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I love any lesson where the children are engaging in hands-on learning and making rockets is a super one. In our school, we usually tie in making rockets with space week in October and some classes have a rocket-launching display on the yard which the other classes are welcome to come and view! For infants, or even as an introduction to a rocket making lesson, the children could explore working with 2D shapes to design their own rocket – linking in with maths. They could use a variety of cut-out shapes to create their own rocket for display.
The children could then consider what makes rockets fly? We would use visuals and videos to show rockets in action and explain how rockets use fuel to create a thrust which propels them up into the sky.
We would then create balloon rockets, which are fun and easy for junior classes. The children would learn that the air escaping from the balloon creates a thrust which propels the balloon and makes it fly; similar to a rocket.
This is a simple yet effective introduction for children in a junior school to rockets and space!I also like the multi-sensory approach to this lesson and I feel the children would really enjoy and benefit from the hands-on learning. As you said there is also so much scope for further linkage and integration with other areas of the curriculum.
I loved the lesson idea ‘Hot and Cold’ as it involves using the sun to learn about it whilst also introducing even the youngest of children to scientific experiments and fair testing.
I would begin the lesson with a song to engage the children’s interest: ‘Mr Golden Sun.’
We would continue as per the lesson with the discussion on the sun as a light and heat source. I would of course make sure that the lesson took place on a warm, sunny day. I would proceed with the investigative part of the lesson – by using the ice cubes to determine if the sun gives off heat.
We would return to the classroom to discuss our predictions and results and elicit further learning on the sun as a source of heat.
I loved the short story activity (which links nicely to drama) where the children must decide if the situation refers to a hot or cold day.
I would finish the lesson with a simple art activity; providing the children with a large circle and inviting them to use yellow and orange crepe paper and glue to fill in the circle and create a sun.This is a lovely lesson which incorporates a story, song, drawing and dance and which would definitely appeal to a younger class. I love the idea of the children showing the alien different things here on Earth – I’m sure they would come up with some fascinating and interesting ideas!
I would adapt the lesson ‘Lots and Lots of Stars’ for an infant class.
I would begin with the nursery rhyme ‘Twinkle Twinkle Little Star’ followed by asking the children simple questions about stars: Have you seen stars? Where do you usually see stars? Do stars give light? Is the sun a star?
I would then explain that you can see stars most clearly at night and that the sun is our closest star. It gives off so much light that we have light during the day. The light is so bright that we cannot see the other stars until it is night time (and the sky is clear!)
I would ask the children to guess how many stars there are in the universe. As we are fortunate enough in our school to be located close to the beach, we would go to the beach where I would explain that there are more stars than there are grains of sand on the whole of planet Earth! The children could explore the sand before returning to the classroom to continue our lesson.
For the next part of the lesson, we would make a starry sky. I have previously completed this lesson with an infant class, where the children used their fingers to flick the toothbrush with paint to create stars across the page – messy, but immensely enjoyable!
To consolidate the lesson, we would show and discuss our completed pictures before recapping over the learning.I love this idea Bridget. It is great to get the children involved in a hands-on way and drawing shapes around their shadows is fun and educational!!!
I would choose an activity based on the topic of ‘The Moon.’ As mentioned in the module, I think it is a fantastic introduction to astronomy for children and this lesson would help them to understand its phases and appearance.
I would adapt the Esero lesson ‘The Man in the Moon’ for use in my class. I think it is a lovely, simple, concise lesson suitable for junior classes.I would begin reading the book ‘Moon Man’ by Tomi Ungerer and eliciting any information or facts the children already know about the moon. We would compile a KWL chart based on the information collected.
I would invite the children to make their own moon using a variety of materials. When finished, we would discuss each moon and why the children made it the way that they did, paying particular attention to the shape and colour.
I would explain that the moon is spherical in shape, and how from earth we can see the moon as a circle, or even a crescent, depending on the phase it is in – how it is positioned in relation to the sun. To further explain this, I would use a model globe with a sun lamp that I have in my classroom.
I would finish off the lesson by showing the children some visuals of the moon in its different phases
This is a brilliant idea for a lesson. We have the Bee Bots available in our school so I will definitely be trying this out next year.
An Inquiry-based lesson I like is constructing boats to test if they will float when placed on a body of water.
Show the children different pictures of/models of boats: large, small, sailboats, boats with engines, etc. Discuss how boats can float on water.
Can we build a boat that can float in the water? What materials can we try? Predict what materials will be successful in floating. Children use a variety of materials to construct their own boat before testing it in the water to see if it will float.
Children reflect on their learning and what they may do differently next time/what worked well.
The children in my class really enjoyed this lesson and some of their creations were really well thought out and effective. There was lots of fun had and ideas shared making this a hands-on, collaborative lesson, even for junior classes.
My name is Sinead and I am working in a Junior School about to go into my second year of SET. I have always been interested in space and find it fascinating. I am really looking forward to participating in this course. My favourite space fact is that there has been a storm raging on Jupiter for hundreds of years (The Great Red Spot).
