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ASSIGNMENT
Choose one of the activities or activity sets outlined in this module – How would you use the activity in your classroom? or consolidate your experiences and action plans in the course by creating a class plan to engage with Space Week. Post a reflective piece (150 words min) to the forum as a reply to this post. You may include digital records of the activities.
Please also, respond to at least one other participant’s post.
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Make a Rocket
I will teach the “Make a Rocket” lesson to my infant class as part of our space topic. I think the children will really enjoy this lesson because it is fun, creative, and hands-on. They will be excited to learn about rockets and how they fly into space.
First, I will show pictures and short videos of real rockets. We will talk about what rockets look like and why they are important. I will ask simple questions like “Where do rockets go?” and “Who rides in rockets?”
Then, the children will make their own paper rockets using straws, paper, and tape. We will decorate them with colours and space stickers. I will show them how to blow through the straw to launch the rocket. We will test our rockets and see how far they go.
This lesson will help the children learn through play and exploration. It will also support their fine motor skills, language development, and science thinking. They will talk about their rockets and share ideas with each other. I think the class will be full of energy and curiosity. I am looking forward to teaching this exciting lesson and seeing the children enjoy learning about space.
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That sounds like such a fun lesson! I completely agree Cathal – teaching the “Make a Rocket” activity is a fantastic way to get children excited about space. It’s creative, hands-on, and definitely captures their imagination. I’ll be teaching this lesson too because I think the children will love it and it’s such a great way to spark curiosity about space and rockets. Can’t wait to see how they react!
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A well-structured, practical lesson that will capture young pupils’ imaginations. Showing real launch clips gives essential context, and the straw-rocket build deftly links fine-motor work with an early grasp of thrust and distance. Consider adding a simple measuring line on the floor so children can record how far each rocket travels—an easy, age-appropriate way to introduce data and comparison while keeping the fun intact.
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This sounds like such a fun and engaging lesson! I love how you’ve combined visual resources, hands-on creativity, and simple inquiry to help young children explore the concept of rockets. Using straws to launch the paper rockets is a fantastic way to bring science to life in a playful and age-appropriate way.
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Cathal, this sounds like a fun and engaging lesson for infants classes. Making paper rockets is a great way to help children learn through play. Watching videos, asking simple questions, and letting them build and launch their own rockets will be very exciting. It’s a cool way to support science learning, creativity, and fine motor skills all at once. Lots of boxes ticked for Cuntas Miosuil !
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Hi Cathal,
Those are lovely ideas for science week. I think using straws to make rockets in junior classes is far more user friendly. Many children in younger classes don’t have the diaphragm strength necessary to inflate a balloon and this can cause quite the upset when everyone is trying to inflate ballons for an activity.
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I would start my lesson with a short video such as The Water Bottle Rocket video by the The Sci Guys to introduce the idea of propulsion and how pressure can create movement.
I would then follow up with the comic of the Marvin and Milo rockets and talk through theirs. I would then explain that we are going to make our own fizzy rockets and present the vitamin tablets and the container and ask the children to predict how we might do it.
The children would then engage in the experiment to make the fizzy launcher and compare how the amounts of the tablets/water affect the outcome. The children could work in pairs to determine through testing how best to launch the liquid further with the tablet.
The children would discuss how the fact that pressure causes movement can be helpful in everyday activities (such as using a straw to suck up liquid, blowing up a balloon, jumping on a trampoline, using water guns etc).
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This is a really engaging lesson Cathal. I like how you use visuals at the start of the lesson to grab their attention and it also makes this concept more tangible for children, especially if you’re in the infant end! Your lesson incorporates art and fine motor skill development, which is lovely to see too.
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For Space Week, I would design a themed class plan centred around two exciting activities from the module: Rockets and Alien Chemistry. These provide a brilliant platform to explore key science concepts like forces, reactions, and imaginative thinking.
We would begin the week with a rocket launch video to spark curiosity, followed by a hands-on balloon rocket investigation. Pupils would predict what might happen depending on balloon size or angle, then test their designs and record results. This introduces basic physics in a fun, active way.
Mid-week, we would shift to the Alien Chemistry activity—creating “alien goo” or simple chemical reactions using baking soda, vinegar, and food colouring. Children would work in groups, make predictions, and observe the changes, linking to early chemistry and sensory learning.
To consolidate the week, pupils would create a digital class book or video presentation of what they learned, using apps like Book Creator or Seesaw. These activities foster scientific inquiry, creativity, and digital literacy—all while making Space Week memorable and engaging.
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Hi Seán,
I really enjoyed reading your post! The alien goo activity sounds like such a fun and messy way to introduce younger classes to chemical reactions. I’d love to try more experiments like this with my class next year. It’s a fantastic way to teach the difference between making predictions and documenting results! -
Hi Sean,
These activities are both enjoyable and educational. The Alien Chemistry sounds like a brilliant way for the children to explore science through hands-on experiments and teamwork.I love the ideas of creating a digital class book or video. It is a lovely way to reflect on their learning and it makes the whole experience even more engaging and memorable.
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Activity Set: Rockets
I have decided to reflect upon the activity set, Rockets. When reading through the module this activity resonated with me. I thought that it was a fun and engaging activity and one that my class would love. I am currently teaching 5th & 6th class so I would have to differentiate the lesson a little to suit their ability level.Some ideas for differentiation would be the images I use for the prompt at the start of the lesson. I would choose high quality images and images from the NASA website. I’m not sure the story book, ‘Aliens in Underpants’ would keep the attention of the class so I would need to sub this out for something more age appropriate. Twinkl has a mini book called ‘The History of Rockets’ which I could download and place in the class library.
The Milo and Marvin cartoons are a great tool to help engage the children in the lesson. I feel that my class would really enjoy reading them. They may also inspire the children to create their Toontastic version of their process when designing their rockets.
Discover primary Science and Maths have an excellent lesson on their site suitable for senior classes that I would also use when undertaking this lesson in school: https://www.sfi.ie/site-files/primary-science/media/pdfs/col/dpsm_paper_rocket.pdf
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I chose the same activity set but aimed it at younger children so I like your ideas for differentiating it to make it more age-appropriate and stimulating for the older classes. I agree that the Milo and Marvin cartoons are a great resource. That’s a great idea to have the children record their findings via a comic/ cartoon formmat!
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Hi Lorraine,
Such a great idea in using Toontastic as a digital technology resource to showcase their Science work, the pupils would be really engaged in this work. I really like Marvin and Milo as a resource and will use it next year https://spark.iop.org/marvin-and-milo . Thank you for sharing this resource too, https://www.sfi.ie/site-files/primary-science/media/pdfs/col/dpsm_paper_rocket.pdf it is wonderfully applicable to fifth class and allows for great integration with mathematics.
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Activity Set: Rockets
Engage: show a short, dramatic rocket launch clip from ESA. Open-ended questions to make the children wonder and motivated to learn. “Where do you think the rocket is going?”, “How do you think it goes so high?”, “Could we make something fly like a rocket?” Use talk partners to let children share thoughts and questions. Record ideas on a whiteboard as a mind map.Read ‘The Way Back Home’ or ‘Aliens in Underpants save the world’.
Investigate: use Marvin and Milo resource to carry out the balloon rocket experiment. When the balloon rocket is set up use questions to encourage the children to predict what will happen. “What do you think will happen if we let go of the balloon?”, “Where will it go?”, “Will it go fast or slow?”
Reflect: Use talk partners to share what they have learned and record new learnings to mind map. Encourgae them to finish the sentence “My balloon rocket flew because………”-
I really like your approach, Aveen! Starting with a dramatic rocket launch video is such a great way to capture the children’s interest and spark their curiosity. Using open-ended questions and talk partners gives them a safe space to share ideas and build their thinking. The balloon rocket experiment sounds perfect for Senior Infants—it’s simple but very effective in demonstrating movement and cause and effect. I also love how you’re using the mind map to record their ideas and learning throughout the lesson; it’s a wonderful way to visualize their thinking. Encouraging the children to complete the sentence “My balloon rocket flew because…” is a great reflection tool that helps solidify their understanding. Thanks for sharing such a clear and engaging plan!
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Reflection on Using “Making Mini Rockets” Activity
In my Senior Infants classroom, I would use the Making Mini Rockets activity as a fun way to explore how things move. We would start by talking about different materials—like smooth floors or soft carpets—and guess how far a rocket might travel on each.
The children would then make their own mini rockets using easy materials like paper and straws. After that, we’d test how far our rockets can fly or roll on different surfaces. This hands-on play helps the children see that some surfaces let things move faster or slower.
We’d also chat about what makes rockets move, using simple ideas like “air pushing” or “blowing hard.” The children would watch carefully, talk about what they see, and try again to see if they can make their rocket go farther.
