[Sabrina Mc Brien]

These ideas for your lessons are excellent  Mary. You have successfully  combined story, science, creativity, and play in a way that will be so engaging for your students. Using the Humpty Dumpty poem as a starting point is a wonderful hook, and each lesson builds curiosity step by step for the pupils and ensures their engagement. What I think will work so well is how hands-on and active the activities are – children are observing, building, experimenting, and creating, which makes the experiences more memorable. The lessons encourage  imagination, problem-solving, and collaboration, while naturally weaving in STEM skills such as designing, testing, and measuring. The real benefit will be that it shows pupils that science is something they can do, not just something they learn about.

[Sabrina Mc Brien]

Space week in Junior Infants – Activity

Making a Rocket – Theme: Exploring space through a simple rocket-making activity.

Learning Objectives:

• Pupils will recognise that rockets are used to travel into space.
• Pupils will design and create a simple model rocket.
• Pupils will explore materials and forces (pushing/blowing to launch).
• Pupils will work collaboratively and use creativity.

Introduction

Introducing the topic of rockets and spaceships Use the ‘Look Up’ story – ask the children what they think ships to the stars are? Ask children what they know about rockets and spaceships. Put out any books that the school has that featuring rockets and get some from our local library.

Show a picture/video of a rocket launch. Ask: “Where do rockets go? What might you see if you went in one?” Briefly link to planets, stars, and astronauts.  Show a video of a rocket launch example: How Do Rockets Fly? | Let’s Explore Mars! | SciShow Kids on you tube.

Main activity: Make and launch a model rocket

Paper Rocket with Balloon Power – Materials Needed

• Balloons (round or long)
• Paper (A4 cut in half)
• Tape or glue
• Crayons/markers for decorating
• String (about 2–3 metres)
• Straw (just for threading the string, not the rocket itself)
• Chairs or door handles to tie the string

Steps:

• Pupils decorate a piece of paper as their “rocket body.” Roll it into a tube shape and tape it closed.
• Tape the decorated “rocket” securely on top of an uninflated balloon.
• Thread string through a straw, then tie the string tightly between two chairs at child height.
• Tape the balloon rocket to the straw.
• Pupils (with help) blow up the balloon, pinch it, and then release.Watch the rocket zoom along the string!

Follow-up Activity:

Pupils draw their rocket in their copy or on paper and describe (or dictate) what planet/star they’d like to visit. Class discussion: “What helped the rocket move?” (air push).
Plenary

Recap: Rockets move because air pushes them—like real rockets pushing against space. Link back: Rockets help us explore the Earth’s sky, the Moon, and planets.
STEM Links

Science: Forces (push/air), materials.
Technology: Using simple tools
Engineering: Building and testing rockets.
Maths: Counting rocket launches, measuring (which rocket flew the farthest).

[Sabrina Mc Brien]

Steellarium app in my opinion could be a powerful tool for learning about space because of how realistic the night sky is and the tools teh app has. I like the way you can choose any location and time, making abstract ideas like stars, planets, and constellations easy to see and understand. Its interactive visuals would help keep pupils engaged and help them remember what they learn by linking facts to images. The fact the app can be used on tablets, computers, or whiteboards, making it accessible in class, while students can explore the sky in ways they normally couldn’t during the day. By encouraging curiosity and hands-on exploration, Stellarium supports science curriculum goals and brings the wonder of astronomy directly into the classroom without huge cost implications.

[Sabrina Mc Brien]

I like the idea of using these cartoons as well. Children are so use to cartoons that it is a great way to make learning naturally happen in the classroom.

[Sabrina Mc Brien]

Assignment

In my opinion and from my teaching experience I have found hands-on activities are important for learning about Earth because they make big ideas easier to understand. Instead of just listening or reading, kids get to touch, see, and try things for themselves—like building a model of the Earth, planting seeds in soil, or making a mini volcano. Doing these activities helps them stay interested and remember what they learn, since they are part of the experience, not just watching it. It also lets them explore, ask questions, and solve problems in fun ways. By using their senses and being active, children connect what they learn in class to the real world around them.

Here is an example of a hands-on lesson for: Animals in the Cold -How animals survive in cold places (e.g., Arctic/Antarctic) that I have used with Junior Infants.

