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I like the idea of discussing the direction the balloon goes to encourage the language of directions.
Make a rocket
I will teach my 1st class how to make a paper rocket. I will begin the lesson by asking the children what we learned when we made our rockets. What designs worked and what features of a rocket did we think were most important. This will spark a discussion amongst the children about the components of a rocket and recap the vocabulary associated with rockets.
I will then outline the steps we will take to create our rocket and the materials we will use (paper, tape and straws). I will ask the children a variety of open-ended questions such as how far will the rocket fly?, how fast will it go? and do you think anything will go wrong? to encourage critical thinking and the use of mathematical language.
The children will then create and test their rockets. We will test them both indoors and outdoors to see if there is any difference.I really like the idea if giving the children coloured ice to paint or warm/cold playdough. This is a great hands on activity to explore the topic of hot and cold in the younger classes.
Hands on classroom themed activities: Where do you live?
I would begin this theme by taking a walk in our community. I would begin pointing to various types of homes as we walk by, prompting discussions amongst the children about the different types of homes they can see as well as the type of homes they live in. We would take in our local surroundings in our community as we walk.
Once back in the classroom, I would ask the children if they recall the different types of homes they saw, linking it to our SESE lessons on types of homes. The children would then be given the opportunity to create a home using lego, duplo, magnets, plus plus, straws, pegs or playdough. Each child would be given the opportunity to present their home to the class if they wanted.
Once displayed, I would ask the children what 3D and 2D shapes they can identify in the various homes, creating a maths lesson. We would discuss how different homes use different shapes to be created, encouraging the children to notice the differences homes can have yet all still be a home.I like this idea of allowing the children to create their own constellations to introduce them to astronomy. Displaying their work on a night sky would make for a lovely display board.
Activity set: Space and aliens
I am looking forward to teaching this activity to my 1st class. I would introduce this activity sitting on the mat in a group by asking questions such as ‘who lives on earth?’, ‘what do they look like?’ before asking questions such as ‘do you think anyone lives on any other planet?’, ‘what do you think they look like?’, ‘do you think they speak to each other?’. I would encourage a discussion amongst the children about their opinions.
The children would then sit in their seats where each child has access to playdough, pipe cleaners, match sticks, lollipop sticks, googly eyes and clay tools. They would be given the opportunity to create an alien based on their imagination. Each child would have the opportunity to present their alien to the class once the lesson is finished.
I would integrate this topic through drama by giving the children time to create a role play in small groups of life on their planet, through English by creating a narrative story using their alien and planet and through art by drawing/painting their alien and planet.I like this activity and how you linked it to various subjects. This really reinforces learning for young children.
Activity Set: The Sun and Shadows
I enjoyed this activity as the whole way through I was thinking of how I could implement this activity in my classroom. I teach 1st class, they love to engage in active learning, in particular outdoor learning. I would begin the activity outside, asking anyone if they know what a shadow is, what creates it, how could we create our own. I would then model the activity by standing with my back to the sun, creating a shadow of my body. I would ask one of the children to draw the outline of my body. I would then encourage the children to create their shadow and get their partner to draw their outline. I would ask questions as the children are working, sparking discussions on the sun and shadows.
Once back in the classroom, I would ask the children how I could create a shadow indoors. I would allow the children a few minutes of discussion time before modelling using a torch and a figure against the wall or on the table. I would hold the torch at varying heights and distances to display how the shadow changes. The children would then engage in this activity in pairs, again encouraging discussions about the sun and shadows.
I would conclude this activity by asking the children to reflect on the similarities and differences between the task outdoors and indoors.I would integrate this activity with art by encouraging the children to pick an object and to place it on paper. The children would then create a shadow of this object and draw an outline of this object.
I love this lesson using the globe and the torch. It will definitely be one that I will use with my 1st class this year.
An enquiry based lesson would be ‘How should a rocket be designed?’
Questions:
What materials should be used? What shape should the rocket be? What are the most important design features? What is the rockets main purpose?
Exploring:
The children will be able to explore a variety of materials, discussing with their group which they think will be most suitable for purpose. They will create a multitude of designs, assessing which design works best but is also functional. They will have to explore a variety of rocket designs and see which features they will combine to create their own rocket.
Reasoning:
The children will discuss their findings with their small group before discussing them with the whole class. They will outline the ‘why’ behind their findings and answer questions from their peers.
Reflection:
The children will compare their initial thoughts and designs with their final design. They will reflect on what worked and didn’t work.Hello, my name is Chloe and I will be teaching 1st class this year. An interesting fact about space that I have learned is that space is silent. I think this will be a fun fact to try act out in the classroom!!!
I like the idea of encouraging the children to write to local representatives about climate change. This would integrate so many of our subjects and create proactive learners!
Climate change is undoubtedly impacting our local area. From catastrophic storms to harmful impacts on wildlife, it is clear that (continued) action is needed. Three actions that I believe would make the world a better place and slow down climate change are:
1. Reduce, reuse. recycle – In our classroom, we teach the children about using the appropriate bin for their rubbish (i.e. waste, recycling and compost). We engage in activities with the children that allow them to learn the ‘why’ behind the various bins and the benefits of separating our rubbish.
2. Energy consumption – Children are conscious of leaving lights on or taps running, however, they are often not sure on why we shouldn’t do this. I teach the children how electricity is produced, how we can reduce this or produce it using sustainable methods. Similarly, I teach the children about the value of water, how many countries suffer from droughts and why water conservation is important.
3. Planting – Giving the children the necessary skills and knowledge to plant trees, flowers and vegetables, not only reduces the need to buy produce from shops but also benefits our wildlife and environment.I agree with you about the trauma training for teachers. I think this would enable us as teachers with vital tools to further provide and safe and welcoming space for refugees.
Our school is the school in which the children from the local direct provision accommodation centre come to. We have children from a wide array of countries, all of whom have different backgrounds, cultures and circumstances. The children arrive at the school having just entered the country as refugees. Oftentimes the children have come from devastating situations and it is our responsibility to create a welcoming and warm environment for them. We organise an annual school walk which invites all of the families in our school community to participate in a community to walk. This enables families to create relationships amongst each other in a safe environment. We organise a multi cultural week in school which encourages the children to create projects about their cultures and share it with their peers. The children are invited to dress in their traditional clothes along with inviting parents and friends in to share cultural experiences with the school community.
I believe that all of these concepts promote a sense of belonging in our school and in turn teach the children in our school to provide refugees with a safe and welcoming environment.
