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ASSIGNMENT
Choose one of the options below and write 150 words in the discussion forum:
- Describe how you could apply some of the concepts and skills you have learned in this module to your own teaching practice in line with the STEM Education policy statement
- Having reviewed the paper Unravelling STEM: Beyond the Acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (Liston 2018) reflect on what STEM education looks like in your classroom.
- Try out some of the referenced classroom investigations for yourself or look at other resources and describe how you would conduct a lesson on mirrors, lenses and telescopes or looking out at the night sky for your class.
- Using the I-Lofar radio telescope as inspiration and some of the introduced lesson plans and themed frameworks as reference, outline how you would conduct an inquiry based lesson on waves, sound and light and make it accessible to your pupils.
Please also comment on at least one other participant’s post.
UPDATE JULY 25: Since July 1st our facilitators have occasionally observed that course reflections may be generated with the assistance of AI tools. While AI can be a helpful support for drafting ideas or exploring different ways to express your thinking, it is essential that your forum posts reflect your own understanding and engagement with the course content. This is in line with the Department of Education and Youth’s Summer Course guidelines.
Before posting to the forum, we encourage you to take a moment to review your contributions and, if necessary, revise them to ensure they are appropriate and authentically your own. -
After reviewing the paper Unravelling STEM: Beyond the Acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths, I have reflected deeply on the purpose and potential of STEM education in my classroom. Liston challenges educators to move beyond viewing STEM as a set of discrete subjects and but to view it as an integrated, holistic approach to learning that promotes critical thinking, creativity, and real-world problem solving.
In my own teaching, I’ve often been reluctant to approach STEM activities focusing only on science experiments or building activities. However, Liston’s wants us to use a more interconnected and socially conscious approach, this has encouraged me to open my mind up to stem and to reconsider how I design learning experiences. For example, when teaching about renewable energy, I would get the students to design solar panels out of various materials, investigate the environmental benefits, cost of products to make solar panels and figure out things like location, angles etc.
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I also agree with Danielle’s comments. Dr Maeve Liston’s points about a holistic approach to STEM as oppossed to Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths singly is food for thought. I would always be eager to carry out active learning, investigation and experiments in Science lessons but now see that there are so many more opportunities to apply STEM thinking to other subjects.
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I agree too , Stem needs to be project or theme based and ass the various subjects into it rather than seeing it as a standalone. Often there is too much reliance on textbooks to the detriment of active learning and learning in the environment . Its all about confidence and starting small and building on it. The sense of achievement is great when an active outdoor learning lesson goes to plan but it does require significant work on the part of the teacher but …. once the work is put it you can re use the lesson again and again. Beats a book anyday !
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I agree with you, Danielle. I think it’s great how you’re connecting STEM to real-world ideas like renewable energy. Letting students explore things like cost, location, and materials makes learning more meaningful. Also working in groups on these projects can help students share ideas and learn from each other while solving real problems.
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Hi Danielle
Welcome to the course and thank you for sharing your thoughts on Liston’s paper. This paper encourages us all to think about a holistic approach to STEM in our classrooms. I like how you outlined exploring solar panels in the classroom with lots of opportunity for STEM based activities. The STEPS to Engineering challenge for 3rd & 4th classes also encourages children to reflect on their community and what they could design and create to help their community. Having completed that with my class, I saw the true benefits of this approach and how it can be developed further with future topics.
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Applying the concepts and skills in this module to my own teaching:
The Curious Minds/Esero Framework for enquiry template is definitely something I will make use of next year. The ‘wondering’ part of the engagement process is something that I would like to give more time to. I also think that ‘Take the Next Step’ section is an area that I need to allow more time for and place more value on, rather than just investigate and then reflect.
This will provide the children with opportunities for agency in their own learning, extending and applying their knowledge.
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Hi Danielle, the children designing their own solar panels is such a good idea as it is so relevant at the moment. A lot of the children, especially the older ones will be familiar with their parents getting solar panels installed on their homes and it will make the learning so much more meaningful for them.
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Hi Danielle,
Embracing Liston’s call for an integrated, socially conscious approach allows students to see STEM not just as content, but as a way of thinking and engaging with the world. Your renewable energy activity is an excellent example as it connects science, maths, engineering and environmental issue in a hands-on way. By involving students in real-world challenges like designing solar panels, considering cost, efficiency, and environmental impact, you’re encouraging them to think like innovators and responsible global citizens.
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I will be teaching 3rd class from September, I have looked at some of the resources shared in the module and have made a brief lesson plan to introduce the topic of mirrors, lenses and telescopes to my class.
Introduction: Engage, wonder
To engage the children in the lesson I would start with a prompt question e.g. Have you ever looked at the stars or planets at night? How could you see it more closely? Show a photo of a telescope and ask if anyone has used one. Briefly introduce the idea that mirrors reflect light, lenses bend light, and telescopes use both to help us see far away into space.Main Activity: Explore
1. Mirrors
Give pupils a small mirror and have them reflect sunlight or a torch beam onto a surface (safely). Discuss how light bounces off mirrors in straight lines. Create a simple maze on paper and ask pupils to try reflecting light through the maze using a mirror.2. Lenses
Let students use magnifying glasses to look at text or objects. Demonstrate how lenses make things appear bigger by bending light.3. Telescopes
Show a simple diagram of a telescope. Explain how it uses both mirrors and lenses to help us see planets, stars, and galaxies. Show real images of what a telescope sees and compare them to the naked eye. Design and make element using the make a periscope resource from Discover Primary Science. -
Hi Patricia,
I think your class will really enjoy that journey from ‘wondering’ to ‘exploring’. I especially liked your choice to start with an open-ended question about the stars. That kind of curiosity-led opening really gets the children talking and sharing their experiences, which is such a lovely way to kick off a STEM topic.I’m also planning to work with mirrors and magnifying glasses in a similar way with my 4th class next year. I hadn’t thought of creating a maze for the mirror reflection — I think that’s such a fun idea that could be adapted for different needs and abilities. And using the periscope design ties it all together beautifully.
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Hi Patricia,
Thanks for your post and welcome to the course!
Your activity outline is well-suited to your future third-class learners, and I like how it has a simple prompt to open the activity and elicit prior knowledge from your group. It could lead to the development of a KWL chart to create a visual display to support learners during this activity. The mirror maze is a great way for learners to interact with reflecting light and gain hands-on experience of managing its path. It can also be interesting as a follow-on activity to explore ways we use mirrors in our own lives, from rearview mirrors in cars to periscopes in submarines, etc.
Space Week falls in early October and is the perfect time to explore this theme and take advantage of all the activities and resources available!
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Hi Patricia, you have a well structured lesson and I think your 3rd class students would really enjoy how this lesson is structured and there are lots of opportunities for inquiry based learning. I like the questions you have suggestion at the start of the lesson I think this will spark curiosity and discussion among your class.
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In my 6th Class classroom, STEM was always something I found difficult to get into the classroom as an enriched lesson, rather than something that was rushed. Over the last number of years, I have ensured that STEM is hands-on, inquiry-based, and integrated across subjects ( this meant that it was easier for me to dedicate more time to it).
I focus on making STEM relevant and engaging by connecting learning to real-world problems. For example, in the past, the children might design and build simple machines, investigate how mirrors and lenses work, or use coding to solve a challenge. Collaboration and creativity are central, with an emphasis on thinking critically and experimenting, not just finding the “right” answer; I found that this took quite some time to teach the children.
We explore the links between science and technology in everyday life, and I encourage the children to ask questions and test ideas. STEM becomes less about four separate subjects and more about developing skills for understanding and shaping the world around them.
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Hi Roisin,
Welcome to the course. It is important to make connections to real-world problems with the pupils in order to fully engage in STEM. Design and make activities such as building a periscope can reinforce the concept of reflection and then allow for critical thinking and problem solving on the topic of light. I agree that we have to look beyond finding the ‘right answer’ as you have mentioned and it can be a difficult for pupils to change their mindset about this.
Through developing links with STEM and real-life activities and problems it will given the pupils more skills and understanding of the world around them as you have mentioned. Thanks for sharing.
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I agree with Roisin, in relation to a hands-on STEM approach. Linking learning to real-world problems makes it engaging and purposeful. I especially like the focus on collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking. Viewing STEM as a cohesive skill set rather than four separate subjects is a powerful, transformative shift for pupils.
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Having read Unravelling STEM: Beyond the Acronym by Liston, I’ve reflected a lot on what STEM actually looks like in my own classroom. I realise that while we regularly engage with science and maths, the integration of engineering and technology elements often happens more informally through project work, design challenges, or digital tools. What stood out to me in the paper was the emphasis on STEM as a way of thinking, not just a collection of subjects.
In my class, STEM comes alive most when we work on cross-curricular tasks like designing sustainable homes in geography, measuring materials in maths, or creating digital animations in English. These moments spark real curiosity and collaboration. After reading the paper, I’m now more conscious of intentionally planning for that overlap, so that students see the connections more clearly. I want to create more space for student-led inquiry and real-world problem solving that reflects the integrated nature of STEM.
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I found the stem education policy statement very helpful on how I could apply some of the concepts and skills I have learned in this module to my classroom. I am currently teaching senior infants and love the idea of an integrated and holistic approach to applying stem thinking to other subjects. As teachers we all feel under pressure to cover all areas of the curriculum and rely heavily on an integrated approach.
In the next school year I am looking forward to adding the theme of Space to my fortnightly schemes. In art I hope to get the children to construct their own telescopes using towel rolls. In music I will teach the children the songs Twinkle Twinkle and Zoom, Zoom, Zoom, were going to the moon! I am also looking forward to reading and exploring the book Baby loves Aerospace Engineering by Ruth Spiro.
As a school we have also decided to organise a science field trip every year for the children. I think it would be a fabulous opportunity after exploring the theme of space through all subject areas that we would then take a trip to Birr castle to see a real telescope.
I have found this module most helpful and am looking forward to bring the knowledge I have gained to the classroom
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Your reflection really resonates with me. I also found Liston’s call to move beyond siloed subjects thought-provoking. STEM becomes much more powerful when it’s used to connect ideas across disciplines and tackle real-world issues. I love your renewable energy example—it’s a perfect way to integrate science, technology, engineering, and maths while also fostering awareness of sustainability. Giving students the opportunity to investigate materials, calculate costs, and consider environmental impact not only builds critical thinking but also empowers them to see themselves as problem-solvers. It’s great to hear you’re rethinking how you design learning—I’m inspired to do the same!
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It’s wonderful to see how you are taking the ideas from the STEM Education Policy Statement and applying them in creative and age-appropriate ways for senior infants. Your integrated approach to the theme of Space is a fantastic example of how STEM thinking can be woven naturally across subjects—through art, music, literacy, and science. The activities you’ve planned, from constructing telescopes to singing space-themed songs and exploring Baby Loves Aerospace Engineering, will no doubt spark curiosity and excitement for your pupils.
It’s also inspiring to hear that your school is committing to organising an annual science field trip. Linking classroom learning on space with a visit to Birr Castle to see the Great Telescope will provide the children with a truly memorable and meaningful learning experience. It’s clear that this module has given you both practical strategies and confidence to embed STEM more fully in your teaching.
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Having reviewed the paper Unravelling STEM: Beyond the Acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (Liston 2018), I have reflected on the purpose and potential of STEM education in my classroom. Liston challenges us educators to move beyond viewing STEM as a set of discrete subjects, and to view it as a holistic, integrated approach to learning. This will promote critical thinking, creativity, and real-world problem solving. Throughout my own years of teaching, I have often been reluctant to approach STEM activities focusing only on science experiments. However, Liston’s wants us to use a more interconnected and socially conscious approach. This has encouraged me to become more open minded about stem, and to reconsider how I plan my lessons. I am always eager to carry out active learning, investigation and experiments in Science lessons but now I see that there are so many more opportunities to apply STEM thinking to other subjects. For example, when teaching the class about renewable energy, I would encourage the students to design solar panels out of various materials, investigate the environmental benefits and the cost of products to make solar panels.
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Beginning: Ask the class if anyone has ever looked up at the night sky? What did they see? Make a list on the board. Ask the children did they ever wonder how stars and planets came to be?
Explain the main components of the night sky to the children and the differences between them i.e. the moon, the stars and the planets.
Middle: To expand the lesson, use star charts or apps like SkyView to show the pupils what the night sky looked like last night / during the current week. In pairs, ask the children to note down what they see – any constellations, planets, the moon etc. A simple art lesson would be easy to integrate here e.g. cut out the various moon phases and colour and label them.
End: Homework that night / each night that week could be to observe the night sky and write down what they see and we can discuss it each morning. -
My understanding from the paper Unravelling STEM: Beyond the Acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths, is that we as teachers need to look at STEM as an integrated, holistic approach to learning that promotes critical thinking and problem solvers of real life problems in our environment and community.
I really like your idea of solar panels. I think that Liston challenges us to focus more on this holistic approach of STEM, focusing on projects that are related to real life so that children can develop and use their 21st century skills, creativity, critical thinking & problem solving when focused on a project or challenge that is connected to real life and the world that we are living in.
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STEM teaching in my classroom involves me trying my best to integrate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics through hands-on, inquiry-based learning. Instead of teaching these subjects separately, I want to encourage children to apply concepts across all disciplines to real-life. For example, students might design and build a bridge using lollipop sticks and glue to learn about about force and measurement while also developing teamwork skills.
I try to make lessons as student-centered as possible, encouraging kids to ask lots of questions. I use technology tools like ipads to enhance learning and engagement.
All of this STEM education helps students to develop critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving skills.
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Hi Joan.
Welcome to the course and thanks for sharing your own thoughts for this module. I agree that STEM is best approach through inquiry based learning and allowing the pupils to ask and, more importantly, try and solve their own questions through investigations and active learning. As you have mentioned, using IT such as ipads allows the pupils to conduct their own research and come up with their own ideas to support critical thinking and creativity.
I hope you enjoy the course.
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Hi Joan,
I agree with you that STEM Education should be hands-on with inquiry-based learning as the main focus. I also believe that 21st Century Skills focus is also essential.
From my own research, I know that STEM Education is when two or more of the four disciplines are integrated. Often teachers can be hard on themselves and aim to integrate all four disciples at once. This is not always possible. Instead we should try and integrate at least two disciplines. Maths is the backbone of STEM Education in my opinion and many strands and strand units can be integrated into STEM explorations and projects. Many science topics can also be integrated together. I believe this is a really good start for many teachers.
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Hi Joan,
I like your cross-curricular focus in your teaching. I think it is easy to become overwhelmed by the sheer volume of the content that teachers have available to them. When we apply skills and concepts across our instruction in a range of teaching ideas we can improve our time management skills. The focus on developing critical thinking and problem solving skills is another focus of mine which I target each year.
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I agree about keeping STEM practical and connected. Children take more from doing than listening. The bridge project works well because it is simple, low cost, and makes them think about balance and measurement while also working in teams. Letting them ask questions is important too. It can feel untidy but it shows they are thinking for themselves instead of waiting to be told the answer. That is where the real learning happens. With iPads, I find the best use is when they create something rather than just using an app. Taking photos of their work or recording a short reflection helps them remember what they did. STEM is not a set of separate lessons. It is a way of showing children that skills like problem solving and creative thinking are useful in real life.
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After reading Unravelling STEM: Beyond the Acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths, I’ve been inspired to rethink how I approach teaching STEM in my classroom. One of the most exciting parts of Liston’s paper is the call to make STEM lessons socially conscious. This encourages me to look for ways to bring in social justice and community issues into our projects. For example, I could have students design solutions for local problems, such as creating a plan for reducing waste at school or developing a system to help with recycling. By using STEM to address real problems, students will not only learn important concepts but also understand the impact their work can have on their community and the world.
Ultimately, the research has helped me realise that STEM education in the primary classroom can be much more than a set of isolated subjects. By approaching STEM in a more integrated, meaningful way, I can help my students develop the skills and mindset they need to solve the complex problems of tomorrow while making their learning experience more relevant and engaging today.
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I really agree with what you said, Lorna. Making STEM about real-world problems is such a great idea. When students work on things like reducing waste or helping with recycling, they learn useful skills and also see how they can help their school and community. I also think it’s great to let students help choose the problems they want to solve. This can make them feel more excited and involved. It’s a great way to show them that their ideas matter and can make a real difference.
