STEM Award 2023 - 2024
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Welcome to our STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) page. We hope you enjoy looking through some of the work that all of the boys and girls have been doing throughout this school year. We have been having lots of fun experimenting, investigating, discussing and exploring lots of new ideas and concepts in all of our classes.
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Step 1: Science
Living Things:
2nd Class and Senior Infants enjoy investigating Minibeasts!
The boy and girls of 2nd class went on a leaf and bug hunt around the grounds of the school! They found lots of different leaves and bugs and they studied their homes / habitats and how they protect themselves from other predators!
The children in Senior Infants enjoyed investigating minibeasts also. They had great fun looking under logs in the outdoor classroom. They also looked up some facts about various creatures!
The boy and girls of 2nd class went on a leaf and bug hunt around the grounds of the school! They found lots of different leaves and bugs and they studied their homes / habitats and how they protect themselves from other predators!
The children in Senior Infants enjoyed investigating minibeasts also. They had great fun looking under logs in the outdoor classroom. They also looked up some facts about various creatures!
Junior Infants hatch some chicks!
Junior Infants were so lucky to have a grandparent from the class donate some eggs for our class incubator. The children learned about the lifecycle of a hen and each day they monitored their eggs and learned about what was happening on a daily basis inside the egg. They were delighted to hatch a lovely little chick in their class.
Junior Infants were so lucky to have a grandparent from the class donate some eggs for our class incubator. The children learned about the lifecycle of a hen and each day they monitored their eggs and learned about what was happening on a daily basis inside the egg. They were delighted to hatch a lovely little chick in their class.
Senior Infants learn about the Human Body
Senior Infants integrated their play theme 'The Hospital' across their learning and had great fun investigating the human body. The children named all the different parts of the body and labelled them.
Senior Infants integrated their play theme 'The Hospital' across their learning and had great fun investigating the human body. The children named all the different parts of the body and labelled them.
Junior Infants learn about farm animals and their young
Junior Infants learned about animals and their young. They connected this learning to their play theme 'The Farm'. They investigated what animals would be found on a farm and what their young are called. They played lots of games to help them remember the names!
Energy & Forces:
3rd Class investigate Sound
3rd class were investigating environmental sounds. They investigated what environmental sounds they could hear around our school and drew a sound map.
3rd class were investigating environmental sounds. They investigated what environmental sounds they could hear around our school and drew a sound map.
5th Class investigate Magnets
5th Class integrated their engineering with magnetism. They designed maps of a town and then integrated their learning about magnets and magnetism to 'drive' cars around the town. One very important part of the process was to see what modifications needed to be made to their town maps to improve them.
Senior Infants also had fun exploring Magnets
Senior Infants were learning all about energy and forces. They demonstrated pulling and pushing forces. They discussed the north and south poles. The children were fascinated with the magnetic force of the two magnets. Every group was given a plate with various objects, they enjoyed seeing which objects were magnetic.
Junior Infants investigate Air Pressure!
Junior Infants have been learning about air pressure. They learned that when a force is applied air can have pressure. They tested this out using some milk cartons and some rocket mice that they made. They were able to launch their mice into the air. They also had loads of fun using our Air Zooka and testing out air pressure raising their hair!
Junior Infants have been learning about air pressure. They learned that when a force is applied air can have pressure. They tested this out using some milk cartons and some rocket mice that they made. They were able to launch their mice into the air. They also had loads of fun using our Air Zooka and testing out air pressure raising their hair!
Materials:
Making Pancakes!
Lots of classes enjoyed celebrating Pancake Tuesday and integrated it with their science learning. 3rd class and Junior Infants investigated the change that occurs when heat is applied to different foods. They enjoyed tasting their pancakes at the end of their investigation!
6th Class learn about Light, Reflection and Refraction
6th class had their inquisitive minds in full swing for Science week. They investigated refraction, researched about famous scientists and a range of scientific questions. They had fun completing a Science STEM challenge by creating the tallest free standing structure using only 80cm of tinfoil.
