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Hi, I really like the idea of starting with Whatever Next! as it gives the rocket activity a lovely context before the children start experimenting. I also like that you’ve thought about different ways pupils can take part without everyone having to do exactly the same thing. I can imagine the rocket launching would be a big hit too.
The activity I’d choose from this module is Rocket Mouse. I think I’d turn it into a little mission where the children have to help a mouse get to space.We’d make a simple paper mouse and place it on top of a plastic bottle. Squeezing the bottle pushes air out and launches the mouse upwards. Before we started testing, I’d ask the children how high they thought we could get it and what we could change to make it fly higher.
I’d give them plenty of chances to experiment rather than trying to get it right first time. We could try different sized mice, change how hard we squeeze the bottle or make small changes to the design and see what happens. The module encourages children to predict, investigate and think about whether they’ve carried out a fair test, so this would be an easy way of bringing that in. We could even put a few planets at different heights on the wall and see which one our mouse manages to reach. I think that would make the measuring and comparing part much more fun.
Mostly, I like that something will probably go wrong. Mice will fly sideways, somebody’s mouse won’t launch at all and they’ll have to work out what to change. This, for me, is where a lot of the memorable learning takes place.Hi, I really like the idea of using Space Week for a whole-class project. The balloon rockets would definitely be a hit, especially getting the children to predict which one will travel furthest and then finding out if they were right. I can imagine it getting fairly competitive too.
The Hot and Cold activity is probably one I would use with my class. I’d turn it into an ‘ice cube rescue’ and tell the children we need to find the best place to hide an ice cube so it survives for as long as possible. Before we start, I’d let them explore the yard and choose where they think their ice cube would be safest. Somewhere sunny/under a bench/beside a wall/in the shade etc. I would expect some fairly confident opinions. Each group could choose a spot and we’d mark where the ice cubes were placed before going back at different times to check on them.
The interesting part would be seeing whether their predictions actually worked. We’d compare the cubes, talk about which had melted fastest and try to work out why. We’d also be introducing the idea of a fair test by using similar sized ice cubes and checking them at the same times as that’s an important part of the activity in the module.
I think it would work well with Infants because the problem is really simple: ‘Keep your ice cube alive’. There’s plenty of learning happening in a fun and engaging way, with lots of movement and investigation.Love this. The children would have a great time creating their own aliens. It lends itself so well to more cross curricular learning i.e. writing about the aliens/labelling them, role play, creating stories etc
The constellation activity was the one that stood out to me most. I think I’d turn it into a little ‘space walk’ around the classroom. The children could work in small groups to make a constellation using stars or counters before giving it a name. I’d love to hear what they think they can see, because I don’t think any two groups would come up with exactly the same idea.
Once everyone had finished, we’d walk around the classroom together to look at each group’s constellation. Rather than me explaining them, I’d ask the children questions like, ‘What do you think this looks like?’ or ‘Why did you put those stars together?’ I think they’d enjoy hearing all the different ideas, and it would show them that people can look at the same pattern and notice different things.
What I like about the activity is that maths and science come together quite naturally. The children are counting stars, talking about shapes, patterns and position, while also observing carefully and asking questions. It feels more like exploring than doing separate maths and science lessons.
Reflection on an Inquiry-Based Activity – Module 2
The Earth Mosaic activity was the one that stood out to me most. I liked it because it’s one of those ideas that seems really simple, but I can imagine it getting children talking straight away. Most of them are convinced there’s an obvious ‘up’ and ‘down’, so watching them realise that everyone on Earth thinks they’re the right way up would probably lead to some interesting debates.
I’d let the children make their mosaics first and then put them together on the floor to create one big Earth. Rather than explaining everything, I’d leave them to talk it out amongst themselves first. I think children often come up with the best questions when they think they’ve spotted something that doesn’t make sense.
I’d probably finish by asking where they’d choose to live on the mosaic and whether they thought the people on the other side of the world were upside down. No doubt there’d be plenty of differing opinions.
I like activities like this because they’re memorable without being complicated. I could see it leading to map work, stories about different countries or even just some interesting conversations at home. If the children go home asking their parents whether they think people in Australia fall off the Earth, I’d take that as a successful lesson.
Hi Patrick, I like the idea of starting with a story before going outside. It feels like a nice way to get the children thinking and asking questions before they begin investigating.
Hi Annette, I liked your idea of using everyday objects for the floating and sinking activity. I think the children would enjoy making predictions first, especially if some of the results surprised them. It would probably lead to lots of interesting conversations afterwards too. Best of luck with Junior Infants this year.
Reflection on an Inquiry-Based Activity
The ‘Mighty Materials’ activity is probably the one I’d use first. It feels like one of those lessons where the children almost forget they’re doing science because they’re too busy arguing over who’s picked the best material.
I’d let each group decide which material they wanted to test rather than assigning them one. I like hearing the reasoning behind their choices, because it usually makes perfect sense, until it doesn’t. Sometimes the ideas that seem completely random turn out to be worth testing.
I also like that there isn’t much sitting still involved. The children are making predictions, trying things out and comparing results without it feeling overly structured. Once we’ve finished, I would ask them where they think they would find those materials in everyday life. I think that’s the point where the learning really sticks, because they start noticing science outside the classroom as well.
It feels like a lesson that would have a nice bit of chatter, a few surprises and probably a wet table by the end of it.
Icebreaker:
Hello, I’m Grace. Currently teaching SET, spanning all classes and age groups. I love teaching maths and especially enjoy teaching younger children.
Favourite space fact: The atoms in our bodies were created in stars and scattered across the universe when those stars exploded.
With a particular group of 10 year old pupils in mind, for whom literacy and numeracy learning present moderate to severe challenges, here is how I would incorporate assistive technology in a blended learning environment, to create an inclusive and holistic learning experience.
For literacy activities, Kahoot could be used for interactive quizzes and games to reinforce spelling and vocabulary. I would use this to create an engaging and competitive environment to make learning fun. Its use of visual and auditory cues could be helpful to support multiple learning styles.
For reading activities, I would present a collection of accessible reading materials organised in a dyslexia-friendly format (e.g. short paragraphs, bullet points). Using Wakelet, I would incorporate visual elements like images and videos to aid comprehension. Immersive Reader would be another tool to support comprehension of more challenging texts.
For numeracy support, I would use Kahoot to create maths quizzes and challenges to reinforce numerical concepts while incorporating interactive visuals to explain mathematical processes. I like the instant feedback feature of Kahoot, which reinforces correct answers and addresses any misconceptions.
Edpuzzle could also be used incorporating video lessons with voiceover explanations for mathematical concepts. I was impressed with the Pause-and-Reflect moments to allow the pupils time to process information. I also like the function which embeds comprehension questions to assess the pupils’ understanding during the video.
Flipgrid could be used to support both numeracy and literacy learning. I like the option of recording short videos to explain concepts in a personalised manner. I think it’s a useful tool to encourage pupils to verbally express their thoughts and understanding. It also provides a fun and engaging platform for the pupil to engage in peer discussions and reflections.
The School Development Planning section within the Inclusive Education Framework provides a structured approach to integrating assistive technology for pupils with learning differences and has been a helpful reference point for collating the above overview. It promotes proactive identification of needs, allocation of resources and collaboration amongst teaching staff. It is, again, testament to the fact that tailored technologies like Immersive Reader and Flipgrid can enhance the student’s learning experience and the teacher’s delivery of the curriculum.