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I did a similar activity but I really enjoyed the part you did where you taught the children the most famous missions into space and what it is like to be an astronaut
I would choose the rocket activity. I will be teaching Second Class and I think this would be a very engaging hands-on STEM activity because children are naturally fascinated by rockets, astronauts and space travel. It encourages development of curiosity and all the shile doing it through practical investigation.
I would begin by talking to the children about rockets and asking questions such as, “What makes a rocket move?” and “What do you think a rocket needs to travel into space?” We would look at pictures of different rockets and discuss their shape and purpose. The children would then be asked to design and create their own rockets using materials such as cardboard tubes, paper, card, straws. They could draw their design first before building it.
Once the rockets were completed, we could test them and investigate which designs travelled the furthest or moved the fastest. The children would make predictions before testing and then discuss what happened. We would then explore how changing the design might affect the rocket’s movement.
I would extend the activity throughout Space Week by incorporating space stories, songs, artwork and role play. Some examples are Paxi on the ISS, Rocket Song.
The rocket activity would provide a meaningful way for pupils to explore space while developing skills that can be applied across the curriculum.This is a lovely activity and I think your idea of having an adult at each table will keep all children on task.
I would choose the hands-on classroom-themed activities, particularly a “Save the Egg” STEM challenge. I think this would be an engaging activity for children as it provides them with a real problem to solve. The challenge would be for pupils to design and build a protective container that would prevent an egg from breaking when dropped from a set height. I would begin by discussing what happens when an object falls and why some materials might provide better protection than others. In groups, pupils would be given a selection of materials such as paper, cardboard, straws, cotton wool, tape and recycled materials. They would first make a prediction and draw a design for their container. They would then build their design and test it by dropping the egg from a safe height. The groups could examine the results and discuss what worked well and what could be improved. This activity would develop a range of STEM skills, including problem-solving, predicting, designing, testing, evaluating, communication and teamwork. It would also encourage pupils to understand that scientists and engineers often need to try different solutions before finding the most effective one. I would use this activity as an opportunity to encourage children to explain their thinking and learn from both successful and unsuccessful attempts.
This is a lovely idea to introduce stars to Junior Infants. It incorporates a lot and is interesting and the activities are age appropriate.
I will be teaching Second Class this year and I would use the Stars activity as part of a space-themed project, focusing particularly on constellations. I think this would be a lovely topic to explore with the children as we, humans, are curious about space and I think they would enjoy looking at the night sky and discovering different patterns made by stars. I would begin by asking the children what they already know about stars and whether they have ever looked at the night sky and noticed any patterns. I would then introduce the idea of constellations and show them examples such as Orion and the Big Dipper. We could discuss what shapes the children can see and talk about how people have used their imaginations to give these groups of stars names and stories. For our project, I would ask the children to create their own constellation. They could use dark paper and paint, chalk or stickers to create a night sky and arrange their stars into a pattern. They could then give their constellation a name and write a short story or description about it.
Using the “The Planets” activity in a Second Class classroom would provide an engaging and meaningful way for children to learn about space while developing a range of skills across the curriculum. I would begin the lesson by discussing what the pupils already know about the planets and encouraging them to ask questions. This would activate their prior knowledge and spark curiosity. During the activity, I would use visual resources, songs such as The Planet Song, mnemonic My Very Educated Mother Just Served Up Noodles and hands-on materials to help children understand the order of the planets and some of their unique features. I would also do an integrated Art activity where the children create their own planets using papier-mâché. We would begin by blowing up balloons to different sizes to represent the varying sizes of the planets in our solar system. The children would then cover the balloons with strips of newspaper and glue, allowing them to dry before bursting the balloons to reveal the hollow planet shapes. Once dry, the children would paint and decorate their planets, carefully adding colours, craters, rings, and surface markings they had observed while studying images of the planets.
I really like your take on it. The idea to incorporate other cultures is inclusive and interesting for all the children. It is a great way for children to speak about their culture and also includes their families in that they can tell their children some traditions also and they can tell the class.