Learning Objectives

• Pupils will learn that some animals live in very cold places.
• Pupils will explore how animals stay warm (fur, feathers, blubber)
• Pupils will use a hands-on activity to test how animals adapt.

Materials Needed

• Pictures of cold-weather animals (polar bear, penguin, seal, Arctic fox)
• Two bowls of water (one with ice, one room temperature).
• Ziplock bags, vegetable shortening (or margarine), rubber bands.
• Gloves or plastic bags for hygiene.
• Paper and crayons for drawing animals.

Introduction (5 min)

Show pupils pictures of polar animals. Ask: “What do you see? What might it feel like where they live?” Talk briefly about ice, snow, and very cold places.
Main Activity (15 min) Hands-on Experiment: Blubber Glove

Fill one ziplock bag with shortening, place another empty bag inside to create a “glove.” Pupils put one hand into the “blubber glove” and dip it into the icy water. Then they try the same with a bare hand (very quick dip only!). Compare: Which hand feels warmer? Explain: “Seals and polar bears have a thick layer of fat called blubber to keep them warm.”
Follow-up Activity (10 min)

Pupils draw their favourite cold-weather animal and colour in features that keep it warm (fur, feathers, fat). Optional: Build a “penguin huddle” with children standing close together to feel how body heat is shared.
Plenary / Closing (5 min)

Recap: “What helps animals stay warm in the cold?” Emphasise adaptations: fur, feathers, blubber, huddling.

Extension: I like the idea of dressing teddies for the weather. I would bring in a selection of small baby clothes and get pupils to dress the bears for living in the cold. Then we would have a discussion about what each is wearing an why.
STEM Links

Science: Animal adaptations.
Technology: Use magnifiers to look at feathers/fur (if available).
Engineering: Build a simple shelter for a toy animal using blocks/cotton.
Maths: Count and sort animals (who has fur, who has feathers?).

[Sabrina Mc Brien]

Yes I agree. Most children are familiar with Peppa Pig and is a good way to engage them from the beginning of the lesson.

[Sabrina Mc Brien]

I love the hands on nature of your lesson. It is very engaging for the pupils. You can see how how it is suited to various learning styles and incorporates a variety of teaching styles.

• This reply was modified 5 months, 2 weeks ago by Sabrina Mc Brien.

[Sabrina Mc Brien]

Lesson Stars

Lesson introduction:

I would begin the lesson by inviting the children to the carpet and turning off the lights. Next, I would turn on my star light projector and ask the children what they see. We would discuss this and what they look like. I would then read them the story ‘Can You See the Stars Tonight?’. We would discuss how stars were described in the story and what time of day the story takes place. I would ask the children to close their eyes and imagine the night sky. What do they see? What sounds might they hear?

Responses will included stars, the moon, a planet, a satellite, an aeroplane. Ask them to describe the stars they can see – are they shiny, twinkly, sparkling, bright, yellow, etc. Has anyone seen a very starry night? Where was this? Explain that many years ago, people looked at the stars and imagined they could join them up like dot-to-dot pictures and make animals, objects and story characters. Show the children a picture of the Plough and explain that a plough is a tool used to dig up the earth ready for planting. Show the picture of the old-fashioned plough if you have one. We can often see the Plough in the night sky as it’s near to the pole star which is always visible in the sky. Has anyone seen the Plough in the sky? A group of stars that forms a pattern is called a constellation. Practise saying this together.

Development:

I would explain that each child will create a starry night sky showing a constellation. Show them some pictures of simple constellations and talk about the patterns they form. Give each child an A5 piece and ask them to create a constellation with the stickers, once they are finished each child will brush the dark blue paint across the picture. While the picture is wet, ask them to sprinkle some table salt across the picture and observe how the salt draws the watery paint into patterns. Leave the paintings to dry. Once dry, rub off the salt and unpeel the stickers to reveal the constellations

While waiting on the pictures to dry explore how we need a dark sky to see the stars.   I would turn off the classroom lights and close the blinds. Asking them to spot where the light creeps in under the blinds, through the windows/doors, etc. This is a bit like a nighttime sky, where light creeps into the sky from various sources like street lights. This means we can’t always see the stars properly.

