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ASSIGNMENT
Review the paper Unravelling STEM: Beyond the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (Liston 2018) and reflect on what STEM education looks like in your classroom.
Download the Weather and Climate resource.
Open the teacher guide and pupil worksheet for activity 1 & 2
Activity 1: Is it weather or climate?
Activity 2: Weather Detectives
Carry out activities 1 and 2 and complete the pupil worksheets.Provide your feedback on these activities and how you could use them with your class.
Make reference to anything you think could be improved or added to the activities.Post your response (150 words minimum) as a reply to this post.
Please also comment on at least one other participant’s post.
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Having reviewed the paper ‘Unravelling STEM: Beyond the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics’, it is evident that critical thinking, active learning and a hands on approach is vital for children to progress in the area of STEM. I really enjoyed this module and found that both resources, Nose Up High in the Sky and Weather Vs Climate, lend to this. Both resources provide excellent opportunity for teaching and learning with video links, worksheets, hands on approach to learning about Climate and Weather. I am currently teaching 5th class and have taught this topic in the classroom. However, I never even considered creating a weather station. This is something that I would love to incorporate into my teaching next year. I would like to set up the weather station towards the front of the school, an area that can be accessed by the children but is not on the yard where the children play at lunch, to avoid the equipment getting damaged. I would like to purchase one ‘proper’ piece of each equipment eg. Anemometer etc. and it would be a fantastic hands on lesson for the children to also make their own in groups in class. These are not stand alone STEM lessons as the children can use these on a daily/ weekly basis by recording the information gathered from the equipment. A weather station can be used by one class or could also be a whole school project involving younger and older classes.
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It sounds like you’ve found some a wonderful ways to integrate STEM concepts into your classroom with practical and engaging activities next year! Creating a weather station is a fantastic idea that can provide your students with hands-on learning experiences and foster their interest in science and the environment. I absolutely agree with you point about purchasing a real one. Can be nice to show students what they are aiming for and older children prefer seeing the real objects in action.
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I found so many resources in module one very helpful, and I will certainly be using them in my teaching next year, they offer great opportunities for children to advance their stem skills.
I found the videos that were provided, particularly useful when explaining the difference between weather and climate, very age-appropriate and user-friendly, and I think they would really appeal to primary school aged children.
The ESA Nose up high in the sky resource is a great programme of work that could be used over the course of a few weeks. It not only incorporates developing the children’s stem skills, but also integrates with literacy, numeracy active and practical learning. It provides the children with many opportunities to get outside to create and record and interpret results from the weather station. I think creating the weather station is very appealing and the children would get great enjoyment from it, whilst learning at the same time.
Activity two – Weather Detectives
I really liked this resource because it allowed the children to get outdoors. It is great that they can come up with their own weather devices by making them themselves from every day materials. It also allows them to get outdoors checking the rain,gauge, the wind speed and also the temperature using a thermometer.
Overall, I think the activities provided in module one have a great scope to be differentiated and altered slightly to suit many age groups. They not only provide opportunities for children to improve their stem skills also skills such as investigating monitoring, analysing recording, interpreting, which is very important, especially for the older classes.
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Hello Edwina, and welcome to the course!
Thanks for your post; I am delighted to see that you plan on using these resources in the coming academic year.
The Paxi videos are a great opener for this topic; he certainly makes understanding the difference simple and accessible for all. As you mentioned, these are activities with a wealth of cross-curricular links.
You also touched on how these activities can be adapted for all ages, and I think through the shared resource of a weather station, it could be ideal to build on collective practices and give rise to new ideas-like hosting a whole school science fair or a visit from a meteorologist.
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I love how interactive both resources are: Nose up in the sky and Weather versus Climate. The activities associated with Nose up in the sky can are so adaptable and can used for a wide range of class groups. The activities are engaging and thought provoking and, in my opinion, will lead to deep and meaningful conversations with the children. I thoroughly liked the activity with the proverbs as it is cross curricular and will benefit children who might struggle with writing. I cannot wait to try these activities with my class in the coming year.
One of the key aspects of Weather versus climate that really stood out to me, is how clearly and simply it explains the difference between both as a lot of people (adults) still struggle with the misconception. I like how the children can use ICT to capture the results that they have gathered and analyse them.
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I also love the idea of a whole school weather station where every body plays an active role in the process.
It is an excellent subtle way to enable children of all ages to become engaged and active in their learning journey. They become more responsible as they take more ownership of their learning which will often result in better understanding of the lesson in hand.
I will absolutely be doing this when we return to school in September
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I agree with the idea of the weather station to help stimulate and encourage the children to get actively involved in the importance discussion of weather and climate. It’s very hand-on and can be incorporated into all subject areas and as a whole school with efficient and effective planning and monitoring.
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I agree Edwina, the videos will be very useful. When I have thought the topic of weather before, the children have found it difficult to grasp the difference between the concept of weather and that of climate. The videos will certainly help in doing this in future and will do so in a much more appealing way.
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Hi Edwina,
I agree with you about the videos and them being a great way to introduce the topic of weather and climate. Teaching in a senior school I think it is very important for children to be able to lead their own learning through hands on investigations to develop skills as you have mentioned above.
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I have really enjoyed the content of the first module in this course. The module and ESA resources provided are extremely detailed and will be very helpful when teaching sixth class this year. I love how differentiated this topic can be and how this module has provided scope to teach across all levels.
Activity 1:The ‘Nose Up High in the Sky’ resource being organised and broken up into 3 activities will make lessons practical and easy to follow. I read a comment where someone discussed pre teaching this lesson to their sixth class and allowing them to work with younger classes as a way of sharing their learning. I thought this was a fantastic idea and will definitely carry this idea forward. I will discuss and pre-teach the 3 activities to my 6th class and then select a 3rd or 4th class to work with. I also really liked the link about the science behind the proverbs. I think this could be used as a visual arts lesson as well where children could create posters based on the proverbs. Using stations to teach weather would further solidify learning and ensure a wider range of topics could be covered.
I found the ‘Weather Vs Climate’ resources to be very suitable as there can be confusion between the two. Having studied Geography in secondary school it is clear that this is a continuous topic throughout the education system. Having the children being able to differentiate from a young age will enable them to take control of their learning prior to moving into secondary school. The interactive map suggested on Climate.Copernicus.EU was very useful in showing how research and data can be used to tackle the problem of Climate Change. Using digital technology in the school children could complete this project over a number of months and observe the weather in a certain climates different to the one they live in.
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Hi Ciara,
Thanks for your post, and welcome to the course.
I am delighted to see that you are enjoying the content in this first module—lots more great content to come in the following modules! I really like your idea to incorporate art into this activity by getting the learners to use proverbs as their starting point for creative inspiration.As you mentioned, this is a project that can roll for a number of months and may require a block of lessons to. In doing so, it will develop a deeper understanding of this important topic, along with digital and research skills.
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Ciara, I really like your plan to pre-teach and have your sixth class students work with younger classes. I think its an excellent way to reinforce their understanding while fostering collaboration. I also like the idea of integrating visual arts and digital technology into your lessons as it will not only deepen students’ comprehension but also make learning more interactive.
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The “Is it Weather or Climate?” and “Weather Detectives” activities are well-designed, hands-on experiences that effectively engage students in understanding the differences between weather and climate. For my 5th class, these activities offer an excellent blend of practical observation and critical thinking, making abstract concepts more accessible.
In the “Is it Weather or Climate?” activity, I appreciate how students are encouraged to reflect on personal experiences, like their birthdays, to grasp the idea that weather changes frequently while climate is more stable over time. This connection to their daily lives makes the lesson more relatable and memorable. To enhance this activity, I might include a digital component, like a simple weather app, to help students track and compare current weather data with historical climate information.
The “Weather Detectives” activity is an engaging way to introduce students to scientific measurement and data analysis. The process of taking daily temperature readings and graphing the results reinforces key mathematical skills while promoting collaboration. To further enrich the activity, I would consider extending the measurement period to a full month and integrating group discussions on the factors affecting temperature variability. Additionally, incorporating technology, such as using online graphing tools or presenting data through digital presentations, would add a modern, interactive element to the learning process.
Overall, these activities are highly suitable for fostering a deep understanding of weather and climate in a 5th class, with minor adjustments to incorporate more technology and extended observation periods for a richer educational experience.
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I also liked the link about science behind the proverbs. Using a visual arts lesson based on the proverbs is a lovely idea. Pre-teaching three activities to a senior class and then sharing their learning with a younger class would be a lovely school initiative. It is a great example of collaborative learning.
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Hi Grainne,
Welcome to the course, and thank you for your post. You raise important points from the paper ‘Unravelling STEM: Beyond the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics’, including the need for a hands-on approach for learners. There are a lot of takeaways from the paper that can be applied to the classroom.
I am delighted that you are inspired to engage your learners with a weather station in the coming year. It can be very cost-effective to build your own equipment, but I see you have a long-term plan in mind. Equipment can be worth getting if used regularly!
By gathering data on an ongoing basis, learners will develop their STEM skills and be able to create graphs, use technology etc, to display learnings visually. Senior learners can also present their weather station to younger classes and teach them how to read the various instruments to get the whole school involved. I like your idea of having it in a safe place for practical reasons, just remember to keep the thermometer out of the sun!
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I agree with you Gráinne. Both resources give practical hands on ideas on how to integrate STEM into the classroom. I love the way they are enquiry based and with lovely ready to go worksheets to incorporate group work, planning, critical thinking and scope to experiment. I too would love to set up a weather station in my school next year. I think the Green School Committee could organise this and give talks or presentations to each class about the various pieces of equipment and what/how they measure. I think some of the video links from this module could be shown to classes also. I’m looking forward to delving more into this topic next year.
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I agree as a fellow 5th class teacher that the practical idea of creating a weather station would be very engaging for the students. I feel it would allow for the active participation of all children, each contributing their strengths to the project. My class would really enjoy recording and reporting their results and being in a smaller school could share these with the whole school which allows for engagement of all classes.
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Hi Grainne,
I really like the idea of the weather station too and getting a manufactured one but also getting the children to make their own elements and testing them. They could use the ‘proper’ one to check their own against and see if they are as accurate. What is also a great is that they could then try to make improvements to their own and think about what it might not be recording as well as the manufactured one.
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I think a Weather Station would be a lovely way to explore the topic of Weather and Climate and to foster an interest in the topic too. We purchased thermometers last year but after reading through the posts I do think that making the other tools would be much more engaging and would lead to more vested interest from the kids.
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I think both activities one and two are good introductions to weather with sny class level and allow the children to have an investigative approach to weather.
Activity one:
Allows for lots of open ended thinking and collaborative group group work. It also ties in global warming and opens a whole new discussion on what that is.
To add to this you could bring in construction and allow the children to create different way to get weather information themselves such as creating a rain catcher or wind dial.
Activity two:
Again, this activity allows for excellent group work. The children have to share ideas and work together. It would be important to note for the teacher to have all needed resources ready for them.
