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Hi Michelle,
I really like how you have structured the rocket activity around the different stages of inquiry. Using Whatever Next! is a great way to engage Junior and Senior Infants, as it connects the investigation to a familiar story and encourages the children to ask questions and share their ideas. I also like that the children are given the opportunity to make their own predictions before carrying out the investigation. This encourages them to think scientifically and develop skills such as predicting, observing and comparing. The idea of changing the force used to launch the rocket is particularly suitable for this age group because the children can clearly see the effect of their actions. I think the “Taking the next step” section is also effective, as linking rockets to everyday examples such as squeezing ketchup helps children understand that the science they are learning can be seen in everyday life. Overall, this is a fun, practical and age-appropriate STEM activity.
I think this is a very positive and achievable plan for improving STEM teaching and learning across the school. I particularly like the focus on providing pupils with more regular opportunities to take part in practical, hands-on investigations. This will allow children to develop important scientific skills such as observing, questioning, predicting, investigating, measuring and communicating their findings.
I also think the emphasis on collaboration between teachers is very beneficial. Creating shared resources and equipment, along with opportunities for teachers to plan and share successful activities, could help improve confidence and consistency across all class levels. The target of completing at least one hands-on STEM investigation each month is realistic and would encourage STEM to become a regular part of classroom learning rather than something that happens occasionally. Overall, the plan provides clear targets and practical actions that could help create a stronger culture of inquiry-based science and STEM throughout the school.
Hi Michelle,
I really enjoyed reading your ideas for using the Rockets activity set. I think you have created a very engaging sequence of learning experiences that would capture children’s curiosity from the beginning. Starting with Whatever Next and a rocket launch video is an excellent way to spark discussion and encourage children to ask questions. I also like how the hands-on rocket activities allow the children to explore scientific concepts through play before moving into their own investigation. Your focus on prediction, testing and reflecting supports the development of important science inquiry skills in a meaningful way. The follow-up activities, such as paper planes, provide a great opportunity for children to apply and extend their learning to new contexts.<span class=”Apple-converted-space”> </span>
<p dir=”ltr”>I think a <b>rocket investigation</b> would be a fantastic way to introduce the topic of space while encouraging children to think like scientists. I would begin by showing the class a short video of a rocket launch and asking questions such as, <i>What do you notice?</i> and <i>Why do rockets need to travel so fast?</i> This would spark curiosity and encourage the children to share their own ideas and predictions.</p>
The children would then work in pairs to design and decorate their own paper rockets. Before launching them, each pair would predict how far they think their rocket will travel and explain the reasons for their prediction. After testing the rockets, we would measure the distances and compare the results. The children could discuss why some rockets travelled further than others and suggest changes they could make to improve their design, such as changing the shape of the nose or the size of the fins. They could then test their improved rockets and compare the new results.To finish the lesson, we would gather together to discuss what we had learned about rockets, making predictions and carrying out fair tests. The children could record their observations through drawings, simple labels or photographs, allowing them to reflect on the investigation and share what they discovered.
I completely agree with the points made in this reflection. The ESERO course highlights how STEM learning can be engaging, practical and accessible for young children without the need for expensive resources or complex equipment. I also believe that children learn best when they are actively involved in exploring, asking questions and discovering answers through hands-on experiences. Activities that encourage curiosity and problem-solving help children to develop confidence while making learning enjoyable.
I particularly like the idea of integrating STEM across different curriculum areas, as this allows children to make meaningful connections between subjects. Using digital tools such as Seesaw to record and share children’s work is another excellent way to celebrate their achievements and involve families in the learning process.
Overall, this reflection reinforces the value of inquiry-based learning in the infant classroom. It has encouraged me to think about how I can provide more opportunities for children to investigate, collaborate and develop a lifelong interest in science and STEM.
The ESERO activity I would choose for my Senior Infant class is What Clothes to Wear? I think this lesson is an excellent way to help young children understand how the weather changes throughout the year and how these changes influence the clothes we wear every day. It is a practical, play-based activity that links science with the children’s own experiences, making the learning meaningful and engaging.
To introduce the lesson, I would gather the children for a whole-class discussion about the day’s weather. We would look out the classroom window and talk about what we could see, such as sunshine, rain, clouds or wind. I would ask questions such as, “How does it feel outside today?” and “What did you wear to school this morning?” This would encourage the children to think about the connection between weather conditions and the clothing they choose.
Next, I would read a short story or picture book based on the seasons before introducing a dressing-up box filled with clothes for different types of weather. The children could work in pairs or small groups to sort the clothing into the correct season or decide which clothes would be most suitable for different weather conditions. Rather than simply identifying the correct outfit, I would encourage them to explain their choices by asking questions such as, “Why would you wear a hat today?” or “Would you need a hat if it was sunny?” This helps to develop reasoning skills as well as scientific understanding.
