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Hi Edel,
I like your detailed Space Week breakdown. I never thought about outlining activities by subject per day across the week. I will use this template when I implement my Space Week plan for this academic year.
Following this module, I would like to develop a class plan to celebrate Space Week that promotes curiosity, inquiry and cross-curricular STEM learning. Rather than focusing on a single lesson, I would spread activities across the week, allowing pupils to explore different aspects of space through hands-on investigations and creative challenges.
The week would begin with discussions about space and the launch of a simple rocket investigation. Pupils would design and test balloon rockets, making predictions, measuring distances travelled and discussing what makes a fair test. This would integrate Science and Maths while developing key skills.
Throughout the week, I would incorporate literacy by reading space-themed books and encouraging pupils to write astronaut diary entries or fact files about planets. Art lessons could include designing spacecraft or creating a collaborative solar system display. I would also use online resources highlighted in the course to enhance pupils’ understanding of space.
I feel that Space Week provides an ideal opportunity to engage all pupils in meaningful STEM learning. It encourages collaboration, creativity and problem-solving while showing pupils that science is exciting, relevant and connected to many areas of the curriculum. I would also display pupils’ work and investigations around the school to celebrate their learning and promote STEM across the wider school community.
Hi Susan,
Great intro into your lesson. The children would love the story and the pictures are a great way of keeping them engaged during discussion. The blubber investigation is hands-on and makes the learning experience more enjoyable. It is a lovely lesson and one I would consider using in the future.
I chose the Activity Set Weather, specifically the Investigating Children’s Coats activity. I think this activity would be an excellent way to develop pupils’ scientific inquiry skills while making learning meaningful through a context that is familiar to every child. The investigation encourages pupils to ask questions, make predictions, test different materials and communicate their findings, all of which support the development of key science skills such as observing, investigating, analysing and recording results. These skills are highlighted throughout the module as central to effective science teaching and learning.
I would use this activity with my 1st class during the winter term as part of the Weather strand. To begin, I would encourage pupils to discuss the purpose of different coats and the types of weather we experience in Ireland. Working in small groups, pupils would investigate which materials are most suitable for keeping people warm and dry. They could test waterproof materials using droppers or spray bottles and compare insulating materials by wrapping containers of warm water and measuring temperature changes over time. Before beginning, pupils would make predictions and explain the reasoning behind them. Afterwards, they would record their findings using labelled diagrams and share their conclusions with the class.
I feel this activity demonstrates how effective STEM learning can be when it is practical, child-centred and connected to everyday life. It also supports the vision of the new STEM curriculum by integrating inquiry, communication and design thinking into meaningful learning experiences. If implemented as part of a whole-school STEM approach, activities like this could contribute valuable evidence towards School Self-Evaluation by showcasing pupils’ engagement, development of science skills and collaborative learning.
Hi Rachel,
I was not aware of the Blackrock Castle Observatory resource. The sky dome would work great with a projector onto the ceiling with the class lying down. I will definitely give this a try when we return to school.
I would use the “Special Life” and “Create an Alien” activities together as a cross-curricular unit exploring life in space, linking Science, literacy and early maths skills. I’d start with the ‘What is special?’ discussion from ESERO 19, asking children to think about what makes life on Earth possible and what might be different on another planet. The ‘Act it out’ drama activity would let children physically explore how a creature adapted to a different planet might move.
Next, I’d move into the ‘Design a Martian’ investigation from the Mars Classroom Resource. Children would start with the question “What would a Martian look like?”, sketch a prediction, then create their alien using 3-D materials such as playdough and pipe cleaners. This hands-on making stage supports the Designing and Making skills alongside working scientifically through predicting and observing.
Once every child has made their alien, we would use the collection for early number work like counting eyes, legs or arms, sorting aliens by colour or size, and classifying them by shared features. This turns a fun creative activity into a genuine, playful opportunity for early mathematical language and reasoning, while also encouraging children to justify their sorting decisions to a partner.
Hi Helen,
Using these different books as an opening stimulus is a great idea. I will think of doing this when I use this lesson myself.
<p class=”isselectedend”>Activity set: The Moon</p>
<p class=”isselectedend”>I would use the “What Does the Moon Look Like?” activity with my first class to develop observation skills while fostering curiosity about space. Rather than simply showing pictures of the Moon, I would encourage the children to become young astronomers by observing the Moon over several days, either at home with their families or during school when it is visible. They would draw what they see and build a class word bank using descriptive vocabulary.</p>
<p class=”isselectedend”>I like that this activity is based on inquiry and allows children to discover that the Moon appears to change shape over time through their own observations. During our class discussions, I would encourage pupils to compare their drawings, ask questions, and explain why they think the Moon looks different on different days. This would promote oral language, prediction and critical thinking</p>
The activity also provides opportunities for cross-curricular integration. Children could create Moon artwork in Visual Arts, write simple observation sentences in English, and sequence their Moon drawings in Maths. Involving families in the observations would strengthen home-school links and make the learning more meaningful. Overall, I believe this activity would inspire a lasting interest in astronomy while helping children develop key scientific skills in an engaging and age-appropriate way.Hi Doireann,
Did this lesson before with Senior Infants on placement and they loved it. It is an engaging experiment.