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After reflecting on “Unravelling STEM: Beyond the Acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths” by Liston (2018), STEM education in my classroom takes on a more integrated, inquiry-based, and socially responsive approach. Liston’s critique of how STEM is often reduced to a mere grouping of subjects disconnected from real-world contexts or critical reflection resonates strongly with how I strive to teach.
Rather than treating Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics as separate disciplines, I aim to merge them through thematic projects that solve authentic problems. For example, students might design a sustainable water filtration system, which incorporates scientific understanding of water cycles and contamination, engineering design processes, technological tools for data analysis, and mathematical modelling.
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I completely agree with the value you place on using real-world problems to make STEM learning meaningful. Your example of addressing local issues like waste reduction and recycling is a fantastic way to connect classroom learning with students’ everyday lives. Like you, I found Liston’s emphasis on socially conscious STEM education inspiring. It reframes STEM not just as content, but as a vehicle for change. When students see that their ideas can have a real impact on their school or community, they become more motivated, confident, and invested in their learning. Integrating STEM with social justice and environmental themes also nurtures critical thinking and empathy, skills that go far beyond the curriculum. This approach supports deep, integrated learning and helps students see themselves as capable problem-solvers.
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“I completely agree with your point, Lora. Connecting STEM to real-world problems is a very good approach. When students tackle challenges like reducing waste or recycling, they not only develop practical skills but they also see the positive impact they can have on their school and community. I also love the idea of letting students choose the problems they want to address—it boosts their engagement and shows them that their ideas are valuable and capable of creating real change.”
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For the senior end of the school, I aimed to pitch this inquiry base lesson for 5th and 6th class students. Using the I-LOFAR radio telescope as inspiration I would start with a simple prompt – A picture of a LOFAR Telescope and a simple telescope- and think pair share with a KWL chart to spark discussion, next I would would the question, Is it possible to use waves that we can’t see to learn about space?
First, we would watch a video showing how I-LOFAR works and listens to space using radio waves.Then, we would explore sound by making string telephones and seeing how vibrations travel. After that, we’d use torches and prisms to show how light moves in waves and how it can bend or break into colours. To explain radio waves, we’d listen to different radio stations or make a simple circuit to show how invisible waves carry information. Children would work in groups to ask questions, try out ideas, and talk about what they find. At the end, they would create their own “space listener” using drawings or craft materials. This hands-on lesson should help children learn through play, teamwork, and discovery.
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I have found this module beneficial and it has refreshed for me the many principles of STEM Education contained in the department’s STEM Education policy statement. In my opinion, it is very important that STEM Education is hands-on, active and relevant to the children’s lives. Children need to be able to make connections between the learning and their own lives. Teamwork, creativity and communication are also important 21st Century skills that STEM aims to develop. STEM Education provides fantastic opportunities to develop these important life skills in children.
I really like the ESERO Framework for Inquiry and I feel that it is really broken down into manageable and achievable steps. This is something I will definitely use in my classroom in the future.
I also have spent some time looking on the Curious Minds, SFI and ESERO websites and I am impressed with the range of resources available. I will definitely use these with my class in the future.
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I completely agree with your reflections, this module has really reinforced for me just how essential it is to make STEM learning meaningful and connected to children’s everyday experiences. Like you, I believe hands-on, collaborative learning is key. When pupils can see the relevance of what they’re doing, whether it’s through problem-solving, experimenting, or working together on a challenge they’re far more engaged and motivated.
The ESERO Framework for Inquiry stood out to me as well. I appreciate how clearly it breaks down each stage of the learning process. It gives a strong structure while still allowing room for creativity and pupil voice, which is so important.
I’ve also been exploring the Curious Minds and SFI resources and was amazed at the variety and quality of materials available. It’s brilliant to have such rich content at our fingertips—it will definitely support more inquiry-based and cross-curricular learning in my classroom too.
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Hi Shaun
Welcome to the course and I am glad that you have found the many resources on Curious Minds and ESERO helpful. There is a fantastic bank of activities and resources in these sites that would support teachers at any level. They are also outlined using a framework for inquiry which supports child led investigations. I have found that I would plan for a specific task or outcome and then with the children’s own thoughts and questions it can go down a totally different track, but the children are more engaged as they are working towards solving their own question. There are endless opportunities for critical thinking and problem solving and more 21st century skills.
I hope you enjoy the other modules and the many resources across this course.
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I have struggled in the past to organise and structure a discovery based STEM lesson. However, I can now see how useful the ESRO framework for inquiry template would be very useful. The framework will help me as a teacher to teach the lesson but also putting the focus on the pupils by learning through inquiry and discovery. Using the ESRO framework (Experience, Share, Reflect, Organise) in the classroom enhances student engagement and learning. It encourages active participation, critical thinking, and collaboration. Students explore ideas through experiences, share insights, reflect on learning, and organise knowledge. This structured approach deepens understanding and supports meaningful, student-centred inquiry-based learning. It also supports the teacher and encourages more confident and methodical teaching of scientific concepts in the classroom. Most importantly it will make any lesson more engaging and fun for the learner and educator, making science a more accessible subject for all. A great template that could be used across many subjects.
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Hi Mary. I totally agree with you on the ESRO framework for inquiry template. I like how it keeps track of previous questions, predictions etc., that can be referred back to at the end of a topic. It’s certainly something that could be used across a range of subjects. I’ll definitely use it next year for any investigations my class undertakes.
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Hi Mary, I agree the that the ESRO framework really helps give structure while still letting pupils learn through discovery. I like how you mentioned both engagement and teacher confidence. It feels like a very practical way to make inquiry lessons run more smoothly. I also think it encourages pupils to take ownership of their learning, as they can share ideas, reflect on their experiences, and organise their knowledge. This approach makes the lessons more meaningful and enjoyable for everyone, while also supporting us as teachers in our planning . It’s a framework I can see being really effective in STEM topics and even other subjects.
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Hi Mary,
Welcome to the course and thanks for sharing your thoughts on the framework template from ESRO and how you could use it in the classroom. Inquiry based learning is a fantastic approach to allow the children to take ownership of their learning. They can ask the questions and work together on problem solving and critical thinking and as you have said it makes the lessons more engaging for the pupils and it can be adapted to suit learning across other curricular areas also.
I hope you enjoy the course.
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Totally agree with you! I’ve also found it tricky in the past to keep discovery-based lessons structured, so the ESERO framework is such a helpful guide. It’s great how it keeps the focus on the pupils while also giving us as teachers more confidence to explore topics in a clear way. I’m definitely planning to use it across a few subjects too – it makes things so much more manageable!
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Learning about telescopes and astronomy would be a fun and engaging topic to do in the classroom. This topic naturally integrates science (light, space, and waves), technology (use of optical instruments), engineering (design of telescopes), and maths (measuring distances and angles in space). Teaching about telescopes allows children to investigate how light travels and how lenses refract light to magnify distant objects. These concepts align closely with the “Energy and Forces” strand of the SESE Science curriculum, particularly in learning about light and shadows.
In practice, I would use simple experiments, such as creating rainbow spinners or basic refracting telescopes using lenses, to make these abstract ideas tangible. This hands-on approach supports the STEM Education Policy’s goal of fostering inquiry-based learning, critical thinking, and problem-solving from an early age. By connecting these experiments to real-world contexts, such as observing the moon or planets, students can see how STEM is relevant and exciting. Encouraging curiosity through astronomy not only deepens scientific understanding but also inspires future engagement with STEM subjects.
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I’m also planning to explore telescopes with my 5th class in September, I know they’ll love the space theme. I really like your idea of using rainbow spinners and simple telescope builds to make it all more hands-on. It’s such a good way to explain tricky concepts like light and refraction. Linking it to real-world things like looking at the moon makes it even more exciting for them. Thanks for sharing!
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Hi Denis
Welcome to the course and thanks for sharing your thoughts on this module.
The Rainbow Spinner is a fantastic activity in the class, with senior classes you can explore using the compass to draw the circle with natural integration to Maths. The rainbow spinner would make the abstract ideas tangible as you have mentioned and then allow for the transfer of this knowledge when exploring prisms etc.
I agree that you must connect investigations such as STEM to real world contexts to ensure there is meaningful learning and real life connections for the pupils. And as you have said this will also inspire future engagement with STEM.
I hope you enjoy the course
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This module has given me practical and engaging ways to incorporate STEM more meaningfully into my teaching, in line with the STEM Education Policy Statement. I’ll be teaching 5th class in September, and I’m looking forward to using the Curious Minds/ESERO framework to plan and deliver lessons that are both hands-on and inquiry-based. One area I’m excited to explore is light and lenses. Using simple materials like magnifying glasses, torches, and water droplets, pupils will investigate how lenses work and link these experiments to the history of the Great Telescope at Birr Castle. I think 5th class will really enjoy connecting science with Irish heritage, and it creates a natural opportunity for cross-curricular links with history, geography, art, and English.
I also plan to integrate more opportunities for group work, prediction-making, questioning, and reflection into our science lessons. These elements align closely with the STEM policy’s emphasis on developing problem-solving, creativity, and collaboration skills in pupils. The emphasis on local context, real-world applications, and pupil voice throughout the module has made me more confident about delivering STEM in a way that’s accessible and exciting. I’m also aiming to use some digital tools like Stellarium to support visual learning and enhance engagement with the night sky.-
Hi Helen,
Welcome to the course and I hope that you gets lots of activities to use with your 5th class next year.
Children at this age love to explore light and lenses such as the activities outlined in this module. As you have mentioned you can then make cross curricular links to history to explore the Great Telescope at Birr Castle. You can make real world connections to make the topic more meaningful for the pupils. My class also loved Stellarium this year, it was such a hit that some pupils then continued to explore it at home.
The Curious Minds is a fantastic framework to guide you in facilitating and supporting inquiry based learning for your pupils. As you have said it will encourage a variety of skills and allow the pupils to share their own thoughts, opinions and questions. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
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I will conduct an Inquiry-Based Lesson inspired by I-LOFAR to make the abstract concepts of waves, sound, and light accessible for my 5th class pupils. I will structure an inquiry-based lesson using the Curious Minds / ESERO Framework: Engage – Investigate – Reflect – Take Next Steps.
Engage: I would begin with a short video or image of the I-LOFAR Radio Telescope at Birr Castle, introducing the idea that some telescopes don’t “see” with eyes, but instead “listen” to space using radio waves. We’d pose the question: “Can we hear space?” and “What do waves look and sound like?”
Investigate:
Sound Waves: Pupils explore how sound travels through solids, liquids, and gases using simple investigations (e.g. string telephones, tuning forks in water).
Light Waves: Using prisms and torches, pupils observe light splitting into colours and experiment with reflection and refraction using mirrors and water.
Radio Waves: To simulate invisible waves, pupils use a simple AM radio and a phone to demonstrate interference, helping them conceptualise how I-LOFAR ‘listens’ to space.
Reflect: Pupils journal or present what they learned about each wave type, drawing wave patterns and linking each to how I-LOFAR gathers space data.Next Steps: Pupils can create models of their own radio telescopes using art materials and write about “What I would explore if I had a telescope like I-LOFAR.”
This cross-curricular lesson supports STEM integration, literacy (oral presentations and reports), and art. It engages curiosity, promotes scientific vocabulary (e.g. frequency, wavelength, reflection, refraction), and develops critical thinking.
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Using the I-Lofar radio telescope as inspiration and some of the introduced lesson plans and themed frameworks as reference, outline how you would conduct an inquiry based lesson on waves, sound and light and make it accessible to your pupils.
First, I would show the children a short video about the I-LOFAR radio telescope in Birr, which “listens” to space using invisible waves.
Next, I would then ask them, “How can we hear or see things that we can’t with just our eyes or ears?”
Then, I would use the following activities for the children to explore this idea:
1.Sound waves: Stretch cling film over a bowl, put rice on top, and tap the side to show how vibrations move sound.
2. Water waves: Fill a tray with water and drop small stones to watch ripples spread.
3. Light waves: Use a mirror and flashlight to bounce light around the room. Shine the light through a glass of water to make a rainbow.
I would end the lesson by asking the children to draw their own space “listening” machine and ask them to present their drawings to the class, explaining how their machine would work. -
Liston challenges the notion of STEM as merely the sum of four subjects. She positions a collaborative, problem-centered approach to learning where students approach situations by integrating science, technology, engineering, and math.
I work in a junior school and I like how Liston highlights how even young learners can engage with STEM via real-world exploration—posing questions, building, testing and reflecting. Upon reflection of my own teaching I need to increase the cross curricular opportunities. In my junior classroom, I would involve aim to have more construction challenges like paper bridges or simple water pumps. I can see the value of working in small teams to promote communication, negotiation, and joint problem-solving.
Junior school topics—like local ecosystems, community problems, basic mechanics—lend themselves naturally to thematic STEM units that encompass science questions, mathematical measurement, simple engineering, and even basic tech tools that can increase the level of my STEM teaching opportunity.
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Hi Danielle, I appreciate how honestly you’ve shared your initial hesitation around STEM and how Liston’s perspective has shifted your thinking. I think many of us fall into the habit of isolating STEM into just science experiments or building tasks, so it’s refreshing to hear how you’re now approaching it as a more interconnected and socially relevant experience – I’ll be doing the same!
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Using the ‘Mirror Writing’ activity from Discover Primary Maths and Science,I would engage the children in a lesson on mirrors. To begin, I would engage the children in questions relating to where we see reflections in everyday life e.g. water, shiny surface. Following the guide, each child would receive a small mirror and worksheets with words or shapes (depending on class level) to trace. Holding the mirror at a right angle to the page, the class would attempt to trace the word/image by only looking at its reflection. This activity would enable them to notice how the mirror reverses their movements. We would also explore different types of mirrors such as flat, concave and convex using familiar items such as a spoon in order for the children to observe how reflections change shape and orientation. The class will be encouraged to describe what they see and predict what will happen when objects are moved closer or farther away from the mirror. This hands-on approach helps students understand reflection and symmetry while building observational skills in an accessible way.
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Hi Rebecca, I’ve also done the Mirror Writing activity during Science Week, and it’s always such an interesting investigation. The students really enjoy the challenge of tracing words or shapes through the reflection, and it always sparks some natural discussion about how mirrors work. I like how you’ve linked the activity to real-world examples like spoons, making it even more relatable. The exploration of different types of mirrors…flat, concave, convex, would help deepen their understanding of reflection and symmetry in a fun, hands-on way.
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After reviewing the paper Unravelling STEM: Beyond the Acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (Liston 2018) reflect on what STEM education looks like in my classroom, I have come to the conclusion that I need to be more receptive andf open-minded to the exploration and incorporation of STEM activities throughout each day of my teaching. This must be prepared appropriately in my planning and therefore delivered with consciousness of time-management so that the recommended department subject time allocations are adhered to. From looking at Liston’s views, it is apparent to me that cross-curricular integration is essential in delivering effective STEM lessons efficiently. Going forward I need to be braver in increasing elements of STEM across all levels. It doesn’t necessarily relate to Science – STEM-based activities should be central elements of Maths and Geography lessons also.
Having previously worked in an Inquiry based school in the UAE, I have seen the benefits of students leading the learning with appropriate scaffolding supporting them along the way.
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Hi Niamh, I agree that an inquiry-based approach is highly beneficial with regards pupils’ engagement with lessons. It creates really authentic learning experiences in which the children become heavily invested. I also agree that, going forward, I too need to better identify opportunities for meaningful STEM learning experiences in all areas of the curriculum.
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Like many others, I grew up looking up at the night time sky. We used to look out for The Plough or The Saucepan, as we called it – seven stars – four stars making the pan and the remaining three forming the handle. It is a lovely memory!
In the city I rarely look up at the night time sky. Therefore, I think it is valuable for the children to be given the opportunity. I have taught senior classes for the past few years and I have shown the children how to use Stellarium Web, a useful web-based planetarium tool. Stellarium can be used to navigate the night sky, as well as find key celestial objects, such as the North Star, planets, the Moon, and the seasonal constellations. The children will see that the night sky never stays the same throughout the night, or from day to day. I usually ask the class to:
1. Watch the video for information on how to use Stellarium Web.
2. Looking at the night sky tonight in Stellarium at your location, where is the Moon? Look for the Moon in the night time sky, turn on the constellations, and see what constellation it is in front of.
3. What is the phase of the Moon? (Zoom in to better see its phase.)
4. Skip ahead three days. (Change the date to three days in the future.) a) Where is the Moon now? What constellation is it in? b) What is its phase? (If you can’t find the Moon just by changing the day, change the time also. It might only be visible later at night.)
