[Frances McCarthy]

Sharon,

I really like everything about this outline. Your use of the framework of inquiry is so clear, the activities planned for the children are interesting and will allow them to access a range of science content and skills.

[Frances McCarthy]

Katie,

what a lovely way to connect multiple aspects of the curriculum into this outline.

A science connection might be on the shape of stars – we draw them as ★☆ – but are they really that shape?

Look at stars in the night sky – the bright ones might be twinkling -which makes us see the pointy bits coming out from the single dot.

If you have a laser pointer you can demonstrate what is going on:

https://www.exploratorium.edu/snacks/scintillating-little-star

and children might wonder if it makes a difference how hot the plate is, could this be tried with a candle? what if the laser pointer is higher? or lower … etc

[Frances McCarthy]

Anne,

you’ve described clearly how ICT can be used to support learning in an inquiry sense, which is so useful for many of the space topics, where practical investigations many not be possible.

[Frances McCarthy]

Grace – to quote one of my colleagues when they see something they like:

“gorgeous”

I love how you have threaded aliens into your maths.

[Frances McCarthy]

Catherine,

I’m not familiar with Stop Motion Video, and unfortunately

https://www.cateater.com/try

states

INFO

The free mobile version of Stop Motion Studio offers many features. For advanced tools, consider upgrading to the PRO version. Please note, a trial or free version is not available for Windows or macOS

I’m just not great at using my mobile as a tool!

[Frances McCarthy]

Trish, is this the video of Peep?

https://www.peepandthebigwideworld.com/en/kids/videos/160/snow-daze/

This seems very much about sledding and finding a suitable flat, smooth object to be the sled – similar to Beaver Boy’s tail.

There is a curriculum linked to ramps as part of the Peep family:

https://www.peepandthebigwideworld.com/en/educators/curriculum/family-child-care-educators/14/ramps/

and i am a huge fan of ramps as a learning activity for younger children.

[Frances McCarthy]

Caitlin,

binoculars are particularly nice for observing the Moon in the daytime, just be sure that the children don’t spin around and view the Sun!

Jupiter and Saturn are great in binoculars too, and in September/ October they are both well placed, with Saturn at opposition  – ie directly opposite the Sun in the sky, so rising at sunset, visible all night and setting at sunrise.

Jupiter
Improving morning planet reaching 51° altitude on 30 Sept. Near Wasat 6 & 7 Sept.

Saturn
Well presented this month, opposition on 21 Sept with a peak altitude around 34°.

Source: https://www.skyatnightmagazine.com/advice/skills/astronomy-guide-viewing-planets-night-sky

[Frances McCarthy]

Claire,

I’d recommend checking with the 3rd and 4th class colleagues in your school before introducing lots of thermometer work with infants. The Science curriculum doesn’t mention them until 3rd/4th.

• recognise that temperature is a measurement of how hot something is
• measure changes in temperature using a thermometer

Infants are expected to

recognise the difference between hot and cold in terms of weather, food, water and the body

but measuring that appears in 1st/2nd

• learn that temperature is a measurement of how hot something is
• measure and compare temperatures in different places in the classroom, school and environment.

It is reasonable to expect children in 1st/2nd to be able to read one of the little LCD temperature cards, or to read the thermostat setting in the classroom (if you have one!).

[Frances McCarthy]

Caitlin,

the inquiry process as described in module 1 can be used for research – but the children should identify an appropriate starter question and then gather information that helps them check their understanding.

So, for example, children might know that planets are different distances from the Sun and might predict that the closest planet is the hottest.

They could then look up the temperatures on the surfaces of the planets and discover that Venus is hotter than Mercury, even though it is further away. This will mean that they need to seek out additional information to help them understand why. In the case of Venus, it is because the thick atmosphere acts like a greenhouse and makes the planet much warmer than expected.

• This reply was modified 1 month, 3 weeks ago by Frances McCarthy.

[Frances McCarthy]

Trish,

you’ve identified a range of questions to serve as the prompt, then the children can play and explore around the topic until they identify a particular starter question.

Be sure to give them a chance to explain what they think will happen in each case – so that they are articulating their understanding before verifying it. This might happen quite quickly – if a child notices that the shadow gets fuzzy when they use a large LED torch, they might cover up some of the LEDs to see if that makes a difference.

[Frances McCarthy]

Helen – please share any videos you make with us at BCO – we’d love to see them, and if needed, can edit out faces for wider sharing.

[Frances McCarthy]

Vera,

it could be nice to connect this to either Space Week (always 4-10 October), or International Dark Sky Week (which will be held in 13-18 April 2026).

The sky will be darker earlier in October, so that might tip it to that time of the year. The children could observe the setting sun and wait to see the first star.

For Cork, Dublin and Galway. There’s a 10 min or so difference from the east coast to the west coast, due to the size of Ireland.

[Frances McCarthy]

Jayne,

do you do this via rubrics or by checklists? I’ve used checklists with older children when they are learning a new skill – for example, lighting a bunsen burner with 11 year olds. They work with a partner and both review the steps as one lights the bunsen, then they swap.

I would send them home with a homework task of “light a match” before that – since many of them had never actually lit a match!

For children using the inquiry process, I would hope that “students develop a sense of ownership over the learning process” comes when they are asking and finding answers to their own starter questions and validating their own predictions.

[Frances McCarthy]

Áine,

thanks for sharing your thoughts on an Aistear connection with day and night. I find that the language children use when describing day and night and the reasons for it very interesting to note. More than once I’ve been told that the reason it is night time is because we have to go to sleep!

Circle time will be a super way to use the language of science to describe how the Earth rotates so that the side we are on is the side that isn’t facing the Sun. Then the children can list the activities that they do when it is dark.

 

ADDED:
check out this great video that shows the Earth rotating against the sky

https://www.reddit.com/r/astrophotography/comments/1m1dqc9/i_stabilized_an_8hour_timelapse_to_show_the_earth/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

• This reply was modified 1 month, 3 weeks ago by Frances McCarthy.

[Frances McCarthy]

Sarah,

rockets are a great way to explore forces. If you really want to get into Rocket Science, NASA have a superb (huge!) Rocket Educator’s Guide that has everything you need to not be caught out by 6 year olds!

https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/rockets-educator-guide-20.pdf?emrc=5ed244

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