Skills development for infant classes

Working scientifically

Throughout their science investigations children should be aware of and encouraged to adopt safe practices. They should observe safety procedures in designing and making tasks, particularly when they are using tools and materials.

Through completing the strand units of the science curriculum the child should be enabled to

Questioning

• ask questions about animals and plants, familiar objects and events in theimmediate environment
  
  What is it? Where does it live?
  What do you hear, see or smell?
  How does it move? What helps these plants to grow?
  How many marbles can this toy boat carry?
  Which material will make the best umbrella?

Observing

• use the senses to observe animals, plants, objects and events in the immediate environment
• observe characteristics such as the shape, size, colour, pattern, texture, sound and smell of familiar things in the local environment
• observe differences and similarities hot/cold, wet/dry, heavy/light

Predicting

• guess and suggest what will happen next in structured situations
  What will happen to the ruler if we place it in water?
  I think it will float/I think it will sink

Investigating and experimenting

• carry out simple investigations set by the teacher, make observations and collect data

Estimating and measuring

• describe mass and length using non-standard units and informal language
• compare and estimate is bigger than, is heavier than
• match objects of equal length

Analysing

Sorting and classifying

• sort and group objects according to observable features
  set of red objects, set of floaters, set of heavy things

Recording and communicating

• describe his/her observations orally using an increasing vocabulary
• represent findings pictorially and in other media models, friezes information and communication technologies.

Integration

Activities in the mathematics curriculum will inform and complement this unit.

Mass and weight

In everyday speech the term 'weight' is used to describe mass and weight. However, weight is not the same as mass. The mass of an object is the amount of material or matter it contains; the weight of an object is the amount of force being exerted on it by the pull of gravity. Most children, during the primary years, will not have developed the ability to grasp thedistinction between mass and weight. However, by the end of the senior classes they could be encouraged to use the term 'mass'.

Designing and making

Throughout their science investigations children should be aware of and encouraged to adopt safe practices. They should observe safety procedures in designing and making tasks, particularly when they are using tools and materials.

Through completing the strand units of the science curriculum the child should be enabled to

Exploring

• handle and manipulate a range of materials in structured and unstructured situations
• observe, investigate and describe familiar objects
  state what he/she likes or dislikes about objects
  discuss why people have a need for them

Planning

• imagine and suggest a possible object to be made
• choose appropriate materials from a given limited range
• talk about the plan and communicate it to others
  through discussion
  through drawing pictures
  through modelling materials such as sand, Plasticine and Duplo

Making

• make simple objects
  understand that materials can be linked together
• develop craft-handling skills and techniques needed to carry out the plan
  cutting and tearing, assembling, sticking, moulding or modelling, tying knots, folding
• use a range of tools
  scissors, pencils, hole-punch, ruler (for tearing)
• use a range of materials
  reclaimable domestic 'waste', Plasticine, adhesives, construction kits, string, cardboard, straws, paper fasteners, paper clips, adhesive tape, pipe cleaners, clay, fabric, papier mache

Evaluating

• talk about own work during design and making tasks
• report to others on what has been done
• discuss the work of peers in a positive way.

Integration
Activities throughout the strands of the visual arts curriculum will complement this unit and
provide opportunities to apply these designing and making skills.
Mathematics: Space and shape
Geography: Human environments - Living in the local community
Strand: Living things

Strand: Living things

Strand unit: Myself

The child should be enabled to

Variety and characteristics of humans

• identify parts of the male and female body
• recognise and measure physical similarities and differences between people
  Sean is smaller than Jan both Robert and Sinead have blue eyes

Human life processes

• become aware of some changes that occur as children grow and mature height, foot size design and make a slipper or shoe for self or an imaginary character
• become aware that people have a variety of needs for growth (exercise, food, clothing, shelter)
• develop an awareness of human birth
  that a baby grows and is nurtured in the mother's womb until ready to be born
• use all the senses (touch, smell, sight, taste, hearing) to become aware of and explore environments
  examine a muesli, identify and taste the ingredients, what else could be in a cereal? design a tasty cereal from a base of oatflakes and/or wheatflakes.

