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Read on for inspiring stories from amazing schools who will receive their 10th Award of Science & Maths Excellence!
Ms. Berney from Scoil Mhuire, Rosslare Rosslare, Co Wexford tells her school’s story:
Our school got involved to help children develop an interest in science and to realise that science is everywhere in their environment e.g., air, water, engineering , living things etc., Our school participates in the the Green School project and the DPSM programme compliments this perfectly. We have just been awarded our 6th Green Flag.
We used the classroom activity pack as a catalyst to stimulate the pupils interest and get them involved in hands on science experiments. Over the years the pupils have developed scientific skills such as questioning, predicting, observing, measuring and recording. One of our aims is to develop the child's ideas and to encourage them to answer their own questions.
My favourite activity is the Design A Bridge project. It involves investigating and experimenting and can be integrated across the primary curriculum e.g. history, geography and maths. One of the pupil's favourite activities is working with magnets. They enjoy watching and making the Magnetic Car move using the repelling force between the like poles of two magnets.
Some of the field trips that we have been on as part of the programme include:
- The North Slob, Co. Wexford
- Mayglass Water Tower, Wexford
- Holmestown Recycling Centre, Wexford
- Carnsore Wind Farm, Wexford
Top tips for success in achieving an AoSME:
Our top tips are to use the classroom activity pack as a guideline to getting started. Keep a photographic record of the experiments. Get as many staff as possible involved.
Ms. Egan from St. Mary’s Central N.S. Killenaule, Thurles, Co. Tipperary tells her school’s story:
We considered it a great way to garner more knowledge about Science. DPSM provided so much needed Experiments and Explanations. They carefully structured the experiments and linked them to Science Curriculum. We were doing Science without feeling too overwhelmed. Then as our confidence grew it was marvellous to see AoSME pushing out the boundaries a bit more. We too consider Science and Maths a hugely important area of the Curriculum and we so wanted to give our pupils the best possible chance to experiment and investigate and see how both disciplines are inter-related. We feel this Programme is so worthwhile. We also availed of the opportunity of embracing all the STEPS Engineering Projects on offer over the years. What a pity they didn’t continue. Whilst they were challenging they were a great way to get children designing, experimenting and creating.
Initially we confined ourselves to the experiments outlined in DPSM Booklet. However, as we got more experience we ‘spread our wings’. Now I think it’s fair to say we encourage the children to be Investigators. We ask them to design 'Fair Tests'.
When we started out I guess we were interested in Experiments such as Diving Drops and Sinking Feelings etc. I feel as children get older they can still benefit from engaging in these experiments as their body of knowledge has increased they should have a better understanding of why things behave in a particular manner. I think the experiments on Motors and Vehicles are always challenging as our students really enjoy designing and making. We have worked on the Traffic Lights Experiment and Electric Quiz and they have yielded great satisfaction too. Dyeing with Red Cabbage, Soap and Vinegar is always good when the sun is shining we head outdoors and experiment. Children have brought in their tee-shirts and engaged in a spot of dyeing themselves. Designing and Making Rockets has proven to be a popular activity too with many of our students. Kitchen Chemistry is also fun and testing How much air our Lungs can hold never fails to impress and entertain!!! I also think since the Activities outline how Maths could be integrated into the fun activity even more learning is happening. Every class embarks on a spot of planting in the Spring.
Top tips for success in achieving an AoSME:
Don’t be afraid to get involved. Science & Engineering is all around us. It is good to investigate, to experiment and to see what happens. We can learn from our successes AND from our Failures!! There is so much information at our fingertips. We can’t know everything but isn’t it super to be able to surf the www and see what others have done? AoSME is a fantastic way to get involved. They have great ideas in their Activity Pack and even if you have exhausted those ideas there is still loads of wonderful opportunities all around us that need to be examined and explored. Tune into primaryscience.ie and their newsletter usually has some very interesting articles.
Observing Plants
Ms. Counihan from St.Damian’s NS, Quarry Drive , Perrystown, D 12 gives her insight into the DPSM Awards:
Over the years activities such as science fairs mean we engage more in sharing our learning with the whole school. We also undertake more shared activities such as table quizzes during science week, all classes participated in “hour of code” at their own level. We also love the opportunities to attend workshops and have visitors to our school to learn about Science, Maths, Engineering and Technology.
The changes in the awards over the years from Science to Science and Maths and now to STEM fit well with the cross-curriculum nature of the primary curriculum, facilitating the learning of skills which can be used across many subject areas.
I really like the balancing activities from the DPSM website, the children are so surprised by the results and I love the fact that it can be done so easily in the classroom and no resources are needed other than things that are readily available.
Over the years the children have enjoyed loads of the activities. One of their favourite activities seems to be the helicopters and without a doubt they love making their own rockets.
Top tips for success in achieving an AoSME:
Have fun and photos are the easiest way of recording achievement
Ms O’Connor from St. Brendan’s National School Fenit, Co. Kerry tells her school’s story:
Our approach to science teaching has changed since first entering the AOSME. Science has become a more hands on subject. More emphasis on predicting results and the whole discovery element in experiments – What’s going to happen? What should have happened? Why didn’t that happen? Children are more aware of science at work in their own environment and the importance of maths in science.
My favourite activity from is the Make a Rocket Activity – this activity generates a lot of excitement amongst all classes. The 'not knowing what’s going to happen' - the element of surprise as to when the rocket will take off has the children hooked from the beginning.
Our favourite activities from the DPSM website are the Design and Make activities. The children really enjoy gathering the materials and equipment needed, working together and assembling the projects and then comparing each other’s and reflecting on their work. There is a great sense of achievement when the finished product is presented. Some of the Design and Make activities completed are Design a Water Pump, Design a Boat, Design a Hovercraft and Make a Rocket.
Participation in the AOSME has always been a whole school undertaking from the beginning. St. Brendan’s N.S. feels that it is just as important to foster an awareness and a love of science and maths in the junior classes as well as middle and senior classes. There is a great sense of pride in the school at the fact that we already have 9 awards and this motivates us to work every year on award. The children have a better awareness that maths and science are very much a part of everyday life. The experiment and information available on the DPSM website make the teaching of science and maths much easier throughout the school.
Top tips for success in achieving an AoSME:
Success in AOSME is down to planning. Each class follows a set science theme every month. We have made resource boxes to go with each theme - teachers just grab the box and go. The DPSM website is also an invaluable resource with lesson plans, experiments and integration with maths at all teacher’s fingertips. Spiral Curriculum throughout school as we have a different theme every month.
Ms. Dutton from St. Paul’s JNS, Ayrfield, Dublin 13, tells her school’s story:
We believed it to be a very worthwhile scheme that would provide an impetus for a whole school approach to the teaching and learning of Science and Maths. It’s also great to get recognition by way of the award at the end of the year.
We are more likely to do the hands on experiments and to record our science activities in a more structured way so that we will have them to submit for AOSME. It has also encouraged us to display and showcase the results of our work to parents.
Regarding DPSM activities, different classes have different favourites among which are the dancing raisins, design a bridge, design a boat and rocket launch. The activity movies are also a fun and exciting way of presenting activities to our classes.
The children most enjoy the hands-on activities. The children enjoy them because they provide an opportunity for them to think creatively, to work collaboratively and to experiment. It also gives them the opportunity to work through their ideas and to discuss the results of their experiments with their teacher and classmates and to record their results and then to see their work displayed.
Top tips for success in achieving an AoSME:
- Get every class involved.
- Appoint a co-ordinator at the beginning of each year.
- Divide up the workload and book speaker/school trip early.
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