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Making a Spacecraft:
Begin with a Discussion: Start by talking to the students about spacecraft: what they are, what they do, and how they are used to explore outer space. Mention real spacecraft like space shuttles, rovers (e.g., Mars Rovers), or satellites.
The Challenge: Explain that today, they’ll be building their own spacecraft with a few key features:
A body
Communication dishes (to stay connected to Earth)
Planning the Spacecraft: Have the kids first sketch a simple design of their spacecraft on paper. They should think about:
How big will it be?
What special features should it have (e.g., solar panels, antennas, rocket boosters)?
Where will the thrusters go?
Introduce Key Features:
Thrusters allow the spacecraft to move.
Solar panels gather sunlight and convert it to energy to power the spacecraft.Spacecraft Body: Start with a cardboard base or plastic bottle as the main body of the spacecraft. Kids can decorate it with paint or markers, adding windows, control panels, and their own unique features.
Communication Antennas: Use toothpicks or straws to create antennas on top of the spacecraft.
Decorate with Glitter and Stars: Let the kids decorate the spacecraft with glitter, foil stars, or glow-in-the-dark stickers to simulate stars and outer space.
Test the Spacecraft: Once the spacecraft models are built, organize a launch: Let the kids “launch” their spacecraft across a classroom “launchpad” to test how well the thrusters work.
Hi Sean,
I think that your idea of having a measuring line on the ground is a great idea! Will definitely spark discussion and engagement!
Animals in the Cold
Fur Concept;
Hands-On Task: Let each child take a toy animal (like a polar bear or a seal). Give them cotton balls to glue or stick on the animal figurine to simulate thick fur.
Temperature Test: Place the toy animal in a small container with ice cubes or ice water. Ask the kids to feel how cold the toy is without the “fur.”
Feel the Difference: Now, put the animal in a container with the cotton balls (representing fur) and place it in the ice again. Have the kids feel the difference in temperature and discuss how the fur helps keep the animal warm.
Drawing and Creativity: Ask the children to draw their own cold climate animals (polar bears, penguins, etc.) on large sheets of paper. They can also include cold elements like icebergs, snow, and the northern lights.
Add Details: Encourage the kids to color and add features like fur, blubber, or feathers. You can also encourage them to label these features on their drawings to demonstrate their understanding of the adaptations.The Plough
Introduce the Plough Constellation:
Storytime/Discussion: Briefly explain to the kids what the Plough (Big Dipper) is.
Show a Picture: Present an image or star chart of the Plough constellation and explain how the stars are shaped like a plough, with the “handle” pointing towards the North Star.
Talk about the Stars: You can discuss how stars are formed and how constellations are a way of connecting the stars into shapes.
2. Create the Night Sky Background:
Set up a Workspace: Give each child a piece of black construction paper to represent the night sky.
Draw the Plough: Use white crayons or chalk to draw the outline of the Plough constellation on the paper.
Add Stars: Let the kids add extra stars to their paper. They can make random star patterns, or they can create their own constellations by connecting dots of stars in creative ways (e.g., making animals or shapes from stars).
Decorate with Glitter or Stickers
3. Texture and Details:
Cotton Ball Clouds (optional): For a fun texture effect, let the kids use cotton balls to create clouds in their sky. T
4. Create a Story or Poem:
Storytime: Once their art is finished, ask the children to imagine a little story behind their constellation.Hi Ailbhe,
I am also a fan of a KWL chart as it allows the children to see the difference between what they knew and know now. The stars are an ideal topic for this!
I really enjoyed looking at fellow colleagues answers in relation to the sun and its shadows. An idea I would begin with is by explaining that shadows are formed when an object blocks the light from the Sun.
Show the kids a simple shadow using your hand or a toy, explaining that the shadow changes in size and shape depending on where the light is coming from.Then experiment with shadows
Set up a “Sun”: Place the flashlight or lamp at different distances from a toy or object and observe how the shadow changes in size and shape.
Discussion: Ask questions like, “What happens to the shadow when the Sun is higher in the sky?” or “How does the shadow change when the Sun is low?”
Compare Shadows: Let kids experiment with their own toys. When they shine the flashlight from different angles, they’ll notice the size and shape of their shadow change.
3. Shadow Drawing
On Paper: Have kids place toys or blocks on a piece of paper, and shine the light on them. Encourage them to trace around the shadow of their object.
Shape & Size Play: Ask the kids to compare the shadows at different times—when the light is close vs. far. This can help them see how shadows can stretch and shrink depending on the light source’s angle.Hi Regina,
I really like the idea of using our shadows on the school yard to aesthetically describe the lesson. Kids would love this!
Activity which I have done before in mainstream: Design Your Own Planet
Students will explore various aspects of space including the types of planets, conditions for life, and distance from the Sun.Introduction – Find out prior knowledge of class
Begin with a brief overview of the solar system, emphasising the different types of planets. Help them with a rhyme to remember order of the planets. Discuss the factors that make a planet habitable (atmosphere, distance from the sun, gravity, etc.).
Present the students with the question: “What would your own planet look like, and what conditions would it need to support life?”Brainstorm
What is the planet made of?
What kind of weather and climate will it have?How does the planet interact with other objects in space (e.g., moons, asteroids)?
Design Phase:
Have students draw and label their planets. Encourage creativity while ensuring they integrate the scientific concepts they’ve learned. They could create a model of the planet using craft materials, paper etc.
Group Discussion;
Each student presents their planet to the class, explaining the conditions that support lifeMy name is Patrick Keane and I will be teaching 5th class in September. My favourite space fact is that one day on Venus is longer than a year on Venus due to the fact it spins so slowly!
