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I think Space Week would be such a great idea as a way of promoting STEM in the school and it would be a great opportunity to combine all the resources and ideas from this course. I think it would be very achievable in a school.
I would use the Activity Set: Balloon Rocket Launch with my First Class girls to introduce the idea of forces and how rockets move. To begin, I would show the class an inflated balloon and ask them to predict what they think will happen when the air is released and what makes the balloon move. Working in small groups, the children would build their own balloon rockets using balloons, straws, string and tape before testing them to see how far and how fast they travel. They would observe the results, compare them with their predictions and discuss what they noticed. To develop their inquiry skills, I would encourage the children to investigate how changing one variable, such as the amount of air in the balloon, affects the rocket’s movement. The groups could measure the distance travelled and compare their findings before sharing their results with the class. This practical investigation encourages prediction, observation and problem-solving while helping children understand the forces involved in rocket movement through active, collaborative learning.
This is such a simple but effective idea I love it! Will definitely be adding it to my list for activities next year thanks for sharing.
I decided to focus on the Hands-on Classroom Themed Activities because I have seen how much children in First Class enjoy learning when they are actively involved. Practical STEM activities encourage curiosity, teamwork and problem-solving while allowing children to investigate ideas through play and exploration rather than simply listening or reading about them.
One activity I would like to introduce is a whole-class space theme during Space Week. The children could work together to create rockets using recyclable materials before testing different designs to see which ones are the strongest or most suitable for a pretend space mission. They could also investigate how balloon rockets move, make simple predictions, record their observations and discuss why some rockets travelled further than others. Alongside these investigations, we could read storybooks based on space, learn about the planets, sing songs and create artwork linked to the Solar System. Role-play activities, such as setting up a space station or becoming astronauts, would help to reinforce learning in a fun and engaging way.
Digital resources could also enhance the topic. Short videos, interactive images of the Solar System and simple online games would provide visual support and encourage further questioning. Children could record their learning through drawings, labelled diagrams, photographs and short oral presentations, giving them different ways to demonstrate their understanding.
As a further step towards developing a STEM-focused School Self-Evaluation (SSE), I think it would be beneficial for our staff to examine the range of STEM opportunities currently available across the school. We could gather evidence through teacher observations, examples of pupils’ work, photographs and pupil feedback to identify strengths and areas for development. From this, we could agree on achievable targets, such as increasing the number of inquiry-based STEM lessons, providing more opportunities for hands-on investigations and sharing successful ideas between classes.
Overall, this module reinforced the value of creating meaningful STEM experiences that encourage children to ask questions, investigate, collaborate and reflect on their learning. I look forward to incorporating more practical STEM activities into my classroom and contributing to the development of a whole-school culture where curiosity and scientific thinking are encouraged from an early age.
I love this idea about making their own alien to suit the planet they live on. I had previously done this with designing their own planets in 1st class but haven’t tried adding in aliens yet so I might give that a go!
For this topic, I would choose the ‘Activity Set: Stars’ as it offers a lovely way to encourage children’s natural curiosity about the night sky. I would introduce the lesson by showing photographs of a star-filled sky and asking the children what they notice and what they wonder about stars. After listening to their ideas, I would use a torch and a globe to demonstrate why we can only see most stars at night. The children would then explore pictures and simple information cards in small groups before creating their own constellations on black card using star stickers and chalk. Once finished, each child would name their constellation and share a short story about what it represents. We would display the finished work around the classroom and finish the lesson by talking about something new we discovered and any questions we still have. This activity promotes exploration, creativity and discussion while helping children develop observation, communication and early scientific inquiry skills through meaningful, hands-on learning.
I can see children getting really involved and enthusiastic about tracking the moon at home and it would be a great oral language opportunity each morning to discuss what they noticed.
I would use the ‘Activity Set: The Sun and Shadows’ with my First Class class to help children investigate how the Sun affects the size and direction of shadows. We would begin with a class discussion about where children have seen shadows before and what they think causes them, while also reminding them never to look directly at the Sun. The children would then go outside in pairs to trace each other’s shadows with chalk and make predictions about how they think the shadows might change later in the day. We would repeat the activity at different times, encouraging the children to compare the length, direction and shape of their shadows and record their observations using a simple recording sheet. Back in the classroom, we would look at photographs of the chalk outlines and discuss why the shadows changed over time. This hands-on investigation encourages children to ask questions, make predictions, observe carefully and share their ideas, while naturally linking with Science, Maths, Oral Language and Art in an active and engaging way.
I really love the sound of this activity and it sounds very manageable for an introduction to space.
I’m Gráinne and I will be teaching 1st class again in September. My favourite fact about space is that one million planet Earths would fit inside the sun. I would like to use inquiry based activities in my class using images from space and asking questions. We would then gather our questions and determine what questions we might be able to answer and how. Using the internet and space themed books the children can work in small groups to try and find an answer and report back to the class. The important thing would be that it is their question that leads the exercise.