This could be used with younger children by buddying up with an older class and working together. -
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I would also like to create a weather station as each class would benefit from it but I think you’re right Grainne, it would probably be best to purchase one piece of each type of weather equipment and then the children can also make their own as it’s important for them to see the real thing in action and it would also be motivating for them. I did this before but just with rain gauges and with how rain is made and we brought it into our genre writing so next time I’d bring other instruments into our English depending on the genre we were completing at the time.
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Upon reading Dr. Maeve Liston’s ‘Unravelling STEM: Beyond the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics’, I have been able to identify certain aspects of STEM active in my classroom but also many areas in which I can develop and promote STEM in my classroom so that the children can learn through collaborative problem solving.
‘Inspiring creativity, problem solving inquisitive thinking, and teamwork,’ is the key. In my classroom we have discussed inventions and famous inventors down through time. Examining these inventions and how they have influenced and impacted on the world. Getting inspiration from great minds before us and asking questions about what inspired them.
We recently asked a question in class. What would you do to improve the school. We researched things like seesaws, slides and swings. These are simple inventions that are taken for granted. We investigated the links between these items and Science ,Technology ,Engineering and mathematics. We then decided on how to improve them. Collaborative thinking allowed the kids to come up with very interesting adjustments! Using materials to hand we were able to mock up a slide and seesaw before and after adjustments. The area lacking was analyzing the information and time didn’t allow us to reinvestigate and improve on our activity.
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Hi Conor,
Welcome to the course, and many thanks for your post.
It sounds like you have taken a lot from Dr. Liston’s paper, and it is great to read about how you bring STEM to life in the classroom!
I applaud your ability to reflect on how the activity went and how it could be improved upon going forward; this is a vital and sometimes overlooked step in a framework of inquiry. It is not just the learners who need to pause after the activity and reflect on how it went and what they would do differently, but also the teacher! It means that your classes will continuously improve. With no two lessons or classes the same, there will always be some scope for improvement.
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I love the idea of researching things like swings, slides etc. Children know better than anyone how to make things go faster, slower, higher etc. However giving them the opportunity to explore items like these would great opportunity for pupils to explore and learn new language in the area of STEM. It would also give them the opportunity to apply the concepts and the language that they already know to this topic.
It would be vital to this topic to get children to a local playground to explore their findings etc.
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Hi Conor,
Your class activity sounds incredibly engaging and educational! It’s fantastic to see students applying STEM principles to everyday objects like seesaws, slides, and swings. By researching and improving these simple inventions, students not only understand the science and engineering behind them but also develop collaborative and critical thinking skills. Mocking up the designs before and after adjustments is a great hands-on approach. It’s understandable that time constraints limited the analysis and reinvestigation phase, but the experience itself is invaluable. -
Conor, it sounds like you have a very engaging classroom. Researching inventions and inventors is a wonderful starting point. In our school we did something similar regarding ‘what would you do to improve our school’, unfortunately the vast majority of ideas would never pass any health and safety standards.
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The activities in the ESA resources are ideal for classroom use. They are clearly laid out and practical. If I was to use these resources I would start by exploring the difference between weather and climate. It seems obvious to an adult but I imagine to a young child this is a concept worth expanding on. I would then endeavour to set up a weather station in the school garden. My first step would be to set up a small team, if even only one other teacher. Working together promotes collegiality and would help to increase the number of children to benefit from the experiment. Together we would choose the location, an area away from buildings and trees would be best. We would then invest in equipment, it would be possible to make some of the equipment, however this could be done as an extension activity to expand the children’s learning. We would purchase a thermometer, a rain gauge and a wind vane. We would then go about collecting data from our instruments. This would need to be recorded. It would be a good idea at this stage to invite parents and community projects to get involved to foster a sense of contribution and real world application.
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Hi Orla,
Thanks for your post, and welcome to the course!
I really like your collaborative approach to this activity, getting another teacher on board to extend the learning to more students in your school., and reaching the local community. It is an approach with many benefits, fostering curious minds throughout the entire community.To further at-home connections with STEM, learners at the senior end of the primary cycle can also make a rain gauge at home as homework, as it only requires simple materials that can be found in a recycling bin. Learners can be given the task of measuring rain in their area, discussing challenges they encountered and reflecting on how they would do it differently next time.
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The activities in the ESA resources are ideal for classroom use. They are clearly laid out and practical. If I was to use these resources I would start by exploring the difference between weather and climate. It seems obvious to an adult but I imagine to a young child this is a concept worth expanding on. I would then endeavour to set up a weather station in the school garden. My first step would be to set up a small team, if even only one other teacher. Working together promotes collegiality and would help to increase the number of children to benefit from the experiment. Together we would choose the location, an area away from buildings and trees would be best. We would then invest in equipment, it would be possible to make some of the equipment, however this could be done as an extension activity to expand the children’s learning. We would purchase a thermometer, a rain gauge and a wind vane. We would then go about collecting data from our instruments. This would need to be recorded. It would be a good idea at this stage to invite parents and community projects to get involved to foster a sense of contribution and real world application.
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Orla, I really like your plan for the year ahead. Starting with the basics of teaching the difference between weather and climate is a good place to begin. I also love the invitation to parents and the wider community to become involved in the project. It sounds like a very positive whole school and community project.
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Great points raised here Conor. My class did something similar when we studied the inventions of Leonardo da Vinci. Where others focussed on his fantastic paintings (The Mona Lisa, The Last Supper etc) my class found it more interesting to zone in on his original and world-changing inventions. From flying machines to submarines, all of his inventions involved some level of scientific, mathematical, technological and engineering-style thinking.
Your idea about asking the class what inventions could improve is excellent and is something I must delve into this coming academic year.
My only worry in the future is that AI will take over from people’s ideas and technology will replace original human thoughts
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Maeve Liston’s paper delves into the complexities of STEM education, emphasising the need for authentic, integrated learning experiences that go beyond simply combining science, technology, engineering and mathematics subjects.
The article argues for a deeper understamding of STEM literacyand the attributes of an effective STEM classroom. It highlights the Engingeering Design Process as a crucial framework for developing meaningful STEM lessons, encouraging students to think and act like engineers through hands on challenges and projects.
In my classroom, STEM education is approached through project based learning, where students engage in real-world problems and apply interdisciplinary knowledge to find solutions.
Weemphaises the Engineering Design Process encouraging students to brainstorm, design, test, and refine their projects. This method not only builds skills but also folsters creativity, critical thinking and colloboration.
Feedback on ESA weather and climate resource: Activity one
The activity is age appropriate, engaging students with tangiable weather observations.
It helps build foundational knowledge by linking daily weather with broader climate concepts.
I would enhance this activity by setting up an interactive weather station for pupils in the yard to observe and record weather data.
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Hi Eleanor,
Welcome to the course, and thanks for your contributions to the forum.You highlight some excellent points from Liston’s paper that go beyond joining the dots between the STEM subjects to fostering problem-solving skills through the use of the Engineering Design Process. I can see that these principles are closely adhered to in your own class.
The weather station is a great practical exploration of weather and the measurements involved and can serve as an important tool for skills development throughout the whole school. Senior classes can present to younger students about their station, its purpose and results, and of course, there are problems that can pop up when a station is in use-wind knocking equipment over, students tampering with it, etc, giving learners a real-life challenge to solve.
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After read the paper Unravelling STEM: Beyond the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (Liston 2018). I am able to identify a variety of STEM ideas and activities that I use when teaching my class.
I feel my classroom encourages inspiring creativity, problem solving and team work. These are very important skills needed through out their lives.I also believe active learning and hands on approaches are invaluable for teaching and learning. Children learn through play and active learning and stem can be taught easily through active learning and hands on approaches.
Is it weather or climate.
I really enjoyed the videos in this course especially be a weather watcher, weather v’s climate and Nose up high in the sky. They are great for teaching children about the topic of weather and climate
Weather detectives- Aistear- weather station
We are very lucky in my school to have weather equipment- temperature- thermometer, rainfall- gauge. I would allow the children the opportunity to use these in the aistear area.
I would also gather more equipment such as a anemometer.
I would have a variety of weather pictures for helping to talk about the weather.
I would have a selection of cloud cover pictures to choose from.
I would have an area devoted to weather- it would have maps for telling the weather and role play for being the weather boy/ girl.
I would have an area to record the weather
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Hello Sharon, and welcome to the course!
Thanks for your post. I can see that you have reflected on Dr. Liston’s paper and how you apply her principles in the classroom to develop your learners’ STEM skills through hands-on investigations and play. Play is an essential way children explore the world and helps cultivate deeper engagement in a lesson.
I can see you have incorporated play into the weather detectives activity. Having learners role-play as weather girls/boys, is a wonderful way to add theatrical fun to the proceedings.
It’s great that your school has most of the equipment, and I hope you get a chance to put it to good use in the coming year!
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Maeve Liston’s paper, ‘Unravelling STEM: Beyond the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics’, makes very interesting reading. We are all very aware for the last number of years of the importance of providing our pupils with the opportunities to use and develop their skills in critical thinking, problem-solving, communication and creativity. What resonated most with me was her assertion that “Engineering is the glue that integrates science, mathematics and technology and forces them towards workable solutions.” She had previously pointed out the “Stem mania” that has gripped the educational world in recent years, and is probably right in saying that we are falsely labelling a lot of activities as STEM, that are not actually that.
The ESA resources, “Nose Up High in the Sky” and “Weather vs Climate” are excellent and provide opportunities to use literacy and numeracy with active learning and creativity. The videos are very well-pitched and engaging. Setting up a weather station in school would certainly integrate engineering into the pupils’ learning. I would really like to try this using rain gauges and anemometers. It would be interesting, though challenging, to make these ourselves. Finding a suitable place for a weather station would be a good exercise for the children, having to take lots of factors into account. This could be used by the whole school.
The Weather or Climate and Weather Detectives activities and worksheets are very good and would be well worth doing in class. It provides for active, outdoor learning and is suitable for pair or group activities.
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Liston’s (2018) paper, “Unravelling STEM: Beyond the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics,” emphasises a multidisciplinary approach to STEM education, encouraging integration and real-world application of concepts. In my classroom, STEM education is interactive and project-based, promoting critical thinking and problem-solving. The “Weather and Climate” activities are effective in distinguishing between weather and climate (Activity 1) and in developing analytical skills through weather data investigation (Activity 2). Enhancements could include integrating technology, creating interdisciplinary links, and extending projects to track weather patterns or predict climate scenarios, thereby deepening students’ understanding and engagement with the material.
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Maeve Liston’s paper provides an examination of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), It emphasises the need for a more integrated and holistic approach rather than treating each subject in isolation. Teachers should design lessons and activities that require students to draw on knowledge and skills from cross curricular subjects to solve problems. Real world learning can make the lessons more enjoyable and engaging. Creating opportunities for students to work collaboratively enhances engagement and learning.
In my classroom I try to use real world STEM challenges for project based learning, where the students work collaboratively in small groups using skills and procedures from across the curriculum e.g. building a house using lollipop sticks with specific criteria.
