As we all know, children are like metaphorical sponges, absorbing information at all times. However, to ensure all children are concentrating and taking in information, teachers must plan engaging and ‘fun’ lessons. Inquiry based activities ensure that all children have the opportunity to question, ponder, investigate, and analyse a theory put forward to them.
I like to begin all SESE and STEM activities with a prompt. Previously I have used songs, videos, pictures and oral or visual scenarios. I have found that the more dramatics surrounding the ‘problem’ the more engaged children become. I would use the format of the ‘Framework for Inquiry’ to structure my lesson. When completing a lesson on space exploration, I would use a story book such as ‘Chicken in Space’ as the prompt to begin the discussion on space, allowing the children to wonder and explore the idea of travelling to space.
I would then pose the problem of how a rocket travels to space. Using balloons, the children will predict how the balloon will move forward, which resembles how the hot gases at the back of a rocket push the rocket forward. The children will investigate the theory and use iPads to picture and document their learning.