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Hi Ciara, I like the way you introduced the use of fair testing. Changing the variables such as the balloon size would be a very concrete, visible way to enable the pupils to understand this.
How I would use the Activity Set: Rockets in my Junior and Senior Infant Classroom
Engage: I would use the story ‘Whatever Next’ to get the children interested in travelling to the moon, wondering how we would get there and talking about rockets. I would then show a video of a rocket launch, providing an opportunity for the children to wonder could we make models of rockets to find out how they work? We would then make rockets (rocket mouse and balloon rocket) and start exploring how they work.
Investigate: Once the children have explored and played with the rockets and understand how they work they can carry out an investigation. They can make a prediction about their own starter question. They might for example wonder does the rocket go further if I squeeze harder or faster. Starter Question: How does changing the force on the rocket affect how far it goes? The children will then carry out their own investigation and analyse the results – did anything unexpected happen? did any of the mice stay up in the air or did they all fall to the ground?
Taking the next step: I will then provide an opportunity for the pupils to apply their knowledge and skills, e.g. squeezing ketchup out of the bottle, what else flies through the air? Paper planes
Reflection: I will reflect on the learning objectives, science skills and language which were developed and what I would change next time around.Hi Monica, I like your points. I wasn’t familiar with the ESA and ESERO videos and interactive images prior to this course. They are a fantastic way to engage and motivate young children, great digital resources that I look forward to using with my class next year.
Science Skills and School Self Evaluation
1. Identify Focus
It has previously been discussed that as a staff we feel that we are covering the content in the science curriculum but not necessarily developing all of the science skills such as predicting, investigating and experimenting. Therefore, the focus of SSE will be the development of science skills.
2. Gather Evidence
We will gather the thoughts and opinions of parents, teachers and pupils using questionnaires and conferencing as well as assessments. Drawing will also be used with younger children so that they can express their feelings and dispositions.
3. Analyse and Make Judgements
In analysing the evidence, we will look at how the pupils are able to apply their science knowledge and skills to new scenarios and pupil dispositions. Are they motivated and interested in science, how engaged are they in their learning and have they a positive attitude towards science?
4. Report and Improvement Plan
We will then draw conclusions identifying strengths in current practice and aspects of science teaching and learning perhaps specific science skills that need to be prioritised for improvement. A short self-evaluation report containing specific targets will then be produced and shared with the school community.
5. Implementation
All relevant school personnel will then share ownership of the actions to be implemented at individual teacher, class and whole-school level.
6. Monitor and Evaluate
Targets and actions will be monitored and their impact evaluated.I agree Martina. As you said, the stars activity set allows children to play, create and explore in science. This is how young children learn and it fosters their curiosity and motivation.
In considering how I would use the Activity Set: Space and Aliens with my Junior and Senior Infant class there are some adaptations and additions I might make.
I would link the ESERO 19 Special Life activity with learning experiences in SPHE: Myself: Self-identity: Self-awareness. Learning experiences in which the children are enabled to discuss and appreciate all the features that make a person special and unique and to become aware of his/her immediate world through the senses would connect well with the Special Life activity and make learning more meaningful for the children.
I would use the ESERO Framework for Inquiry for the Mars junior activities. As an extension I would introduce a note left by a Martian who had visited the classroom during the night and messed up all our pencils and colours. After subsequent visits, I would discuss with the children what they think it might look like, how we could find out and what we could do to stop it messing our classroom. We would then use the Engineering Design Process to plan and make a trap to catch the Martian.The Sun and Shadows Activity Set, lesson for my Junior and Senior Infant Class
Engage: I would use the video clip My Furry Little Shadow (Sesame Street) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCm7j-lZ-KQ to get the children interested in shadows. I would display some pictures of cloudy and sunny days including ones with shadows and question and discuss with the children. We would then go outside and explore shadows with the children working in pairs to draw each other’s shadows with chalk.
Investigate: I would brainstorm with the children what other shadows could be made in the school yard? They would then predict the shape, size and colour of the shadows and I would record their predictions. The children then explore the yard looking for shadows made by other objects and draw pictures of the shadows they observe. We would compare their finding with their earlier predictions.
Take the Next Step: I would read the book ‘What Makes a Shadow?’ by Clyde Robert Bulla. I would then ask the children for ideas for a story entitled ‘Me and my Shadow’ making sure to include the words Sun, Day, Night, Cloudy, Sunny, Summer and Winter. The children would draw pictures showing the different stages of the story including the Sun in their pictures.
Reflection: I would then reflect on whether I had achieved my learning objectives, what had worked well and how I would improve on future lessons.Thanks for sharing Cormac. I like the idea of using it as an outdoor activity too, children love to get outside, it engages them even more.
Aisling, thank you for sharing such an engaging lesson. I love ‘How to catch a star’ by Oliver Jeffers, it would be a great addition to a lesson on shooting stars.
I intend to use both examples of inquiry-based activities demonstrated in this module with my Junior and Senior Infant class next year. Spills are an everyday occurrence in my class so I will outline the Mighty Materials lesson here which investigates materials for different properties – materials that absorb water and those that are waterproof.
I will use the Curious Minds/ESERO Framework for Inquiry template to structure the lesson.
Engage: I will use an occasion when a spill occurs in the classroom – leaking drinker, overflow at the water cooler as an opportunity to get the children interested in a real, meaningful learning experience. I will brainstorm ideas on what we could use to clean it up, discussing what we use at home or in school when we spill something. The children will then explore a variety of materials such as tin foil, cling film, cotton wool, blue classroom roll, paper towels, plastic bag, newspaper or toilet paper… discussing each material and its properties.
Investigate: I will use a starter question to focus the children on what we want to find out – which material do you think might be best to soak up the spill. The children then predict and record their prediction. The children will conduct the investigation using each of the materials in use and record the outcomes. The class will then combine their results which can be displayed in a simple pictogram on the board. This can then be used to discuss and interpret the results. Results can then be compared to their predictions.
Take the next step: I will then provide an opportunity for the pupils to apply their knowledge, e.g. design and make a waterproof coat for Teddy based on what they have learned about materials which absorb water well and those that don’t.
Reflection: I will reflect on the learning objectives, science skills and language which were developed and what I would change next time around.