STEM Smaointe 7
Welcome to
STEM Smaointe 7
28th January 2021
The supports in this e-bulletin have been chosen to support teachers in planning and facilitating remote learning for their pupils during this time.
This edition is divided into the following sections:
Mathematics
Counting
Headline Stories
Science
STEM*
*See Advisory Note
We would love to see STEM Smaointe in action so please tag us in any work you share on Twitter. Our handle is @PDSTPrimarySTEM #stemsmaointe
See Contact Us for information around further supports. For further guidance in using this site visit our home page.
Primary STEM Remote Learning Supports
Visit our remote learning support page (by clicking on the image) to access a wide variety of supports and resources to support your pupils while engaging in remote learning. Registration for our Ready for Remote Maths workshops is now open. See the remote learning support page for further details.
Contents
Click on a heading to take you directly to this section
Mathematics
Counting
"Counting is important because the meaning attached to counting is the key conceptual idea on which all other number concepts are based. Using counting to solve number problems shows children that counting can be used meaningfully in a variety of situations. This helps them understand and appreciate counting as more than a rote procedure" (NZ Maths, 2020).
Voice and screen recording software can be utilised in order to continue to develop pupils' counting while engaging in remote learning. These activities can be adapted for counting across all class levels.
Click on the buttons and video clips below for samples of counting in action using voice and screen recordings suitable for the remote learning environment.
Headline Stories
"Mathematics can be viewed as a language in itself with its own vocabulary and grammar" (Primary Mathematics Curriculum Guidelines, 1999, p. 19). Pupils' engagement with word problems can often highlight the challenges of this as they try to read, comprehend and solve what is being asked.
The Primary Mathematics Curriculum Guidelines, 1999 outlines that "Children can invent problems for others to solve, and discuss the the results" (p. 36). A headline story offers all pupils an opportunity to engage with creating mathematical problems.
A headline story is a set of information presented in words or pictures, providing the setting for a problem without the actual problem. Pupils are challenged to create mathematical questions, which can be posed and solved, based on the information presented. By creating their own questions, pupils have an opportunity to use mathematical language in a meaningful context. The questions pupils create can be a useful assessment tool. Through effective questioning, the teacher can support and extend pupils’ thinking.
Take a look at the short clip from our ‘STEM in a Bubble’ webinar which explores headline stories further.
Headline stories could be shared with pupils on your school's communication platform with pupils' responses recorded using voice note, text or a photograph of their work. This approach would also work as part of a live lesson with teacher presenting a headline story with pupils devising questions based on the text/image. Consider choosing to solve some of the questions created as part of the lesson or subsequent lesson.
Below you will find some statements and visuals to get you started. You will also find pupil work samples. Note the range of questions pupils created from one simple stimulus. For further statements see our Scoilnet page (linked on the right).
Science
The Science activities outlined below require minimal resources - tinfoil is the primary resource required across all of the learning experiences.Junior and Senior Infants
Wrapped in Mystery
Strand: Materials Strand unit: Properties and characteristics of materials
In this activity, pupils have an opportunity to develop the scientific skills of observation and prediction.
For the pupils to engage in this activity in the remote learning environment consider uploading the images with questions to the pupils' digital platform. Pupils could respond by using the voice recording feature or in written format. If conducting live lessons, these images could be shared on screen with teacher facilitating discussion around the pupils observations and predictions.
Invite your pupils to look at an image of a lunchbox (see example) using their STEM eyes.
What do you see?
How do you know it is an apple/orange/etc.?
What colours/shapes do you see?
What materials do you recognise?
Are any of the foods wrapped? Why?
What's inside the tinfoil? How do you know?
Wrap some items in tinfoil and share the images with your pupils (see examples on the right). Invite the pupils to make predictions based on their observations. The pupils (like scientists) make observations and come up with explanations for what they think the item is.
What do you notice about this item?
What shape is it?
What do you think this mystery object is? Why?
Pupils can record their predictions by drawing a picture. See the carousel of images on the right for pupil work samples.
The focus is not on getting the correct answer but on developing the pupils' scientific skills. Therefore, consider not sharing the image of the unwrapped item to reveal the correct answer.
First and Second Class
Tin Foil Boats
Strand: Energy and Forces Strand unit: Forces
In this activity, pupils will create tin foil boats and investigate how the weight of objects placed on the boats affect how they float.
Explore: Pupils can examine photos of ships and boats, exploring the purposes of these vessels as well as the shapes, sizes and materials from which they are made. The following questions can be used: Have you seen these boats/ships before? Where? What are the similarities and differences between them? The Explorify Odd One Out activity could be used for this purpose which can be accessed by clicking on the image. Pupils can also examine tin foil as the material which will be used to make the boat as well as marbles/coins which will be used as weights. A read aloud for the story 'Who Sank the Boat' has also been linked below which could be used to encourage pupils to think about how the weight on the boat affects floating.
Design: Pupils design their boats. Encourage pupils to consider the shapes they may incorporate into their design. Invite pupils to label their designs.
Make: Pupils work on their designs.
Evaluate: Pupils evaluate their designs by testing the number of marbles/coins that the boat can hold before sinking. Encourage pupils to predict how many marbles/coins their boat will hold before testing. Pupils can reflect on their designs by considering if there is anything they would change and explaining why.
