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Hi Margaret,
I loved this activity pack also and think it would be wonderful for children to show them how animals have adapted to their environments.
Might be nice to also explore how we adapt to our environment too by exploring different clothing for different weather and why they are different.
Aileen
Kate, this is an amazing list of cross curriculur integration activities. I love the idea of astronaut training camp for PE – what a fun way to get the children engaged and really immerse them in the theme also.
For Space week in Junior Infants I have chosen to make rocket mice from Module 5. To introduce rockets, I would read the story “The Way Back Home” by Oliver Jeffares. We could discuss the book and then follow on with a discussion around where the boy went and how he got there. This would get the discussion about Space started. Next, we could move on to watching a video of a rocket launch from Youtube and have a class discussion about what a rocket is? What do we use them for? Do we use a rocket to go on holidays? Who flies them? Where do they go? Why don’t they use aeroplanes? etc. We would look at a few different videos of Rockets launching into space and discuss what we see in the videos – why is there fire? How do they go so high? This will really spark their interest and get them interested in the topic. .
Next, we would then create simple milk carton Rocket Mice. Each child would decorate their own Milk carton (launcher), then create their mouse using the template. Finally, just before launching our mice we will make predictions, what will happen when we squeeze our hands together on the milk carton? Where will the rocket mouse go? What will happen nect? etc. Then we would all launch our rocket mice together. We’d observe how far and how high the rocket mice travel. I’d encourage them to predict, “What happens if we squeeze our hands together harder or softer?” “Or faster or slower?”. By testing different ways of squeezing the milk carton, the children get to explore and investigate basic forces in a playful, fun and hands-on way.
To build on this – the following week, we could compare whose rocket went the farthest and why, introduce simple measurements, or explore making rockets from different materials.I think this would be a big hit in the infant classroom, resources needed are cost effective and it is a fun way for them to be introduced to prediction, investigation and measuring skills.
Hi Ryle,
This is a lovely simple idea for a lesson that would be nice to do with an infant class I think. Discussion followed by artwork sounds like a really fun, simple lesson.
Aileen
I think I would use Activity set 2: Space and Aliens with my incoming Junior Infants.
I think children of all ages are interested in this topic and it would definitely grab their attention. I would start with a funny book such as ‘There’s an Alien in my Book’ or ‘Aliens love Underpants’ or even the ‘Smeds and the Smoos’ by Julie Donaldon.
We would then talk about what aliens are and if we think they exist and why? We could look at a specific planet – such as Mercury and what the conditions are like on that planet. Then I could give each child a blank A4 page and we could design our own Alien, specifically to ,live on this planet. They could just draw and colour them first, they could then give them a name. This could be extended to art where they paint their own alien, they could make their alien from play dough or clay.
Another fun activity would be to ask the children what they would like to teach the Aliens about Earth. We could write them down together on a large sheet and the n display this with our Aliens when they are all finished.
The activity set I would explore with my Junior Infants class would be ‘The Planets’.
- I would start with the stimulus picture book ‘There’s No Place Like Space’, which is a rhyming picture book. As mentioned, this book rhymes which is great for infants but also gives facts about each of the different planets. We would have a discussion after the story about the planets, let them draw which planet is their favourite and say why, discuss some features of the different planets. There is another book called ‘Here we are’ by Oliver Jeffares – this could also be read to the class and linked to the Space theme.
- We would then move onto a song. Maybe the Planet song or one of the other songs outlined in the module to reinforce the names of the planets, their properties.
- Finally we could test how much we know about the planets through a hands on activity, creating our own solar system using our bodies. I would give children the name of a planet. I would give out all of the planets and pick one child as the sun. They would have to try and position themselves in the right order – the other children could help if anyone was stuck and we could even play the song to help. We could then play the ‘Planet Song’ again at the end and see if they are all in the correct places!
- The kids could then use their imaginations for Art to create their own planet – they can use junk are materials and paint, etc to do this. This is always a bit hit in any class – freedom to make their own creation with no restrictions or guidelines!
That’s a lovely lesson Caitriona. Great idea to bring them out at three different times to see how the shadows change throughout the day.
I would use and inquiry-based activity in my classroom with Junior Infants based on Rocket Building and Launching. I would let the children watch some rocket launchings on youtube as a stimulus – those from years ago and more recent ones. This will really grab their attention, what child doesn’t love a rocket launch? I could even bring in my rocket launcher toy from home.
We would next look at different pictures of rockets and have a discussion on what features a good rocket might have and why. What do all the rockets have in common?
I would then let the children do some junk are. They would be asked to bring in recyclable materials from home and then could be given freedom to design and build simple rockets using these materials as well as glue and masking tape.
The children would then work in groups to launch their rockets and come up with their own criteria to take note of which rocket launch was best. Was it because it went the highest or the furthest? How did we measure this? They could then look at the rockets that went highest/furthest and discuss why they think these ones worked best? What’s different about these and the others?
This lesson can be nicely integrated into other subjects and Aistear e.g. Art — using junk art, glue, paint, etc. , Science – designing the rocket, Maths – measuring the distance and height of the rockets, Drama: Being Astronauts, scientists, etc.
Its something I think the children would really enjoy as would the adults in the room!
Deirdre,
this is such a simple idea but sounds amazing! I don’t have blinds in my classroom next year but think i will invest just so i can do lessons like this! I remember doing something similar years ago with a torch and a styrofoam ball. I even love the drawing of pictures afterwards to see their understanding of what day and night is.
Hi,
My name is Aileen Kelly. I have been an SET for the last 5 years between junior and senior sides of the school. Next year I will be returning to Junior Infants and chose this course as I have always been fascinated by space and always find the children are too so thought this would be a really good course to undertake.
