Orla Harney BEd.

Primary 3 Activity Based Learning Planner- To Infinity and Beyond (starting end Feb/ March)
Managing Information, Thinking, Problem Solving and Decision Making, Being Creative, Working with Others, Self-Management UICT

Week Literacy Focus Numeracy Focus STEM Focus Art Focus Small World Focus Mental Maths/Phonics
Number Focus
1 Writing 100 Square 1. Building rockets Using different Creating different The ‘oa’ sound
St Patrick’s Day (Polydron) shades/tones of symbols in relation to (phonics)
(seasonal) 100 Square St -Can you build a rocket the same colour. St Patrick.
Pot of Gold Patrick’s Day using the Polydron? Word sort using read,
-What would you Mosaic -What does a rocket look Shamrock art- Using playdough and write inc cards and
hope to find at the -Finding numbers like? using scrunched playdough mats to Tuff Tray.
bottom of a rainbow? on 100 square -What would you need to up tissue paper in follow instructions and (TSPC) (TSPC)
Why? (TSPC) (following on from consider before building a various colours of create shamrocks, St (TSPC)
previous Numeracy rocket? green to design Patrick, 4 leaf clovers
Word Unscramble (in classwork) -How big would the own unique and own creation to
pairs) -Language: in rocket need to be? Why? shamrock. explain the holy
-Can you identify any between, above, (TSPC) (TSPC) (TSPC) (TSPC) (TSPC) trinity. (TSPC) (TSPC)
vowels? below, beside, (TSPC) (TSPC) (TSPC)
-Are there any before and after. 2. Building rocket
possible blends? (TSPC) launch pads (Lego).
-How does this help -What is a rocket launch
you? (TSPC) (TSPC) Code Breaker pad?
-Completing -Why do astronauts need
Making story out of numeracy sums a launch pad for the
an extra sentence. (within 100- rocket?
-Remember to use addition and -What things do you need
our sentence rules subtraction) to to consider before making
(capital letters, full break the St a launch-pad (the size of
stops and adjectives) Patrick’s day code. the rocket, the fire,
-Can you include a (TSPC) (TSPC) location of the launch-
simile? Or pad)
alliteration? (TSPC) -What would be the best
Orla Harney BEd. 4

(TSPC) material to use to make a

real-life rocket launch
pad?
(TSPC) (TSPC) (TSPC)
(TSPC) (TSPC)

2 Presenting Problem Solving Cognitive Problem Mother’s Day Exploring planets in Time
information through Solar system code Solving (seasonal) the Solar System Tuff tray- digital times
Literacy breaker (missing STEM cognitive wheel ‘Ha-Pea’ written and children
**Non-fiction space number addition and cog activity. Mother’s day card Building a jigsaw of have to read the digital
books on table tops to and subtraction -Making the cogs inside (using correctly the Solar System time, convert it to
assist children sums- identified as the engine of a rocket. sized peas and (labelled planet, star analogue time, show
iPads: create a fact an area to be -How many cogs will you pods) and asteroid names) this on a yellow clock
book about chosen reinforced in term 1 need? (TSPC) (TSPC) (TSPC) (TSPC) and place it beside the
planet on Book plans). (TSPC) -How can you match the corresponding digital
Creator (UICT) (TSPC) cogs up so you only have time.
If I could invent a to move the first one to (TSPC) (TSPC)
planet activity. Peg boards: making start the pattern? (TSPC)
Children to make up a rocket. (TSPC) (TSPC) (TSPC)
their own planet and -Which colours will Can you make the planets
describe it using you need? and order them correctly?
adjectives, similes -Which pattern will (magnetic lego)
and alliteration. you create/follow. (TSPC) (TSPC) (TSPC)
(TSPC) (TSPC) (TSPC)

Playdough:
Reading, deciding
on and making
space related items
(rocket, spaceship,
fuel, jet packs)
Directional
language: beside,
above, below,
inside, outside.
Orla Harney BEd. 4

