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Class Plan: Space Week
Throughout this ESERO course, I have developed a stronger understanding of how space-themed learning can support curiosity, hands-on learning, and cross-curricular links in the primary classroom. I would use Space Week as a way to bring these ideas together through a range of simple, practical, and engaging activities.
I would begin Space Week by introducing the idea of forces and movement in space, focusing on pushes and pulls. Pupils would explore this in a fun, hands-on way through activities like paper aeroplane tests or simple rocket-style challenges, where they can make predictions and see how different changes affect movement and distance.
We would then move on to learning about the planets and the solar system. Pupils could sort and sequence the planets, take part in simple role-play activities to show how the Earth moves around the Sun, and create their own “planet models” using craft materials. This would help them begin to understand that Earth is one part of a much larger system.
Next, we would explore stars and space imagination activities, where children look at images of the night sky and talk about what they notice. They could create their own constellations using simple dot patterns or drawings and give them names. This links nicely with creativity and allows children to use their imagination while still thinking about real stars in the sky.
To encourage enquiry, pupils would also take part in simple investigations linked to space, such as testing what helps a paper rocket travel further or exploring how different designs affect movement. They would be encouraged to predict, test, and talk about their results in a simple way appropriate to their age.
Throughout the week, I would use discussion, observation, and children’s work to assess understanding. I would also encourage pupils to explain their ideas aloud, as this gives a clear picture of their learning and thinking.
Overall, my aim for Space Week would be to create a fun, active, and inclusive learning experience that builds curiosity, supports early science skills, and helps children see space as something exciting and imaginative.
Hands-on Classroom Themed Activities
Theme: Our Homes and Where We Live
I would begin the lesson by getting the children to talk about their own homes with a partner. I would prompt them with questions such as: What colour is your house? Is it a house or an apartment? Does it have a garden? What shape is the roof? After a short discussion, I would invite a few pairs to share their ideas with the class.
Next, I would give each child a simple worksheet showing different types of homes. I would ask them to circle the home that most looks like theirs and colour it in carefully. I would be mindful here of children’s different living situations and would make sure all children feel included and comfortable, recognising that some may live in apartments, hotels, or emergency accommodation.
After this, I would move on to a hands-on activity where children build their own homes using blocks, construction materials, or recycled resources. This would be a very child-led and creative task, allowing them to design a home that reflects their own ideas and understanding of where people live.
Once the homes are built, we would bring them together to create a class “town”. I would encourage the children to look at the town and discuss what might be missing. I would note their suggestions on the board. Following this, the children would create additional buildings or features to add to the town, such as a school, shop, park, or other places they feel are important.
To finish the lesson, we would sit together and talk about the different types of homes we created and how they are similar or different. We would also discuss what makes a community and what facilities we would like to include in our town in the future.Activity: Life in Space
Children are usually very interested in space and the idea of aliens, so this lesson builds on that curiosity while also linking it to their own lives and experiences.
I would start by explaining to the children that we know there are many planets in space, but we do not have any real evidence of aliens visiting Earth. I would then shift the focus onto something more personal by asking them to think about what is special to them in their own lives.
I would pose a question such as: “If aliens came to visit Earth, what would you want to show them that is important or special to you?” This could be an object, an animal, a place, or even something they enjoy doing, and they should think about why it is meaningful to them.
Without telling anyone what they have chosen, I would ask the children to draw their chosen item. Then, in pairs, they would take turns acting out what they have drawn while their partner tries to guess what it is. The fun comes from the guessing and seeing how clearly they can communicate their idea without words.
Afterwards, we would discuss how easy or difficult it was to guess each other’s ideas and why. Pupils would then explain their partner’s special object or idea and why they think it is important to them, helping to develop listening and communication skills.
To finish, the children would also get a chance to design and decorate their own alien, using their imagination to think about what a creature from another planet might look like.
Activity Set: The Planets
To begin the lesson I will show simple stimulus like pictures or a short video of the solar system. I will also ask “If you could visit any planet, where would you go and why?”
We will watch a short video on the different plants and I will do the following activities.
In literacy, children will write a short fact file or even a little story about travelling to a planet. In art, they will design and paint their own planet.
A lesson I’d love to do with an older class would be creating a “solar system in a box” where groups build and label the planets. It’s really hands-on and gives them a chance to work together, problem-solve, and show what they know in a creative way. I will also get them to present this and teach their younger paired class.Enquiry-Based Lesson Plan: Floating and Sinking (Junior Infants)
Learning Intention:
Pupils will investigate what sinking and floating means and predict and investigate what objects float and sink.
I will begin by showing pupils a selection of everyday objects (e.g. stone, cork, plastic toy, spoon, leaf).
I will ask sample questions like: What do you notice about these objects? What do you think will happen when we put them in water? Why? Pupils share their ideas and make predictions about whether each object will float or sink.
Working in small groups, pupils will test the objects in a basin of water. They take turns placing objects into the water and observing carefully what happens.
After the investigation, groups discuss their observations and compare them with their original predictions.
To assess learning, pupils complete a simple drawing of one object that floated and one that sank, and write or say one new fact they learned (e.g. “The cork floated” or “The stone sank”).
This inquiry-based lesson promotes curiosity, observation, critical thinking, collaboration, and communication while developing pupils’ understanding of basic scientific concepts through hands-on exploration.My name is Michelle and I will be teaching Junior Infants next year. One interesting fact is that sunlight still takes 8 minutes and 20 seconds to reach your eyes on Earth.