This activity encourages exploring, talking about what happens, and having fun with science in a way that’s just right for young learners.
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Hi Laura, this is a fantastic and well-thought-out approach to introducing the concept of movement to Senior Infants. You’ve clearly considered how to make the learning both meaningful and engaging by using simple, accessible materials and connecting the activity to real-world experiences like different surfaces in the classroom. Your use of prediction and observation encourages the development of early scientific skills in a playful, age-appropriate way. It’s great to see how you’re promoting inquiry-based learning, giving children the opportunity to explore, test ideas and reflect on their findings through discussion and repeated trials. The explanation of how rockets move using simple language like “air pushing” or “blowing hard” shows a strong understanding of how to break down scientific concepts for young learners. The fact that children are encouraged to try again and improve their rockets adds an element of problem-solving to the lesson.
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I would choose the theme of rockets for my class.
First, we would look at videos of rockets, and have a class discussion on what we see and describe the rockets. I would ask the class who would use a rocket, why do we need rockets
Then I would ask the children to draw and design their own rockets. I would do a similar activity to the video in this module. Asking the children if they think we could make things fly, how, I would get some plastic bottles and make the robot mice as shown. I would allow the children to stick their rockets onto the mice and allow each child to launch their rocket into space. We would then reflect and discuss what was happening.
I would further develop the children’s learning by reading the class the story the Darkest Dark by Chris Hadfield. Chris Hadfield is an astronaut who has some excellent videos on YouTube about life on space. We would watch some of these videos and compare them to our lives. This would lead to a drama lesson on how astronauts live in space -
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Make a rocket
I have chosen the activity to make a rocket as I think it is an engaging lesson that all children will enjoy.
I would begin by prompting questions such as what is a rocket? what is it for? what does it look like? we would then look at some videos of actual rockets taking off to spark further interest. We will also check out NASA website.
I would get the children to design their own rocket on a worksheet first and encourage them to consider questions such as where is it going? what shape will it be? how will it fly? so they can consider this in their designs.
We would then use junk modelling to create our own rockets from our design. To experiment with our rockets we would take them outside and investigate how we can make them move- push, pull, roll, blow etc. The children would try their ideas and discuss what they have found.
We could link this in with maths and measure how far they go. This could also spark interest for a drama lesson where the children flew in their rocket to space and they roleplay what happened when they got to space.
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Hi Aisling, what a fantastic, hands-on approach to space learning! I love how you’ve built in questioning, creativity, STEM, and movement all in one engaging lesson. The use of junk modelling encourages sustainability and imagination, and linking it to maths and drama really makes the learning cross-curricular. The idea of measuring distances outside is a brilliant way to make maths meaningful. I’m sure the children will absolutely love designing and launching their own rockets.
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I would choose the Make Rocket activity for Junior Infants during Space Week. This activity is fun, creative, and hands-on, which suits the age group well. It also helps develop fine motor skills, language, and early STEM awareness.
I would start by showing the class a short video or picture book about rockets and space. We would have a brief discussion about what rockets do and why they are important. Then, using recycled materials like cardboard tubes, paper, glue, and stickers, the children would create their own rockets.
While they work, I would encourage them to talk about colours, shapes, and parts of the rocket. I would also introduce simple vocabulary like “astronaut,” “launch,” and “space.” When the rockets are finished, each child would describe their creation to the class. This supports oral language and builds confidence.
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Like lots of other teachers here, I would also like to use the Make a Rocket activity with Junior or Senior Infants as part of Space Week. First and Second classes would also enjoy it. It’s a fun, hands-on task that suits young children and supports fine motor skills, language development, and early STEM learning.
To begin, I’d show the class a short video or read a picture book about rockets. There are lots of lovely books to chose from and we are lucky enough to have a mobile library that visits our school every week. The librarians there would get me a lovely selection of space themed books and stories, if I requested them. We’d talk about where rockets go and if or why they are important. Then the children would use recycled materials from our Junk Art box – cardboard tubes, plastic bottles, paper, glue, and stickers to build their own rockets.
As they work, I’d encourage them to talk about the colours, shapes, and parts of their rockets. Hopefully they will remember some of the vocabulary they heard in the stories I have already read.. Once finished, each child would have a chance to show and describe their rocket to the class. This would support oral language skills and help build their confidence speaking in front of their peers. I know they would be very excited to take home their rockets and tell their parents all about what they learned in school that day. -
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Make a Rocket – Infant Class Lesson
As part of our space theme, I will be teaching the “Make a Rocket” lesson to my infant class. I believe the children will really enjoy this activity as it is fun, creative, and hands-on. It’s a wonderful opportunity to spark their curiosity about space and how rockets work.
To begin, I will share pictures and short video clips of real rockets. We’ll talk about what rockets look like, what they do, and why they’re important. I’ll encourage discussion by asking simple, open-ended questions such as, “Where do rockets go?” and “Who travels in rockets?”
Next, the children will create their own paper rockets using straws, paper, and tape. They’ll decorate them with bright colours and space-themed stickers, adding their own creative flair. I will then demonstrate how to launch the rockets by blowing through the straw, and we’ll test how far each one can travel.
This playful and exploratory activity will support children’s learning in many areas, including fine motor development, early science concepts, language skills, and social interaction. The children will be encouraged to talk about their rockets, share ideas, and observe each other’s creations.
I’m really looking forward to teaching this lively and engaging lesson. It promises to be full of energy, excitement, and discovery as we continue our journey through space.
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Class Plan to Engage with Space Week
My goal for Space Week is to create a fun-filled, action-packed experience that sparks curiosity and fosters a love of space through hands-on, imaginative learning. I aim to inspire a sense of wonder and awe in the children while using a cross-curricular approach to connect learning across subjects.
Day 1 – Launch into Space: Build a Rocket
Objective: To introduce space exploration and kick off the week with an exciting hands-on challenge.
• Discussion: What do we know about space? What would we like to learn?
• Activity: Build and decorate mini rockets using recycled materials (plastic bottles, cardboard, paper, foil).Day 2 – Meet an Astronaut (Imaginative Interview)
Objective: To explore life as an astronaut and develop questioning and speaking skills.
• Activity:
o Watch a short video interview with a real astronaut
o Children brainstorm and write questions they’d ask if an astronaut visited the class.
o Role-play: one child pretends to be the astronaut, others ask their questions.Day 3 – Space Science Fun
Objective: To explore space through simple, fun science experiments.
• Experiments:
o Crater Impact Simulation: Drop small balls into flour and cocoa to simulate meteor impacts.
o Rocket Fuel Experiment: Vinegar + baking soda in a small container to simulate propulsion.
o Gravity Drop Test: Compare falling objects heavy vs light to discuss gravity.
• Discussion: Why is gravity important in space? What is a meteor?Day 4 – Planet Explorers
Objective: To learn facts about the planets in our solar system and express learning creatively.
• Song Time: Learn and sing “The Planet Song” or “We Are the Planets.”
• Group Work: Assign each group a planet to research.
• Art Activity: Create a papier-mâché model or poster of their assigned planet.
• Presentation: Each group shares facts about their planet with the class.Day 5 – Space Celebration Day
Objective: To celebrate learning and showcase the week’s work.
• Dress-Up Day: Children come dressed as space-themed characters (astronaut, alien, star, sun, moon, etc.)
• Space Quiz Game: Fun team quiz using facts from the week.
• Classroom Gallery Walk: Display rockets, planet projects, writing pieces, and experiment photos. -
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For Space Week, I plan to use the “Make a Rocket” activity with my infant class to engage them in playful and meaningful learning about space. I will begin the lesson by watching short video clips of real rocket launches and looking at images of rockets. This will prompt a class discussion with simple questions such as “Where do rockets go?” and “What do they carry?” to encourage curiosity and early scientific thinking. I will then introduce the idea that we are going to design and launch our own rockets using paper, straws, and tape. The children will decorate their rockets using colours and stickers before testing how far they can fly by blowing through the straws. We will record and compare distances on the floor using masking tape and numbers, introducing early maths concepts too.To extend the learning, children will draw or write about their rockets and describe how they work. We will also take photos and videos of the activity to share with parents and include in our Digital Learning Portfolio.This activity is an excellent way to celebrate Space Week with young learners—fun, purposeful, and rooted in active learning and inquiry.
