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The stars and constellations set has some lovely ideas in it and I particularly like the idea of re-designing a known constellation. Also, it would be a lovely art theme, especially around Hallowe’en or winter when the skies are darker. However, the topic that really grabbed me in this module was the space and aliens one. As many of the other participants have already noted, it really fires up all of our imaginations and has so many spring-offs.
I have used the books ‘Aliens love Underpants’ and ‘Aliens in Underpants save the World’ as a start-off for art lessons – usually related to fabric and fibre and designing cool underpants for aliens. However, now I think they would work very well for Aliens and Space.
I think that starting with an image of earth taken from space and then using the ‘Special Life’ questioning to ask the boys what makes the earth so special – this would ascertain some of the basics that they already know about the earth. Then I would focus the questions on what makes the earth habitable/what we or other creatures on earth need to exist.
Then I would put up a picture of Mars and ask similar questions. I would try to elicit their thoughts on breathing, food sources, a way to move around, gravity etc. on Mars. Making comparisons between life on Earth and on Mars.
At this point, I would either read one of the Aliens stories or introduce the boys to the song ‘The Purple People Eater” https://www.yout-ube.com/watch?v=5jV-E09efRE. (I usually simplify it for them by singing it as a call and echo song with all of us singing the first chorus together). The lesson would end with a promise of more aliens tomorrow – perhaps even designing their own – this will give the boys time to think of what they might like to do.
Lesson 2: Re-cap on what the boys remember from the previous day – re-direct any off-beat ideas and praise new ideas (many will have talked about aliens and Mars at home and may have found out some additional information with their parents.)
Show the boys what you have for them to design their aliens – clay or play-doh, fabrics, feathers, beads, wobbly eyes, straws, pipe-cleaners, ribbons, sequins, and whatever you think they might make use of. (This could also be done during Aistear with found/recycled objects).
Tell them to be thinking about the alien they are going to create as you read the other ‘Aliens’ book to them. (This will help to give them a few ideas if they are stuck.) After the story, quickly discuss movement, breathing, seeing, eating with them as you give out the materials.
Play ‘Purple People Eater’ and other alien songs as they are creating.
Allow the boys to walk around and see each other’s creations. Get the early finishers to help you create a Mars space for you to display their aliens. Talk about how well they all did and call a few boys up to introduce their alien to the class. The other boys can ask that alien some questions: ie. How can you breathe? etc.
Extension/Follow-Up/Aistear: Data in Maths – how many aliens have x?
Design a space-ship for your alien.
What would your alien bring with him to Earth? (list)
Make a passport for your alien.
Make a home for your alien
Thank you – you found it. 🙂
It was my second attempt and I was crying at the thought of typing it up a third time!
Wow, what a great selection of great activities and resources! And all of them are very do-able with infants, even in our large Irish classes.
I’m looking at the Sun Activities, in particular the ‘What Makes Shadows’ section.
We could start outside, if it’s a sunny day and play Shadow Games.
Don’t Step on My Shadow – the boys run around trying not to get stepped on.
Then there’s Shadow Tag: this is where a child is caught if another child steps/stomps on his shadow. He then has to freeze and hold his hands up in the air. To be freed, a friend must either release him by pushing his arms down or if the boys are able – they can try to use their shadow-selves to do it.
After all of that activity, the boys could either go indoors or stay outdoors and discuss what was happening. What did they notice? (if anything) Why do we have shadows? Are they always there? Are they always the same size? How do we make them go away? Do they need food/sleep? Do plants or animals or buildings or other things have them? What makes the shadow? Why?
If outdoors: draw around your shadow. Can you change it? Can you go somewhere your shadow can’t? Go out at a different time, is your shadow still the same? Why/Why not?
When Indoors: Ask the boys how they can make shadows when they are indoors. Again explore changing size and shape once they have figured out how to do it.
Play ‘The Day I Met my Shadow’ for the class. Discuss the book in light of their investigations.
Give out compare bears and/farm animals/trees etc. and ask each group to make a small scene. Then give them a torch and ask them to create different shadows – long, short, in front, behind, tiny….
To finish the class off, depending on how the session went and the boys’ level of understanding/energy, I would show either ‘The Day I Met my Shadow?’ or one of the two stories.
Extension:
Shadow heads: Draw around each boy’s shadow head. Can the boys guess whose head is whose?
Videos/Books:
MoonBear’s Shadow: https://www.yout-ube.com/watch?v=eP__dfb6Yh0
The Day I Met My Shadow: https://www.yout-ube.com/watch?v=8L52xSUtJNg
What Makes a Shadow?: https://www.yout-ube.com/watch?v=mdW7xyH7mXs
Can’t You Sleep, Little Bear: https://www.yout-ube.com/watch?v=u1aJimzuzbg&t=117s
Frances,
I submitted my piece about Shadows about 10/15 minutes ago, but I think it has disappeared into the ether…
<span style=”caret-color: #163c42; color: #163c42; font-family: ‘Hind Madurai’, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;”>Hi Katie,</span>
<span style=”color: #163c42; font-family: Hind Madurai, sans-serif;”><span style=”caret-color: #163c42; font-size: 12px;”>I like the way you have incorporated such a variety into your Moon theme. I particularly like the cultural aspect to it. My boys love to listen to a story before hometime, so a Moon themed set would be perfect for the week I was teaching that topic. </span></span>
<span style=”color: #163c42; font-family: Hind Madurai, sans-serif;”><span style=”caret-color: #163c42; font-size: 12px;”>Aistear would indeed lend itself very nicely to this theme too – role play, lists of what the astronauts might take with them – design a space-suit/space rocket. Making a tactile moon using sand/playdough/fabric/found objects would really fire up some of the boys’ imaginations. </span></span>
Hi Aoife,
The bridge designing activity is a great one. There is an awful lot to it and it can be made as long or as short, as deep or as fleeting as you want. It’s nice to begin by looking at bridges around the world (as I once heard the term, you are giving them ‘tools to put in their backpack’ – you are giving them a springboard from which they can come up with their own ideas)
I also like how you have catered for the group that finishes first by adding a further challenge
Hi,
My name is Rachel. I have been teaching infant boys for the past few years.
My favourite fact is that is rains diamonds on Neptune and Uranus (or is thought to at least). One of my boys taught me this.
We have a giant space/planets jigsaw in class and it is a great source of conversation and discovers as they groups make it up throughout the year.
One of my favourite inquiry-based activities to do with the boys is to get them to find somewhere in the classroom where their frozen ice-filled rubber glove will melt the slowest/fastest.
They talk about what might affect the outcome, look/search around the room for ideas and then as a group, they place their frozen rubber glove.
Once the gloves have all been placed, they then try to predict which ice-glove will melt the slowest.
As the day progresses, we keep a check on the gloves and maybe, update our predictions.
At the end of the day, they suggest why each glove melted as quickly/slowly as it did and possibly then suggest a better place.