(TSPC)
3 Researching and Developing Spatial Fine Motor Skills Using different Putting together the Word Building
Organising Reasoning Basket weaving: children layers. parts of a rocket ‘s’ sound using
Information -Spatial board to basket weave to make Children will -Floor puzzle jigsaw. magnetic letters on tuff
-Children to use game (in pairs) space helmets. complete their (TSPC) (TSPC) tray.
iPads to research -Geoboards and -What do you need to version of the (TSPC) (TSPC) (TSPC)
facts about a chosen elastic bands: consider before starting? solar system using
planet. Children to make -Can there be any spaces? oil pastels.
-These facts to be constellations using Why not? Children will
recorded and given examples and design the planets
presented using own knowledge. Needles, thread and foam using oil pastilles
Green Screen. -Hammer and nails- boards and blending
(UICT) (TSPC) children to make -Children to make a route (including
(TSPC) space picture: to show how a planet shadows) and
planets in order and orbits around the sun by then stick these
organised so they attaching pins to the foam onto the card in
all fit. board and using string to order to show the
(TSPC) (TSPC) map the route. impact of
(TSPC) (TSPC) layering.
Wooden boards and (TSPC) (TSPC)
thread.
-Children to map the route
of a satellite using the
string on the wooden
board as a map.
(TSPC) (TSPC) (TSPC)

4 Independent Reinforcing tricky Building Investigation Easter Cards Rocket Model and Place Value
Writing topics K’Nex- Building a (seasonal) Space characters. Tuff Tray
What to bring in a Space race (board satellite. Using finger -Can you get the How many tens and
rocket? game -What parts will you painting, spatial spaceship ready for units are in each of the
-What will you need? adding/subtracting need? reasoning, take-off? What will numbers? (Dienes)
Why? 11) -What will it look like? sticking and fine you need to organise? (TSPC) (TSPC)
-Can you order these? iPads Rocket motor skills. (TSPC) (TSPC)
-Why did you choose Rounding game Building a space suit (TSPC) (TSPC) (TSPC)
Orla Harney BEd. 4

this order? Planet puzzles using Lego.

Space Pictures (spatial reasoning)- -What will the space suit
-Can you caption organising, need?
these pictures using a ordering and -How big will it be?
full sentence? answering -What features would be
-What is happening? questions about important for a space suit
How do you know? size and location of to have in Space? Would
Labelling planets planets in patterns. this be different for
-Can you order the (TSPC) (TSPC) different planets? Why?
planets and label (TSPC)
them? (TSPC) (TSPC) (TSPC)
-Answering questions (TSPC)
using prepositions.
(e.g. which planet is
in between Venus
and Mars?
(TSPC) (TSPC)
5 Reading Skills Problem Solving Space Construction Jet Packs Exploring planets Word Building
Fact hunt: Read Mystery on Planet Building an electronic Using 2L water Using the control pad -Using the balls and
planet fact cards and Zoog: Children will space buggy (using new bottles, felt and which planets will you cupcake cases how
answer questions become detectives construction) tin foil make a jet visit? Can you keep a many target words can
about different and solve tens and (TSPC) (TSPC) (TSPC) pack. log of what you find you make?
planets using the units problems to (TSPC) (TSPC) using your Space log (TSPC) (TSPC) TSPC
given information. gain clues to solve book?
Read and colour: the mystery on (TSPC) (TSPC) TSPC
Space themed read Zoog.
and colour target (TSPC) (TSPC)
words.
(TSPC) (TSPC)

6 Travelling to Space Shape and Space Printing Exploring the Moon Partitioning to add
-Space Passport Cut and stick build Space pictures. Sand box- what can On the tuff tray
-Astronaut a rocket using 2d Make stamper and you find? partition the numbers
application form. shapes. print onto card to What imprints can you using dienes and add
What things would Build a rocket make a Space make? Will these stay? together.
Orla Harney BEd. 4

you need to be able to using 3D shapes. collage. Why? (TSPC) (TSPC)

do to become an Space bar graph: (TSPC)
astronaut? Count and plot the (TSPC) (TSPC) (TSPC) (TSPC
Why would you space shapes on a
make a good bar graph.
astronaut? (TSPC) (TSPC)
How could you earn
your space passport?
(TSPC) (TSPC)
(TSPC)