Science Week 2024
Science Week took place from 10th - 17th November. All pupils had lots of fun carrying out experiments and engaging with online workshops.
Space Week 2024
Planet research & mini projects as part of Space Week 2024.
Science Week 2023
Science Week took place from 12th - 19th November. All pupils had lots of fun carrying out experiments, learning about famous Scientists and engaging with online workshops.
Science Week 2022
Everyone enjoyed taking part in Science Week this year. Pupils watched an online Science show and carried out some kitchen chemistry experiments!
September: Living Things
We began this year in Science looking at our bodies. We studied the skeleton and the children made a skeleton in their pods using card, bone cut outs and pins.
Linking with Food Dudes the children studied the Food Pyramid and the digestive system.
Additionally, the children studied the brain and the nervous system. Finally, the children studied the heart and lungs, making a model of the lungs using a bottle and a balloon.
October: Environmental Awareness and Care
This month we studied climate change and took part in Climate Action week from October 8th to 11th. We studied how global warming is affecting our planet, we examined the environmental impact of fossil fuel use and the importance of renewable sources of energy. We took part in the Plant One Million Trees Campaign and registered for our next Green Flag which is Global Citizenship. We attended a webinar on climate change from An Taisce and set about writing our own school sustainability goals. Finally, we linked respiration and its importance for our bodies to the importance of the rainforests as the lungs of our planet.
Science Week
Science week saw the children perform a range of experiments both at school and at home, uploading their work by video on Seesaw. The children attended a number of online webinars that complimented the work done in the classroom.
November: Materials
This month we focused on materials. We examined the structure of materials in terms of solids, liquids and gases. We explored the structure of atoms and molecules and their presentation in solids, liquids and gases.
We examined acids and bases and explored the use of red cabbage as an indicator of whether a substance is an acid or a base. We examined the impact of acids and bases on materials through an experiment that placed bones in various solutions.
December: Environmental Awareness and Care
This month we focused on the importance of clean water in our homes. We discussed the uses of water and the importance of clean drinking water. We followed the journey of water from our source to tap and discussed large scale filtration projects. Finally, we made a water filter in class, using a bottle, sand, gravel, stones and different filters to test efficiency.
January and February: Energy and Forces
This month the children explored the properties of light. The children used prisms to split light, they made Newton's reverse rainbow, and examined how a rainbow is created. In addition the children explored how light interacts with transparent, translucent and opague materials. Finally, the children explored how our eyes perceive colour.
Use of Prisms to Split Light
Newton's Reverse Rainbow
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March: Energy and Forces
This month we are exploring energy and force. We started by exploring how we use the forces of push and pull in our environment. We then made a catapult, following and instructional video link. We modified our catapults in order to shoot further and also to increase accuracy!
Friction
As part of energy and forces we are learning about friction. We performed a test looking at friction and shoes!
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April
Gravity
This month in Science we have been exploring Newton's Laws of gravity.
Using time-lapse to check that objects fall at the same rate.
Marble Drop
Measuring the crater made by the impact of the marble from different heights.
Influence of an incline!
Measuring the impact of an incline on speed and rolling distance of a ball and a car!
Air Resistance
Exploring air resistance through parachutes of different sizes dropped from the same height!
Electric Circuits
We made an electric circuit that made a bulb light up! We also made an electric circuit that powered a fan!!
May and June
Environmental Awareness and Care.
The work over these months included a survey of the signs of summer on the school grounds and a nature walk to explore the plants in the hedgerows near the school. The work also included planting flowers and vegetables in the school garden.
Science 2020 to 2021
Science
Despite the school closure, we still learned lots in Science this year. We carried out investigations in each of the strand areas; Living Things, Energy and Forces, Materials, Environmental Awareness and Care.
Living Things
When we returned to school in September, 2nd - 6th Class learned all about the brain. They looked at the different parts of the brain and their functions. 5th & 6th Class pupils also learned about the different types of intelligences and took a quiz to find out their own dominant intelligence.
During the school closure, our school chose Polar Regions as our whole-school topic. This was a great topic to cover during remote learning as pupils could read about different polar animals using Seesaw. They then researched their favourite animals and completed mini-projects on them, which they could share on Seesaw.
In May, we studied the Rainforest as a whole-school topic. As part of this topic, we learned lots about the plants, animals and the climate of the rainforest. The Infant classroom set up a rainforest in their socio-dramatic area and learned about some of the animals and their life cycles. 2nd, 3rd & 4th Class learned about animal classification and then used branching databases to identify rainforest plants and animals. 5th & 6th Class also worked to identify new plants and animals and then they created PowerPoint presentations about their chosen Rainforest animal.
