Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
I think this video has great use in providing facts and engaging imagery. However, I do think that some parts present an opportunity to potential present climate change as something that will scare the children. I think that when looking for video resources it might be better to look for something geared towards children. BBC earth and BBC teach provide excellent videos that deal with these issues.
Additionally, having worked in rural schools with children who are farming mad (farming featured in the video), I think we have to be careful with identifying sources of blame for climate change. It is really important to have a positive ‘we can do it’ attitude for empowering children to engage with and identify how they can have a part in working against climate change.Hi Aine,
I think that is such an important point, it is vital to recognise that climate change is due to interlinking features and not isolated incidents or activities. I agree that I would probably make use of the video for the facts as some parts might be too impactful for the children.
I thought the video was very helpful in explaining the greenhouse effect in a way that would be accessible for a variety of age groups. As I mentioned in my last post, I have found that the younger classes often require a visual/concrete resource for understanding topics that are not in front of them. The tool for predicting future temperatures could also be helpful in this regard.I have also found that some children can find this topic a little scary and I think the video deals with it in an informative and positive way. The consolidation at the end was also a feature I thought was very practical. While I think some parts of this activity would be beyond my First Class this coming year, the resources provide opportunity for meaningful discussion and al base of knowledge for project work on what we can do to aid in the fight against climate change.
Hi Grainne,
The idea of introducing digital presentations or videos is a great one. I have found students really respond to this in the past and can have a lot of fun with it too.
While reading the paper, it is clear that when engaging in STEM it is vital to provide hands on practical activities for the children. This will encourage active learning and allow the children to take responsibility and make actual discoveries.
What I liked about the nose up in the sky resource is that it is something that could easily be integrated into the daily routine of the classroom. The measuring rain, checking the thermometer etc. could be a weekly job role. Integrated with maths through table records, the children will take responsibility for record keeping and analysis. I will be teaching First Class this year and I feel this is something that could be easily adapted to their age group, maybe focusing on one measurement at a time/ getting assistance from older students initially. There is a great opportunity here to integrate learning, perhaps through stories, art etc.
Weather vs climate offers some excellent resources (vidoeos, worksheet templates etc) and plans for all age groups. While some parts of this may be challenging for my younger class (the concept of climate, weather detectives) I feel that I could make use of Pax’s greenhouse effect video for engaging a discussion about climate change. I also found a lot of the videos in the module would be very beneficial in engaging in more in depth discussions about weather. Sometimes, with the younger classes, these discussions can jus be “it is hot/cold/wet today” etc. and not encourage the children to engage in active discovery.Hi Edwina,
I agree about the videos. Sometimes explaining certain weather concepts can be quite challenging as it deals with things that cannot be seen and are difficult to visualise for younger children. The hands on activities allow the learning to be accessible for all learners.
Hi Fiona,
I think the integration of multiple stories is a great idea. It will allow each child to find something to relate to. The art idea of the black sugar paper and chalk is not something that I have come across before and will definitely be using in the future.
Module 5: activities for space week that I would plan for my First Class students
Science: Rocket Launch (I would probably use the rocket mouse activity)
English: Reading books such as ‘The Darkest Dark’ by Chris Hadfield and ‘The Way Back Home’ by Oliver Jeffers.
Oral Language/Drama: Interviewing an Alien (One of the children in the role as alien and the other in the role of interviewer and recreating the moon landing (What’s in my Head activity)
Drama: Interviewing an astronaut role play
Gaeilge: Learning the vocab for discussing space.
Art: Decorating the rocket mouse launcher
History: The moon landing, learning about it, watching the video, linking in with the Darkest Dark
Maths: Paper rocket challenge (design a paper rocket to see which one will go the furthest-graphing the results using different charts
Hi Linda,
Lovely ideas and excellent opportunities for integration. It is a really nice way to link it to Ireland as well and how we react to the colder weather.
Hands on Activity: What clothes to wear.
I think this activity would be a great opportunity for integration. In terms of Maths, it would be very help with teaching the seasons and for sorting/analysing (clothes for winter, summer etc. Art would also be a great way to integrate, through designing a coat for Teddy etc. Additionally, it can be linked in with teaching Eadaí vocab in Irish.
I would begin by starting to discuss the weather that day, why you decided to bring/not bring in a coat, hat, gloves, etc. We would then engage in the colouring activity mentioned, getting different groups (the different Seasons) to display and explain their pictures one by one. We would then engage in a whole class discussion about the seasons, what we associate with them and what the weather is like in each.
