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I really like how you have combined STEM with literacy in this activity. The idea of designing a rocket using recyclable materials is a great hands-on element, and having the children write from the perspective of an astronaut would make the learning very engaging and imaginative. It’s a great way to bring space to life for the children!
For this assignment, I have chosen to look at the rocket-based activities. I would introduce the lesson by reading Aliens in Underpants Save the World, as I think using a fun book with colorful images is a great way to get children interested and engaged.
We would then discuss how we could make our own rocket using simple materials such as string, a straw, scissors, tape, a balloon and a peg. I would ask the children to come up with their own ideas first and record some of their suggestions on the board. I would then show them the Marvin and Milo cartoon where they create a balloon rocket.
The children would then work in groups to make their own balloon rockets. We could extend the activity by investigating whether the size of the balloon and the amount of air inside it affects how fast or how far the rocket travels along the string. We could ask questions such as, Does more air create more force? Does a bigger balloon make the rocket travel faster? Does the length or angle of the string make a difference?
The children could record their results and share their findings with the class. I think this would be a fun, hands-on STEM activity that encourages children to predict, investigate, problem-solve and work together, while introducing them to the idea of force and movement.
I really like this idea, especially how you could adapt the activity to explore different materials and their properties. Making the coat for a teddy would make it even more engaging and meaningful for the children. It’s a great hands-on STEM activity that encourages creativity, problem-solving and teamwork, while also linking nicely with your school’s STEM goals.
The ESERO lesson that really interested me was Lesson 5: Where Do You Live?. I would start the lesson by reading A Place Called Home by Kate Baker, which I have used for years. It is a great book for showing children how people live in different parts of the world, with examples such as snow-covered wooden houses in Greenland, mud huts in Africa and Mongolian yurts. It would be a lovely way to get the children thinking about how climate and culture can influence the homes people live in.
We would then talk about the different types of homes we have here in Ireland and use a think-pair-share activity to allow the children to talk about their own homes. Using the ESERO worksheet, they could identify which type of home is most similar to theirs.
To make the lesson more hands-on, I would give the children small Jenga blocks or building blocks and let them build a model of their home. We could then put all the houses together to create a village or community. This would lead into a discussion about what else a community needs, such as schools, shops, parks and other amenities.
Finally, we could bring it back to the children’s own local area and look at the different amenities in our village. I think this would be a really engaging way for children to understand the idea of homes, communities and what people need to live well.
I like the idea of using a book as an introduction to the lesson, and I had never heard of The Way Back Home by Oliver Jeffers. Thank you for bringing it to my attention. It is definitely one I must look up!
Mars Classroom Resource – Designing a Martian
I particularly like the Mars Classroom Resource from spaceweek.ie, especially the lesson where the children investigate how they might design a Martian. Although the resource is aimed more towards the Junior and Senior end of primary school, I would adapt the lesson slightly to make it suitable for First Class.
I would link the activity closely with a Mathematics lesson on 2D shapes instead of 3D shapes, allowing the children to apply their knowledge of different 2D shapes in a creative and meaningful way.
I would begin with the starter question: “What would a Martian look like?” We would discuss the different body parts a Martian might have and encourage the children to use their imaginations. I would then introduce the mathematical element by asking questions such as: What 2D shapes could we use to make a Martian? Would its head be a circle? Could its eyes be ovals? Could it have a triangular body?
The children would then be encouraged to sketch their own Martian, thinking carefully about the different 2D shapes they could use in their design.
For the main investigation, I would provide each child with a sheet and a selection of pre-cut 2D shapes that we have been learning about during our Mathematics lessons. The children would use these shapes to create their own Martian. At the bottom of the sheet, I would include a grid with the names of the different 2D shapes, such as circle, oval, triangle, square and rectangle.
The children would then complete a recording how many of each shape they used in their Martian. For example, they might record that they used five circles, two ovals, three triangles and one rectangle. This would allow them to practice counting, recording data and recognising 2D shapes while also engaging creatively with the Mars theme.
To conclude the lesson, we would share our Martians as a class and discuss the different shapes that were used. We could then conduct a simple class survey to find out which 2D shape was the most popular when creating our Martians.
I like the idea of creating a moon word bank, as there’s so much vocabulary that goes with the moon, and if they had something written down and concrete, they could go back to it time and time again. Great idea!
I would use the Moon Activity Set during a time when I am teaching fractions, particularly halves and quarters, in Mathematics. This would provide a meaningful context for the children to apply their mathematical language while developing their understanding of the different phases of the Moon.
I would introduce the lesson with the song “Family of the Sun.” Each child would have their own PDF booklet containing the lyrics so that they could follow along with the song.
Following the song, I would introduce a KWL chart to establish the children’s prior knowledge about the Moon. I would encourage them to share any vocabulary and knowledge they already have, including words such as orbit, astronomer, satellite, phases, and eclipse. This would allow me to assess their existing understanding and identify vocabulary that we will develop throughout the lesson.
