Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
I really like your idea of using rockets as a topic for Junior Infants. I think it is a very engaging activity that would capture the children’s attention and encourage them to become actively involved in their learning. I like how you begin by questioning the students about their prior knowledge as this gives them an opportunity to share their ideas and experiences and from my experience children in Junior Infants love to tell you what they know.
The Rocket Mice experiment sounds like a great hands-on STEM activity. Allowing the children to make predictions, test their rockets and discuss which ones travelled furthest would help develop their problem-solving and observation skills. It would also introduce simple concepts such as size and pressure in a fun and age-appropriate way.
I also like the idea of allowing the children to suggest different materials and changes to the experiment. Finishing with Sadie Sprocket Builds a Rocket and designing their own rockets provides a lovely creative extension and links science with literacy and art. Overall, it sounds like a fun and interactive lesson which will keep the students engaged.
Activity set: Alien Chemistry
Activity: Dancing Raisins
Engage: I will set the scene by asking the class: How do objects behave in space where there is zero/no gravity? I’ll tell the pupils that we have received special “space rocks” (raisins) and a mysterious “liquid” (sparkling water) to test if we can show how gravity works and make the rocks float and dance.
Investigate: I will split the class into small groups and the students will place raisins into a glass of plain water first to observe what happens (they sink to the bottom). Then they will drop raisins into a glass of sparkling water and they will see carbon dioxide bubbles on the raisins which wll help them float to the top. Once the bubbles burst at the surface the children will see the raisins sink and it looks like “dancing raisins”.
Take the Next Step: |To take tbis activity one step further the children could test different items to compare if the texture of the raisins/rocks have an impact, etc. Test smoot objects like popcorn kernels, buttons, etc. Test to see what happens if the sparkling water goes flat, what happens if you mix in baking soda or vinegar, there are many different opportunities to push the investigation further.
Conclusion/Reflection: At the end discuss their finding as a whole class. Help connect their findings that they recorded to scientific concepts such as buoyancy, trapped gas creates upward force, etc.
I have completed an activity with my class like this before, however I feel that the structure of this lesson with the engage, investigate and take the next step works better nd gives more structure than a stand-alone lesson. I also feel that I am more prepared after this course to link the lessons to scientific concepts.
Hi Michelle,
I really like how your SSE plan focuses on developing science skills rather than only focusing on covering the curriculum content. I think skills such as predicting, investigating and experimenting are very important because they allow children to become more independent and confident in their learning. I also feel that from my experience this is where schools fall down due to time constraints, resourcing, etc. I also think that it is necessary for shaping our pupils for the future and jobs, etc.
I also like that you have included the views of pupils, parents and teachers when gathering evidence. Using drawings with younger children is a lovely idea as it gives them a different way to express their thoughts and feelings about science. I love using journals and I think that the children find them hard to use at first but get better with time and practice. I think it is also important that you are looking at children’s attitudes towards science, including their interest, motivation and engagement, rather than only looking at their academic achievement. The final stages of creating clear targets and monitoring progress will help ensure that the SSE leads to real improvements in classroom practice.
Overall I think this is a very practical and inclusive approach that could help create a more engaging science experience for all pupils. I hope that the changes that will come with the new curriculum will help also.
Activity Set: Weather
Activity: Animals in the cold (ESERO 7)
I think this activity would be a great way to encourage children to explore how animals adapt to different weather conditions, particularly cold environments. It would also provide them many opportunities to think scientifically.
Engage: I would start by asking the children what kinds of weather they know and talk about sunny weather, rain, and snow. Discuss how some places get lots of rain, while other places are very dry, some places are very hot and others very cold. At the North and South Pole, for example, it is often extremely cold. Do they know any films (cartoon films) about the North or South Pole? The snowman story? What do the children know about these places?
I would then show the children photographs of animals that live in very cold environments such as polar bears, penguins and Arctic foxes. I would ask questions such as: How do you think these animals keep warm? What would happen if we did not have warm clothes in very cold weather? I would encourage children to share their ideas and make predictions before introducing the activity.
Investigate: The children could investigate how different materials help to keep something warm. They could explore/investigate materials such as cotton, wool, paper, fabric and foil and predict which material would provide the best insulation. They could then test their ideas and compare the results. I would explain that the animals have a thick layer of fat under their skin to keep themselves warm. However, the areas where the polar bears and the penguins live are so cold that this thick layer of fat is not enough. That’s why the polar bear also has a thick coat of fur and the penguin has a thick layer of feathers. I would ask: What do people do when they feel cold? Polar bears and penguins don’t put on a coat, their fur and feathers act like a kind of coat that they are always wearing. The penguin’s feathers and the polar bear’s fur are also covered in a layer of grease to repel water. Rub Vaseline on one of each child’s hands and investigate. Now the children also have a greasy layer on their skin. Drip some water on this hand. What happens to the water? Come to the conclusion that the water rolls off the hand with the greasy layer.
Take the Next Step: To extend the activity, I would challenge the children to design and create their own piece of “animal insulation” using a selection of classroom materials. They could work in small groups to decide which materials would be most effective and explain their reasoning. We could then test the designs and see which one works best. This would encourage children to use creativity, teamwork and problem-solving while developing their understanding of how animals survive in cold climates.
Conclusion/Reflection: As a whole class discuss what was discovered and compare results with predictions. I would ask the children: What surprised you? Which material worked best? How does this help us understand how animals survive in the cold? We could also discuss how scientists and engineers use similar processes of testing, evaluating and improving ideas.
Gráinne I really like how your activity encourages children to explore stars through a combination of observing, creating and discussing. Using the torch and globe would be a very effective way of helping children understand why we see stars at night, as it makes something abstract more visual and easier to understand.
