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By making pupils more aware of STEM in our world and by helping them to develop the necessary skills, we are opening them to the possibility of being the next person to create a new piece of technology to make our lives more comfortable (STEM in Our World Webinar, 2020).
STEM in Our World
STEM in Our World
As part of the STEM ar Scoil online workshop series, STEM in Our World is available to watch here.
The famous and enigmatic immunologist Professor Luke O’Neill features in our webinar STEM in Our World. Professor O’Neill shares with us his childhood wonderings, scientific heroes and experiences working as a scientist. Please click on the image to join us as we use Brilliant Bodies, Fabulous Food and Terrific Toys to explore STEM in Our World through the eyes of a child.
Taking inspiration from the webinar, this section of the e-bulletin presents an activity through the lens of the aforementioned themes. It is worth noting that "At this time soft modelling materials and play dough where used should be for individual use only" and "Where possible pupils should be encouraged to have their own individual art and equipment supplies." (DES, 2020).
Junior Classes
Junior Classes
Fabulous Food - Apple Antics
Fabulous Food - Apple Antics
Consider beginning this activity with an Odd One Out task such as the one linked in the image. Invite the pupils to come up with as many similarities and differences as they can for the apples. The pupils decide which is the odd one out and why. There is no wrong answer!
Ten Apples Up on Top! by Dr. Seuss is the stimulus for this challenge. Read the story to the pupils (a YouTube read aloud is linked on the left). There are lots of opportunities to pause throughout for discussion. How many apples do you think will be up on top next? Do you think you could balance an apple tower on your head? Why/Why not?
Follow the design and make process to engage with this challenge of creating an apple tower. Pupils can work with marla or available construction materials.
Consider devising criteria, for example:
Your tower must have at least four apples
The tower must be 5 cubes high
The tower must be free standing
Explore: Allow the pupils some time to explore the materials available to them.
Plan: Pupils plan their tower. Encourage them to explain their reasoning. What shape will the apples be? How will you stack them?
Make: Pupils get to work on creating their towers. Pupils may need to modify their plan as they engage in the making part of the process.
Evaluate: Invite pupils to evaluate their designs. How many apples are in your tower?Which tower is the tallest? How did they build it so tall? Do you notice anything about the structure? Is John's tower taller than Áine's? Let's check! Did you make any changes to your design, why/why not? Is there anything you would change or do differently next time? Why?
For a similar activity, see here. Try building a tower with real apples at home, how high can you make it?
Apple Antics: Integrated Learning
Apple Antics: Integrated Learning
Click here to view how this activity could be integrated with different areas of the curriculum (p.1).
Middle Classes
Middle Classes
Activity adapted and image from https://resources.finalsite.net/images/v1589121978/brockton/irfbkmizyhopqgsgkjga/STEMCHALLENGEK-2May11-May14.pdf
Terrific Toys - Paper Plate Pinball
Terrific Toys - Paper Plate Pinball
To introduce the theme of Terrific Toys to the pupils, consider using a toy-themed odd one out activity (see image). Invite the pupils to come up with as many similarities and differences as they can for the toys. The pupils decide which is the odd one out and why. There is no wrong answer!
In this activity, pupils will create their own version of a pinball machine using the design and make process. Ignite pupil interest by making observations about the image of a pinball machine and/or clips of same.
Have you played this game?
What do you notice about it?
Does it remind you of any toy?
What is the objective of the game?
Consider collaboratively devising criteria for the pinball machine. The following are suggestions:
There must be an end point for the marble to reach.
You must include a scoring system.
It should be fun to play!
Pupils will need a paper plate and marble. Paper, card, pipe cleaners and other miscellaneous art resources in your classroom could be made available to pupils.
Explore: Pupils explore the provided materials.
Plan: Pupils design their game in light of the agreed criteria and their exploration of the materials. Encourage pupils to label their design in terms of materials they plan to use, structures they will use e.g. arches, etc.
Make: Pupils work on their design. If they need to make modifications to their plan, encourage that they record this accordingly.
Evaluate: Invite pupils to evaluate their designs in terms of the criteria that has been devised. Did you make any changes to your design, why/why not? Is there anything you would change or do differently next time? Why? What recommendations would you give to someone who has never made one before? Give a reason for your recommendation.
Paper Plate Pinball: Integrated Learning
Paper Plate Pinball: Integrated Learning
Click here to view how this activity could be integrated with different areas of the curriculum (p.2).
Senior Classes
Senior Classes
This activity is adapted from https://www.sciencelearn.org.nz/resources/1926-finger-marathon
Brilliant Bodies - Finger Marathon
Brilliant Bodies - Finger Marathon
This activity explores how muscles use energy and tire during exercise. To introduce the activity consider using a STEM eyes activity to ignite the interest of the pupils. Click on the image for further information and resources.
Following discussion of the Maths and Science in the image, encourage pupils to discuss their thoughts on how the body tires during exercise using some of the following questions: What parts of our bodies work hard during exercise? What does our body use during exercise? How do you feel after taking part in exercise? Why do our bodies feel this way?
The finger marathon will be completed using clothes pegs where pupils repeat the action of fully opening and closing the peg. Encourage pupils to predict how many times they think they will be able to fully open and close the peg in intervals of 30 seconds, 60 seconds and 90 seconds. Pupils can create a table to record their predictions and results. Working in pairs and swapping roles when necessary, pupils will complete the following steps where one pupil opens and closes the peg while the other keeps track of time and notes the results:
1. Hold the clothes peg comfortably with the thumb and forefinger.
2. Practise quickly opening and closing the clothes peg for a few seconds, making sure to open the peg fully each time.
3. The timekeeper will count the number of times the clothes peg is opened and closed in 30 seconds, 60 seconds and 90 seconds. When the timekeeper says go, open and close the peg as fast as you can!
Discuss how the data results can be presented. The following questions can also be used to ignite further investigations using the finger marathon test: Is there a difference between your writing hand and non-writing hand for this test? Is there a difference between results for plastic and wooden pegs? How long a period of rest do finger muscles need before individual pupils can repeat the experiment and get the same results as their first trial?
Finger Marathon: Integrated Learning
Finger Marathon: Integrated Learning
Click here to view how this activity could be integrated with different areas of the curriculum (p.3).
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