Hi Úna, I really like your idea and think it is aimed so well to Infants. They are being active and trying the activities at themselves and probably having a great giggle at the teacher falling over! i like the book you have also and finishing the lesson with the picture is a lovely way to end the lesson.
My name is Catherine and I will be teaching Second Class this year after 12 years teaching Senior Infants!
My favourite space fact is one million Earths can fit inside our Sun and that there are more stars in the universe than grains of sand on all the beaches of Earth.
<p class=”xisselectedend”><span style=”color: #242424;”>One inquiry-based activity from the Curious Minds programme that I would use the Floating and Sinking Investigation. This activity allows children to predict, observe, investigate and explain, while developing important scientific enquiry skills. I would begin by showing the pupils a selection of everyday items and asking them to predict whether each object will float or sink. They would record their predictions before testing each item in groups.</span></p>
<p class=”xisselectedend”><span style=”color: #242424;”>I will be teaching Second Class this year and I think it is a very good activity for this age group because it supports the Primary Science Curriculum by promoting hands-on learning and active participation. This investigation allows them to ask questions, test ideas and discuss their findings with their peers</span></p>
<p class=”xisselectedend”><span style=”color: #242424;”>After the investigation, the class would reflect on their predictions and discuss why some objects floated while others sank. I would encourage pupils to use scientific vocabulary such as “float”, “sink”, “heavy”, “light” and “material” when explaining their thinking. </span></p>This is a really interesting plan and I have enjoyed it and can only imagine how it will impact the children. It is wonderful to link in pictures you have yourself to show the class and then also incorporating the local area will really make it personal and important for the children.
Songs:
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
Star Light, Star Bright
Somewhere Over the Rainbow by Judy Garland
Star by Earth Wind and Fire
Walking on sunshine by Katrina and the Waves
You are my sunshine
Starman by David Bowie
Fly me to the moon Frank Sinatra
Space Oddity by David Bowie
A sky Full of Stars Coldplay
Rocketman By Elton John
Walking on the Moon by The Police
Here Comes the Sun by George Harrison
Across the Universe by The Beatles
Counting Stars by One RepublicPoems:
The Moon Robert Louis Stevenson
Somebody has to by Shel Silverstein
The Star by Jane TaylorFamous Artwork:
The Starry Night by Vincent Van Gogh
Night Scenes by Claude Monet
Nocturne Paintings by James McNeill WhistlerStories:
Our Solar System by Catherine D. Hughes
How to Catch a Star by Oliver Jeffers
Look Up! by Nathan Byron
There’s no place like Space by Tish Rabe
Professor Astro’s Cat by Chris Hadfield
The Moon by Hannah PangThis is a great plan. I enjoyed the think pair share, the nature walk, the RTE video, the groupwork. It incorporates so many different ways of teaching and and learning which helps to maintain interest and keeps children active in their own learning.
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As a teacher of Second Class in an urban environment, I think it is important to provide children with meaningful opportunities to explore the biodiversity in their local environment and to understand the impact human activities can have on it. Where I live, we have access to a rich variety of habitats, including the seafront, mountains, local parks, woodlands, and school grounds, making it an ideal setting for hands-on learning. I would engage my pupils through nature walks, mini-beast hunts, birdwatching, and habitat surveys, encouraging them to observe and record the plants and animals they discover. Using age-appropriate storybooks such as The Darkest Dark by Chris Hadfield and Kate Fillon, discussions, and inquiry-based activities, I would introduce the concept of light pollution and explore how excessive artificial light can affect nocturnal species such as bats, hedgehogs, moths, and owls by disrupting their feeding, navigation, and natural behaviours. Pupils could investigate local lighting, create simple maps of brightly lit areas, and suggest practical ways to reduce unnecessary lighting. By connecting classroom learning with real-life experiences. I hope to foster an appreciation of the importance of dark skies and that they will appreciate that even small actions can contribute to creating better and healthier habitats for wildlife.