- To have the student appreciate that space travel is a relatively new event in the history of man, and that space travel events have been  rapidly developing in this short time.
 

Along one wall of the classroom, tape a strip of rolled paper, such as better quality commercial paper towelling (white).  Measure it from one end to the other, and divide that into 50 equal divisions, each representing 100 years.  Indicate the end to the left as 3000 B.C. and the furthest to the right as 2002 (or 2000).

Go to this Timeline site: 

http://www.crimsonbird.com/science/timeline.htm
and locate dates for the following events, marking them on your timeline:

Pyraminds of Egypt / Magnetism discovered / Anaximander discoveries about Earth and Solar System / Aristarchus proposes the Earth orbits the Sun / Compass invented /  "Dark Ages" of Europe / Rockets invented by Chinese / Copernicus says planets revolve around Sun / Galileo builds 20 power telescope / Newton's Laws of Motion / Uranus discovered / Neptune discovered / Moons of Mars discovered / Wright Brothers first powered flight / Hubble investigates Milky Way and Andromedes / Goddard launches first liquid fueled rocket / Sputnik launched / First walk on Moon / Pathfinder photographs Mars

Discuss with your group or class what is revealed about the scientific progress of man over 5000 years as shown by the wall timeline.

Tape another strip on the wall about two metres long.  Draw a line and divide it into five 40 cm sections, each representing 10 years, marked as from 1950 to 2000.  Go back to the timeline on the Internet again, and make note of every space related discovery or feat between 1950 and 2000.  Attempt to mark each event on the 50 year timeline.
 

 - Internet access

- roll of white paper such as non-perforated paper towelling

- linear measuring instruments, markers, tape
 

- anecdotal

- participation

- journal entries following class discussion on the new learning from the timelines