6th class had their inquisitive minds in full swing for Science week. They investigated refraction, researched about famous scientists and a range of scientific questions. They had fun completing a Science STEM challenge by creating the tallest free standing structure using only 80cm of tinfoil.
1st Class learn about Chemical Reactions
1st class have been learning about acids and alkalis and the chemical reaction of making carbon dioxide. They decided to make some raisins dance and showcased these at our science fair. They also investigated reactions with fat soluble liquids using milk and washing up liquid.
Junior Infants investigate Liquids, Solids and Gases
Junior Infants enjoyed making some snowballs this morning and investigating the properties of water. They learned that water can be a liquid, a solid, and how it can also turn to steam! The children also investigated why snow melts and monitored their snowballs in four different locations throughout the day!
3rd Class investigate the different materials used in our school environment.
3rd Class have been learning about different materials that are used in buildings. They decided to investigate our school environment for a closer inspection and made some material rubbings to record the different textures of the materials.
3rd Class have been learning about different materials that are used in buildings. They decided to investigate our school environment for a closer inspection and made some material rubbings to record the different textures of the materials.
Junior Infants learn about Opaque and Transparent materials!
Junior Infants have been learning about light. Firstly, they identified night and day, then they investigated light and objects using torches. They learned two new words - opaque and transparent, and they investigated different materials that were transparent and opaque. They made predictions about the different materials and then went off and investigated if their predictions were correct!
Junior Infants have been learning about light. Firstly, they identified night and day, then they investigated light and objects using torches. They learned two new words - opaque and transparent, and they investigated different materials that were transparent and opaque. They made predictions about the different materials and then went off and investigated if their predictions were correct!
Environmental Awareness and Care:
4th Class investigate The Water Cycle
4th Class have been learning about The Water Cycle. They created an experiment to simulate what rainfall from a cloud might look like. They used shaving foam, water and food colouring. The shaving foam acted as a cloud and the food colouring as rain so the children could see the rain fall through the cloud. The class made gauges out of recycled bottles and stones to measure the rainfall.
4th Class have been learning about The Water Cycle. They created an experiment to simulate what rainfall from a cloud might look like. They used shaving foam, water and food colouring. The shaving foam acted as a cloud and the food colouring as rain so the children could see the rain fall through the cloud. The class made gauges out of recycled bottles and stones to measure the rainfall.
Junior Infants learn how to care for our school environment in Spring Time
Junior Infants enjoyed learning all about Spring. They went on a Spring hunt around our school grounds and recorded all of the signs of Spring they could find. They then discussed how they could look after the plants and animals in our school environment.
Senior Infants and 1st Class learn about Global Warming
Senior Infants and First Class learned about global warming and how it is impacting our weather. They learned how the melting of the ice caps is eroding the polar bears' habitat and causing flooding in parts of the world. A local parent came to visit and discussed the importance of using sand bags and building them correctly to prevent buildings being ruined. The children had great fun filling the bags with sand and building them correctly. It was also very important that this was done as part of a team.
3rd Class learn about Marine Litter
3rd Class learned all about marine litter, its sources and the impact it’s having on our seas and oceans. They studied the work of the oceanographer Jacque Cousteau as a whole then independently researched David Attenborough’s career and influence.
Whole School PAWS Water Safety Workshop
The whole school got to take part in water safety workshops presented by Water Safety Ireland. They children learned about staying safe around water at home and while out. They also got a chance to practice throwing a buoy to help anyone in difficulty.
Junior Infants learn about 'Animals that Hibernate in Winter'
Junior Infants learned about animals that hibernate in the winter. They focused on the hedgehog and investigated where hedgehogs like to hibernate. They read stories about the hedgehog and decided to design their own ‘hedgehog hotel’. They also created a little hedgehog hotel for our school hedgerow and placed it in one of our school’s hedges in the hope that a little hedgehog might find a warm bed for the winter months. They collaborated with 6th class to design and make their own hedgehog hotel for clay hedgehogs that they created.