5. What is another name for the North Star? -
Having reviewed Unravelling STEM: Beyond the Acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (Liston, 2018), I’ve been prompted to reflect more critically on the purpose and practice of STEM education in my classroom. Liston argues that STEM should move beyond siloed subject teaching and instead focus on authentic, contextual, and ethical learning experiences. In my teaching, I have made strides towards integrating STEM disciplines through inquiry-based projects that link science and technology with real-world issues—for example, students designing sustainable housing using mathematical modelling, coding simulations, and environmental science. These activities help students see the relevance of STEM and develop problem-solving and collaboration skills. However, Liston’s emphasis on the sociopolitical and ethical dimensions of STEM revealed a gap in my practice. While we occasionally touch on topics like climate justice or the impact of automation on employment, these discussions are not yet embedded consistently across units. I am now more aware of the need to include critical thinking about who benefits from STEM innovations and whose voices are represented in STEM fields. Inclusivity is another area I am working to strengthen by highlighting diverse STEM role models and creating space for student choice and voice in investigations. Overall, Liston’s paper reinforces that STEM is not just a combination of subjects, but a way of thinking and learning that should prepare students to engage thoughtfully and ethically with the world. This reflection has challenged me to further integrate disciplines, foreground ethical inquiry, and ensure that STEM education in my classroom is inclusive, purposeful, and socially connected.
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Thank you for sharing such a thoughtful reflection. I really appreciate how you’ve connected Liston’s (2018) insights to your own classroom practice. Your example of students designing sustainable housing using maths, coding, and environmental science is a fantastic illustration of how STEM can be made meaningful and contextual. It’s encouraging to hear how you’re fostering real-world problem-solving and collaboration.
Like you, I also found Liston’s emphasis on the sociopolitical and ethical dimensions of STEM particularly eye-opening. It made me reflect on how often those conversations are treated as optional or extra, rather than integral. Your point about embedding critical thinking around who benefits from STEM innovations really resonated—especially in a DEIS setting like ours, where equity and inclusion are front and centre.
I’m also working to bring more diverse STEM role models into lessons and create more space for student voice, and it’s reassuring to hear others on the same path. Thanks again for your insights—they’ve definitely given me more to think about as I plan future STEM units with a greater focus on ethical inquiry and social connection.
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eflecting on the ideas presented in Unravelling STEM: Beyond the Acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths by Liston (2018), STEM education in my classroom at our small urban DEIS school in Kilrush—nestled on the Wild Atlantic Way—aims to be holistic, relevant, and deeply rooted in the lived experiences of our students.
Liston challenges us to move beyond a fragmented, content-heavy approach to STEM, urging educators to embed critical thinking, creativity, and real-world relevance into how STEM is delivered. This resonates deeply with the context of our school, where many of our pupils face socio-economic challenges, and where engagement and connection to content are key.
In our classroom, STEM education isn’t confined to isolated lessons or textbook exercises. Instead, it emerges through hands-on, project-based learning that reflects our local environment and the community’s needs. For example:
Science might involve exploring local biodiversity or investigating marine ecosystems unique to the Atlantic coast.
Technology is integrated through the use of tablets and coding apps to record data, create digital presentations, or even simple animations explaining a scientific process.
Engineering appears when students design solutions to real-life problems, like building bird feeders from recycled materials or creating windbreaks to understand structural stability.
Maths is no longer abstract but comes alive through measuring tides, calculating distances on maps, or collecting and graphing local weather data.
Liston also emphasizes the importance of interdisciplinarity. In Kilrush, we embrace cross-curricular links, such as tying in history (local shipwrecks or lighthouse stories) with science and technology, or using literature to prompt investigations (e.g., “Why does the ocean sound like that?” leading into a sound waves experiment).-
Hi Geraldine
Your school sounds like a fantastic example of how STEM thinking and hands on STEM learning can be incorporated into all aspects of school and I love how you are incorporating the local area into all subject areas and linking STEM successfully with all other curriculum areas, such as using Technology as a tool to further learning and recording, rather than as a standalone activity and using engineering to tackle real world problems. I hope the course provides you with more ideas and inspiration to build on what you are already doing.
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Hi Geraldine, this is brilliant and sounds like your school fosters a strong sense of professional autonomy, expertise and confidence when it comes to embedding inquiry-based learning. It’s inspiring to read the many ways in which your school integrates these approaches across the curriculum. Incorporating the local area into your teaching provides real value to the children as they can see and experience first-hand how STEM is woven into the world around them. I would imagine that this not only enhances engagement (from students as well as teachers!) but also helps students make connections between abstract concepts and real-life experiences.
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STEM education in my classroom is one in which I have tried to incorporate a range of teaching strategies while using technology in as many ways as possible to support the nuts and bolts of topics that are being taught. An example of this is a Science lesson I taught about animals. Students selected an animal from Ireland and one from abroad to study. Using chromebooks, students conducted research into the habitat of the animal, the characteristics and traits of this animal, eating habits, position in the food chain as well as their ability to adapt to changing environment.
The lesson was supported by references to Planet Earth videos. I believe these are an invaluable educational resource that children are afforded the opportunity to learn so much from. This is an example of how the use of technology to support teaching and learning can be hugely beneficial. It also enables children to conduct research on super educational sites such as Brittanica online, Ducksters as well as National Geograhic.
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Hi Robert
I like your ideas on the use of technology to further learning throughout the curriculum. Your animal projects sound great and I love how you included an Irish animal, as so often our native flora and fauna are overlooked in favour of research into life in far away places. Hopefully this course will provide you with both a range of Irish online resources to continue with projects like this and also inspiration for the hands on outdoor exploration of local habitats that will really bring these type of projects to life for the children.
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After lookin at Unravelling STEM: Beyond the Acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (Liston, 2018), I see the importance of integrating STEM in a meaningful, student-centred way. In my 4th class, STEM education has been somewhat limited, with students and the teacher sometimes hesitant to engage in hands-on experiments. Up to now, we have focused more on theory and structured activities, which may have contributed to their lack of confidence. Going forward, I would like to foster a more exploratory, inquiry-based environment where students feel safe to take risks and make mistakes. I hope to introduce more collaborative, real-life problem-solving tasks, and opportunities for creativity across STEM. By creating a space where curiosity is encouraged and experiments are seen as learning opportunities rather than tests of success, I hope to build the children’s and my own confidence and spark their natural interest in exploring the world around them.
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Hi Mary,
I can relate to you wanting your students to be less afraid to make mistakes and take risks. Some children are very focused on the correct answer and struggle to see that when you get something wrong, you learn from it. I think that’s partly down to me not using enough Inquiry Based Learning in my teaching and fostering that curiosity and giving opportunities for creativity. I’m definitely going to create more opportunities for these types of lessons, and hopefully it will help my students build on their resilience and it will foster growth mindset.
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Describe how you could apply some of the concepts and skills you have learned in this module to your own teaching practice in line with the STEM Education policy statement.
I liked the Curious Minds/ESERO Framework for Inquiry as it provides a clear yet flexible structure—Engage, Investigate, Take the Next Step, Reflect—that promotes meaningful, student-centred, inquiry-based learning. I particularly appreciate how it encourages pupils to generate their own questions, make predictions, test ideas, and draw conclusions. This process embeds scientific thinking into everyday classroom practice in an accessible and engaging way.
I would use this framework to enrich STEM teaching by making learning authentic and connected. For example, in a space-themed unit, I might Engage students with images of the I-LOFAR telescope to spark curiosity about radio waves. During Investigate, they could build simple radios or ripple tanks to explore wave behaviours. Take the Next Step could involve designing a model of a radio dish or comparing wave types. The Reflect stage is particularly —structured prompt questions support both teacher self-evaluation and pupil metacognition.
Questions such as Did I meet my learning objectives?, What went well, what would I change?, and Are the children progressing with their science skills? help promote continuous professional growth. Pupils are also encouraged to reflect on their experiences, fostering ownership of learning.
However, while the framework is robust, I believe it could be more inclusive. Currently, there is only a brief prompt about considering the needs of children with special educational needs. As per the Inclusive Education Framework, inclusion should be a central element of planning—not an afterthought. The framework would be strengthened by more explicit guidance on differentiation, UDL (Universal Design for Learning), and support strategies to ensure all learners are meaningfully engaged.
Overall, the Curious Minds/ESERO Framework aligns well with the National STEM Education Policy by fostering curiosity, creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking, and I believe that the structure of the Framework is a valuable tool for teachers when planning STEM lessons. Nonetheless, there remains scope to enhance its inclusivity for all learners.
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With my 4th class next year, I will apply the concepts from this module by using the Curious Minds/ESERO Framework for Inquiry to plan more engaging, hands-on STEM lessons. I think the Planning Guide is very user friendly and makes it easier for teachers to structure themed investigations, such as exploring telescopes and astronomy, which aligns well with the children’s curiosity at this age. The framework supports differentiated learning, so I can adapt activities to suit a range of abilities within the class. This module helped me to see that integrating STEM with other subjects isn’t as difficult or daunting as it might seem. For example, I like the idea of linking oral and written language by encouraging the children to record observations, write reports about their investigations and having to present findings to their classmates. History and Drama lessons based on the Earl of Rosse in 1845, perhaps focusing on how he felt becoming Knighted, would be a fun and meaningful link too, encouraging them to empathise with people living during this time. Having a cross-curricular approach like this supports the goals of the STEM Education Policy Statement by fostering creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking. I think the more you teach inquiry based lessons will help your students develop confidence in STEM.
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Hi Lisa,
Thanks for your post and welcome to the course. The Curious Minds framework for Inquiry provides a thorough and comprehensive roadmap for success when conducting STEM in the classroom, and by checking any activity against the framework, it becomes readily apparent when gaps exist, such as taking the next step, and reflections. Each step plays a critical role in helping learners come along in their STEM skills. While we often think of the “action” or testing/making as critical, all steps are required to truly learn from the experience. For teachers, it is important to allocate some time for an activity in its entirety-a challenge as it is so easy for an activity to run over!
I love your ideas for cross-curricular links, incorporating drama and history, such as the story of the Earl of Rosse. STEM can certainly serve as a springboard for a theme that continues across various curriculum subjects.
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Topic Chosen: Describe how you could apply some of the concepts and skills you have learned in this module to your own teaching practice in line with the STEM Education policy statement.
This module really opened my eyes to how STEM education can be far more integrated and inquiry-led than I had realised. The Curious Minds/ESERO Framework for Inquiry — with its structure of Engage, Investigate, Reflect, and Take the Next Step — makes so much sense for the children I work with, especially those who learn best through doing. I can already see how it would help me plan lessons that are structured but still child-led.
The story of Birr Castle and the Great Telescope gave me such a meaningful way to root STEM in Irish history — and I love how the I-LOFAR telescope connects past and present science. I’m excited to bring this into our oral language work too.
I’ll also be more conscious now of the cross-curricular potential of STEM — especially where maths, art and digital tools overlap. This aligns really well with our school’s SSE focus on increasing engagement and real-world learning.-
Susan,
I completely agree with your reflection. The Inquiry Framework really does support meaningful, hands-on learning, and I also found the Birr Castle story a powerful way to connect STEM with Irish history. It’s exciting to see how easily STEM can link with other subjects and bring real-world relevance into the classroom.
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Maeve Liston’s article causes me to reconsider what authentic STEM teaching really is. She describes STEM as an interdisciplinary approach to learning that removes the traditional barriers between the subjects of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths, and integrates them into real-world, rigorous and relevant learning experiences, with Engineering taking centre-stage.
As such, I am caused to reflect on STEM education in my own classroom. This past year, I have been making a more conscious effort to provide the children with meaningful STEM experiences. We would often partake in design and make challenges whereby the children are presented with a scenario and tasked with working in small groups to come up with a solution. One such task we undertaken this year was to design and construct a building to withstand flooding. Whilst this was a very enjoyable project, and the children demonstrated fantastic critical thinking and problem-solving skills, I felt as if the mathematical aspect of the task was not as meaningful as it could have been. This is something that I hope to improve on in the upcoming year to ensure that the children are provided with authentic and high-quality STEM learning experiences.
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Having read Maeve Liston’s paper I agree that just knowing what the letters STEM stands for it not enough for us as teachers. STEM and STEAM education is becoming more essential for students as they are going to be faced with a different world as they grow up due to the rate of change and growth in technology. Inquiry based learning affords students the opportunity to engage in problem solving tasks, ask questions and become critical thinkers. Which are essential skills for 21st century learners.
STEM in my classroom is not integrated as I often teach the aspects of STEM as separate subjects. However I do see the value of integrating the subjects together; planning and creating lessons that allow students to science, technology, engineering and mathematics together. I use coding platforms such as scratch and we do the VEX robotics competition and I find both these tools allow students to think as engineers and they enable the students to apply their mathematical problem solving skills such as critical thinking and teamwork-
Hi Cassandra
Welcome to the course. I am glad to see that Maeve Liston’s paper has inspired you to think more about STEM as something that can permeate throughout your lessons rather than being a collection of standalone subjects. It is great that you are already using technology with your students. Hopefully this course will provide you with lots of ideas and inspire you to approach STEM in a more integrated way.
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After reading Unravelling STEM: Beyond the Acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths by Liston (2018), I understand STEM education as being more than just teaching the four subjects separately. In my classroom, STEM means combining science, technology, engineering, and maths in real-world tasks that help students think critically and solve problems. It’s not just about learning facts, but about using knowledge in creative and practical ways. Liston encourages teachers to see STEM as a way to help students connect their learning to the world around them. In my classroom, I try to do this by planning hands-on projects where students can explore and investigate. For example, we might design a simple bridge using everyday materials, which involves understanding forces (science), measuring and calculating (maths), building (engineering), and sometimes using simple digital tools (technology).Another point Liston makes is the importance of inclusion and making sure all students feel they belong in STEM. I try to support this by encouraging teamwork, celebrating different ideas, and showing that mistakes are part of learning. I also try to include examples and stories that represent a wide range of people in STEM fields. Liston’s paper helped me reflect on the deeper purpose of STEM education. It’s not just about preparing students for future jobs, but about helping them become curious, confident thinkers who can tackle challenges in their everyday lives. In my classroom, STEM is a mindset as much as a subject area.
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Hi Sarah,
Thanks for your post and welcome to the course. I really enjoyed reading your reflections on Dr. Liston’s paper. Your understanding gets to the heart of what she is hoping to achieve.
Teachers have an incredibly important role in supporting learners develop STEM skills and become “curious, confident thinkers who can tackle challenges” as you put it so well.
I applaud your use of simple but highly effective activities such as designing bridges, and focus on creating teams where everyone participates. It is also great to see your emphasis on mistakes being part of learning. Scientists ‘ mistakes have given rise to very useful inventions, such as Post-it glue!
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Here is a 3 week integrated inquiry I would facilitate with a class (3rd/ 4th Class).
In Science, we’d focus on Light, experimenting with mirrors and lenses to understand how light works. The children will design and build simple telescopes to explore how lenses help us see far away.
In Geography, under the Environmental Awareness and Care strand, we would track the night sky, studying the Moon’s phases and constellations visible from Ireland, exploring Earth’s movement and its connection to the sky.
In History, we’d link to the Story (Continuity and Change Over Time) strand, researching famous astronomers like Galileo, exploring how ideas about the universe have changed over time.
I would aim to facilitate lessons through inquiry-based methods. Children’s own wonderings would be captured using a “Wonder Wall” either physically with post-its or through Menti or Padlet. These could also be linked to a thematic approach, incorporating other subject areas e.g. English – diary entries as Gallileo, Art – Starry Night (and Music) etc.
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I will definitely make use of the Curious Minds ESERO Framework for Inquiry in my teaching of STEM in the coming school year. It is a very structured and organised approach and it allows for children to be active in their own learning. It also sparks curiosity in children through hands-on, active activities. The planning guide is quite comprehensive and I just know it would be effective in my teaching of STEM.This framework would definitely make the teaching and learning of STEM subjects more effective and engaging for the children in my class. The Investigate stage would allow for the learners to ask questions, make predictions and conduct investigations which would allow for the students to take a central role in their own learning.
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I agree with you Laura I was delighted with the resources provided and will be using the inquiry framework in my teaching of STEM in the coming year. As the teacher said in the video its a template to assist learning and not something to make more work for teachers. I love the idea of sparking curiosity too and allowing the children to explore and have more fluidity in lessons. I think the framework is very useful as sometimes STEM can be a daunting subject to teach if you dont have the confidence with science. The structure and lesson plans are ideal for allowing teachers to facilitate engaging lessons and as our confidence grows we can branch out into other areas with the children and explore questions that crop up taking our learning in different directions.
