Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
I really enjoyed reading your reflection. I think it’s a great idea to link the Space and Aliens activities with SPHE as it helps children see that everyone is unique and special while making the learning more meaningful. Your idea of introducing a note from a Martian is so creative and would definitely capture the children’s imagination and curiosity. I also like how you’ve incorporated the Engineering Design Process by encouraging the children to design and build a trap. This gives them the opportunity to solve problems, work together and think critically in a fun, play-based way. Overall, your activity is engaging, cross-curricular and perfectly suited to Junior and Senior Infants while encouraging inquiry, creativity and teamwork.
Hi! I really enjoyed reading your reflection. I think the Rocket Mice activity is a fantastic choice for Junior Infants because it is fun, practical and encourages children to learn through play. I like how you have structured the lesson into Engage, Investigate, Take the Next Step and Reflect as it provides a clear progression and supports inquiry-based learning.
Using Whatever Next! and Chris Hadfield’s videos is a great way to capture the children’s interest before the investigation begins. I also love how you’ve extended the learning through role play, construction and small world activities, giving children lots of opportunities to explore the topic in different ways. Your reflection clearly shows how the activity develops scientific thinking, communication and teamwork while keeping the children actively engaged. It sounds like a lesson that Junior Infants would really enjoy and learn a lot from!
For this activity, I would choose to make rockets from recycled milk cartons with my Junior Infants class. I think this is an excellent hands-on activity because it combines science, creativity and play while encouraging children to explore ideas about space. I would begin by showing the children pictures and short videos of real rockets and asking questions such as, “What do rockets do?” and “Where do you think they travel?” This would help to activate their prior knowledge and encourage discussion.
The children would then work in small groups to create their own rockets using clean milk cartons, coloured paper, paint, card, foil and other recycled materials. They would be encouraged to design their rockets in their own way and explain why they chose certain colours or features. Once the rockets are complete, the children could use them in a role-play “Space Station” where they pretend to travel to the Moon or visit different planets. This would promote imagination, communication and collaborative play.
To extend the activity, I would integrate literacy by reading a space-themed story and encouraging the children to describe where their rocket is travelling. We could also incorporate maths by counting down from ten before each “launch” and discussing shapes used to build the rockets. The finished rockets could be displayed during Space Week, creating an exciting classroom display and celebrating the children’s work.
This activity supports inquiry-based learning by encouraging children to ask questions, investigate how rockets are designed and communicate their ideas. It also highlights the importance of recycling and reusing materials, helping children develop an awareness of sustainability. I believe this activity would be highly engaging for Junior Infants because it allows them to learn through play, creativity and hands-on exploration while developing their curiosity about space.Hi! I really enjoyed reading your reflection. I think the balloon rocket activity is an excellent choice for Junior Infants because it combines play with hands-on learning in a way that children will find exciting and memorable. It gives them the opportunity to make predictions, test their ideas and talk about what they observe, which are all important science skills.
I also like how you’ve linked the activity with other areas of the curriculum through stories, songs, role play and construction. This makes the learning much more meaningful and gives every child a chance to engage in a way that suits them. Including digital resources is another great idea as they can help bring space to life for young learners.
Your connection to School Self-Evaluation is really strong too. Using photographs, children’s work and pupil voice as evidence is a practical way to reflect on teaching and learning. I especially like your point about increasing opportunities for open-ended questioning as this encourages children to think more deeply and become confident investigators. Overall, your reflection clearly shows how inquiry-based STEM activities can support both children’s learning and whole-school improvement.
Science Skills and School Self-Evaluation (SSE)
1. Identify the Focus
As a Junior Infants teacher, I would focus on developing children’s science skills through hands-on, inquiry-based learning. While children enjoy science activities, I would like to place a greater emphasis on skills such as observing, questioning, predicting, investigating and communicating their findings. This would help build confidence and curiosity from an early age.
2. Gather Evidence
To gather evidence, I would observe the children during science activities and record how they ask questions, explore materials and work with others. I would also collect samples of their drawings, photographs of investigations and simple pupil voice through class discussions. Feedback from parents and teachers would also help identify children’s interests and progress.
3. Analyse and Make Judgements
After reviewing the evidence, I would consider whether the children are becoming more confident in using science skills. I would look at their level of engagement, their willingness to investigate and whether they can explain what they have discovered using age-appropriate language.
4. Report and Improvement Plan
From the findings, I would identify strengths and areas for improvement. I would create a simple action plan with achievable targets, such as increasing the number of inquiry-based science lessons or providing more opportunities for outdoor investigations and STEM activities.
5. Implementation
I would introduce regular hands-on science investigations throughout the year using themes that interest young children, such as space, plants, animals and weather. I would encourage children to work collaboratively, ask questions and record their learning through drawings, photographs and discussions.
