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Great idea with the balloons, I like that they don’t know what is in each balloon and they have to observe what happens. Will def try this out in my classroom. Thanks
Task 1: I have attached a photo of my cube.
Task 2:
(i) Sit up with arms down – It is impossible to stand if you don’t lean forward. When you are sitting your center of gravity is over the chair, you must move over it over your feet to stand up!(ii)Back and head against the wall – I could not pick up the coin without falling, your centre of gravity moves forward when you move forward, you would usually stick out your bum to balance! The wall prevents you from doing this.
(iii) and (iv) In these two activities it is difficult to lift your leg because the wall blocks the balance shift needed.
Task 3 – I completed the Socrative quiz. I have never used this site before. A good resource for children to use, a very effective way for them to show their understanding of what they have learned.
The ‘Puddle Challenge’ was one of the most interesting activities in this module.Predicting the area the water would cover makes one think carefully. This simple yet effective task sparks curiosity, encourages estimation skills, and highlights the unpredictability of real-world variables!
Very clever idea, to use cardboard for the sides of the boat and cover over with tinfoil! Keeps all the sides at the same height! I’ll rob your idea for use in my classroom. Thank you.
I carried out the ‘Dry Teabag Challenge’ with my four children. It was a simple yet powerful investigation that encourages predictions, fair testing, and critical thinking, all key components of scientific enquiry. They quickly became invested in the process, made estimations, observed outcomes, and adapted their thinking when results didn’t match their predictions.
To maintain fairness, I measured the steps for each prediction, we stood in a fixed position when throwing, and used the same type of throw. We colour-coded the teabags so we could identify who the teabag belonged to.
My estimation:12 steps
Actual result:11 stepsFor the ‘Wet Teabag Challenge’ we soaked the teabags in 20 ml of water for 30 seconds to keep it at a fair test. We predicted they would go further because they were heavier and less affected by gusts of wind. The furthest throw we got was 36 steps.
I can definitely see myself using this activity in the classroom. It’s fun, simple, and teaches key science skills in an exciting way, although I can see a few children ripping their teabags and creating a mess!
One challenge might be doing it outside with a large group, but with good organisation and clear rules, it could work really well.
I have attached a picture of my tinfoil boat. It held 27 blocks before it started taking on water and became completely submerged at 31 blocks!
Like Ivan I have used Vocaroo to record children in the classroom but never saw its true potential. Something to explore in the coming year recording the whole class playing their instruments, creating a QR code and sending home a link for the parents to hear.
Thank you for a very informative morning Colm, you showed us a number of great resources.
One part of the module that I enjoyed exploring was the Bebras Challenge. I found the tasks fun, interesting, challenging and a great way to build problem-solving and thinking skills.
I think I could use some of the Bebras tasks in my own classroom, maybe as a quick warm up activity or as part of a weekly challenge. They’re a brilliant way to get students thinking and working together. It is a great resource with no prep required, which makes it easy to use in the classroom.
One challenge might be finding time in a busy schedule, but I think it is worth it. With a bit of planning, these activities can really help students enjoy learning.
Another challenge … the teacher is unable to solve a problem themselves … but thankfully, solutions are provided!
