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Laura,
if you like the idea of Space Olympics, you might want to adapt some of the Mission X physical activities to your class.
Scroll down to find the activities: https://trainlikeanastronaut.org/
Erika,
I agree with you about the suitability – when I have shared the activity with teachers the infants teachers really loved it, but I always thought it was great for 2nd class. They can really design and make the houses, and match to the actual appearance of their chosen house. I like your emphasis on shape, colour and size and this could be an introduction to scale.
What happens if the house you make is twice as big as the house another child makes — is it really twice as big in reality, or did you use different scales?
Niamh,
do you have a particular template that you plan to use? I have seen one from NASA education (but cannot find it now!). A quick google search gave me this one: https://buggyandbuddy.com/straw-rockets-with-free-rocket-template/, which is a straw in a straw with a rocket picture attached.
The one I am thinking of isn’t in the Rocket Educator’s Guide!
Harriet,
A fairly new resource that might be of use if you want to look at Mars as the home for your aliens is this one from ESA:
https://esamultimedia.esa.int/docs/edu/PR58_Could_we_live_on_Mars_V3.pdf
It has images that compare Earth to Mars, which could support your plans to look at what makes Earth so special.
You have a Paxi! how great.
Stellarium is a really powerful tool, and I’m glad you’re hooked on it. If you are really hooked email me at bco (frances.mccarthy@bco.ie) and I’ll send you the files for Ballycroy Co Mayo landscape and the landscape for Newgrange.
You can then install them on your own version following this guide: https://stellarium.org/en/landscapes.html
Edel,
demonstrating with the globe is such a key part of this learning activity.
When asked “Why is it dark at night?” I have had children tell me “so we can go to sleep.” Children need to be able to step beyond – what happens when it is dark in a child-centred way to reasoning about the world with models.
I like your choice of China and Europe – very often children who have understood that it is dark on another part of the world think of Australia as their place.
Oisín,
I’m not familiar with that book, but looking up the author I see that she has written 200 books, which seem to be straightforward non-fiction.
https://www.rebeccarissman.com/
I like how you have planned to link science to the creative process with designing Martians for a landscape. I would discuss with the children what is like on Mars quite explicitly – which I would hope the book would provide the details.
One common misconception that I encounter is that children think Mars is hot!
Laura,
would you make a working spacecraft, or more of a decorative one?
If a working one, which of the many options from Curious Minds appeals the most?
If you wanted to consider the various functions that a spacecraft must supply for its occupants you might use this resource from Space Week:
https://www.spaceweek.ie/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/HumansinSpace.pdf
Niamh,
I was talking space Olympics on the radio last night – Sarah McInerney had never heard of them, so I sent her this video of the 2021 space Olympics
https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Videos/2021/08/Space_Olympics_full_video
Michelle,
there is a Bird Feeder activity in Curious Minds, in English and Irish.
It is one of the options for the Whole School CPD offered by Curious Minds.
Making the bird feeder can be a Design & Make, with links to materials and to forces, and once the feeder is made it can be the subject of many inquiries – where is the best place for it? how many birds can use it? are different seeds better or worse….
Kathy,
you’ve shared a lovely simple resource from ESERO (https://esero.ie/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/20_A-real-spacesuit.pdf) that can be used to support a design and make. The children are given the criteria for the space suit:
that will keep the astronaut warm and have its own air supply.
and then the children can Explore Plan Make Evaluate their model space suit and explain why they chose certain materials based on their properties.
Anna,
thanks for prodding me to go look at more of the art/pictures at ESA Kids. I love that it downloads with the “Work of Art” name.
https://www.esa.int/kids/en/Games/Colour_with_Paxi
and of course, a free source of colouring pages themed on space!
Thank goodness for the Moon being the correct way around for an early evening night time from the northern hemisphere.
https://www.theguardian.com/science/blog/2011/nov/25/moons-astronomer-christmas-cards
Robyn,
here is a link to Dark Sky Art: https://darksky.org/news/7-pieces-of-art-inspired-by-the-night-sky/
I particularly like the Georgia O Keefe.
Here’s another night sky of hers: https://collections.okeeffemuseum.org/object/23/
and Evening Star No. III is at MoMA, with an audio clip about it.
