[Marcella Maher]

Sounds like a great whole-school plan. I love the idea of the trip to the library, that is something I know my class would love also.

[Marcella Maher]

I love the idea of space week and have gotten a little carried away with my space week plan! However, I do think that these activities could be spread throughout my monthly SESE plan, so as to make sure the learning objectives are met, and to allow for some guided discovery and teacher modelling. I have 2nd class.

Monday: Solar System Exploration
Activity: Create a Model of the Solar System

Description: Students work in groups to create a scaled model of the solar system using materials like Styrofoam balls and cardboard. They will label each planet and learn about its position relative to the Sun.
SESE Link: Science (Earth and Space) – Understanding the solar system’s structure and the relative positions of the planets.

Tuesday: Starry Night Art
Activity: Constellation Art and Storytelling

Description: Students learn about various constellations, then create their own constellation artwork using black paper and white chalk or paint. They will also invent a story or myth about their constellation.
SESE Link: History – Exploring how ancient cultures used the stars and created myths. Geography – Understanding how different constellations are visible in different parts of the world.

Wednesday: Rockets
Activity: Build and Launch Paper Rockets

Description: Students design and build simple paper rockets. They will then launch them using straws, experimenting with different designs to see which flies the farthest.
SESE Link: Science (Forces) – Exploring how air pressure and force can propel objects, linking to real-world space exploration.

Thursday: Moon Phases Exploration
Activity: Moon Phases with Oreos

Description: Using Oreo cookies, students will recreate the phases of the Moon. They will learn about how the Moon orbits the Earth and why we see different phases.
SESE Link: Geography – Understanding the Earth-Moon relationship and how the Moon’s phases are connected to its position relative to the Earth and Sun.

Friday: Space Exploration and Debate
Activity: Space Mission Debate

Description: Divide the class into teams to debate the importance of space exploration. Each team can research a specific space mission (e.g., Apollo 11, Mars Rover) and present arguments for the benefits and challenges of space exploration.
SESE Link: Science and History – Understanding the impact of space exploration on scientific knowledge and human history, fostering critical thinking and communication skills.

[Marcella Maher]

I love the link with PE, and would never have thought of it. I will definitely use it next year.

[Marcella Maher]

I would extend the ‘What clothes to wear’ activity for my 2nd class.

Objective:
Students will create outfits appropriate for each season, reinforcing their understanding of weather, seasons, and suitable clothing.

Materials:

Large paper or cardboard
Markers, crayons, coloured pencils
Magazines for cutouts (optional)
Glue, scissors

Introduction 
Discuss the different types of weather associated with each season (spring, summer, autumn, winter). Ask students to recall what clothes are suitable for each season.

Activity
Divide the class into four groups, assigning each group a season. Each group will design an outfit appropriate for their assigned season on a large sheet of paper. They can draw, color, or use magazine cutouts to create their outfit. Encourage them to think about layers, accessories, and weather conditions.

Presentation 
Each group presents their outfit to the class, explaining why the clothing choices are suitable for their season. Discuss the differences between the seasons and how clothing helps us adapt to weather changes.

SESE Curriculum Link:
This activity supports understanding in Geography (weather and seasons) and Science (materials and their uses), fostering creativity and practical application of seasonal knowledge.

[Marcella Maher]

I love the idea of integrating literacy into the SESE lesson. I often do this with history lessons. I will make sure to check out the book you mentioned!

[Marcella Maher]

As I have 2nd class I would be keen to adapt the lesson on Stars. Here is how I would extend the learning for the children in my class.

Objective:
Students will observe and record the night sky to enhance their understanding of stars and constellations.

Duration:
1 week (daily 10-15 minutes, with a 30-minute class discussion at the end).

Materials:

Star chart, observation diary, pencils/markers, optional telescope/binoculars.

Introduction:
Explain star patterns and constellations. Provide students with a star chart and observation diary. Each night, they will spend 10-15 minutes observing the stars, noting the constellations and any changes in their diary.

Observation:
Students will record their observations daily, including date, time, weather, and drawings. Encourage them to notice patterns, brightness, and any changes in the stars’ positions.

