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Veronica that is such a fantastic and detailed plan for space week. Well done! There are so many engaging activities and I like the showcase on the final day.
I am looking forwward to doing the Rocket Mice activity. It seems to be highly appropriate and engaging for younger classes as it combines simple materials, movement, and fun to introduce early science concepts. Junior Infants learn best through hands-on, playful experiences, and Rocket Mice offers a perfect opportunity to explore cause and effect, forces, and motion in a way that’s both safe and exciting. The visual and physical nature of the activity captures their attention and encourages curiosity. It supports language development as children describe what they see and make predictions using everyday language. It also fosters social skills, such as sharing, taking turns, and working in pairs or small groups. The task is open-ended, allowing children to experiment and explore at their own level. Overall, Rocket Mice promotes engagement through fun while building a strong foundation in scientific thinking, making it ideal for early years learning across multiple areas of development.
The way this video uses factors of ten to shift perspective is both educational and awe-inspiring—it literally changes how we perceive our place in the cosmos. The visuals make abstract ideas concrete, helping students grasp the vastness of space. It’s a powerful resource for science and maths lessons, sparking wonder and curiosity. Even as a brief 9‑minute film, it leaves a lasting impression and invites endless classroom discussions.
I would use the activity Animals in the Cold in the junior classes through hands-on, inquiry-based learning. I would begin by discussing what animals need to survive and what happens in cold places like the Arctic or Antarctic. Using pictures and videos, we would explore how animals like penguins, polar bears, and seals stay warm. A key experiment involves children placing their hands in ice water, with and without a “blubber glove” (a plastic bag filled with shortening), to feel how fat insulates. This simple, memorable activity helps children understand insulation in a sensory, meaningful way. We could follow up with art activities (drawing animals in cold habitats), oral language development (describing animal features), and early writing (labeling or simple reports). The activity naturally links to science, SPHE (feelings and senses), and geography, and builds curiosity about the natural world while developing observation and reasoning skills.
What a brilliant and engaging way to explore space with Second Class! I love how you’re using a KWL chart to build on prior knowledge and spark curiosity. The integration of real footage from Mars adds a strong visual and scientific element, helping children connect what they see to their own creative ideas. Designing Martians based on Mars’ conditions is a fantastic way to blend science with art and imagination. The “Martian corner” is a lovely idea to celebrate their work and create a shared classroom experience. The extension into creative writing and postcards offers great opportunities for literacy development too.
Using an alien-themed activity in a junior class is a fun and imaginative way to engage young learners across the curriculum. I would start with a story about friendly aliens landing in the school yard, needing help to learn about Earth. This sets the scene for activities in literacy (writing letters or drawing messages to the aliens), maths (counting alien footprints, measuring distances their spaceship travelled), and art (designing alien spaceships or creatures). In drama, children could role-play meeting the aliens or pretending to be them, encouraging language and expression. It’s a great way to introduce simple problem-solving too—e.g., “How many legs do 3 aliens have if each has 4 legs?” The alien theme naturally sparks curiosity, helping children ask questions and build vocabulary. It can also link to SPHE by discussing how we welcome people who are different from us. Overall, it makes learning playful, memorable, and cross-curricular.
I love the idea of the dress up as well. The children would love using the props and costumes. What a fun and interactive way to explore space.
I like the idea of exploring shadows with the children. I have used torches and shadow puppet prompts in the past to explore this and the children loved it. They investigated the difference in the size and clarity of the shadow depending on how close or far away the torch might be.
Another idea which I think would be hands on and engaging for the children when exploring shadows would be to bring them to the yard with chalk. In pairs I would get them to analyse each others shadows and how they can move according to how the child is positioned with the sun. Then I would get them to draw their partners shadow and compare these with others in the class.
I remember this from when I was at school…funny how some things never change! I like the idea that I saw about asking the children to come up with their own ways to remember them!
For my enquiry based activity I like the idea of exploring gravity using the prompt “Oops! I dropped it!”
In an enquiry-based activity on gravity, I would ask the children a simple question: “What happens when we drop different objects?” We could use balls, feathers, paper, and blocks to explore this. The children would predict which objects would fall fastest, then test their ideas in pairs. I feel this would instill curiosity as they might notice that heavier objects don’t always fall faster, especially when we dropped a paper and a block together. Some children might began to wonder about air and shape, leading to a rich class discussion. I would engage the children in questions, and use observation to guide their understanding. I realise that enquiry-based learning doesn’t need to be complicated—it just needs space for exploration. I feel before this module I expected certain topics to require a lot more resources in the junior classes, however you can keep it simple and spend more time on appropriate questioning to engage the children more in the topic.
Hi my name is Sean. I have been teaching in the older classes for most of my (long) career and am now making the move down to 2nd class. I love teaching various SESE topics so when I saw this course I thought it would have some great ideas for me for next year.
My simple space fact is that the moon is slowly moving away from the earth!
I really like the integration with PE. It would not have occurred to me to try to integrate science and PE but it would work so well in this instance.
The “Fizzing and Foaming” lesson for infants reveals the power of hands-on, sensory-rich activities in early science education. This type of lesson engages young learners by tapping into their natural curiosity and excitement about the world around them.
The “Fizzing and Foaming” lesson typically involves simple chemical reactions, such as combining baking soda and vinegar to create an effervescent, bubbling effect. This visual and tactile experience captivates infants, making abstract scientific concepts more concrete and understandable.
One of the key strengths of this lesson is its ability to introduce foundational scientific principles in a playful and accessible way. Infants learn about reactions, cause and effect, and basic chemistry through direct observation and participation. This not only builds their scientific knowledge but also enhances their critical thinking and observational skills.
Moreover, the lesson supports the development of fine motor skills as children measure, pour, and mix ingredients. It also fosters language development as they describe what they see, feel, and hear, using new vocabulary related to the experiment.
This lesson can be flexible and can be easily adapted to different learning environments and needs. The excitement generated by the fizzing and foaming reaction often leads to further inquiry and exploration, encouraging a lifelong interest in science.
Overall, the “Fizzing and Foaming” lesson is an excellent example of how hands-on, sensory activities can make learning both fun and meaningful for young children.
Great idea to use the vaseline on a child’s hand to show waterproofing. I have used disposable gloves before but this is a great new way to try!
Milo and Marvin offer interactive stories and activities designed to captivate children’s attention while teaching foundational literacy and numeracy skills. Their vibrant animations and relatable characters make learning fun and approachable for young children, helping to foster a positive attitude toward education from an early age.
ESA Kids is a fantastic resource provided by the European Space Agency, offering a wealth of information about space tailored specifically for young learners. The website features games, activities, and educational content that make complex scientific concepts accessible and exciting. It encourages curiosity about the universe and supports STEM education by introducing children to space exploration and astronomy in a playful, engaging manner.
stellarium-web.org is an online planetarium that allows students to explore the night sky from anywhere in the world. For infants, it can be used to introduce the concepts of stars, planets, and constellations in an interactive way. Teachers can use Stellarium to create virtual stargazing sessions, making astronomy tangible and fascinating for young minds.
Together, these resources provide a comprehensive suite of tools that support diverse aspects of early childhood education, from basic literacy and numeracy to inspiring curiosity about science and the natural world. Their interactive and visually appealing formats are particularly effective in maintaining the engagement and interest of infant learners.