A video explanation of this activity can be accessed by clicking on the image of the Tin Foil Boats activity (go to 33:13).
Third and Fourth Class
Gone Fishing!
Strand: Energy and Forces Strand unit: Electricity
In this activity, pupils have an opportunity to investigate static electricity and its effect on materials.
To begin pupils cut out fish shapes from tin foil. If they wish, they can trace the shape of the fish onto the foil with a pencil before cutting.
The worksheet linked on the right can be used to record pupils engagement and learning with the task. The following questions could be used to guide pupil's investigations:
How might you get the fish to 'jump' up to the ruler without touching it?
What do you think will happen if you rub the ruler on your jumper before holding it over a fish?
Why does this happen?
What do we call this?
To extend the activity pupils could be encouraged to investigate the following:
· What would happen to fish made from different materials e.g. paper, card, foam, tissue paper?
· What happens when you try to make fish of different sizes ‘jump’?
· How long does the fish stay attached to the ruler?
· What happens when you rub the ruler for more/less time?
· Can you make the fish 'jump’ from the ruler to your sweatshirt and back again?
· What other examples of static electricity have you seen or heard about?
Fifth and Sixth Class
Solar Oven
Strand: Energy and Forces Strand unit: Light/Heat
In this activity, pupils will create their own simple solar oven using tin foil. Pupils can explore how effectively tinfoil reflects light and heat energy by placing their oven in sunlight. The solar ovens can be created using cardboard or card. Pupils can cover the sides of the oven that will be exposed to the sun with tin foil by folding the foil around the edges to keep it in place. Pupils can explore how the angle between the oven lid and base can be adjusted to ensure sunlight is reflected from the lid onto the base.
Pupils can predict what will happen when they place some chocolate or marshmallows onto the oven base. Pupils might also like to investigate what other materials from home might be melted using the solar oven e.g. ice cubes. Encourage pupils to record their results and to investigate how changing the angle of the lid or the colour of the oven base might affect the results. Pupils can design their own annotated drawings as shown in the image in order to record and explain their results and predictions.
STEM
Advisory Note
In this edition of STEM Smaointe, we use film to inspire STEM challenges for your pupils to work on remotely. Pupils could watch the film at home or perhaps share the trailer with the pupils on your digital learning platform as a stimulus to the challenge.
Before recommending, showing or sharing any film excerpts, please check your school's Acceptable Use Policy. Ensure parental supervision/permission is advised/sought where appropriate.
STEM Challenges: Design and Make
"Designing and making is a process which draws on the whole curriculum and should be developed in association with and through visual arts, science and mathematics" (Science Curriculum, 1999, p. 8). Below you will find STEM challenges which incorporate elements of visual arts, science and mathematics. Encourage your pupils to follow the design and make process (as outlined in the image) while engaging in a challenge.
The STEM challenges below use the films Happy Feet/Cosa Sásta and Toy Story 4 as stimuli to the subsequent challenges. Choose from the suggested criteria or alternatively collaboratively devise criteria with your pupils as part of a live lesson.
"At all class levels, pupils are encouraged to work in groups and to share and communicate their ideas" (Science Teacher Guidelines, 1999, p. 21). In our current context of remote learning, consideration could be given to assigning a STEM Challenge across class levels in your school so that pupils sharing a home who attend the same school could participate collaboratively in the challenge irrespective of their class level.
Happy Feet/Cosa Sásta
In this STEM challenge, pupils will design and make their own animal that can dance with happy feet. Teachers can choose from the suggested criteria below to allow for differentiation for their pupils.
Design and make an animal that can dance with happy feet. Follow the design and make process as outlined in the image above.
Suggested criteria:
Your animal must be able to stand on their feet
Your animal will only dance to certain music, what music will you choose and why?
You must be able to move the legs of your animal
You must include a background to show the habitat in which the animal lives (e.g. the desert, jungle, forest etc.)
Additional Activity - Stop Motion Animation
Once you have created your animal, you could show their happy feet in action using stop motion animation. This could be completed using a digital device at home that can take photos. When completing stop motion animation, try to keep your camera in the same position for each photo. Start by placing your animal in front of the background and taking a photo. Next, move your animal slightly and take another photo. Continue this process to show the movement of your animal. Once you have enough photos taken, you can flick through the photos quickly to show your animal's happy feet! Watch the video that is linked to show how stop motion was used to show movement. A link has also been attached under the video which explores stop motion animation in greater detail.
Toy Story 4
Bonnie makes a new toy Forky in school. Even though you have some great toys at home, you've been at home a lot recently so you'd like something new to play with.
Design and make a toy you would like to play with. Follow the design and make process as outlined above.
Suggested criteria:
Your toy must be made from _______ (specify a material).
The toy should be made from all recyclable materials.
Your toy should be soft.
It must be suitable for children over 7.
The toy you create should be a brand new invention and not a replica of a toy that already exists.
It must be at least 10 cm in height.
The toy must make a noise.
For a more detailed description of this task, click the further guidance button on the left.
Primary STEM Remote Learning Supports
Visit our remote learning support page (by clicking on the image) to access a wide variety of supports and resources to support your pupils while engaging in remote learning. Check out registration for our Ready for Remote Maths workshops!
