Grade Levels: 3-5, 6-8

*Click to open and customize your own copy of the Aliens Lesson Plan

This lesson accompanies the BrainPOP topic Aliens, and supports the standard of describing instances in which changes in values, beliefs, and attitudes resulted from new scientific and technological knowledge. Students demonstrate understanding through a variety of projects.

Step 1: ACTIVATE PRIOR KNOWLEDGE

Display this image from the movie (timestamp: 0:49):

Prompt students to share what they think of when they hear or see the word “Alien.” Record their responses on the board.

Step 2: BUILD KNOWLEDGE

  • Read the description on the Aliens topic page.
  • Play the Movie, pausing to check for understanding. 
  • Assign Related Reading. Have students read one of the following articles: “The Final Frontier” or “Arts and Entertainment.” Partner them with someone who read a different article to share what they learned with each other.

Step 3: APPLY and ASSESS 

Assign Aliens Quiz, prompting students to apply essential literacy skills while demonstrating what they learned about this topic.

Step 4: DEEPEN and EXTEND

Students express what they learned about aliens while practicing essential literacy skills with one or more of the following activities. Differentiate by assigning ones that meet individual student needs.

  • Make-a-Movie: Produce a news report describing ways that scientists are searching for extraterrestrial life.
  • Make-a-Map: Create a concept map identifying evidence for and against the existence of extraterrestrial life. 
  • Creative Coding: Code a game challenging players to determine whether statements about aliens are true or false.  

More to Explore 

Time Zone X: Aliens: Place historical events in chronological order in this interactive timeline game.

Teacher Support Resources:

Lesson Plan Common Core State Standards Alignments