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I also feel more equipped for Space week in our school after the modules in this course. The forums have been a wealth of information and the downloads of resources to the onedrive gives us everything we need for a very successful Space Week.
I have chosen to focus on a Rocket Investigation as I think the children in an infant classroom would be highly motivated by the excitement of launching rockets. I have used the Curious Minds Framework to structure this lesson because it encourages children to explore, investigate, and learn through hands-on experiences.
Engage:
To introduce the lesson, I would gather the children on the carpet and show a short video clip or images of a rocket launching into space. We would discuss what they notice about the rocket and how it travels into the sky. I would encourage the children to share their ideas by asking questions such as, “What makes the rocket go up?” and “Where do rockets travel?” This discussion would build on the children’s prior knowledge and spark curiosity.
Investigate:
The children would work in small groups to make simple paper rockets that fit onto a straw launcher. Before launching, they would predict which rocket they think will travel the furthest and explain why. The children would then take turns launching their rockets, observing what happens and comparing the distances travelled. During the investigation, I would introduce the idea of a fair test by ensuring each child blows through the straw with the same effort and by discussing why using rockets of similar size makes the investigation fair.
Take the Next Step:
The children would then be encouraged to redesign their rockets by changing one feature, such as the size of the fins, the length of the rocket, or the shape of the nose cone. They would predict how their changes might affect the rocket’s flight before testing their new designs. Finally, the class would come together to discuss their findings, identify which designs worked best, and reflect on how making changes helped them learn more about how rockets fly. This inquiry-based activity promotes curiosity, prediction, observation, problem-solving, and early scientific thinking through playful, hands-on learning.I love your STEM activity using the rain, (sprayed water) and fan for wind to test the durability of the shelters made. Very simple but very effective visually. The children would love this activity, it is so age appropriate and would ensure full engagement and I can only imagine all the language and opinions being used in this activity.
Hands-on, classroom-based activities centred on the theme of Space provide young children with meaningful opportunities to explore scientific concepts through play, investigation, and creativity. During Science Week in the infant classes, I would use a variety of practical STEM activities such as designing and building rockets using recyclable materials, creating moon craters with flour and cocoa powder, exploring the movement of planets through role-play, and investigating how astronauts live and work in space. These activities encourage curiosity, questioning, prediction, observation, and problem-solving while supporting the development of fine motor skills, language, and teamwork.
In my classroom, I would introduce each activity with a story, picture book, or short video about space to spark children’s interest and activate their prior knowledge. I would encourage pupils to make predictions, ask questions, and discuss their observations throughout the activities. Children would work collaboratively in small groups, allowing them to develop communication skills while learning from one another. I would use open-ended questioning to extend their thinking and encourage them to explain their ideas using scientific vocabulary appropriate to their age.
As part of a STEM-focused School Self-Evaluation (SSE), I would gather evidence of learning through photographs, children’s drawings, oral discussions, and teacher observations. Reflecting on these would help identify how effectively pupils are engaging in inquiry-based learning and problem-solving. Further steps towards a STEM-focused SSE could include increasing opportunities for engineering challenges across the year, providing more professional development for teachers in inquiry-based science, and strengthening links between Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics through integrated learning experiences. Involving parents by sharing activities completed during Science Week and encouraging simple STEM investigations at home would further promote children’s interest and confidence in science.Thank you for sharing these videos. I will be using these in my Junior Infant classroom this year. I like the way you are integrating the topic of Space with Gaeilge and a stem activity with the marshmallows and spaghetti.
To introduce a Star themed activity in a Junior Infant classroom, I would begin with a child-led exploration table containing hands-on materials such as glow-in-the-dark stars, star-shaped cutters, torches, black fabric, mirrors, magnifying glasses, and sensory trays filled with black sand and silver sequins. Children would be encouraged to freely explore the materials, discuss what they notice, and share their ideas about stars. Open-ended questions such as “What do you think stars are?” and “Why do they shine?” would promote curiosity, language development, and scientific thinking while allowing children to construct their own understanding.
