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John – for a science inquiry activity for junior classes, the emphasis is very much on the children posing a question, predicting what they think the answer is, based on their own science understanding and then verifying that answer with a research or practical activity.
This discussion could form the exploration part of an inquiry – and then the children might explore how water being a liquid depends on the temperature at that place.
Miriam – sounds lovely, and the children might discuss how you could combine items to stay extra warm, and might consider extra requirements for something being waterproof as well as warm.
The Pass the Parcel activity can be a nice warm-up to remind them of the language around materials, although you might want to make up 3 or 4 parcels if you have a large class.
Pass the parcel can be a great introduction to activities that use fabric – and can serve to remind the children of the vocabulary around materials. I have a set of fabric pieces that I keep on hand and insert additional bits between the layers from an inexpensive pinata kit I got from Tesco.
Alexandra – would you give them enough time to try out a second or third go? If you use plastic egg cartons (harder to find now, but still available if you buy the budget eggs in packs of 20!) – they have an easy set of containers and can try out more than one mix.
They could be working on meaures of capacity – particularly if you have a range of spoons for them to use to add the vinegar.
Emily – you can also use parts of the ESA Education resource on Moon Shelter, it has great images of shelters in different parts of the world.
Claire – this sounds like a great design and make skills activity, with the bonus of the science content from materials:
Properties and characteristics of materials
— begin to explore how different materials may be used in the construction of homes suited to their environments
Aisling – this topic can easily be adapted to support design and make skills — in which case the emphasis is on the task of creating a 3-D object – the Martian, and can have science content in there as the children might evaluate how well their Martian would survive on the cold, dry Martian surface.
Vanessa – sorry that I missed this post until now — what a great set of activities and extensions – I’d love to include this in the end of summer resource for space week.
Michael – I have made foam rockets down to 1st class, but with a few helpers! The fizzy tablet version can be explored with any container that will hold the pressure and then release it for the flight – this video suggests using sports cap bottles, which are easier to find that film canisters.
Michael – as you make the rockets, try to give options for the children to explore what they understand and how simple changes will make a difference to the rocket. For the fizzy rockets, you could change how much fizzy tablet they use, or how much water is added, or (for an older class), the temperature of the water.
Emma — I think having decorated rocket mice could lead to really interesting discussions about – is that mouse heavier? do that mouse’s ears make it fly better/worse…
Danika – animals in the cold could also connect to shelter for animals in the winter in Ireland. A teacher resource on the polar regions is at polarpedia from Edu Arctic.
Lisa – convection snake also exists as a resource from primaryscience.ie.
this resource suggest that: “The children can develop their own questions about how heat travels and test them.”
and can you check the access on your mind map?
John – please let me know if any of your children want to be architects!
You can bring in science through Properties and characteristics of materials> begin to explore how different materials may be used in the construction of homes suited to their environments,
by providing a range of materials that can act as building materials.