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For this lesson, I would use the Curious Minds Inquiry Framework to help children explore the Moon through observation and play.
We would begin with Engage by showing photos or a short video of the Moon. Children would share what they notice; its shape, colour, and brightness and wonder why it changes.
In Investigate, they would use torches and balls to model how the Moon moves around Earth and how light makes different shapes. They would draw or paint the Moon as they see it and record their ideas with simple words or symbols.
In the Next Steps, we compare drawings and talk about the Moon’s phases.
Finally, in Reflect, children would share what they learned and create a class Moon Wall showing their observations.We would also link the themes to Aistear;
– Construction: build rockets or Moon bases with blocks and foil.
– Small World: astronauts exploring craters and collecting Moon rocks.
– Art: sponge‑paint Moon textures and phases.
– Role Play: Journey to Space
– Language:Use the The Way Back Home or Whatever Next!This is a lovely idea and would work really well in a Senior Infants classroom. Children at this age are very curious about light and shadows, so your lesson would really engage them. I could use it by letting the class experiment with torches and toys, tracing the shadows and comparing how they change when the light moves. I’d also add a short “shadow walk” around the room, encouraging children to spot shadows made by classroom objects and share what they notice.
I really like how you’ve linked The Way Back Home to exploring force and motion. The fair‑test element makes the learning purposeful and hands‑on, and measuring distance gives a clear maths connection. Comparing rocket fins to darts and paper planes is a clever way to extend the investigation and help children notice how design affects movement. Thanks for sharing your idea as I would like to try it with my own class next year
Dancing Raisins – Senior Infants
Engage – Prompt Wondering
I would begin by showing the children two clear jars: one filled with plain water and one with a freshly opened fizzy drink. I would hold up a handful of raisins and ask the class what they think will happen if the raisins are dropped into each jar. Through this, I would encourage simple wonderings such as Will they float? or Will they sink? This step builds curiosity and prepares them for investigation.Explore – Hands‑on Investigation
I would invite the children to drop raisins into both jars. In the water, the raisins will sink immediately. In the fizzy drink, they will sink at first but soon begin to rise, fall, and rise again. I would allow the children time to watch closely and describe what they see using simple language like They’re dancing or they’re going up and down This exploration helps children observe differences between the two liquids.Starter Question
I would guide the class to form a shared question: Why do the raisins move up and down in the fizzy drink but not in the water? This focuses their thinking and sets the purpose of the investigation.Predicting
I would ask the children to make predictions before explaining the science. Some may guess the raisins will float, others that they will stay at the bottom. We would record their ideas so they can compare them with what actually happens.Conducting the Investigation
Children would observe the raisins closely. They would notice bubbles sticking to the raisins, lifting them upward, and then see them sink again when the bubbles burst. I would encourage children to describe the movement and the bubbles they see.Interpreting Results
I would explain simply that the bubbles are carbon dioxide gas. When the gas sticks to the raisins, it makes them lighter so they rise. When the bubbles pop, the raisins become heavier and sink again. This cycle makes them dance.Applying Learning & Reflection
I would connect this to other fizzing activities, such as balloon blow‑ups or rockets powered by gas. I would finish by letting the children draw or act out the dancing movement to reinforce understanding.I realy like your insulation experiment with ice cubes. It’s such a child friendly way to introduce prediction, testing, and recording results. In my class, I could see the children getting very excited about checking which material kept the ice coldest and talking about why.
The idea of designing shelters or building small habitats with recycled materials is something I’d love to try too. It brings creativity and STEM together nicely.
Classrooom themed activity for senior infants
Theme: Where Do You Live? & Weather
1. Explore
We would begin with a daily weather observation at the window. Children would describe what they see using simple vocabulary: sunny, cloudy, windy, cold. I would then introduce pictures of different types of homes (flats, cottages, igloos, huts) and ask: Which home suits cold weather? Which suits hot weather? We would also explore clothing for different seasons using real items (coat, hat, sunglasses) and let children sort them into warm weather and cold weather groups.2. Plan
In pairs, children would decide what kind of home they want to design for a chosen weather type. They would sketch a simple plan using crayons and include what shape the house would be and what materials would make it strong or warm? We would also plan clothing for a paper doll choosing suitable outfits based on the weather they selected.3. Make
Children would build small model houses using blocks, cardboard, paper, and recycled materials. They would test ideas such as adding a roof or door and compare sizes using maths language (big, small, tall, wide).
For the clothing activity, children would design and cut out outfits for their paper dolls, choosing colours and features that would match the weather.4. Evaluate
We would test the houses using a simple wind test (gentle blowing or a small fan) and discuss what stayed standing and why.5. Reflection: What worked well? and What would you change? We record results using drawings and photos to create a digital slideshow called our weather homes.
This is a great idea Sharon. Using Aliens Love Underpants is a great way to spark imagination and get children talking about space in a fun, accessible way. I really like how you build prediction and discussion into the story as it gives children lots of chances to share ideas. I would like to use your idea of designing aliens and then extend it by having children describe the planet they come from. A simple space mission around the classroom would extend the learning even further.
