My name is Sam, I have 1st class next year. I am nervous but excited to return to the junior end of the school! My favourite science fact is that hummingbirds flutter their wings 80 times per second!
I know that the class I have next year enjoyed a lot of water-based play in Aistear in JI & SI. On top of this, 1st class become more involved in our school’s green flag committee, which is currently focusing on marine environmental care. I feel that these combined could be a great trigger for engagement in relevant STEM lessons, such as a float/sink lesson. They can use prior knowledge to make predictions as to what will sink/float and stimulate discussion in the wondering section of the lesson. They can also use what they are learning about weight in maths to justify their predictions. Finally in the exploring section the children would engage in a fun, inquiry-lead activity in which they explore what classroom objects sink and which float.
I am very excited by the framework for inquiry that was introduced to us in this module, as I feel it will guide me in structuring Science lessons this year. It is the one subject I am not always confident teaching.