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Activity set – Rockets.
I would begin by asking the children to work in pair and write down what they already know about rockets. One child would act as scribe and the other the reporter. I would then write some of the ideas/words reported back to me on the whiteboard for all to see.
We would then watch the clip of the Mice rockets and the balloon rocket. I would ask them to make predictions about which rocket would go further/higher. We would discuss how it could be measured.
I would divide the class in two groups and make both rockets. We would gather the materials needed and work together to make the rockets. We would then watch the children launch their rockets and see if our predictions were correct.
To conclude, I would read The Way Back home by Oliver Jeffers and watch some clips on YouTube of rockets launching.
Where do you live & weather.
We would begin with a discussion about our own houses. What they look like, size, how many rooms etc? I work in a rural school so I would ask about houses in cities to see if they are aware of living in flats/apartments and why they are common in cities but not in the countryside. We would look at images of different houses from around the world and name them e.g. detached house, terraced, igloo etc.
We have a huge box of Lego (donated by parents) so we would work in groups to make some houses from this. I would tie this in with an Art lesson by making houses from clay. We would line them up to make a village and discuss what is missing/needed to complete the village. We would learn the words for the different types of house as Gaeilge – teach scoite, leathscoite, arasán srl.
I really look forward to using the online tools and websites especially Stellarium.
This is a great way to include children from other countries or those who have spent time abroad & have experience of different types of houses and climates.
Stars activity.
I would begin the lesson with a KWL chart to find out what the children already know and what they would like to learn. What does the sky look like at night? We would speak about the word constellation and it’s meaning. Do they know the name of any constellations? I really like the activity of making the plough. There is so much learning in it and a lovely creation at the end. I am always looking for ways to kill 2 birds with 1 stone so its a great way of doing length at the same time as learning about the stars. & Art!
I would love to display them in the classroom or as someone else mentioned in the hallway, for all students to see. The children could observe the sky and look out for the different constellations as part of the homework. I think designing their own constellation would be a lovely extension activity.
These are lovely, hands-on activities for the children. I think they would really enjoy this type of lesson. Great idea!
I agree with your last statement Ellen. As there aren’t lots of expensive resources needed it makes these lessons so much easier for all teachers.
Day and Night activity.
I think this is a brilliant way to teach the children about why and how we have day and night. I would begin with a discussion about the sky in the daytime and what we can see. What does it look like? Will it look the same at both breaks? This would be a good opportunity to go outside and take some photos to compare the sky at different times of the day. This is an easy way to introduce technology and a movement break to the lesson. I thought that sticking the bears on the globe(ball) and shining the lamp was a really good way of showing the children how it is day in one country but night in another. I also liked that the children could face and turn away from the light depending on if the teachers calls day or night. It is a very interactive and inclusive activity. I would like to do the Art activity using the fabric to conclude.
I also really like the Earth mosaics and the Planet song. I will definitely use those in my class next year.
Hi all, my name is Eileen. I was teaching 1st and 2nd class this year. I am hoping to get some new ideas from the course for next year.
One of my favourite inquiry based learning science activities I have used in the past is a photo hunt. When teaching about materials and their properties, I first discuss what materials the children know about, their uses and where they might see them around school. Then we walk around the school and take photos of different materials with the iPads. When we get back to the classroom, we discuss & sort them by their materials or functions. We discuss why some materials are used for different things e.g. metal is used for the sink, why not wood or plastic?
Photo hunts are also great for Maths & are a great way of getting a movement break in too.
My favourite space fact is the average star is between one and ten billion years old!