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To teach 6th class pupils about mirrors, lenses, and telescopes, I would begin with an engaging discussion on how we see ourselves and the stars. I’d show a mirror and a magnifying glass, asking students to predict what each does to light. Using torches, we’d experiment with light reflections from mirrors and observe how lenses bend light to magnify or focus it. I’d introduce telescopes using images and a simple model to explain how mirrors and lenses help us see distant stars and planets. To make it relatable, we’d simulate a “night sky” in the classroom with a projector or a digital app (which another teacher has done previously in the school). Students would then draw or label a telescope and explain its parts. For homework, they could observe the night sky and sketch what they see. This hands-on, visual, and inquiry-based lesson would spark curiosity and connect science to everyday experience.
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Just from the first module I am after gaining so many resources and ideas for teaching STEM in a curious and investigative way. I am delighted with all of the links and resources provided. I used Discover Primary Science all of the time when I had Junior infants but since moving into the senior rooms I just got out of the habit of using it and focusing on getting through the books and curriculum. I am so delighted to have foud out about Curious Minds and ESERO. I am delighted to have an outline of how to teach STEM and a template to document ideas for further investigation as they come up organically when working with the children on various projects. I will definitely be using both of these resources in the new academic year and incorporating them into my lesson plans and even using them for golden time as the children love a variety of activities during their Friday hour and it will be a wonderful option for them to add to the menu of Golden time options.
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Hi Liadhan,
I think the module resources are great and really supportive of classwork. The template is very useful, it is well laid out and wonderfully structured, from the pre-lesson work, to designing the content, addressing the learning objectives, to the focus of the work and the reflection of the teaching and learning. I thought the online digital resources were excellent, I particularly enjoyed the BBC You tube resources and I can see myself using these. I really like having resources other than text books and I think your Golden time is a great idea.
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To introduce the topic, I would begin with the initial activity suggested in the resource: placing a glass prism on the classroom window ledge. As sunlight passes through the prism and produces rainbow patterns on the walls, it is likely to capture the pupils’ attention and naturally spark curiosity. I anticipate that this will lead to questions about what causes the rainbow effect and how it works, I would get the children to write their questions on sticky notes and stick them to the whiteboard. This would lead into a series of lessons on light, beginning with the idea that white light is composed of seven different colours. To teach this concept, I would carry out the rainbow spinner activity as listed. This is a simple but very effective demonstration that helps children understand that white light can be broken into individual colours—and that those colours can also be recombined to recreate white light. To integrate a maths link, I would have the children use a compass to draw a circle, divide 360 degrees by 7, and measure the angles using a protractor. They would colour each section, make a hole in the centre (the pencil method seems easier) and spin the disc to observe the outcome. Their observations would be recorded in their SESE copies.
When teaching the topic of lenses, I would probably start with reflection as the kids already are familiar with this. We would play the mirror game where you copy someone else’s movements facing each other, I would draw attention to one person is using their right hand and one is using their left hand etc. I would then go into the activities on the reflecting light resource. I would use the reflecting light 10 minute activity shining the torch on different objects and asking questions. The children would be given a torch in groups and task sheet 1. I would use the activities outlined in resources, but for some of the experiments would need to organise them into a station-based format. Then they would go onto task 2 making a periscope, and then the look even further task 3.
For many of the other ideas I would use stations as we don’t have enough resources in our school to do this on a whole class basis. Each station would be supported with prompt questions and diagrams to complete, helping to guide the children’s thinking and ensure focused engagement. This format also helps with classroom management and resources.
One station would involve the straw-in-water demonstration. Children would view the straw from different angles and describe what they notice. The aim would be for them to identify that the straw appears bent at the surface of the water, introducing the concept of refraction.
Another station would explore reflection through a mirror writing task, alongside the worksheet on page 3 of the “Mirror writing” document.
Further stations would focus on convex and concave lenses. With the convex lens, children would observe how it magnifies objects when viewed up close and then investigate how this changes at a distance. They would also be encouraged to consider real-life examples of where convex lenses are used. At the concave lens station, children would carry out similar observations, comparing the effect to that of the convex lens.
The final station would involve exploring a selection of simple telescopes. The aim here would be to encourage open-ended exploration and curiosity, helping children make connections between what they’ve learned and real-world applications. This also serves as a bridge to the next lesson.
To conclude the series of lessons, we would come together as a class to share our findings from each station. This discussion would lead into the next phase, where children begin designing and making their own simple telescopes.-
Hi Megan
Welcome to the course. Thanks for sharing your lesson ideas to explore light in different approaches. The glass prism is an ideal introduction to the lesson as it allows for lots of discussion and curiosity and will give the teacher an idea of any prior knowledge the children have.
You have allowed for lots of exploration across the different stations and this would support an inquiry based approach as the children investigate and then ask questions which they can then plan to solve using the materials. You have lots of links to real-life examples such as mirror writing and convex lens. You could consider how to further develop their knowledge with a design and make task to consolidate what they have learned.
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This lesson plan is aimed at a 3rd Class group of children. Having previously thought a lesson on light with reference to lenses and mirrors in the past with 6th Class children; I am very mindful now on how to pitch this lesson to younger children and in fact instil a sense of interest, wonder and curosity and not merely scientific fact.
Class background- I am teaching in a school in the local area of Birr Castle and many of the children would be quite familiar with the telescope, having seen and visited it many times with the school and family. This familarity most likely centres around the appearance, size and scale of the telescope. Through this lesson I am to expose the children to the history, technology and science that makes this telescope work.
Introduction: Build on children’s prior knowledge, ask them about their knowledge of the telescope- Have you ever seen it? What does it look like? How does a telescope work?
Step 1: Explain to the children that telescopes use both lenses and mirrors. Ask them about these. Elicit knowledge and understanding.
Step 2: Investigation: Children working in pairs- give them mirrors to investigate, look at themselves, explore mirror writing, mirroring each other’s actions. Similarly give them lenses to look at a variety of objects.
Step 3: In pairs children share their learning and observations.
Step 4: Children design and make a telescope.
Conclusion: Use their telescopes to investigate and observe things in their environment.
This lesson I feel would ideally be taught over a number of lessons to maximise children’s learning. I would then bring the class to visit the telescope at Birr Castle so they can further inquire, explore and investigate having this new information.
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This is a well-thought-out and engaging lesson plan that is clearly tailored to the developmental level of 3rd Class students. It’s commendable how you draw on the children’s existing familiarity with Birr Castle to spark curiosity, while also gently introducing scientific concepts like lenses and mirrors through hands-on, age-appropriate activities. Your progression from exploration to creation allows students to build understanding in a meaningful, concrete way. The emphasis on inquiry and discovery over rote learning is excellent and shows a strong grasp of child-centred pedagogy. The planned visit to I-LOFAR is a fantastic way to consolidate learning and inspire future curiosity
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Hi Margaret,
Welcome to the course. What an ideal location for your school to be in close proximity to Birr Castle and be able to visit the telescope and make meaningful connections with your learning on light.
Third class pupils will need lots of opportunities to explore mirrors and even a level of free play for them to be curious and ask their own questions. As you have said lots of opportunities to explore mirrors and lens over a number of lessons would be ideal for the children to develop their own problems or investigations and then bring that knowledge together in a design and make task.
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After reading Unravelling STEM: Beyond the Acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (Liston, 2018), I’ve started to reflect on how STEM is taught in my classroom. While we cover science, technology, and maths regularly, they’re often taught separately, and engineering only appears now and then through projects. Liston challenges this kind of disconnected approach. Instead, he encourages a more connected and meaningful way of teaching STEM, one that’s inclusive, socially aware, and focused on real-world issues.
What really stood out to me was his idea that STEM isn’t just about skills and content, it’s also about culture, values, and ethics. It made me think- Are we helping students consider who benefits from new technology? Are we giving them space to think about how science affects different communities? Are we encouraging them to reflect on the responsibilities that come with knowledge?
Moving forward, I’d like to bring more real-world, hands-on learning into my STEM lessons. For example, students could work on projects like designing eco-friendly communities or solving local environmental problems. I also think adding storytelling, like learning about the lives and achievements of diverse scientists and engineers would make STEM feel more personal and inspiring.
Liston’s work has helped me see STEM not just as a group of subjects, but as a powerful way to build critical thinking, creativity, and active citizenship in young people.
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Hi Maria
Welcome to the course and thanks for sharing your thoughts on Liston’s paper. We are all guilty of covering STEM areas as individual subjects and as a disconnected approach but this paper does make us reflect on our approaches and how to make it more meaningful for the pupils, ideally by linking with real-world problems or scenarios.
I am not sure if you are familiar with the STEPS to Engineering project that runs in Term 1. Pupils from 3rd and 4th class identify problems in their local area and then create a prototype or model of solutions to these problems. It is a great project and there are lots of opportunities for skills development across all areas of STEM. As you have mentioned it builds critical thinking, creativity and active citizenship in our pupils.
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I have thoroughly enjoyed this module and reaffirming the principles of STEM Education contained in the department’s STEM Education policy statement. I think Stem education has really become an important part of my classroom these past few years. However, as with all subjects, it’s an area I know I still have a lot more to learn! I certainly have more work to do in terms of the cross-curricular integrated approach I take to STEM, particularly focusing on the maths skills used in investigating, designing and problem solving. I loved the hands on approach to the many lessons explored in this module and how they were active and relevant to the children’s own experiences. STEM Education provides fantastic opportunities to develop critical thinking skills, teamwork and applying real life skills in the classroom.
I have used the Curious Minds website in the past and hope to make even more use of it this year, I think it’s a great resource which ties in very well with the STEM Education policy.
I really like the ESERO Framework for Inquiry, I like it’s layout and feel it would keep me accountable in my approach to STEM! I will certainly be making use of the framework this coming year. Overall, I really enjoyed this module and the skills and content explored.
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Hi Michelle
Welcome to the course thanks for your feedback regarding the resources in this module. Using familiar topics and examples from the pupils’ own experiences will engage pupils and give them opportunities to reflect on real-life problems and discuss possible solutions. This may lead to more natural integration with maths whether it is data or using measurements. I agree that STEM education does allow for many opportunities for critical thinking and lots of skills development across different curricular areas in a hands on and active approach as you have mentioned. I hope you enjoy the course and the many more resources across these modules.
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I completely agree with you. This module has really helped me refocus on the core principles of STEM Education too. Like you, I’ve found it so valuable to take a more hands-on and integrated approach in the classroom, especially when it connects to the children’s own experiences. I’m also working on developing a stronger cross-curricular link, particularly with maths skills. It’s something I’ve become much more aware of since taking this module. I’ve used the Curious Minds website as well and find it very practical and easy to incorporate into lessons. The ESERO Framework is new to me too, but I really like how it guides the inquiry process.
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Reflecting on Unravelling STEM: Beyond the Acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths by Liston (2018), it’s clear that the usual way of doing STEM — where subjects are kept separate and the focus is mainly on technical skills — is being questioned more and more. Liston pushes for a different approach: one that’s more connected, creative, and socially aware. He suggests that STEM education should go beyond just facts and formulas, encouraging students to think critically, engage with real-world issues, and explore how STEM can make a difference in society. This way of thinking really changes how we might look at what STEM actually means in the classroom.
In my classroom, I use project-based learning and hands-on activities to help students think critically and solve problems. But Liston’s paper points out that we need to go beyond just teaching science, technology, engineering, and math as separate subjects or even loosely connected ones. It pushes educators to rethink STEM as something more connected and inclusive, where all the subjects come together in a more integrated way.
Liston critiques how STEM is often treated as neutral or without any political influence. Looking at this, I see a gap in my own classroom where we don’t always connect STEM to bigger social or ethical issues. There’s a chance to bring in topics like sustainability, fairness, or how tech affects society. For example, when studying renewable energy, we could also talk about who can access these technologies and what barriers might be in the way.
The paper highlights how creativity should be a core part of STEM, not something extra. In my classroom, creativity often takes a back seat to focusing on precision and being “right.” I now realize how important it is to bring in the arts and humanities more intentionally, turning STEM into STEAM, to make learning richer and support different ways of thinking.
On inclusion and equity, Liston’s focus on social justice really stands out to me. While I try to make STEM accessible to all students, I can do more to challenge the idea of who “belongs” in STEM. This could mean being more thoughtful about the role models we show, whose contributions we highlight, and how we recognize different cultural ways of solving problems.
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Through this module, I have developed a stronger understanding of key STEM education concepts such as inquiry-based learning, cross-curricular integration, and the importance of real-world, local contexts. I’ve learned to structure lessons around the 5E model (Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, Evaluate), encouraging children to ask questions, test predictions, and reflect on outcomes. I will apply these skills by designing activities that promote active investigation—for example, exploring light through mirrors and lenses, then connecting this to Ireland’s scientific heritage by learning about the Leviathan Telescope at Birr Castle. Using ESERO resources, I can link space and astronomy to the primary science curriculum in a meaningful way. I also now recognize the importance of developing pupils’ STEM identity and fostering skills such as observation, communication, and collaboration. In line with the STEM Education Policy Statement, I aim to create a classroom culture that supports curiosity, critical thinking, and real engagement with STEM in everyday life.
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Hi Michelle
Welcome to the course. I am glad that you found the first module useful can see the value of using hands on STEM investigation and Design and Make to foster STEM thinking and encourage the development of STEM skills among your pupils. Linking what is learned and experienced in the classroom through hands on inquiry based learning to STEM in the real world is important as it encourages children to think about the skills they are learning and to see themselves as Scientists, Mathematicians and Engineers while using Technology to research, record and present their findings. I hope you will find lots more resources in this course that will help you to continue this approach.
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When reading her paper I was drawn to the emphasis on engineering with the engineering design process and I thought this was very reflective of the fun and active part of our curricular work, with the emphasis on the new mathematics curriculum on playfulness. STEM work within our classroom looks busy, and can encourage a great deal of conversation, where pupils discuss and make decisions and then change their mind and look at another approach. It can involve trial and error. It usually begins with a question, a discussion, looking at something new, using an image, or a digital video to encourage pupils to consider the question, for example what sources of light do we have in our world or why do we not float in our classroom ?
Pupils are often introduced to materials/equipment and perhaps we will consider vocabulary around the equipment, what we know about the equipment, its uses and importantly how we handle equipment with care. We also consider how we work together safely and what active learning looks like. What it looks like usually is pupils out of their seats, working in pairs or groups, with lots of fun and investigative practice. If we are building/engineering an object there are questions and pupils wonderfully creating different approaches, trying different material and for the most part I try to guide from the side and listen to the children as they consider different ideas, create and work to their conclusions. We then look at what we have been working on, what we were building, what we were trying to achieve and ask how did we do, what went well and what might we do differently next time.-
Hi Fiona,
Thanks for your post and welcome to the course. From reading your reflections on STEM in your classroom, it sounds like your lessons are aligned with Liston’s vision. Her subsequent paper focuses on designing STEM lessons and describes them as “Driven by problem solving, discovery, exploratory learning and independent and collaborative research projects,” mirrored aptly by your words above.
I love how you mention learners out of their seats, collaboratively. We have come a long way from “STEM” classes of old consisting a quick hands-off demonstration at the top of the classroom! It is in this space of open inquiry and fun that the groundwork for STEM literacy, and indeed passion for STEM is forged for the next generation of problem solvers. I can see the framework for inquiry embedded in the process, and an appreciation of the importance of strategic questions for learners-to mine their existing information bank, and reflect on their work.
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Lesson on mirrors, lenses and telescopes aimed at senior classes
Introduction
Ask pupils: “What do sound and light have in common?”
Introduce the idea that both travel in waves.
Quick demonstration: Move a slinky to show how waves move.
Sound Waves
Explain that sound is a vibration that travels through air (or other materials).
Demonstration: Strike a tuning fork and place it in water to show vibrations.
Activity: Pupils make sounds using objects and describe pitch/loudness.
Discuss: How do our ears hear sound?
Light Waves
Shine a torch to show light travels in straight lines.
Use a mirror to reflect the beam; discuss reflection.
Use a prism to show how white light can be split into colours.
Group Work
Use simple stations, with pupils rotating through the stations:
o Sound vibration with rubber bands or cups and string phones.
o Bending light with a glass of water.
o Shadow tracing with torches and objects.
Conclusion
Revise: waves, how sound travels, how light helps us see.