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Space Week Class Plan – Junior/Senior Infants
Monday: Literacy
We could begin with a picture book like “Whatever Next!” to introduce space in an age-appropriate way. We could use the picture book to learn new words like rocket, astronaut, moon, stars, planet.Tuesday: Visual Art
Children could build and decorate their own rocket ships using cardboard tubes and foil. They could also paint planets and stars for a classroom space display.Wednesday: Role-Play/Drama
Using props (helmets, old laptops as control panels, chair arranged in a row), we could role-play going on a space mission. Children would “blast off” to the moon and describe what they see, hear and feel.Thursday: STEM Activity – Design a Martian
Using the “Design a Martian” activity, children could create aliens that live on Mars. We would discuss why Martians might need big eyes or extra legs, etc. due to to terrain and weather conditions.Friday: Music & P.E.
We could finish the week by learning space-themed songs like “Zoom, Zoom, Zoom”. and watching a short clip of a real space station and/or moon walk, then trying to create rocket movements/space walks during PE. -
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I really enjoyed the suggestions in the activity set Alien Chemistry, (Fizzing and Solids, Lquids and Gases). The activity I have chosen from this activity set is the Dancing Raisins activity. This activity lends itself perfectly to Junior or Senior Infant classes. I would tie this activity in with the science lesson Floating and Sinking.
I would link this activity to a previous lesson on floating and sinking. In this lesson we would have investigated which materials will float and which will sink. I would then make use of this previous knowledge to ask the children to suggest what might happen with the raisins in the water a fizzy drink such as lemonade.
I would break the class up into small groups and allow them to investigate what happens when raisins are dropped into water or when they’re dropped into the fizzy drink. The students will record their results pictorially on worksheets.
I would go over the results as a whole class and then ask the children to suggest reasons why the raisins move up and down in the fizzy drink before discussing the science behind the experiment with the class.
Lemonade contains bubbles of carbon dioxide. When added to water raisins will sink because they are heavier than water. The raisins will also sink to the bottom of lemonade, but at the bottom they collect bubbles of carbon dioxide. The raisins and the bubbles are then lighter than the drink, so they rise to the surface. When they reach the surface, the gas bubbles burst and the raisins sink to the bottom where they collect more gas bubbles and so on and so on until the drink loses its fizz.
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I enjoyed the activity set Alien Chemistry and think the Fizzing and Foaming activity would be great for a Junior Infant class!
I would use a prompt like ‘oh no, an alien has crash-landed and left some strange gooy slimy puddles behind’ to spark interest and curiosity. I would prompt the children by asking questions like ‘What do you think the slime is made from?’ and ‘Why is it bubbly?’
We would then make our own alien slime using cornflour, water, and food colouring. The children can experiment with the amount of cornflour and water needed to make their slime, and prompting/discussion questions would be asked, such as ‘What would happen if you added more water?’ and ‘Does the slime change?’.
At the end of the lesson, the class will engage in a discussion and will reflect on their learning by answering questions like ‘What did you see today?’, ‘Did anything surprise you?’ ‘What did the slime feel like?’. Learning could be recorded by the children drawing pictures of what they saw or making a ‘What I Did Today’ class chart with photos and quotes from the children’s learning.
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I would like to try making rocket mice with my class next year. I would do this activity during Space Week and I would introduce it by reading one of the stories I have in the library on the theme of space & rockets. I feel the children would love to work in small groups making the rocket mice and they would also love testing them to see whose works the best and why. I would make sure to teach them about having a fair test as this is key to learning. After the testing, I would get the children to write up whose mouse rocket went the furthest and why. To integrate other subjects areas, we would act out being astronauts during role play in Aistear, measure the distance the rockets went in maths, design rockets in art and learn a poem about rockets in oral language/English.
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I would teach the ‘make a rocket’ lesson to my 2nd class as I believe it would get the children intrigued in space learning. I would introduce the activity by showing a simple video or picture of a rocket to spark their interest and briefly explain how rockets work using air pressure. Then, I would give clear, step-by-step instructions and demonstrate how to make the rocket. I would ask the children to decorate their paper first to make their rockets colourful and unique. After that, I would guide them as they rolled the paper around the straw to form a tube, taped it closed, folded and sealed one end for the nose, and attach small paper fins for stability. I would walk around the classroom, helping students who needed support and encouraging teamwork. Once all the rockets were complete, we would go outside or to a large open space for the launch. I would remind them to place their rockets on the straw and blow hard to launch them. If I organised this activity, I would make sure it was both educational and enjoyable, helping students learn through play and creativity.
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Great lessons provided again in this module!
I would like to teach two of the lessons on rockets to explore how releasing stored energy propels a rocket.
I’d start by asking the class how they think rockets blast off into space. After a few ideas, I’d show them a balloon and blow it up without tying it. I’d then tie a string between two chairs, thread a straw onto the string, and tape the balloon to the straw. Once I let go, the balloon zooms forward. I’d explain that the air rushing out the back pushes the balloon forward—just like rocket fuel creates thrust. We’d try different balloon sizes and talk about which went farther or faster and why. I’d finish by linking it back to real rockets and how they push against air or space to lift off.
Later in the week I’d begin by talking about energy—what happens when we stretch a rubber band? Then I’d show them a cardboard rocket hooked onto a stretched elastic band on a simple launcher. I’d pull it back, count down, and launch! I’d explain that pulling it back stores energy, and letting go releases it, sending the rocket flying. We’d test launching from different distances and talk about how more stretch means more stored energy. Then I’d connect it to how rockets use stored fuel energy to lift off, just like our elastic band.
We would conclude by talking about what both lessons had in common, different ways of showing the releasing energy causes blastoff . -
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I found module five very useful and there are a number of activities that would be engaging for my class. The first activity I would like to do is “ Make a Rocket”. I believe that the children would really enjoy this lesson. I would begin by asking the children to share what they know about rockets with their partner.I would ask them some questions like “ where does a rocket go?” and “ Who would be in a rocket?”. I would then write all the information on the whiteboard. After this I would show the children some videos of rockets launching. Next the children will make their own rocket. I will get the children to paint the toilet roll holder and then decorate it with different materials. When the rockets are ready the children will take the rockets outside. I will incorporate maths into the lesson by getting the children to count backwards from 10-0. They will then see how far their rockets can go. To conclude the lesson I will invite the children up to show their rockets to their peers and share the information they have learned.
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I am lucky enough to know an engineer who works at ESA in the Netherlands, she speaks to class groups online or in person on space-themed topics. So for the last number of years, she has visited our school and talked to the 2nd class group. If I can, the visit coincides with Space Week, but the timing is not always possible.
It is always a fantastic experience, she has shown them actual rocket launches and the procedures that are needed and the length of time and resources it takes for one single launch. She tells them about all the different people needed for this one launch to happen. They always fully engage with the talk and have to be restrained from asking questions continuously! When she finishes she opens it up for questions and the children really engage in this and she answers a question from everyone of them.
Before her visit, we always prepare by looking at space, astronauts who have been in space and space missions. They particularly love the videos from Chris Hadfield, he shows how you do mundane things in space, like drinking water, brushing your teeth or an all-time favourite, how to go to the toilet in space!1
The children also do a space project, I always leave it open ended but 90% are usually rockets!
My ESA lady looks at all their projects and asks them questions about how they did them etc.
So if I can get her to visit us again that is my plan for Space Week, and if Space Week has to be on a different week, so be it, we will have 2 Space weeks!
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Wow Fionnuala, what a great connection to have! Your students are very lucky – I’m sure many of the other teachers doing this course envy you.
For Space Week we run a programme called ESERO Space Goes to School where we connect space industry professionals with classes across the country for a video call about their careers. You can register your interest here: http://www.spaceweek.ie/for-organisers/for-teachers/space-speaker-in-your-classroom/
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What a brilliant initiative! It’s clear the children are not only learning but genuinely inspired by the ESA engineer’s visits. The way you prepare them beforehand with engaging content like Chris Hadfield’s videos and open-ended projects really sets the stage for meaningful interaction. It’s lovely to hear how enthusiastic they are—especially during the Q&A.
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Rockets:
I think the make a rocket activity would be a fantastic lesson to teach to my 1st/2nd class. It would be highly engaging, practical and interesting for the children to see how rockets fly into space!
Firstly, I will use photographs of rockets to create a stimuli for the lesson. This will create a discussion on rockets – what they look like, where do they go etc. I can follow these pictures with a short engaging video about rockets to consolidate learning.
Next, the children will be given an opportunity to make and explore rockets. For 1st/2nd I think the balloon rocket would be a good one to start with. The children can blow up a balloon and let it go. Create a discussion on the direction the released air goes vs the direction the balloon goes. If this works well we could then try make the foam rockets.
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I feel like this activity is just very fun, engaging and interactive in the junior classes.
To engage them, I’d start a discussion on what they already know about rockets, their function, where do they go and who is inside them. Reading the book ‘The Way Back Home’ by Oliver Jeffers or ‘Zoom Rocket Zoom’ by Margaret Mayo or ‘The Hundred Decker Rocket’ by Mike Smith are great books to prompt and explore their imaginations further.
