Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
Hi Kate, I like your idea of using role play to help children understand how the Earth rotates and orbits the Sun. I think that’s a really practical, fun way of making quite an abstract concept easier for younger children to understand!
I have chosen the Rockets activity because it builds on an area that I have found genuinely engages children in my own teaching. I am currently working as a Nurture teacher and have worked with many children who have a strong interest in space. We really enjoyed following the Artemis II mission this year, and watching the launch together. It generated lots of discussion and curiosity, and space became an ongoing theme in many of our nurture sessions and art activities.
I would begin the lesson by showing a short video of a real rocket launch and encouraging the children to make predictions about what helps a rocket travel into space. We would then work together to design and build simple paper rockets before testing them. The children could compare how far their rockets travelled, record results and discuss whether their investigation was a fair test. This activity would develop scientific enquiry skills while encouraging teamwork, communication and problem solving.
Hi Niamh, I really liked your idea of linking several of the activities together rather than teaching them separately. The class neighbourhood would be a lovely visual display and would encourage lots of discussion about different homes and habitats. I also liked your extension into seasonal clothing. I focused on that activity in my own post too, and I think asking children to justify why they chose particular materials for different weather conditions would really encourage scientific thinking as well as creativity. It also creates some lovely cross-curricular opportunities!
I would choose the What Clothes to Wear (ESERO 11) activity from the hands on classroom activities in this module because it provides an engaging way to combine science, engineering and problem solving in a meaningful context for young children.
I would do this activity with a junior class after discussing the seasons and different types of weather. Working in pairs or small groups, the children would design a coat suitable for a particular season or weather condition. They would think carefully about the materials they could use and other practical features of their coat like hoods, zips etc., explaining why they made each design choice. Once they have completed the coat, the children could present their designs to the rest of the class and compare how different materials and features are better suited to particular weather conditions.
This activity would create opportunities for the children to be active in their learning, investigate, ask questions and make decisions based on evidence rather than simply learning the information from a PowerPoint, book or video clip. It also links with oral language, arts and engineering while encouraging creativity, collaboration and communication.
From a STEM focused School Self Evaluation perspective, I would gather evidence through photos of the finished coats, samples of pupils’ work, teacher observations and pupil reflections. This evidence would help identify how well the children are developing scientific enquiry, problem solving and critical thinking skills.
Hi Kate, I really enjoyed reading your post. I choose the same activity. I particularly liked how you finished the lesson by discussing why the stars appear to move across the night sky. I hadn’t thought about mentioning that. I think that would be a lovely extension to the activity and could lead into a simple discussion about the Earth’s rotation. It would really help children to build on their understanding of Planet Earth in Space.
Activity set: Stars
I would choose the Constellations activity because I think it would be an exciting and enjoyable way to introduce young children to space.It is also something that is tangible and observable in the night sky. It provides plenty of opportunities for hands on learning while also developing early maths, oral language and creativity.
I would begin by showing the children simple constellations such as the Plough and discussing how people have used the stars for many years to tell stories and find directions whilst sailing etc. We would look at pictures of different constellations and encourage the children to describe the shapes and patterns they can see.
The children would then create their own constellations using star templates with stickers before drawing lines to connect the stars. Each child could name their constellation and share a story about what it represents. This would encourage imagination and communication skills as well as spatial awareness.
I like that this activity naturally integrates science, maths, literacy and art. It supports the play based approach promoted in the Primary Curriculum Framework by encouraging curiosity, exploration and communication. I think the children would really enjoy creating their own constellations whilst at the same time developing a greater understanding of the night sky.
I really enjoyed reading this activity. I like how it begins with simple questions to encourage the children to think before investigating. The combination of outdoor observation and using a torch in the classroom is a great way to make the concept of shadows practical and engaging for Junior Infants.
I would use the “What Does the Moon Look Like?” activity with my class as it encourages children to investigate and observe the world around them. I would begin by asking the children what they already know about the moon and record their knowledge/ideas using a mind map. I would suggest that they take a look at the moon at home in the evening (and periodically throughout the month) and draw what they notice. Back in the classroom, we would compare our drawings and discuss why the moon might appear different on different days. This would encourage the children to ask questions, make observations and share their ideas with one another. I like that this activity develops scientific skills in a way that is suitable for young children while also linking with oral language and art. It would help children to understand that science is about looking closely, asking questions and exploring their own ideas. I think it would be an enjoyable and engaging way to introduce astronomy to infants.
I really like this idea. This investigation is fun and hands on. I think it would really engage young children while encouraging them to make predictions and observations. Thanks for sharing Emily.
One inquiry based activity I would use in my classroom is the Falling Things activity, which explores the concept of gravity. I think this would work well with Junior Infants because it encourages children to investigate through play which is always engaging.
I would begin by asking the children to predict which objects they think will fall the fastest and why. They could then test their ideas and compare the results with their predictions. This would encourage them to ask questions, make observations and explain their thinking. I also like that there is no pressure to get the right answer straight away, as the children learn through exploring and discussing their ideas together. The activity could also be linked to maths by comparing and sorting objects and using simple language such as heavier, lighter, faster and slower. Overall, I think this inquiry based approach would make science enjoyable and engaging while helping children develop curiosity , confidence and important scientific skills from an early age.
Hi everyone, my name is Marcia. This year, I have been working in SET and Nurture within a Junior school. We have been creating collages and projects based around the topic of space with the children as it’s something many of them are fascinated by.
My favourite space fact is that the light from the Sun takes about eight minutes to reach Earth. So basically, we are seeing the Sun as it was eight minutes ago.