Feedback on ESA Weather and climate resources:
Activities are age appropriate for primary school students, they are well laid out and easy to follow.
I would build on their knowledge by organising a weather station to measure weather over a period of time. I like the idea that the children can make their own weather instruments – it may be interesting to test their own handmade instruments with the shop bought equivalent to compare their results.
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Hi Patricia,
Welcome to the course and thank you for sharing your thoughts on Liston’s paper. In developing STEM activities in our classrooms, it is important to bring in lots of meaningful cross curricular links so that the pupils can make connections in their learning across the subject areas. Linking with real life examples such as the weather station will also develop this approach.Thank you for sharing your feedback on the ESA resources, there are a side variety of resources across the course that I hope you will keep for your own class in September.
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After reviewing Unravelling STEM: Beyond the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (Liston 2018). I am able to identify some of the STEM ideas and activities that I use when teaching my class.
I know that within my own classroom we do have spaces that encourage the children to be creative but I feel they are more active when involved in team work and problem solving outside of the classroom. Seeing is believeing really motivates them particularly when it is a task that involves construction. Recording events is an area I need to improve myself!
Is it weather or climate.
The videos are extremely educational and also have the element of fun. The weather watcher is one I will use next year. Nose up high in the sky is new to me but the children will enjoy while learning about weather and climate
Weather detectives
I love the idea of making the anemometer and recording daily. This is something all classes would get great benefit from, ranging from the simple idea of the paper cups to whatever the older classes could come up with. In our school we were given an electronic weather system and to be honest the kids don’t relate to this. It was part of a green flag incentive and it just sits there now.
I have used classroom resources where the children can pick from to explain what the weather is like and we also have some thermometers. A water gauge one is we may use next year. We made windsocks one year and had one on a fishing rod. The excitement in the class was great whenever it changed direction.
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The videos and resources that were provided to explain weather and climate and been very easy to use and will be useful when teaching this topic to my third class this year. I agree these hands on learning activities are essential when teaching these topics. The children will get an opportunity to measure rain, wind and temperature using different materials. Building a weather station in the classroom is a fantastic approach to engage all students and foster the development of STEM skills at all grade levels. I think it’s crucial to clarify that the student council and/or green schools committee are in charge of seeing to it that the manufactured or purchased equipment is maintained. My school is extremely fortunate to have a beautiful school garden, which would be the perfect place to set up a weather station that the entire school could use.
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Hi Fiona,
Thanks for your post and welcome to the course!
I am delighted to see that you find that the resources shared in this module will be useful when teaching your third-class learners in the coming year and that you have a beautiful school garden-what a wonderful resource for all.By tying in with the student council/green schools committee, you will help make this a more school wide endevour, and will help ensure this activity is sustained, and other classes can participate in learning and reading the instruments.
There are lots of great opportunities for data collection—another poster has mentioned that his learners really look forward to this- and it’s a great activity as part of a movement break in nature, too.
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Reading through the paper unravelling stem it is evident – barriers are removed and each subject area is intertwined. I found this very interesting as the paper clearly states that critical thinking and active learning are key components of stem education.Teaching children how to think and not what to think is a key component of stem education.Stem education in my classroom tries to embrace what has been said in this paper ..getting the children to plan, explore ,reflect.. how to make it better if it doesn’t go right,working in groups work as a team are all key components of stem educatio.
On review of the resources I found the to be of excellent benefit and something that I would definitely incorporate in my teaching. The weather station is a fantastic idea and I think to have it as somebody said at the front of the school is brilliant.To just realise the explanation – weather is a short time you .. it’s the way the day is today but climate is over a long period of time measuring data .Just such a fantastic way to explain to especially small children the difference between weather and climate .Also the practical steps of using a thermometer correctly that it needs to be in a shaded area well ventilated area give it about five minutes outside to adjust to the temperature.don’t It’s something that can be done on a daily basis a weekly basis and a fantastic opportunity to incorporate all aspects of stem education It is something I will definitely use in the next year
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I found the article interesting and what stood out to me was the crossover between the STEM skills we seek to promote and the new Math curriculum. The importance of fostering an inquiry mindset and the potential to problem solve is evident.
Having read through the lessons and worksheets ‘Climate v Weather’ and ‘Weather Detectives’ again the possibility for integration between Maths and STEM was very evident. We will be seeking ways to maximise time next year and this topic leans itself very well to the new Math goals.
I do find the worksheets very literacy heavy in places and challenging. While I think a 6th class would be able for graphing and averaging measurements, it would take a lot of support. If I was to use these lessons in class I would possibly create my own worksheets based off these with more visual supports and accessible activities to allow any students with literacy difficulties to access the material easier.
I think these lessons should be completed in a block also so I would probably create the weather design instruments over a week and then begin the measuring etc.
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Hi Hannah,
Thanks for your post, and welcome to the course.
You make some great points about Liston’s paper and the links between STEM and the new math curriculum.We welcome feedback on the worksheets, and as the teacher, no one knows better than you the ability of your learners and how to pitch materials at an appropriate level to ensure optimal inclusion for all.
By working to make these more inclusive to all learners, including those with literacy difficulties, your learners will benefit from more accessible content supporting their learning journey.
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Activity 1 is a great resource to use with the children as it assesses their background knowledge and is a fun way for them to engage with their partners and talk about what they know/thinkI feel it is very important to explain to the students the differences between weather and climate. Climate is the average weather data measured over a long period of time, usually 30 years. A lesson would be needed to talk about the different climate zones. A fun activity might be to give the children different countries and they must use a map/key to identify which climate zone the country is in and explain the typical weather you would experience there. The ‘Secrets of world climates’ video is a great tool to help explain the different climate zones. The Climate and vegetation video would be more suited to junior/middle primary students. It is visually stimulating and uses simple language. The decoding weather forecast was very interesting and a great resource to use when explaining pressure, temperature, rainfall, wind etc.I am currently teaching 4th class so the resource ‘Nose High in the Sky’ will be a useful tool in planning lessons this coming year.
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After reading Unravelling STEM: Beyond the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics by Liston (2018) explores the multifaceted nature of STEM. It highlights the importance of problem solving, various approaches, critical thinking and application to the real world.
Setting up a child-friendly weather station in a primary school offers a hands-on learning experience that can vividly illustrate the differences between weather and climate. By engaging with real-time data collection, students can observe and record daily weather conditions such as temperature, humidity, wind speed, and precipitation. This direct interaction helps them understand weather as the immediate atmospheric conditions they experience every day.Over time, as students compile and analyze the data, they begin to see patterns and trends. Teachers can guide discussions on how these short-term weather observations, when extended over longer periods (months, years), contribute to our understanding of climate. Climate, unlike weather, refers to long-term trends and averages in atmospheric conditions. Through this practical approach, children can grasp that while weather is what they see outside their window today, climate is the broader, long-term pattern of weather that defines their local environment. This foundational knowledge is crucial in fostering environmental awareness and scientific literacy.
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Hi Adam,
Thanks for your post, and welcome to the course!I can see you have reflected on Liston’s paper and her definition of STEM, shedding light on its true meaning and implications for delivering meaningful STEM activities in the classroom.
The weather station is a wonderful way to get learners engaged in and understand the concept of weather while developing a host of skills. It’s an activity that has considerable scope, and time constraints usually determine how many of the activities can be covered, including making the instruments versus buying, how long the weather station readings are monitored for, etc.
If time and the budget allow, it is great to make and buy equipment, compare results, and read instruments daily for a span of time that will generate data to create lots of opportunities for Maths-creating averages, percentages, bar charts, etc.
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Is it weather or climate? Pupils analyse different statements about weather and climate and examine images of different places on Earth with different climates. Pupils learn the difference between weather and climate and understand that the Earth can be divided into climate zones with different.
I like this activity as again it involves plenty of discussion and scientific questioning. A simple question of discuss or describe what weather and climate is enables children to clearly define the difference between the two. The extension activity for older children about climate zones is nice way to extend their learning.
Weather Detectives Students collect temperature data for a period. Afterwards, collected data is graphed and averages are calculated. Pupils learn skills in data collection and practice handling data mathematically.
I think this is such a great activity in its simplicity and effectiveness. The partner talk at the start of the lesson enables the children to work in pairs which I like. Having a thermometer to measure the temperature is imperative, however there is real science thinking involved when the students have to consider variables such as the location of the thermometer and the fact that they should take their temperature measurements at the same time every day which ensures accuracy.
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Hi Orla,
Thanks for your post, and welcome to the course. I am glad to see that you find this activity both simple and effective. Like so many STEM activities, it requires very little by way of physical resources. You make a great point about how this activity develops learners’ scientific way of thinking, accounting for variables and accuracy. Reflecting on how this activity could be improved after conducting it is also a great way to foster a continuous improvement mindset that will serve them well in the future.
There are lots of new terminologies and opportunities for cross-curricular links in English, consolidating learning of weather and climate as terms through writing exercises that feature these terms.
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It is evident that STEM education in the classroom is a dynamic, hands-on approach to learning that integrates the four disciplines of Science, Technology, Engineering and mathematics. Stem emphasises their interconnectedness encouraging students to apply concepts from one area to another. The teacher acts more as a facilitator rather than the more traditional instructor role.
After reading this paper it has made me reflect on my own teaching. The need to encourage a mindset of innovation amongst my students. A STEM classroom is collaborative and project- based. I need to encourage and foster more team work which in turn will develop critical thinking, creativity and problem solving skills.
I really enjoyed reviewing the weather vs Climate and Nose High in the Sky resource. What fun and engaging resources to bring to the classroom. I love the link between birthdays and weather this just invites the children straight into the lesson with a connection they can all make. I am very much looking forward to making and designing weather instruments and bringing the class outside regularly to record and analyse the results.
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The design and development of a meteorological station is a very creative activity. Group work skills are enhanced as children collaborate in the actual construction of the following: an anemometer (to measure the wind speed), a rain gauge (to measure rainfall). Taking personal responsibility to take measurements at least once per day is a very worthwhile aspect for children to develop.
A weather station that is strategically positioned so as to have visibility for the whole school community expands teaching and learning opportunities for all. Senior classes can ‘buddy’ with younger classes to explain and share knowledge. A senior class could explain to a middle class how the weather station highlights the definition of weather as the state of the atmosphere at a particular place and time. The term climate can be referenced as the average weather data taken over a longer time period. Herein lies mathematical language such as average, measure etc.
Resources which are useful for the creation of a weather station include: how to make an anemometer and a rain gauge.
The use of topic specific vocabulary enhance literacy skills and incorporates well known and less well known weather proverbs.
Skills fostered would include the following:
Working scientifically: by questioning, observing, predicting, investigating, estimating, measuring and analysing
Designing and making: exploring, planning, making and evaluating
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Upon reading Dr. Maeve Liston’s ‘Unravelling STEM: Beyond the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics’, I have been able to identify certain aspects of STEM active in my classroom but also many areas in which I can develop and promote STEM in my classroom so that the children can learn through collaborative problem solving.