I really like the sorting dress up box circle activity. I feel this also would have great potential as a station in Aistear, to pack the suitcase/ design Teddy’s outfits for his holidays. Another variation of that is the packing the suitcase drama activity, where I might suggest that we are going on a trip (perhaps using the different school holidays as a basis for different seasons). The children would suggest what will be needed.
I would integrate the weather story as an activity in PE, making it active.
That looks great Bridget, I can imagine that the children loved creating those! I really liked the idea of using cutting and sticking for creating the aliens, it is a nice alternative to just drawing them and encourages creativity while working on some fine motor skills.
Activity Set: Space and Aliens
In introducing this topic with a junior class, I would use ‘The Way Back Home” by Oliver Jeffers as a stimulus. Following on from the life in space resource, I would ask the children to imagine the Martian was coming to Earth to visit the boy, what would be the best things to show him about the Earth.
I would also discuss with the children that not all Martians look the same. I would use an oral language alien drawing game. I would model first describing an alien (e.g. long arms, 5 eyes, green head and red body etc). The children will all draw based on what they hear (without looking at anyone elses) and at the end we will reveal them all. Some children will then be invited to be the leader.
I would then engage the children in creating their own aliens. Once these have been created, during maths time, we would engage in sorting the aliens based on different features (by colour, size, number of legs, eyes, etc.)
In SESE, I would invite the children to submit questions to the Martian about life on Mars (children dictating questions and with me notetaking). These question and answers would provide the basis for learning about life on Mars/about Mars (along with some fun questions).
In a following art lesson, we could work on creating the Mars landscape. Once completed, it can serve as a display and basis for a discussion for the difference between Earth and Mars.
Activity Set: Space and Aliens
In introducing this topic with a junior class, I would use ‘The Way Back Home” by Oliver Jeffers as a stimulus. Following on from the life in space resource, I would ask the children to imagine the Martian was coming to Earth to visit the boy, what would be the best things to show him about the Earth.
I would also discuss with the children that not all Martians look the same. I would use an oral language alien drawing game. I would model first describing an alien (e.g. long arms, 5 eyes, green head and red body etc). The children will all draw based on what they hear (without looking at anyone elses) and at the end we will reveal them all. Some children will then be invited to be the leader.
I would then engage the children in creating their own aliens. Once these have been created, during maths time, we would engage in sorting the aliens based on different features (by colour, size, number of legs, eyes, etc.)
In SESE, I would invite the children to submit questions to the Martian about life on Mars (children dictating questions and with me notetaking). These question and answers would provide the basis for learning about life on Mars/about Mars (along with some fun questions).
In a following art lesson, we could work on creating the Mars landscape. Once completed, it can serve as a display and basis for a discussion for the difference between Earth and Mars.
Module 2 assignment: the planets
To begin this topic (aimed at Second Class), I would probably begin this topic with a whole class discussion. Building on the idea of discussing Earth as a planet, I would also present the children with named pictures of the planets and ask them to share any knowledge that they might already have about the individual planets. Something that worked well the last time I covered this topic was allowing the children to note down the facts that they found interesting in their SESE copies. This time I would probably build on that by creating dedicated booklets which a page for each planet where the children could draw the planet and write some facts.
I would encourage the children to seek out their own facts that they can share with the class during this time. I would make space related books/ booklets (fiction and non fiction) that I can source or print out available for the children to look through as early finishers work/ during DEAR time or for whole class storytime.
I would integrate this topic as much as possible, for example using games mentioned in the planet resources during PE (planet game and planet dance), the planet song for music, art creation of the planets, oral language and presenting in English etc. I have found when a topic is integrated in this way, it encourages the children to really engage with the subject. The completed booklets could be a great addition to our class library, encouraging the children to take pride in their work and learn from each other.
Hi Ursula,
This all sounds like a great way to teach about the planets. Using a variety of methods such as using large displays, books, games and building knowledge slowly over a period of time will really allow the children to interact with the lessons. I have definitely found when teaching about space in the past that you need to take it slowly with teaching about the planets as it is a lot of information to take in and can be overwhelming if you try to fit too much into your lessons. A fun art activity that we also did was where the children designed their own planet. This was completed after we had covered the planets and it was interesting to see the children draw on what they had learned to make their own planet.
