom activities to support your competition entry 1. Be prepared (ages 7-11)Objective: To help children think about the clothing and equipment that explorers need. Curriculum links: English, GeographyTime required: 15-30 mins

a) Ask children to choose two of these places to explore and write down the clothing and equipment they would need:

b) Ask the children to share some of their ideas and discuss the preparation needed. Did children remember to include sun cream? Why is it important?

2. Exploring possibilities (ages 7-11)Objective: To help children consider different kinds of exploration Curriculum links: English, GeographyTime required: 15-30 mins

a) Ask for some examples of the following places:

b) Children make a list of 3 places for each these categories and create a small illustration for each.

c) Ask children to share some of their favourite ideas and discuss how these would work for the BIG Explorer competition.

• Mountains• Desert• Polar Ice cap

• Ocean• River• Underground cave

• Jungle• Swamp• Grasslands

• Interesting places in the UK• Interesting places outside the UK

• Interesting places beyond the Earth• Interesting fictional places



3. Outdoors smart (ages 5-7)Objective: To help children think about what is needed for a journey Curriculum links: English, GeographyTime required: 10-15 mins

a) Take the children out into the school grounds and ask them to imagine they were going on a day-long adventure walking from here and exploring the area around the school.

b) As them: What would they need to take and why?

c) Ask how would this be different in urban and rural schools?

4. Mini space research project (ages 7-11)Objective: To help children learn about some of the objects in space they could explore Curriculum links: ScienceTime required: 15-30 mins

a) Working in groups, children are challenged to make a list of all the different types of objects in space.

b) Groups can use books and other reference materials to discover and list places in space they could explore, for example:

c) Children can then attempt to say how they would prepare to go into space and what they would need. Tim Peake’s mission could be useful here.

d) Pupils can also find out about space explorers from different countries.

• Planets• Stars• Comets• Asteroids

• Moons• Galaxies• Black holes



5. Fictional places (ages 7-11)Objective: To help children think about the types of fictional places they could imagine exploring for the competition.Curriculum links: EnglishTime required: 15-30 mins

a) Children work in groups to brainstorm a list of places that aren’t real but which they could explore for the competition. For example:

• Places in books• Places in films• Places on TVb) Examples can be given to get the children started, for example:• Places in books: Narnia, Middle Earth, Hogwarts • Places in films: The Death Star, Willy Wonka’s factory• Places on TV: The Simpsons’ house• Places in their imagination?

c) Groups can then share their best ideas with the class to help spark imaginations for the competition.



Teacher Lesson plan to support the BIG Exploration competition

Aims:

• To help children to choose an idea for the BIG Exploration competition• To help children think about the best way to present their ideas for the competition• To help children consider the journey preparation aspect, with an emphasis on sun safety

Lesson activities:

1. IntroductionExplain to children what the BIG Exploration competition is and how it works. Children can choose where they would like to explore. The place can be somewhere on earth, somewhere in space or even somewhere fictional! They need to say why they have chosen their adventure and how they would prepare for it (for example keeping sun safe). Invite questions and emphasise that the competition is all about imagination, excitement and creativity.

Age group

5-11

Time required:

60 mins

Resources: copies of The BIG Exploration activity sheet & the BIG Exploration competition entry sheet (NB This is optional and is not required as part of a competition entry).

Curriculum links

English, PSHE



2. Making choicesGive out copies of The BIG Exploration activity sheet. The aim is for children to consider all of the different possibilities for an exploration adventure, choose one and begin to think about how they might prepare for it.• Remind children of the previous competition activities and the ideas that they generated.• Encourage children to include as much detail as possible (they can use the back of the

sheet if they need more space).

3. Sharing ideasEncourage children to share their ideas for chosen places and to share ideas for how they would prepare.

4. Choosing the best media for competition entries• Decide what options will be offered to the children. Video can be used or entries can

be made using combinations of text and images (photos, drawings or diagrams).• Write down the various available options on the board and discuss them with the

class: what are the advantages and disadvantages of each? • Encourage pupils to choose how to enter and to stick to their choice.

5. Provide some options for children to create their competition entries• One simple option for entering is for children to use the optional competition entry

sheet. This can be filled in any way and scanned, or it can be used as a further planning sheet.

• Children making a video will need to produce a plan or script first so they know what to say. The film can include shots of artwork or photos to illustrate the ideas put forward.

• Children can also create digital documents on computers or design their own entries on paper.



Extension/Homework

The lesson can be extended over two sessions if required. This second session can be used to help children enter the competition, thinking first about the best way to do it. An alternative approach is to use the optional BIG Exploration competition entry sheet as a homework activity. • To encourage parental involvement children can ask parents/carers where they would

choose to explore if given free choice.• Parents can help children come up with ideas for items to include in the preparation

section.• Emphasise that that the actual entry must be the child’s own work.• The final section of the sheet can be filled in using text, drawings, diagrams or photos

(or a combination of these).


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