6. Monitor and Evaluate
Throughout the year, I would monitor the children’s progress by reviewing observations, work samples and pupil discussions. I would reflect on the effectiveness of the activities and make changes where necessary. This continuous cycle of reflection and improvement would help ensure that science learning remains engaging, meaningful and supports the development of essential science skills in Junior Infants.For this activity, I would choose the Activity Set: Space and Aliens as it provides a fun and engaging way for Junior Infants to explore the idea of life in space while developing their curiosity and imagination. I would begin by reading a story such as Aliens Love Underpants by Claire Freedman. After the story, I would ask the children questions such as, “What do you think an alien might look like?”, “Do you think aliens would be friendly?” and “What would an alien need to live on another planet?” This would encourage the children to share their ideas and listen to the opinions of others.
The children would then work in small groups to design and create their own alien using art materials such as coloured paper, paint, googly eyes and recycled materials. They would be encouraged to think about the planet their alien lives on and explain why it looks the way it does. As they work, I would ask open-ended questions to develop their thinking and language skills.
To extend the activity, the children could describe their alien to the class and talk about its home, how it travels and what it likes to eat. We could display the aliens on a classroom “Space Wall” and compare the similarities and differences between them. This inquiry-based activity encourages creativity, communication, observation and imagination while helping children understand that scientists ask questions and explore ideas about space. I believe this activity would be highly engaging for Junior Infants because it combines storytelling, art, discussion and play while supporting children’s natural curiosity about the world beyond Earth.Hi! I really like your choice of The Sun and Shadows activity. Reading Jack’s Amazing Shadow is a lovely way to introduce the topic and helps to spark the children’s curiosity before they begin investigating. I also like how you’ve included plenty of open-ended questions to encourage discussion and find out what the children already know.
The hands-on investigation with torches is very suitable for Junior Infants because it allows them to explore through play and discovery. Asking them to draw the shadows they observe is a great way for them to record their learning in an age-appropriate way.
I also think your next step of encouraging the children to look for shadows at home or in the yard is a nice way to extend the learning beyond the classroom. It gives them the opportunity to make connections between what they learned in school and the world around them. Overall, your activity is engaging, child-centred and encourages curiosity and observation, which are so important in early science learning.
Module 2
For this activity, I would choose Activity Set: The Moon because it encourages curiosity and supports young children in learning through play, observation and discussion. I would begin by showing the children pictures of the Moon and asking questions such as, “What do you notice about the Moon?” and “Does the Moon always look the same?” This would allow the children to share their own ideas and experiences while developing their observation and communication skills.
To investigate, we would use a torch to represent the Sun and a ball to represent the Moon. The children would take turns moving the ball while observing how the light shines on it from different angles. This simple hands-on activity would help them understand why the Moon appears to change shape. We would also read a story about the Moon and encourage the children to draw the different Moon shapes they have observed.
To extend the learning, I would invite the children to look for the Moon at home with their families over several evenings and draw what they see. Back in the classroom, we would compare their drawings and discuss any changes they noticed. This activity supports inquiry-based learning by encouraging children to ask questions, make predictions, observe carefully and share their ideas. It also develops early scientific thinking, language skills and curiosity about the world around them. I believe this approach makes science enjoyable, meaningful and appropriate for Junior Infants because it builds on children’s natural sense of wonder through active exploration.
Engage: I will begin by asking the children simple questions such as, “What do you notice about the Moon?”, “Have you ever seen the Moon during the day?”, and “Does the Moon always look the same?” I will encourage them to share their own experiences and ideas about the Moon. Together, we will look at pictures of the Moon and discuss the different shapes we can see. The children will be invited to make predictions about why they think the Moon changes shape.
Investigate: The children will work together to explore how the Moon appears to change shape. Using a torch to represent the Sun and a ball to represent the Moon, they will observe how light shines on the ball from different angles. The children will take turns holding the torch and moving the ball while talking about what they notice. We will also read a story about the Moon and encourage the children to draw the different Moon shapes they have observed.
Take the Next Step: We will discuss how the Moon does not actually change shape, but instead the part lit by the Sun is what we see from Earth. I will encourage the children to compare the model with the pictures of the Moon and talk about their observations. The children can continue their learning by looking for the Moon at home with their families and drawing what they see over several evenings.
Conclusion: As a class, we will reflect on our investigation by discussing what we discovered about the Moon. We will revisit the children’s original ideas and compare them with what they have learned through exploration. This inquiry-based activity encourages curiosity, observation, language development and early scientific thinking. By asking questions, making predictions and exploring through play, the children develop a better understanding of the world around them while enjoying a meaningful and engaging science experience.
That’s a cool fact! It’s amazing to think that footprints could stay on the Moon for millions of years because there’s no wind or rain to wash them away. It really shows how different the Moon is from Earth!