A nice simple rocket making activity for infants is using a long cardboard tube from a paper towel roll. Using coloured construction paper, stickers, foam pieces or whatever recycled bit and pieces you have, cut, stick and decorate the tube which will be the main body of the rocket. Children will need help creating the cone top which can be stuck on or pushed through the tube. Finally, to give the desired effect of flames and movement, cut long stripes of red, yellow and orange crepe or tissue paper at the bottom of the tube. The children can throw their rockets across the yard or from a height and watch the tissue paper flitter as it travels!
To conclude the lesson, You Tube ‘CBS Kids News – Rocket Launch’ is a lovely 3 minute video showing astronauts and a rocket heading for the International Space Station.
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Hi Deirdre, I like the idea of making a rocket from an empty kitchen roll. This would be easy for the infants to manage and then they would just need some help as you say to attach the cone top. The idea of decorating it themselves gives their creativity a chance to be seen. The children in my class would love this activity. I also like the conclusion to your lesson this is a great idea.
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Rockets
I would firstly show the children some video footage of rockets taking off, encouraging them to participate in the countdown. Then we would discuss what they know about rockets and space travel.
Next we would make our own mice rockets. The children could work in small groups to see who’s mouse flies the highest and then we could chat about why they think one went higher than another.
After that in small groups during Aistear the children would get the opportunity to work with help from me to make a balloon rocket. They could then compare their two different rockets and say which one they think is better and why.
In another Aistear group the children could use junk art or LEGO to make a space station for the rockets to launch from, they could also use play dough to make astronauts for the space station.
In the writing station they could draw a picture of their rocket and write a sentence about their rocket or the space station. -
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I would use the “Make a Rocket” activity in my classroom to engage the children during Space Week. I believe my First Class students would really enjoy this activity because they get to build and decorate their very own rockets using colourful, fun, and interactive materials. This hands-on approach helps keep them interested and allows for creativity.
To begin, I would start with talk and discussion – what rockets do and introduce key vocabulary related to space and rockets. I would show the children different images of rockets and play a short video explaining how they have evolved over the years. I would ask them to note how their appearance has changed over the years.
Afterwards, I would explain that the class will be making their own rockets. I would encourage the children to be as imaginative and creative as possible when designing and decorating their models. Finally, I would tell the children that they will have the chance to showcase their rockets to other classes as part of Space Week and explain why rockets are important for exploring space.
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I really like the Esero Make a Spacecraft activity.
I would use this in my classroom. Depending on the age I would get the children to work alone or in pairs/groups.
I like the idea of having story as an introduction. ‘Aliens in Underpants Save the World’ would engage younger children very well.
Before launching I would get the children to pretend to be rockets and we could ‘blast off’.
I would video all of the spacecraft at the end and we could compare and contrast them. What worked well? Which design was more effective? Etc.
I think it would be nice to create a story around our space crafts. Who is on the space craft? What is their mission in space?
I would link this with looking at astronauts in another lesson. There are some lovely videos showing real life astronauts in space on YouTube that would provide good insights. -
I love the Esero make a spacecraft idea.
I have built a rocket using a corkscrew, baking soda and a water bottle before, and a pump. It was a very powerful take off and we lost the rocket over a building site fence, a lot of work went in and then on reflection I felt the rocket just disappeared in seconds never to be found again, it was a bit anti climatic for the children even if successful. It was probably down to the fact we only launched one. I think launching a few and comparing what worked well and what didn’t would be a much better lesson. The hands on approach of building and decorating their own individual rockets would make it so much more interesting and they would take ownership more of their own work. Making a video to compare and contrast would allow for a lot of discussion at the end of the end of the lesson and future planning. This could be linked with the moon landing and countless other space stories.
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I also liked the rocket activity—what a brilliant way to bring science to life. The idea of letting each child build and decorate their own rocket is fantastic for ownership and creativity. To build on it, you could add a simple prediction chart where children guess which rocket will go furthest and why—great for critical thinking.
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Make a rocket
I will teach my 1st class how to make a paper rocket. I will begin the lesson by asking the children what we learned when we made our rockets. What designs worked and what features of a rocket did we think were most important. This will spark a discussion amongst the children about the components of a rocket and recap the vocabulary associated with rockets.
I will then outline the steps we will take to create our rocket and the materials we will use (paper, tape and straws). I will ask the children a variety of open-ended questions such as how far will the rocket fly?, how fast will it go? and do you think anything will go wrong? to encourage critical thinking and the use of mathematical language.
The children will then create and test their rockets. We will test them both indoors and outdoors to see if there is any difference. -
Here is my plan for Space week. I have picked a different space theme topic for each day and tried to extend the activities in 1st and 2nd from those in JI and SI.
Junior Infants & Senior Infants
Monday – Space
– Planet song.
– Space theme story time.
– Space themed play.Tuesday – Rockets
– Engage with a picture of a rocket.
– Rocket Mouse activity.
– Explore changing forces with rocket.Wednesday – Stars
– Focus on the sky today and stars by creating telescopes and constellations from match sticks and playdough.Thursday – Mars
– Explore image and videos of Mars.
– Design a Martian activity.Friday
– Space party.
– Space theme dress up.
– ESERO space goes to school – videoconference with guest speaker.1st & 2nd Class
Monday – Space
– Day and Night Earth Rotation activity (Module 2).Tuesday – Rockets
– Engage with a picture of a rocket.
– Explore a variety of materials and plan a design to make a rocket.
– Learners check to see if the rockets work, explore changing forces and show their creations to the rest of the class.Wednesday – Stars
– Star Gazing – Stellarium.
– Drawing their own constellations.Thursday – Mars
– Story: Curiosity. The Story of The Mars Rover.– Design and make a Mars rover.
Friday
– Space Share – The children will share their creations and experiences from the week.
– ESERO space goes to school – videoconference with guest speaker. -
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Within our class we would complete work on Ancient Greece and how they viewed the sky. Our astronomy work would allow for the introduction of work, using Stellarium, providing for the inclusion of Digital Technology in our class, following our chosen statement and standard taken from the Digital Learning Framework. This work integrates well with our literacy stories for September and October, Charlie and The Glass Elevator and his trip to space and the factual literacy work, based on The Solar System. We would make use of the Curious Minds/ESERO Framework and the steps involved from, prompt to reflection, with our work. The pupils would be active in their own learning, using hands-on classroom activities, from ESERO, Universe in A Box and Drawing their own Constellation resource, from Space Week. We would also make Star Lanterns and design and make rockets, using the resources from Module 5, with support from Marvin and Milo, with their Alka Seltzer Rocket. This work would culminate in time for Space Week Celebrations, 2025, in a display of our classroom learning, with another class, to allow pupils to share their learning, allowing for self and peer assessment and to highlight the activities, around Space Week, in our school. This would support both our school’s STEM work and our SSE. Many of the resources within each module would be shared with other classes, to allow for a whole school approach in engaging with Space Week, 2025.
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I would use Aistear to teach a unit of work on Space and rockets. The children could create their own rockets in the ‘junk art’ station where they can choose from a variety of materials to design and make their rocket. We could then extend this by looking at ways to ‘launch’ a rocket. I really like the idea of the rocket mouse in the infant classes. This could also be part of a unit of work which looks at using air to move things (forces). For example using straws to see what objects can be moved different distances or looking at gradients to see how objects can move faster on a slope. A large Stomp rocket that can be bought online would also be fun to use. Here Come the Aliens by Colm McNaughton is another fun book to use for story time.
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Reflection
One idea I will keep in mind from this course is the importance of using inquiry based learning in lessons and I will definitely make use of the inquiry template to structure STEM lessons going forward.
Another interesting point to note from a video on this course. Is the idea that to teach space to children we don’t just teach them facts and about planets and gravity but rather the relationship between objects in a system and the phenomena that take place. The ‘My Sky Tonight’ resource explained this well and this was a useful resource for the infant classes. I thought the UNAWE article ‘too young to learn’ had some interesting points about how young children can develop scientific knowledge through play as it allows them to search for explanations themselves and therefore incites scientific thinking.
There were lots of useful resources and websites mentioned on this course that I had not used before. Stellarium seems like an excellent tool for exploring the sky (the embedded youtube video of how to find the north star seems like something children would love). I really liked the Marvin and Milo cartoons also. I look forward to trying these ideas out next year.
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First Class: Rockets
Prompt: (English/Science)
In my classroom I would read The Way back home by Oliver Jeffers to discuss what a rocket is. Who normally travels in the rocket. Then I would say that mice want to travel to space (very Douglas Adams!) and that we are going to make rocket mice.
