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I think your idea of allowing the children to improve their rocket designs after testing them was excellent, as it encourages problem-solving and shows that learning often involves trial and improvement. Integrating the activity with Mathematics by measuring the distance travelled is another great way to make learning meaningful and cross-curricular.
I chose the Rocket Launch activity because it is an exciting, hands-on investigation that introduces children to the concept of forces in a fun and memorable way. The activity uses a balloon, string, straw and tape to create a simple rocket. As the air escapes from the balloon, it pushes the balloon forwards, helping children understand how real rockets travel through space. The activity develops important scientific skills such as observing, predicting, investigating and experimenting. I would use this activity with a 3rd or 4th class during Space week. To begin, I would show a short video of a real rocket launch and ask the children to predict how they think rockets move. Working in small groups, pupils would build their own balloon rockets before testing them along a string. I would encourage them to investigate questions such as, “Does a bigger balloon travel further?” and “Does the length of the string make a difference?” The children would record their predictions, measure the distance travelled and discuss whether the results matched their expectations. To extend the activity, I would integrate Mathematics by measuring distances and presenting the results in tables and graphs. I would also link the lesson with English by asking pupils to write the steps involved in making the rocket and reflect on what they learned. Art could be incorporated by allowing the children to design and decorate their rockets before testing them. Overall, I think this activity would be highly engaging and motivating for pupils. It promotes curiosity, teamwork and problem-solving while helping children develop an understanding of forces and air pressure through practical investigation. It also supports an inquiry-based approach to science, encouraging children to ask questions, test their ideas and reflect on their findings. This activity would allow children to learn through exploration and discovery, making science enjoyable while developing important STEM skills that they can apply in future learning.
I really enjoyed reading your post Sandra. I like how you structured the activity using the Explore, Plan, Make and Evaluate stages, as it gives children plenty of opportunities to develop their scientific thinking. Linking the activity with Maths through comparing the size of the houses and with Art through designing weather-appropriate clothing is a great example of integrating STEM across the curriculum.
I chose the “Hot and Cold” activity because it provides an engaging and practical way for children to develop scientific inquiry skills through investigation. In this lesson, pupils predict which ice cube will melt faster by placing one in the sun and one in the shade before observing and recording the results. The activity encourages children to ask questions, make predictions, observe carefully, and draw conclusions from evidence rather than simply being given the answer. These are key scientific process skills that are central to primary science. I would use this activity with an infant class during a unit on weather or seasons. Before carrying out the investigation, I would ask open-ended questions such as, “What do you think will happen?” and “Why do you think that?” This would encourage children to explain their thinking and justify their predictions. During the experiment, pupils could work in pairs to observe the ice cubes and record what they notice through drawings or simple sentences, depending on their age. Afterwards, we would discuss the results as a class and compare them with our original predictions. This promotes communication, critical thinking and collaborative learning. To extend the lesson, I would integrate Mathematics by timing how long each ice cube takes to melt and comparing the results. I would also link the activity with Geography by discussing sunshine, shade and different weather conditions. As a follow-up, children could investigate where the warmest and coolest places are around the school grounds, encouraging them to apply their learning in a real-world context.
Overall, I think this activity is an excellent example of STEM education because it is hands-on, inquiry-based and encourages curiosity. It develops important scientific skills such as questioning, observing, predicting, investigating and communicating findings while making learning enjoyable and meaningful for young children.Hi Elaine, I really like how your lesson builds gradually over a number of weeks, allowing the children plenty of time to explore the topic in depth. The open-ended questions at the beginning are a great way to encourage curiosity and get the children thinking creatively. I also like how you have integrated Art, Oral Language and Maths by having the children create, describe and compare their aliens. The idea of visiting another class to share their stories and fact files is a lovely extension, as it allows the children to build their confidence and communication skills. Overall, it sounds like a fun and engaging sequence of lessons that the children would really enjoy.
I would use the Space and Aliens activity with my Junior Infants because it encourages curiosity, creativity and inquiry-based learning. Young children are naturally curious by space, and this topic provides many opportunities for them to ask questions, explore ideas and use their imagination.
Introduction
I would display pictures of different planets and ask the children open-ended questions such as, “What do you notice?”, “Which planet looks the hottest?”, “Which one looks the coldest?” and “Do you think anything could live there?” I would encourage the children to share their ideas and make predictions before explaining that they are going to design an alien that can survive on one of these planets.
Activity
The children would choose a planet and create their own alien using playdough, recyclable materials or art supplies. As they worked, I would move around the classroom asking questions such as, “Why did you give your alien big feet?”, “How will it stay warm?” and “What does it eat?” These questions would encourage the children to think about the needs of living things and explain the choices they have made rather than simply creating an imaginary character.
Extension
To extend the activity, I would integrate it with Aistear by creating a Space Exploration role-play area where the children could pretend to be astronauts discovering new planets and meeting the aliens they had created. The children could also build homes for their aliens using construction materials and discuss what their aliens would need to survive. This would encourage oral language, teamwork and imaginative play while reinforcing the learning from the science lesson.
Conclusion
At the end of the lesson, each child would share their alien with the class and explain one feature that helps it survive on its planet.
Love this idea! The pupils would be so excited to use oreos and it makes quite a abstract concept much easier to understand. Also by them creating each phase it help them rmemeber and understand much better then just looking at pictures.
I would use the Moon Activity Set in my classroom because it provides children with opportunities to learn through investigation, observation and discussion rather than simply being told information. I would begin by showing pupils pictures of the Moon in its different phases and asking open-ended questions such as, “What do you notice?”, “Do you think the Moon changes shape?” and “Why do you think it looks different on different nights?” This would encourage the children to share their own ideas and predictions before beginning the investigation.
The main activity would involve pupils working in small groups with a torch, a small white ball representing the Moon, and one child representing the Earth. As they move the Moon around the “Earth”, they would observe how the light changes the part of the Moon they can see. Through questioning and discussion, the children would discover that the Moon does not change shape; instead, we see different amounts of its sunlit side. This hands-on approach encourages children to observe carefully, test their ideas and explain their thinking, which are all key scientific inquiry skills.
Throughout the lesson, I would circulate around the classroom, listening to pupils’ discussions and asking probing questions to extend their thinking. I would assess learning through observation, questioning and by asking pupils to draw the Moon phases in order and explain one new fact they have learned. This would also help me identify any misconceptions that need further support. I believe this activity would make learning memorable because it is practical, collaborative and child-centred. It reflects the inquiry-based approach promoted in the Primary Science Curriculum by encouraging pupils to become active participants in constructing their own understanding through investigation and communication.
Inquiry-Based Learning Activity: Floating and Sinking (Junior Infants)
I would teach floating and sinking through an inquiry-based investigation where the children discover the answers themselves. I would begin by showing the class a selection of everyday objects, such as a cork, stone, spoon, leaf, sponge and plastic toy. I would ask open-ended questions such as, “What do you notice about these objects?”, “Which do you think will float?” and “Why do you think that?” The children would make predictions before testing each object in a tub of water. As each object is placed into the water, I would encourage the children to observe carefully and discuss what they see with their classmates. I would ask questions such as, “What happened?”, “Was your prediction correct?” and “What do you notice about the objects that float?” At the end of the activity, we would compare our predictions with the results and discuss what we discovered. This inquiry-based approach encourages curiosity, observation, communication and critical thinking while allowing children to develop scientific understanding through hands-on exploration and active participation.Hi my name is Ciara and I am a NQT! A space fact I find interesting is Saturn would probably float in water as its made from mostly gas.