Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
I found this module interesting and it had lots of great ideas that I have taken note of to use with my class in the coming year. I think that the children would especially enjoy the lessons relating to rockets as they are intriguing and interesting to young children. I would begin by reading one of the stories recommended during the presentation. I think they will particularly enjoy the aliens in underpants story. The story will serve as a stimulant to engage the children in the topic. I would then show them some examples of rockets before giving them the opportunity to explore and design a rocket themselves. I will use primaryscience.ie to guide me for this lesson. I think they would also find making rocket mice a very fun activity and enjoy comparing their rocket to others to see which works the best and why. I look forward to trying this out during Space Week.
Having the opportunity to experience the space dome at our school, I know the children love looking at the stars and the night sky. This is how I know that they would really enjoy using the Stellarium website. First, I would introduce the students to Stellarium and explain that it is a virtual planetarium they can explore. We would start by identifying familiar constellations like the Big Dipper and Orion’s Belt, using the search function to find them easily. Someone mentioned using peg boards to recreate some of the constellations so I think this is an activity that they would really enjoy too.
Next, we’d use the time-travel feature to show how the night sky changes over days and months, helping them understand the movement of stars and planets. We could also explore different locations on Earth to see how the night sky varies around the world.
To make it interactive, students could take turns using the controls to zoom in on planets, moons, and other celestial objects. We’d discuss interesting facts about these objects as we explore. Finally, students could draw their favorite constellations or celestial bodies, reinforcing what they’ve learned.
I am really interested in covering the stars with my class this coming year. I think they would enjoy many of the activities discussed in this module. One particular lesson that I am eager to try is the one focusing on making the Plough constellation. This would be a great activity for all year groups during next year’s STEM week because it combines science, math, and art in a fun way. Plus, it would make a great display in our school hallways, where students can see how the stars look different as they move up the stairs. We can also explore Orion’s Belt since it’s easy to spot at night.
To make it more exciting, we can ask students to take night photos of these constellations and add them to our STEM display. This could even turn into a summer project, with students traveling abroad taking photos of the Plough from different places. We can also compare photos of the constellations taken in different seasons.The activity set that I would choose is The sun and Shadows as I think there are many different activities that you could do to investigate these, a lot of which are hands on and would grab the children’s attention.
I think the children would really enjoy creating a sundial and observing it over the course of the day. I think they would find it interesting to observe how the shadows move and change as the sun moves throughout the day.
Another activity to try with them would be tracing each other’s shadows with chalk in the playground. I think that they would have a lot of fun with this. They could then return outside later in the day and compare their shadows standing in the same position. They could then experiment further indoors with a lamp to mimic the sun, observe and trace different items in the classroom and see how the height and distance of the lamp changes the shadow.Hi I’m Ciara and I am going to be teaching 2nd class for the first time this year.
My favourite space fact is that there are more stars than there are grains of sand on all the beaches on earth!
An activity that I am looking forward to using is the inquiry-based activity we saw in this module with the missing sweets and fingerprinting! I thought this lesson was fun and engaging for students of all ages. I think the children would love using magnifying glasses to examine their fingerprints. I’m realizing that science doesn’t have to be so tough and overwhelming. It can actually be simple and fun. This activity has shown me that hands-on learning is a great way to get students excited about science. I’m looking forward to trying out this lesson in my class and seeing my students become detectives, solving mysteries while learning about science. This whole experience has really reminded me that teaching science can be both educational and enjoyable and doesn’t always require alot of equipment.
