[Suzy Furlong]

Hi

I like the addition of the mind map. Although using it for this course I hadn’t thought to apply it to making rockets.

[Suzy Furlong]

Lesson Plan: Building a Spacecraft
Objective:
Students will learn about spacecraft and use their creativity to build their own models, fostering understanding of space exploration and engineering concepts.

Materials:
“Roaring Rockets” by Tony Mitton
Recycled materials (toilet paper rolls, cereal boxes, bottle caps, etc.)
Glue sticks
Scissors
Markers, crayons, and colored pencils
Aluminum foil
Construction paper
Stickers and other decorations

Introduction:

Gather students in a circle and show the picture book cover.
Ask, “What do you know about rockets and spacecraft?”
Read the picture book aloud, discussing the different types of spacecraft and their purposes.

Discussion:

Show pictures of various spacecraft (rockets, shuttles, satellites, etc.).
Explain the parts of a spacecraft: body, wings, engines, etc.
Discuss how spacecraft help us explore space and learn about the universe.

Activity:

Provide students with recycled materials, glue sticks, scissors, markers, and other craft supplies.
Instruct students to build their own spacecraft models using the materials provided.
Encourage them to be creative and think about what their spacecraft would look like if it could really fly into space.
Allow students to decorate their spacecraft with markers, stickers, and aluminum foil for a shiny effect.

Sharing:

Have students sit in a circle and share their spacecraft models with the class.
Ask each student to explain what their spacecraft is designed to do (e.g., exploring the Moon, flying to Mars, etc.).

Wrap-Up:

Display the spacecraft models around the classroom.
Sing a simple space-related song e.g., “Zoom, Zoom, Zoom, We’re Going to the Moon”

Conclusion:
Reinforce the excitement of space exploration and the importance of creativity and imagination. Encourage students to think about what they might discover if they could travel into space in their own spacecraft.

 

[Suzy Furlong]

Where Do I Live?
Objective:
Students will learn about their home, their community, and their place in the world through interactive and engaging activities.

Materials:
Book: “Homes Around the World” by Max Moore
Large world map/Globe
Markers or crayons
Construction paper
Glue sticks

Various construction materials: blocks/lego
Pictures of different types of homes (houses, apartments, huts, igloos, etc.)

Introduction:

Gather students in a circle.
Show the picture book cover and ask, “Where do you live?”
Read the picture book aloud, discussing the various types of homes around the world.

Discussion:

Talk about different homes: houses, apartments, huts, igloos, etc.
Ask students to describe their homes and what makes them special.
Show the large world map and explain that everyone in the class lives in the same country but in different types of homes.

Activity:

Provide construction paper, markers, crayons, glue sticks, and scissors to half of the class. Ask children to draw their homes or a home from around the world. Encourage them to include details like windows, doors, gardens, and pets. use the book and pictures of different homes for reference and inspiration.
The other half of the class can work on making constructions of various homes.

Perhaps the next day the children could swap over to allow each child to try both activities.

Sharing:

Have students sit in a circle and share their home drawings and their home constructions with the class.
Ask each student to say one thing they love about their home.

Conclusion:

Sing a simple, fun song about homes e.g., “The House That Jack Built”.
Reinforce the idea that homes are important and unique. Encourage students to appreciate their own homes and understand that everyone’s living situation is different but equally valuable.

[Suzy Furlong]

I love the idea of an “alien detector”. The children would have such fun making and using these!

[Suzy Furlong]

Aliens
Objective:
Students will use their imagination to learn about aliens, enhancing creativity and understanding of different life forms.

Materials:
“Aliens Love Underpants” by Claire Freedman
Crayons, markers, and colored pencils
Construction paper

Foam eggs
Googly eyes, stickers, and other craft supplies
Glue sticks and scissors

Introduction:

Gather students in a circle.
Show the picture book cover and ask, “What do you think aliens look like?”
Read the picture book aloud, pausing to discuss the illustrations and story.

Discussion:

Talk about what aliens might look like if they existed. Ask questions like, “How many eyes do you think an alien has?” or “What color is an alien’s skin?”

Activity:

Hand out construction paper and craft supplies.
Instruct students to draw and create their own aliens using the materials provided.
Encourage creativity: aliens can have multiple eyes, tentacles, colorful patterns, etc.
Help students glue on googly eyes, stickers, and other decorations to complete their alien creations.

Sharing:

Have children sit in a circle and share their alien creations with the class.
Encourage each student to say one fun fact about their alien e.g., “My alien has three eyes and loves to eat space ice cream!”
Sing a simple, fun song about aliens (e.g., “The Aliens Go Marching” to the tune of “The Ants Go Marching”).

Conclusion:
Reinforce the idea that imagination and creativity are important. Encourage students to continue thinking about what other imaginary creatures they might encounter in space

[Suzy Furlong]

I like the topic of the sun and shadows activity.

I would begin by giving the children torches in the darkened classroom to explore with light and shadows on the wall and on the desk. I have done this many times and the children love trying out hand shadows to explore with light and shadow.

Following on from this I would use a globe and a torch, getting one child to hold the torch and shine it on the globe at Ireland. I would then use the globe to show how the sun affects day and night and possibly in a future lesson showing how the earth also moves around the sun to show the long nights of winter and the bright days of summer.

I did a lesson a long time ago using the globe and a torch but had forgotten about it until this module. The children could then take turns turning the globe and shining the torch.

[Suzy Furlong]

Exploring The Moon
Students will explore the Moon, learning about its surface and features through observation and hands-on activities.
Materials:

• Pictures of the Moon
• Playdough or clay
• Plastic craters, rocks, and other small objects
• Flashlights

1. Introduction:
   • Show pictures of the Moon.
   • Ask, “What do you see on the Moon?” and “What do you think the Moon is made of?”
   • Introduce the main question: “What does the surface of the Moon look like?”
2. Engagement:
   • Share a short video or story about astronauts on the Moon.
   • Discuss the features they observed, like craters and rocks.
3. Exploration:
   • Provide playdough or clay and plastic craters/rocks.
   • Let students create their own Moon surface models.
   • Use flashlights to simulate sunlight and create shadows, showing how craters and rocks cast shadows.
4. Explanation:
   • Gather students and have them share their models.
   • Discuss how the shadows helped them see the craters and rocks more clearly.
   • Explain how scientists study the Moon’s surface using similar techniques.
5. Elaboration:
   • Introduce a simple experiment: Drop small objects into a tray of flour to create craters.
   • Observe the shapes and sizes of craters formed.
6. Evaluation:
   • Ask students to draw their Moon models and label the features.
   • Have a brief sharing session where students explain their drawings and what they learned.

Conclusion:
Reinforce the key points: the Moon has craters and rocks, and scientists use light and shadow to study its surface. Encourage curiosity and further questions about space.

• This reply was modified 5 months, 3 weeks ago by Suzy Furlong.

[Suzy Furlong]

Hi I am Suzy. I teach infants currently.

I also love the fact that there is no sound in space and it is completely silent. This is probably highlighted by the lack of silence in our profession 😉

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