ICONIC GAMESYEAR 4
TERM 2 · WEEK 7Space Mission

TERM 2 · WEEK 7

Space Mission

A young Aotearoa space crew launching towards an orbiting research station.

Seven missions. One journey beyond Earth.

0 / 7 missions complete

ENGLISH MISSION BRIEFING

Before we answer anything, learn how the punctuation works.

This week you will read and write dialogue. These marks are not decorations — each one tells the reader how the sentence works and exactly which words were spoken.

Aa
Capital letter

Start a sentence — and the first spoken word — with a capital letter.

Example: “We are ready.”
,
Comma

A comma separates parts of a sentence. In dialogue, it can separate the spoken words from who said them.

Example: “We are ready,” Hana said.
“ ”
Speech marks

Speech marks go around the exact words a person says — and only those words.

Example: “We are ready for launch,” Hana said.
?
Question mark

If the spoken words are a question, the question mark stays inside the closing speech mark.

Example: “Are we ready?” asked Wiremu.
!
Exclamation mark

Use an exclamation mark when the spoken words show strong feeling, surprise or urgency.

Example: “Watch out!” Ana shouted.
.
Full stop

A full stop ends a statement. If the whole spoken sentence ends there, it goes before the closing speech mark.

Example: Hana said, “The signal is clear.”

BUILD ONE TOGETHER

Turn plain words into direct speech

Plain version: we are ready for launch hana said
  1. 1Find the exact words Hana says: We are ready for launch
  2. 2Add a capital letter to the first spoken word: We
  3. 3Put an opening speech mark before the first spoken word.
  4. 4Add a comma after launch because Hana said comes after the speech.
  5. 5Close the speech marks. Do not put Hana said inside them.
FINISHED TRANSMISSION“We are ready for launch,” Hana said.
STATEMENT“We are ready,” Hana said.Comma before the closing speech mark.
QUESTION“Are we ready?” asked Hana.Question mark stays inside the closing speech mark.
Remember: speech marks wrap the words that were actually spoken. The punctuation for those spoken words normally sits inside the closing speech mark.
Young space crew members using a Mission Control communications console to repair dialogue punctuation.

ENGLISH

Mission Control Communications

01 · Comms Deck

Let’s investigate the words for Space Mission. Look for what changes, then explain what you notice.

WHAT AM I LEARNING?

Use speech marks and commas correctly for direct speech, with support, and apply capital and ending punctuation consistently.

YOUR MISSION

TRAIN → REPAIR: Learn the direct-speech rules, identify a correctly punctuated transmission, then repair three damaged Mission Control messages.

Need help? See the steps
TEACH · LEARN THE IDEA

Start with the steps below. They show you what to look for and what to do.

  1. STEP 1Read or tap each word.
  2. STEP 2Look closely at the word part the mission is teaching.
  3. STEP 3Sort, build or compare the words.
  4. STEP 4Explain the pattern in your own words.
1 · LEARN2 · TRY3 · REPAIR
MISSION TRAINING · DIRECT SPEECH

How do we show exactly what somebody says?

Speech marks wrap around the words that are spoken. The spoken sentence begins with a capital letter. A comma, question mark, exclamation mark or full stop belongs with the spoken words.

“ ”Speech marksWrap around the exact spoken words.
AaCapital letterStart the spoken sentence with a capital.
?!,.PunctuationKeep the spoken punctuation inside the speech marks.
MODEL TRANSMISSION

“We are ready for launch,” Hana said.

The comma belongs with the spoken words, so it sits before the closing speech mark.
TRY IT

Which transmission is punctuated correctly?

Choose one transmission.
MISSION CONTROL REPAIR

Restore three damaged radio messages

Use what you just learned. Tap a message, add punctuation, then check the transmission.

PUNCTUATION DOCK

Tap a message, place the cursor, then tap a mark.

Repair all three messages, then run the transmission check.
A mission log beside a spacecraft launch path for sequencing events and finding narrative evidence.