‘Inspiring creativity, problem solving inquisitive thinking, and teamwork,’ is the key. In my classroom we have discussed inventions and famous inventors down through time. Examining these inventions and how they have influenced and impacted on the world. Getting inspiration from great minds before us and asking questions about what inspired them.
We recently asked a question in class. What would you do to improve the school. We researched things like seesaws, slides and swings. These are simple inventions that are taken for granted. We investigated the links between these items and Science ,Technology ,Engineering and mathematics. We then decided on how to improve them. Collaborative thinking allowed the kids to come up with very interesting adjustments! Using materials to hand we were able to mock up a slide and seesaw before and after adjustments. The area lacking was analysing the information and time didn’t allow us to reinvestigate and improve on our activity.
I hope in September to set up a series of weather stations in the school. There are a few places where they could be safely set up and installed. We will be able to learn about rainfall throughout the year by recording rainfall and comparing them to previous years by us the ‘Available Data’ on http://www.met.ie
I’d also like to setup anemometers in different places to show how important shelter from the wind and link in the destructive influence of deforestation.
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Having reviewed the paper Unravelling Stem Beyond the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics I feel that I am confident going in to teach 5th class this year, armed with lots of resources and methodologies to integrate STEM concepts with engaging and practical activities . The videos were very informative and age appropriate and children would love them. The ESA Nose up high in the sky is excellent and it can be used as a resource over many weeks and the fact that it encourages children to engage in literacy, numeracy and Stem skills in a child friendly way using hands on activities developing problem solving skills and critical thinking skills. Children love going outside the classroom to learn so this resource and the weather detective is a fantastic way to encourage children to develop and enjoy stem , encouraging them to use their creative skills and team skills to come up with their own weather stations and going out to check their own rain gauges , wind speed and temperature is really what learning is all about. Learning by doing is the only way forward for children . They will remember when they have been actively involved in the learning process.
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Module one provided numerous helpful resources that I plan to incorporate into my teaching next year. They offer excellent opportunities for children to enhance their STEM skills. I especially appreciated the Paxi videos and they would be a great way of introducing the topics to the children. They were very effective in explaining the difference between weather and climate. They were both age-appropriate and user-friendly, making them highly appealing for primary school-aged children.
In Nose Up in the Sky, I really liked the idea of explaining the proverbs associated with the weather which links in well with literacy. I also love the concept of a whole-school weather station where everyone actively participates in the process. It is hands on and engaging for the children and again links in nicely with both Art, Mathematics and Science. The resources needed for the Weather Station can be made by the pupils which I think, rather than handing them shop-bought utensils/ resources, will make the whole process more meaningful. We currently have weather charts throughout our school where pupils from different class levels are tasked with filling out the weather chart daily, which are on display in a few locations throughout the school.
I found the “Weather vs. Climate” resources to be highly appropriate, as the distinction between the two can often be confusing. Helping children differentiate between the two from a young age is important.
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Having reviewed the article ‘Unravelling STEM: Beyond the acronym of Science , Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, I fear that I have not being teaching STEM properly at all! In my defence, I have mainly taught Junior Infants ( I am moving up this year) and the STEM lessons that I have used in the past have not encompassed all 4 areas. I am guilty of leaving out engineering in general.
I have tried to put an emphasis on real word problem solving with the Junior Infants as I find that this draws them in and they are so excited. I promote creativity and probelms solving inquisitive thinking but alas I now realise that enginerring is the glue that hold them altogether as highlighted in this article.
This course has taught me alot and I hope to ‘know better, do better’ as a result.
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Apologies , I thought it was 2 seperate posts.
Activity 1 : Is it weather or climate?
I really enjoyed this activity and I feel that it would be really useful for the 2nd class children that I will be teaching this year. Discussing the statements in pairs as opposed to on an individual basis I feel will lead to more discussion and questioning.
Activity 2: Weather Detectives
I can also see myself using this activity but maybe ommiting the last questions six and seven. I did love the idea about comparing it to online research about average temperatures. I feel that the children would enjoy comparing and discussing the different/similiar results.
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Unravelling STEM: Beyond the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics by Liston (2018) explores the multifaceted nature of STEM education beyond the traditional subject limits. The paper emphasizes the importance of integrating real-world applications, interdisciplinary approaches, and problem-solving skills in STEM education. In my classroom, STEM education is characterized by hands-on activities, collaborative projects, and a focus on critical thinking and innovation. I incorporate real-life challenges that require students to apply knowledge from lots of over ways to find creative solutions. Through robotics projects, scientific experiments, coding activities, and engineering design challenges, students develop not only subject-specific skills but also essential 21st-century competencies like collaboration, communication, and adaptability. By embracing the holistic approach advocated in Liston’s paper, my classroom fosters a dynamic learning environment that prepares students to tackle complex problems and thrive in an increasingly interconnected world.
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Hi Enda,
Welcome to the course, and thanks for your post! Liston’s paper covers a great deal about the true nature of STEM and its applications in the classroom, and it sounds like you are already very much aligned with her approach in the classroom through the way you approach STEM with hands-on activities, collaborative projects, and a focus on critical thinking and innovation.
Please note that there are a few more parts to this assignment that you are also required to comment on. Refer back to the top of this section for more information. Thanks!
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You have given a great variety of activities, which has really got me thinking for my own classroom come September. I love the idea of integrating real-life challenges that require students to apply knowledge from various disciplines to find creative solutions. Through robotics projects, scientific experiments, coding activities, and engineering design challenges, students develop not only subject-specific skills but also essential competencies such as collaboration, communication, and adaptability. By embracing the holistic approach advocated in Liston’s paper, it allows for the creation of a dynamic learning environment that prepares students to tackle complex problems and thrive in an increasingly interconnected world.
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In Liston’s (2018) paper, the concept of STEM education extends beyond its acronym, emphasizing interdisciplinary learning, problem-solving skills, and real-world applications. In my classroom, STEM education integrates these principles through hands-on activities. For instance, we engage in robotics projects where students design, build, and program robots to solve specific challenges, fostering collaboration and critical thinking. I would love to set up my own weather station with my class next year which would be used throughout the entire year. Overall, by continuously evolving and refining these activities based on student feedback and educational research, I aim to cultivate a classroom environment where STEM education not only prepares students for future careers but also nurtures their curiosity and problem-solving skills for lifelong learning.
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Hi Colin,
Welcome to the course, and thanks for your post!
Liston’s paper certainly provides much food for thought on how we approach STEM in the classroom, and it is great to see that STEM education integrates these principles through hands-on activities in your classroom.
I highly recommend the weather station as an activity to develop learners’ STEM skills and grow in their understanding of the ever-changing nature of weather, with teamwork used to gather, analyse and report data from the station and technology to create visual charts and presentations, there are ample opportunities for a holistic STEM approach and skills development with this activity!
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Activity 1:
Liston’s paper emphasizes interdisciplinary STEM education, critical thinking, and real-world applications. In my classroom, the “Is it weather or climate?” activity exemplifies these principles by integrating science, technology, and mathematics, fostering critical analysis of atmospheric data, and helping students distinguish between short-term weather patterns and long-term climate trends.
Activity 2:
In my classroom, the “Weather Detectives” activity reflects these principles by having students investigate weather phenomena using scientific methods and technological tools. Students collect and analyze weather data, apply mathematical concepts to interpret patterns, and use engineering skills to design simple weather instruments. This activity promotes problem-solving and collaboration, helping students understand the interconnectedness of STEM fields while making learning engaging and relevant to real-world issues. It encourages them to think like scientists and engineers, aligning with Liston’s vision for effective STEM education.
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Hi Orla,
Welcome to the course, and thanks for your post. It sounds like your classroom is doing very well in providing learners with an integrated STEM experience, with activities like “Is it weather or climate?”,.
By equipping students with learning experiences that bring together STEM holistically, such as through weather activities outlined, building a weather station, etc, they benefit from an enriched overall understanding and joined-up thinking that will serve them well in approaching real-world problems. By working together, they develop teamwork skills as they work on weather station observations and data analysis.
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In relation to Dr Liston’s article I feel she has highlighted an important point about STEM and how it is implemented in schools. It certainly has become very popular in schools but one would wonder is it only being done as ‘tick the box’ activity as opposed to being implemented properly. I have seen this in my own school where we have been working with Lego Spike kits for a number of years now. Usually this involved just going through the steps on the Ipad to create something. This year we were fortunate enough to be selected to take part in the ‘Weave’ project which allowed the children to identify a problem and use computational thinking to come up with a solution to the problem. This project allowed the boys to fully be exposed to STEM teaching in a true sense and they really enjoyed it. Like Grainne, we were also working with 5th class boys which was probably the ideal age group to tackle such projects.
Regarding Activity 1 from weather v climate, I liked the fact the whole focus of the exercise is to gain an understanding of the differences between weather and climate from the off. And once the children understand that, they can then explore the two in more detail. Perhaps using the pupils birthdays is a clever way to attract their attention, particularly with younger classes. Also making them explain both weather and climate in their own words is an excellent way for the children to demonstrate their understanding. Using the climate Zone video for pupils would be a very good way to introduce the whole topic also. Activity 2 is a very engaging activity which the children will enjoy doing. It’s a fairly detailed exercise and would need a little altering to suit the class I work with. From my experience the pupils can find it difficult creating accurate graphs using the correct scales etc. so this exercise, and the fact that the children were involved in gathering the data, might get them to engage more with their work.
Regarding the building of a weather station we actually have one already in our school with an anemometer which has been neglected for a few years so will look at getting that operational again in September. Overall, a very enjoyable module.-
Thanks for your post, John. I am very glad to see that you enjoyed the module!
I see that it has spurred you on to reflect on the differences between the STEM activities you conducted in your school and how much more impactful they can be when learners undergo STEM teaching in a true sense, as you say, through the weaving project.
The great thing about the topic is that here in Ireland, we all talk about it so much. It’s a national hobby! Getting a firm understanding of the differences can be a foundation to build upon and is an important stepping stone for beginning to understand climate change.
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This has inspired me to investigate lego spike and the weave project mentioned above. Both sound like worthwile projects with a good STEM base. I also agree that talking about the weather is so natural here in Ireland, so it makes sense to study the weather in detail and make real life connections through maths and science while also opening up the conversation of climate change to our future leaders.
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Unravelling STEM: Beyond the Acronym- The paper by Liston (2018) looks into the broader implications of STEM education beyond its literal letters. STEM education emphasises an interdisciplinary approach, integrating science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. It encourages critical thinking, problem-solving, creativity, and collaboration. Effective STEM education goes beyond rote memorisation and focuses on real-world applications.
In my classroom it looks like hands on activities, cross curricular projects, inquiry based learning where they are focused on a questions and when appropriate using equipment and technology to help solve the problem.
Activity 1: Is it weather or climate?
To extend this activity, I would try discussing real-world examples of weather events versus climate trends.
