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Likewise, I think incorporating movement into a lesson about day and night would be a hugely beneficial activity for our young students. Stimulating our students with both visuals and with movement and song will help reinforce learning and also make the topic more fun. There is also a nice Paxi animation on this “Day, Night and the Seasons” at https://www.esa.int/Education/Teach_with_Rosetta/Paxi_animations
Oops, having a computer glitch. I think I hit the submit button twice, now having trouble moving off this page. Apologies.
Reflection: Using an inquiry based activity in my classroom: Why have we no dinosaurs today?
As I always have students who are fascinated by the topic of dinosaurs, and others who are fascinated by the topic of space, it makes sense to have the students think about these two topics together.
Following the framework of inquiry here are some things I would think about:
1. Engaging: Playing with dinosaurs, naming them, discovering what we know about dinosaurs. Looking at the planets in our solar system, naming planets, discussing what we know about planets, asteroids, comets, meteors. What do we know about our planet Earth? Did it always look the way it does now? What did it look like when dinosaurs were on Earth?
2. Investigating: Starter question: Why are there no dinosaurs now? What happened to them? Could they have been wiped out by a meteor or a meteor shower? Set up a model of the surface of the Earth with dinosaurs on it. Drop different sized asteroids (balls). Look at the craters they make. Predict whether bigger balls will make bigger craters. How to measure? Record results. Predict whether balls of similar sizes from different heights will make different sized craters. Record results. See if any of the dinosaurs are killed by the falling balls. Record.
3. Take the Next Step: Discuss why the dinosaurs that were not hit by the asteroids also died out. What else was affected by the meteors (dust blocking the sun, lack of food, lack of sunshine, ice age)? How can we tell if other asteroids are coming towards Earth? How can we protect our planet? Present these findings to another class.
4. Reflection: How well did we work as scientists? Did we find the answers to our question “What happened to the dinosaurs?”? How can we find out if what we think is true? What else could we do to find out more?
Using inquiry-based activities is a game changer in teaching SESE. I have been using this for a number of years in my classes. I find that the students become whole-heartedly engaged in the topic on hand, that their level of oral language greatly improves and that the students take ownership of their learning. The chance to ask “what if” questions, and then to follow this with finding out the answer for themselves is what being a proper scientist is all about!
Hi Maria,
Your lesson looks wonderful. I think your students will very much enjoy this lesson. I love the idea of a thumbs up-thumbs down chart. Very visual, and each student will be very proud of having their own say. The teddies will look very smart in their new coats!
Hi,
I’m Jane Shimizu. I teach 1st class in Renmore Junior School in Galway city. I am fascinated with the topic of Space and am always enthusiastically involved in Space Week each year. My nephew has just finished a degree in rocket propulsion and has just started work with Space X in the US, adding another layer of excitement and interest to the topic of Space in our family.
Favourite space fact: we only ever see one side of the moon!
Mind map: https://miro.com/app/board/uXjVOo-nXEI=/?share_link_id=441016429801