I would choose the Planets set to focus on as the starting point for learning about space with infant classes. I would build the lessons around the Tiny Planets Book which I think is a fantastic resource to manipulate.
– I would enlarge the outlines of each planet to a large size to display for the class and mount on cardboard – elicit from the children how we might decorate each planet – however, we need to investigate the reality of the planet to do so. The facts in the booklet will help as a starting point.
I would have a copy to display on the interactive whiteboard and also integrate the song : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2prtmPEjOc
By working on a different planet each day or two, we could build an entire unit on planets and slowly discover each one. Children choose colours, in Aistear use textiles to decorate etc.
Once displayed in the classroom I would again use this booklet to look at bitesize pieces of information to recall about each planet – linkage with home – homework to look at the page of their booklet about the planet we are working on and listen to the song.
As we progress with the lessons, I would play games where pupils play Who am I ? offering a fact – eg: I am very hot— pupils guess which planet this is.
Pair work – share a fact you know about your planet.
I think senior infants could certainly engage well with all these activities in Aistear and science, Junior infants could even pair up with an older class to work on making the mini books for each child and have the facts read to them as they work to colour in their booklet appropriately.