Look Up!

Buy This Book * More books by Nathan Bryon

Meet hilarious, science-mad chatterbox, Rocket – she’s going to be the greatest astronaut, star-catcher, space-traveller that has ever lived!
But… can she convince her big brother to stop looking down at his phone and start LOOKING UP at the stars?

English:

• Look at the front cover of the book and discuss what might happen. What are the characters looking at? What are they wearing?
• Create your own story with the title ‘Look Up!’. What might happen? How will it differ from this book?
• Write a newspaper report about Rocket’s Phoenix Meteor Shower event. Include some quotes from the people who attended.
• Write a persuasive letter to Jamal to convince him to stop looking at his phone and to look up!
• Think of some questions that you would like to ask Rocket and / or Jamal. How might they respond?
• Retell the story from Jamal’s point of view.
• Write a review of this book for an online bookstore.
• Watch this read-along video. Could you record your own audio / video retelling of the book?

Science:

• Rocket uses a telescope to look at the stars. How does a telescope work? How have people used them throughout history?
• Write a report about space and the stars.
• Throughout the story, Rocket gives information about space in the form of ‘Did you know’ speech bubbles. Can you find out some interesting new facts to teach her about space?
• Think of some mnemonics to help people remember the order of the planets in the solar system.

Computing:

• Use design / graphics tools to create a poster with the message from the book’s blurb: ‘When you dream big, anything can happen…’

Design Technology:

• Design a new astronaut outfit for Rocket to wear.
• Could you make a new spaceship for Rocket?

Art:

• Create some invitations for Rocket’s Phoenix Meteor Shower event.
• Look at the illustrations and identify the character’s emotions without reading the accompanying text. Draw some illustrations to show a character’s different emotions.
• Create your own illustrations that show a meteor shower or other scenes from space.
• The following video includes a draw-along activity with the illustrator, Dapo Adeola. Follow along and draw Luna the Cat!

History:

• Write a biography of Mae Jemison. Our Black History Pack has some information that may be useful to you.
• Create a timeline that shows the main events in the history of space exploration and discovery.

Physical Education:

• Rocket does a victory dance at one point in the story. Could you plan a victory dance to celebrate a special event?

PSHE:

• The book blurb states, ‘When you dream big, anything can happen…’ What does this mean?
• Rocket wants to be ‘the greatest astronaut, star-catcher, space-traveller who has ever lived’. What do you want to be when you are older? What do you need to do to achieve your dreams?
• Mae Jemison went into space even though she was scared of heights. Can you think of a time when you overcame your fears?
• Rocket admires Mae Jemison’s life and achievements. Who do you look up to?