Following this exploration, we would gather for a shared discussion where children’s observations are valued and recorded .I would introduce vocabulary such as star, night sky, shine, and space, building on the children’s prior knowledge before introducing factual information.
I love using picture books to provide an engaging stimulus for further learning. How to Catch a Star by Oliver Jeffers encourages imagination and discussion about stars and wishes, Look Up! by Nathan Bryon inspires curiosity about astronomy through a relatable child character. Papa, Please Get the Moon for Me by Eric Carle supports conversations about the night sky and the Moon, while Moon! Earth’s Best Friend by Stacy McAnulty introduces simple scientific facts in an accessible way.
The learning can be extended through creative play by inviting children to make star constellations with loose parts, paint starry skies, or create stars using clay and natural materials. This inquiry-based approach aligns with promoting play, exploration, communication, and child-led discovery, while fostering early scientific skills and a sense of wonder about the world beyond Earth.I really like this introduction to the activity where the children bring in photos, books or objects related to the moon and display these items in the classroom. This would really raise enthusiasm in the activity and working together to draw a large Moon in the centre and creating a wordbank really elicits all prior knowledge before embarking on a discovery led lesson.
Activity Set: The Moon
I would expand on previous learning about day and night to explore the theme of the Moon in more depth.
I would begin by reading Papa, Please Get the Moon for Me by Eric Carle. This beautifully illustrated story encourages children to wonder about the Moon, its size, and why it sometimes looks different in the sky. The story naturally leads into discussions about how the Moon changes shape throughout the month.
Exploring: Why Does the Moon Change Shape?
Using a darkened area of the classroom, I would invite the children to investigate why the Moon does not always look the same.
Using:
• A lamp or torch to represent the Sun
• A large white ball to represent the Moon
• One child to represent the Earth
The child standing as the Earth remains in the centre while another child slowly walks around them holding the Moon. As the torch shines on the Moon, the class observes how the part we can see changes depending on where the Moon is.
Throughout the investigation I would ask open-ended questions such as:
• What shape can you see now?
• Has the Moon changed, or has what we can see changed?
• Can you still see the light on the other side?
• Why do you think we sometimes see a full Moon and sometimes only part of it?
• What do you notice as the Moon moves around the Earth?
Children discover that the Moon does not change shape—it is always round. As it moves around the Earth, we see different parts of the side lit by the Sun. This introduces the idea of the Moon’s phases in a simple, age-appropriate way.Hi Kieran, I think this inquiry based activity will really appeal to the Junior classes and would make a great tuff tray activity for some child led play.
My name is Annette and I will be teaching Junior infants this year. My favourite Space fact is: The moon has moonquakes!!
How I would use one inquiry-based activity in my Junior Infants classroom:
One inquiry-based activity I would use in my Junior Infants classroom is an investigation about floating and sinking. Rather than telling the children which objects float or sink, I would begin by asking the question, “What kinds of things float, and what kinds of things sink?” I would provide a variety of safe everyday objects, such as a leaf, a stone, a plastic spoon, a toy boat, a coin, and a sponge. Working in small groups, the children would make simple predictions before placing each object into a tub of water to see what happens. They would then sort the objects into floating and sinking groups and discuss their findings with the class.
I believe this activity would encourage children to become active learners because they are exploring, questioning, and discovering answers through hands-on experiences. By making predictions, observing carefully, and talking about what they notice, the children develop early scientific thinking skills. They also build important language, communication, teamwork, and problem-solving skills as they work together and explain their ideas. Learning through play and investigation makes the experience enjoyable and meaningful, helping children to remember what they have discovered.
As the teacher, my role would be to guide the learning by asking open-ended questions such as, “Why do you think that happened?” or “Can you find another object that might behave the same way?” I would encourage children to share their ideas, listen to one another, and reflect on what they have learned. I would also provide support where needed and adapt the activity so that every child can participate successfully. Overall, I would use this inquiry-based activity because it promotes curiosity, confidence, and a love of learning while introducing young children to basic scientific concepts through exploration and discovery.