Ask pupils to name one new thing they have learnt. -
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Make your own telescope 3rd/4th class
Introduction
Prompt: I would read this information about telescopes and show pictures of different telescopes. Then watch the video on the birr castle telescope.
A telescope is an instrument that enables you to see distant objects in greater detail. The word telescope comes from the Greek. It means ‘far-seeing’. A tele scope contains at least two lenses. The telescope was invented in 1608. We don’t know exactly who made the first telescope. It was either Zacharias Jansen or Johannes Lipperhey. They both lived in the city of Middelburg in the Netherlands. The telescope was seen as a useful instrument in wartime to be able to see your enemy while he was still a long way away. Galileo Galilei was the first person to use a telescope to look into space. He discovered that the Moon has craters and that Saturn has rings. He also proved that the Earth is not at the center of the universe
Wondering
I would organize the children into pairs. Each pair of children thinks about drawing the design for their telescope. What requirements does a telescope need to meet? Discuss the requirements: a telescope must allow you to see a distant object in more detail (it needs one or more lenses) you must be able to focus a telescope (it must be adjustable) the telescope needs to be sturdy.
Exploring
Each child then makes his or her own telescope. Help the children as they draw the design for their telescope. When all the drawings are completed, encourage the children to show them to rest of the class. Discuss them together and provide comments. Can anything be improved? Allow time for children to make improvements where necessary. Make sure they do not spend so much time on their drawing that there is no time left for the actual construction of their telescope. Check that any adapted design drawings are satisfactory. Hand out the materials for making the telescopes. Help the children where necessary as they make their telescopes.
The children can discuss the answers. When the children look through their telescope, they see objects in more detail. The telescope contains two convex lenses, so the image they see will be upside down. If necessary the children can make improvements to their telescope so it works better -
Inquiry-Based Lesson Using the I-LOFAR Radio Telescope: Waves, Sound and Light
Inspired by the I-LOFAR radio telescope, I would design a simple, inquiry-based lesson on waves, sound, and light for my pupils. To begin, we would explore what waves are using fun demonstrations like dropping a stone in water. I would then link this to how sound travels in waves using string telephones and tuning forks.
Next, we would investigate light by using prisms and torches to show how light can bend and split. Using a hands-on approach, pupils would ask questions like “Can sound travel in space?” or “What kind of waves does a radio telescope detect?”
We would refer to the I-LOFAR to show how it listens to space using radio waves, making the topic exciting and real. Group discussions, drawing wave diagrams, and building simple models would help all learners access the topic while encouraging curiosity and exploration.
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Having reviewed and analysed the text of Dr. Maeve Liston’s STEM article, I understand the point that is being made that thought should be given to all elements of the S.T.E.M. acronym when planning lessons. Integration across our curriculum is well founded currently and STEM is one of the areas where this has become commonplace. We all now assess our plans for how we can bring true cross curricular teaching to the fore.
In our school, we have embraced Curious Minds in recent years and its potential to use STEM as a focus to projects and tasks each year. We see evidence of each element of STEM being used by the different groups within the classes. Group work, self reflection, self assessment, cross-curricular work, presentation skills, personal development, public speaking, etc. are all evident as the children work on their projects. Going forward it will be vital that children maintain and improve on all of these skills for future application in post primary school and in the workforce.
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Hi Adrian
Welcome to the course and thank you for your glowing endorsement of the Curious Minds programme. It is great to hear that STEM skills and STEM thinking are so prevalent across your school and that your pupils are confident is using those skills throughout their project work in school. I hope that the rest of the modules in this course will support you in this and open up new ideas for investigating and exploring STEM in your local area with your pupils.
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· Having reviewed the paper Unravelling STEM: Beyond the Acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (Liston 2018) reflect on what STEM education looks like in your classroom.
I read the Liston paper on STEM as best as I could as I quickly came to realise that STEM is not what I thought it to be that it was a full focus on Maths ,Science and Engineering but rather a way of thinking and not just a a full focus of different subjects .It also calls upon us to be more aware from more socially informed lens .This is very much the way in which we want the environment to be for the next generation .The earth doesn’t belong to us and we must pass it on in good shape to the next generation .
In the classroom it would mean for me to impress upon my little Senior Infants that if for example we are doing work on building shapes with blocks that this cannot alone be applied across the STEM subjects but that I can bring in a social awareness and environmentally friendliness into it that I may not have thought of doing before,
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Hi Helen,
Thanks for your post and welcome to the course. I appreciate your earnest reflections on Dr. Liston’s paper and your newfound understanding of STEM. I like how you are now viewing these activities through a new lens, with a more holistic approach and long-term view in terms of what you want to achieve. As you said, the Earth doesn’t belong to us, and we must pass it on in good shape to the next generation.Dr Liston’s work offers a deeper perspective, and I can see you have applied this to how a building shapes activity can be transformed into something with a greater scope and context, including social awareness and environmental considerations.
I hope you enjoy the rest of the course and gain an extended toolkit of resources for the coming year.
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I use STEM teaching in my classroom by trying to integrate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics through hands-on, inquiry-based learning. Next year, with my senior infants class I want to try and teach topics in a cross-curricular manner to encourage children to apply concepts across all disciplines to real-life. For example, students could design and build a bridge using lollipop sticks and glue to learn about about force and measurement while also developing teamwork skills. In my teaching, I try to make lessons as student-centered as possible, encouraging kids to ask lots of questions. I use technology tools like ipads to enhance learning and engagement. I have also used the Curious Minds website in the past and hope to make even more use of it next year, I think it’s a brilliant resource to could promote the STEM Education policy in the school. All of this STEM education helps students to develop critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving skills.
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Liston’s (2018) paper “Unravelling STEM: Beyond the Acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths” makes you think about what STEM really means in schools. It suggests that it’s not just about teaching the four subjects separately, but about bringing them together in a hands-on, creative way that helps children solve real-life problems. In my classroom, I see this happening more and more. We do projects where children build things, use simple coding, and explore how maths and science connect to the world around them. The kids love working in teams and trying things out for themselves. That said, there are still some challenges—like finding enough time and making sure I feel confident teaching all areas of STEM. Liston’s ideas remind me that STEM isn’t just about facts; it’s about encouraging curiosity and helping children think in new ways. That’s what I try to bring into my classroom every day.
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Hi Daniel,
Thanks for your post and welcome to the course.
I am glad to see that Dr. Liston’s paper has caused you to reflect on what STEM truly means in education, and that in your classroom, you see how your activities reflect a holistic STEM experience, with hands-on creativity to solve real-life problems.It’s great to read that your learners love working in teams and trying things out. I appreciate your honesty about the challenges of finding time and confidence teaching all areas of STEM. You really don’t need to be an expert in a STEM area to deliver a great class with the right resources. Teachers and learners go on a journey of discovery together to find the answers. To quote a man who knew a thing or two about science, Albert Einstein, “Education is not the learning of facts, but the training of the mind to think!”
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This module has reignited my enthusiasm for STEM education and deepened my appreciation of the principles outlined in the department’s STEM Education policy statement. Over the past few years, STEM has grown into a key component of my teaching practice, yet I’m aware that there’s still so much more to explore and improve—particularly in refining a cross-curricular approach that integrates mathematics into inquiry, design, and problem-solving.
I was especially drawn to the hands-on nature of the lessons introduced in this module, which were engaging and grounded in the students’ own experiences. STEM learning offers a rich platform for fostering critical thinking, collaboration, and real-world problem-solving within the classroom.
I’ve previously dipped into the Curious Minds website and plan to make greater use of it in the coming academic year. It’s a valuable tool that aligns beautifully with policy objectives and supports thoughtful, practical lesson planning.
The ESERO Inquiry Framework really stood out to me—I appreciate its clear structure and think it will help keep me intentional and focused in my STEM delivery. I’m eager to incorporate it into my teaching.
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Hi Arlene
Welcome to the course. It’s great to hear your very positive reaction to Module 1 and the resources and tools outlined within it and also your great enthusiasm for STEM practice. The Curious Minds / ESERO Framework for inquiry was designed to make structuring lessons and cross curricular themes easier for teachers so it is great that you can see its value for helping to structure your own STEM work. Hopefully you will find lots more inspiration in the other modules of the course for STEM teaching across a variety of themes and integration with subjects across the curriculum.
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Having reviewed Unravelling STEM: Beyond the Acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths by Liston (2018), I have been prompted to reflect critically on how STEM education is approached in my classroom. Liston challenges the notion of STEM as a rigid acronym, instead presenting it as an interconnected, dynamic field shaped by context, creativity, and social relevance. In my classroom, STEM is often taught through distinct subject silos, with occasional crossover during project-based learning. However, this paper has highlighted the importance of integrating the disciplines more meaningfully to promote deeper understanding and real-world problem solving.
Inspired by Liston’s argument, I recognize the need to embed STEM within broader cultural, ethical, and societal contexts. Rather than simply teaching coding or scientific concepts in isolation, I now aim to frame lessons within authentic problems that require interdisciplinary thinking—for example, designing sustainable solutions for local environmental issues. I also acknowledge the need to make STEM more inclusive by addressing gender, cultural, and socioeconomic barriers that can affect student engagement. Moving forward, I want to foster a classroom culture where students see STEM not just as technical skills, but as a way to explore, critique, and shape the world they live in. This reflection marks a shift in how I plan and deliver STEM learning experiences.
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Having reviewed Maeve Liston’s “Unravelling STEM”, several key ideas resonate when considering what STEM education looks like in a clssroom context- particularly the call to move beyond siloed disciplines and to emphasise real world learning.Liston emphasises curiousity and inquiry as central to meaningful STEM education. In my classroom, this looks like project-based learning where students tackle authentic problems-like designing a sustainable school garden or coding a simple app to track energy usage throughouth school year.These tasks require students to draw on science ( biology,environmental science), technology( digital tools,apps)engineering (design and construction) and maths (data analysis and measurement) merging the disciplines together rather than treating them as standalone subjects.Liston emphasises curiosity and inquiry as central to meaningful STEM education and I aim to foster this through open ended investigations and inquiry base tasks. Rather than simply teaching formulas, pupils would be able to explore patterns and relationships through hands on experiments or data collection. This gives them a sense of ownership and their learning and encourages meaningful engagement. Liston’s vision reminds me that STEM isin’t just about preparing students for jobs- it’s about equipping them to question, create and contribute meaningfully to the world.
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Hi Nicola,
Thanks for your post and welcome to the course!
I can see that you have given her ideas consideration and reflected on how you apply her principles in the classroom, moving away from a siloed approach, and towards a meaningful STEM education.
Project-based learning is a great way to achieve this, and I really like your examples, designing a sustainable school garden and coding an app to monitor energy pollution. It is a wonderful opportunity for learners to take the lead, explore and find the answers themselves, reflect on how to improve and develop a mindset that will serve them well in whatever future career they choose-you say it so well, as you conclude with “it’s about equipping them to question, create and contribute meaningfully to the world.”
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Reflecting on Liston’s (2018) article, STEM education in my classroom has shifted from discrete subject instruction to a more integrated, interdisciplinary approach. Inspired by the article’s emphasis on authentic STEM learning, I design lessons that encourage students to apply scientific knowledge, mathematical reasoning, and technology to solve real-world problems using the Engineering Design Process. This means students are not just building circuits or coding.They’re identifying problems, brainstorming solutions, and iterating on their designs collaboratively. For example, rather than teaching electic circuits in isolation, I facilitate projects where students design and test, integrating science, math, and engineering principles. I now view STEM not as a collection of subjects, but as a cohesive learning model that develops creativity, critical thinking, and teamwork. Liston’s (2028) insight that engineering is the “glue” of STEM has reshaped my planning to ensure that true integration and real-world relevance are central to every unit.
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Hi Colm,
Thanks for your post and welcome to the course!
I am delighted to read how Dr. Liston’s paper is reshaping your lesson planning to ensure true integration and real-world relevance. By using the Engineering Design Process EDP you are using the “glue” of STEM.
I can see how you have given this some thought in your own class plans, with circuits and coding activities integrating disciplines and following the EDP. Through delivering classes in this way, learners will develop their STEM skills, nurturing their curiosity and problem-solving abilities.
I hope you gain some new ideas from this course that you can apply in the coming academic year.
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To inspire my 5th class pupils, I would begin the lesson with a question: How can a telescope “listen” to space? Introducing the I-LOFAR radio telescope, I’d explain that it doesn’t use glass lenses, but picks up invisible radio waves from space. We’d explore the difference between sound and light waves using simple, hands-on activities: using slinkies to model wave motion, tuning forks to explore vibrations, and torches with prisms or water to show how light bends. Pupils would test how sound travels through solids, liquids, and air, then compare this with how light travels. To connect with I-LOFAR, we’d use a radio to show how invisible waves can carry signals. We’d finish with a creative challenge: in groups, pupils design their own “space listening device” using recyclables, explaining how it might “catch” a wave. Visuals, pair work, and clear language ensure accessibility, supporting curiosity, discovery, and scientific thinking.
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Hi David
Radio waves can be a difficult enough concept, but you have some lovely ideas for simple easy to follow hands on investigations that can really make it accessible to your pupils. Tuning forks are always a hit especially when seeing how sounds waves travel through water and using prisms or water to study the refraction of light is another simple idea with a big visual impact. I love the idea of the creative challenge to design a space listening device. especially the communication part where groups explain how their device might work.
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Describe how you could apply some of the concepts and skills you have learned in this module to your own teaching practice in line with the STEM Education policy statement.
As the STEM policy puts an emphasis on integrated learning I would link it into the theme being covered that month. For example, The theme could be Light
1. Art: the creation of the rainbow wheel links in with art and the colour wheel such as primary and secondary colours.
2. History/ Geography: The telescope in Birr Castle, we could explore County Offaly, features of a castle, when it was built etc.
3. English/ Drama: Building their own telescope, recreating a scene of people using a telescope for the first time.
4. Maths: Measurements/ angles etc.The STEM topic or subject area could actually become my monthly theme and then the months teaching could link in with that for an integrated learning experience.
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Hi Kate
Welcome to the course. I like the idea of building your monthly theme around a STEM topic. There are so many ways to integrate other subjects with a STEM theme and you have some really nice ideas there. I supposed I am a bit biased coming from a Science background and being involved with delivering teacher CPD for Curious Minds for many years, but I often recommend to teachers that if they are looking for ideas for cross curricular themes, they should start with a STEM topic or even a single investigation and build around that. Hopefully the other modules of this course will give you plenty of ides for STEM themes and ideas for integration with subjects across the curriculum.
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Really great ideas for cross curricular integration on the topic of light Katie. Thank you. To echo the sentiments of Emma above, I really like your idea for integration of English and Drama with the topic of light. Prior to completing this module I was unaware of the vast array of resources and ideas on the Curious Minds website and the integration opportunities relating to Birr Castle, which have the potential to really enhance student engagement. I like your idea integrating colour wheel activities in art with this topic. Thank you for the great suggestions.
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Having reviewed the article by Maeve Liston, I now view STEM education not simply as a grouping of four subjects—Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics—but as a way of teaching that is relevant and can be linked to other subjects.
She says that true STEM education moves beyond content coverage and instead promotes critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving. This means prioritising inquiry-based learning, where pupils are encouraged to ask questions, test ideas, and engage with open-ended tasks. I love the Curious Minds lesson layout which will help me design lessons that encourage these various elements and sections like the Engage, Investigate and Taking the next step allow lessons to be clear and focused. This will allow students to see the connections between subjects and apply their knowledge in meaningful ways.
STEM in the classroom should also be inclusive and engaging to all learners. A combination of methodologies such as hands-on exploration, visual thinking, storytelling, or group problem-solving should be incorporated.
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With my Senior Infant class, I would start with an inquiry-based lesson on waves, sound, and light inspired by the I-LOFAR radio telescope could begin with the big question: “How do we hear and see things far away?” Start with a hands-on sound exploration—using cups and string to make simple “telephones.” Let children ask questions and test how sound travels. Then explore light by using torches and prisms to see how light can change direction and color. Use story-based learning with a simple narrative like “Ellie the Explorer and the Giant Listening Ear” (I-LOFAR) to spark curiosity. Invite students to wonder how a telescope “listens” to space. Incorporate visual aids, role-play (pretending to be light or sound waves), and outdoor shadow play. Emphasize exploration, prediction, and sensory learning. I would keep language simple by reinforcing vocabulary like loud, quiet, bright, and dark, and encourage questions, making science playful and accessible.
