Hi everyone. My name is Marie Morgan and I’m teaching Senior Infants in September. One of my favourite space facts is that the sun is a star. Many of the children in my class always think the Sun is a planet so we always try and find out what makes it a star.
Inquiry-based learning can be an engaging way to introduce children to the wonders of science. The example I have chosen to share with you here encourages curiosity, observation, and discussion, key components of inquiry-based learning. I usually do this activity with any class level I teach in springtime when we plant seeds.
This activity is for senior infants level.
Topic: Plant Growth
Activity: Growing Cress Seeds or could be part of Aistear.
Question: I start with having a nature walk around our school grounds in Springtime with the children and ask the children questions to spark their curiosity. “What do plants need to grow?”
Hypothesis: Encourage children to share their ideas. “I think plants need…… water, sunlight, and soil to grow.”
Experiment: Provide each child with some cress seeds, a cup, soil, and water. Let them plant their cress seeds in the soil, water it, and place it in a sunny spot.
Observation: Over the next few weeks, have the children observe and record their plant’s growth. Prompt them to note changes in size, colour, and any other observations. Some children might put them in shade or give the pot no light.
As the weeks go by I have a discussion on their findings. “What did we notice about the plants that got more sunlight versus those that didn’t?”
By the end hopefully the children will conclude that plants need water, sunlight, and soil to grow well.