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Prior to Space Week, I would sit down and plan accordingly using Curriculum documents. I would ensure that the subjects of history, geography, and science are all given equal time this week as well as touching on Space in other curriculum areas. I would look for integration opportunities whilst making my plan.
In Lesson 1, I would introduce Space Week to the class. We would discuss Space and I would question the children on the different things they know about Space. I would provide the children with opportunities to research Space on the iPads and to write down 5 questions they would like to know the answers to by the end of the week.
Geography- In Lesson 2, I would focus on the Planets. Looking at the size and appearance of each planets, how they are similar and how they differ to each other. We would explore the distance of the planets to the Sun. A focus would occur on Planet Earth in this lesson.
English- In Lesson 3, I would focus on Adjectives and describing words. In this lesson, the children would create their own planets. This lesson aims to build on the children’s learning from Lesson 2.
History- In Lesson 4, I would focus on the history of Space. A timeline of key events in history would be explored and discussion surrounding the importance of these and how they contributed to Space as we know it today.
Science- In Lesson 5, the children would engage in a design and make experiment testing different materials to create rockets. Discussion would occur surrounding how the rocket could move faster, what materials were most effective.
Art- In Lesson 6, to conclude the week the children would engage in Solar System Splatter painting.
I think a School Self Evaluation regarding the SESE curriculum is effective as the curriculum is broad and is composed of 3 subjects. It is important each subject receives equal teaching time. Prior to carrying out a School Self Evaluation, I think it is important to gather information from teachers and students and facilitate both teacher and student voice surrounding current teaching of SESE within the school. This can be done using a survery. Findings from this will then help steer the Self Evaluation Plan. I think it could be effective to devise a whole school approach to SESE across the class levels. For example:1st and 2nd class. In 1st class there is a focus on particular strands and strand units across history, geography, and science. In 2nd class, there is a different focus. By the end of 2nd class, children have engaged with all strands and strand units of the SESE curriculum. By doing so, it means some strands are not forgotten about and some are not covered multiple times. Another thing that could arise from a School Self Evaluation is a focus on different events at different times of the year such as Space Week, Engineering Week, and so on.
I am teaching Junior Infants next year and will definitely use some of these ideas, thank you for sharing!
Mindmap about Space: Prior to teaching Space I would create a mind map of key words. These key words would be the focus of my lessons and would also be the vocab I would want the children to know come the end of the series of lessons on Space.
Key words
Planets, Solar System, Moon,Sun,Stars, Galaxy, Gravity.All of these could be chosen as a focus for a lesson and built upon in follow up lessons. Space is a very broad area and it is often only brief touched upon in lessons in workbooks. A great idea prior to teaching Space would to gather what the children already know. A ‘KWL’ chart would be an effective tool to use here. Children may be more interested in the planets or could be fascinated by the First Moon Landing. A teacher can then choose where to focus the lessons so the children’s interests are built upon. Getting the children to do their own mindmap could be an effective idea also. In junior classes, the children could draw what they know about Space and the teacher could discuss their drawings with them
Aliens and Space
I would introduce this lesson by reading the children the story ‘When Alien Comes For Tea’ in a circle. We would discuss the events of the stories and I would question the children on Aliens. Questioning would occur surrounding do all aliens look the same, why/ why not? I would ask the children to share Aliens they may be familair with from books or tv shows. After this, I would divide the class into pairs. Each pair would recieve a variety of cards (eyes, body, feet, nose, arm, etc).I would model the activity first ‘My alien has 3 eyes, a purple body, wiggly arms and no legs’ The children would experiment with the different cards to create their own Alien. I would then ask the children to descibe their Alien to me. Discussion would occur surrouding the differences and similarities of the Aliens. In a follow on lesson, I would get the children to create their aliens using playdough and a variety of different materials such as string, googley eyes, lollypop sticks
I really like the idea of a Kahoot Quiz in this lesson, it adds a fun element whilst also providing the teacher with a means of informal assessment !
For this lesson, I would focus on the Moon. I would start out by eliciting the children’s prior knowledge on the moon. I would then get the children to draw what the moon looks like. Next up, I would show the children a video about Neil Armstrong and the First Moon Landing. I would question the children on the events of the video. I would then link this back to the children’s original drawing of the moon. After this, I would divide the class into groups to sequence the First Moon Landing using cards. I would then call upon the children to describe their sequence of events using their own words. In a follow up lesson, I would explore the properties of the moon. There are many links for learning when teaching about the Moon.
An inquiry based activity to explore the different distances to the Sun based on planet location in 2nd class.
I would introduce the lesson by showing the children a photograph of the different planets. I would question the children on the distance of each Planet to the Sun.
Questioning: would occur surrounding closest planets to the sun and furthest away planets and how this could effect the planet.
Questioning would also provide me with an opportunity to elicit the children’s prior knowledge on the planets and the Sun.
Next, I would call up different children and provide them with a photograph of a planet. The children need to rearrange themselves in order of closest and furthest away to the sun.
The other children would then be provided with distance in kilometeres on cards.
Together, the children need to predict which distance corresponds to which planet.
Seeing the children stand at the top of the classroom with the planet pictures would help and this activity would also encourage co-operative learning and teamwork.
Throughtout the lesson, the teacher would question the children on their choices and ask them to explain their reasoning.
At the end of the lesson, the teacher will call out the distance with the correct planet.
This lesson incorporates Maths and measures. It also provides endless opportunites for integration.