Activity: Using the template provided in the Wonderlab Rocket Mice lesson, we would create our mice following the steps in the experiment.Prompt: (Science/language/critical thinking) We could talk about how we would launch the mice. Balloons? May be hard for the children to inflate; Blowing through straws? Good, but is it fair? What happens if I can blow harder than you? What happens if a taller person and a smaller person launch the mouse? Demonstrate that using the same mouse child and teacher can make the mouse travel very different lengths. How about squeezing bottles? Would it be a fair test if we stuck embellishments on our mice? Why/why not? How about the size of the milk bottles? Should they all be the same? Suggest we test how if the bottle size affects how far our rockets travel.
Extended thinking (maths/science): How can we measure how high/far a mouse flies?
How will we present our findings?Reflection: What did we do to make our test a fair test? Watch a video of different types of rockets launching.
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To use the Fizz and Foaming lessons with 6th class. I would begin by linking the activity to the theme of space exploration and planetary science. I’d introduce the concept of planetary geology, explaining how scientists study chemical reactions to understand other planets’ surfaces, like the fizzing of carbonates on Mars.
I’d start with a whole-class demonstration of the fizzy reaction between vinegar and bicarbonate of soda, encouraging predictions and observations. Then, in small groups, students would carry out their own experiments, testing different “space rock” samples (bicarbonate vs. non-reactive powders) with acid to identify which ones react. This promotes inquiry-based learning, supporting skills in observation, recording results, and drawing conclusions.
Throughout, I’d integrate literacy and numeracy, asking pupils to record findings in tables and write a “science report” on their mission to find carbonates on Mars. The lesson would conclude with a discussion on how similar tests are used in real space missions. -
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For Space Week, I would do the Make a Spacecraft activity with my class. First, I’d show the children the materials we need and go through the steps on the picture guide together. Then, we’d decorate our rockets using coloured paper, paint, and glue. Each child could give their rocket a name too.
Once all the rockets are ready, we’d go outside. I’d help each child fill their container with water and add half a fizzy tablet. We’d place the lid on, turn it upside down, and stand back to watch it launch.
Afterwards, we’d sit together and chat about what happened. I’d ask the children to draw their rocket and write a short sentence or two about what they saw. We might even try the launch again using different amounts of water or changing the size of the tablet to see what happens.
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The activity set I would use is Rockets.
I would start by showing the children a video of a rocket launch, for example, NASA’s Artemis I Rocket Launch. There would be a discussion about the launch, with lots of interesting information on https://www.nasa.gov/humans-in-space/view-the-best-images-from-nasas-artemis-i-mission/
Next, we would do the rocket mice activity (integration with Art). There would be lots of discussion around this experiment, such as, how is the mouse moving? Some children would use 1 litre plastic milk containers and some would use 3 litre containers. Children would be asked for their observations on each.
Finally, we would use drama to consolidate everything we have learned. I would use a freeze frame with the children, to show what it was like for the astronauts in the rocket at the moment of lift off. I would use hot seating, so that an astronaut could be questioned about his / her background and motivation.
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I would do the rockets in my classroom. I was lucky enough to get hands on experience and seeing how to do it and how excited the children got about their rockets. we were at Blackrock castle for our summer program, the children made the mouse rockets and the foam rockets. The children were all engaged and excited about the lesson. We brought out rockets home and everyday for the week they wanted to take their rockets outside and use them again. the older children were even helping the younger children. We added to the experience and did exploding monster and the children naturally compared each monster and how it exploded. I would add the dancing raisins to this science experience.
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Thinking of the activity on Rockets this is how I would adapt it to my school setting.
To start my lesson, I would use a game to prompt excitement. Many of my students use devices to access learning or use assistive technology every day. I would use a game called Space Launcher on a website we have called HelpKidzLearn. Each one of the students can access the site and using either a switch button or an eye gaze device are able to use the game to make a rocket launch.These kinds of games really motivate my students. It would really help to get my students asking wonder questions. I wonder how else we could make a rocket move. I wonder what other force we could. Then we could explore different forces to move objects. Letting balloons go etc. This is something all my students could do too.
We would then do the Alka-Seltzer rocket using the Milo and Marvin comic bit by bit. I would get the children to predict what would happen when we add in the Alka seltzer. Again, all my students could complete this activity in some way and see the effect of the rocket launch for themselves. After experimentation we would discuss our investigation, and we would split the class and try different amounts of Alka seltzer in the tablet. We would then race our rockets. This gives our students choice, ownership and builds excitement too. We could link in Maths also measure distances etc.
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For space week my aistear set-up would incorporate lots of fun space themed activities. The children will get hands on experience exploring this topic. For my science lessons I would incorporate the activities discussed in module 5.
There are really good opportunities for subject integration with this topic. I would start off the week with a fun and engaging song about space to introduce the topic. In literacy I find the story’ Aliens Love Underpants is always a great hit and a good hook for discussions about aliens. For our science lesson we will explore space travel. The children will think about space vehicles and who uses them. The children will then design their own balloon rockets and carry out some simple investigations in small groups measuring the distance their rocket travels.
The children will also have lots of opportunities to expand their learning through the activities set up for aistear, e.g. space station role-play, making moon sand for small world, alien art, simple experiments etc.
The children will be given an opportunity to look back on what they have learned during this week and complete a short learning journal activity to record their favourite parts.
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I would choose the make a rocket activity for my Junior Infant class for space week:
Monday: mystery bag to identify our new topic: various space related toys, images and resources. KWL chart.
Tuesday: Read aloud and discussion: Adam’s Amazing Space Adventure. I would encourage the children to discuss the pictures and text. Children could discuss the rockets, space and their prior knowledge of space. We could add to our KWL chart during and after the read aloud.
Wednesday: Drama lesson – Adam’s Amazing Space Adventure. A process Drama based on the story. Teacher in role to encourage use of space vocabulary.
Thursday: Making rockets activity. We would follow the activity laid out in the resource using paper and straws. Discussion of the activities afterwards and recording of knowledge.
Friday: Art activity: Making rockets using card, paint, crepe paper, tinfoil etc. Children can free play with their rockets after they have dried
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I think the Rocket Mice would be the perfect activity for Senior Infants. For the introduction, to engage the pupils, I would show a clip of a rocket launch. Using the ‘think, pair, share’ method, followed by a whole class discussion, pupils would offer their suggestions/ideas on how a rocket launches.
For the main body of the lesson, pupils would create their own ‘mouse’. Around the classroom there would be several bottles and cartons of varying sizes. Pupils will move around the room, launching their mouse from the different containers, seeing which ones launch the mouse the furthest. Weather permitting, this could also be done outside.
The closure of the lesson would involve a discussion on which containers could launch the mice the highest and why pupils think this is.
Following this lesson, I make different materials available for pupils to allow them to create their own rocket during free time/play.
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Making a Spacecraft:
Begin with a Discussion: Start by talking to the students about spacecraft: what they are, what they do, and how they are used to explore outer space. Mention real spacecraft like space shuttles, rovers (e.g., Mars Rovers), or satellites.
The Challenge: Explain that today, they’ll be building their own spacecraft with a few key features:
A body
Communication dishes (to stay connected to Earth)
Planning the Spacecraft: Have the kids first sketch a simple design of their spacecraft on paper. They should think about:
How big will it be?
What special features should it have (e.g., solar panels, antennas, rocket boosters)?
Where will the thrusters go?
Introduce Key Features:
Thrusters allow the spacecraft to move.
Solar panels gather sunlight and convert it to energy to power the spacecraft.Spacecraft Body: Start with a cardboard base or plastic bottle as the main body of the spacecraft. Kids can decorate it with paint or markers, adding windows, control panels, and their own unique features.
Communication Antennas: Use toothpicks or straws to create antennas on top of the spacecraft.
Decorate with Glitter and Stars: Let the kids decorate the spacecraft with glitter, foil stars, or glow-in-the-dark stickers to simulate stars and outer space.
Test the Spacecraft: Once the spacecraft models are built, organize a launch: Let the kids “launch” their spacecraft across a classroom “launchpad” to test how well the thrusters work.
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For space week I would try to incorporate as much creativity and hands-on learning that I have learned from this course to teach the children about all areas of space. An example of this would be – Lesson 1 (meet the planets) the children would learn the names and order of the planets using songs before making a planet mobile (attaching them in order on a string). Lesson 2 (building a rocket) the children would use a variety of objects including toilet paper rolls, foil, coloured paper to do this. Lesson 3 (moon phases) using oreos the children will twist them open and use the cream to recreate each moon phase on black paper. Lesson 4 (design your own alien) children will listen to the story Aliens Love Underpants before designing their own aliens. Lesson 5 (create a 3d solar system) children will recap on the learning and build a model of the solar system using materials such as foam balls, playdough, sticks, paint etc.
