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During storytime in my classroom, I would use this website to choose stories about astronauts and space. We would include these stories in our reading sessions to pique the interest of our younger students in space.
I would also get ideas for space-themed arts and activities from the pictures on the page. The kids might look at different images and use art supplies and recycled materials to recreate these images. This could be an Aistear station.
As a class, we would also play interactive games and work through riddles with a space theme. This would offer an enjoyable and light-hearted approach to reinforce space education.
I will definitely use the Stellarium resource. The children can view different stars and constellations. We could then create Art based on what they see/ find.
I love the idea of using a picture book as a stimulus. I also teach infants and will definitely use these ideas.
Ideas for Space Week:
1. Rocket Building and Launching
Students design and build simple rockets using various materials e.g. paper, plastic bottles.2. Space-Themed Art and Creative Writing
Students create space-themed artwork, including drawings, paintings, or models of planets, spacecraft, or alien life. They can also write stories, poems, or essays inspired by space.3. Space Science Experiments
Conduct simple experiments in class. Each class chooses a different experiment to present at Assembly.4. Guest Speaker or Virtual Space Expert
Invite a guest speaker, such as an astronomer, astronaut, or space scientist, to talk about their work and experiences. If in-person visits aren’t possible, arrange a virtual session.5. Space Quiz
Organize a quiz with questions related to space.6. Design a Space Mission
Students work in teams to plan a space mission. They decide on the mission’s objective (e.g., exploring Mars), design the spacecraft, and outline the mission timeline.7. Create a Space Podcast or News Broadcast
Students research current events in space news and create a podcast or video news segment..Activity Set; Stars
I would introduce the theme by reading the picture book ‘How to Catch a Star’ by Oliver Jeffers. ‘Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star’ would be a great introduction too.
Create Art based on the picture book.
Use match sticks to create constellations. Incorporate Maths by asking the children to count the corners on the stars.
Star Charts: Use simple star charts to help students learn the names and locations of a few major stars and constellations.
Create constellations on the classroom ceiling or a dark piece of paper using glow-in-the-dark star stickers.Star Jars: Create “star jars” using jars, water, and glitter to represent stars and galaxies.
I picked up the idea of using pegboards to create constellations. I think this is a great idea.
Hi Ursula,
I love all the different elements of your lesson. I will definitely use the song in my lesson too.
Activity Set: The Sun and Shadows
The children investigate what a shadow is, how it is formed, and whether
a shadow changes during the day.
Take the children outside to the playground. Organise the children into pairs. Give each pair chalk. One child will draw and the other needs to stand still. Ask all the children who will be standing still to face
in the same direction. The other children use chalk to draw around
the shadows of their classmates. They should also draw around the feet of the children who are standing still. This will help them to remember where they were standing when they come back in a couple of hours. Draw the children’s attention to the direction of the sunlight. Does this match the position of the shadow?Return to the classroom ask this question: ‘What made your shadow?’ The rays of light from the Sun were blocked by the children’s bodies. So there was no direct sunlight behind the children. You could see a dark shadow. Explain that you cannot have a shadow without a source of light. Encourage the children to name some sources of light.
We also used BeeBots this year and it was an amazing way to introduce coding to children at a young age.
Hi my name is Anna. I teach Junior Infants! My favourite fact about Space that my pupil’s always love is that one million Earths can fit inside the sun.
One of my favourite enquiry based learning lessons to see the students critical thinking skills is floating and sinking. The students are provided with a variety of materials and using critical thinking they must figure out which objects float/sink and why this might happen. The children make predictions and then carry out the experiment. The lesson is child-centred and encourages collaborative learning/thinking. The results provide a stimulus for our lesson about why objects float/sink. The students are able to explain their logic/reasoning in the end for their predictions and see if they match the results.
I like the idea of using newspaper clippings to engage pupils and inviting in people who were affected by the floods. Real life experiences and stories definitely are engaging for pupils.
Climate change is affecting my local area in many different ways. There are more extreme weather conditions each year. Children are experiencing days off school due to storms and snow. Flooding is a big problem in my area with the local river flooding, causing lots of issues for families and communities in the area.
Three actions I would introduce in my school are:
1. Green School Campaigns such as WOW (Walk on Wednesday)
2. Energy monitors in each classroom and power hour (1 hour of now power one day a week).
3. Encourage using reusable water bottles and lunch boxes daily. This reduces the use of non-biodegradable plastics and is better for the environment. No single use plastic.
4. Reduce amount of photocopying allowed with a quota for each teacher. There is so much paper wastage in my school.
I love the ideas of the different days at the end of the year to raise money for GOAL etc. It is amazing how welcoming your school is with over 40 nationalities present.
Schools have a vital role to play in creating a safe, welcoming and warm environment for refugees. In my area, Red Cross supports refugees.
As a school, it is important to have all languages represented around the school and also translation options available on school websites and other servers such as Aladdin.
A buddy system to welcome new students is another great idea.
Offering additional classes is a good way for parents to integrate in the community.
A culture day in your classroom is a way for children to talk about where they come from, what their family heritage is and some of their own family traditions.
Fundraising activities can be arranged to provide resources and support. Schools must promote inclusivity, empathy, and a sense of belonging among both students and refugees.