Finish:

We would watch ‘Stars in the Solar System | Science for Kid’ as a concluding activity an get the pupils to paste up their pictures to form a class display.

[Sabrina Mc Brien]

By using a song such as ‘The Planet Song I have found in my experience it  helps infants learn and remember as anything musical  tends to naturally supports memory through rhythm, rhyme, and repetition. Songs are more engaging than plain speech, capturing attention and making learning feel fun. The melody and predictable patterns in this song make it easier for the pupils to absorb new words like planet names which maybe difficult to retain at a young age, while repetition strengthens recall without boredom.

[Sabrina Mc Brien]

I love the idea of including that story. I find that the younger pupils tend to retain the facts if presented in story format.

[Sabrina Mc Brien]

Lesson: Help students understand that shadows are formed when an object blocks light

Introduction:

Begin by asking students what they think a shadow is and where they have seen shadows before. Explore what they know about shadows and how they may be formed. I would use the activity set- The Sun and The Shadows incorporating the book Rosa’s Big Shadow Puppet Experiment by Jessica Spanyol. Introduce the concept that shadows are formed when light is blocked. Discuss how the sun is a source of light and how it moves across the sky during the day. Using a small torch, I would ask children to experiment with hand and body shadow formations.

Exploration
Take students outside or into a dimly lit area with the flashlights.  Have students work in pairs or small groups to explore how shadows are formed using different objects and the flashlights

Play shadow tag and look at the shape of shadows. Consider the questions: Does my shadow always look like that? What was it like first thing in the morning? Is it better to play shadow tag at lunchtime or after school? Track a shadow by observing and measuring it over time.
Make a bar chart of paper strips of shadow length plotted against time intervals.

Discussions:

Gather students for a class discussion about their observations and drawings.  Review the key concepts: light source, object, and how shadows change.  Ask students to explain in their own words how shadows are formed and how they change.  Using a model of the Earth and sun, demonstrate how the Earth’s rotation affects the sun’s apparent position and, consequently, shadows. I would use the two teddies example that was given in this module. As I think it is very hands on and relatable.

Extension Activities:

Shadow Puppets: Use the shadows to create shadow puppets and tell stories.

Shadow Art: Create art projects using shadows and light.

Shadow Exploration at Night: Encourage students to observe shadows outside at night with their families.

Vocabulary
Shadow, sun, earth, spin, day, night, light, dark

[Sabrina Mc Brien]

I love how this idea draws on the children’s imagination. I know my own children always comment when the moon looks different. This allows for so many cross curriculum links as well.

 

[Sabrina Mc Brien]

Module 1 Reflective Piece

Explore different materials and sort them into groups.

To introduce the lesson, I would Play ‘I-Spy the Material’ game in the classroom, before discussing why different materials have been used. Sort items according to their properties and consider what it would be like if the tables were made of jelly or the chairs were chocolate!

Following on I would get the children to identify and name a variety of everyday materials, including wood, plastic, glass, metal.

Discuss, identify, label and record the materials they spot in the classroom.
Distinguish between an object and the material from which it is made.
Sort the objects according to properties (what material is this made of? What is its useful property?).
Consider the questions: What would the classroom be like if the tables were made of jelly? Or the chairs were chocolate? Why are certain materials used to make these items?
Listen to the story of the three little pigs and, in small groups, recreate using straw, twigs and bricks. Explore the materials and their properties. Make predictions and a video. Ask prediction questions like what you think will happen to the house when the wolf comes? Why do you think this? Video the story retellings with commentary and explanations. Discuss why some pigs may not choose to use bricks (more expensive, heavier, harder work to build with, etc.) and suggest successful alternatives. Us a hair dryer as the wind the wolf blows on each house the students have created
Extension: Explore different materials not usually used for building, discussing their properties and predicting what would happen if the wolf actually blew on the houses.

[Sabrina Mc Brien]

These are great thank you or sharing.

[Sabrina Mc Brien]

Hi all,

I am a primary school teacher based in Cootehill in Co.Cavan.  I am currently working in a SET role. I wanted to take this course to upskill myself in STEM. My favourite fact is that footprints on the moon be there for millions of years. The moon has no wind or water to erode the surface, so the apollo footprints remain for a long time.

 

[Author]

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