Hi! I’m Pam, a teacher in a DEIS school who has had infants for 15 years but moved to 2nd class last year and will continue with 2nd next year. I picked this course as my own kids are crazy about science and space in particular and I wanted to wow them with some new facts! I always share the fact that the sun is actually a star with kids, it never fails to amaze!
My idea for an inquiry based activity starts with a discussion about what they know about space. They share their ideas about planets, stars, and the moon, and I record them on the board. Explain that they will become scientists exploring different aspects of space.
Studends get divided into small groups, and each group picks a space-related topic such as the phases of the moon, planets, or stars. Each group should come up with a question they want to answer, like “How do the phases of the moon change over a month?” or “What are the differences between the planets?” Provide materials like posters, markers, and books or websites for research.
Over time, students gather information, make observations, and record their findings in copies/journals. They can create visual aids, like drawings or models, to show what they have learned. I will encourage them to ask more questions and explore further.
At the end of the week, each group presents their findings to the class, discussing what they learned and how they answered their question. This activity makes learning about space fun and helps students develop critical thinking and scientific inquiry skills.