Activity 2: Weather Detectives
I really like how this activity links in data collection in Mathematics especially with new Maths curriculum. To extend this further pupils could collect data on other weather variables (rainfall, wind speed) or compare data across different locations.-
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The link to Maths in the activities 1 & 2 is a great way to link to the new maths curriculum, problem solving and inquiry based learning at its best. There is also a strong link with communication skills and Oral Language, being able to explain and justify their inquiries. Collaborative work is encouraged throughout these activities also.
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Hi Colm, I like your approach to integrating STEM concepts through hands-on activities and inquiry-based learning. Connecting weather and climate through real-world examples enhances students’ understanding beyond theoretical concepts. Expanding Activity 2 to include additional weather variables or comparing data across different locations aligns well with fostering analytical skills crucial for STEM education.
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Reflecting on Liston’s (2018) insights, STEM education in my classroom emphasises interdisciplinary learning, integrating science, technology, engineering, and mathematics through hands-on projects. For instance, my students could engage in building weather stations, which combines engineering principles with scientific inquiry. This approach fosters creativity, problem-solving, and critical thinking, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of STEM concepts.
I found the resources in Module 1, particularly the ESA resource “Nose Up High in the Sky,” to be extremely valuable. The activities provided great flexibility and could be adapted for all grade levels. For my students next year, I plan to simplify the initial activity on weather and climate. The weather detective activity will be suitable for all levels, teaching essential skills like instrument usage and weather recording. I am eager to set up a weather station at our school using homemade rain gauges and anemometers. Overall, I anticipate these resources will significantly enhance my students’ understanding of weather and climate in the coming school year.
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Like you Padraic, I found the ESA resources to be extremely valuable. I think the Weather vs Climate resource from ESA is excellent. It is probably to difficult to use in our junior school, but the focus on weather vs climate is very interesting for students of all ages. I think our students will enjoy seeing the world map and trying to identify which climate relates to which area of the map.
I really like the Nose High in the Sky resource. It is a very good starting point to find out what weather sayings our students may already know, and then to deal with weather related vocabulary and finally to move on to making a small weather station with the students. The making of rain gauges and the anemometers become an engineering task for the students, maths skills are honed in the recording of data and in the use of thermometers, science and technology skills are honed in the finding of information relating to weather and climate. For many years I have used a small weather station in my school, complete with rain gauge, thermometer and home-made anemometer. A challenge in our school is to leave these outside over night without being vandalized. We tend to put them outside in the morning and collect them at home time (meaning our information is very limited). Not ideal, but a very good taster of what a real weather station might look like. When one class in the school begins to take an interest in the weather station, I have found that students from other classes also begin to take an interest in our weather station and that this spreads the interest in weather recordings across the whole school in general.
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<span style=”color: #163c42; font-family: ‘Hind Madurai’, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;”>Having read and reviewed the paper ‘Unravelling STEM: Beyond the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics’, Liston clearly demonstrates the importance of a hands on approach and active learning with a focus on critical thinking and collaborative learning. In my own classroom, I focus on real life challenges that and encourage pupils to think of as many ways they can to solve the problem through a number of way such as exploration, experiments, engineering etc. I found both resources to be very interesting and useful and wouldn’t hesitate in using them. The videos were very good. We have a very active garden in our school where we grow a number of fruits and vegetables and it would be the ideal location for a weather station. Each strand could be responsible for a certain weather condition. There would be a number of lessons that would interconnect throughout the curriculum and I believe the students would really benefit. </span>
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Hi Tom,
Thank you for your post, and welcome to the course. I see you are encountering a common problem on this forum- extraneous material when pasting. Please right-click and select “paste as plain text” to avoid this issue going forward.
I am delighted to read that you have a very active school garden-what a great resource for your learners! It sounds like a fitting location for your weather station, but of course, let the learners loose in your schoolyard area, and they may have some ideas for a location of their own!
There is a lot to factor into the choice of site, and there is so much learning to be had from designing, marking, monitoring, recording, reporting, reflecting, and presenting this activity!
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Hi Tom, I agree with you and this that STEM definitely involves a hands on and critical thinking approach, as well as allowing the children the opportunity to work collaboratively. I like how you focus on real lfe challenges within your classroom and this is something that I endeavour to do going forward. An active garden sounds good and an ideal place to set up your weather station.
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In Liston’s paper a reference is made to , “STEM education isn’t just one thing—it’s a range of strategies that help students to build understanding apply concepts and skills from different disciplines in contexts that make connections between school, community and work in order to solve meaningful problems (Gerlach 2012; Vasquez, Comer and Sneider 2013).”
STEM projects create the ideal scenario to encourage children’s skills in problem solving, critical thinking and in communicating skills and allowing them to create and understand how to create a better place to live.
The Activities 1 & 2 are ideal STEM activities creating inquiry-based learning and experiments. The children will use their creativity in their design for their weather station. Activity 1 is exploring the difference between weather v climate learning about climate zones. And Activity 2 – children are becoming weather detectives – learning how to record and graph plot results mathematically. Getting the children to reflect on where to place the thermometer, the time of day to record it, ensure that it is not tampered with. It allows the children to take responsibility for recording data and the opportunity to graph it mathematically. These are ideal STEM activities for class. The extension of this for children to understand what an increasing rise in temperature may mean for their lives and the world.-
Hi Ciara,
Thank you for your post, and welcome to the course!
There is so much to take from Liston’s paper, and I see through your reflections on the activities that you understand the value in STEM projects for skills development, with your example of learner-led engagement-getting the children to reflect on where to place the thermometer, the time of day to record it, ensure that it is not tampered with. It allows the children to take responsibility.
This hands-on, learner-led approach leads to an enriching STEM activity. Of course, these activities can be a springboard for learning so much more about weather and climate, leading to discussions from learners from other countries in your classroom contributing on how their country compares to Ireland in terms of climate, and so on.
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Having read Dr. Maeve Liston’s article on Unravelling STEM: Beyond the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, I am interested to see that the focus of STEM teaching is not on the subject matter relating to science, technology, engineering and maths, but on the skills, strategies and connections between students, parents, teachers and the community. STEM teaching is about working collaboratively to solve problems in the world around us. It is a practical way in which we can interpret the world and deal with issues that are relevant in our lives. In teaching STEM we remove the traditional barriers between science, technology, engineering and maths, and work within all these overlapping areas to facilitate real world learning experiences for our students. In my classroom it is the challenges that are incorporated in critical thinking, in using practical skills in a challenging and useful way and in working together that inspire my students to become immersed in STEM learning. The collaborative solving of practical problems, the push to discover solutions in many different ways and cooperation of all (students, parents, teachers, other outside agencies) increases the students’ feeling of ownership of solutions found.
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I found the resources Weather V Climate to be very useful in sparking conversations around climate change and the climate problem. I think that there are learnings not just for students but us adults too. Misinformation and confusion regarding climate change can only be debunked with factual and evidence-based information such as provided by ESA. In my personal practice, I can foresee opportunities to create opportunities for students of all abilities. The resource Nose-Up-High was also quite good. I think the opportunity to create our school weather station is a great idea to get engagement across the school. This will enable the children to take responsibility for creating and maintaining their station and I can envisage an opportunity to connect with schools across the country to collate and compare data.
For the reluctant learner, an opportunity to engage in hands-on activities daily such as taking readings of rainfall, wind, and temperature. Children across the school levels can be enabled to learn about weather and climate appropriate to their age levels. I look forward to using some of the ideas and resources in the coming year.
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Further to this and having reviewed the article from Dr Liston, it is evident that critical thinking, active learning and a hands on approach is necessary for children to progress in the area of STEM. As mentioned above, the resources / ideas align well with this type of learning & teaching strategy
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I completely agree. For the reluctant learner, hands-on activities like daily readings of rainfall, wind, and temperature provide a tangible and engaging way to understand weather and climate concepts. These activities can be adapted for different age levels, ensuring that all children, from infants to 6th class, gain an age-appropriate understanding of these important topics. I’m excited to incorporate these ideas and resources into my teaching this coming year, as they offer a fantastic way to make learning interactive and relevant for all.
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I agree Seamus, these activities provide opportunities for all types of learners to be fully engaged. Children are hearing lots about climate change – it’s good for them to become actively involved in recording weather. It can only lead to an increase in their awareness of what’s happening, and hopefully, to them becoming more proactive in the struggle to combat climate change.
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STEM education has become a buzz word in many classrooms in recent years. It is evident from Listons paper how valuable STEM education can be. It affords children with opportunities to develop a wide range of skills and competencies. I place a strong emphasis on STEM based activities in my classroom as I have seen first hand how beneficial it is for the children. Engagement is high during these activities and they foster collaboration, encourage critical thinking and promote the children’s ability to problem solve. I teach 5th class and we covered the topic of weather and climate this year – it was a topic which really interested the children and they were eager to learn about both weather and climate. The resources in this module will be very beneficial when I teach this topic to my class next year.
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I agree with Emma that STEM has really become the buzz word at the moment especially now that there are talks that it will be in the new curriculum coming down the line everybody is more invested in learning about it and the practicalities of how it will work in the classroom. Sometimes the thoughts of doing the activity and gathering all the resources and materials required would nearly put you off doing it but when you see the value the kids get out of it through collaboration, critical thinking skills and problem solving and when you get high engagement levels which can be hard to get especially in the senior classes you can’t but see the value in the STEM lessons.
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Hi Emma,
Welcome to the course, and many thanks for your post.
It is great to see that you are placing a strong emphasis on STEM in the classroom, developing a broad range of skills and engaging the learners in activities with real-world applications. Dr. Liston’s paper provides great guidance on what STEM really is, and means for those delivering activities.
The activities outlined in this module certainly support learners STEM journey, and I am delighted to see that weather and climate is something that you have already covered in your classroom, and that these resources will be put to good use in the coming academic year!
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SSTEM in my classroom is when children are working together actively learning, testing, experimenting, problem solving, recording and critically thinking.
In using the resource to understand weather and climate, I would begin by opening up a whole class discussion on differences between weather and climate. Children could discuss the weather currently and use their senses in describing it. Using the children’s birthdays is a clever way to allow the children to make connections and to relate to the concept that weather is constantly changing. At the end of the lesson, it is important that children have a definition for weather and climate and can compare and contrast the two definitions. For older children they can be stretched further into discussion on climate zones. Perhaps the lovely video from this module could be shown to help consolidate this concept. The second activity on being a weather detective and measuring the temperature had some excellent practical pieces of information. I think it is important to firstly allow the pupils time to think about what factors they would consider when measuring air temperature. Whole class discussion could open up and check that pupils have thought about all the required elements. Tips on using the thermometer were very good in this activity and allowing the readings to be taken at the same time each day for a sustained period is very important. I think it would be a lovely idea to set up a school weather station. Children would learn so much from the process and STEM would be at the heart of their learning. Hopefully next year this will come into floriation in my own school.
T being a weather detective and measuring the-
I really like that you included recording as part of your STEM activities in your classroom. As a junior infant teacher I find I can often forget the recording element and focus too much on the practical, hands on elements.