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From reading Unravelling STEM: Beyond the Acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths by Liston (2018), I’ve been encouraged to think about what STEM education actually looks like in my classroom—and more importantly, how I can improve it.
In the past I approached STEM as a set of individual subjects to be covered within their own curriculum areas: science lessons were science lessons, technology was often limited to using iPads or coding apps, and maths was completely separate. But Liston’s work has encouraged me to think differently—about integration and purpose.
Recently I’ve tried to move from delivering content to designing experiences. STEM in my classroom now often begins with a question or a problem not necessarily from the curriculum, but from the world around us. For instance, after a storm or weather warning , students investigated how storms form and what types there are, design a storm proof structure etc. That unit wasn’t what I had planned for that week but it was appropriate for what was going on in the world around us at the time which makes the lesson more real for the students. The children could connect to it and it was engaging something Liston argues is at the heart of meaningful STEM education.
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Hi Niamh
Welcome to the course and thanks for sharing your thoughts on Liston’s paper. I think that as teachers we can all be a little guilty of covering STEM specific to the curricular area and this paper encourages us to broaden our approaches and to view STEM as a holistic approach to these curricular areas.
I really like how you used the real life scenario of the storm to explore it in more detail. I know you mentioned that it was not part of the weekly plan but sometimes we have to take these learning opportunities to ensure it is meaningful and relatable for the pupils, as you have said you can relate it to what is going on in the world around us to further engage pupils.
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Inquiry-Based Lesson on Waves, Sound & Light Inspired by I-LOFAR – 5th Class.
Begin with an engaging question: “How do scientists use telescopes to ‘hear’ and ‘see’ space?” Show a short video or image of the I-LOFAR radio telescope. Guide students to explore the difference between light waves (seen with our eyes) and sound/radio waves (detected with special tools).
Explore:
Set up stations—one with slinkies to show wave motion, another with water ripple tanks (light reflection/refraction), and a sound station using string telephones. Let students predict, test, and record observations.Explain:
Use clear, age-appropriate visuals to explain how waves carry energy. Highlight that radio telescopes like I-LOFAR “listen” to space using radio waves, which we can’t hear directly.Elaborate:
Students build simple wave detectors (e.g., paper cup microphones or light refraction setups). Connect this to I-LOFAR’s role in space discovery.Evaluate:
Students present what they learned through posters or models, explaining one way I-LOFAR helps us understand space. -
To conduct an inquiry-based lesson on waves, sound, and light inspired by the I-LOFAR radio telescope, start by sparking curiosity: show images of I-LOFAR and ask, “How can we ‘see’ things in space we can’t see with our eyes?”
Engage students with hands-on activities like using slinkies to model sound and light waves (showing longitudinal vs. transverse motion). Introduce simple experiments: use tuning forks in water to visualize sound vibrations or flashlights and prisms to explore light refraction.
Explore how I-LOFAR “listens” to space using radio waves, part of the electromagnetic spectrum. Compare this to how our ears hear sound waves and how our eyes see light.
Explain that different waves carry different types of energy and travel in different ways. Elaborate with a creative challenge: design a “mini telescope” using everyday materials to detect invisible signals (e.g., using foil to reflect signals or simple circuits).
Evaluate through group discussions and drawings of what they learned about waves and how we detect them. Keep vocabulary simple and visual supports abundant.
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Hi Tommy
Welcome to the course. I like your idea for a lesson plan on waves, sound and light. It includes a nice balance of discussion and practical activities and investigations to keep the children interested and motivated while making connections between light, sound and other waves. Using tuning forks in water is a great way to motivate children. They love to see who can make the biggest splash and using the tuning fork to see how sound waves travel differently in air (a gas), in water (a liquid) and when the tuning fork end is placed on the table (a solid) is a lovely way to investigate waves.
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What a fantastic, hands-on approach to making a complex topic both accessible and exciting! I really like how you’ve built the lesson around curiosity and student inquiry, starting with that powerful question about “seeing” what’s invisible. Your use of simple materials like slinkies, prisms, and tuning forks makes abstract concepts like wave types and energy transmission much more concrete for pupils. The creative telescope challenge is particularly engaging—it not only consolidates learning but also encourages problem-solving and imagination. I also appreciate your focus on clear vocabulary and visual supports, which are so important for inclusivity. Thanks for sharing this—it’s given me some great ideas for my own classroom!
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Describe how you could apply some of the concepts and skills you have learned in this module to your own teaching practice in line with the STEM Education policy statement
This module has helped me understand how important it is to get children thinking for themselves, asking questions, and working together — all key parts of the STEM Education Policy. The policy focuses on encouraging active thinking and giving students and teachers the tools to explore and learn in a hands-on, real-life way.
Learning Through Inquiry
Next year, I want to focus more on pair work, group tasks, and asking questions that help pupils use their prior knowledge. I want to make science lessons more fun and meaningful, not just following a step-by-step method like a recipe, but instead giving time for:Exploration
Wondering
Investigating
This way, pupils will get to think like real scientists
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Hi Patrick
Welcome to the course. I’m glad that you enjoyed the first module and that it has got you thinking about STEM teaching and learning in a new way. It is great that you have a new focus for next year in using the steps of the Curious Minds / ESERO Framework for Inquiry to expand your lessons and make them more meaningful and engaging for your students. Hopefully you will find lots more inspiration for ways to do this in the other modules of this course and lots of ways that you can integrate other subject areas with STEM so you can give your pupils that enhanced STEM experience without losing out on other subject areas.
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To conduct an inquiry-based lesson on waves, sound, and light, I would use the I-LOFAR radio telescope as an engaging hook. I’d begin with a short video or image of the telescope, prompting pupils to ask: “How can a telescope ‘listen’ to space?” This question would spark curiosity and lead into an exploration of waves. Pupils would rotate through hands-on stations—making string telephones, creating ripple tanks, and using prisms and torches to explore light. Using the 5E Model (Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, Evaluate), I would guide pupils to discover that sound travels in mechanical waves, while light and radio waves are electromagnetic. We’d link this to I-LOFAR’s role in detecting signals from space. The lesson would be highly visual and tactile, using drama, art, and simple experiments to ensure accessibility. Pupils would conclude by creating a mini-presentation showing how waves help us understand the universe, promoting curiosity and collaboration.
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Hi Tommy,
I really like your idea of beginning with a short video or image of a telescope. This is a great way to grab the children’s attention early and is sure to keep them engaged throughout the lesson. This prompt will definitely have the children discussing how they think a telescope can listen in space.
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I will definitely make use of the Curious Minds/ESERO Framework for Inquiry in my STEM teaching in the coming school year. I find it to be a very structured and organised approach that supports meaningful, hands-on learning experiences and promotes active participation from students in their own learning journey.
One of the key strengths of the framework is how it sparks curiosity through engaging, practical activities. The accompanying planning guide is comprehensive and clearly designed to support teachers in delivering high-quality STEM lessons. I am confident that this approach will make the teaching and learning of STEM subjects more effective, engaging, and child-centred.
In particular, the ‘Investigate’ stage of the framework really stands out to me. It provides students with opportunities to ask questions, make predictions, and conduct investigations—all of which place them at the centre of the learning process. This not only supports the development of critical thinking and problem-solving skills, but also fosters a sense of ownership and excitement around learning.
Overall, I see the ESERO Framework as a valuable tool to help create a more enquiry-based, student-led approach to STEM in my classroom.
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Hi Sharon
Welcome to the course, it is great to hear that you will make use of the Curious Minds framework for inquiry in the coming school year. It does allow for lots of active learning and for the pupils to guide their learning through questioning, critical thinking and investigating. I have really enjoyed using it in my class and the class have also benefited from this approach.
As you have mentioned the investigate stage puts the pupils as central to the learning process and they can guide the investigations and any future investigations that may arise from their own observations and questions. It does allow for a sense of ownership of their learning as you have said.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this framework and I hope you enjoy the course.
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After viewing the presentation on I-Lofar telescopes, I brainstormed how to conduct an inquiry-based lesson on waves, sound and light. I would begin by grabbing the children’s attention through a whole class discussion.
(Prompt) I will play sounds from space (radio waves that were converted to audio). I will ask the children questions such as “Have we ever heard these sounds before?” and “Where have we heard these?” After this, I will split the class into small groups and give them hands on mini tasks to complete. Each of these stations will have a different inquiry prompt.
(Investigate) Station 1- Light- The children will shine white light through coloured filters. The children will explain what they observe.
Station 2 – Voice recorder- the children will use an iPad to speak in different ways into a voice recorder (shout, whisper, sing etc.). The children will observe how these different audio types result in different frequencies.
Station 3- Invisible signals- The children will use a variety of Bluetooth and remote control toys. They will discuss how they think that this information is carried.
(Reflection) At the end of the lesson, the class will interpret the data found. The teacher will ask questions such as “What happens when we whispered into the voice recorder?” The class will engage in a discussion based on the 3 stations.
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Module 1
Describe how you could apply some of the concepts and skills you have learned in this module to your own teaching practice in line with the the STEM Edcuaction Policy Statement.
Pairs, collaborrative work, extending knowledge and illicitating prior knowledge are all elements in this module I wish to practice this coming school year. The lesson on the mystery finger prints was a fabulous real life lesson and the langugae not only of the finger prints types but the language of culprit etc was a brilliant practice. This is a lesson I would love to try and use the language in literacy perhaps a clip from Holes to utilise the langauge. Also the teacher on the finger print lesson highlighted the importance of the reflccetive process key to monitor the learning and the learning for the teacher. A practice I think critical and regarding my teaching of STEM as mentioned just “one change can make a difference”
Many lessons are science lessons that do not incorporate any type of design, real world applications or core ideas of engineering. The “T” of STEM Education can also be an hurdle to producing a meaningful STEM experiences. This I feel can be an obstacle to my teaching of science perhaps I am using science like a script to caught up on the end product and not allowing enough space for the process of exploration and not allowing time for proper teaching science like scripture.
– Exploration
– Wondering
– Investigation
These pillares provide a superb frame work for my practice this coming school year. I love the idea of the prompt to stimulate prior knowledge usually I would have just used a brianstorm or a Think Pair Share.
There can be quite a lot of uncertainty around the design and understanding of STEM activities. The article discussed what STEM is and the characteristics of true authentic STEM activities and lessons.
Elements of change to my practice
– Prompt ( opening with a great focus question or a piece of resource )
– Wondering ( allowing time in pairs time to question how the experiment may unfold)
– Exploring ( not only with a perscribed script but giving the pupils a paper clip and use the language how can this be a piece of technology )
– Conducting Investigation ( allowing enough time for meaningful engagement )
– Interpret Data ( application of practical maths to problem solve like using the rainbow spinners (circles) and teaching diameter and radius in a real life capacity )
When concluding a lesson I wish to use langauge such as
What like most about design ? What were challenges? What is best to remember for next time?
Also to intergrate with literacy new words explored will be displayed on our WOW wall and give pupils scaffolding opportunities using teacher as a prompter to build on their knowledge of words.
To conclude utilising the following to adjust my practice
1. Pillars ( for planning rather than perscribing )
2. Ample time for exploration and investigation
3. Simple application to maths (using rainbow spiinners and apply to language of circle, radius, diamerter)
4. Wow Wall for new words
5. Intergrate words in to a literacy piece ( finger prints language lesson with a passage from Holes or another crime novel)
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Hi Emma
Welcome to the course and thanks for your detailed post. It is fantastic to see how much you have taken on board from the first module and the plans you have for incorporating some of these ideas into your teaching in the coming year. Just a few simple ideas can make a huge difference, such as the prompt for beginning a lesson. By just having something like this to fire the children’s imagination at first, your think pair share or class brainstorm can form part of the wondering process and should yield more depth. I agree that Michelle and her colleagues did a great job on the Fingerprints lesson, taking a very short and simple activity from the Curious Minds website and turning it into a whole school lesson with differentiation for different classes and lots of opportunity for using STEM skills. I hope you find lots more inspiration in the remaining modules of the course for incorporating into your teaching this year and in the future
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Class level: J.Inf
Topic: Light
Prompt: Having done some work on predicting in a previous lesson I would use some of the online close up resources from readers digest or brightside.me to ask children to predict what the close ups are explaining what they see.
Wondering:
Why do they look different in the first pic? Has anyone ever made their own close ups.. how
Distribute magnifying glasses for free play or exploration outside. Children can share their discovery with teacher or friends.
On returning to class children complete the first half of a worksheet drawing their best picture of a spider. Share pictures with class. Look for common features. Thumbs up if you also used a circle for the body, six legs, eight legs, 20 eyes..
Investigate:
Children now observe real spiders in magnifying containers collected by teacher.
Now draw again on the second half of the worksheet.
What is the same or different. Collate learning..
Spiders have how many legs, how many parts to their bodies, any other obs..
What could we do after this to continue our work as scientists?
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1st Class lesson – The Night Sky
I will begin by showing them a big, bright photo of a starry night over Ireland and asking what they notice and how it is different from the daytime sky. I expect this will spark plenty of discussion — some children might recall spotting the Moon from their bedroom window, while others may remember seeing stars on a late journey home.
We will then play a sorting game with picture cards, deciding which belong to the daytime sky and which to the night. I will use a torch as the Sun and a globe to model how the Earth spins, creating day and night. The children will take turns “shining the Sun” on our small planet and experimenting with how light and darkness change.
After this, I will introduce some key facts: the Sun is a star, stars are far away, the Moon changes shape, and sometimes we can even see planets. Then we will become “Night Sky Detectives”. Using simple star charts and cardboard telescopes, the children will go on a hunt for constellations around the room, imagining what a real telescope might reveal.
To finish, each pupil will draw their own night sky and share one new thing they have learned. I will also set a home challenge: one evening, with a parent or guardian, they will spend a few minutes looking at the night sky and make a drawing of what they see. When they return to class, we will compare their drawings and discuss how the sky can look different depending on the night and the location. This will ensure the sense of curiosity continues beyond the classroom.
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Some nice ideas Amanda. As the lesson begins with a real life situation and something the children can relate to, I feel this would engage them immediately. It’s a fun, hands on lesson and gives the children to opportunity to investigate and learn further after the lesson is complete. I feel cross Curricular links could be made to art from this lesson as a lesson on Van Gogh’s Starry night would lend itself perfectly.
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I thought this was a lovely lesson idea Amanda, loved how you started with making the connection for the children to their own experiences as a starting point. I can imagine the children would really enjoy being ‘Night time Detectives’ with their telescopes. Loads of opportunity for learning through play which is so important to promote and encourage. Anita’s suggestion of using curricular link of Van Gogh’s Starry Night is also a lovely idea.
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This is a really lovely lesson idea. Children, at this age, love to learn about space and the stars. I have shown my second class the time&date website which shows you the times of sunrise and sun set over the year. It also shows the phases of darkness in nighttime and has a great picture of the yearly changes. It’s really good for comparing to other place that have different hours of daylight to us.
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This is such a lovely, engaging lesson plan! I really like how you start with a striking image to grab their attention and connect it to their own experiences — that’s such a powerful way to make learning meaningful. The sorting game is a clever way to get them thinking about similarities and differences, and using the torch and globe makes the science so concrete. I can imagine the “Night Sky Detectives” activity being a real highlight — it’s playful but still packed with learning. The home challenge is a brilliant touch too; it keeps their curiosity going after the lesson.
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Describe how you could apply some of the concepts and skills you have learned in this module to your own teaching practice in line with the STEM Education policy statement.
The Stem Education policy statement lists 4 pillars – nurture learner engagement and participation, enhance early years practitioner and teacher capacity, support STEM Education Practice, and using evidence to support STEM education. From looking at module 1 and at the Curious Minds website, I feel that by incorporating the Curious Minds framework into my teaching, I would be implementing the policy statement. I will apply the inquiry based, student centered approaches which encourage problem solving, starting off each lesson with a hook question. The lessons integrate science, technology, engineering and maths. I like the idea of real world relevance, such as the telescope at Birr Castle Demense. The framework gives the teacher scope to initially find out the student’s prior knowledge and understanding and gives the teacher the opportunity to reflect after the lesson. Lessons are exciting, interesting and embed student collaboration and digital literacy. I feel excited about using the Curious Minds framework in my 2nd – 4th classroom this coming year.
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I love the way Anita uses a ‘hook’ question at the start of each lesson to elicit prior knowledge from the children. I also love how she states that these lessons integrate the real world and children’s locality which results in ‘making connections’ which is very important for children especially in the lower end of the school. I will also be looking forward to using these lessons in my classroom in the upcoming year.
