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I like your idea of using different size containers. This would allow for lots of prediction and wondering questions. You could also link nicely to the gravity and falling lesson from ESERO and curious minds to extend the learning on gravity and forces.
From this module, the activity set that I would be most interested in teaching is the set entitled ‘Rockets’ I can already imagine the fun and excitement this set would bring to my classroom. I would begin this set by engaging my pupils through the use of a book. My pupils would love the Aliens in Underpants books and so I feel this would be a great way to spike their interests. We would also look at some photos of rockets in our groups to elicit any prior knowledge or questions we might have at this point. We would then explore how to make a rocket by experimentation. I think for my class level, the balloon rocket or rocket mouse would work best as they are both accessible to infants. Each group would be tasked with coming up with an ‘I wonder what would happen if…’ question. As a class we would select one of these questions to investigate and test. Pupils could draw their predictions at this point. For me, the next steps would be to extend our learning. I would teach javelin throwing in PE using foam javelins with fins to link to our rockets. We could investigate other things that fly, with a focus on Amelia Earhart and her flying Canary. The possibilities for integration here are endless. This set would also lend itself nicely to a socio-dramatic play station on space exploration and launching a rocket.
Children would love the idea of the weather station. It is full of playful learning which is how the curriculum is swaying. Great idea!
This course has opened my eyes to the vast array of online resources and tools available to teachers. I was delighted to see there is such a wealth of Irish resources also which makes it far more accessible for all teachers and pupils. There were two online resources mentioned which specifically appealed to me. I will be teaching junior infants in September and so I am always searching for attention grabbing lesson prompts or starters. The cartoon series developed by the Institute of Physics entitled ‘Do Try This at Home’ would be a fantastic online resource for use in the junior classes. I appreciate the approach taken to make physics exciting and accessible for children. The step by step instructions, demonstration videos and fun experiments are amazing tools for use in the classroom. I find this particularly helpful for topics we may not feel as confident teaching. The Astronomy Picture of the Day also appealed to me as I can just imagine the language rich discussions these images would inspire. I can see myself using these pictures as a welcoming activity each morning-what a lovely way to start the day and open our minds to the world of astronomy.
I love your idea of incorporating the learning across the curriculum strands, especially creative writing. It could be a nice idea to make the martians from clay also and have fun naming one another’s creations.
The activity set I plan to teach in my classroom is Stars. I personally find the concept of millions of stars absolutely fascinating, so I look forward to exploring this further with such curious and captivated minds. I would begin the lesson by watching an episode of Peppa Pig entitled ‘Stars’ I would use this as a prompt for our learning and to elicit what the children already know about stars. I would also ask the children to draw what they believe a star looks like and set this aside. Next, we would predict how many stars are out there. I would give each group a jar and some marbles to show their prediction. We would then explore the Essero discussion sheet on stars in our groups. Having looked at this imagery, we would revisit our original predictions and drawings to make any changes. I would have a bucket of sand to show the pupils the grains sifting through my palm. Do you think there are more or less stars than grains of sand in the world? Allow for discussion. To further extend our learning, we would listen to the story ‘Our Stars’ by Anne Rockwell and the song ‘I’m a Star’ by storybots. For a home activity, the pupils would be tasked to find stars from their gardens at night. As a class, we would collect the insert tubes from toilet paper rolls to use to make star lanterns. Children could have fun making holes in these with an adult at home to resemble constellations. Finally, we would use splatter painting techniques to make a starry night painting.
Creating playdough and/or clay planets would be another lovely way to explore the solar system also!
The activity set I am most looking forward to exploring with my class is ‘The Planets’
I would begin this lesson by reading aloud the story ‘Tasha Soars’ in which a little girl takes a night time adventure to the planets. The class could discuss their own prior knowledge on the planets in groups for teacher to record on a KWL chart. We would then become familiar with the order and names of the planets using songs such as the Storybots ‘We are the Planets’ song. To actively learn the names of planets, we would engage in a fun activity called the Planets Game using hula hoops. I would also conduct a game similar to musical chairs in which the children can only sit in a hoop if teacher calls out the name of a planet. Finally, we would explore the concept of planets revolving around the sun by moving and spinning our hula hoops around one yellow hoop. We would use our class solar system diorama to try to match the names of the planets to the correct planet. We would revisit our KWL chart and add any new facts we have discovered, e.g. planet names. In art, we could use playdough and clay to make our own planets. Finally, we would extend our learning by breaking into groups and researching one planet per group using our school encyclopaedias and ipads. This would be a collaborative project with our buddies from 5th and 6th class.I am already looking forward to exploring fingerprints with my class next year having studied the activity in this module. I would begin by posing a problem to my class, such as somebody broke my star pupil jar-how will we know who broke it? Look at our own fingerprints, explore the patterns and lines. Using ink, the children would stamp their own fingerprints on balloons and inflate to explore. Other groups could have fun exploring their fingerprints in playdough. Fore a more detailed view, we could use baby powder to explore our fingerprints and stamp them on sellotape or black paper. The children could extend their learning by investigating areas most likely to have fingerprints. They could use baby powder and make up brushes to dust for prints. Magnifying glasses would be a fantastic resource here. We could explore a range of story books to further extend our knowledge of fingerprints and their uses for example, The Great Pie Robbery and The Missing Mitten Mystery. Children could have fun at home dusting for fingerprints also and determining who might own each print.
I instantly sang this in my head when I read your comment! Brings back memories, and is a fantastic way to remember the order!
Icebreaker!
My name is Louise and I am heading into my ninth year teaching junior and senior infants. The class I will be teaching in September have a special interest in Space and so I am undertaking this course to broaden my own knowledge and understanding. Looking forward to sharing what I learn with them in the new school year!
