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I would begin teaching about rockets by creating our own rockets with my class. I would start with an activity called Balloon rockets. I would start by showing a short video of a real rocket launch to capture their attention and then start a class discussion on how rockets move. What does it use to make them travel? Then the class would set up a rocket runway using materials such as string, straws, balloons and cellotape. In small groups the children would work together to build their own rockets and take turns in laughing them along the string. We would discuss how the air that is in the balloon is pushing the rocket forward and we would measure how far each of our balloon rockets travels. Then we would experiment with how we could make our balloons travel further and what would happen if we used balloons of different sizes or shapes.
I really like the different stations that you’d have in your Aistear! These sound like such fun ways of informally learning about the Arctic
The hands on activity that I chose is the What Clothes to Wear activity. Its a great way to look at weather and seasonal change using an inquiry-based approach. I would start the lesson by discussing the four seasons using visual prompts. We would have completed a colouring sheet based on different types of clothes that you might need in different seasons as a part of a previous lesson. I would then take out a large dressing up box and put it at the middle of the classroom. I would tell the children that it is summer and we’re going to the beach. I’d ask a few children to come up and find some summer/beach clothes and put them on. We would discuss why they chose those clothes. It would be discussed as a whole class if they thought that the clothes were suitable for summer and the beach. I would then ask if we needed a coat during the summer and we would discuss why/why not. This would then be repeated for winter, spring and autumn. This encourages children to explain their reasoning and use prediction skills to say what might happen if someone dressed inappropriately for the weather.
The activity that I chose for this module is the Create an Alien activity from the Space and Aliens set. I would start by asking the students if they had ever heard of the planet Mars. I would then show the children some photographs of what Mars looks like. Then I would ask the children “What would a Martian look like?”. We would discuss what aliens in general might look like and where they could live e.g. would they need big feet, why?
We would discuss how certain animals on Earth are adapted for places e.g. fur on polar bears or webbed feet on ducks. They would come up with some things that Martians might need on their body. I would then provide the children with some modelling materials and they would make their own 3D alien. At the end of the lesson we would sort their creations into families. This encourages the children to think about features that they can link between them.I love how active and engaging this lesson sounds. It really helps the children connect with the concepts of planets through movement and fun.
The activity I chose is the “What Does the Moon Look Like?” activity from the Moon set. I would start this lesson by setting up a Moon table/station in the classroom with moon themed books, pictures and items that are related to the moon. Here the kids can add to this with their own moon related items or art that they may have created. I would create a brainstorm on the moon and get the kids to tell me about anything they think of when they think of the moon. We would create a word bank based on this and put this on our Moon table. I then would give the children the part of the worksheet that they can take home and complete the first task on a night that there is a full moon where they can draw the moon and write the day and time. We would do this over 4 weeks and when the children would come in we would create a classroom moon observation chart that we would display in our classroom.
I really like the idea of this lesson, it makes it so real for the students and it brings in the idea of buoyancy in a fun and child-centered way. By bringing in the water tray all week it’s fantastic for self-directed exploration also.
Hi my name is Kerri. I have been a teacher for the past 8 years in my lovely school in D12 but this summer myself and my husband have bought a house where I’m from up in Monaghan and I’m trying to make the move to a school up there!
My favourite space fact is that the footprints that were left on the moon by astronauts will remain there for millions of years because there is no wind or rain to get rid of them!Reflection on Inquiry-Based Activity:
An inquiry based activity that I would like to try with my class would be the Mighty Materials one from the Curious minds/ESERO framework. I would start my lesson by spilling water on a table and using the prompt “Oops!” to get the classs engages. The children would then see how they could absorb the spill the best using a range of different materials. They would predict which material would soak up the spill the best and why they thought this. It is a very simple investigation but it gets the students thinking and using their problem solving skills. It would help them develop some scientific vocabulary, help with their observational skills and how to work in a team. This would also encourage them to ask questions and reflect on the different materials that was presented to them. I would then follow up on this lesson by creating an experiment for the students where they could come up with creating a waterproof coat for one of the teddies in our classroom.I love the idea of creating art from recyclable items. When we were younger this used to be a huge thing and it really made us think of the items in another way.
Reflecting on how sustainability is practised in Dublin 12 and it’s quite inspiring to see the community’s efforts. For example, our local council has implemented several recycling programmes and encourages composting. There are also community gardens where people grow their own vegetables, which promotes both sustainability and a sense of community. To get my pupils engaged with sustainability, I’d start by organising visits to these community gardens. Seeing sustainability in action can be very motivating for kids. We could also start a small garden at the school, giving students hands-on experience in growing their own food. Another idea is to conduct a local cleanup project. This would teach students about the impact of littering and the importance of keeping our environment clean. We could track the types of litter we find and discuss ways to reduce waste, like using reusable containers instead of single-use plastics. Additionally, I would integrate sustainability projects into our lessons. For instance, we could have a project where students research different recycling methods or energy-saving tips and present their findings to the class.
Hi Mikey, I think this is important as sometimes there can be a misconception that once foods contain fatty acids that it is bad. Also allowing kids to be adventurous with food, like you said trying out the sushi would help them also.
I’ve been thinking about how important it is to teach kids about the nutrition that can be found in seafood. Seafood is very healthy, and full of nutrition like omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals that are great for our bodies. Helping students understand these benefits can encourage them to make healthier food choices and appreciate a balanced diet. In the classroom, we can make this topic fun and engaging. For instance, we could have a lesson where students research different types of seafood and what nutrients they provide. They could then create posters or give short presentations to share their findings with the class. This not only helps them learn about nutrition but also improves their research and communication skills. Another idea is to do a cooking demonstration or a simple cooking activity where students get to prepare easy seafood dishes. This hands-on approach can be tied into lessons on health and science, and it’s a great way to teach practical life skills. We can also connect this topic to geography and economics. Students can learn about where seafood comes from, sustainable fishing practices, and how the fishing industry impacts local communities and economies. This helps them see the bigger picture and understand the importance of sustainability.
I love the idea of bringing in someone from aquaculture so that the kids could interview them or even writing letters to them. It makes it more real for the kids and they can put a face and a name to someone in that area, I find working in a built up urban setting, farming in general can seem so far removed from some of the kids I teach.
