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Hi Ruth,
I really enjoyed reading your post. I like how you would begin with picture books and discussion before moving on to the practical rocket-making activity. This would give the children a chance to share what they already know and ask their own questions before starting the design process.
The use of recycled materials is also a great idea, as it gives the children plenty of freedom to be creative while developing problem-solving and teamwork skills. I particularly like that they would draw their ideas first and then build their rockets, as this introduces the idea of planning before making.
I would use the Balloon Rocket activity with my Senior Infants class as part of a Space Week theme. I think it would be a very suitable activity for younger children because it is simple, visual and gives an immediate result.
I would begin by showing the children a picture of a rocket and asking them what they think makes a rocket move. I would then inflate a balloon and release it without the string so the children could observe how it moves in different directions. Before setting up the balloon rocket, I would ask the children to predict what they think will happen when the balloon is attached to a straw on a piece of string.
The children could then help set up the investigation using a balloon, straw, string, clothes peg and tape. When the peg is removed, the air escaping from the balloon pushes it forward along the string.
To extend the activity, we could investigate whether a larger balloon travels further than a smaller one. The children could make predictions, observe each launch and record the results using drawings or a simple class chart. I would also take photographs of the launches as a digital record of our learning.
I like this activity because it introduces forces through play while developing questioning, prediction, observation and communication skills. It would also fit very well into a wider Space Week programme, which the module encourages teachers to plan for within their own school setting.
Hi Gráinne,
I really enjoyed reading your post. I especially liked how you combined practical STEM investigations with literacy, art, music and role play. Creating rockets from recyclable materials and testing different designs would give the children a meaningful opportunity to predict, observe, compare and improve their work. The balloon rocket activity would also be a fun way to introduce movement and forces in an age-appropriate way.
Your ideas for recording learning through drawings, photographs, diagrams and oral presentations are particularly useful, as they would allow children with different strengths to show what they have learned. I also agree with your approach to STEM-focused School Self-Evaluation. Gathering evidence from pupils’ work, teacher observations and pupil feedback would provide a clear picture of current practice and help staff agree on realistic next steps.
I would use the Investigating Children’s Coats activity with my Senior Infants class as part of the weather and materials themes. I would begin with a “feely bag” containing pieces of wool, cotton, nylon, waterproof fabric and reflective material. Without looking, the children would describe each material using words such as soft, rough, smooth, warm or fluffy. This would help develop their observational skills and scientific vocabulary.
We would then examine the children’s coats and discuss their different features, including colour, material, pockets, hoods, zips and reflective strips. I would ask the children to predict the most common coat colour before recording the results on a class bar chart. We could then sort the coats using hoops to create a large Venn diagram. For example, we might investigate which coats are waterproof, have hoods or contain reflective material. The resource suggests that the children could even wear their coats and become part of the Venn diagram themselves.
I would photograph the charts and sorting activities as a digital record. Afterwards, the children would reflect on what makes a suitable coat for cold and wet weather. This practical activity would develop observation, prediction, sorting, classifying, counting and data-recording skills while connecting science with mathematics, geography and road safety.
Hi Karl,
I really enjoyed reading your post. I particularly liked how you connected the theme of stars with art, storytelling, music and science. Using Van Gogh’s Starry Night as a starting point would be a very engaging way to encourage creativity while introducing the night sky.
The idea of exploring Greek myths connected to constellations would also provide a strong link with history and oral language. I especially like that the children would create their own constellations and develop an origin story explaining their names.
I would use the Stars activity set with my Senior Infants class, focusing on constellations and creating a star lantern. I would begin by showing the children pictures of familiar constellations and asking what shapes, animals or objects they can see. We would discuss how constellations are patterns that people have imagined by connecting stars. The module includes activities such as constellation stories, making the Plough, drawing an original constellation and creating star lanterns.
The children would then receive a page containing a simple arrangement of stars. They would connect the stars in any way they wished, decide what their pattern represented and give their constellation a name. Each child could share a short story about how their constellation appeared in the night sky. This would encourage imagination, oral language and early mathematical skills involving shape, position and pattern.
As a follow-up, we would make simple star lanterns. For safety, I would prepare or closely supervise the holes before the children decorated their lanterns. When the classroom was darkened, we would use torches to project the patterns onto a wall. The resource suggests using a lantern to project a constellation, making the activity both creative and practical.
I would photograph the completed constellations and create a digital class slideshow. I think this activity would make the idea of constellations memorable while integrating science, mathematics, art, storytelling and collaborative learning.
Hi Paula, I really enjoyed reading your post. I think the four-week observation activity is an excellent way for children to notice that the Moon’s appearance changes over time rather than simply being told about its phases. Creating a Moon display and word bank at the beginning would also help develop the children’s vocabulary and encourage them to share their existing ideas.
I especially like that the class would discuss their observations at the end of each week, as this would allow them to compare findings and identify patterns together. The dance activity is a creative and age-appropriate way to reinforce the four main phases through movement.
I would use the Sun and Shadows activity set with my Senior Infants class. I would begin by reading Moonbear’s Shadow and asking the children what they already know about shadows. We would discuss when they notice their shadows and make predictions about how a shadow might change when the light moves.
The children would then work in small groups using a bear figure and a torch to represent the Sun. They would explore how moving the torch changes the position, shape and size of Bear’s shadow. I would use challenge questions such as, “Can you make the shadow appear in front of Bear?”, “Can you make it longer?” and “Can you make it shorter?” The activity demonstrates that a shadow forms when an object blocks light and that changing the light’s position changes the shadow.