Strand unit: Plants and Animals

The child should be enabled to

Variety and characteristics of living things

• observe, discuss and identify a variety of plants and animals in different habitats in the immediate environment
  common trees and other plants
  common birds and other animals
  in habitats such as ponds, trees, hedges, grass, rocks, soil
• become aware of animals and plants of other environments
• sort and group living things into sets
  flowers, leaves, trees, birds, fruit and vegetables
• recognise and identify the external parts of living things
  flower, leaf, stem, root tail, leg, beak, feathers

Processes of life

• observe growth and change in some livingthings
• explore conditions for growth of bulbs and seeds
  in soil, damp moss, wet paper
• become aware that animals and plants undergo seasonal change in appearance
  or behaviour
  colour change, leaf fall, appearance of buds and shoots, hibernation.

Integration
SPHE: Myself
History: Local studies

Strand: Energy and forces

Strand unit: Light

The child should be enabled to

• identify and name different colours
• sort objects into sets according to colour
• observe colours in the local environment at school, in the home, in the street, in animal and plant life
• explore dark and bright colours and become aware of different shades of colour colour tables, coloured light
• discuss differences between day and night, light and shade
• explore how shadows are formed.

Strand unit: Sound

The child should be enabled to

• recognise and identify a variety of sounds in the environment
• identify and differentiate between high and low sounds, loud and soft sounds
• explore ways of making different sounds using a variety of materials
  tins, metals, bottles and paper.

Integration
Music: Exploring sounds

Strand unit: Heat

The child should be enabled to

• recognise the difference between hot and cold in terms of weather, food, water and the body
• identify ways of keeping objects and substances warm and cold
  wrapping and covering (e.g. cosy on teapot, cool-box, clothes, shade from sunlight)
  design and make a suitable cover to keep a hot drink warm.

Linkage
Materials - Materials and change

Integration
Geography: Natural environments - Weather

Strand unit: Magnetism and electricity

The child should be enabled to

• use magnets of different shapes and sizes in purposeful play to explore their effects on different materials
• investigate the fact that magnets attract certain materials design and make a container (incorporating a magnet) that will keep all teacher's paper clips together
• become aware of the uses of electricity in school and at home
• identify some household appliances that use electricity
• become aware of the dangers of electricity.

Strand unit: Forces

The child should be enabled to

• explore, through informal activity with toys, forces such as pushing and pulling
• explore how the shape of objects can be changed by squashing, pulling and other forces
• investigate how forces act on objects
  through experimenting with different materials
  group objects that will float or sink
  push objects into water.

Strand: Materials

Strand unit: Properties and characteristics of materials

The child should be enabled to

• observe and investigate a range of familiar materials in the immediate environment
  water, wood, textiles, food, plastic, metal,rock
• describe and compare materials, noting the differences in the colour, shape and texture
• know about some everyday uses of common materials
  group materials according to certain criteria
  strength, colour, texture, flexibility
• investigate materials for different properties, for example
  materials that are attracted by magnets
  materials that keep us warm
  materials that absorb water and those that are waterproof.

Strand unit: Materials and change

The child should be enabled to

• explore the effects of water on a variety of materials
• observe and describe materials when they are wet and when they are dry
  soil and paper
• identify some materials that are waterproof
  raincoat, umbrella, boot, feather, skin
  suggest materials suitable for rainy days
  design and make a waterproof outfit for a toy character or doll
• explore the effects of heating and cooling on everyday objects, materials and
  substances
  ice-cream, butter, chocolate, water.

Integration
Geography: Natural environments; Human environments

Strand: Environmental awareness and care

Strand unit: Caring for my locality

The child should be enabled to

• observe, discuss and appreciate the attributes of the local environment
  beauty and diversity of plants and animals in
  a variety of habitats
  attractive elements of physical, natural and human features
• appreciate that people share the environment with plant and animal life
• develop a sense of responsibility for taking care of and improving the environment
• identify, discuss and implement simple strategies for improving and caring for the
  environment
  
  things I can do
  caring for clothes, toys and other possessions
  keeping home, garden, classroom and street clean and tidy
  caring for living and non-living things in the locality
  things we can do together
  keeping classroom, school and play spaces clean, tidy and safe
  disposing of litter appropriately
  collecting paper or cans for recycling
  caring for living and non-living things in the locality.

Linkage
Many of the objectives of this strand will be achieved as children complete work in other strands of the science curriculum.

Integration
Environmental awareness and care is a cross-curricular strand common to the scienceand geography curricula.
SPHE: Myself and the wider world - Environmental care