Today Ms Turner’s class were treated to a Stop Motion taster session with Peter. We had a fantastic day creating Lego Stop Motion videos. It was so interesting learning how to piece together different movements, a lot of thinking, patience and problem solving was needed. The children worked in groups using two characters, the Lego board and some blu tack. Take a look at some of their creations below…
Biodiversity day in Nuns Cross
Today we were visited by the lovely Mairead today who took us on a trail of the school grounds in search of minibeasts. We had great fun searching for minibeasts and we couldn’t believe our eyes with the variety of insects we discovered. Have a look below.
Paper STEM challenge
2nd and 3rd class were given a scissors and a piece of A4 paper and they were challenged to make the page big enough so that they could fit their bodies through the middle of it. They tried lots of different strategies (some hbing to resist temptation of using glue or selotape) until it was solved. One child even managed to make one big enough so that all 2nd class boys could fit through it at once. This was using just one piece of A4 paper and a scissors!
STEM shoes in 2nd and 3rd class
Yesterday 2nd and 3rd class faced the challenge of designing and making a pair of platforms for their shoes made from paper alone (and some selotape of course). To make this as fair of a test as possible, we began by limiting our efforts to just using 2 sheets of paper but we soon found that that would not be enough.
We discussed different 3-D shapes and which shapes are the strongest. We concluded that cylindrical rods were a strong shape to support someones weight with using paper alone. We also had a discussion about how our weights could effect the trial of our boots.
The predominant design was a cylindrical cog and we found that we needed to have these cogs placed closely together and taped strongly in place in order to work. If there was one weak cog in the boot, the whole lot came towering down when we tried to stand. Our work from day one resulted in no successes, but we are determined to continue working on this until we are succeed. This has by far been the most challenging project yet.
Exploring length in 5th class
This half term one of our favourite topics to explore in 5th class maths was length. We enjoyed using our skills of estimation before using a variety of materials to measure various lengths in our classroom and on the yard.
We found it a challenge when using our maths books to get our heads around the different concepts, and as the week progressed, once we had some hands on experience it got alot easier. Some important points we have learned the importance of are:
When using a ruler or metre stick, in order to be accurate in our measurements, we need to remember to begin measuring the item at 0 and not at the beginning of the instrument.
When using the trundle wheel, bumps and hollows challenge the accuracy of the instrument - at times hopping ahead and over measuring and at other times disconnecting from the surface and not measuring accurately.
Designing and making a chair for Teddy
Today 2nd and 3rd class were tasked with designing and making a chair for teddy. They were only permitted to use 10 sheets of paper, glue and selotape. Before we set into designing and making, we discussed the properties of chairs that make them chairs - we agreed that chairs have 4 legs and a seat and that when Teddy is sitting on the chairs he must have his feet off the floor.
We had a choice between two different teddies, a ladybird which was heavier but more compact and a teddy bear which was lighter but which had long legs and arms which would be more difficult to keep off the floor. We agreed that we would use the teddy bear. We gave ourselves 30 minutes to complete this challenge.
The children worked in groups with a minimum of one and a maximum of four and great team work was on display. Have a look at our test videos below:
As you can see, from our pictures and videos, we ran into some difficulty:
chair legs would split and move about unless we either selotaped them to the table or
stuck them to a full sheet of paper below or
joined them together using strips of paper
One of the groups explains their plan for this challenge. It was noted that the cylindrical chair legs were very popular among the groups. When we tested our chairs, we tested for 20 seconds to ensure the chair was sturdy enough to pass the test. Take a look at our resulting videos. Below the 2nd class boys were impressed with their creation which was able to hold a half-filled lunch box.
One of the groups also decided to use rectangular prisms for the legs, noting the strength and stability the square base provided.
Space STEM in 5th & 6th class
STEM in Senior Infants
Senior infants were given the STEM challenge to make a Play-doh boat that could float.
Firstly, we wondered if a ball of Play-doh would float. Therefore, we decided to test that out first. For this experiment, we needed a container of water and some Play-doh. We worked together in small groups and some of us predicted that a ball of Play-doh would sink while others predicted that it would float. We found that a ball of Play-doh that was gently placed into a container of water, sank straight away.
