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Hi Sinéad,
I completely agree with what you have said about there being so many weeks/events over the course of the school year – Maths Week, Science Week, Wellness Week ,World Book Day, SNAG, Neurodiversity Celebration Week, Space Week… They are all great and worthy of activities but it’s hard to get time to do activities for each. I think it’s a good idea to try and include similar ones together, like you say Space week and Science Weeks would work together, likewise Space Week activities & Maths Week activities overlap. I like the extra suggestions you have made for activities for Space Week.
The activity from this module that I would choose to do with my group would be rockets. I would pretty much follow the steps outlined in the module – engage the children’s interest with a photo or video or story. I am familiar with the book mentioned, “The Way Back Home” so I might read that one. After discussing the story I would show the children some different rockets and let them experiment/play with those. I have a stomp rocket which they could try out and also an arrow from an archery set. Next the children could draw and design their own rocket and finally make their own rockets.. We would try out some of the rockets mentioned in the module – balloon rockets, foam rockets and rocket mice. Then discussions would take place on how to make the rockets go further/faster/ higher and experiment with force, angle etc We could present our finished rockets to some of the younger classes during Space Week.
Hi Rachel,
That really is a cross-curricular way of teaching and learning about the weather. I like the idea of running the theme across all the subjects – there is so much scope there with lots of hands on activities and the different senses are being catered for with movement, music etc. This theme can be adapted for pretty much all age groups and it can be worked on over a period of time.
The activity I would choose would be Esero 11, What Clothes to Wear & Curious Minds, Investigating Children’s Coats..
My prompt question would be that I’m feeling cold in class & have goosebumps. What can I do? This prompt will also be good for children to reinforce their interoceptive senses – how do I know I’m cold?
We can then look at some options in my room and decide which is the best item of clothing for me to put on – my cardigan, a raincoat or my winter yard duty coat. This will lead to discussions about materials in each and reason for them.
When I have warmed up, we’ll look at Esero 11 resources and follow lesson – colouring the season pictures, questions about pictures and clothing in each. Next will be the story “Rain, Wind & Storm”, children can pretend to be Lisa and do the actions for the story.
A follow up lesson could include the children designing their own coats/jackets (Investigating Children’s Coats, Curious MInds)with the following in mind – seasons, weather, temperature, materials, practical, fashion etc
Hi Ciara,
This sounds like a really lovely fun lesson. I have never heard of that particular book but I Like Julia Donaldson so I’m guessing it’s just as good as her other ones.
I like the idea of darkening the room and using space projector. It would be nice to play some space themed music too. It links in very well with the drama and art ideas you mentioned and could probably be tied in with English, PE, Music etc
I think it’s something I would like to try too.
Module 3
The activity I would choose is based on stars. I’m going to be in SEN next year and one of the children I work with has a huge interest in space. I think he would enjoy the activity, “Looking at the Plough from 2 different perspectives”. I’d get him to follow the steps and make the 3D model shown in this module. He should be able to manage most of it himself, even measuring out the correct lengths of string. Then after looking at it from below and on the same level and discussing what he can see from both perspectives he could present it to his classmates and answer questions about it as this will be a confidence boost for him, It could be displayed in his classroom. I also think he would enjoy making a star lantern – he would probably prefer making actual constellations that exist rather than imaginary ones.
Hi Katie- Jo,
I really like your ideas for this activity. I’m working in SEN and most of these activities that you mentioned are sensory based which a lot of my children benefit from – tactile with the feely bag, auditory with the music, then tactile again with the flour & clay, proprioceptive with the pushing into clay to make craters. Presenting them to their classmates when they’re painted & dry is something else they would enjoy doing as well.
Module 2
The activity I think I would choose would be The Sun & Shadows. I like the way this activity was carried out in the video – start with a discussion to ascertain what the children already know about shadows and how they are created. Follow with story, Moonbear’s Shadow by Frank Ashe. As the educator showed I would draw the children attention to size of shadow, position of sun etc in the pictures. After reading and discussing story I would have children make models of Moonbear, fish & pond. When this is complete children will experiment using a torch as the sun and create shadows with Moonbear. We will then go out onto yard at intervals during the day when it is sunny and observe our shadows, position of sun etc. Children can record what they have learned about shadows thro simple sentences and pictures.
Hi Laura, I like your idea of making bird feeders with your class & how you went about it. We have bird feeders up in our school but shop bought ones as opposed to class made ones. I’d say the children are delighted with the end results and it must be lovely to hang them outside the window and see the birds feeding from them. I imagine the children really engage with this activity and come up with a range of different feeders. It must be good for their problem solving too and working collaboratively. Something I might borrow for next year. Thanks
Hi, my name is Corinna. I’ve been working in SEN the last few years. Two of the children I work with in a 1 – 1 capacity have a great interest in space and I’m hoping what I learn here I can use to engage their interests next year.
My space fact is that over 1 million earths could fit into our sun!
Inquiry- based activity: Which ball is the bounciest?
Engage – Prompt question: We’re going to work on our bouncing and catching skills in PE. Which balls do you think will be bouncy and good for us to use. Show children a selection of balls – sponge, plastic, tennis, rubber, Play Dough ball etc
Investigate – Children get to feel materials, discuss, predict, conduct a fair experiment
Next step – talk about tennis games and which ball they use and why, balls are replaced when they lose their bounciness etc
Reflect – on my objectives, children’s progress and use of correct language, what went well?, what would I change? etc