ENGLISH

Launch Sequence Mix-Up

02 · Mission Log

Read the Space Mission information first. Talk the idea through, then answer one small question at a time.

WHAT AM I LEARNING?

Summarise key narrative details in sequence, identify the problem and resolution, and make a simple inference supported by evidence from the text.

YOUR MISSION

SCAN → REBUILD: Read The Warning Light, identify the problem and resolution, rebuild the key events in order, then choose evidence that supports an inference about Hana.

Need help? See the steps
TEACH · LEARN THE IDEA

Evidence is a clue from the text, picture or data that supports your thinking. An inference is an idea you work out from clues.

  1. STEP 1Read once to understand what it is mostly about.
  2. STEP 2Read the question again and find the part that helps.
  3. STEP 3Say your answer aloud using because, then check it against the text.
  4. STEP 4Record a useful clue from the source.
  5. STEP 5Explain what that clue tells you.
1 · LEARN2 · SCAN3 · REBUILD
MISSION TRAINING · READING A NARRATIVE

Stories leave a trail of clues

A narrative normally introduces characters and setting, develops a problem, shows actions taken to solve it, and ends with a resolution. Good readers keep the important events in sequence and use exact details as evidence.

1SETTINGWho? Where?
→
2PROBLEMWhat changes?
→
3ACTIONWhat do they do?
→
4RESOLUTIONHow does it end?
EVIDENCE = A CLUE FROM THE TEXT

She froze and gripped the armrest.

That action lets us infer that Hana is worried or surprised, even though the author does not simply say “Hana was worried”.
SCAN THE MISSION LOG · The Warning Light

THE WARNING LIGHT — Hana, Wiremu and Ana were strapped into the training spacecraft as Mission Control finished the countdown. The engines rumbled, the launch tower slipped away below them and, a few minutes later, the blue curve of Earth appeared through the window. Then an amber warning light flashed above Hana’s seat. She froze and gripped the armrest. ‘Something’s wrong with the air sensor,’ she said. Wiremu checked the control panel while Ana followed the emergency checklist. Behind a loose cover, Ana found that a sensor cable had shaken partly free during launch. She clicked it firmly back into place. The warning light turned green. ‘Reading normal again,’ Mission Control confirmed. Hana let go of the armrest and smiled. The crew continued towards the research station.

CLUE SCANNER

Find the story parts

Tap the card that answers each scanner question.

1. Which detail is the PROBLEM?
2. Which detail is the RESOLUTION?
MISSION LOG RECOVERY

Rebuild the launch timeline

The mission computer scrambled five events. Move them into story order.

Amber warning light flashesHana freezes and grips the armrest.
Countdown and launchThe launch tower slips away below the crew.
Mission continuesThe warning turns green and the crew heads to the research station.
Earth appears through the windowThe crew reaches orbit after launch.
Ana finds the loose cableShe follows the checklist and reconnects the sensor.
Use the story evidence to rebuild the timeline.
INFERENCE SIGNALWhich clue best shows Hana is worried or surprised?
RESOLUTION SIGNALHow is the problem solved?
A spacecraft orbiting Earth beside a story-planning screen with a warning light.

ENGLISH

Finish the Space Mission Story

03 · Story Lab

YOUR WRITING JOB: BUILD → WRITE: Use the Story Engine to plan a new space problem, character feeling, action, sensory detail and resolution. Then turn the plan into your own continuation of The Warning Light with dialogue and a clear ending.

WHAT AM I LEARNING?

Write a narrative that includes a clear problem, character action or feeling, logical resolution, time connectives, sensory detail and correctly punctuated dialogue.

YOUR MISSION

BUILD → WRITE: Use the Story Engine to plan a new space problem, character feeling, action, sensory detail and resolution. Then turn the plan into your own continuation of The Warning Light with dialogue and a clear ending.

Need help? See the steps
TEACH · LEARN THE IDEA

Start with the steps below. They show you what to look for and what to do. First get your ideas ready. Then build the writing one part at a time.