On a sunny day, I would extend the investigation by bringing the class outside in pairs to trace their shadows using chalk. We could photograph or draw the shadows as a digital record of our learning. Afterwards, the children would share what they noticed and compare the results with their predictions. This activity would develop observation, questioning, prediction and communication skills while providing an enjoyable and practical introduction to light and shadows. The activity also connects well with science objectives relating to light, day and night, and how shadows are formed.
Hi, I really enjoyed reading your post. I think The Three Little Pigs is a brilliant way to introduce inquiry-based learning to Junior Infants because it connects science with a familiar story and play-based learning.
I especially like how the children would predict which materials would make the strongest house before constructing and testing their designs. Using a mini fan as the wolf is a fun and practical way to make the investigation meaningful. It would also encourage plenty of discussion about why some houses stayed standing while others collapsed.
A possible extension could be to allow the children to improve their houses after the first test and try again. This would introduce the idea that designs can be changed and strengthened based on what they have learned. The drawing and labelling activity at the end is also a very suitable way for young children to reflect on and record their findings.
One inquiry-based activity I would use with my Senior Infants class is the Gravity and Falling Things investigation. I would show the children several objects, such as a feather, a toy block, a cotton ball and two sheets of paper—one flat and one crumpled. I would ask, “What will happen when we drop the different objects?”
Before testing them, the children would examine the objects and predict which would fall quickly, slowly, spin or float. They could record their predictions using drawings or simple symbols. The children would then work in small groups to drop each object from the same safe height and observe what happens.
Afterwards, we would compare the results with their predictions and discuss why some objects fell differently. As a follow-up, we could investigate how changing the shape of the paper affects the way it falls.
I would use this activity because it allows children to learn through questioning, predicting, observing and discussing rather than being given the answer immediately. It also develops scientific vocabulary, communication, turn-taking and early recording skills while encouraging curiosity and independent thinking.
The activity follows the course’s inquiry process of engaging pupils, investigating a starter question, extending the learning and reflecting on the results.
Hello everyone,
My name is Colm, and I teach Senior Infants in Longford. I am looking forward to learning more about using space as an engaging theme across subjects such as science, mathematics, geography, literacy and art.
My favourite space fact is that there is gravity on the Moon, but it is weaker than gravity on Earth because the Moon is smaller. I think this is a great fact for young children because many assume that there is no gravity in space. It could lead to interesting discussions about how astronauts move and what it might feel like to jump on the Moon.
I am looking forward to sharing ideas and learning from everyone throughout the course. I am not able to attach the mind map here.
Hi Mel, I like your use of place-based learning to help pupils connect climate change with changes they can observe in Donegal. Comparing weather records and visiting local beaches, rivers or woodlands would make the topic meaningful. Your suggested actions are also practical, and linking the project to SSE could support pupil voice, whole-school planning and measurable sustainability targets.
Climate change is becoming increasingly noticeable in Longford. Recent extreme weather, including Storm Éowyn, caused fallen trees, property damage, power cuts and disruption to schools and families. We have also experienced unusually hot summer weather, which can affect people’s health, farming, wildlife and water supplies. The module explains that Ireland is likely to experience more intense storms and rainfall, increased flooding and possible water shortages during summer.
In my classroom, I would encourage pupils to investigate these changes by recording daily weather, comparing temperatures and rainfall over time, interviewing older relatives about past weather patterns and researching how local wildlife and farming are affected. Pupils could also create maps showing areas at risk from flooding and discuss how climate change affects vulnerable communities globally.
Three actions we could take are:
Reduce energy use by turning off lights, screens and heating when they are not needed.
Reduce waste by using reusable bottles and lunch containers, recycling and composting.
Walk, cycle or car-share to school whenever possible and plant trees or wildflowers locally.These actions would allow pupils to move from learning to meaningful participation. Climate education helps children understand the consequences of climate change and contribute to practical responses.
Development Education could feed into SSE by gathering pupil, parent and teacher feedback, reviewing energy and waste practices and setting measurable whole-school targets. SSE supports schools in identifying strengths, gathering evidence, planning improvements and monitoring their impact.
Hi Sarah, I agree that simple actions can make a big difference in helping refugees feel welcome. Your ideas of cultural events, English conversation practice and including new pupils are practical and respectful. I also like your focus on challenging racism and promoting kindness, as this helps build a more inclusive whole-school community.
Climate change is becoming increasingly noticeable in Longford. Recent extreme weather, including Storm Éowyn, caused fallen trees, property damage, power cuts and disruption to schools and families. We have also experienced unusually hot summer weather, which can affect people’s health, farming, wildlife and water supplies. The module explains that Ireland is likely to experience more intense storms and rainfall, increased flooding and possible water shortages during summer.
In my classroom, I would encourage pupils to investigate these changes by recording daily weather, comparing temperatures and rainfall over time, interviewing older relatives about past weather patterns and researching how local wildlife and farming are affected. Pupils could also create maps showing areas at risk from flooding and discuss how climate change affects vulnerable communities globally.
Three actions we could take are:
Reduce energy use by turning off lights, screens and heating when they are not needed.
Reduce waste by using reusable bottles and lunch containers, recycling and composting.
Walk, cycle or car-share to school whenever possible and plant trees or wildflowers locally.These actions would allow pupils to move from learning to meaningful participation. Climate education helps children understand the consequences of climate change and contribute to practical responses.
Development Education could feed into SSE by gathering pupil, parent and teacher feedback, reviewing energy and waste practices and setting measurable whole-school targets. SSE supports schools in identifying strengths, gathering evidence, planning improvements and monitoring their impact.