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I really like this activity because it lets the children learn by trying things out for themselves. I also like that they get to test their ideas and make improvements afterwards, which is a great way to build problem-solving and teamwork skills.
I think having a Space Week would be a brilliant way to keep the children engaged and excited about science throughout the week. I especially liked the Wonder Wall, as it encourages children to ask questions and become involved in their own learning. The crater investigation and shadow experiment are also great hands-on activities that would make the science concepts easier to understand. I also liked how you linked the theme across different subjects, particularly through art and digital presentations.
I have chosen to focus on the Rockets Activity Set, specifically the Make a Rocket investigation, and how I would use it with Fourth Class pupils.
Introduction:
To introduce the lesson, I would begin by asking the children what they already know about rockets and how they think they get into space. I would use some of the trigger questions from the ESERO activity such as What is a rocket? and What gives a rocket the energy to blast off? Before carrying out the investigation, I would show the children a short NASA Kids or ESA Kids video of a real rocket launch to spark their interest and build on their prior knowledge. I would then ask the children to predict what they think will happen when we launch our own rocket and encourage them to explain the reasons for their predictions.Development:
The children would work in small groups to carry out the Make a Rocket investigation using a film canister, water and a fizzing tablet, following the ESERO instructions. As this activity involves pressure building inside the canister, I would complete it outside and discuss the safety rules beforehand. While waiting for the rocket to launch, the children would record their predictions and observations before discussing whether the results matched what they expected. To make the lesson more suitable for Fourth Class, I would extend the investigation by allowing each group to change one variable, such as the temperature of the water, and compare how it affected the height of the rocket, just as suggested in the follow-up activities. This would encourage the children to investigate fairly, work collaboratively and develop their observation, prediction and analysing skills.Conclusion:
To finish the lesson, the class would discuss why the rocket launched and introduce the idea that the gas produced by the fizzing tablet created pressure, which forced the rocket into the air. The children would compare the results from each group and discuss which variable had the biggest effect.Extension idea: I would ask the children to design and label their own rocket or create a simple bar chart showing the height reached by each rocket. This would give them an opportunity to apply their learning while making meaningful links with Maths and STEM.
I really like these ideas. I think using videos at the beginning of the lesson is a great way to capture the children’s attention and build on their prior knowledge before introducing new concepts. I also liked the idea of using interactive games and quizzes on the whiteboard, as they make learning fun while allowing the teacher to quickly check the children’s understanding. The paired tablet activity is another idea and I would love to use in my own classroom!
For this assignment, I have chosen to focus on the Hands-on Classroom themed activities, Animals in the Cold, and how I would use it with Second Class.
I think hands-on learning experiences are so important in Science because they allow children to actively explore ideas rather than simply being told information. They also encourage children to be curious, ask questions, make predictions and talk about what they discover. This fits well with the Curious Minds inquiry approach, as it helps children explore and learn through their own experiences.
Introduction:
To introduce the lesson, I would begin by asking the children what different types of weather they know before discussing places in the world that are extremely cold, such as the North and South Poles. I would show the children images of penguins and polar bears and ask questions such as How do you think these animals stay warm? and Would they survive in Ireland? This would encourage the children to think critically and share their own ideas before beginning the investigation. To make the lesson more engaging for second class, I would also show a short National Geographic Kids or BBC Bitesize video about polar animals to build on their prior knowledge.Development:
The main practical activity would remain the same as the ESERO lesson resources. The children would rub a small amount of Vaseline onto one hand before dropping water onto both hands to observe what happens. They would discover that the water rolls off the greasy hand, helping them to understand how the greasy layer on a penguin’s feathers or a polar bear’s fur helps to repel water. For Second Class, I would encourage the children to work in pairs, recording their predictions and observations before discussing their results with the class. I would also extend the lesson by introducing the word adaptation and explaining that animals have special features that help them survive in their habitats. This would allow the children to develop their observation, prediction and communication skills while using scientific vocabulary in context.Conclusion:
To conclude the lesson, we would revisit our original questions and discuss the three ways penguins and polar bears stay warm: their thick layer of fat, their fur or feathers and their greasy outer layer. As a follow-up activity suitable for second class, I would ask the children to design their own Arctic animal and label the adaptations it would need to survive in a cold environment. This would provide an opportunity to apply their learning in a creative way while allowing me to assess their understanding.I really liked this lesson. I think the introduction would really grab the children’s attention and get them excited about learning. The rover obstacle course is a great idea as it gets everyone actively involved while reinforcing what they learned in a fun way. The lesson definitely encourages curiosity and lots of discussion about space!