I also liked your point of it being important that at the end of the first activity children should be made aware of the difference between climate and weather.
Thank you for your great answer.
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Hi Martina,
Thanks for your post, and welcome to the course!
Dr. Liston covers a great deal in her paper. It is certainly an eye-opener, moving away from siloed thinking about STEM subjects and incredibly practical in its approach to solving problems, and it certainly sounds like you have a firm grasp on conducting meaningful STEM activities in the classroom.
You raise a good point about learners needing to know both definitions at the end of the lesson about climate and weather, and I would encourage out-of-the-box thinking and cross-curricular links to help these concepts stick. Could your learners create a poem about weather and climate or art? A vocabulary sheet/poster can help revisit definitions.
Best of luck setting up a weather station in your school this coming academic year. It is a superb STEM activity with scope for ongoing observations and much more!
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STEM activities in my classroom take the format of children working in groups or teams on hands on, practical tasks, thinking critically and learning through investigation. I think in order to create and achieve in STEM activities there needs to be an open and holistic approach taking in all knowledge and skills.
Taking a look at the two activities I found them very interesting.
Activity 1: Weather or climate
I really enjoyed this activity. I thought it was an excellent way of introducing the difference between weather and climate to younger children, which really appealed to me as I am in a junior school. I really like the idea of linking it back to something personal to them (their birthday) which I think is very effective in helping them understand.
The second activity: weather detectives enables the children to have some independence in carrying out their own school based research and research on the local environment. There is a lot of skills involved in deciding where the best place for the thermometer is, ventilation and out of direct sunlight. These give the children things to think of and reasons as to why they need to consider those things.-
Hi Áine,
Thanks for your post, and welcome to the course!As a teacher in a junior class, activity one is a great fit for your learners and is thought-provoking as they think about their birthday weather experiences. I quite like this simple video from NASA, too, as an additional learning resource: https://youtu.be/vH298zSCQzY
Once the weather station items are installed, the real fun and learning can begin, even at a junior level as they collect data. This can be made as simple as required for their abilities. For the rain gauge, it could begin with asking, is there water in it or not? and build from there to recording numbers.
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I also really liked these ideas. They start with ideas that would be personal to the children like their birthdays, which could be further personalised with them planning party ideas based on weather predictions. As the lessons go forward, they get the chance to actually record and monitor the weather in an interactive and enjoyable way. These lessons are a good way to make sure that the children stay interested while also learning all about weather climate how to record things like wind speed and rain levels in a reliable way.
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Sometimes the thoughts of STEM add stress to a teacher who is already try to teach an overloaded curriculum and this is just another thing to try and fit into the school day but the unravelling STEM article really shows how they can all be integrated into topics we already teach and can be integrated which would hopefully save time in the long run. I like the idea with starting with Science where there is a hypothesis and using technology and engineering to try and create something to solve the hypothesis and using maths then to analyse and interpret solutions.
The weather vs climate resource would be very helpful to teach children the difference between the two and the activities and exercises are already there and created for you to use. I think these resources could be used on notice boards in the school they look so good.
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Rebecca I definitely am in the same boat as you. I feel our curriculum is overloaded and the thoughts of having less time with the new primary framework for the basics and having to up our game with STEM is very daunting. However, having said that this course is both informative and useful. We have been equipped with a mountain of practical information and resources which I will confidently use in my classroom next year.
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I found Dr Liston’s article on STEM interesting. STEM as an acronym is relatively new and there is, as Dr Liston rightfully pointed out, a lot of focus and buzz around the concept presently, that we should be using STEM in schools. However, it really isn’t a new concept at all. STEM is evident in farming, production and building for thousands of years. One need only look at ancient Rome or Athens, or indeed the manufacture of the first cannons used in the siege of Constantinople to see practical use of STEM throughout ancient and more recent history.
In the classrooms of the 1980s and 90s when I was in primary school, we used building blocks, we created things, we had a ‘nature table’ where we tried to grow crops and many other such things. This was STEM, but wasn’t called such. The challenge in the classroom has always been about making subjects more relevant by using real-world applications. This is the Engineering part, as Dr. Liston pointed out.
I have personally found that the JEP programme has been a fantastic multi-disciplinary vehicle for students in 6th Class to utilise theoretical Science, Maths and Business skills to then design, engineer, analyse and improve a product that they themselves then sell to a particular market. Even, for example, in deciding how to price their products, students have unbeknownst to themselves, delved into simultaneous equations, the concept of demand elasticity and a miriad of other concepts that, where I to have taught in theory alone, would not have been of any interest.
I’m fascinated by the idea of the weather station in school. I feel like as a long-term project, over possibly 8+ years, it could be a very interesting study. Of course, Irish people love complaining about the weather, that it never stopped raining for the whole winter, that we had no summer, etc. However, it would be of interest to actually record this. Long-term, the daily measurements of temperature and precipitation could be used to study whether Ireland is really experiencing climate change. There are kits available online for as little as €20, that would be perfectly adequate for children in school to use. I look forward to setting this up for the coming year.
I found the TEAL tool quite complicated. The emissions data, for example, takes no account of population size. I think it would be much more interesting if that was done on a per head of population basis, as opposed to a Gross figure. However, isolating the data and studying it certainly paints a stark picture in terms of the emissions of the richest countries in the world, compared to the developing countries. It is often the poorer countries that suffer most from climate catastrophes, yet it is the richer countries that cause the most emissions. I think letting children loose with TEAL is most likely to cause confusion and boredom, but the data, if interpreted by a teacher, could form part of the bigger picture, without doubt.
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Hi Aonghus,
Many thanks for your thoughtful post, and welcome to the course!
As a child of the 80s myself, I recall some activities in the primary classroom, but often, it was a hands-off, siloed topic exploration without using a framework of inquiry.
While STEM has been prevalent throughout history, its use as a buzzword today forces us to consider what it truly means and what an authentic STEM experience is.
I quite like this quote from the paper on engineering role, “If events are to be labelled ‘STEM’, engineering has to take centre stage during the activities. Engineering is the glue that integrates science, mathematics and technology and forces them towards workable solutions. STEM activities and lessons use the Engineering Design Process (EDP) as a systematic, orderly, open-ended way of approaching problems and designing solutions for those problems.”
Weather station equipment is an excellent investment and, as you said, could work well as a long-term project.
Best of luck with this activity in the year ahead!
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I agree completely about our education in the 80s and 90s. Perhaps it was school specific, as I can see from another reply that not everyone had the same experience, but my experience seems to have been similar yo yours. No need for Aistear or STEM activities. We simply played, created, explored, devised solutions to problems, as did our teachers. Everything was repurposed or redesigned and all waste had a use. We could learn so much from those experiences and bring them with us.
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I think Seamus has made an excellent point about the degree to which there is misinformation and widespread denial of climate change from many sources. Anyone can come up with their own anecdotal, isolated piece of evidence to suggest that there is little climate change. It is in the study of large scale, data-driven evidence over a long period of time that we can see real evidence.
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From looking at these I can now see how new of a concept STEM is and yet how it is being already implemented in our settings. The term may be new but the practices that go with it have been in practice for years and we will continue to build on these in our classrooms. Having reviewed the weather vs. Climate teacher guide, I found it to be quite interesting and could really see how I could implement these activities within my class setting in the coming year and hopefully also in the whole school setting too.
I like how the activities are all set out and how worksheets are included. As I will be teaching Junior Infants this year, some of these worksheets and activities are currently too difficult but I can see how I can adapt these to suit the ability and age level of the children in my class. -
I recently reviewed the paper Unravelling STEM: Beyond the Acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics by Liston (2018). This paper offers many concrete ideas that are very beneficial for both students and teachers. Reflecting on the ideas, I envision implementing STEM education in my classroom by building a weather station with my students. This hands-on project would allow students to explore science, technology, engineering, and math in a practical and engaging way.
Creating a weather station can help develop various STEM skills, such as understanding weather patterns, using technology to collect data, engineering the structure, and applying math to analyze results. I could facilitate collective practice by encouraging students to work in teams, share their findings, and collaborate on solutions.
One improvement to the resource would be to include more opportunities for Universal Design for Learning (UDL), ensuring that all students, regardless of their abilities, can engage with and benefit from the activities. Overall, Liston’s paper provides a strong foundation for enhancing STEM education in the classroom.
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Hi Eric,
I agree that this paper does offer lots of beneficial ideas. The weather station is a great idea and the fact that it is a hands-on project allows the children to engage with the content in a meaningful way. I do like the skills that the children get to experience from engaging with this project and these will stand to them.
I love your idea of making it a UDL to include all children in the activities.
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Activity 1:
Dr. Liston’s article highlights the concept of STEM and how it is already being implemented in schools and how it has recently become a more popular concept. STEM can be seen as another ‘subject’ or ‘topic’ that we need to find time to implement but as it is cross curricular we can complete activities within the STEM bracket while ticking boxes for multiple subjects. I enjoyed the weather vs. climate activity as this engages the children with the fact that there are differences from the beginning as the identify these.
Activity 2:
Setting up this weather station would certainly be welcomed in my school. As a teacher in an Autism class, the children would enjoy the hands on and engaging activity. The link to the maths curriculum will also afford time during the school day to give to this collecting and analysing of data in relation to the daily weather.
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Hi Sarah,
Thanks for your post, and welcome to the course. There is a lot to unpack from Dr Liston’s paper, and I see you are prudent in making use of the cross-curricular links to ensure your class has time to incorporate STEM into your schedule.
The weather station is wonderful for many reasons, including how accessible and affordable it is to set up, with many instruments possible to make from recycling bin supplies, but also for affording those who are observing the instrument readings, a movement break outside in nature, a change of scenery and a meaningful task to engage in.
The math opportunities are significant in this activity, from angles to results to graphing data and averages. It’s a worthwhile addition for all schools.
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Upon reading Dr. Maeve Liston’s ‘Unravelling STEM: Beyond the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics’, I have been able to identify certain aspects of STEM active in my classroom but also many areas in which I can develop and promote STEM in my classroom so that the children can learn through collaborative problem solving.
‘Inspiring creativity, problem solving inquisitive thinking, and teamwork,’ is the key. In my classroom we have discussed inventions and famous inventors down through time. Examining these inventions and how they have influenced and impacted on the world. Getting inspiration from great minds before us and asking questions about what inspired them.
We recently asked a question in class. What would you do to improve the school. We researched things like seesaws, slides and swings. These are simple inventions that are taken for granted. We investigated the links between these items and Science ,Technology ,Engineering and mathematics. We then decided on how to improve them. Collaborative thinking allowed the kids to come up with very interesting adjustments! Using materials to hand we were able to mock up a slide and seesaw before and after adjustments. The area lacking was analysing the information and time didn’t allow us to reinvestigate and improve on our activity.
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I enjoyed your post Conor as I always teach the children in my class about inventions and particularly Irish or female inventors. I find that the children engage in such research themselves with great enthusiasm. Bringing this a step further in terms of how your school could be improved adds a really interesting dimension and opportunity for enhanced learning.