  1. STEP 1Introduce what you are writing about.
  2. STEP 2Give your first important idea.
  3. STEP 3Add another useful detail, reason or example.
  4. STEP 4Finish so the reader understands your message.
1 · LEARN2 · BUILD3 · WRITE
MISSION TRAINING · WRITING TO ENTERTAIN

A strong story is more than “something happened”

Give the character a problem or goal, show what they do about it, then resolve it. Use time connectives to keep events clear. Dialogue can reveal feelings or move the action forward. Sensory details help the reader picture the scene.

⚠ProblemSomething changes or goes wrong.
→ActionThe character tries to solve it.
✓ResolutionThe problem is solved logically.
“ ”DialogueShow what somebody says.
⏱Time wordsThen, after that, suddenly, finally.
✦Sensory detailShow what can be seen, heard or felt.
STORY ENGINE

Build your next space emergency

Choose ingredients. They become a plan, not a finished story — you still get to create the writing.

1 · CHOOSE A PROBLEM
2 · CHOOSE A CHARACTER FEELING
3 · CHOOSE AN ACTION
4 · CHOOSE A SENSORY DETAIL
5 · CHOOSE A RESOLUTION
YOUR MISSION PLAN

Choose story ingredients above. Your plan will appear here.

    WRITE THE MISSION

    Turn the plan into your own story

    Aim for a clear problem → action → resolution. Add at least one line of dialogue, a time connective, a sensory detail and a character feeling.

    OPTIONAL LAUNCH WORDS
    ○ Problem○ Action○ Resolution○ Dialogue○ Time word○ Feeling/detail

    The meter is a writing coach, not a score. It updates as you write.

    A space-station timing console showing digital times and mission durations.

    MATHS

    Mission Time

    04 · Time Lab

    Work through one maths question at a time. Your answers will be checked before the next mission unlocks.

    WHAT AM I LEARNING?

    Tell digital time to the nearest minute, measure and compare duration in hours, minutes and seconds, and find equivalent durations using different time units.

    YOUR MISSION

    TRAIN → POWER THE CLOCK: Use 60 seconds = 1 minute and 60 minutes = 1 hour to clear four mission-time signals: read 1:07 pm, convert 90 minutes, convert 2 minutes to seconds, and compare 75 minutes with 1 hour 10 minutes.

    Need help? See the steps
    TEACH · LEARN THE IDEA

    Duration is how long something lasts. Use 60 seconds = 1 minute and 60 minutes = 1 hour to rename and compare durations.

    1. STEP 1Read the question and decide what you need to find.
    2. STEP 2Notice the important numbers and units.
    3. STEP 3Choose a strategy and work it out.
    4. STEP 4Type the answer, then check that it makes sense.
    1 · LEARN2 · TRAIN3 · COMPLETE
    MISSION TRAINING · TIME & DURATION

    Time tells when. Duration tells how long.

    Clocks work in groups of 60. There are 60 seconds in 1 minute and 60 minutes in 1 hour. To compare durations, change them into the same unit first.

    60 s= 1 minute
    60 min= 1 hour
    90 min= 1 h 30 min
    MISSION MODEL

    1 hour 10 minutes = 60 + 10 = 70 minutes.

    Now you can compare 70 minutes with another duration, such as 75 minutes.
    TIME CONSOLE

    Clear four training signals

    Each correct answer powers one section of the mission clock.

    0 / 4 SIGNALS POWERED
    SIGNAL 1 · READ THE CLOCK

    The digital clock shows 1:07 pm. How many minutes past 1:00 is that?

    SIGNAL 2 · MIXED UNITS

    A transfer takes 90 minutes. What is that in hours and minutes?

    SIGNAL 3 · SECONDS

    A thruster test lasts 2 minutes. How many seconds is that?

    SIGNAL 4 · COMPARE

    Which is longer: 75 minutes or 1 hour 10 minutes?

