Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
Hi Ciara – welcome to the course. Please do check the forums – they are rich with shared experiences of the Junior end of the school.
Magnets is a great inquiry topic – since simple ideas can easily be tested — ie “I think all metals are magnetic” – and if the children have a range of metals to test, they very quickly find out that only some metals are attracted to magnets! The trick is then getting them to work that into their own science thinking. I once did this activity with an informal group, and one of the leaders (an adult!) told the children that all metals were magnetic, and then made up some very odd explanation as to why the tinfoil didn’t stick to the magnets.
Patrice, thanks for sharing that video link – I had forgotten that one! I like how it shows the relative sizes of the planets -(ish). I have done an activity on modelling all the planets to scale – but it uses a lot of playdoh! There is a version here for older children, as well as an alternative for the Earth/Moon and for Earth/Moon and Mars.
Marcella – your older children might be able to explore how the model of the Moon’s surface is or is not like the actual Moon surface. The nature of the Moon’s surface (the layer called the regolith) was only really sorted once un-manned space craft landed on it.
If you read the transcript of Neil Armstrong’s first moonwalk – he talks about the surface a lot. And this image shows it: https://airandspace.si.edu/multimedia-gallery/as11-40-5918hr-lunar-module-footpad
Karen – there are some great pictures and posters of the planets, I like the simple ones from ESA: https://www.esa.int/kids/en/Multimedia/Downloads/Paxi_Posters.
There is a great opportunity to explore colours, why things are different colours etc – which the children might suggest or wonder.
Hi Emma – could you check settings and enable sharing of your mind map?
If someone gave you a link to this diagram they might also need to give you permission to view it.
Teresa – I have used LED lamps that I got from Halfords — and tried using desk lamps that could be plugged in, but small flashlight styles really are better – and sunlight is the best!
Una, you have a really nice grouping of activities for learning about the planets. It can be interesting to ask children to select pairs of planets from a range of different sizes balls – which planets have they chosen? There is a version of this for the Earth and Moon – that gets quite complicated, but for young children they can just compare larger to smaller, and have Jupiter or Saturn as the larger ball, and one of the terrestrial planets as the smaller one.
Roisin – I’m not familiar with planetstoday.com – and trying that address bring you to a very general site – do you have the actual link?
There is the NASA eyes on the solar system: https://eyes.nasa.gov/apps/orrery/#/home
and this ESA poster that shows missions that have explored each planet: https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images/2019/02/ESA_s_fleet_of_Solar_System_explorers.
The children might ask their own questions about why the planets look the way they do – and is it related to what they are made of? where they are in the solar system etc. This can be inquiry, even without an investigation “practical” activity.
Do you have a favourite one Catherine? As a fellow Canadian I love the all! but particularly the Chris’ Kitchen ones like this: https://youtu.be/AZx0RIV0wss,
The Moon is a great way into astronomy and space for children – have you a particular way you would like the children to record the moon phases? Would you start with the daytime moon at 3rd quarter and have a class observation?
Mayo Dark Skies have a Moon Observing Log that could be adapted for younger children: https://mayodarkskypark.ie/discover/the-moon, perhaps by putting in the suggested times that the children might look for the Moon – ie look for the Full Moon and the crescent Moon at sunset or sunrise, look for the 1st quarter moon in the afternoon, look for the 3rd quarter moon in the morning.
Hi Sinéad – a few years ago we worked with the National Children’s Choir and Jack L to do a Bowie video: https://youtu.be/xBZ034GHM4Q
Do you have a link to your class’s song?
thanks for sharing the mind-map – don’t forget to add to it / modify it etc as you progress through this course.
Welcome Nora – there are plenty of 2nd class teachers around in the forum, with a wealth of ideas and experiences that they are sharing. I like the Moon footprints as an engaging space fact – and even more, I like the cakes that can be made with that as the topping:
It would be interesting to ask your space enthusiasts about the image Picture of Solar System”
from the details in it, I would guess it was made pre-2000, given this from NASA:
Number of Moons in the Solar System (12/18/2001)
Mercury – 0 moons
Earth – 1 moon
Mars – 2 moons
Jupiter – 28 moons
Saturn – 30 moons
Uranus – 20 moons
Neptune – 8 moons
Pluto – 1 moonEven though astronomy is an ancient science – humans have been trying to work out how object in space are related and move…, there is always something new to be discovered.
My college text book, published in 1982 “Introduction to Planetary Geology” was out of date by the time I used it in 1985! It references the 16 satellites of Jupiter.