One inquiry-based activity that I would use in my junior classroom is the “Gravity and Falling Things” investigation. I think this activity would be highly engaging as it encourages children to make predictions, test their ideas, and discuss their observations rather than simply being told the answer. I like how the Curious Minds/ESERO Framework for Inquiry guides children through the stages of engaging, investigating, taking the next step, and reflecting.
The children would work in small groups to predict what they think will happen before carrying out the investigation by dropping a variety of safe classroom objects. They would observe whether the objects fall quickly or slowly, whether they spin or float, and record their findings using simple pictures or symbols.
Following the investigation, we would discuss the results together and compare them with our original predictions. This would help to develop both scientific understanding and oral language skills.
Overall, I believe this inquiry-based approach would create an enjoyable and meaningful learning experience. It promotes active participation, critical thinking, collaboration, and problem-solving while allowing children to develop a deeper understanding of gravity through hands-on exploration.Hi my name is Tadgh and I will be teaching 1st class next year. My favourite space fact is the International Space Station is the third brightest object in the sky after the Sun and the Moon.
I have loved learnt learning about copilot in this course and the use of it in this lesson shows how it can be used very effectively. I can’t wait to utilise this for my own planning and preparation.
Lesson Plan: Discovering Australia
Class Level: 1st Class Subject Areas: Geography, SPHE, Oral Language Theme: Introduction to Australia – Land, Animals, People Duration: 60 minutes Curriculum Links:
Geography:
Strand: Human Environments
Strand Unit: Living in the local community / People and places in other areas
SPHE:
Strand: Myself and the wider world
Strand Unit: Developing citizenship
English (Oral Language):
Strand: Communicating
Strand Unit: Developing vocabulary and expressive languageLearning Objectives
By the end of the lesson, pupils will be able to:
Identify Australia on a world map and describe its location relative to Ireland
Name at least three features of Australia (e.g. animals, landmarks, climate)
Recognise cultural differences and similarities between Ireland and Australia
Use an AI tool to explore and describe Australian animals or landmarksResources Needed
Interactive whiteboard or tablet devices
Printed world maps
AI image generator (e.g. Microsoft Copilot or Bing Image Creator)
Short video clip: “Welcome to Australia” (child-friendly travel video)
Flashcards: kangaroo, Sydney Opera House, Aboriginal art, Great Barrier Reef
Worksheet: “My Australia Discovery”
Lesson Breakdown1. Warm-Up
Activity:
Show a globe or world map. Ask: “Where do we live?” Then introduce Australia.
Use an AI-powered globe app or interactive map to zoom in on Australia.
Brief discussion: “What do you think it’s like there?”
2. Exploring Features of AustraliaActivity:
Watch a short video introducing Australia’s nature, cities, and people.
Use AI to generate images of Australian animals (e.g. “Show me a cartoon kangaroo in the outback” or “Create a picture of the Great Barrier Reef”).
Discuss: “What animals live in Australia that don’t live in Ireland?”
3. Creative Task with AIActivity:
Pupils choose one Australian feature (animal, landmark, or cultural item).
With teacher guidance, use AI to generate an image or description.
Pupils draw their own version and write one sentence: “This is a ___ from Australia.”
Share with the class in a mini “Australia Gallery Walk.”4. Reflection & Discussion
Activity:
Circle time: “What did you learn about Australia?”
Compare life in Ireland and Australia (weather, animals, homes).
Encourage empathy and curiosity: “Would you like to visit Australia someday?”5. Wrap-Up & Assessment
Activity:
Complete the “My Australia Discovery” worksheet:
Draw one thing from Australia
Write one new word they learned
Colour the Australian flagAssessment Methods
Observation of participation and engagement
Completed worksheet
Oral contributions during discussion
Use of descriptive language and vocabularyExtension Ideas
Use AI to generate a short story: “A Day in Australia with a Koala”
Create a class book: “Our Australian Adventure” with AI-generated illustrations
Explore Aboriginal art and symbols using digital drawing toolsI am really excited to go back to school and use what I learned in this course. I am really excited about the chance to try out AI-created games and activities. They can help me change my teaching style and bring new energy to the classroom. Before, creating interesting materials could take a long time, sometimes even days. Now, with tools like Gamma, I can make attractive and interactive presentations in just a few minutes. Kahoot lets me design quizzes powered by AI that make testing enjoyable, competitive, and instant. Meanwhile, Immersive Reader helps all students, including those who struggle with reading or are learning English, to understand the lesson material completely. These tools not only save a lot of time when getting ready, but they also create new chances for creativity and uniqueness. The future of education and technology looks promising!
I would like to use Scratch as one of the AI tools in the classroom. I have used this program in college and seen it used in classrooms, but I have never led a session myself. After reviewing this application again, I feel more confident and prepared to present it to a class. It offers kids an excellent opportunity to be creative and learn new coding skills. I would like to use Khan Academy in the classroom, too. I have used this app before in the classroom with young children during station teaching. I discovered that it is a fantastic tool because it offers a variety of reading and math resources that teachers can choose from and give to the kids. I found it helpful for kids to practice the new sounds and letter shapes we learned each week. It is helpful for teachers because it shows them what areas a child struggles with and where they do well.