The activity set I have chosen is: Rockets.
I would complete this activity during our ‘Transport’ theme in AISTEAR. In the engaging section of the framework, I would begin with a simple rhyme ‘The Wheels on the Bus’ to introduce one mode of transport. The children would use the skills of collaboration and in pairs, they would come up with different modes of transport we could use both now and in the past. This allows the children’s minds to wonder and would lend to a conversation on rockets and who uses them.
To begin the learning on how rockets work, I will show the children pictures of different rockets and a video entitled ‘How do Rockets Fly?’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lti6a_YYQl0&t=150s . The children will play a game of ‘two truths and a lie’ to recall the information learned from the video.
Next, the hands on activity would require the children to use the science skills such as questioning, observing, predicting, investigating and experimenting, estimating and measuring. The children will be asked to make their own rocket in groups. This will require teamwork and use of fine motor skills. The children will complete the rocket mice activity where they will gain an understanding of air pressure, gravity and air resistance. We will set up different stations and show how the size of the containers can affect how high the mouse will fly. This will link with the video where the children learned how the oxygen and hydrogen mixed together to form a hot cloud underneath the rocket to push it upwards.