Class Discussion:
After a week, students share their findings, discussing which constellations they saw, any changes, and how weather affected visibility.

Follow-Up:
Students create their own constellation and myth based on their observations.

[Marcella Maher]

All of these activities sound so fun for the younger children and getting them moving always helps!

[Marcella Maher]

I would choose the ‘Where is the Shadow’ experiment. I would take students outside on a sunny day to observe their shadows. Ask them to trace their shadows on the ground at different times (morning, midday, and afternoon) and predict how the shadows might change over time.

As the day progresses, have students revisit their traced shadows and compare them, noting changes in length and direction. Discuss why shadows move and change size, introducing the concept of the Earth’s rotation and how the Sun’s position in the sky affects shadows.

I really love that these lessons can be made so hands-on as it can be overwhelming at times to tackle such an abstract topic with younger children.

This activity promotes observation, prediction, and critical thinking, helping students understand the relationship between the Sun’s position and shadows through hands-on, inquiry-based learning.

[Marcella Maher]

Wow, I love the idea of a moon diary – it really allows the home-school link which is great!

[Marcella Maher]

Hi all, I am Marcella and will be teaching 2nd c;ass again next year. My favourite space fact is that a day on Venus lasts longer than a year on Earth!

Mind Map:
<p style=”text-align: center;”>What is Space?</p>
<p style=”text-align: center;”>Outer Space</p>
<p style=”text-align: center;”>The Universe
Stars and Planets
Black Holes
Mysterious Stuff (Dark Matter & Energy)
Space Exploration</p>
<p style=”text-align: center;”>Exploring space
Satellites and telescopes
Traveling in space
Problems we face in space</p>
 

For an enquiry based activity in my class, I would start with the prompt question: “How do rockets fly?” Introduce the concept by showing a simple video of a rocket launch. Ask students what they think makes the rocket go up.

Next, conduct a hands-on activity where students build and launch their own mini rockets using materials like paper, straws, and balloons. Guide them to observe how the rocket moves when air is released from the balloon, demonstrating the principle of action and reaction.

Encourage students to modify their designs to see how changes affect the rocket’s flight. Discuss why some rockets go higher than others, linking this to the forces acting on the rocket.

This activity aligns with the SESE Science curriculum, specifically the Energy and Forces strand, promoting inquiry, experimentation, and understanding of scientific principles through active engagement and hands-on learning.

[Marcella Maher]

The idea of doing the experiment at home as well is fantastic, it would be a super idea for space week!

[Marcella Maher]

I have actually used the dancing raisins experiment with a junior class before and they thoroughly enjoyed it. It sparked so many questions with them and we developed their questions into more experiments. They wondered did it work with other things? So we experimented with popcorn, sunflower seeds and even an apple! It was a great prompt for conversations in groups – some saying there was no way it would work with an apple, it was too big, others wondering maybe if the drink was really fizzy it would work. I have to say it was a huge success in our class, they really engaged and learned a lot from the activity. I loved that the extension at the end of the experiment got the children to weigh the raisins again. This was a great way to integrate measures into the lesson and add an extra learning outcome.

[Marcella Maher]

Adding a walk into the activity is a fantastic idea, I find outdoor learning always engages the children. You could even have them hunt for certain types of homes such as apartments, bungalows etc. Allowing them to see it in their locality adds a lot to their learning.

[Marcella Maher]

The activity I would choose is the ‘Where do you live’ one.  I like this lesson as I work in a multidenominational school and we have children from many different countries with us. I love that this activity would encourage children to share more about the countries they have links with and the class can have a discussion surrounding the similarities and differences of houses in different countries. Allowing the children to draw and create their homes is a great idea and the oral language to be gained from the lesson is vast. You could also get the children to design their dream house; talk about additions like slides instead of stairs, a swimming pool, hammock etc.

The lesson could link nicely to animals and their homes – how are they different to ours? What do they use to make them etc. Do animals live in the same place every year? You can even link in hibernation and changing seasons and how that affects animal’s homes

 

[Marcella Maher]

I love this idea, especially presenting to the class. Once the children are familiar with the set up you could even use it as an Aistear station! I also love the idea of linking it with drama, I think the children would get very creative with that!!

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