Senior Infants learn about The Frog
Senior Infants enjoyed learning about the life cycle of the frog. They read the story “The Perfect Ribbit”. Then completed a worksheet on the lifecycle of the frog, and during art the children made frogs.
They also went for a walk to our own frog bog in school to have a look.
'Meet the Scientist' Science Week Speaker in 3rd Class
3rd Class enjoyed taking part in an online event organised by 'Start Schools' where they interviewed a dentist. They learned all about the role of a dentist and got to ask lots of interesting questions!
During Space Week we had lots of exciting activities and events!
'ESERO Space Goes to School' - 4th Class take part in a zoom call with Aoife Murphy
4th Class took part in a zoom call with engineer Aoife Murphy who taught them all about design and technology in space. The children had a great Q+A with Aoife where they found out lots of interesting information. 4th researched the planets and completed artwork of the solar system using chalk. They also completed a space week flipbook where they researched What is Space, astronauts and the international space station.
6th Class investigated lots of different aspects about Space during Space Week
The children were busy creating a scale model of the Moon in relation to Earth and then investigating the distance between them.
The children explored the NASA website, created their own constellations, researched a planet of their choice and shared their learnings to the class. They used space week as a stimulus for art and created their own ‘Out of this World’ drawing.
Junior Infants enjoy learning all about Space
Junior Infants enjoyed learning all about Space and integrating their learning across the curriculum. They played in their 'Space' station, built rockets and practiced their own Moon landings. They read lots of Space themed picture books and learned the names of the planets through a fun song!
Senior Infants learn about The Solar System
Senior Infant enjoyed learning all the names of the planets in our solar system. They talked about astronauts and what it would be like to travel to space. The children made their own rockets in art and put a photo of their faces on the pictures of their astronauts. They also read a story “Back to Earth with a Bump”.
Step 2: Technology
3rd Class build Simple Circuits
3rd Class spent some time learning about electrical circuits. They investigated simple circuits in homes and schools. They then created their own simple circuits and discussed and experimented ways to extend the circuits and make them bigger. They also explored what complete and incomplete circuits were and the reasons for this.
Wind Turbines and Solar Energy with engineer Sinéad Kelly
Senior Infants, 1st Class and 5th Class were learning about solar energy and wind turbines. Sinéad Kelly, a mammy in our school and an engineer visited from DKIT and taught the classes all about wind turbines and energy. They enjoyed building their own turbines.
Lots of use of our school Chrome Books and Ipads in our STEM learning!
Step 3: Engineering
Understanding how Everyday Objects Work:
5th Class Design and Make maps
As part of Engineers Week 5th Class studied maps of towns and identified significant features common to different towns. They then worked collaboratively to engineer their own maps.
5th Class Design and Make maps
As part of Engineers Week 5th Class studied maps of towns and identified significant features common to different towns. They then worked collaboratively to engineer their own maps.
Junior Infants STEM challenge: Design and make a witch's broom
At Halloween Junior Infants decided to design a super broom for a witch after reading the book 'Room on the Broom'. Some of the stimulus questions were:
Is there a place for the witch to sit?
Is there a shower for the frog?
Is there a nest for the bird?
What would you super broom have?
They worked through these questions to design and make the best possible broom for a witch!
At Halloween Junior Infants decided to design a super broom for a witch after reading the book 'Room on the Broom'. Some of the stimulus questions were:
Is there a place for the witch to sit?
Is there a shower for the frog?
Is there a nest for the bird?
What would you super broom have?
They worked through these questions to design and make the best possible broom for a witch!
2nd Class design and make Parachutes
Our 2nd class engineers had to make a parachute that could float down to the ground from a height with a toy person attached! They learned all about design, weight and how wind keeps the parachute up until it lands on the ground!
Lots of Design and Make Challenges happened across all of our classes this year!
DKIT Primary School Engineering Activities
Our school was very lucky to be able to participate in a number of engineering activities organised by DKIT. 3rd and 4th class got to attend a workshop in DKIT hosted for primary school students. While some of our 6th class students took part in the DKIT Engineer’s Ireland North East STEM Table Quiz.