We thought that the ball of Play-doh sank because it was too heavy but we predicted that the Play-doh would float when it was shaped like at boat. Again we worked together in small groups and we found that it was best to spend a lot of time shaping our boats and making sure that there were no holes in them, otherwise they would sink! We also found that the Play-doh didn't work as well if it was left in the water for too long.
Some of our boats were successful and they could even hold some marbles! We enjoyed adding in marbles one by one, while practicing our counting skills, until the boats sank. One boat could even hold 13 marbles before it sank which we were all very excited about!
STEM in 2nd and 3rd Class
Today 2nd and 3rd class were given the challenge to build a bridge that could not only support the weight of a toy car, but would also allow the car to pass over from one side of the bridge to the other. The children all received the same materials to build their bridges; mini marshmallows and uncooked spaghetti.
In their groups, they children formulated a plan of how they would build their bridge. Some groups drew out their plans while others discussed. The children then began the building process.
The building process incorporated lots of mathematical exploration. The spaghetti needed to be broken by some of the groups to specific lengths, while other groups used their knowledge of fractions to split their spaghetti into halves and quarters. Some groups focused on the importance of shape in their building. One group started with many triangles as well as pyramids as they felt that they would be the strongest shape, while others went with squares, cubes and cuboids.
As the process went on, the groups were able to compare the effectiveness of the shapes and ideas they used. Some groups felt the need to edit their plan as the initial plan did not work in practice.
Once they had finished building the bridges, the groups tested the car’s ability to drive over the bridge. The car fit on the bridges as the groups had measured this carefully, but the movement of the car did cause additional challenges, but the groups found ways around these. One group had run out of time to finish the top of their bridge, so they built a tightrope walker that could move across the tightrope bridge they had built in the time.
The children were delighted to have the opportunity to show and explain their creations to the junior infants as part of our STEM showcase.
Sock Bubbles
The children in 4th and 5th class had lots of bubbly fun this week blowing bubbles! But not just any old bubbles, sock bubbles!
The looked at how bubbles are formed using general liquid soap and water. The liquid soap spreads out with the water and helps the water to form a structure. Then their teacher introduced socks and asked the children to predict what they thought would happen if they tried to blow a bubble through the sock. Most children predicted that the bubbles would pop when they contacted the fabric so they decided to put it to the test!
Each child attached a sock to the end of a plastic bottle and soaked it in the liquid soap and water solution. When the children blew into the sock, lots and lots of small bubbles were created.
We discovered that the bubbles were each created between the tiny holes in the fabric of the sock and they all stuck together making a much stronger structure than a single bubble. We were able to challenge each other to see who could make the longest sock bubble and had loads of fun!
Paper Cup Challenge in Junior Infants
The junior infants were given a special task to end science week and put their creative engineering skills to the test.
In small groups the children were given a pile of paper cups and lolly pop sticks and asked to build the tallest tower they could with just the two materials. It took a while for the children to start thinking creatively but once they got going there was no stopping them!
Egg Drop Challenge
1st group were working on a tricky task this week. The class were given the task to try to design something which would protect an egg and prevent it from breaking when dropped from a height. Most groups predicted that this was an impossible challenge and that the eggs were all sure to break when dropped from a height.
The class was split into groups that had to work collaboratively to design something to protect their eggs. Each group had paper, straws, elastic bands, sellotape and glue. and they were allowed to choose whatever they wanted from the recyclables too.
To make sure it was a fair test, all the eggs would be dropped from 2 stories up. We had very impressive designs and the children considered lots of variables such as using light materials so the egg would fall gently and one group even took aerodynamics into account as they tried to design a parachute type design to slow the eggs fall.
We were thrilled to see that our predictions were totally accurate as we had a 50% success rate with 50% of the eggs not breaking!
STEM in First class!
The boys and girls in 1st class were given a very tricky challenge today - to create a tower, using only spaghetti and marshmallows, that was as tall as possible and strong enough hold a packet of buttons. The task was very tricky and required lots of communication within the groups, forward planning and cooperation and team work! Well done to all the children and their efforts!
