Teacher Overview: Outer Space Odyssey
Outer Space Odyssey is an exciting, standards-aligned educational adventure that introduces elementary students to the fundamentals of space science. Through an interactive, online escape room-style experience, students explore the solar system and beyond—learning about planets, the Moon, meteors, comets, gravity, galaxies, and more. As students follow clues left by the Curator, they’ll engage with core space concepts and apply their knowledge to solve science-based challenges.
This lesson includes a complete set of classroom-ready resources to support a high-impact, no-prep experience:
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An interactive online educational adventure
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Standards-based vocabulary trading cards for student reference
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A short instructional video that introduces key concepts
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A detailed lesson plan to guide instruction and pacing
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Optional teaching dialogue to support classroom facilitation
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A complete answer key for quick reference
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And more to ensure a smooth and engaging lesson
Outer Space Odyssey blends science content with storytelling and exploration, making complex topics approachable, fun, and memorable for young learners.
Student Link:
https://excavatingadventures.com/blogs/adventures/4-outer-space-odyssey
Lesson Plan: Outer Space Odyssey – Space
Grade Level: Elementary
Subject: Earth and Space Science
Topic: Space
Duration: 1 hour or less
Lesson Type: Interactive, standards-based science lesson
Lesson Overview:
In this lesson, students explore the topic of space through a dynamic and interactive learning experience. After watching a short instructional video that introduces essential space science concepts, students will navigate the Outer Space Odyssey online escape room, solving science-based challenges to complete their mission. Throughout the adventure, they will use standards-based vocabulary trading cards as a reference tool to support learning and build understanding of the solar system and beyond.
Three Subtopics Covered:
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Objects in Space – Planets, moons, meteors, asteroids, comets, and galaxies
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The Sun and Earth’s Place in Space – The role of the Sun, orbits, and gravity
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Exploration and Conditions in Space – Space environment, pressure, temperature, and the nature of space
Learning Objectives:
By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:
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Identify major objects in our solar system and beyond, including planets, the Moon, and galaxies
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Describe the roles of the Sun and gravity in keeping objects in orbit
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Explain what meteors, asteroids, and comets are and how they move through space
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Understand basic facts about the conditions of space, including the lack of air and the importance of gravity
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Use vocabulary cards to reference and apply knowledge throughout an interactive adventure
Relevant Vocabulary:
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Space
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Planets
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Meteors
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Sun
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Moon
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Asteroids
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Comets
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Gravity
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Galaxies
Materials Needed:
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Computers or tablets with internet access (1 per student or pair)
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Printed Vocabulary Trading Cards (1 set per student or group)
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Headphones (optional, for individual video/audio playback)
Instructional Plan:
1. Introduction (5–10 minutes)
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Introduce the topic of space by asking students what they know about our solar system.
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Explain that they’ll be using clues to explore outer space and learn along the way.
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Distribute vocabulary trading cards and explain they will help during the lesson.
2. Direct Instruction (5–8 minutes)
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Play the Outer Space Odyssey instructional video to introduce key terms and ideas.
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Pause for short clarifications and encourage students to follow along with their cards.
3. Interactive Exploration (30–35 minutes)
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Guide students to begin the Outer Space Odyssey online escape room.
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Encourage them to refer to their vocabulary cards to help answer each challenge.
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Check in as needed to assist with navigation or concept understanding.
4. Wrap-Up and Discussion (5–10 minutes)
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Review the code word they unlocked and what each letter represented.
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Ask students to reflect on something new they learned about space.
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Use the vocabulary cards to quickly review key terms and their meanings.
Assessment:
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Formative assessment through student progress and participation in the online adventure
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Observation of student use of vocabulary and correct responses to embedded questions
Resources Provided:
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Instructional Video (approx. 5 minutes)
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Online Educational Escape Room: Outer Space Odyssey
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Downloadable Vocabulary Trading Cards (1 set per student)
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Lesson Plan and Teacher Reference Guide
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Optional Teaching Dialogue
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Full Answer Key for student questions
Teacher Reference Guide: Outer Space Odyssey – Space
This guide provides all the key content you’ll need to teach the Outer Space Odyssey lesson in under one hour using only the instructional video, the interactive online adventure, and the printed vocabulary trading cards. The lesson is designed to help students understand what space is, identify objects in our solar system and beyond, and explore how gravity, the Sun, and other forces work together to shape our universe. Students will use their trading cards throughout the lesson to reinforce learning and help them solve challenges during the escape room activity.
Begin by explaining to students that space begins just beyond Earth’s atmosphere and stretches endlessly outward. It contains planets, moons, stars, asteroids, comets, galaxies, and more. There is no air in space, so sound cannot travel, and extreme conditions like temperature and radiation make space a very different environment from Earth. Within our solar system, planets orbit the Sun, which is a star made of hot gases. The Sun gives us light and heat and holds all the planets in orbit with its gravity. Earth has one moon that reflects sunlight and affects ocean tides. Unlike Earth, the Moon has no atmosphere or weather.
Meteors are space rocks that burn brightly as they enter Earth’s atmosphere; if they land, they become meteorites. Asteroids are rocky bodies that mostly orbit the Sun between Mars and Jupiter in an area called the asteroid belt. Comets, on the other hand, are made of ice and dust and have glowing tails that form when they get close to the Sun. All of these objects—planets, moons, meteors, asteroids, and comets—are pulled and guided by the force of gravity, which keeps them in orbit and gives objects their weight. Beyond our solar system, stars are grouped into massive collections called galaxies. Our own galaxy is the Milky Way, but billions of other galaxies exist across the universe.
Distribute the vocabulary trading cards at the beginning of the lesson and explain that students will be using these as a reference tool throughout the lesson. After watching the short instructional video to build foundational knowledge, students will enter the Outer Space Odyssey online escape room. Let them know that they’ll be solving challenges at each space-themed location using what they’ve learned from the video and their trading cards. Each correct answer reveals a letter in a hidden code word, and solving all the challenges will complete their mission.
After students finish the adventure, gather them for a brief discussion to review what they learned. Ask them to recall what each vocabulary word meant and how it was used in the adventure. You can reference the trading cards again during this time to reinforce key terms and provide additional explanation if needed. This lesson is designed to be simple to implement while delivering high-impact, standards-based learning in a way that is both fun and educational.
Outer Space Odyssey – Teacher Answer Key
Use this answer key as a quick reference for the questions students will encounter during the Outer Space Odyssey online adventure.
Question: What lies beyond Earth’s atmosphere?
Answer: Space
Question: What do planets orbit?
Answer: The Sun
Question: What is a space rock that burns in our sky?
Answer: Meteor
Question: What provides light and heat to Earth?
Answer: The Sun
Question: What causes tides on Earth?
Answer: The Moon
Question: Where do most asteroids orbit?
Answer: Between Mars and Jupiter
Question: What space object forms a tail near the Sun?
Answer: Comet
Question: What force keeps planets in orbit?
Answer: Gravity
Question: What do we call massive groups of stars in space?
Answer: Galaxies