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I think Stem education in primary schools is very important for educators and their children. For example, in my Junior Infant classroom, stem education looks very much like fostering curiosity amongst the children, observing children’s play and hands-on exploration etc., I always get the children to engage in free play and guided play with Aistear topics/themes. I think allowing the children to explore hand-on-activities by constructing, sorting, experimenting etc., is very important to foster their learning. By questioning and using everyday language with the children e.g. what will happen if we.. why do we think this will happen… etc., will allow children to focus and engage in the topic right at hand. Most importantly, in my classroom we thematic plan curricular areas and children love to see that they already know certain aspects of a theme we have covered in various other subjects e.g. Language & Literacy, Visual Art etc., I love using picture books, videos, outdoors etc., with the children on a daily/weekly basis.
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Hi Rachel,
Thanks for sharing, and welcome to the course.
I really like how you describe your approach to STEM in the junior classroom. We have come a long way in STEM from simply telling learners the facts to, as you say, fostering curiosity.Hands-on constructing, sorting and experimenting is all part of the process for learners to develop their STEM skills, and it’s great to see you include the importance of questioning-“what will happen if” is a great question for any STEM lesson. To quote Carl Sagan, “Science is a way of thinking much more than it is a body of knowledge.”
Accessible language is critical, and can be a real barrier for learners if the lesson is not pitched appropriately to the unique levels within the class. As the Curious Minds framework mentions throughout, Considerations for Inclusion are a key pillar. By using a variety of teaching resources, you can engage your learners and integrate subjects as part of an overall theme.
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Module 1 Assignment:
Describe how you could apply some of the concepts and skills you have learned in this module to your own teaching practice in line with the STEM Education policy statement.
The biggest take away for me from module 1 that will impact my own teaching practice has been the introduction to the SFI Curious Minds and ESERO inquiry-based learning framework when planning and teaching topics from the SESE curriculum in line with the STEM Education policy statement.
Prior to completing this module I hadn’t been aware of this 3 part framework of (1) Engage, (2) Investigate and (3) Take the next step. The ten steps of the inquiry based teaching and learning process expanded upon in the introduction video shared in this module were very useful, talking through the different headings and subsections of the framework.
Summarised, these steps included…
1. Write down curriculum strand, stand unit, learning objectives and tables in planning guide that best suit your requirements
2. Consider how you will engage your learnings… how will you introduce the new experience to pupils… PROMPT: Picture, Story, Video, Show & tell object… stimulate discussion
3. Discussion should lead to wondering… Posing a problem, providing a scenario, draw a mind map to come up with possible solutions.
4. Exploring… Encourage children to consider various options and to compare alternatives they develop
5. Present to problem to be investigated by posing a starter question for investigation… Can also come from children themselves…
6. Consider how children will predict and provide reasons for predictions… Important to record their predictions and compare to their findings
7. Conducting investigation: Consider how you organise the children to design, plan and conduct inquiry based activity… Consider what makes it a fair test. How will they collect and organise data?
8. Plan for sharing and interpreting data and results…
9. Consider how to extent their new learning and/or skills… Applying learning to new scenario or problem… Making connections with the world around them or with other curricular areas or thoughtful actions about how to make their environment a better place and what they have learned.
10. Reflection: What have you achieved or what could be done better next time? Children to reflect on their own learning.
The lesson ideas and resources shared in this module are excellent. I will use these lesson ideas in the coming year, which, through use of the framework, will enhance my own instruction and the learning outcomes for my students in the year ahead.
The development of lesson ideas building on the Light strand of the science curriculum were excellent. Starting from the oft taught lessons investigating light, to exploring, designing and constructing telescopes, investigating concave and convex lenses, using mirrors, etc. Linking this to the Great telescope in Birr, the evolution of telescopes and the impact on astronomy is also excellent and has been well laid out in this module.
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Hi Sean
Welcome to the course. I am delighted that you have found the resources helpful and thank you for your feedback on this module.
The Curious Minds Framework is a great starting point which you can use to plan for many child-led and inquiry based learning in Science. From my own class different questions have arisen from different lessons leading to the pupils planning their own investigation. I also like in the framework how it is not centred around just the investigation part and allows for development of ideas and knowledge.
The unit on light gives a very structured approach and you could consider exploring this in October to link with Space Week.
I hope you enjoy the other modules.
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Module 1 Question:
Having reviewed the paper Unravelling STEM: Beyond the Acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (Liston 2018) reflect on what STEM education looks like in your classroom.
The main points which stood out to me following a review of Liston’s paper are as follows:
· The need for educators to move from seeing STEM as traditional separate subjects and to question what STEM “actually means” (Gerlach, 2012). I am guilty of viewing STEM education in such a traditional way in my classroom. This paper highlighted the need for us to really understand STEM as being a way to build not just knowledge but a range of strategies and skills to be applied across our daily lives not just as young pupils but as adults alike.
· The first image proposed by Liston that a STEM population is not about a population that is good at STEM subjects with many prospering STEM industries but is a population that strives to make the world a better place both socially and culturally using the key STEM skills of ‘creativity, problem solving, critical thinking, and communication skills’ to do so. This really led me to question how to approach the development of STEM in the classroom and the necessity for me to change the focus of learning to be skilled based instead of knowledge based.
· The example given of The concept of STEM: a simple pen by Vasque, 2015 highlighted how to develop STEM skills using the everyday world around us. I thought it was very clever and inspiring. I also learned how technology is not just something industry or technologically based but anything human made to solve a problem. This I think would be the starting points for me going forward to develop STEM education in my classroom. Pose the problem for all the young critical thinkers to try and solve!
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Hi Olga,
Thanks for your post and welcome to the course.
I can see that you have taken the time to reflect on Dr Liston’s paper, and how your current classroom practices compare. Her work serves as a helpful gold standard benchmark. It’s an important reminder of the integrated rather than siloed approach required for a true STEM lesson, with engineering as the glue-a problem for young critical thinkers to solve, as you mention at the end of your post!
In taking this approach, teachers and learners go on a journey of discovery that forges a continuous improvement, solution-focused mindset that will benefit them within and beyond the classroom.
Great to see your technology definition expand-you are not alone in your thinking on this one! From the humble pen to the latest app, it’s all to solve a problem!
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I will apply the concepts from this module by integrating the Curious Minds/ESERO Framework for Inquiry into my STEM lessons, ensuring activities follow the engage–investigate–next steps–reflect model. For example, a lesson on light and lenses could begin with questioning (“How do telescopes help us see far-away objects?”), followed by hands-on exploration using mirrors, magnifiers, and simple telescopes. This aligns with the STEM Education Policy Statement’s emphasis on nurturing engagement (Pillar 1) and supporting practice (Pillar 3). I will highlight cross-curricular links—using maths for measuring focal lengths, history for the story of Birr Castle’s Great Telescope, and language skills for report writing. By differentiating tasks, I can make STEM accessible to all learners, including those with SEN. This approach promotes problem-solving, creativity, and scientific thinking while fostering curiosity about our local scientific heritage, fulfilling the policy’s aim of enhancing both learner participation and teacher capacity.
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Hi Patrick
Welcome to the course. It is great to hear your feedback on the framework and how you will apply this to your STEM lessons in the next school year. When exploring the concepts of light and lenses questioning will elicit the learners’ prior knowledge and also help to guide the lesson as they have their own questions. Pupils can also make predictions on what could happen when exploring lenses. As you have said the lessons on light also allow for lots of cross curricular learning to make meaningful connections between the different subject areas.
It is important to support all learners and STEM allows for lots of skills development which will support the learning and as you have mentioned it will help to foster curiosity about the local scientific heritage. Thanks for sharing.
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Module 1 question: Describe how you could apply some of the concepts and skills you have learned in this module to your own teaching practice in line with the STEM Education policy statement
I was unfamiliar with the STEM Education policy statement prior to undertaking this course. Having now read the document, I think that the three key principles of STEM education will help me plan my lessons from now on. The principles of igniting curiosity, recognising STEM as interdisciplinary subjects and being creative has made me re-think how I teach and prepare STEM subjects.
I will also be able to draw on the many resources listed in this module which are aligned with these principles to encourage my students to explore and ask questions when it comes to STEM topics. These experiments and resources, alongside the Curious Minds/ESERO framework for inquiry, enable pupils to engage in active learning. One of the key points I would like to try and do next year is to begin STEM lessons by asking a question or using a prompt to encourage pupils to wonder and become curious about the lesson. This module has definitely made me re-evaluate how I teach STEM and I am looking forward to using these resources when I return to school.
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Hi Louise,
Welcome to the course, and thanks for sharing!
I am delighted to see that this module and its assignment have given you pause to reflect on STEM in your classroom, and Liston’s paper has made you rethink how you teach and prepare STEM subjects.
The Curious Minds resources really do help in this, and take the pain out of class plans by providing all the information needed in the context of their Framework of Inquiry, available for various class levels, and in Irish too.
Using a prompt, such as asking a question, is a great way to ignite an interest, and right from the start, it creates a learner-centred experience as active participants in the lesson.
I hope you enjoy the rest of the course-lots of more great resources to come!
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In my classroom, STEM is embedded across all subjects—science, technology, engineering, art and maths. Children work in teams to tackle real problems; they brainstorm, design, test and refine solutions, developing resilience and celebrating iterative improvement. Collaboration and communication underpin every task, and digital tools are used naturally, not as add‑ons. We explore how science concepts influence everyday decisions and careers, and we emphasise creativity, ethics and social conscience alongside hard skills.
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Module 1:
Describe how you could apply some of the concepts and skills you have learned in this module to your own teaching practice in line with the STEM Education policy statementWith my class this year I am going to approach teaching light differently. I loved all the information about lenses that was given here, and I am going to try and source some to make the telescopes. I will use station teaching as an introduction and allow the children time to explore a telescope, mirrors and prisms and explore how light can be reflected, etc, with them. This will all be free exploration, and we will discuss what we found at the end. We will follow up with lessons on telescopes and the colour spinner. Again, the children will be given a chance to explore and experiment with this once we have completed one, exploring what happens if we use different colours etc. This all links in really nicely with Science Week in our school, as second class usually has a talk with a parent who works in this field and demonstrates why the sky is blue with the light on a phone and coffee grounds.
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Do-It-Yourself Solar Eclipse.
You could create and explain a solar eclipse in a few seconds using material found around the home.
Experiment, you will need:
a torch
an orange
a pingpong ball
blu tack
kebab stick.
Experiment
First secure the ping-pong ball to the end of the kebab stick with a large piece of blu tack.
Place the torch on a surface your hand with the torch facing it.
Turn out the lights for this bit and close all the curtains for it to be effective.
Using the other hand, pass the ping-pong ball between the orange, blocking out the light from the torch. Explain to your child that the torch is the Sun, the orange is the Earth and the ping-pong ball is the Moon.
Result
What do they notice when the ball passes in front of the orange? They should notice the shadow of the ping-pong ball falling onto the orange. If a tiny human lived on the orange, it would appear the light source had been blocked out by the ping-pong ball. This is what happens during a solar eclipse.
You could extend this experiment again but swap the orange and ping-pong ball to recreate a lunar eclipse.
Scientific Explanation
This experiment demonstrates how a small, celestial body like the moon can block out light form a much larger one like the Sun. There are two types of eclipses that we can see from Earth – a solar eclipse and a lunar eclipse. A solar eclipse is when the Moon blocks the light from the Sun reaching Earth so that it appears to block out the Sun. A lunar eclipse is when the Earth blocks the Sun’s light reaching the Moon so it is in total darkness. -
Describe how you could apply some of the concepts and skills you have learned in this module to your own teaching practice in line with the STEM Education policy statement:
I feel my teaching practice has benefited greatly from the learnings in Module One. The STEM policy statement taught me to investigate our local area as a basis for scientific exploration inside and outside my classroom. STEM is not confined to Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics subjects. I will endeavour to apply a cross disciplinary approach in my teaching and to link STEM to other curriculum areas in particular the Arts. I will use the four pillars; nurture learner engagement and participation, enhance teacher and early years practitioner capacity, support STEM Education Practice and use evidence to support STEM Education to support me in my teaching of STEM. I will use the framework for inquiry encouraging my students to ‘engage’, ‘investigate’ and ‘take the next step’. Themed frameworks will help me to integrate STEM between other curriculum areas, in particular oral language and written language skills.
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I agree that including the locality in STEM learning is vital, as it makes concepts real and relatable for children. Exploring the local area fosters curiosity, develops observation skills, and encourages pupils to see science and maths in action around them. It builds stronger connections between school and community, making learning more meaningful, engaging, and rooted in everyday life.
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Orla, I completely agree that STEM has massive scope for integration in the primary classroom, particularly with the arts, and I love your idea of using themed frameworks to assist in this cross curricular integration. One particular area of written language skills that can be linked to STEM is report writing, where the children could write a report on the STEM activity that they have engaged with!
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MODULE 1
Having reviewed the paper Unravelling STEM: Beyond the Acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (Liston 2018) reflect on what STEM education looks like in your classroom.
My experience of STEM, by definition in this document has been brought to my classroom by outside experiences and programmes e.g. the Make, Create, Innovate programme; Junior Entrepreneurs, Science Blast, STEPS, Globe.gov projects, Sustainability in education projects etc…. because these have a built in framework for STEM and allow for the Creativity and input of the children with an outcome that demonstrates their value to society.
The latest one has been with iform 3d printing where I did a course, got a 3d printer for the school and have had the children ideate, and solve real problems in their classroom, school or locality by brainstorming to identify the issues, interview those affected by the issues, define the issues, collaborate in small groups to ideate, design and draw up solutions; build prototypes with regular materials in the classroom, reiterate and modify; build out the prototype digitally in Tinkercad, check its printability in the 3d printer software (slicer) and tweak to ensure it will print properly; printing, testing, snag listing, reprinting, retesting; coming back together as a class to present findings and highlight what went well and what could have worked better, reviewing the work of other groups then discuss if hybrids of any of the solutions by work even better. Printing off the final solution and solving the problem before presenting their findings to the school.
Using this programme we have fixed the flusher of a toilet in the infant classroom, creating missing games and jigsaw pieces to make whole sets again; made universal drink holders to stop spillages in the classroom, created clips to keep the tablecloths on the tables for the school garden fete, made doorstops, created Eco-opoly a boardgame to teach about the sustainability goals and engage in practical ways we can apply them. All of this involved investigations, creaing technology through engineering, using Maths for dimensions, stats etc… but also incorporated art and research, digital literacy, literacy oral and a variety of written texts. This to me, seems to correlate with the definition of STEM in the aforementioned paper but I wouldn’t have executed any of it so holistically by myself for sure. This is why I love the ESRO framework and in fact, the contents of this course. Its an elevated starting point.
I learned so much about teaching and engaging with STEAM from doing these programmes with the children and subsequently used the Design thinking principles together with the investigative framework from Science Blast to consider and tackle all kinds of problems. The ESRO framework has it all in one.
I agree with Liston re. the engineering part of STEM.
With AI a driving force for the forseeable future its important to teach children how to think – regularly using the framework, tools and strategies put forward in these programmes which ultimately are all hands-on defintely made a difference in my class
Also, if you think about it, noone fully understands the difference between acquiring knowledge and applying knowledge (the engineering aspect of STEM) until they experience it and that goes for all interactions in life including emotional and social as well as practical so there are so many ways STEM principles can be applied in teaching and learning.
This module was a great start to this course. Interesting, practical and applicable so far!
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Hi Deirdre
Welcome to the course. I am fascinated to hear all about the different projects and initiatives you have engaged in. I had applied to do training and receive a 3D printer but was put on the waitlist. Reading your post has increased my interest in this area. The use of the 3D printer is STEM at its best, problem solving in real-life scenarios and then actually developing and creating a solution too.
There are so many initiatives that we can get involved in as teachers such as Science Blast, Junior Entrepreneur, STEPs as you have mentioned and each has their own approach but I agree that the ESERO and Curious Minds framework has it all in one and it can be adapted as needed for other curricular areas.
Thanks for sharing your own experience and your feedback on this module. I hope you enjoy the other modules in this course.
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Module 1:
After reading Unravelling STEM: Beyond the Acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (Liston, 2018), I’ve started to think differently about what STEM actually looks like in my classroom. Up until now, I’ve mostly treated STEM as separate subjects—science lessons, maths lessons, a bit of tech here and there. But Liston challenges that view and pushes us to think of STEM as more than just content—it’s about how students think, problem-solve, and make sense of the world.
