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I love learning about Earth and Space! As a future educator, I do hope to find ways to teach this lesson to my students for them to learn about Earth, the planet that we live on, and space with many other planets out there each with unique features.
So my question is, what are the activities that I can use to catch their attention and have them learn about Earth and space?
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Hi Jennifer, elementary students learn better and they are entertain to activities they can do hands on, videos, and activities that requires them moving. For example, a great hands on activity would be the Phases of the moon, where the students will learn about the changes and shapes the moon goes through. The students will use Oreo cookies to represent the moon and with the frosting they will use a butter knife to scrape the filling off in order to form the eight different phases of the moon. Students will also name each phase of the moon. Before, this activity you can show your students some videos of the moon cycles so they can learn thephases name and shape.
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Hello Jennifer, I remember this one hands-on activity that lets me figure out the moon phases while still engaging in active learning, by only using 8 to 10 Oreos and sporks from the cafeteria. Taking the Oreos apart and using the filling on only one cookie and modeling the moon phases and scraping off what isn't needed on the cookie and the shape of the spork is good for getting the right shape. You can always turn it into a game by seeing who can either put them in order of the moon phases or telling them who can raise the right cookie telling them ' Okay on the count of 3 I want everyone to raise the full moon' and the students will hold the correct Oreo in the sky.
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Hi Jennifer -- It's not hard to catch students' attention with Earth and Space science. Almost everyday, there is a news article that connects E&S with reality: Climate change, weather patterns, severe storms, NASA launches, etc. I found that having an essential question or theme for the unit makes it easier to connect students with events or phenomena. And, rather than present an activity as something to do, it may help to embed it in the essential qour uestion or introduce it in the context of 'Hmm, I wonder if...' or 'What would happen if...' 'I'm not sure about...' or 'Any ideas about ...' Most studnets are innately curious. Just some thoughts... -- Mary B
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Hi, Mary! I love how you said to use 'I wonder' and 'What would happen if' questions instead because it sparks the students' interests! I've just started learning about inquiry-based lesson planning, and implementing the 5 E's, and I love how these questions connect to it! We want students to begin thinking deeper and more critically about the world around them, so having them 'wonder' or asking them their 'ideas' about something can be the beginning to a great science lesson!
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Hi, Mary! I love how you said to use 'I wonder' and 'What would happen if' questions instead because it sparks the students' interests! I've just started learning about inquiry-based lesson planning, and implementing the 5 E's, and I love how these questions connect to it! We want students to begin thinking deeper and more critically about the world around them, so having them 'wonder' or asking them their 'ideas' about something can be the beginning to a great science lesson!
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I would have to agree with Mary. All kids love earth and space it is something that I remember catching my attention as well in elementary school. I do not know of a lot of activites but some that I have heard of is Oreos repersenting lunar phases. Give students X amount of oreos and they have to shape the white part of the oreo in the shapes of eahc lunar phase. The second one is having students go outside to the play ground and show to students where in relations is each planet to the sun. Third, allow students to research one planet. Every planet is unique in their own little way, allow students to explore this. Lastly, allow students to make their own planets, comets, stars, etc. I am sure if our minds get creative there could be soo much more, but here some ideas that I have come across before!! Thank you!!
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Kids love learning about science because it is a subject where they can be hands-on and learn visually. It is important that even through remote learning, teachers still should still try to make student learning engaging. However with Earth and space science, it would still be engaging for students to have projects sch as making a diarama or poster of each planet or any topic you are going over in the class. These projects are what would be done in the classroom, it is important that teachers still do this in remote learning too.
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Hello Jennifer, I would personally like to incorporate music in the classroom. You can find many sing-along lessons on youtube; the songs can help a lot with memorization and are so fun they can help reduce stress in the classroom! For example, you can teach them a catchy song to learn the planets in order from the sun or even the moon phases.
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Hell Gicelle, I really like your idea of using music or creating your own lyrics for students to remember certain topics. Would it be great to have them participate in a game while singing along?
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Hi Lorena. I love the idea of using music in the classroom for almost any subject or topic at hand. I am an upcoming educator but from the times I have been in the schools, students always seem to pick up on songs very quickly. Games can also be something that they pick up on quickly too. Depending on the age if the students, a game with the song could work really well. It will keep them interested and also help them to have fun and they won't even realize how much they are learning.
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