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I love the idea of designing your own plastic bottles for the experiment. The children would take great pride in their rockets.
I would use the Rocket Mouse experiment with my class to help the children learn about how things move. It is a fun way to see how rockets fly up and come back down.
I would share a short story about a little mouse going on a rocket trip to make it fun. I would explain that pushing and pulling makes things move. We would do the experiment together and watch the rocket fly. Before we launch, I would ask the children to guess where the rocket will go or how high it will fly.
We would talk about what happened and ask questions like, “Why did the rocket go up?” or “Why did it come down?” This activity is great because the children get to try it themselves and have fun while learning.A KWL chart is a great idea to begin the lesson with, it lets the children share their facts with the class 🙂
I would focus on the theme “Animals in the Cold” with my Junior Infants class. We would learn about animals that live in cold places like the Arctic and Antarctica. To introduce the topic, I would read “The Emperor’s Egg” and “Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear?” These books would help children learn about animals like emperor penguins and polar bears, how they survive freezing weather, and the sounds they make. I would then use picture cards and sorting games where the children group animals by whether they live in cold or warm places. We would do simple activities like melting ice to feel how cold it is and learn why animals need special features to stay warm. Another activity would be creating a simple chart to track the temperature each day, helping children observe changes in weather. As part of a STEM-focused School Self Evaluation (SSE), I would take photos and videos of the children’s work and conversations to see how well they understand and to help plan more lessons about animals that live in cold places.
For the “Design a Martian” theme with Junior Infants, I would start by reading Julia Donaldson’s “The Smeds and the Smoos” to introduce aliens in a fun and friendly way. The story sparks imagination and encourages conversations about differences and friendship.
After reading the story, I would encourage children to draw their own Martians, asking questions about features like the number of eyes, limbs, and colours to inspire creativity. Then, we could sort pictures or models of Martians by size, colour, or number of limbs, linking to early maths skills. Using playdough, pipe cleaners, and recycled materials, children could build 3D Martians to develop fine motor skills. To add movement, the class could imitate how their Martians might move, supporting gross motor development. Finally, we could design simple “homes” for the Martians with blocks and discuss what they need to live there.I also love the idea of watching the Peppa Pig episode on Stars, the children would be engaged and ready to explore!
I would use the planet song to help infants learn the names and order of the planets in a fun and active way. Songs are a great way for young children to remember new information, especially when combined with movement and repetition. We would start by listening and singing along, using simple actions to help remember each planet.
Afterwards, I would give each child a paper planet and ask them to work together to place the planets in order from the Sun. This promotes sequencing skills, cooperation, and early science knowledge.
To bring in a maths element, we would compare planet sizes using everyday objects (e.g., a marble for Mercury and a football for Jupiter). This helps children explore size, comparison, and ordering—key early maths skills. It also gives them a clearer idea of how different each planet is, making the learning more real and memorable. I think the children would really enjoy this.
Inquiry-Based Activity
I would use the “Float or Sink” activity to introduce early science skills in a fun and hands-on way. Junior/Senior Infants are naturally curious, and this activity encourages them to make predictions, test ideas, and observe results. I would begin by showing a range of everyday objects and asking the children to guess which will float or sink. This promotes thinking and discussion, even before any testing begins.We would then test each object and talk about what we notice. I would use simple questions like “What do you see?” and “Was your guess right?” to help them reflect. As an extension, children could design something that floats using materials like LEGO or playdough.
This activity supports skills such as predicting, observing, and reasoning in a playful, age-appropriate way. It also encourages language development, teamwork, and confidence in sharing ideas.
