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Hi Aisling, your idea for this lesson is very creative and is great fun. They will be able to explore and create while learning about space.
My lesson would be about rockets and the class doing their own rocket launch.
Children begin by exploring a selection of toy rockets, pictures, and simple models. They are encouraged to observe the rockets closely, discussing their shapes, sizes, colours, and parts. The class talks about what rockets do and how they travel into the sky. They discuss why a rocket is shaped this way compared to an airplane.
Next, each child designs and creates their own simple paper rocket on A3 paper. They draw and discuss what they will create and what resources they need. The teacher will hand out resources available to make their rockets.
The class will spend time creating their rocket and building and designing them as a team. The class then conducts the investigation by launching their rockets from the same starting point. Children observe how each rocket travels and compare the distances. Throughout the activity, I would encourage the children to observe, ask questions and discuss what happened after each launch. They will get a tablet each and record their rocket launch through video. They can rewind and watch in slow motion the distance of their rocket..
As a next step, children think about how they could improve their rocket design. They will get the chance to redesign their rocket before testing it again. This helps them understand that changing one feature can affect how a rocket flies.
Finally, the class reflects on the investigation by sharing what they learned, what surprised them, and what they would do differently next time. Children discuss each others rockets and what they liked about each of them.Hi Mary, I love the idea of your lesson plan. It sounds like a really interactive plan which the children will love without doubt.
The activity that I look forward to doing with my 2nd class is The Moon
I hope they can be aware that the Moon is a sphere and become aware that the Moon doesn’t always look the same as their learning outcomes.
I would introduce the lesson by showing the class different pictures of the moon on the IWB. We would discuss the shape and size of the moon and try to compare it to Earth and other planets. We would discuss how the moon is a 3D shape but that it looks like a 2D shape from our viewpoint. We would use our Marla to ensure that the children are aware of the difference between the 2D and 3D shapes and create our own versions of the moon. The hope is that they would add their own craters into the moon. The class would do a KWL all about the moon and have a discussion about the importance of the moon.The class will then discuss how to make their own Moon and they can use all the materials laid out on the tables (coloured circular craft sheets, coloured crescent-shaped craft sheets, glue, paint, scissors, white paper circle, white paper crescent) They will work in groups of 2 and 3. When they have finished, they will discuss why they made their Moon the way they did, paying particular attention to the colour and the shape. They will compare their moon to the images on the IWB. Reiterate that the Moon is really a sphere. From the Earth we can only see one side of the Moon at a time, which is why it looks flat. Sometimes we see the Moon as a circle, and sometimes as a crescent. After learning about the moon we would then discuss the Man on the moon and who were the people to first step on the moon.
We would discuss about what they learned about the moon and talk about anything they didn’t know beforehand that they know now.
Hi Claire, this is such a lovely idea. STEM is so important for the child and having a clear plan in place really will benefit the school as the years go by.
In my classroom, I plan to use hands on activities related to the topic of space and rockets.
We will begin with a simple designs of their rockets in groups of 2 or 3. Then we will make rockets out of paper, foam and pneumatic rocket launchers. Students will look at the design of rockets and the fin shape to learn about trajectory. They will record flight distance and do multiple attempts. With the addition of technology, the children can record their launches and put it into slow motion so they can see how it launches. The addition of the technology will help the children to compare and contrast each other’s launch.
Looking at school self evaluation, this activity will help with their scientific enquiry and to continue to investigate and explore. I plan to have a standard rubric that measures pupil engagement, problem solving, team building and data recording during the investigation. Improving their digital literacy too with the use of the school tablets will help them to become more aware and more confident of their digital skills. This lesson will be very informative for the student while also having a bit of fun.
Hi Clodagh,
That is such a lovely idea! Using the KWL chart will make sure to revise what they have learned too.
In my classroom, I plan to do an activity on ‘Space and Aliens’. I would do this as a project when we are learning about living things. The core of my lesson will focus on having students analyze extreme environments on Earth to design an alien and how to adapt to a specific exoplanet environment.
To facilitate this, I will use an inquiry-based learning approach. Students will work in small groups, utilizing ESERO printable planet fact cards to identify environmental challenges (temperature, atmospheric composition, gravity) before sketching and modeling their organism using recycled craft materials. They will have to justify every physical feature of their alien with a purpose. To incorporate digital technology, students will capture their models using tablet cameras and create a 2-minute digital audio pitch using dynamic slideshow tools, explaining how their creature survives.
Reflecting on this activity, its greatest strength lies in addressing common misconceptions about alien life driven by popular media. Rather than treating extraterrestrial life as science fiction, it anchors astrobiology in core biological concepts like adaptation, natural selection, and environmental pressures.I would implement an inquiry-based activity about how craters on the moon are formed.
To begin, I would show close-up images of lunar craters and posing a testable question: ‘How do there craters show up on the moon?’ ‘Do we have any craters like this on Earth?’
Pupils would work in small groups using a tray filled with flour topped with a thin layer of cocoa powder. They would drop marbles or balls of varying sizes and masses from different measured heights, observing and measuring the impact craters. The students must decide which variables to keep constant (fair testing), and record their observations using simple measurement tools and diagrams.
We would then gather as a class to discuss patterns in their data, connecting their findings to energy, gravity, and the moon.
This activity shifts the learning from passive learning to active scientific investigation. It fosters critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and child-led discussions. It gets pupils to work, think, and communicate like genuine scientific investigators.