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The activity I have chosen from this module is Rockets. We would start the lesson by reading the story Peter and his Rocket Ship and discussing where we might go on a rocket. We will have a whole class discussion on how we would make our very own Rocket and what would be best materials to use. We will use a cardboard tube for the body of the rocket which they can choose to paint any bright colour of their choice. While the paint is drying, they will make the top of the rocket, using a different coloured card. They will cut out a circular shape which can be rolled into a cone for the top of the rocket. Using tinfoil, they will then cut out three circles to stick on the one side of the rocket. Out of the open end, they will cut and stick red, orange and yellow crepe paper as the fire from the rocket.
To finish off the lesson we will attempt to fly our rockets!Hi Louise,
Rocket mouse is an ideal choice for infants. I love your integration with PE and using the javelins.
Thank you!Hands on activity on hot and cold. As an introduction we would look at pictures and objects related to hot and cold – ice cream, hot chocolate, a sunny day, a snowy day. We would have a whole class discussion about how the pictures make us feel. I would ask them how can we tell if something is hot or cold. Next we would take some time at a sensory table so they can experience items like ice cubes, warm water, a metal spoon, a wooden spoon. They would touch each item and describe how they feel – cold, cool, warm, hot. I would then wrap the ice cubes with a material and as them what they think might happen to the ice cubes when they are wrapped/ insulated- they will melt. Following on from the sensory experience we would investigate and sort items according to hot and cold using picture cut outs – sun, fire, ice, snow, hot soup, cold drink from the fridge. The children would be encouraged to explain why they sorted each picture the way they did. To finish we would discuss situations where they experience hot and cold temperatures – getting dressed on a winter morning, after coming out of the bath or if away in a hot country. As an extension activity they children could draw pictures of things that are hot and cold.
Hi Margaret,
I love the idea of your weather station – bringing weather into their real life and also using cut outs of weather and clothing appeals to many learner types.
thank you !
The activity that I would choose to do in my classroom would be Stars. We would begin the lesson by singing the song ‘twinkle twinkle’. I would then ask some questions to gauge what background information they have. What are stars – little bright lights in the sky. When do we see stars – at night. What are stars made of – huge balls of gas, like the sun. Do you think stars can die – yes, because the gas eventually burns out. Why do stars look so small – because they are so far away.
I would then introduce (and explain where necessary) the word ‘plough’ and see if anyone knew the meaning behind the word in the context of stars.
I will show the class a copy of the plough and ask them to stick it onto a piece of black cardboard. They will use their pencil to poke a hole through to where the stars appear on the paper. Some teacher help will be needed for the next part – measuring and cutting straws the correct length for each star. We can then stick each straw onto the black paper using blu tack and then place a small ball of yellow play dough / Marla on top of each straw. They will then (hopefully!) be able to see which star of the Plough is nearest the earth and which is furthest away.Hi Claire,
This sounds like a really lovely, engaging lesson which would appeal to all learners. Love the idea of naming and decorating their own aliens.
Thank you!
I would chose the Sun and Shadows activity set – creating shadows outside. Choosing a sunny day for this activity we would go outside to the school yard. I will ask the children to individually choose a random spot to stand and freeze. I will get them to tell me what observe actually on the yard – shadows hopefully being one of the suggestions! I will get them to refer back to the indoor activity of how we made a shadow in the classroom (using a torch) and ask them what our source of light is instead of the torch. I will also ask them why some children have shadows and some do not. I will then ask them to get into pairs, having one child stand to create the shadow and the other child to trace around the standing child’s feet and then record the shadow with chalk. I will also ask them to swap places and get them to check if the shadow will be the same and ask them for a reason why. As an extension to the activity I will ask them if they could record their shadow in a different way – make the shadows high 5ing or at a different time of day will the shadows be the same length and ask for a reason behind their answer.
Hi Emma,
This is a lovely activity involving lots of different ways of learning and would appeal to and draw in everyone in the class.
Thank you!
An inquiry based activity that I would use in infants is rocket building whereby the children will design and build their own rockets.
We would start the lesson by singing the song ’zoom, zoom, zoom’. I would then ask them how we might get to the moon. Once we have decided on building a rocket we will discuss what materials will make a good rocket – cardboard tubes, construction paper, sellotape, glue, scissors, pipe cleaners, paint. I would also ask for examples of some materials which would not work so well when building a rocket. At this stage, we would discuss what shapes are needed for a rocket to fly. The children will have some time to construct their rockets. To conclude our lesson we will attempt to make our rockets fly!
My fun fact is that space is a vacuum which means that there is no air to transmit sound so space is completely silent.
Using the idea of Rocket mice in an infant classroom.
Using the song ‘Zoom, zoom, zoom’ as a starting point to our topic of Space / moon trip. Ask the children how they went to the moon in the song and also any other ideas of how one could travel to the moon. Explain to the children that they are going to make their own Rocket ship. Ask for ideas of how they could do this. Explain then what you are going to do and materials needed for the rocket mice also explaining that what goes up must come down. Each child will be given the opportunity to design and decorate their own Rocket mouse using paper, feathers, googly eyes, string before attaching it onto the top of the bottle. Ask them what they think will happen when they squeeze the bottle before allowing them to squeeze it. Then they can try for themselves and see what happens! As an extension activity they could time each other to see how long it takes for the mice to go / come down.Hi Sinead, some really good and creative ideas for Space week. Lots of room to integrate and extend the theme of Space. Thank you!
Space themed lesson – as a starting point reading the story of ‘Aliens Love Underpants’ or ‘The Super Smelly Alien’. A sensory activity afterwards to make their own play-doh or moon sand. Create their own space station in their groups providing them with black paper and tinfoil. Numeracy ideas could be to record the number of launches, blast off and space missions that have taken place. They could also count the number of aliens they meet and number of days that they have been in space. Literacy could be incorporated by writing or drawing a flight plan, a launching checklist or control panel instructions. Visual arts can be incorporated using a directed drawing video on aliens from you tube or making their own alien spaceships using paper plates and a small clear container. For PE, they could make up their own alien dance – respond to music and move like an alien.