Step 4: Maths
Lots of integrated Maths learning across our STEM subjects!
2nd Class enjoyed lots of fun with their maths learning!
Plane Investigation:
The boys and girls in 2nd class decided to design and make paper planes. They integrated their maths learning to measure the distances the planes could travel and to compare and contrast designs that worked well and those that needed improvements. They investigated ways to improve their designs so that they would travel further. They showcased their designs at the Science Fair where the whole school got to take part in making and measuring their own designs!
Fun with length!
The children were learning all about length in maths. They wondered who could jump the furthest from standing start! The boys and girls talked about “momentum” “technique” and “power” to make their jumps better! It definitely worked!!!
Surface area:
2nd Class learned all about surface area. They used their estimating and measuring skills to enhance their learning.
Practical tasks and a whole load of fun !
The boys and girls in 2nd class decided to design and make paper planes. They integrated their maths learning to measure the distances the planes could travel and to compare and contrast designs that worked well and those that needed improvements. They investigated ways to improve their designs so that they would travel further. They showcased their designs at the Science Fair where the whole school got to take part in making and measuring their own designs!
Fun with length!
The children were learning all about length in maths. They wondered who could jump the furthest from standing start! The boys and girls talked about “momentum” “technique” and “power” to make their jumps better! It definitely worked!!!
Surface area:
2nd Class learned all about surface area. They used their estimating and measuring skills to enhance their learning.
Practical tasks and a whole load of fun !
Senior Infants enjoyed learning about floating and sinking integrating their capacity learning
Senior Infants had great fun finding different objects that sink and that float in water. They watched a simple power point on floating and sinking. They also completed a worksheet; predicted the outcomes orally and then checked by putting the object into the water to see what happened. The boys and girls integrated this learning with our capacity learning in maths.
Junior Infants have fun with maths!
Measuring:
Junior Infants have been learning about measuring and using comparative language. They used their classroom height chart to measure how tall they are and also used some stretchy (sweet) shoelaces to stretch to see how long they could make them. They then ordered them from shortest to longest and from longest to shortest. The class even got to enjoy eating their own afterwards!!
Pattern Making and Shapes:
Junior Infants have been making lots of different patterns throughout the year, sometimes working collaboratively in groups and other times on their own. They used lots of different maths manipulatives and sometimes even the outside environment.
3rd Class enjoy lots of hands-on maths learning!
5th Class kicked off Maths Week with a whole school measuring of the yard!
5th class had fun estimating and measuring the perimeter of the yard to kick off Maths Week. The whole school lined the perimeter of the yard and 5th class measured using their trundle wheels!
Some classes developed Maths Trails
6th Class worked along with Junior Infants to help them complete a maths trail
Maths Week in Senior Infants
The children created their own Maths problems for homework and they really enjoyed looking at the videos and pictures on seesaw each morning. They did lots of hands on activities about the number six; played games called Spotty Dotty, Snakes and Ladders and Hidey Holes. They also completed a Maths Trail outside; the children worked with their partner and had great fun counting the various objects outside.
The children created their own Maths problems for homework and they really enjoyed looking at the videos and pictures on seesaw each morning. They did lots of hands on activities about the number six; played games called Spotty Dotty, Snakes and Ladders and Hidey Holes. They also completed a Maths Trail outside; the children worked with their partner and had great fun counting the various objects outside.
1st Class enjoyed a 2D Maths Trail around our school
Step 5: STEM Show and Tell
Scoil Mhuire gan Smál Science Fair
On 20th March this year we organised our whole school Science Fair. Each class had a table at the science fair where they presented some of the experiments and investigations they had been working on. All of the boys and girls in each class got a chance to present at their class tables. Some of the topics covered this year included:
Junior Infants: Chicks
Senior Infants: Floating and Sinking
1st Class: Chemical reactions / Water and Fat soluble solutions
2nd Class: Planes take flight
3rd Class: Electricity
4th Class: The Water Cycle
5th Class: Magnetism
6th Class: Light