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Having reviewed Dr. Maeve Liston’s “Unravelling STEM: Beyond the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics,” I agree that STEM subjects should be explored with pupils in a way that allows for real-life learning experiences that make the subjects meaningful and applicable. In my classroom, creating opportunities for pupils to develop STEM skills across those subject areas is something I am conscious of, whether it is in group work, research, recording, reporting, applying skills to real-life scenarios.
I love the Nose high up in the Sky activities. I think the pupils would really enjoy the hands on aspect of them. Talking about the weather comes naturally to so many Irish people in particular! I think there would be a lovely opportunity to involve parents and grandparents in the weather proverbs section. There could be scope for inter class projects where proverbs gathered from home could be shared and compared. Maybe parents from a different part of the country/world could share their proverbs also. The creation of a weather station would allow for STEM skills, literacy and knowledge to be developed and pupils could have the opportunity to share their findings in relation to air temperature, wind speed and rain with the whole school.
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Valerie, it is such a lovely idea to involve parents and grandparents in the children’s learning, especially when talking about the weather! This is such a wonderful, simple idea that could lead to a great classroom project! Maybe different parts of the county/ country have different proverbs? The children could dive into the Duchas.ie Schools Collection to find out! 🙂
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Having read the Unravelling STEM: Beyond the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics by Dr. Maeve Liston I was very appeased to reinforced the benefits of integrating STEM across all curricular subjects inorder to deepen understanding of maths and science concepts, develop critical thinking in children and encourage skills to approach and solve problems. It encourages ethics, collaboration, teamwork, communication and widens career opportunities.
I found it interesting to read and learn about the Engineering Design Process (EDP) and the importance of all characteristic of STEM being included in activities in order to call them STEM activities ‘The foundation of STEM education lies in engineering and of the four letters in the acronym’.
The children that I teach are very young so I was very interested in the weather v climate worksheet to spend more time on focusing on birthday weather and oral language and pictorial prompts. In the worksheet ‘Weather detectives’ I loved the idea that the children collect results over a long period of time to monitor changes that occur. I know the children in my school would love this hands-on activity.-
I completely agree with your insights on Dr. Maeve Liston’s “Unravelling STEM”. It’s wonderful how the integration of STEM across subjects not only enhances understanding but also fosters critical thinking and problem-solving especially in the younger pupils. The emphasis on the Engineering Design Process and the practical activity of the “Weather Detectives” worksheet is excellent for young learners. It’s inspiring to see how these hands-on experiences can make STEM concepts accessible and engaging, encouraging curiosity and long-term observation in children from a young age. Hopefully this practical long term approach to teaching weather will capture the children’s interest and perhaps stretch over into the next class level where they can further develop their vocabulary and knowledge on the topic.
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Hi Michelle,
Thanks for your post, and welcome to the course!
Dr Liston’s paper offers invaluable guidance on the true nature of STEM, the value of its integration and how to deliver an authentic STEM experience grounded in solving problems and real-life applications.
The EDP is a worthwhile addition to the development of lesson plans, fostering a mode of thinking that will serve learners well in a career in STEM or, indeed, life in general!
I highly encourage the weather station; it is a fun and engaging activity that can be adapted to their level and grow in complexity as they get to senior level.
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1. Review of the paper. Upon review of the paper ‘Unravelling STEM: Beyond the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics’( Liston 2018) I found it be very informative and to the point. At the beginning it clearly states the reasons for the emergence of STEM. It describes how governments and many research publications have highlighted the need for STEM lessons within our classrooms. Based on the SESE curriculum and these recommendations STEM education is reflected daily within my current classroom. I strive to create an environment in which the children are creative, engage in problem solving and critical thinking and practice communicating to one another through 1:1 engagement and within groupwork. The children in my classroom engage in frequent project work, both individual and group projects thus promoting teamwork. The children use the internet to research information and must use research-based content and present it as typed format. These assignments encourage critical thinking and improve technological literacy.The students in my class also conduct many experiments and as a STEM classroom we often further this experience by encourage students to design products to make the world a better place. In an ever-changing world with many current problems I encourage children in STEM lessons to analyse and interpret solutions to real-world problems and to deliver their findings to the class in a debate format in addition to written format. This solidifies the learning experience for all.I found the focus on ‘A simple pen’ in the article very helpful for a more in depth understanding of the STEM concept.
2. Feedback on ESA resources. I loved these resources and found them very colourful, engaging and child friendly. I like the structure of them and appreciate that there are teacher guidelines which will prove very beneficial for the planning process in the classroom. These will also help to facilitate collective practice within my school as I plan to email these to each teacher and download and create a school folder for a shared resource in the school. I am very lucky to work in a school that has a lovely outdoor sensory garden. There is an area where I think would be very suitable for to set up a meteorological/weather station and this will be done alongside another classroom. The students will enjoy making the weather measuring instruments and can incorporate these lessons into the visual arts. The entire school community will see the station and be able to access the results of rainfall and windspeed and air temperature on the school website and also weather board in the Dome area of the sensory garden which is covered from the elements. I particularly like the weather detectives and climate reporter sections of the climate and weather resource. It has very concise yet informative lessons for children. the children in my class would particularly love predicting the weather up to 2065! The interactive links such as ‘Paxi’s video about the greenhouse effect’ is very useful in addition of all the links and space ESA projects.
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Hello Áine, and welcome to the course!
Thank you for your post and reflections on Dr Liston’s paper. I can see from your post that your classroom is already an authentic STEM experience for learners and the strong commitment you have to developing their skills is in line with the SESE curriculum and her paper.
It is wonderful to see your dedication to creating meaningful STEM experiences for the whole school by developing a shared resource from which all teachers can benefit. With all this wonderful STEM work underway, it may be fitting to consider applying for the Curious Minds programme to receive recognition for your school’s commitment to STEM learning.
Learn more about this here: Curious Minds | Science Foundation Ireland (sfi.ie)
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I really enjoyed reading Dr. Maeve Liston’s ‘Unravelling STEM: Beyond the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics’, I have been able to identify certain aspects of STEM active in my classroom but there are many areas where I can further develop and promote STEM so that the children can learn through collaborative problem solving. I found the resources in Module 1, particularly the ESA resource “Nose Up High in the Sky,” to be extremely valuable. The activities provided are interesting, engaging and flexible and could be adapted for all grade levels.
For my students next year, I plan to introduce the initial activity on weather and climate. The weather detective activity will be suitable for all levels, teaching essential skills like instrument usage and weather recording. I am eager to set up a weather station at our school. In a very large school with limited space this will be a challenge, but I am hoping that a number of classes could use the station and benefit from sharing ideas, information and learning. Overall, I hope this will significantly enhance my students’ understanding of weather and climate in the coming school year.
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Hi Ann, and welcome to the course!
Thank you for your post. It’s great to see that you have taken something from this paper that you plan to apply to your classroom with greater engagement in collaborative problem-solving.
The weather station is a wonderful way of getting all classes involved in a whole school STEM activity class to have a chance to read the results daily, build their own equipment and carry out tests at home, too! It is also a nice opportunity for learners to have a movement break out in nature-something that benefits all ages!
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Liston’s (2018) paper, Unravelling STEM: Beyond the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, examines the multifaceted nature of STEM education. The paper argues for a more holistic approach, emphasizing interdisciplinary learning and the importance of integrating real-world problems into the curriculum. Liston suggests that a true STEM education goes beyond mere content knowledge, fostering critical thinking, creativity, and collaboration.
In my classroom, STEM education we try to cover Liston’s vision by promoting project-based learning where students engage in hands-on activities that bridge the four disciplines. For instance, students might design and build a sustainable model house, integrating principles of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. This approach not only helps them understand the interconnectedness of these fields but also develops essential skills such as problem-solving, teamwork, and innovation. By aligning with Liston’s recommendations, my classroom aims to prepare students for the complexities of the modern world.
After reviewing the Weather vs. Climate teacher guide, I found it quite engaging and practical for classroom implementation. The structured activities and included worksheets are particularly helpful. By modifying the materials appropriately for different levels, it can ensure that all students gain at the very minimum, a foundational understanding of weather and climate concepts.
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Hi John,
Welcome to the course and thank you for your post.Liston’s paper is a springboard for reflection on the true meaning of STEM, and how an activity can meet her criteria for an authentic STEM experience, bringing together the four disciples, highlighting how a genuine STEM education promotes critical thinking, creativity, and teamwork in addition to imparting content knowledge. To solve the problems of tomorrow(of which there are many), we must nurture scientific literacy today and a creative solution-focused mindset.
Whatever the age or abilities within the classroom, there is a way to adapt this lesson to all learners. I highly recommend considering a weather station to develop STEM skills and gain a deeper understanding of the changing nature of weather.
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Maeve Liston’s paper, “Unravelling STEM: Beyond the Acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics,” highlights the importance of integrating STEM activities that go beyond teaching these subjects in isolation. Interdisciplinary approaches, problem solving skills development and real-world applications are vital to STEM education. This fosters creativity and critical thinking in the pupils. I really enjoyed this module and Nose Up High in the Sky and Weather Vs Climate resources were excellent. Both resources provide excellent opportunity for teaching and learning with video links and excellent worksheets.
Is it weather or climate? I thought this activity was very well presented. I think that many, even adults, still can be confused by this question. It was explained very clearly and simply in this lesson. The pupils’ activity sheet is great and easy for kids to complete. I liked the idea of remembering weather on their last birthday as it can be difficult to recall but children usually remember how they spent their birthdays. Dividing the sentences at the end was a good way to check understanding and to discuss together.
Nose up high in the sky was also an excellent activity. I particularly liked building their own weather station, it provided great opportunities for children to develop their measurement and geographical skills.
Many STEM skills could be developed from setting up a weather station in the school such as data collection and analysis, data logging, instrument use, design and construction, problem solving and recording to name a few.-
Hi Laura,
Thanks for your post, and welcome to the course!
Liston’s paper is a thought-provoking piece of work that defines STEM, taking away the ambiguity around this buzzword, and is a useful point of reference when developing STEM activities.
You make a very good point about climate and weather being a point of confusion for some adults. Hopefully, this lesson will help address this confusion for the younger generation, especially as climate change takes centre stage as a global issue.
A weather station has so much to commend it, I hope you consider it for your school, as a resource that the whole school can engage with and learn from and may even inspire your learners to consider a career as a meteorologist!
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Liston (2018) argues for an integrated STEM approach, emphasising interdisciplinary projects and real-world applications to enhance critical thinking and problem-solving skills. The paper stresses equity in access to STEM education and highlights the importance of teacher training and innovative assessment methods.
In my classroom, I am a big fan of hands-on activities, and try to promote critical thinking. Children work on real-world problems, and I encourage creativity and collaboration.
I liked the ‘Nose Up High in the Sky’ activities as they engages children in atmospheric observations, which fosters scientific inquiry.
