News written for schools: Down-to-earth astronaut launches into space

At 11:03am this morning, Britain’s first astronaut since 1991 took off on a six-hour journey from Kazakhstan to the International Space Station. The papers call him a hero. Are they right? In this news article we look at the story, explore the issues behind it and consider different opinions on what is happening. There are activities designed for homework or classwork, an explanation of difficult words and debate questions. It can be used as a complete lesson, starter, for extended learning or independent research. It has been written specifically for KS3, KS4 and KS5 to help them engage with events in the news. Key words: literacy, non-fiction reading, form time, Biology, Healthy lifestyles, International Space Station, Physics, Skills & qualities, Sociology, Space, PSHE, Psychology, Science