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Rockets and Alien Chemistry – for this I would use the make a rocket lesson with my class. Firstly, to engage the class we would look at videos of the launching of rockets or perhaps read the book Aliens in Underpants Save the World.
Then using the Milo & Marvin cartoons as stimulus we would make a balloon rocket. The cartoon is great to get them interested and asking relevant questions.
We will discuss the end result and try to understand that as the air rushes out it propels the balloon forward. We will then apply what we have learned into other learning situations such as sports (e.g. archery).
The making a Spacecraft activity is another lesson that would work well during Space Week and I am looking forward to trying this one also.-
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Hi Emma – lovely lesson and I like your idea of linking your learning to things like sports. Just to note, the balloon is moving as you mention because the the air rushing out from it pushes it forwards. This is not why an arrow flies when doing archery – in this case pulling back the string of the bow stores potential energy and when you let go this is converted into kinetic energy that propels the arrow forwards.
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he rocket activity is an exciting, hands-on way to bring physics, engineering, and space science to life in the classroom. I would use this activity as a central feature of Space Week, a themed week of STEM-focused learning. Students would design and build simple rockets using materials like paper, straws, or plastic bottles and explore concepts such as force, motion, gravity, and air resistance. We’d launch the rockets outdoors, measure distances, and analyze variables that affected flight.
To consolidate this experience, I would build a full Space Week plan that includes cross-curricular links:
Science: Rocket launches, planet research
Math: Measuring flight distances, creating bar graphs
Art: Designing mission patches and rocket art
Literacy: Writing astronaut diaries or alien encounter stories
Digital Learning: Using simulation tools to model rocket trajectories
Throughout the week, students would record observations, reflect in journals, and showcase their work during a “Space Showcase” for parents and peers. This plan fosters inquiry, teamwork, and creativity—all key components of STEM learning. -
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I really liked the idea of using the comic strip for the younger children. I thought my class would really enjoy this.
1st Class: How Does a Rocket Move? (Using Marvin and Milo Balloon Rocket)
Energy & Forces – Forces (Pushes and Pulls)
Investigating how a rocket moves using a balloon rocket inspired by the Marvin and Milo comic strip.I’ll divide them into groups
1 balloon (round or long)
1 drinking straw (cut in half)
1 long piece of string (approx. 2–3 metres)
Tape (masking or sellotape)
Chairs or sturdy supports to tie the stringI will Show the Marvin and Milo balloon rocket comic strip on the board and then I’ll ask lots of guiding questions to get some discussion going and see their prior knowledge:
“What are Marvin and Milo doing?”
“What do you think is going to happen to the balloon?”
“Have you ever let go of a balloon without tying it? What happened?”
“How do you think this is like a real rocket?”Afterwards, I’ll demonstrate the experiment once with the whole class watching:
Show the string set-up tied between two chairs.
Thread the straw through the string and tape the balloon to the straw.
“What do you think will happen when I let go?”
Let the balloon go and observe.I’ll explain that children will now work in groups of 4. Before they start:
Go through the steps slowly with each group to make sure they understand.
Assign clear roles (balloon blower, string holder, taper, releaser).
Ask:
“How much air should we put in the balloon?”
“What will happen if we add more air?”
“What direction do you think the balloon will go?”
“Why do we need the straw and string?”
Children carry out the experiment, test it a few times, and observe.
Encourage group discussion and questioning.Finally, I’ll ask children to draw what happened on their worksheet:
“Can you draw the balloon rocket before and after it moved?”
Label: balloon, string, air, direction.At the end, I’ll Bring everyone back together to discuss:
“What made the balloon move?”
“Where did the air go?”
“How is this like a real rocket?”
“What would happen if there was no air in the balloon?”Finish with:
“What did you enjoy most about being a rocket scientist today?” & Why? -
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Space Week Whole School Plan
Monday – Wonder & Curiosity Day
● Space-themed assembly to kick off the week.
● Create a “Space Wonder Wall” in the corridor and each class contributes questions or drawings.
● Introduction to key vocabulary and events.
● Mission Patch Art Competition.
Tuesday – Rocket Launch Challenge
● Each class builds and launches a simple rocket (balloon/straw/paper).
● Results displayed on a school leader board.
Wednesday – Dress-Up & Parade
● Students dress as astronauts, aliens, or planets.
● Space-themed parade in yard or hall.
Thursday – Space Stations
● Classes rotate through activity stations (Art, Coding, Science, Reading, Quiz).
● Older students can help lead or support younger ones.
Friday – Space Cinema & Reflection
● Space themed movie screenings by age group e.g. ‘WALL-E’, ‘Space Jam’, ‘E.T the Extra-Terrestrial’.
● Virtual stargazing or constellation activity.
● Awards and certificates distributed at closing assembly.
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What a wonderfully structured and engaging plan. It’s lovely to see how each day builds on the children’s natural curiosity while offering a wide variety of learning experiences. I like the mix of creativity, hands-on STEM, and collaboration across age groups. I especially like the inclusion of older students supporting younger ones during the activity stations—it’s such a great way to build confidence and community. The “Space Wonder Wall” is a brilliant idea too—it gives every child a voice and a chance to share their thinking.
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For Space Week, I would continue with the story Aliens love Underpants as a stimulus in Infants. This provides a thematic base for activities from the module: Rockets and Alien Chemistry.
We could watch a rocket launch video, followed by a balloon rocket investigation using a balloon taped to a straw on a long string. In groups children can experiment with the “rockets”. Pupils would predict what might happen depending on balloon size or angle. This introduces basic physics in a fun, active way.
The Alien Chemistry activity would be exciting for children —creating “alien goo” or simple chemical reactions using baking soda, vinegar, and food colouring. These sensory activities are a huge hit. Children would work in groups, make predictions, and observe the changes.
Pupils could record their observations and I could take photos to create a digital class book or video presentation of what they learned to share with other classes.
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Make a Fizzy Space Rocket
Begin with this You Tube video to inspire children to think about the chemical process involved in making rockets. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpOaURDl7s0
Explore using a variety of materials to highlight chemical reactions causing gas.
Using Coke and Mentos to highlight the reaction.
Use baking soda and vinegar to make their rocket.
Use a fizzy tablet and vitamin tube,
Allow children to choose their material to make their own rocket. Integrate it with art to stick on decorations to design their own rockets.
Allow children the opportunity to feed back to the class, present and explain the process involved. Display all rockets in the classroom.
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Thanks Kay for this great idea on how to Make a Fizzy Space Rocket, I will definitely try this with my first class. I think they would love trying out all the different ways to make chemical reactions such as using coke and mentos and baking soda and vinegar.
I also like how you suggest incorporating it into an art lesson by decorating the rockets, allowing the students to give feedback on their rockets and displaying them in the classroom.
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Hi Kay,
This is another lovely way to make rockets that the children will really enjoy. The messier the better sometimes! You have a number of great ideas mentioned in your post that could give you a full fortnight of different activities to engage the children in or else have different groups trying different processes. It would be great for the class to come back together then and use their Science skills in order to determine which rocket was the most successful. As you also mentioned, these are great activities to integrate with other subjects like Art. I think your use of a YouTube video as a stimulus for your class is really effective too. I will definitely be trying out some of these ideas with my own class this year.
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In this enquiry-based lesson for 1st Class, I would introduce the topic of rockets by reading The Way Back Home to spark curiosity and imagination about space travel. To engage the children further, I would show a short, dramatic rocket launch clip from the European Space Agency, encouraging wonder and excitement. Open-ended questions like Where do you think the rocket is going? and How do you think it goes so high? would be used to prompt discussion partners, helping children share ideas. Their thoughts would be recorded on a class mind map. Moving into the investigation, I would use the Marvin and Milo cartoon to introduce the balloon rocket experiment. The children would help set it up and be encouraged to predict what might happen when the balloon is released, thinking about direction, speed, and force. After the experiment, we would reflect together updating our mind map with new learnings. Children would be guided to complete the sentence My balloon rocket flew because… to help consolidate their understanding through talk and observation.
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I would use the ‘Balloon Rockets’ activity to introduce my students to basic physics concepts such as thrust, force, and motion. First we would watch a short video of a real rocket launch to spark curiosity and interest. Then, in small groups, pupils would design and build their own balloon rockets using string, straws, and balloons. I think it would really benefit their understanding if prior to launching the rockets, they had the chance to predict which would go the furthest and why. We would measure the distances travelled, encouraging pupils to consider things that may have effected the travel ability of each rocket, such as size. Through a hands on investigation like this, skills like teamwork, observation and fair test principles would all be enhanced. This is an activity I look forward to trying during space week as it links really well with other subject areas like maths, whereby the class could graph the results or literacy whereby children could write a report on their findings.
