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Hi Dean
I love this book and the kids just love it too. This sounds great. The children would absolutely love to write to aliens to know more about them in their own home. You could even try this with the younger classes too where the teacher writes the letter to the aliens including all the questions the kids have for them!
Activity Set: Stars
Introduction to Stars:
Begin with a brief discussion about stars. Show pictures of stars and simple constellations. Explain that stars are bright points of light in the night sky.
Sing “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” together to get the children excited about the activityCreating their own constellations:
Show the children simple constellation cards and explain that constellations are patterns of stars in the sky. Give children some star stickers and some paper/card. Using silver or white crayons and markers, help the children connect some of the star stickers on their paper to form their own constellations. They can use the constellation cards as a guide or create their own patterns.
OR
Give the children a cut out template of a star, (made from card or harder cardboard that they painted the day before) some string and star stickers. The children can stick the stickers onto the string and they can weave the string around the star template creating their own constellation pattern or copy one from the constellation cards. This also incorporated fine motor skills.
Hi Laura, I love this idea. I’ve never heard it before and it is very minimal yet effective the children would love it. Thanks for the idea! Will defiinitely use in the future. They will be their own little scientists!
Activity Set: The Sun and Shadows
Begin by explaining what shadows are. “A shadow is a dark shape that appears when an object blocks light. The shadow changes depending on where the light is coming from.”
• Outdoor Shadow Exploration:
• Take the kids outside on a sunny day. Find a spot where the sunlight creates clear shadows.
• Place various objects (toys, blocks, or cut-out shapes) on the ground.
• Let the kids observe the shadows created by these objects. Ask them to notice how the size and shape of the shadows change as the sun moves across the sky.
• If the sun is moving too quickly or it’s not a sunny day, use a lamp indoors instead.
• Get the children to draw around the shadow of the object with chalk (on ground outside) or on paper.
• Get the children to draw their friends shadows on the ground outside with chalk- they love this.
• Bring the children back outside later on and see if they stand in the same place as previous, will their shadow be in the same position and explain why it won’t be- because the sun moves.Hi Ashling,
I find this so interesting about Pluto and entices me to research more into other planets to see how long it would take to get to all of them especially Neptune as its the furthest planet from Earth.
Post a reflective piece on how you would use one inquiry-based activity in your
classroom to the forum (150 words min).
“Solar System Adventure.”
Start:
A brief storytelling session where students learn about different planets and space objects.
Middle:
Each student given a specific planet, moon, or other space body to investigate. Provided with resources, such as books, interactive websites, and videos.
Students will question their planet. “What is the weather like on Venus?” or “What are the rings of Saturn made of?”
Use the resources to gather information, draw pictures, and create simple models or dioramas to represent their findings.
Collaboration: students will be grouped into “space teams”.
Share their discoveries and discuss the unique features of their planets etc.
Creates a poster- include drawings, fun facts, and any models they’ve made.
Present their findings to the class, explaining what they have learned and answer questions.
Reflection: ask children what they’ve learned and ask them if they have portrayed all important information in their drawings. This hands-on approach makes learning fun and memorable. It also teaches important skills like teamwork, creativity, and critical thinking, which are essential for their overall development.Hi all.
My name is Kate. I was in SET this year and will be in Junior Infants in September.
My favourite space fact is that Earth is that it is the only known planet where water exists in all three states- solid (ice), liquid (water), and gas (water vapour) naturally on its surface.
I have always loved space and love teaching it to hear all the questions kids have on the mystical place that Space is.