Once the children have developed a good understanding of these key words, I would show them the “Paxi and our Moon” YouTube video. I would focus particularly on the first half of the video, which explores the different phases of the Moon. I would pause where appropriate to reinforce the new vocabulary and check the children’s understanding.
The children would then be encouraged to draw one of the phases of the Moon. This activity would provide an opportunity to connect their Science learning with their Mathematics learning by thinking about the Moon in terms of fractions, particularly halves and quarters. They could draw and colour the visible portion of the Moon while using the appropriate mathematical language to describe what they have represented.
To conclude the lesson, the children could share and reflect on one another’s work. We would discuss the different phases represented and encourage the children to explain the fractions they have used. This would provide an opportunity to consolidate both their mathematical understanding of fractions and their scientific understanding of the Moon’s phases.
Hi everyone, my name is Eimear and I teach in a rural school in Tipperary. I have been teaching First and Second Class for the past eight years. This year, I am looking forward to exploring STEM in more depth and making a conscious effort to incorporate more STEM activities across different subject areas. I’m hoping to develop new ideas and approaches that will encourage the children to be curious, ask questions and learn through hands-on experiences.
A fun fact about the moon that I love is that footprints left by astronauts could remain there for millions of years because there is no wind or rain on the moon to wash them away!
<p data-pm-slice=”1 1 []”>Not tech savvy enough to attach the link to mindmap to this form, so hope this will do</p>
<p data-pm-slice=”1 1 []”>Space / Rocket / Planet / Star / Moon / Sun / Earth / Galaxy / Astronaut / Alien / Satellite / Telescope / Spaceship / Space suit / Helmet / Orbit / Gravity / Universe / Mars / Jupiter / Saturn / Venus / Mercury / Neptune / Pluto / Moon rover / Launch / Countdown / Space station / Solar system / Milky Way / Black hole / Star dust / Meteor shower / UFO / Satellite dish / Explorer / Crater / Ring / Light / Night sky / Constellation / Fire / Gas / Floating / Zero gravity</p>
I have chosen an enquiry-based activity about investigating which materials would be best for making a tent. This links well with the Scouts club, which is popular in our school and community.
I would introduce the activity by showing the children a doll dressed as a Scout and explaining that she is going camping but needs a tent to keep her dry from the rain. The children would discuss what makes a good tent and predict which materials, such as plastic, kitchen paper, fabric, felt and cotton, would be best.
Working in small groups, the children would make small tents using the different materials and test them by spraying water over them. They would observe which materials kept the doll inside dry and compare their results with their predictions. We would discuss which materials were waterproof and why some worked better than others.
As an extension, the children could design and make their own Scout tent using the material they found worked best and decorate it with flags or bunting.
My Mind map- Not tech savvy enough to attach the link to this form, so hope this will do
Space / Rocket / Planet / Star / Moon / Sun / Earth / Galaxy / Astronaut / Alien / Satellite / Telescope / Comet / Asteroid / Meteor / Spaceship / Space suit / Helmet / Orbit / Gravity / Universe / Mars / Jupiter / Saturn / Venus / Mercury / Neptune / Pluto / Moon rover / Launch / Countdown / Space station / Solar system / Milky Way / Black hole / Star dust / Meteor shower / UFO / Satellite dish / Robot / Explorer / Crater / Ring / Light / Night sky / Constellation / Fire / Gas / Floating / Zero gravity
I really like this idea! I think exploring shadows would be a great way to engage young children as it is very hands-on and gives them plenty of opportunities to explore and investigate through play. I particularly like the idea of bringing the animals or dinosaurs outside and tracing their shadows. It would be lovely to see how the children’s ideas develop as they experiment with the light and objects. I also like how easily it could link with other subjects such as Maths, Oral Language and Visual Arts. I could definitely see myself using an activity like this in my own classroom.
Hi everyone, my name is Eimear and I teach in a rural school in Tipperary. I have been teaching First and Second Class for the past eight years. This year, I am looking forward to exploring STEM in more depth and making a conscious effort to incorporate more STEM activities across different subject areas. I’m hoping to develop new ideas and approaches that will encourage the children to be curious, ask questions and learn through hands-on experiences.
A fun fact about the moon that I love is that footprints left by astronauts could remain there for millions of years because there is no wind or rain on the moon to wash them away!
I have chosen an enquiry-based activity about investigating which materials would be best for making a tent. This links well with the Scouts club, which is popular in our school and community.
I would introduce the activity by showing the children a doll dressed as a Scout and explaining that she is going camping but needs a tent to keep her dry from the rain. The children would discuss what makes a good tent and predict which materials, such as plastic, kitchen paper, felt, foil and cotton, would be best.
Working in small groups, the children would make small tents using the different materials and test them by spraying water over them. They would observe which materials kept the doll inside dry and compare their results with their predictions. We would discuss which materials were waterproof and why some worked better than others.
As an extension, the children could design and make their own Scout tent using the material they found worked best and decorate it with flags or bunting.