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All Aboard SEE MONSTER

Activity Ideas

Ahoy there teachers! Here are some idea ideas for activities that can be used to extend the learning of the All Aboard SEE MONSTER assembly. They are designed for 7 – 11-year-olds and mapped to the curricula. Have fun!

Make a rain gauge

Resource link: Download the PowerPoint from SEE MONSTER Learning packs

  • Make a rain gauge and collect daily rainfall
  • Record daily rainfall over one week or longer period
  • Present the data in a graph or bar chart

Curriculum links:

  • England: Science, Working scientifically, Evaporation, Condensation, Water cycle, Materials changing state
  • Northern Ireland: Science, Changes of state in the water cycle
  • Scotland: Science, How water changes state, water cycle
  • Wales: Humanities, Enquiry, exploration and investigation, Our natural world is diverse and dynamic, Informed, self-aware citizens

Be a meteorologist and make a weather report

Resource link: Download the PowerPoint from SEE MONSTER Learning packs

  • Explore how information on the weather is gathered and the use of satellites
  • Look at the BBC weather forecast for the next seven days
  • Keep a weather diary for seven days and compare it to the forecast. Discuss findings
  • Write a script for a weather forecast and present/record their own weather forecast using appropriate software as a video or radio presentation

Curriculum links:

  • England: Geography, interpret a range of sources of geographical information; Science, gathering and recording data
  • Northern Ireland: Geography, Weather in the local area compared to places that experience very different weather
  • Scotland: Geography, By comparing my local area with a contrasting area out with Britain, I can investigate the main features of weather and climate, discussing the impact on living things
  • Wales: Humanities, Enquiry, exploration and investigation, Our natural world is diverse and dynamic, Informed, self-aware citizens

Design and make your own SEE MONSTER

  • Review the key areas and levels of SEE MONSTER using the video and SEE MONSTER virtual tour
  • Look at a building from the local area to repurpose (alternatively, base this around a disused rig)
  • Work in groups to design, plan, create & finally evaluate their own repurposed building/structure
  • Include garden area, at least one renewable energy design to power their ‘monster’, a water source to provide recycled water to the garden area
  • Create a model of their monster using recycled materials
  • Add an electrical circuit to ‘power’ the monster
  • Evaluate their model

Curriculum links:

  • England: Design and Technology, use research and develop design criteria to inform the design of innovative, functional, appealing products that are fit for purpose, aimed at particular individuals or groups
  • Northern Ireland: Art and Design, Investigate and respond to direct sensory experience, explore the visual elements of colour, tone etc
  • Scotland: Technologies, Design and construct models/product.
  • Wales: Science and Technology, I can draw inspiration to design from historical, cultural and other sources.

Make a cloud in a bottle

Resource link: Download the PowerPoint from SEE MONSTER Learning packs

  • Activities can be done over several lessons, if desired
  • Use the PowerPoint presentation to facilitate discussion on children’s knowledge of the states of matter and the properties of solids, liquids and gases
  • Discuss the water cycle, the processes that are part of it and how this relates to states of matter
  • Use the video and the PowerPoint to establish how a cloud is formed. What scientific processes are involved in cloud formation?
  • Demonstrate how to make a cloud in a bottle. Make observations and reinforce key vocabulary throughout demonstration
  • Follow up with discussion around different types of clouds
  • Take the cloud quiz (additional PowerPoint)

Curriculum links:

  • England: Science, Working scientifically, Evaporation, Condensation, Water cycle, Materials changing state
  • Northern Ireland: Science, Changes of state in the water cycle
  • Scotland: Science, How water changes state, water cycle
  • Wales: Humanities, Enquiry, exploration and investigation, Our natural world is diverse and dynamic, Informed, self-aware citizens

Create a model to demonstrate the water cycle

  • Discuss the water cycle and the processes involved. Clarify and define the key vocabulary
  • Show the children several images that show the process of the water cycle
  • Create a model in a bowl to show the water cycle process. Collect soil, create mountains using stones, add water and cover with cling film. Leave it and make observations using key scientific vocabulary
  • Write an explanation of the water cycle to go with their model

Curriculum links:

  • England: Science, Working scientifically, Evaporation, Condensation, Water cycle, Materials changing state
  • Northern Ireland: Science, Changes of state in the water cycle
  • Scotland: Science, How water changes state, water cycle
  • Wales: Humanities, Enquiry, exploration and investigation, Our natural world is diverse and dynamic, Informed, self-aware citizens

Explore STEAM careers and their impact on the world

Resource link: Download the PowerPoint from SEE MONSTER Learning packs

  • Teacher to use the PowerPoint slides as a first point of research. Children can work through the different activities on each slide
  • Children select one of the people on the PowerPoint for further research
  • Children create a fact sheet about their chosen person including key aspects of their career and their impact on the world
  • Children decide how to present their work to the class

Curriculum links:

  • England: PSHE, Economic wellbeing, Aspirations, work and career
  • Northern Ireland: Thinking Skills and Personal Capabilities
  • Scotland: Health and wellbeing, Planning for choices and changes
  • Wales: Science and Technology

Be a journalist

  • SEE MONSTER has appeared in the ocean. Where has it come from? How did it get here? Why is it here? Use the SEE MONSTER virtual tour for inspiration
  • Be the journalist and write a newspaper report for the local paper
  • Include the key features of a newspaper report and use key objectives for writing specific to your year group, such as fronted adverbials, prepositions, direct/indirect speech, range of adjectives
  • Alternatively, children can create their report in the style of a podcast

Curriculum links:

  • England: English, Writing
  • Northern Ireland: Language & Literacy, Writing
  • Scotland: Languages, Literacy & English, Writing
  • Wales: Languages, Literacy & Communication, Literature

Explore and create tessellating patterns using 2D shapes

Resource links: Twinkl, Tessellation;  BBC Bitesize,  What is tessellation?

