[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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