I also think creating their own constellations is a lovely way to encourage them to use their imagination while developing their understanding of patterns and the night sky at the same time. Naming their constellation adds a personal touch and helps them to develop their communication and language skills and integrates many curricular areas and skills.
I like that you have also gave time at the end for children to share what they have learned and any questions they still have. This helps them to be curious and reminds us that learning in science is not always about having the correct answer but about encouraging children to ask questions and want to find out more.
Activity set: Stars
Activity: Lots and lots of stars (ESERO 13)
I chose this activity because stars are something that children can see in the night sky, but they may have very different ideas about what stars are and how many there are. I think this is a good place to start as they all have an experience or stories about stars to begin. It allows them to then be curious and question and further their understanding of space.
Engage: I would start by getting the children to think about what they already know about the night sky. I could use two different pictures a stimulus: one of a clear night sky and one with stars. One of a clear night sky and ask some questions to get them to think deeper What can you see? What do you think stars are made of? How many stars do you think there are? I would then know what they know already and build upon that.
Investigate: I would introduce the Lots and Lots of Stars activity. I would give all students a chance to investigate and represent the large number of stars that can be seen in the night sky. The children would then start to notice through comparing and counting and creating their own night sky pictures that there are far more stars than we can easily see or count. I would get the kids to work in pairs or small groups to discuss what they see and the differences.
Take the Next Step: I would encourage the children to think about whether it would ever be possible to count all the stars in space. We could create a large class night sky using black paper and add hundreds of stars to represent the enormous number of stars in the universe. I could progress this to investigate constellations and discuss how people have created patterns by joining stars together. Students could design their own constellation and give it a name, etc.
Conclusion and Reflection: As a whole class we would discuss what was discovered. I would try to encourage the students to think about what surprised them, what did they learn about stars, did their ideas change, etc. It could be good for students to write in a science book or journal “At the beginning I thought…, but now I know…” This would provide an opportunity for them to reflect on their learning and I could use this for assessment and future planning.
The ideas in this module were very interesting and really helped me to come up with many more interesting ways to help the students further their understanding and develop their inquiry skills.
The Spherical Earth activity, I agree seems simple but effective. Using an Earth ball, lamp, and teddies transforms an abstract concept like day and night into something children can physically see and understand. I used to use a blow-up Earth and other balls etc. but this module has shown me how to develop this further. I also liked how the activity moves beyond just observing by allowing children to become part of the learning through role-play and movement. As you mentioned the song is a great way to reinforce the key ideas and support children’s memory and language development. This activity is a wonderful example of how science can be explored through creativity, play and investigation.
Activity Set: The Moon
Activity: The Man in the Moon activity from ESERO 2
Aim: To introduce children to the idea that the patterns we see on the Moon are created by its surface features rather than by an actual face.
Engage: I would begin by showing the children a large image of the full Moon and ask, “What do you see when you look at the Moon?” Some children might say a face or “the man in the Moon.” Discuss their ideas and share stories about the Moon
Investigate: First individually and then in pairs, closely examine photographs of the Moon’s surface and identify the darker and lighter areas. They would learn that the dark patches are large plains formed by ancient volcanic activity rather than the features of a face. Using the ESERO activity, the children could create their own “Moon faces” or images by interpreting the patterns they see. They could then compare their ideas with their classmates. They could describe the shapes and patterns they notice.
Take the Next Step: I would extend the investigation by observing the Moon over several evenings. I would encourage pupils to record the appearance of the moon through drawings or photographs and discuss how it changes over time. This could lead into learning about the phases of the Moon.
Conclusion: I think this activity links science and creativity and discussion. It encourages children to look carefully and closely observe changes. It encourages them to notice patterns and ask questions about changes.
I really enjoyed reading your post because it shows how powerful simple, hands-on investigations can be when developing scientific thinking.
I like how the activity lets the children explore and test their own ideas rather than being given the answers.
Measuring the distance travelled and making sure the same pom-pom was used each time is a great way of introducing the concept of a fair test in an age-appropriate way.
Using mixed-age pairings is another good idea. The older pupils generally tend to take on leadership roles while younger children learn through observation, discussion, and participation. It is a very collaborative learning environment where every pupil can contribute.
I also agree that taking activities outdoors can make science even more engaging. The extra space encourages children to experiment more freely and often leads to new questions and investigations.
An inquiry-based activity I would use in my classroom would be Design and Test Rockets.
This activity is suitable for Second Class, it is good to get kids creative and encourages plenty of hands-on learning meanwhile introducing simple scientific concepts along the way. It also involves making changes a long the way and they would need good construction and design basics.
Engage: I would begin by asking the class, “How can we make a rocket travel further?” We would watch a short demonstration/video of a simple paper or straw rocket and discuss what they notice. The children could share their predictions about what makes a rocket move and I would encourage them to think about forces such as pushes, gravity and air.
Investigate: I would then get the children to design and build their own paper rockets in small groups. They could change one part of the rocket at a time (the length of the rocket, size of the fins, weight of the nose). They could keep track of how these changes affect the distance their rocket travelled. They can measure, observe, record results using drawings, pictures, or simple charts. Meanwhile you could encourage them to discuss whether gravity or the design impacted the distance travelled.
Take the Next Step: After comparing results and discussing their findings in the group, they could try to improve their rocket designs based on their inquiry/experimentation. I could possibly move forward with the investigation by asking new questions, such as how launching from different heights or angles changes the flight or by comparing different materials and their weight, etc.
Conclusion: This inquiry-based activity helps children develop lots of different scientific skills such as observing, predicting, testing, measuring, recording, and communicating their findings. They need to work as a team and think critically within thie inquiry process. I think this would be an engaging activity which would build the children’s curiosity.