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This sounds like a lovely idea for space week. You will be targeting the different learning styles and interests of the children, while also ensuring they have a fun week. Getting children interested and curious about science in this way, is an excellent idea, while you also develop skills such as team work, critical thinking and problem solving.
Looking at Alien Chemistry in the context of 1st and 2nd class, and in particular the Fizzing and Alien Slime resources in the drive, I would use this resource as part of a hands-on science lesson on materials and changes. I would begin by asking the children to predict what they think will happen during each experiment, encouraging them to think like scientists. I would then allow the children to work in small groups to carry out activities such as making alien slime or creating a baking soda and vinegar reaction, while I guided their observations through questioning and discussion. Throughout the lesson, I would encourage pupils to describe what they could see, hear and feel, helping them to develop their scientific vocabulary and understanding of solids, liquids and gases. After each activity, I would bring the class together to discuss their findings and compare them with their original predictions. I would also integrate the lesson with other curriculum areas by asking pupils to record their observations through drawings and simple sentences, measure ingredients during the experiments, and work collaboratively with their peers. I think this resource provides an excellent way to promote active, inquiry-based learning while fostering curiosity, teamwork and a positive attitude towards science.
Hi Ciara, I really like your idea of using Stellarium to find some of the more recognisable constellations and talk about the stories behind them and then before the children make their own star lanterns. You could also have children make up their own stories about their star lanterns, to incorporate some creative writing into your lesson.
When teaching the topic Weather to a First and Second Class, I would aim to make the learning meaningful by connecting it to the children’s everyday experiences while encouraging them to think about how both people and animals adapt to different weather conditions. I would begin by discussing hot and cold weather, asking the children to describe how each feels and what activities they enjoy in different seasons. From this, we would explore the types of clothes we wear to keep comfortable, comparing items such as coats, hats, scarves and gloves for cold weather with T-shirts, shorts and sun hats for warm weather.
I will emphasise to the children that, just as we wear different clothing to suit the temperature, animals also have special adaptations that help them survive in different climates. I would encourage the children to investigate children’s coats, comparing their thickness, materials and waterproof features, before linking these ideas to animals such as polar bears, penguins and Arctic foxes. We would discuss how thick fur, feathers and blubber act like warm winter coats, protecting animals from freezing temperatures. To reinforce these concepts, I would include a simple hot and cold investigation where children compare warm and cold objects and describe their observations using scientific vocabulary. I feel that these real-life connections help children understand that all living things need protection from their environment, although they achieve this in different ways.
I would incorporate a Visual Arts activity that allows the children to apply what they have learned in a creative way. I would have the children do an Arctic animal artwork. The children could create a polar bear, penguin or Arctic fox using paint and collage materials, adding cotton wool or textured paper to represent thick fur, feathers or snow.
This will give the children the opportunity to talk about how the materials they are using relate to warmth and protection, linking their artwork back to the scientific concepts explored during the lesson. I hope that incorporating art into the lesson would appeal to different learning styles, encourage imagination and provide an enjoyable opportunity for children to consolidate their learning through hands-on exploration.
Oh I really like the idea of using different colour crayons to represent hot and cool stars. I think the ‘space gallery’ is a wonderful idea and gives the children a great opportunity to share their work with their peers, ask and answer questions.
I will focus on the idea of star constellations, explaining to the children that a consolation is a group of stars in the night sky that form an imaginary picture. Just like a giant, celestial game of connect-the-dots, people draw imaginary lines between the stars to create shapes of animals, heroes, or everyday objects. I would use the book Zoo in the Sky by Jacqueline Mitton to introduce the children to constellations. This is a very engaging book and I would use it to encourage children to identify the different patterns of stars and discuss what shapes or animals they can see. I liked the idea from the module about the frying pan for what is traditionally known as the ‘plough’ constellation. I will use this as an opportunity to introduce the idea to the children that people from different cultures have imagined stories about the stars for thousands of years.
After exploring the constellations in the book, children can take part in a range of creative art activities to reinforce their learning. One activity I would do is for the children to make constellation lacing cards by punching holes where the stars are and threading string between them. Another activity is to use chalk on dark paper to recreate a favourite constellation from the book.
I would also encourage the children to design their own imaginary constellation and write a short story explaining its meaning. These activities encourage creativity while strengthening children’s understanding of star patterns and their place in the night sky.
Hi Siobhán, I love your idea of a moon journal to keep a record of the moon over time. It will give them a great opportunity to make comparisons and understand how the moon is constantly changing. These findings can be easily across the curriculum and provide a wonderful opportunity for cross curricular integration.
I would use The Moon Activity Set in the classroom, by introducing the Moon to the children, all children will be familiar however I will expand their understanding to include; the spherical shape and how the shape is continuously changing. We will observe the moon in school and I will encourage them observe the on at home, when it is dark. I will focus on the Telescope, especially as we are located close to Birr in Co. Offaly where the Leviation of Parsonstown massive 72 inch reflecting telescope built in 1845 is located. We will learn about the development of the telescope, with our main focus being this one, we will use telescopes in school. If possible, we will visit this telescope. I will integrate art and do The Man in the Moon, Journey to the Moon art lesson, I hope this will really engage the children’s interest and allow for a lot of talk and discussion.
As we are always looking at the months of the year etc we will explore the important function the moon plays in dividing time into months as each lunar cycle takes about 1 month.
Finally we will look at the significance of the moon for different cultures looking at tales like Jade Rabbit and Maori Woman Rona, however I will focus on the story An Ghealach’, the Irish story about a powerful and magical moon.I would focus on the idea of gravity in my lesson, which has been an area that I probably have not given enough focus on in the past. I would begin with asking the children questions like; what they think happens when different objects are dropped? I will have them record their predictions as it is gives them a good opportunity to reflect and compare. I would use the 10 objects that were suggested in this module to see the effects of gravity.
We will not only focus on what they think will happen (they will fall) but how the different objects may differ. The speed in which they will fall, where do they think they will land? Will they all fall? If we were outside what might happen? The children will be provided with the opportunity investigate what happens when each object is dropped from the same height. Working in small groups, they would observe, compare, and discuss their findings while recording their observations through drawings or simple charts.
We will look at appropriate scientific vocabulary such as gravity, force, predict, and observe. Through guided questioning, I would support the children in understanding that gravity is the force that pulls objects towards the Earth. Rather than simply explaining the concept, I would encourage them to develop their own understanding through discussion and investigation. I really liked the idea from the module of extending their understanding by asking what will happen to objects if they were in dropped in Australia? This will be give me a good opportunity to see if they can understand the Earth’s gravitational pull. I think this would be a really interesting way to engage the children and get them thinking outside the box. Also, it would hopefully be a very hands on lesson and give me the opportunity to target the different learning style and levels in my classroom.This is a lovely lesson idea, floating and sinking is always a class favourite in my room. I like how you are incorporating the different materials into your lesson, it provides a wonderful opportunity for the children to investigate. Your range of questions will enable good critical thinking and it is a good opportunity to target different learning levels and abilities. Also, the opportunity to use water in the classroom is always appealing to the children.