The Aztecs
Our senior classes have been learning all about the Aztecs over the last few weeks.
The children have used their creative juices to create some very colourful Aztec inspired face masks.
While learning about the Aztecs, we learned about their chinampas - or floating gardens, and we decide to see if we could design our own. We used a variety of recyclable materials and created structures that not only needed to float, but needed to float while holding a large amount of soil inside. We used our school pond to test our chinampas to see if they would float and were delighted to see that most did!
Compost Bins
The children in 5th and 6th have been learning about renewable and non renewable natural resources. Soil is non renewable but it can last for hundreds of years if cared for. We decided to make compost bins so show how we can care for the soil.
We recycled waxed cartons and created two translucent windows (so we can see what is happening Inside the carton). We added soil and some worms to help look after the soil and keep it in good condition. We ensured that each side had 3 air holes for the soil and worms to breathe. Once the bin structure was ready the children added in vegetable peelings they had brought in from home along with some grass. They were careful to layer the contents carefully to ensure that the materials were evenly spread throughout the bins. The last step was to place the worms on top.
We are looking forward to being able to observe the composting process first hand and we hope that it will inspire lots of you to also do this in your homes!
Rocket Launch
The children in 2nd and 3rd class were attempting to fly to space this week! The children have been working hard to design and create their very own rockets!
The children were all given the challenge to build and launch a rocket. To make it a fair test, each child had the same materials, 1 piece of paper and 1 paper straw, to build their rocket. The children tested different options before deciding on their designs. Once built, we tried launching the rockets outside. We discussed ways that we could make sure it was a fair test-all launching from the same height and angle. The children then took turns launching their rockets!
Teddy Experiment in Senior Infants
Senior Infants were required to come to Teddy’s rescue this week. Poor Teddy was caught in the rain and he was so sad that he got wet! So he asked for our help to find a material to make his umbrella from that would keep him dry when it rains again!
So we set to work! We gathered lots of different materials and we tested them to see if they would keep teddy dry. We tried paper, fabric, plastic, tin foil, cardboard and even cotton wool. We found that materials that were made of plastic, like cling film, kept teddy dry as the rain water didn’t go through. Unfortunately materials like paper, cardboard and fabric were not very good at keeping teddy dry as the water soaked through and made him wet!
Bug Hotels in 1st class
1st class have been investigating the bugs and critters that we share our school garden with. We took a walk around the school garden and found some insects living out there. Some of them were in dark and damp places, others were out in the open.
We had some recycling materials in our classroom so we worked together to try to create a habitat for the insects in our garden. Using our materials we made some really lovely bug hotels that we think the bugs in our garden will be happy to sleep in!
Colour Mixing
The Junior and Senior Infants have had lots of fun exploring colours this week.
The Junior infants have been learning all about the three primary colours. They have also been exploring the superpowers that these colours have - did you know that when two super colours meet they magically create a new colour? The Junior Infants had lots of fun exploring these new colours by mixing paints and creating some lovely paintings.
The Senior Infants revisited the concept of primary and secondary colours and explored colours mixing through a different medium. The Senior infants observed what happened when 3 cups of coloured water were connected to each other with sheets of kitchen roll. They observed the water being absorbed by the tissue and when two different colours met and blended, it created a secondary colour, just as it did when the Junior Infants mixed the paint. The walking water experiment proved to have super powers just like paint!
5th and 6th Class STEM Challenge
The children in 5th and 6th class were set a challenge:
Can you create a house that is suitable for a tropical climate?
From their studies of tropical climates, the children knew that these climates are very wet, so their house would need to be able to sustain high levels of rain. The children worked in small groups to try and create a house that would keep the contents inside dry. Their houses also had other features such as being raised on stilts as areas in the tropics flood regurally. The children were given no direction with materials and had to come up with materials they felt would be suitable themselves and give reasons why. There was a lot of discussion, listening and compromising within the groups as the children worked through the challenge with the aim of being successful in their task.
Each group were very excited to test their houses by simulating rain and then checking to see if the tissue inside remained dry.