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Module 5
For Science week, with younger children, I would like to make 5 days of activities centring around rockets and space.
Monday: Read ‘Whatever Next’ by Jill Murphy
Talk about the cover. Read half way and make predictions. Talk about how we could make a rocket, what it would be like to visit the moon, the stars or another planet. Encourage scientific language. Introduce the planets song.
Tuesday: Create a rocket dog/mouse
Talk about the first animal in space. Imagine what it was like to be Laika travelling in space. What would a dog need? Use the lesson plan from the resources to make a rocket mouse/dog and see which travelled the furthest. Use STEM language involving distance and force terms.
Wednesday: Yard time obstacle course. Create an obstacle course in the yard using hoops, tunnels and cones.
Imagine what it would be like to be in space. You are an astronaut that must collect rock samples on the new planet. Children work in relays to go through the obstacle course and collect ‘rocks’.
Thursday: Rocket and space free-play
Children are given construction materials at each group to make a rocket (lego, duplo, blocks, straws, polydrons). They work together at their group to decide what they would like to make together and then work together to make it happen. Children can use chairs and other objects from the room to imagine what ‘take-off’ and ‘landing’ might be like.
Friday: Create your own rocket using recycled materials from home, bottles cardboard, paper etc. Use space themed music to embed learning of planet names.
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Planning for Space Week has been an exciting opportunity to consolidate the learning from this course and to bring the wonders of space to life for my Junior Infants in a developmentally appropriate and engaging way.I have picked activities that I believe would work in my school and classroom.
Class Plan for Space Week:
Monday – Storytime Launch: Read “Whatever Next!” by Jill Murphy. Discuss the idea of space travel and ask, “What would you pack for the moon?”
Tuesday – Creative Aliens: Art activity to design and name their own aliens using mixed materials. Vocabulary building through describing their creations.
Wednesday – Aistear: Mission to Space: Role play in the Space Station; small world moon surface; junk art rockets; space-themed puzzles and books.
Thursday – STEM Investigation: Build and test paper straw rockets. Ask: “What makes it fly farther?”
Friday – Planet Parade: Learn a simple song about the planets and have a mini “space celebration” with their work displayed.
This plan allows for rich cross-curricular integration, from language and SESE to maths and STEM. Most importantly, it maintains a sense of wonder and inquiry, which is vital at this early stage. Through hands-on activities, open-ended questions, and playful exploration, the children can develop early scientific thinking while having fun. Going forward, I’d love to involve families by sending home a “Space Challenge” activity and perhaps even inviting a virtual guest speaker like an astronomer or engineer.I hope some course participants would find this plan useful.
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I would like to do the inquiry based lesson on how to make a rocket with my 1st class. I would begin the lesson by discussing what they know about rockets and reading books such as ‘Aliens Wear Underpants Save the World’ and ‘The Way Back Home’
As a class we would then do the experiment ‘Shooting a rocket into the Air’. The question at the beginning would be, ‘how high can you make rocket mice fly?’.
The equipment needed is an empty plastic bottle, sticky tape, decorations and the rocket mouse template. Firstly, cut out the rocket mouse template, roll the paper and stick it with sticky tape. Place the rocket mouse template on the top of the bottle. When you squeeze the bottle the rocket mouse will fly into the air. I would ask the students to try this with different plastic bottles and ask what is making the rocket go up into the air and back down again.
Finally, we would discuss how squeezing everyday objects like a ketchup bottle increases the pressure inside and this makes the sauce come out.
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I think my class would enjoy making a rocket. I would ask the children what they think of when they hear the word rocket. I would then show some u tube clips of rockets launching and ask where does the rocket go, who is inside, what do you think they will see in space?
I would then show the children the resources list that Marvin and Milo used to make a balloon rocket. I would ask them to predict how Marvin and Milo intend to make a balloon rocket. I would then show them the process step by step allowing the children to predict what will happen next. The children would then follow the steps, create their own rocket and investigate how to make the rocket go higher and further.
I would use the books aliens in Underpants and The Way Back Home to integrate this lesson with Literacy.
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Rocket Launchers
One of my favourite themes to explore with younger classes is rockets and space travel—it always sparks so much curiosity and excitement! I would begin with some dramatic rocket launch videos. The children love joining in with the countdown, and it’s a great way to build anticipation. We then chat about what they already know about rockets, astronauts, and space missions—some of their ideas are wonderfully imaginative!
After that, we dive into hands-on activities making “straw rockets” using paper and straws. The children work in pairs to test how far their rockets fly, and we talk about what might affect the distance—like the angle of launch or the size of the fins.
During Aistear, we rotate through different space-themed stations. One group builds balloon-powered rockets and compares them to their straw rockets, discussing which design worked better and why. Another group uses LEGO or recycled materials to create launch pads and control centres, while others sculpt astronauts and aliens out of play dough.
At the writing station, the children draw their rockets and write short captions or imaginative stories—like where their rocket is going or who’s on board. Some even create “mission logs” for their space journey!
It’s a brilliant way to blend science, creativity, and literacy, and the children are always buzzing with ideas.
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Lesson on rockets for second class.
I would introduce the theme of space and rockets using a story such as Aliens in underpants. I would source a number of space themed books from the local library to have in the classroom for the children to use in their own time.The above is a clip of a rocket take off which would also be very useful in getting the children thinking and talking about how we will build our rockets and the fuel we will use!
I have used the milk carton rocket experiment with a group of children in the Summer programme and it was a great success. The children were very excited and had lots of ideas, questions and suggestions of what to try with their rockets. I would investigate further with my class by using different sized cartons- experimenting with the idea of which one sends the rocket highest. Also we could try using different sized rockets/ mice . Investigate if using different types of card or paper affects the ability of the rockets or how far they travel.
The children could then present their experiment and their findings to another class, demonstrating how to build/make the rocket and how to power/fuel it.
Further work that could link in with other subject areas would be to make a picture /drawing of the rocket and use a straw to blow paint to give the effect of fire from the launch. The children could pick a famous astronaut and do a piece of report writing on their journey to becoming a astronaut. -
Children love rockets so I have chosen the rockets activity set from this module.
To start the lesson I plan to show the children a short video of a rocket launch from CBC kids News. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqn-JjTmAps)
I will then use the ‘Design and Make a Paper Rocket’ resource from curiousminds.ie.
I particularly like the suggested trigger questions which will engage and focus the children on their learning.
What is the hardest part about going into space? (Getting off the ground!).
Why is this? (The strong pull of Earth’s gravity brings things back to the ground).
So how does something huge and heavy like a spacecraft manage to break away from Earth’s
gravity? (A powerful rocket blasts it into space).
What is a rocket? (A cylinder full of materials which produce gases).
How does it work? (Gases going out the back of the rocket push it forward, like an untied blown-up balloon goes forward when you let it go while the air goes out the back).
Where do these gases come from?(From burning fuel).
For something to burn what do you need? (Air/oxygen)
But there is no air in Space! So how do the fuels burn? (Rockets carry their own oxygen with them)
After the questioning stage I will demonstrate how to make the paper rocket and then allow the children in pairs to make their own paper rockets.
The testing stage will involve Maths and discussion of judgement of fair testing. Results to be recorded. I will encourage the children, after making the basic paper rocket, to make adaptations to see can they make their rocket fly better.
During Space Week I plan to have a homework challenge to make a rocket. I have done this in the past and the children , with the help of their parents have come up with amazing creations. -
Space Week Plan
I would create a padlet of a variety of activities for teachers to choose from. Some things I would include, Give a fun fact about space everyday. Teachers would read space themed stories everyday/ show videos the solar system, the moon, astronauts ect carry out experiments and showcase them to other classes. I would ask teachers to choose a science activity based on the space theme and then the children could showcase what they had learned to each other in the different classes. Writing activities/ comprehensions based on the space theme for the week. Kahoot quiz on the space theme. Art activities like building a rocket or creating their own planet using polystyrene balls, sun catchers in the theme of space. We could end the week by dressing up. The children could choose a space themed character. I would hold a competition for the best costume from each class. -
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As part of the space topic, I will teach the “Make a Rocket” lesson to my first class this year. This activity is hands-on, creative, and will inspire curiosity about how rockets work.
We will begin by watching a short video of a real rocket launch which I took myself at the Kennedy Space Centre this summer to make the topic very relatable to real life and we will then look closely at images to identify key features of a rocket the nose cone, fins, and engine. I will ask the children some questions such as “What makes the rocket go up?” and “Why do they need lots of power?”
