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  Oxford Level 3

Space Dad
Author: Catherine Baker
Teacher’s Notes author: Liz Miles
Text types: non-chronological report; narrative
Curriculum link: Understanding the world

Synopsis
In this book, we follow a day in the life of a boy who lives in a house on Earth, and his dad who
is an astronaut living and working in the International Space Station. Readers will find out some
of the ways that life on a spaceship is different to life on Earth.

Extended text
This longer version of the book gives extra details and information to support children with
comprehension.

• While the boy fixes his toy car with tools in the garden, his astronaut dad has to wear a spacesuit
to fix the outside of the spaceship.
• At dinner time, both the boy and his dad have water to drink and chicken to eat. But while the
boy uses a cup and a plate, his dad has to have his drink and chicken in packs – in space, the
drink and food can float!
• The boy has a wash in the shower and uses lots of hot water. On the spaceship there is not much
water, so Dad has to wash with a bit of water and soap on a cloth.
• While the boy goes to bed, Dad has to strap himself in to go to sleep or he would float away. The
boy says ‘Goodnight’ to a picture of Dad, and Dad says ‘Goodnight’ to a picture of his son.

Group/Guided reading
Introducing the book
• (Predicting) Read the title together. Ask: Can anyone guess what this book might be about? Then
read the back cover blurb together.
• Look at the picture on the front cover. Ask: Can anyone guess what the picture shows? Support
the children to understand that it is a photograph of the International Space Station, and that
Dad is an astronaut.
• Turn to pp2–3 and read the label and speech bubble together. Say: I wonder which picture shows
Dad’s home. Draw out that Dad lives on the spaceship. Ask: Would you like to be on the spaceship
with Dad? Why/Why not?
• On p4, encourage the children to read the first sentence. Draw out that ‘me’ refers to the boy. Talk
about any other books the children have read that are narrated using ‘I’, ‘me’ and ‘my’.

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Strategy check
• As they read, encourage the children to sound out and blend new words, e.g. ‘f-l-oa-t’.
• This book includes many decodable words, providing lots of opportunities for children to practise the
skill of sounding out and blending new words. There are also some high-frequency tricky words in the
book. Support the children with these words, explaining that they are tricky but also very common
and useful. If a word is too difficult, simply read the word for them:
me my he
• There are a number of topic words used in the book. These include common words that may not
conform to the phonics teaching that children will have learned at this point, and subject-specific
vocabulary that may be unfamiliar. They are listed and defined on the inside front cover. Explain to
the children that these words may be challenging but they are important for the topic. Read these
words for the children if necessary, to help build familiarity before they read the book independently:
home space spaceship water

During reading
• Ask the children to read the book aloud and help them where necessary. Praise and encourage
them as they read.
• Look at the picture on p5 and ask: Why is Dad tied to the spaceship? Discuss how things float in
space, perhaps also turning briefly to look at the picture and photo on p7. If appropriate, explain
how it is the lack of gravity in space that makes things float.
• (Summarizing) After reading pp6–7 and looking at the pictures, ask: In what ways is Dad’s dinner
different from his son’s?
• (Predicting) Turn to p8 and ask the children to read the heading and sentence. Before looking at the
pictures on p9, ask them to predict how Dad cleans himself. Then support the children to read the
sentences on p9, talking afterwards about whether their prediction was correct.
• Turn to pp10–11 and prompt the children to describe how the boy and his Dad might be feeling.
Say: I wonder what they are thinking about.

Returning to the book

• (Summarizing) On p12, encourage the children to recall the boy’s day and Dad’s day. Use the
pictures as well as ‘How?’ or ‘Why?’ questions to prompt them.
• Flick back through the book, asking the children to point to the photographs. Ask: Which tells you
the most about life in space – the photographs or the pictures? Why?
• Ask: What else would you like to know about living in space? If one more page about Dad’s day
could be added to the book, what would you like it to be about? Encourage the children to share
their ideas.
• (Questioning) Ask the children to pair up with someone else. Ask them to make up questions about
living in space, taking it in turns to ask and answer the questions.

Independent reading
• Introduce the book as in the Group/Guided reading section above.
• Encourage the children to read the book as independently as possible. Remember to give them lots
of encouragement and praise.
• As they read, encourage the children to sound out and blend new words, e.g. c-ar, t-oo-l, sh-ow-er-s,
g-oo-d-n-igh-t.
• This book also contains a number of topic words, which children may need more support with at
this stage, but which enrich the book. They are listed and defined on the inside front cover. If a
word is too difficult, simply read the word for them.
• Remind the children to use the pictures to support their comprehension when reading the text.
© Oxford University Press 2016. No sharing, copying or adaptation of materials permitted except by subscribers to Oxford Owl.
Speaking and listening
• Ask the children to work in pairs and to read the book aloud together. They should take it in turns
to read a page, so that one child reads the pages about the boy and the other reads the pages
about Dad.
• Ask: Which was your favourite page of the book? Which page did you find the most interesting?
Why? Encourage the children to tell each other which was their favourite page and why.

Writing activity
• Ask the children to imagine that they live on the space station and to draw a picture of
themselves in space.
• Help them to think of suitable labels (e.g. me, tool, pack) and to say the words out loud before
attempting to write them down.
• Encourage them to write the labels, using initial letters as prompts if necessary. They could then
compare their labels with other children’s and check each other’s spellings.

