Hello, my name is Aoife. This coming school year I will be working as a supply panel teacher.
My favourite space fact is that there are more stars in the universe than grains of sand on all the beaches in the world.
One inquiry based lesson I have used previously is when learning about forces in second class. I introduce magnets to the students and give them a basket of items to check if they are magnetic. The students take some time testing the different items and I give them time to conduct their own experiments with the magnets around the classroom. Afterwards we discuss what was magnetic, if there are any patterns or similarities about the items which are magnetic. We also discuss if they discovered anything else about the magnets. Often they realise magnets can both attract and repel. They discover magnets can be used through different objects and that they attract metals. The children really enjoy the independence of getting to explore with the magnets. It is also a great way to practise collaboration in groups or pairs. It is fun to see them make these discoveries on their own.