Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
Hi Karen, I really like your choice of the Dancing Raisins activity for your class. It sounds like a fun and engaging way to introduce children to scientific predictions and observations. I especially like the use of whiteboards and partner discussion. The follow-up experiments sound brilliant too! I’m sure they’ll love them.
Module 5: Rockets & Alien Chemistry – Reflection
For this module, I would use the picture book Whatever Next! by Jill Murphy as a stimulus for exploring rockets and space. The story provides a familiar and engaging context for introducing vocabulary such as space, rocket, Moon, fast, slow, up and down. After reading the story, I would encourage pupils to explore different rockets and ask, “How could we make our own rocket move?”
The pupils could design and make a simple paper or balloon rocket before making predictions about what might happen when it is launched. They could then investigate how far or how quickly their rockets travel, developing skills such as observing, predicting, measuring, comparing and communicating.
I feel this activity would work particularly well in a special-school setting as pupils can participate at different levels through looking, choosing, touching, manipulating materials and communicating their observations.
I really enjoyed your post Bríd, I connected with your point about Science being an opportunity for children to actively explore and make sense of the world around them. In my own practice, I can see how important the practical and sensory elements are, particularly for pupils who may not always demonstrate their understanding through traditional ways of learning. Giving children opportunities to choose, explore, experiment and communicate in ways that are meaningful to them can really build confidence and a sense of independence. I also think the emphasis on curiosity and enjoyment is a lovely reminder that Science should be about discovering and wondering as much as developing specific skills.
I would use the Hot and Cold activity with my Senior Infant class as a practical introduction to weather, temperature and fair testing. The children would investigate what happens to an ice cube when it is placed in a sunny area compared with a shaded area. Before beginning, I would encourage the children to observe, ask questions and make predictions about which ice cube they think will melt first. This would provide opportunities to develop important science skills such as questioning, observing, predicting, investigating, measuring and communicating results.
I would encourage the children to work together, discuss their observations and record their findings through drawings, photographs on the iPad and simple sentences. The activity could also be linked with Maths by comparing which ice cube melted faster. I feel this hands-on approach would make science meaningful and enjoyable for Senior Infants. It would also support the STEM focus on active, child-led inquiry and real-world problem-solving.
Hi Anette, I really enjoyed reading your post. I like how you connected the activity with children’s curiosity and encouraged them to explore and share their ideas. I think the activity would be a fun, engaging way to develop learning through creativity, discussion and hands-on exploration.
I would use the Constellation Shapes activity from the Stars activity set as an engaging way to develop children’s understanding of space while also supporting their mathematical thinking. The activity would provide opportunities for children to explore and create constellation shapes using stars, while developing their use of spatial language. The module highlights that the constellation activities are adaptable for young children and have strong links with early maths and spatial language.
In my classroom, I would begin by introducing children to some familiar constellations, such as the Plough, and encourage them to observe the patterns formed by the stars. I would then give the children materials such as paper, counters or small stickers to create their own constellations. They could describe the position of each star using mathematical language such as above, below, beside, between and near. I would encourage them to give their constellation a name and create a short story about it. This would make the activity both creative and meaningful while integrating elements of science, maths, language and storytelling. I would also photograph the children’s creations as a digital record of their learning and use these to encourage reflection and discussion.
Hi Muireann! I love he use of hands-on activities to explore the spherical Earth. The globe, predictions and playdough activity sound like loads of fun!
Reflection: Activity Set – The Sun and Shadows
I would use the Sun and Shadows activity set with my Senior Infants class through a playful, inquiry-based approach. I would begin by introducing the topic using a picture book such as What Makes a Shadow? by Clyde Robert Bulla or Moonbear’s Shadow by Frank Asch. These stories would encourage discussion and help children share their ideas about light and shadows. We would explore questions such as Where do shadows come from? and Can we change our shadows?
The children would then take part in outdoor shadow investigations. They could use chalk to trace their shadows, compare shadows with their friends, and explore how shadows change when they move. Through playful learning, children could create “shadow monsters” using their bodies, toys and classroom objects. They could predict which objects will make shadows and test their ideas using a torch in a darkened classroom.
To support engagement, I would include a suitable YouTube song such as “The Sun Song” by Super Simple Songs or “The Shadows Song” by Scratch Garden. These would reinforce vocabulary and concepts through music and movement.
Children could record their discoveries through drawings, photographs or a class “shadow investigation” display. This activity encourages curiosity, creativity, communication and scientific thinking. My role as teacher would be to guide children’s questions, support exploration and help them develop an understanding of how sunlight creates shadows through their own discoveries.
Reflection
One inquiry-based activity based on this I could use in my Senior Infants classroom is the discussion and comparison of the Sun and Earth using a large yellow circle and a small blue circle. Rather than telling the children that the Sun is much bigger than the Earth, I would begin by asking open-ended questions such as, Which do you think is bigger? and How do you know? This would encourage children to share their prior knowledge, make predictions and ask their own questions.
I believe this hands-on activity would actively engage the children and promote curiosity. By exploring the different-sized models, they would construct their own understanding through observation and discussion instead of simply receiving information. The activity would also support the development of oral language, critical thinking and scientific inquiry skills. As the teacher, my role would be to facilitate learning by listening to the children’s ideas, asking probing questions and guiding them towards the scientific concept. I would conclude the lesson by encouraging the children to reflect on what they had learned and what they still wondered about, reinforcing that inquiry is about asking questions as well as discovering answers.