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I will introduce rockets to my class by watching the video of the launch of the Vega-C rocket. If that doesn’t spark interest, I would be very surprised! Then we will make 3-D rockets from recyclable materials, which can also provide an opportunity to delve into Maths 3-D shape names. I will then demonstrate the fizzy rocket using an effervescent tablet and the tablet tube. If that works, I will let them try it in groups (as long as they stand well clear!).
I usually read the book “Whatever next” by Jill Murphy so this might be a good way to wrap up the lesson. They could then discuss what actually launches rockets (fuel, fire, force). I have a jump on air rocket that I usually use to launch foam rockets to show wind power. It is a bit of fun as the pupils measure who can launch their rocket the furthest.
That’s a great idea to create a space journal – probably better for older classes. They may be able to use them as part of a project for Space Week.
I will use the hands-on classroom themed activity as younger children prefer to be active. Although I have covered what clothes to wear in hot/cold weather, I never thought to use the pupil’s coats. I will link it to the animals in the cold climate topic by checking what animals have to allow them to survive in extremely cold weather. Once they have thought of animals’ coats or blubber, I will ask them to examine their coats in groups. They can investigate what is similar and what is different. They may then design a coat that they think is best for very cold weather.
I also like how the investigation using ice cubes melting introduces the concept of fair testing – one being in the sunlight, one being in the shade. This is simpler than what I usually do as I put four ice-hands with different food colourant on the four table groups. One is closer to the radiator, one closer to the door, one in the sunlight and one in the shade. On reflection, although the pupils usually get there in the end, this is probably too complicated for infants to figure out what makes a fair test! They just like guessing which hand is going to melt first and why.
I like the idea of each class trying one investigation per term and recording it to start with. Keeping targets manageable in the beginning and reflecting on them is how I would hope to start STEM / a STEM program that develops from Junior infants to Sixth class.
I would use the activity “Make a star lantern” with an older class. Having looked at real constellations, I think it would be exciting for the pupils to make their own constellation and name it. Taking ownership of their own project helps to engage the pupils and the majority have a huge interest in space already. I like the design and creativity used to make this star lantern, and that they can bring home something they may like to use in their room.
It may also be a good idea to keep it flat, similar to the plough investigation, so they can shine a torch behind it to see their constellation light up on a wall. A good website I found is Constellations – Mayo Dark Sky Park where they have descriptions of all the major constellations. There is also an art page based on the constellations available to download.
I like the idea of the KWL chart at the beginning and checking new discoveries at the end of the lesson. Seesaw and BookCreator app are also good ways to incorporate technology for recording learning. I like the idea in the activities, of a dark page and using paint spattering (toothbrush and a comb) to show how there are millions of stars.
The Sun and Shadows Activity is one I have taught before but now I can make it more interesting and engaging with a few ideas given. I used to play chase the shadow game in PE. By doing this, the pupils learned that light created shadows (as when clouds covered the sun, their shadow disappeared) and we discovered the sun had to be behind them to cast a shadow in front of them.
I will now extend this using Dr. Maeve Liston’s idea of drawing their shadow at different times during the day, remembering to draw around their feet to show the direction they were standing at the time. Another idea I will use is the sun dial – I like the homemade sun dial, made from a bamboo stick placed in an upside down flower pot. We can place a stone on the line (as in the video from Blackrock Observatory) hourly to show the time. This is easy to do and shows how the sun and shadows can be used to tell the time. I would probably save the other sun dial for older classes.
Thanks for the link to the resource about the moon & multicultural stories Frances! Much appreciated – I will use it as many different nationalities in my class too – it makes it interesting and engaging for them.
An inquiry based activity I will do with my class is the gravity based investigation. I will use the ESERO lesson idea to enhance the learning experience for the pupils.
Lesson plan – What does gravity do? (lesson 8, ESERO)
Learning outcomes –
• learn what an attractive force is
• discover that on Earth we can only float with help
• know what gravity isTwo activities –
1. All kinds of forces – for this you will need a magnet and paperclip.
2. How does it fall? – you will need to prepare 12 containers. Into each container place the following items: one Lego brick, clothes peg, wooden bead, table tennis ball, pencil sharpener, hair elastic, ordinary elastic band, hair pin, sandwich bag twist tie, and piece of cork. Make 24 copies of the cut-out sheet for Lesson 4.Activity 1 (10 mins)
Explain to the pupils that there are different kinds of forces. Show them how the magnet attracts the paperclip. This is called attractive (magnetic) force. Encourage all the pupils to stand next to their chair and pull on the chair. The chair moves. Explain that this is because the pupils are exerting force on the chair. This force comes from their muscles, so it is called muscular force. Now ask all the pupils to jump in the air. They all land back on the ground. Explain that this is because the Earth is pulling them with an invisible force. We call this force gravity. Gravity holds all the people and animals in the world on the ground, so that we don’t float around in the air. The pupils investigate what gravity does.Activity 2 (25 mins)
Organise the pupils into pairs. Give each pair a cut-out sheet for Lesson 4. The pupils work together to cut out the pictures on the sheet. Explain that they are going to use these pictures to investigate what happens when you drop something. For this they will need the container with 12 objects. Can they see that the objects in the container match the pictures that they have just cut out? Ask one child from each pair to stand on a chair and drop the objects in turn. The other child sits on the ground and watches each object carefully as it falls. Keep showing what the other child is dropping. Ask the class the following questions: In what direction do the objects fall? What happens if you throw them up in the air first? At the end they stick all the pictures from the cut-out sheet in the position where the objects landed. In this way the pupils learn that all objects fall, but how and where they fall is different.Reflection / Discussion
Why do the children think all the objects fall to the ground? Explain that on Earth, everything you throw up in the air will come back down again. This is because of the Earth’s gravity.Here is a link to my mindmap, made with miro