[Barbara Skerritt]

For this module I particularly liked the activity Where do you live? A major theme across the curriculum is Myself/ self – identity and the wider works around you. This activity can target these areas in so many ways. I think I would start by showing the children images of different types of houses and what they are called. I would ask the children what type of house they live in. I then would ask them to work in pairs to chat about materials that would be needed to build their house. Why are these materials used? Do all houses use the same materials?

I think I would then invite the children to continue to work in pairs and think , imagine and design the home is their dreams! I would give each pair a sheet of paper to sketch their design. Then we would use our junk art materials to build our own 3D models. Each pair would present their house at the end of the session and describe it to the class . This can also be integrated into the engineering process of what materials worked best in their model. Did anything not work ? How could it be improved or better?

I loved the idea of them pooling the models into a village. The possibilities are endless here for developing children’s ideas and thoughts with linkage to the PLC , maths, art .

As an extension to this One fun activity we tried was to take photos of Benny the Bear (our class bear!)in different places in the locality .. outside the local church/shop / playground . We then presented this to the class as a PowerPoint presentation and the children had such fun guessing where Benny was ! Was he close to where they lived ? Did they recognize where he was?

Endless possibilities with this activity .

[Barbara Skerritt]

I agree Maria it is so important to let the children show their endeavors to their peers. Think, pair, share is something I use all the time in class encouraging pair work and discussion as much as I can.

[Barbara Skerritt]

For this module I would use the Mars classroom resource booklet. Young children  are fascinated by both space and aliens and love to look and discover all about them.

I think firstly I would discuss what humans look like. How many heads hands fingers toes ears and eyes we have!

Then I would get the children to work in pairs and discuss what they think a Martian or alien might look like.  I would get them to design their alien on paper firstly. I would invite them to show their design and describe it to the class.

Using  our junk art materials in class I would then encourage the children to gather the materials they need and construct their own 3D Martians. I would invite the children to show their construction to the class and describe what they created .

As a follow up to this we would then discuss where the 3D Martian’s might live . I would show the children a video on the planets and let them decide which one their Martian lives on. Why did they pick this planet ? Can they give their Martian a name? Why do they think they look so different to us? What can they do that we can’t ?

I also got the children to make alien hand prints during art and put google eyes on each finger of their hand . These were very effective and the children loved them!

[Barbara Skerritt]

I agree Deirdre this is also a great lesson with huge scope to develop with the children. Great fun to be had too using figurines and torches!

[Barbara Skerritt]

I really liked the activity The Man in the Moon-Journey to the Moon as an activity that I would use in senior infants . I like how cross curricular this activity is integrating maths , art, literacy and more.

I would engage the children’s interest first in the moon  by showing them a white paper circle exploring the shape as a full moon and crescent moon. What do the children think.. does it look like a moon?

I would explain that we are going to find out all about the moon and what it looks like.

I would ensure that I have all the art supplies needed laid out and tell the children they are going to make they’re own  moon using any materials they like. I think before this I might ask them to work in pairs discussing what they could use to make their moon, they could then show their buddy what they did and used at the end of the session after teacher engagement and questions as to why they made their moon the way they did.. explaining the moon is a sphere that sometimes looks flat or crescent shaped.

I would then use the discussion sheet that goes with the moon rhyme. We would learn the moon rhyme and colour in the associated picture .

Lastly we would look at the figures in the moon worksheet and explore why it is that some people see figures or shapes on the moon. Explaining that some places on the moon are lighter and some are darker , the darker places make it look more like figures.  Of course it will be clearly explIned to the children that there is no man in the moon and that our ideas are fantasy.

 

[Barbara Skerritt]

Hi Jane , I love this lesson and find the dinosaurs a great thing to engage the young children. I try something with them involving water.

[Barbara Skerritt]

An inquiry based lesson that I have used also involved dinosaurs linked to water and space!

We start by looking and talking about dinosaurs . Who knows any names or types of dinosaurs? What happened to the dinosaurs? Could they be frozen in ice?

We then investigate different theories behind what happened to them. At this stage we take 4 miniature toy dinosaurs and pop them into a small container of water and then into the freezer in the staff room overnight.

The following day we check on our dinosaurs and see if they’re frozen . Now how will we save them? At this stage the children discuss what would melt the ice and which method is faster. We put one container close to radiator , one on the window ,one on my desk etc..and watch. Obviously the one close the radiator melts first . The children discuss and see the heat melts the ice faster. The excitement during the day watching and keeping an eye is very entertaining!

After this we discuss could this have happened to the dinosaurs? We look at images of planet earth and how much is covered by water. We look at pictures of the Antarctic etc.We also discuss the names of other planets. Is there water on them? Could dinosaurs have survived on other planets? How and why/why not.

I also try to link a lesson like this to my art for the week. Children’s own paintings of dinosaurs or planet earth .

[Barbara Skerritt]

Hi my name is Barbara and I teach senior infants. I find how astronauts operate in space very interesting .

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