For this activity, I would use the Draw Your Own Constellation idea from the Stars activity set. I would begin by showing the children simple pictures of real constellations such as the Plough or Orion. We would talk about how stars make patterns in the sky and how people long ago imagined pictures from these patterns. I would ask the children what shapes they can see and encourage them to think what their own constellation might look like.
Next, the class would create their own constellations using black paper and chalk. Children place their stars on the page and then count how many they used, which links to number work. Children would name their constellation and tell a short story about it, which supports oral language development.
To extend the activity, children would use a tablet to compare their designs with real constellations. We would take photos of the constellations and create a simple digital Class Star Gallery so children can see everyone’s patterns together.
To finish, we would gather and discuss what shapes were made, how many stars were used, and whether their constellation looked like any real ones.
This is a lovely idea, Doireann. I feel it would work really well in my Senior Infants classroom too. Children at this age are very curious about light and shadows, so your lesson would really engage them. I could use it by letting the class experiment with torches and toys, tracing the shadows and comparing how they change when the light moves. I would also add a short shadow walk around the room, encouraging children to spot shadows made by classroom objects and share what they notice.
This is a great inquiry lesson and would work really well in Senior Infants too. Children love being magnetic detectives and can explore magnets through play and testing. I feel it could link nicely to aistear such as in the construction area, children build towers and test which parts are magnetic, and in small‑world play, children could use magnets to move tools or treasures in a pretend space station. Another activity could be to sort objects into magnetic and non‑magnetic which would supports talk, maths and teamwork.
Hi, I’m currently on maternity leave and when I return to school I will be helping senior infants. Before maternity leave, I was a 4th class teacher for a few years.
Space fact: Astronauts sleep in sleeping bags that are tied to the wall so they don’t float away.
Lesson- Senior Infants
I would use the Curious Minds/ESERO Inquiry Framework to explore forces through the theme of space travel.We would start with Engage by showing a rocket picture and asking, How does it move? Children would share ideas and wonder about pushes and pulls.
In the Investigate stage, children would try simple activities such as pushing toy rockets along ramps, pulling toy astronauts with strings and noticing how movement changes.
Next children would connect learning by comparing how pushes and pulls help rockets, swings, and cars move.
Finally, in the Reflect stage, children can draw or talk about what they discovered.
I would also link the exploration in Aistear Play Ideas such as
– Construction Area:children could build rockets and ramps to test movement.
-Small World Play:pushing and pulling space objects.
– Outdoor Play: race toy rockets or cars using pushes and pulls.
– Art Station: paint rockets blasting off.
– Language and Story: read Whatever Next! and talk about how the bear moves.I really like how your project is focused on being child led. There are so opportunities for children to explore and be creative. I like how you start the lesson with a video and let pupils notice things for themselves before any teaching happens. The model night garden is something I would like to try with my 4th class too. Using recycled materials and letting children decide where light should go is very clever as pupils must think critically and be able to justify their reasoning. The torch investigation is also a nice idea to test and check how light spreads.
Question 3;
This is a really nice activity to help keep stories/piseógs alive and remembered. It’s also a nice way for children to chat to older generations about the past. I’ve outlined below the approach we would take.
1. Explore examples on Dúchas Folklore
We would start by looking at stories about warnings, beliefs and night‑time creatures. This would help children see how the night was once viewed in so many ways often associated with curiosity, mystery and sometimes fear.2. Interview older generation
Each child would then interview a parent, grandparent or neighbour to gather any local stories or piseógs connected to the night such as tales of wandering lights to beliefs about owls, bats or certain stars.3. Book creator
Back in the classroom, children would share their findings, compare themes, and create a small digital class collection using Book Creator.I really like how child led your approach is which gives pupils ownership of the investigation. Using the local church carpark and greenspace is a great way to extend habitats beyond the school grounds which helps children see biodiversity in the places they walk past every day. I really like the idea of creating posters and presentations and displaying them on the community noticeboard. I feel this adds real purpose and audience. It’s a lovely way to connect science learning with local action.
To explore biodiversity in my local area and the impact of light pollution, I would begin with a stimulus such as showing two contrasting maps of our local area at night. The first image would show areas with heavy artificial lighting and the second image would show darker green spaces. Pupils would compare them and discuss what they notice and wonder the impact such contrasting images could have. This would help create an enquiry question such as How might light pollution in my local area affect animals that depend on darkness?
For the Explore stage, pupils would complete a biodiversity walk around our school grounds, using clipboards to record plants, insects and birds. They could test how light direction affects shadows using torches and use iPads to identify plants with Google Lens. We would map habitats and predict which nocturnal animals might use them.
A home activity would include a night sky check where pupils would take sky photos, count stars, look out for nearby lights, listen for wildlife, and check for unnecessary lights in the area.
For the evaluate stage, pupils would compare evidence to see if brighter areas had fewer signs of wildlife. They would try identify patterns to understand how light pollution might disturb nocturnal species. Pupils would try come up with ideas to reduce light pollution such as shielding lights, planting native trees, creating wildflower patches which would try help by supporting food, providing shelter and creating safer movement for local wildlife in my area.