Earth and Space
Year 1 & 2
Earth and Space for kids in Year 1 & 2 explained. Learning in Key Stage 1 Science. Learn about the sun, moon, stars and the planets in our solar system.
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What is Earth?
Earth is the planet we live on. It is our home in space. Earth has land, water and air, which are all very important for living things.
Plants, animals and people all live on Earth. We live on the outside of the Earth, even though from space it looks like a big, round ball floating in the sky.
Earth is special because it has water to drink, air to breathe, and the right temperature for living things to grow and survive. That is why Earth is the only planet we know where life can live.
What is the Sun?
The Sun is a huge star in the sky. It gives us light so we can see and warmth to keep Earth warm. Without the Sun, our planet would be cold and dark, and living things would not be able to survive.
During the daytime, the Sun shines in the sky and lights up our world. Its light helps plants grow, which also helps animals and people because plants are an important part of our food.
At night, the Sun is still in space, but it is not shining on our part of the Earth, so the sky becomes dark.
Important safety rule: Never look directly at the Sun. The light is very strong and can hurt your eyes.
The moon
The Moon is a large, round object that moves around the Earth. We can often see the Moon at night, shining in the dark sky. Sometimes, we can even see the Moon during the day.
The Moon does not make its own light. It looks bright because it reflects light from the Sun, like a mirror. As the Moon moves around the Earth, it can look like different shapes on different nights.
Day and Night
Every day, we have daytime and night-time. This happens in the same pattern over and over again.
During the day, the Sun is in the sky and it is light. We can see clearly and do our daily activities.
At night, the sky becomes dark. The Sun is no longer shining on our part of the Earth, and we may see the Moon and stars.
This pattern of day and night happens every single day, helping us know when it is time to be awake, play, rest and sleep.
Our neighbours in space
Earth is not alone in space. It is part of a big space family called the solar system. At the centre of the solar system is the Sun, and planets move around it.
Space is very big and full of exciting and interesting objects. There are planets, stars and moons far beyond our Earth. Even though space is huge, Earth is the only place we know where people, animals and plants can live.
Planets
There are eight planets in our solar system, and Earth is one of them.
The planets are:
Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune.
Each planet is different. Some are big and some are small. Some are hot and some are very cold. Some are rocky like Earth, and others are made mostly of gas.
Earth is special because it has water, air and living things.
BBC Bitesize - SpaceExplore space, with its mysterious galaxies and black holes with these video clips
Looking at the sky
Looking at the sky helps us learn more about Earth and space. When you look up, you might notice different things at different times.
During the day, you can see the Sun shining in the sky.
At night, you may see the Moon and tiny dots of light called stars.
Scientists learn about space by watching carefully, noticing patterns, and asking questions about what they see.
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