Activity: Stars
To teach Second Class about stars, I would use the ESERO Lots and Lots of Stars activity as a starting point, but I would make a few changes so that it is more suitable for their age and ability.
The lesson would follow the Curious Minds inquiry approach by encouraging the children to ask questions, make predictions, observe and communicate their ideas while developing their understanding of stars. The original activity introduces children to the idea that there are countless stars in the universe and that the Sun is also a star.
Introduction:
To begin, I would show the class a short video from SciShow Kids or BBC Bitesize about stars and the Solar System before displaying the ESERO discussion image of the night sky. I would ask questions such as What do you notice? Why can we only see stars at night? and Is the Sun a star? The marble activity from the lesson would work well with second class, but I would encourage the children to estimate how many marbles are in each container before revealing that there are far more stars than we could ever count. This would help to develop their predicting and estimating skills while sparking curiosity.Development:
During the main part of the lesson, I would encourage the children to work in pairs to discuss what they already know about stars before sharing their ideas with the class. I would then complete the splatter painting activity to create a starry sky, as it links science with art and gives the children an opportunity to be creative while reinforcing that stars appear in different colours and fill the night sky. Rather than using the counting worksheet from the original lesson, I would adapt it for second class by asking the children to label the Sun and write three facts they learned about stars. As an extension, the children could use tablets to explore the ESA Kids website or Stellarium Web to investigate different constellations and identify patterns in the night sky.Conclusion:
To finish the lesson, we would come together to share our artwork and discuss what we discovered. I would revisit our original questions and ask the children to explain how their thinking had changed throughout the lesson. This would give them an opportunity to communicate their findings and reflect on what they had learned. Overall, I think these adaptations would make the lesson more challenging and engaging for a second class while continuing to promote curiosity, observation, prediction and discussion through an inquiry-based approach.The activity I have chosen is: The Planets
When teaching my class about the planets, I would use the Curious Minds ESERO inquiry framework to guide the lesson.
I would begin by asking the children what they already know about space and if they can name any of the planets. I would use The Planet Song on YouTube to introduce the eight planets in a fun and memorable way before discussing their order in the Solar System.
During the Investigate phase, I would use the ESERO Planet Game, where hoops represent the planets and the children move between them while learning that the planets orbit the Sun. This gives children the opportunity to develop science skills such as observing, questioning, communicating and making predictions while learning through play.
To finish the lesson, we would recap the names of the planets and discuss what they discovered, before creating their own drawings of the Solar System to reinforce their learning.
- As an extension Art lesson, the children could create their own paper plate Solar Systems. They would begin by cutting out the centre of the paper plate to create a ring, which would represent the orbit of the planets. They would paint the background to represent space and use different materials to create the planets, focusing on their colours, sizes and order from the Sun. This activity allows the children to reinforce their learning about the planets while developing their creativity and fine motor skills.
One inquiry-based activity I would use in my classroom is exploring floating and sinking with a junior class. I would focus on using the Curious Minds ESERO inquiry framework to support the children’s learning throughout the lesson.
To begin the Engage phase, I would show the children a bowl of water and a selection of everyday objects and ask, “I wonder which of these will float and which will sink?” The children would make predictions and explain their thinking.
During the Investigate phase, the children would work in small groups to test each object and observe what happens. They could sort the objects into floating and sinking groups and discuss any patterns they notice.
Finally, in the Take the Next Step phase, we would share our findings as a class, and I would encourage the children to think of other objects they could test at home.
I think this activity would develop important science skills in the junior classes, including observing, predicting, questioning, investigating, recording results and communicating findings, while allowing children to learn through hands-on exploration.
I think this is a really good idea for the classroom! I like how the children are encouraged to investigate and discover the answers themselves rather than being told. The “Magnetic Detectives” activity would be a fun and engaging way to develop children’s curiosity and scientific thinking.
My name is Aoife and I will be teaching 2nd Class in September. My favourite space fact is: Saturn could float in a giant bathtub because it is less dense than water.
I think these ideas are great, especially the outdoor shadow activity. It’s such an engaging way for children to explore the concept through hands-on learning and make predictions before observing what happens. I also like how questioning is used throughout the lesson to encourage curiosity and scientific thinking.