By Mrs Martin (Head of Year 5)

As part of this week’s ongoing inquiry into Line of Inquiry 3: How technology helps us explore, observe, and make sense of the universe, Year 5 took part in an exciting lesson that sparked curiosity and deepened their understanding of the role technology plays in modern space discovery.

In this particular session, the girls worked independently to investigate a range of space technologies; telescopes, satellites, and planetary rovers, using NASA missions, images and child-friendly research prompts. This formed the research and evaluating phase of the week and allowed students to develop their skills as Inquirers and Researchers. 

The classroom buzzed with excitement as the girls explored what each technology does, how scientists use it, and why it matters. Many were fascinated to discover how telescopes gather information from light years away, how satellites orbit Earth to collect vital images and measurements, and how rovers explore distant planetary surfaces to help us make sense of what other worlds are truly like. This led to insightful conversations about how each tool contributes differently to our understanding of the universe, whether by helping us observe, explore, or interpret evidence. 

The girls were eager to share “fun facts” about satellites and rover missions and showed tremendous interest in how technology reveals things our eyes can’t see. This has set them up brilliantly for the artistic and scientific work still to come next week, where they will communicate how curiosity continues to shape our understanding of the universe.