    A flight-planning board with timed mission activities and an orbital route display.

    MATHS

    Build the Flight Plan

    05 · Flight Deck

    This is your real-world Space Mission challenge. Work out what the problem asks you to find or make.

    WHAT AM I LEARNING?

    Combine activity durations, include a break, express a total duration in minutes and hours/minutes, and decide whether the total fits within a two-hour (120-minute) window.

    YOUR MISSION

    PLAN → CALCULATE: Choose exactly three mission activities from 25, 35, 40, 45 and 50 minutes. Add a 10-minute crew break, calculate the total before the flight computer does, then test whether the plan fits within 2 hours = 120 minutes.

    Need help? See the steps
    TEACH · LEARN THE IDEA

    Duration is how long something lasts. Use 60 seconds = 1 minute and 60 minutes = 1 hour to rename and compare durations.

    1. STEP 1Read the whole challenge once.
    2. STEP 2Find the numbers, facts or rules you need.
    3. STEP 3Choose a useful strategy.
    4. STEP 4Show your solution clearly enough that someone else could follow it.
    1 · LEARN2 · PLAN3 · CALCULATE
    MISSION TRAINING · COMBINING DURATIONS

    Your flight window is 2 hours — that is 120 minutes

    Add the duration of every activity and the crew break. If the total is 120 minutes or less, the plan fits. If it is more than 120 minutes, the crew needs a different plan.

    EXAMPLE

    25 min + 35 min + 40 min + 10 min break = 110 minutes.

    110 minutes = 1 hour 50 minutes, so it fits inside a 120-minute window.
    FLIGHT DECK

    Build a flight plan that fits

    Choose exactly three activities. A 10-minute crew break is added after Activity 2. Some combinations will not fit.

    MISSION RULES✓ Choose exactly 3 activities✓ Add the 10-minute crew break✓ Docking Practice must be last if chosen✓ Total must be 120 minutes or less
    YOUR FLIGHT PLAN0 / 3 activities

    Choose three mission activities above.

    CALCULATE BEFORE THE COMPUTER DOES
    2 hours=120 minutes
    Choose three activities and calculate the total duration.
    Koru running and jumping through a colourful futuristic space station platform adventure.

    Koru’s Space Station Run

    06 · Navigation Deck
    GAME BREAK

    Help Koru restore the station. Run and jump through the Station Approach, Corridor, Cargo Bay and Reactor Core. Collect energy, dodge timed hazards, activate checkpoints, use Shield and Jet Boost power-ups, then reach the Command Platform.

    STATION APPROACH
    ♥♥♥♥ ⚡ 0 / 24 ★ 0 / 3 00:00

    GAME BREAK · SPACE MISSION

    Koru's Space Station Run

    The station has lost power. Run, jump and climb through four zones to reach the Command Platform and restore the beacon.

    RUN A/D or arrows JUMP Space / W / ↑ · forgiving edge jumps BOOST Shift / X · each pickup gives 2 boosts
    Goal: reach the Command Platform. Optional: collect 24 Energy Orbs and 3 Star Fragments. Checkpoints: restore all 4 hearts automatically.

    How did Week 7 feel?

    07 · Clubhouse

    This part is about your own learning. There are no right or wrong feelings.

    WHAT AM I LEARNING?

    Reflect on independence, challenge level and the next useful practice step.

    YOUR MISSION

    Choose: Mostly by myself / Some help / Another go. Optional prompt: 'One thing I can explain now is…'

    Need help? See the steps
    TEACH · LEARN THE IDEA

    Choose what feels true for you, then write one thing you understand better now.

    1. STEP 1Choose how the week felt.
    2. STEP 2Write one thing you understand better now.

    How did this week feel?

    There are no right or wrong answers. Choose what feels true for you.

    YEAR 4 HOMEWORK CLUB

    Your Year 4 progress

    Your work saves on this device.

    Recommended next: Term 1, Week 1 →