To make the lesson even more practical, I would include a simple investigation to explore which materials keep us dry. The children could test small pieces of different fabrics, such as cotton, wool, fleece and waterproof material, by placing a few drops of water on each one using a pipette. They would observe which materials absorb the water and which repel it. Before carrying out the investigation, the children could predict which material they think would be best for a rainy day. Afterwards, we would discuss the results and link them to why raincoats and wellington boots are made from waterproof materials. This simple experiment would introduce children to observing, predicting, testing and recording results in an age-appropriate way.
One aspect of this lesson that I particularly like is that it encourages active participation. The children learn by exploring, discussing and making decisions instead of simply listening to information. They develop important scientific skills by observing the weather, comparing seasonal changes, making predictions, carrying out a simple investigation and communicating their ideas with others. The activity also promotes cooperation as children work together and listen to different opinions.
To extend the lesson, I would create a weather station in the classroom where one child could become the daily “weather reporter.” Each morning they could observe the weather, choose the correct weather symbol and suggest the most appropriate clothing for the day. Another extension would be a matching game where children pair weather pictures with suitable clothing or sort picture cards into the four seasons. We could also complete a simple class graph showing the favourite season of each child and discuss why they made that choice. As a creative follow-up activity, the children could design an outfit for a particular season using paper templates, colouring materials or fabric scraps and explain why their design is suitable for that type of weather.
Overall, I feel this lesson demonstrates that meaningful STEM learning in the infant classroom can be achieved through simple, hands-on experiences that connect directly to children’s everyday lives. By combining discussion, play, investigation and creativity, the lesson encourages curiosity, observation, communication and problem-solving. It supports inquiry-based learning while linking naturally with the Primary Curriculum Framework and Aistear, making science enjoyable and relevant for young learners.
Hi Michelle,
This sounds like a great lesson for infants. I like how the stimulus of the lesson is the children’s prior knowledge and it is not scripted. The activity is engaging and I feel it would be a really enjoyable activity.
For my Senior Infant class, I would select the Space and Aliens activity set because it offers plenty of opportunities for creative thinking, discussion and collaborative play.
I would introduce the topic by showing the children pictures of space, including planets, stars and the moon. We would talk about the different environments in space and discuss what living things might need to survive there. I would encourage the children to share their own ideas about aliens and what makes them different from people or animals on Earth.
The children would then invent their own alien and think about how it is suited to the planet where it lives. They could decide on its appearance, how it moves, what it eats and any special features that help it survive. Using materials such as paper, paint, recycled objects or modelling clay, they would create their alien and then tell the class about it, explaining the reasons behind their design.
To develop the activity further, the children could work in small groups to create a space station, planet or spaceship for their aliens using construction materials. This would encourage teamwork, communication and problem-solving as they planned and built together. At the end of the lesson, the children could present their models to the class, and photographs of their work, along with their explanations, could be displayed to celebrate their learning and creativity.
Hi Deirdre,
I really like the idea of asking the children their previous knowledge and showing them something they know and see everyday. The use of outdoor learning is also an engaging activity for children and I feel it would be a very enjoyable lesson for them.
Lesson: The Planets Senior infants
Learning Objective:Children will explore the planets in our solar system through music, investigation and hands-on activities.I will begin the lesson by playing a planet song and encouraging the children to sing along and identify any planets they recognise. After the song, we will discuss what we already know about space and ask questions such as “What do planets look like?” and “How do they move?”
The children will then investigate different sized balls and objects to represent the planets, comparing their colours, sizes and order from the Sun. Working together, they will create their own planets using playdough, paint and recycled materials. We will finish with a “planet walk” where children become planets and move around the Sun to show how planets travel through space. The lesson will end with a reflection where children share one new fact they learned.
Resources: Planet song, balls, playdough, paint, recycled materials, planet pictures, books and space music.
https://canva.link/zl4eadl8n2fik8x
mind map
Hi Jackie,
This is a great experiment to do in the younger classes, it’s easy for them to do indepetely and doesnt take a lot of resources or preperation by the teacher. I also think it would provode a good stimulus for lots of discussion.
Inquiry-Based Space Activity in Senior Infants
I would use an inquiry-based activity called “Design a Rocket” in my Senior Infants classroom. The children would explore the question: “How can we build a rocket that can travel to space?” They would investigate different materials, make predictions, design their own rockets and test their ideas. This would encourage curiosity, creativity, teamwork and problem-solving. The children would reflect on what worked well and what they could improve.
This activity would allow children to take ownership of their learning and develop early STEM skills through hands-on exploration. My role as teacher would be to guide their thinking by asking questions and encouraging discussion.
Resources:
- Cardboard tubes
- Recycled boxes and cartons
- Coloured paper and card
- Glue and tape
- Scissors
- Tin foil
- Markers/crayons
- Pictures and books about space
- Videos of rockets and astronauts
- Building blocks (e.g. LEGO)
Hi, My name is Megan and I teach Senior infants in an urban school in west Dublin. I have always loved learning science in school and I enjoy teaching it as you can see how excited the children get when do different experiments. My favourite space fact is
- There are more stars in the universe than grains of sand on all the beaches on Earth.