The children will then build their own straw rockets – integrating the construction visual arts strand using paper, tape, and straws. They will decorate their rockets with bright colours and space stickers before launching them. We will test the rockets, measure the distances they travel, and compare results, linking science to simple maths skills.
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Activity: Make a Rocket
To introduce my special class to the lesson I would start with a question: “What do rockets do? How do they move?” I would encourage the children to share their ideas, guiding them toward the idea of rockets moving by air or force.
I would then blow up a balloon and let it go so the children could watch it fly around the room. Explain this is air pushing the balloon, similar to how rockets move.
I would then explain to the children that we’re going to make our own mini rockets and test how far they can go using just air. To make the rocket: roll a small rectangle of paper around a straw to make a rocket body. Tape it so it stays in shape but don’t tape it to the straw! Seal one end of the paper tube (fold and tape it closed). Decorate the rocket if desired (name, flames, etc.). To test the rocket: put the rocket on the end of the straw. Blow hard through the straw and watch it fly! Try launching on different surfaces or from different angles.
To challenge the older children in my class I would ask them to measure how far each rocket goes. Try blowing harder or softer. Predict which one will go the furthest.
At the end of the lesson we would have a class discussion and reflection; “What made the rocket move?” “What happened when you blew harder or softer?” “How could we make it go farther?” “What surface helped the rocket go the furthest?”
I would reinforce that air can create movement, and that we can change how far something moves by changing how we use air (force). -
I would use the Balloon Rockets activity with my 2nd class as a fun and practical way to explore forces and motion. We would begin with a short video of a real rocket launch to capture interest, then discuss how rockets move. I would ask the children to predict what will happen when the balloon is released along the string. In groups, pupils would construct their rocket using string, straws, and balloons, then test and record results. We would vary factors such as balloon size or string angle to investigate what makes the rocket travel further or faster, introducing the idea of fair testing. This activity supports key science skills such as predicting, observing, and analysing, while also linking to maths through measuring distance travelled. It is engaging, inexpensive, and easily adaptable, and would work well during Space Week to connect classroom learning to real-life STEM applications.
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For Space Week in 3rd Class, I would use the Planet Research Challenge. Students are divided into eight groups, each assigned a planet, the Sun, or the Moon. Using fact sheets, books, and safe online resources, they gather information on size, distance from the Sun, unique features, and any moons. Groups create a colourful poster with both facts and drawings, encouraging creativity alongside research. The following day, each group presents their planet to the class, allowing peer learning and public speaking practice. This activity promotes teamwork, literacy, and scientific inquiry, while also developing ICT and presentation skills. To support all learners, I would provide simplified fact sheets for those who need them, and extension questions for more able students (e.g., “Could humans live here?”). This task engages curiosity about space while consolidating knowledge through both research and creative expression.
Sallyanne Barry
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I would engage the children in a lesson all about building rockets. I would introduce the lesson with a KWL chart to elicit the children’s prior knowledge on space and rockets.
I would start by reading the book ‘Sadie Sprocket Builds a Rocket’. We would have a class discussion on what planet the children would visit in their rocket and why, what they think they would see on the way, what they would bring with them in their rocket etc.
I would explain to the children that we would be making our own rockets, mouse rockets. The children would work in groups to gather resources from home they might need over the course of a week (e.g. different size cartons/bottles). They would then work together to make their rockets in class. The children would carry out different investigations as a whole class.
-What is the difference in using bigger/smaller bottles? Why?
-How does changing the force on the rocket effect how fast/far it goes?
-Fair tests? What angle did you launch the rocket from?
The children would then discuss the idea of building force inside the bottle, which results in pushing the air out of launching the mouse rocket into the air.As a follow up lesson, the children would engage with Marvin & Milo balloon rocket and penny rocket rescources. These are different examples of rockets we could build. Some groups will then spend the following week or so building the balloon rocket and the other groups would build the penny rocket. Further investigations will be made to see which rocket turned out the best, which would go further, which took more time etc.
The children could take pictures of their step by step building of the rockets, uploading them to their google classroom and create a Google Slides presentation on their findings and comparisons of different rockets. The rockets and presentations could be showcased to the rest of the school community during STEM week. -
Using the 2 Marvin and Milo cartoons with 1st and 2nd multi grade class:
We would begin with some discussion around rockets and what the children already know. They would be encouraged to think about what makes rockets ‘go’.
Exploration of the ‘rocket mouse’, ‘Marvin and Milo balloon rocket’ and the ‘Marvin and Milo penny rocket’ cartoons would follow. The class would be divided into pairs and asked to pick one of the rockets to make. They would be encouraged to predict how far their rocket will ‘shoot’ and given time to make their rockets and carry out their investigations. They could decorate their rockets to add an artistic element to the task! They would carry out the investigations and make observations.
The children would be encouraged to think about ways the rocket might be improved or what might affect the distance travelled. If possible they would record the distance travelled.
Communicating back to the class would follow. Some videos of real rockets launching might be a nice ending activity.
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That sounds grea Lisa, I like the idea of measuring how far the rocket had travelled, I hadn’t thought of that link back to Maths. I looked through all the Marvin and Mile cartoons in the last module and there are some really engaging, simple experiments in them that could be very useful to help students understand the scientific process.
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I can see myself using the activity set on rockets in my junior infants class. I think that they would probably love the “Aliens in underpants” book series, as they of course seem to find any reference to underpants hilarious. I would begin by reading one of the stories, drawing particular attention to rockets or any other space craft in the story. I would then ask them to draw their own spacecraft, discussing what features make it a good rocket or spacecraft for exiting earth and exploring. We could then make 3D models of the spacecraft. I could ask parents to send in cardboard boxes, toilet rolls etc and build up materials over the course of a week. We could then attempt to create our rockets. This is a good STEAM activity and would involve lots of problem solving and reflection on design etc. There are also lots of lovely cross curricular links with rockets and Maths, particularly shape. We could play games where I call out certain shapes eg. 3 triangles, 1 circle, 1 rectangle and students have to draw a rocket on a whiteboard using those shapes. I would also do the rocket mice (from the science museum in London) investigation with them as it is a good link to forces and would naturally raise questions about how to launch the rocket mice farther. I also feel they would really enjoy launching the mice so engagement would be good.
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Balloon Rocket Lesson with First Class
Introduction: To engage the children I would read the book The Way Back Home by Oliver Jeffers, this stimulus would then be used to explore rockets and their function. I would show the children the video of Marvin and Milo of the balloon rocket experiment. We would have a discussion based on this to make the use of rockets and how they work more tangible for the children. By blowing up the balloons and showing them, this will make it easier for them to understand.
Investigate: the children will then create their own balloon rockets with assistance. I would encourage them to decorate them to incorporate some art elements into the science lesson. The children will predict what will happen each rocket. They will stand in a line and see what direction their rocket goes and at what speed. To incorporate Maths, we will play the blast off numbers game while doing this.
Reflection: the children will then be reminded to reflect on what Marvin and Milo discussed about air pushing out and making the rocket move forward. This will promote a discussion on how their investigation went through an interactive, hands on learning experience.
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Alien Chemistry with Infants
Infants love mess and goo so I will definitely be doing some Alien Chemistry with my crew this year. I would make Alien Slime – or oobleck as I know it. This is made very simply with cornflour and water, with some colouring if desired. I have found that infants just love the feel of oobleck and could stand for hours playing with it. I made it with them in the tough tray this year and they loved it. They love the texture and the way the oobleck behaves – it looks like a liquid but acts like a solid and vice versa. I usually explain what a solid is and what a liquid is before we make it so they have some of the language needed for the experience.
I also love the Rocket Mouse and will definitely be making those with the children this year. It is an opportunity for so much discovery and creativity. -
Rockets
I would start off the lesson by asking the children what they know about Rockets? I would show them the Apollo 11 rocket launch video and the footage of Neil Armstrong as he was the first person to walk on the moon. I would get the children to discuss all of the preparation the astronauts would have to do in order to be prepared for it.
I would teach them how to make their own balloon rocket and discuss the outcome. Then, I would teach them how to make a foam rocket and a paper plane. I would get them to carry out an investigation so see if different factors affect how far the foam rocket and paper plane goes. For example, They would start to investigate if the rocket goes further if they are standing up or sitting down. We would discuss the force of the foam rocket to see how far it goes. We also will discuss if it was a fair test or not.
In conclusion, I would read “The way Back home”.
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Great ideas Jenny. I love the idea of using junk art or LEGO to make a space station for the rockets to launch from, and play dough to make astronauts for the space station is very creative and the children would love that.
I love the idea of drawing a picture of their rocket and write a sentence about their rocket or the space station.
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