Cross-curricular activity
Understanding the world
• Ask the children if they know anything about Tim Peake, a British astronaut who travelled into
space and spent six months on the International Space Station.
• Make a short list of things the class would like to find out about Tim Peake and support the
children to use books or the Internet to find out the answers.

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Space Dad
Curriculum links and assessment
Links to Oxford Reading Criterion Scale
• Can read words with consonant digraphs: ch, sh, th, ng. (READ) (Standard 1, 15)
• Without prompting, uses words and illustrations together to gain meaning from a text. (R/D) (Standard 1, 17)
• Can read words with some vowel digraphs e.g. /ai/ /ee/ /igh/ /oa/ /oo/. (READ) (Standard 1, 19)
• Can talk about main points or key events in a simple text. (R) (Standard 1, 20)
• Is beginning to make predictions based on titles, text, blurb and/or illustrations. (D) (Standard 1, 21)

Letters and Sounds: Phase 3

inFact Level 3 books are designed to support children with the transition from phonic readers to richer reading with
highly decodable non-fiction. These books cover non-fiction topics using natural language, with a high proportion
of phonically decodable words and a selection of high-frequency words. Each book also has a limited number of
non-decodable or unfamiliar topic words to enrich the language and ensure that children learn something new.

ENGLAND The National Curriculum in England: Reception

EYFS Early Learning Goals Book-related assessment pointers

ELG 03 Children express themselves effectively, Check the children can read the book aloud with a
Speaking showing awareness of listeners’ needs. partner, and can ask and answer questions clearly.
(ELG03.1)

ELG 01 Children develop their own narratives and Check the children can explain why they like their
Listening and explanations by connecting ideas or events. favourite page from the book.
attention (ELG03.3)

ELG 02 Children answer ‘how’ and ‘why’ questions Check the children can answer questions you pose
Understanding about their experiences and in response to during their reading and when summarizing the book.
stories or events. (ELG02.2)

ELG 09 Children demonstrate understanding when Check the children understand the main differences
Reading talking with others about what they have between life for the boy and his dad.
read. (ELG09.3)

ELG 10 Children use their phonic knowledge to write Check the children identify the correct initial sounds
Writing words in ways which match their spoken when attempting to write labels.
sounds. They also write some irregular
common words. (ELG10.1)

SCOTLAND Curriculum for Excellence: Literacy experiences and outcomes, Early Level
Experiences and outcomes Book-related assessment pointers

Listening and Within real and imaginary situations, I share Check the children can answer questions and explain
talking experiences and feelings, ideas and information why they like their favourite page from the book.
in a way that communicates my message.
(LIT 0-09a)

As I listen and take part in conversations and Check the children use new vocabulary appropriately
discussions, I discover new words and phrases in their answers.
which I use to help me express my ideas,
thoughts and feelings. (LIT 0-10a)

To help me understand stories and other texts, I Check the children can answer questions you pose
ask questions and link what I am learning with and suggest what else they would like to know about
what I already know. (LIT 0-07a / LIT 0-16a / life in space.
ENG 0-17a)

Reading I use signs, books or other texts to find useful or Check the children refer to the text and pictures when
interesting information and I use this to plan, answering questions.
make choices or learn new things. (LIT 0-14a)

Writing I explore sounds, letters and words, discovering Check the children identify the correct initial sounds
how they work together, and I can use what I when attempting to write labels.
learn to help me as I read or write. (ENG 0-12a /
LIT 0-13a / LIT 0-21a)

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 WALES Curriculum for Wales: Foundation Phase Framework, Reception
Framework objectives Book-related assessment pointers

Oracy express what they like and dislike Check the children can explain why they like their
(YR_OracSpea.1) favourite page from the book.

show that they have listened to others, e.g. by Check the children can follow instructions and listen to
drawing a picture (YR_OracList.1) each other during discussions.

answer ‘Who?’, ’What?’, ‘Where?’ and Check the children can answer questions you pose
open-ended questions relating to own during their reading and when summarizing the book.
experiences, stories or events (YR_OracList.8)

Reading use pictures to aid understanding of text Check the children correctly identify the photographs
(YR_ReadStrat.12) and refer to the pictures when reading and answering
questions.

Writing copy and write letters, words and phrases, e.g. Check the children identify the correct initial sounds
from the environment of those modelled by when attempting to write labels.
the practitioner (YR_WritMean.6)

NORTHERN IRELAND Levels of Progression in Communication across the curriculum: Level 1

Levels of Progression Book-related assessment pointers

Talking and use vocabulary from within their experience to Check the children can explain why they like their
listening describe thoughts and feelings (L1_com_talk.3) favourite page from the book.

make eye contact and take turns whilst engaging Check the children communicate effectively with their
in conversation (L1_com_talk.6) partners in discussion.

ask and answer questions for specific Check the children can answer questions you pose
information (L1_com_talk.2) during their reading and when summarizing the book.

Reading show understanding of the meaning carried by Check the children correctly identify the photographs.
print, pictures and images (L1_com_read.1)

Writing write words using sound-symbol correspondence Check the children identify the correct initial sounds
(L1_com_writ.4i) when attempting to write labels.

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