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Energy and Forces
Magnetism - Junior Infants, Senior Infants and 1st Class enjoyed investigating magnets in their classroom. They explored lots of different material to see which ones were attracted to the magnets.
Electricity - 2nd-6th Class spent lots of time learning about electricity this year. They explored electricity in their environment - at home and at school - and they learned about the journey of electricity across the country, from power stations to homes and businesses. Pupils then looked at static electricity and carried out their own experiments with balloons. Next, they investigated how electricity travels by building simple circuits. They examined different types of batteries and then worked in pairs to connect the components and build a circuit, which powered lightbulbs and electronic motors.
Materials
During Science Week, all pupils carried out lots of materials experiments. They investigated the properties and characteristics of materials and how some materials can be changed by mixing. The pupils explored the density of different materials and learned that some materials will always stay separate and won't mix due to their different densities.
Environmental Awareness and Care
Scavenger Hunt/Tree Hunt - In Autumn, the Junior classes took part in a scavenger hunt around the school grounds, while the middle and senior classes had a tree hunt. We have a wide variety of trees and shrubs around our school so the pupils found plenty of different leaves, nuts, seeds and fruit!
The Rainforest/Deforestation - The middle and senior classes learned about deforestation and the damage that has been caused as a result of human activity in the rainforest regions. They worked in pairs to discuss the issue and devise some ideas to tackle the issue and preserve the rainforest.
Earth Day - To celebrate Earth Day 2021, 5th and 6th Class pupils took part in 'Cool Fossils and Hot (Climate) Facts', an online event by the National Museum of Ireland – Natural History and the Rediscovery Centre. They learned about some cool fossils from Ice Age Ireland, including woolly mammoth, spotted hyena, giant deer, brown bear and grey wolves. Then they watched science experiments to explain how CO2 causes global warming. The children then completed activities based on what they had seen during the show.
Science Week 2020
Science Week ran from 8th-15th November. This year marked 25 years of Science Week and we engaged in lots of fun activities to celebrate. The Infant room carried out some Science Experiments - 'Storm in a Glass' and 'Dry Erase'. The Middle and Senior Classes learned about famous Irish Scientists, past and present. 2nd, 3rd and 4th Class designed their own inventions as well as learning about and investigating their heart rate. They also carried out some cool experiments - 'Storm in a Glass', 'Lava Lamps' and 'Walking on Air'. They watched an online Science Show from SFI titled 'That's Non-sense' which was really enjoyable. 5th and 6th Class pupils watched RTÉ's Science Week programme 'Future Island' as part of their homework. They worked on the Science Week Booklet challenge 'Design your School for Wellbeing' and planned and sketched what their ideal school of the future would be like. On Friday we finished off the week with a Science showcase - via Zoom! 5th and 6th Class pupils prepared various Science experiments at home and they carried them out while Ms. Gallagher's and Ms. Nolan's classes watched onscreen in their own classrooms!
Space Week 2020
Space Week took place from the 4th - 10th October. Although our participation in Space Week was a little different this year, each classroom marked the week in their own way. 2nd, 3rd and 4th Class brainstormed all about Space, looked at Space books, learned a little bit about some of the Constellations and investigated the International Space Station. They watched videos of astronauts showing how they live and work on the ISS. 5th and 6th Class investigated the moon. The learned about the different phases of the moon and created some beautiful Lunar Landscapes in Art.
Science Week 2019
Science Week took place from 10th - 17th November.
During Science Week 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th took part in various experiments throughout the week.
These consisted of making and designing a robot that could draw a picture and that was called a “Draw Bot”. Another experiment that we took
part in was making one magnetic car race track as a group and racing against each other.
Bricks 4 Kidz came to our school and we all did a Lego workshop with the children from Fairymount NS. Bricks 4 Kidz brings Lego Technic to educate children around Ireland.
On the Friday of Science week 5th and 6th class performed experiments for the whole school in the hall. Some of the experiments that they did were: Density tower, Inflating balloon, Bouncing balls, Balancing can, Dancing raisins and loads more.
After that some students made magnetic cars and raced them and made draw bots and tested them out. All went well and we had lots of fun!
Space Week 2019
Space Week took place from 4th - 10th October. We did a Kahoot quiz for Space Week. In Science we made foam rockets and launched them into the sky. 2nd, 3rd and 4th class designed their own planets.
We also watched space videos, e.g. The first walk on the moon and the Red Bull Space Dive. The Junior room packed suitcases for Teddy's trip to Space and planned what they would take to Space in their rockets. We did space training like astronauts outside. We learnt about aerodynamics. 5th and 6th class played Space related games. We listened out for headlines about space on the news during Space week.
We all had lots of fun during Space week.