  • Look at the kinetic skin on SEE MONSTER using the video and the SEE MONSTER virtual tour
  • Use 2D shape tiles to create tessellating patterns, discuss the properties required for shapes to create a tessellating pattern
  • Do the shapes all have to be exactly the same? Children explore this question and come up with examples to prove/disprove
  • Children use squared paper to provide examples
  • Children design and create their own tessellating skin - link to Science for properties of materials

Curriculum links:

  • England: Maths, Shapes
  • Northern Ireland: Mathematics and Numeracy, Shape and space
  • Scotland: Numeracy and Mathematics, Shape, position and movement
  • Wales: Mathematics and Numeracy, Shape, space and position

 Create a voiceover for the video

  • Use the All Aboard SEE MONSTER video, without the sound
  • Children create a voiceover in a documentary style explaining the different parts of SEE MONSTER and the roles of the different people interviewed
  • Children use key vocabulary - specify technical, descriptive, and imaginative vocabulary

Curriculum links:

  • England: English, Writing; Science, Working scientifically; Geography
  • Northern Ireland: Language & Literacy, Writing; The World Around Us
  • Scotland: Languages: Literacy & English, Writing; Science; Social studies
  • Wales: Languages, Literacy & Communication, Literature; Humanities; Science and Technology

Describe SEE MONSTER

  • Children use descriptive language and key objectives for writing appropriate to their year group/age to write a description of SEE MONSTER or their own SEE MONSTER
  • Look at the SEE MONSTER website and SEE MONSTER virtual tour to observe features in closer detail
  • Use all the senses to describe the Monster
  • Write a story about SEE MONSTER and include the description as part of the story

Curriculum links:

  • England: English, Writing
  • Northern Ireland: Language & Literacy, Writing
  • Scotland: Languages, Literacy & English, Writing
  • Wales: Languages, Literacy & Communication, Literature

Create a soundscape of a journey through SEE MONSTER

Resource link: Download the PowerPoint from SEE MONSTER Learning packs

  • Explore the virtual tour of SEE MONSTER, discussing the sounds heard as the class explore the different levels and areas
  • Children explore using sound effects, software (if available) and other available resources to create a soundscape of SEE MONSTER
  • Create a different soundscape on each floor and area of SEE MONSTER.  There is the potential to work in groups with a different composition for each area
  • Alongside the music composition, create art to map out the sound journey through SEE MONSTER

Curriculum links:

  • England: Music, Critical engagement, create and compose, experiment with sound; Art and Design, Using art to share ideas; Computing: Safe technology use, Evaluative skills
  • Northern Ireland: Music, Create short musical patterns, investigate ways of preserving the music they have created
  • Scotland: Art and Design, Create and present work that shows developing skill; Music
  • Use voice, musical instruments and music technology to experiment with sounds, pitch, melody, rhythm, timbre and dynamics
  • Wales: Expressive Arts, Exploring the expressive arts, Responding and reflecting

Explore renewable/non-renewable energy sources

Resource Link: Use the first few slides on Solar energy and Wind power from the KS3 PowerPoint resource at SEE MONSTER Learning packs

Curriculum links:

  • England: Science, Working scientifically; PSHE, Living in the wider world, sustainable development and global citizenship
  • Northern Ireland: The World Around Us; Science
  • Scotland: Planet Earth, energy sources and sustainability
  • Wales: Humanities; Science and Technology, forces and energy

Further learning opportunities

  • Explore spelling patterns in and around SEE MONSTER, for example – root words and suffixes (root word = install, suffix = ation); root words and prefixes (reuse/recycle: root word = use, prefix = re-); hyphenated words (renewable; non-renewable)
  • Write a report of ‘A day on SEE MONSTER’ using the SEE MONSTER virtual tour to support the journey through the different areas
  • Create a brochure to advertise SEE MONSTER using the SEE MONSTER virtual tour
  • Create a voice recording of your own Shipping Forecast
  • Complete a reading comprehension about energy, the water cycle, or create your own using the video - stopping at sections to ask questions
  • Use SEE MONSTER website audio tour to listen, take notes then create their own presentation of what is on each floor of SEE MONSTER.
  • Using the measurements of SEE MONSTER from the video (35 metres high), map out the height of SEE MONSTER (if there is enough available outside space). Measure out the Solar Tree or Cloud Portal to scale using measurements found on SEE MONSTER website and audio tour.
  • Using the SEE MONSTER virtual tour, locate the Garden Lab level and the Wind Sculpture section. Children to design and make their own wind sculpture for the playground/garden.