Looking at my own teaching, I can see that I could do more to make STEM learning feel connected and meaningful. Rather than teaching each subject on its own, I want to start giving students more opportunities to work on real-world problems that bring different areas of STEM together. For example, letting students design and test solutions to real issues, use technology in creative ways, and apply maths in hands-on projects.
Liston also talks about including ethical and social thinking in STEM, which is something I haven’t focused on much. It’s made me realise that STEM should help students become thoughtful, curious problem-solvers—not just people who know facts. This reflection is helping me see where I can grow as a STEM educator.
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Having reviewed the paper Unravelling STEM: Beyond the Acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (Liston 2018), I have reflected on the purpose and potential of STEM education in my classroom. Liston challenges us educators to move beyond viewing STEM as a set of discrete subjects, and to view it as a holistic, integrated approach to learning. This will promote critical thinking, creativity, and real-world problem solving. Throughout my own years of teaching, I have often been reluctant to approach STEM activities focusing only on science experiments. However, Liston’s wants us to use a more interconnected and socially conscious approach. This has encouraged me to become more open minded about stem, and to reconsider how I plan my lessons. I am always eager to carry out active learning, investigation and experiments in Science lessons but now I see that there are so many more opportunities to apply STEM thinking to other subjects. For example, when teaching the class about renewable energy, I would encourage the students to design solar panels out of various materials, investigate the environmental benefits and the cost of products to make solar panels.
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Hi Siobhan
Welcome to the course and thanks for sharing your thoughts and reflection on your own practice and the paper from Liston.
As teachers we can all focus on the science experiments as our STEM but as you have said STEM is a holistic and integrated approach to incorporate all areas to make it interconnected. It is great to hear how you will apply this to your own teaching such as exploring solar panels for renewable energy which will be a good starting point for you. I hope you enjoy the other modules in this course.
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After reviewing Liston’s (2018) paper on Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths education, it is my hope that my approach to integrating STEM education in the classroom enables all children to develop the necessary skills to become active and informed learners. Liston (2018) emphases the importance of providing opportunities for children to apply new skills and knowledge in a wide range of cross-curricular learning contexts. From experience, I have found this approach to learning engages the children further as it provides an active, hands on approach to learning and more opportunities for group and pair work. Furthermore, integrating STEM projects into teaching and learning enables all children to develop the essential skills of communication, problem-solving, reasoning, resilience and leadership. I have found that the combination of science, technology, engineering and maths challenges the children to work collaboratively to generate solutions to real-life problems and engage fully with exploring the world around them through playful investigation and experimentation.
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Reflecting on this paper, I see STEM not simply as four separate subjects but as an integrated approach that encourages curiosity, problem-solving, and creativity. For example, during a science lesson on magnetism, pupils design and test simple games, linking engineering design with scientific concepts. Technology supports learning through coding activities with tablets, while maths is embedded naturally as pupils measure, record and analyse results. Group projects foster collaboration and critical thinking, with children encouraged to ask questions and test solutions. Importantly, STEM provides opportunities for real-world connections such as linking environmental topics to local issues, helping pupils see relevance beyond the classroom. In line with this paper, I view STEM as a mindset rather than a subject list. Its about nurturing innovation, resilience, and curiosity in young learners through meaningful, hands-on experiences.
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I completely agree with Luke. Making connections is essential is all STEM Education lessons. Children need time to see how they will apply this learning in their lives and how it is applicable to the real world all around them.
I also believe that STEM Education is mindset. It is a mindset that no challenge is too great and that their is a solution to every problem. This combined with the application of twenty-first century skills (communication, collaboration, creativity, problem solving, etc.) makes STEM Education a must in every modern classroom. Although I have engaged in some STEM lessons previously with my class, I look forward to engaging in more multi-disciplinary STEM Projects in the coming year.
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The paper argues that STEM education should not be limited to the basic interpretation of its acronym. Instead it presents STEM as a complex, multi-dimensional approach to learning that extends beyond the isolated teaching of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Emphasis is placed on developing STEM literacy, which encompasses skills such as curiosity, critical thinking, problem-solving, and the capacity to make informed decisions.
Bringing this into the classroom, to begin with, instead of starting from scratch I’d build lessons using STEM curricula already familiar with. When confident in the material, that confidence is passed on to the students which would create a strong foundation for learning. When structuring a lesson, the goal would be to make meaningful connections between academic concepts and real-world applications e.g. in Science, could students design an experiment or build a model that demonstrates a key concept? In maths, could they use physical tools like blocks, or apply technology to create graphs etc. The more real-world relevance you provide, the more likely students are to engage with and retain the material.
I’d encourage students to collaborate in small groups, participate in experiments and tackle problems creatively. This type of interactive learning promotes critical thinking, creativity and collaboration—skills that are essential for navigating both academic and real world challenges. -
The following is a lesson for 6th class on. The night sky
Ask pupils: What do you see in the night sky?
Gather ideas about stars, moon, planets, and constellations.
Explore the Sky using online resources such as Stellarium or NASA Skywatch to show the night sky.
Point out how it changes during the night and across seasons.
Identify well-known constellations (e.g. Orion, the Plough). encourage students to observe the night sky from their homes / windows
Discuss how people long ago used stars for navigation and stories.
Discuss the invention of the telescope .
Introduce the PPt of Birr Castle and the telescopes thereHave Pupils sketch a constellation from an image and an telescope with labels
Match star patterns to names on worksheets.
Give pupils a skywatching recording sheet.
At home, note moon phases or brightest stars over a week.
Share observations in class.
Link night sky study to science (space), history (navigation), and culture ( literacy ” myths/stories). and art . Design and make a telescope
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After reflecting on Liston’s Unravelling STEM: Beyond the Acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (2018), I can see how STEM education in my primary classroom comes to life through themed, cross-curricular learning. Recently, we explored the topic of Materials – Plastic, and I found this provided a rich opportunity to connect all four STEM areas. In science, the children carried out hands-on investigations by making plastic from milk and vinegar and experimenting with slime. In technology, they created Google presentations on the impact of plastic pollution in our oceans, developing both research and digital literacy skills. For engineering, pupils followed instructions to construct a snail that lights up, which allowed them to experience simple circuits in a creative way. In maths, they researched and analysed data on the top ten plastic pollutants in our oceans. This integrated approach encouraged curiosity, collaboration, and problem solving, making STEM meaningful and engaging.
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Assignment 1
I am going to do some of the class activities around the theme of ‘Looking out at the night Sky’……Stars, constellations, and aliens. I am a total visual learner and I love teaching art so these activities are right up my street!
I would begin the science integrated with art lesson by looking at drawings of constellations on the Interactive Whiteboard and having a whole class discussion around these. Asking the children what they see, what they recognise.
Then we will make a Star Lantern. I would model how to do it, talking them through the steps and showing them through what they need: a needle, some coloured paper, a brush, glue, a stick, a flashlight, crepe paper, luminous card, string, A4 white paper and a stapler.
The children would display their lanterns in the school lobby before bringing them home.
We would integrate this work with English First Steps Writing when doing procedures and write the process we followed. -
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I have found module one of this course to be very insightful.
Having spent time reading Maeve Liston’s article I am now more conscious of the theory behind STEM Education and the importance of integrating STEM disciplines and Twenty First Century Skills into our classrooms. I also spent some time reviewing the Department’s policy document and I am now more aware of the expectations on us teachers. The ESERO Framework is something new to me and I found it very clear and appropriate for use with the senior classes.
Teaching a multigrade senior classes, STEM Education is a great way for me to integrate disciplines and differentiate learning for the children in my class. I often complete STEM projects with my class and the children really enjoy the challenge and teamwork involved. I look forward to trying more projects and encompassing the ESERO Framework and more of the STEM Policy expectations into my classroom this coming year. -
In this module I have learned new ways to incorporate STEM more meaningfully into my teaching, in line with the STEM Education Policy Statement.
Last year, as a whole school, we engaged with the Curious Minds programme and also participated in the gold awards programme.
On teflection we all gained so much from this experience but after studying module one, I realise that we as a staff need to put more focus on using the Curious Minds/ESERO framework to plan and deliver lessons that are both hands-on and inquiry-based.Having visited the Science centre in Birr Castle I was inspired by the connection between science, engineering , technology & art/ creativity ( photography). I plan to create more opportunities in STEM that are holistic, cross curicular and integrated where the children will be encouraged to think more about a real life situation using a prompt to encourage discussion & critical thinking. These elements align closely with the STEM policy’s emphasis on developing problem-solving and communication skills in pupils.
I also think that getting the students talking more will strengthen pupil voice in the classroom & beyond the classroom. I plan to focus less on telling/teaching students but instead as Galileo said, help them to discover it , within themselves.-
We are working towards this in our school as well. We have a large school of 670 students so it is difficult to adopt a whole school approach to STEM. It is difficult to stay on the same page with the other 3 5th classes too! Although I dislike the pressure around the Science week, space week, engineering week etc i admit that it is the best way of getting alot of information and topics covered as a whole school. The younger classes visit the older students who have worked on a given topic – last year the 4ths did a Lego coding project with the Prime sets, the 5ths did an engineering “make a maze” challenge using lego and the 6th classes used the curious minds lesson examples for design and make and created various objects in small groups. Then we all came together and displayed our work at the science fair in November.
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After reading Unravelling STEM: Beyond the Acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (Liston, 2018), I’ve come to recognise the value of implementing STEM in a meaningful, student-centred way. In my 3rd class, STEM learning has been somewhat limited, with both students and myself occasionally hesitant to engage in hands-on activities. So far, our focus has leaned more towards theory and structured tasks, which may have contributed to a lack of confidence in exploring STEM topics and I feel I lack a depth of understanding. Moving forward, I aim to cultivate a more inquiry-driven, exploratory environment where students feel comfortable taking risks and learning from mistakes. I plan to incorporate more collaborative, real-world problem-solving opportunities and creative tasks across STEM areas. By nurturing curiosity and framing experiments as opportunities for growth rather than assessments of success, I hope to boost both my students’ confidence and my own, while inspiring their natural interest in understanding the world around them.
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Hi Grainne,
Welcome to the course.
Thanks for sharing your honest and open reflections on how your own STEM classes compare to the outline Liston’s paper provides.
It is common for teachers to feel ill-equipped to teach STEM in this way, and I applaud your courage to admit a “lack of confidence in exploring STEM topics and I feel I lack a depth of understanding.”
I hope that as you proceed through this course, you will see that:A. No one needs to be an expert in STEM to deliver a terrific STEM class! The resources provided give the necessary background information, and it is perfectly okay to not know the answer to every potential question that may arise. The question can become part of a KWL chart. Your role is to facilitate learning rather than provide all the answers.
B. You also don’t need to know in advance of a design activity what the perfectly correct design is. That is for your learners to discover together throughout the process. It is also what makes it such an exciting lesson-who knows what your curious minds will conceive and create?
C. Following the Curious Minds framework really helps to create a comprehensive lesson plan.
D. A good viewpoint for STEM design and make activities is that we are either right, or we learn-either way, it’s a win!
I hope you enjoy the course and gain the confidence to explore the more hands-on resources in the coming academic year.
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In this module I have learned new ways to incorporate STEM more meaningfully into my teaching, in line with the STEM Education Policy Statement.
Last year, as a whole school, we engaged with the Curious Minds programme and also participated in the gold awards programme.
On reflection we all gained so much from this experience but after studying module one, I realise that we as a staff need to put more focus on using the Curious Minds/ESERO “framework” to plan and deliver lessons that are both hands-on and inquiry-based.Having visited the Science centre in Birr Castle I was inspired by the connection between science, engineering , technology & art/ creativity ( photography). I plan to create more opportunities in STEM that are holistic, cross curicular and integrated where the children will be encouraged to think more about a real life situation using a prompt to encourage discussion & critical thinking. These elements align closely with the STEM policy’s emphasis on developing problem-solving and communication skills in pupils.
I also think that getting the students talking more will strengthen pupil voice in the classroom & beyond the classroom. I plan to focus less on telling/teaching students but instead as Galileo said, help them to discover it , within themselves. -
This module made sense to me because it’s practical. The Curious Minds framework is easy to follow and actually gives structure without making things overcomplicated. I like that it’s built around asking questions instead of just telling kids the facts.
If I was using this in class, I’d probably go with something simple like light and lenses. Start them off with a rainbow spinner to get them thinking about how light mixes, then move into making a basic telescope with cardboard tubes and lenses. It’s cheap, hands-on, and every child can have a go. The link to Birr Castle makes it more real too. they’re not just building a toy, they’re copying what people here in Ireland were doing hundreds of years ago.
I always try to spark curiosity in their minds. The framework just gives me a clear way to keep the lesson moving and the kids engaged.
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Hi James
Welcome to the course. I am delighted to hear of the practicality of the resources in this module. The Curious Minds framework provides a clear structure and as you have mentioned the focus is on answering questions and not just telling the facts. It allows for lots of critical thinking and discussion and child-led investigating too. It is great to hear that the framework will help you in planning for teaching and learning and keeping the class engaged. I hope you enjoy the other modules and enjoy the course.
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Using the I-LOFAR radio telescope as inspiration, I would design an inquiry-based lesson on waves, sound, and light that sparks curiosity and supports active learning. The lesson would begin with a simple question: “How do scientists listen to space?” I would introduce I-LOFAR as a giant “ear” in Birr, Co. Offaly, that detects invisible radio waves from space. Pupils would explore wave properties through hands-on stations: observing sound vibrations using tuning forks and water, experimenting with torches and prisms to explore light, and modelling wave motion through a human wave activity. Using the 5E framework (Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, Evaluate), pupils would make predictions, observe outcomes, and draw conclusions. Scientific terms would be simplified and supported with visuals to ensure accessibility. The lesson would conclude by linking their discoveries to I-LOFAR, showing how understanding waves helps scientists explore the universe in ways we cannot see or hear with our senses alone.
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Having engaged with this module there are a variety of skills and concepts that I have learned that I could apply to my teaching in the primary classroom.
The curious minds framework outlines the skills and concepts needed for engaging STEM education in the classroom. I was particularly interested in the wondering and exploring concepts. As I am a senior infant teacher, I found this quite interesting as in infants we learn through play, and that is exactly what the wondering and exploring concepts can link with in the younger classes.When engaging in STEM lessons with my class this year, I will ensure to provide the children with opportunities to wonder and explore themselves. I feel this is incredibly important as often in the infant classrooms STEM lessons are teacher led, or teacher demonstrated. One such example I could use in my classroom with the children is the rainbow spinners activity, this activity also has the opportunity for integration, particularly with art, as you could focus on the primary/secondary colours, but also through Irish where we could discuss the names of the colours trí Ghaeilge.
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Hi Rachel.
Welcome to the course. It is great to hear your feedback on this module and how you will apply this to your teaching.
Having taught infants for a number of years, I agree that the wondering and exploring concepts from the Curious Minds Framework are easily linked to the junior classes. We can focus on teacher led or demonstrations in the infant classes but as teachers we need to focus on the child-led inquiry and even facilitating this in child-led play. For example, having magnets available during play time. I agree that the rainbow spinner is a great opportunity for integration and I like how you plan to identify the colours as Gaeilge freisin.
Thanks for sharing, I hope you enjoy the course.
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Lesson Plan mirrors, magnifying glass, telescope (5th Class) _ 1 month unit of work
Engage
Start with the live stream from the ISS and/or the clips from the astronoaut Chris Hatfield which shows his view from space. There is an excellent one that he recorded on St Patrick’s Day one year. Explore how we can see far away or tiny things and introduce the mirror, magnifying glass and a simple telescope. Link with history and look at the telescope in Birr Observatory.Investigate
Observe reflections in mirrors – I like the reflective writing exercise to begin with. With my 5th class we would aim to make a periscope as well. Another group could use magnifying glasses or an online mapping activity where they zoom into our local area using Google Maps or the biodiversity maps. Although I generally advise staying away from Wikipedia, another group could explore the Leviathan Great Telescope from 1845 which was the largest telescope of its time or visit the Birr Demense website to learn about it. There is so much to learn and i want to improve at “providing the stimuli” and encouraging students to inquire for themselves and see where it takes them. The overall goal would be to learn about mirrors, telescopes and magnifying glasses and how they have enhanced our lives.Reflect
If different groups completed these different exercises, we would come together to learn about each other’s work at the end. Ask things like what could we do differently etc. My approach this year is very much so engrained in thematic planning so I would hope it would inform a future lesson e.g. in Maths or Literacy where we may visit the topic again.
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