The ‘Weather VS Climate’ activity teaches the distinction between weather and climate, emphasising data analysis and, again, critical thinking.I would love to encourage the setting up of a school weather station involves the children in installing instruments, collecting data, and comparing it to historical climate data. This activity would promote STEM skills, including data analysis, technological proficiency, and scientific understanding.
I think the key for school leadership is to facilitate workshops for teachers and encourage children’s presentations, as this would promote collective practice and deepen our school’s understanding of weather and climate.
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Hi Susan,
Thanks for your post, and welcome to the course!
It sounds like you have a firm understanding of Liston’s vision for STEM and apply it in the classroom by having your learners work on real-life issues that foster their creativity and develop their STEM skills.
The weather station is a great project that can be short or long term, with considerable wins. Keep in mind it does not have to be all at once, it can start with one instrument and be added to over time.
I hope this module inspires you to bring the ideas you mention to the leadership team in your school to strengthen collective practices and encourage STEM engagement in this activity throughout all class levels.
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I found the resources in Module 1, especially the ESA resource “Nose Up High in the Sky,” to be highly valuable. The activities offered great versatility and could be adapted for all class levels.
For my 4th class students next year, I plan to simplify the first activity on weather and climate. The weather detective activity will be suitable for all levels and will teach important skills such as instrument usage and weather recording. I am excited to set up a weather station in our school using homemade rain gauges and anemometers, alongside our existing electronic weather station. The SEAI resources, including Activ Inspire, have also been helpful, and I look forward to incorporating them into my lessons.
Overall, I anticipate using these resources to enhance my 4th class students’ understanding of weather and climate in the upcoming school year. One improvement could be the inclusion of more digital resources, like interactive online simulations, to complement the hands-on activities and further engage the students.
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Dr. Liston’s article casts a critical eye on STEM education in schools, spotlighting an issue that’s often overlooked. STEM, while its widely embraced, sometimes doesn’t get the attention it needs. This paper has got me thinking about how I approach STEM and integrate the principles in the classroom. Activity 1 focused on distinguishing weather from climate. Starting with the fundamental differences sets a solid foundation for deeper exploration. The climate zone video serves as an excellent introduction, making a complex topic accessible and engaging. Activity 2 promises to be a hit among students. The hands on approach of measuring and creating graphs is something my class would enjoy, while also fostering a deeper connection to the material and enhancing their analytical skills. I would also love for a weather station to be built in our school for the coming academic year. I think it could help massively with bringing some new life and interest to science in the school.
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Hi Jason,
Thanks for your post, and welcome to the course.Dr Liston’s paper certainly opens our eyes to the true meaning of STEM, and I am glad to see that it prompted reflection on your part on how you approach STEM and can integrate the principles outlined in the paper in your classroom investigations.
Weather stations can begin with just one instrument, like an outdoor thermometer, and be added to over time, making it a more accessible starting point. In many ways it may be better to introduce one instrument at a time, and as the learners grow in confidence in measuring one, move on to make and add another.
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Having reviewed the paper “Unravelling STEM: Beyond the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics,” I found it truly enlightening. It reinforced my belief that critical thinking, active learning, and a hands-on approach are vital for children to thrive in STEM. I really enjoyed this module, especially the resources “Nose Up High in the Sky” and “Weather Vs Climate.” They provide fantastic teaching tools with their video links, worksheets, and hands-on activities.
Currently teaching 5th class, I’ve covered weather and climate before, but the idea of creating a weather station accessible to the whole school had never crossed my mind. I’m excited to incorporate this next year. I plan to set it up at the front of the school away playground activities but not hampered by the buildings around it to make sure results are accurate. I would like to invest in the proper equipment like outdoor thermometers and anemometer but I also want the students build their own instruments in groups so they can compare results.
This won’t be a standalone project; the students will use the station daily or weekly to record and analyse data, making STEM a continuous part of our learning. I also see this as a wonderful opportunity to engage the entire school, with younger and older students contributing to and learning from the project. Perhaps each class can record the data on a different day of the week. I can’t wait to see how this hands-on, collaborative approach will enrich our understanding of weather and climate, and foster a love for STEM in all our students.
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Hello Veronica,
Many thanks for your post, and welcome to the course!
I am delighted to read that you are enjoying the course so far. It’s great to see how this module has inspired you to consider incorporating a weather station into your STEM plan for the coming year. You have put considerable thought into how this will work and how it will benefit not only your class but the entire school, with opportunities for everyone to engage with these tools.
With all this data, so much can be done to interpret and present results, providing lots of opportunities for communication skills development-perhaps even to run a whole school science showcase on the theme of weather and climate?
Best of luck with these activities in the coming year!
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Great ideas Veronica. Setting up a weather station that the whole school can use is a brilliant idea. I love how you’re planning to incorporate both proper equipment and student-made instruments—comparing the results will be a great learning experience. Making this a regular part of your routine will definitely keep STEM engaging and relevant. Plus, involving students of all ages is a wonderful way to build a sense of community and shared learning.
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I have read “Unravelling STEM: Beyond the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics” and discovered that there are multiple components required to teach STEM to a high standard. The work must allow children to discover and work collaboratively, use technology, and connect with all subjects to allow children to learn through various learning methods and link their work with real life. The resources outlined in this module are extremely beneficial to me as a teacher as I believe I can incorporate them into my teaching to enhance my lessons on Climate and Weather. This will allow the children to gain a deeper, more holistic learning experience. I would seriously consider setting up a weather station in my school. There’s a side yard that is rarely used, which is perfect to set the station up as it wouldn’t be interfered with and out of the way from being hit by footballs on the yard. I would order a number of proper weather instruments, such as a rain gauge, thermometer, and anemometer for the children in my class to use and encourage other classes to make use of the equipment also. I would push for this to be a whole school activity in which each class is given a day in order to visit the weather station and record the weather on their day.
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Hello Micheál, and welcome to the course.
Thank you for your post. I am glad to see that Liston’s paper has inspired you to reflect on the multiple components required to teach STEM authentically-the scope of STEM in her paper covers a great deal, and her principles can provide invaluable guidance in delivering STEM in the classroom effectively, by adhering to the principles outlined.
Every school can benefit immensely from the installation of a weather station and related activities, such as making rain gauges and anemometers, recording results, creating averages, etc. There is a wealth of opportunities for STEM engagement for all levels and abilities that will foster STEM skill development, and I hope your school benefits from one in the future.
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Upon reading the paper Unravelling STEM: Beyond the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (Liston 2018), I was made aware of the multifaceted nature of STEM, emphasizing that it is more than just the four individual disciplines. STEM education integrates these fields to foster problem-solving, critical thinking, and innovation.
The paper also highlights the importance of an interdisciplinary approach, where the boundaries between science, technology, engineering, and mathematics are blurred. This approach mirrors real-world problems that require knowledge and skills from multiple disciplines.
Activity 1: Is it Weather or Climate?
This activity effectively helps students differentiate between weather and climate through examples and discussions. I would use this as an introductory lesson to ensure students grasp the fundamental concepts. Adding more diverse examples from different climates could enhance understanding. Visual aids like charts or maps would also be beneficial.
Activity 2: Weather Detectives
This investigative activity engages students in observing and recording weather data, fostering practical understanding. Incorporating this activity into a daily routine would help students develop consistent observation skills. Including digital tools or apps for weather tracking could modernize the activity. Providing templates for recording observations might streamline the process.
Both activities are valuable for building foundational knowledge in weather and climate. Enhancing them with visual aids, diverse examples, and technology integration would increase their effectiveness.
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Hello Katie, and welcome to the course!
Thank you for your post.
Dr Liston’s paper is a helpful resource that can offer expert guidance on the true meaning of STEM and its principles for success. As you mentioned, there is an interdisciplinary approach where the boundaries between science, technology, engineering, and mathematics are blurred, rather than the siloed approach to each topic.
You make some great suggestions for the two activities, and of course, these are by no way prescriptive-rather a guide that can be customised and enriched to meet the needs and abilities of your class. Adding more diverse examples from different climates will help enhance understanding, along with visual aids. ICT skills could be developed through the learners creating a template for recording results and furthering their skills development.
I hope you get to put these to use in the coming academic year!
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I really enjoyed reading Liston’s approach to STEM education; I feel that encouraging us all to question and challenge the traditional methods and content of STEM teaching allows us to open up the world of STEM for our students. Encouraging critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving skills in our students is so important. By engaging students in hands-on, project-based learning experiences, we as teachers can make STEM subjects more engaging and meaningful, helping students understand the practical, everyday implications of what they are learning.
Having returned to the classroom this year after a number of years on SET I really enjoyed the hands on ideas and engaging ideas and resources given in both the Nose Up High in the Sky and the Weather and Climate video links. I ran a number of Become A Scientist for a Day activities this year allowing the children to try out simple experiments and draw their own conclusions and results and they really enjoyed it, but also really used all of their skills. Encouraging active learning is such a key part of STEM and opens up our world to the students. I feel they would really enjoy the weather station activity and recording and reporting their results.-
Hi Catherine,
Thanks for your post, and welcome to the course!You make important points about the importance of challenging how traditional “STEM” activities compare to the principles described in considerable detail by Dr Liston in her paper.
Teachers have such an important role to play in nurturing young learners’ curiosity, science literacy and skills. By including interdisciplinary, hands-on experiences, learners can develop a suite of STEM skills that will serve them well in the future.
I hope you continue to enjoy your return to the classroom and these resources get put to good use!
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Hi Catherine,
Thanks for sharing your ideas. It must be some change coming back into the classroom after a number of years in SET as STEM teaching has developed so much. I love the Become a Scientist for a Day activities and they are so suited to the senior classes I teach in and really engage children in the scientific method.
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Liston’s paper “Unravelling STEM: Beyond the Acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics” (2018) talks about how important it is to mix STEM subjects together to show how they work in the real world. In my classroom, I try to do this by creating projects that cross over different subjects and get students involved in hands-on activities. For example, we recently worked on designing and testing simple machines. This project had students using ideas from science, engineering, and maths, while also using technology to collect and analyse data.
The hands-on approach of the “Nose Up High in the Sky” activity helps students understand the importance of accurate weather instruments in forecasting. This activity is engaging and practical, and improves observation skills, data collection, and analysis. I would record definitely record their findings digitally in order to enable sharing their results with other classes or schools.
This set of activities “Weather VS Climate” distinguishes between weather and climate, helping students understand the concept of climate zones and the importance of long-term data collection. The activities of data collection, analysis, and reporting, are crucial STEM skills that greatly enhance the children’s learning.-
Hi Eoghan,
Thanks for your post, and welcome to the course.Through reflecting on Dr Liston’s paper, there is much to uncover about creating an authentic STEM experience, and I can see that you work to apply these principles in the classroom through a multidisciplinary, hands-on approach.
Setting up a weather station is a unique opportunity for classes to experience the realities of Ireland’s changing weather through observation, making equipment, data recording, collating and presenting results.
It’s a hands on, skills developing opportunity for the learners to see firsthand the true meaning of weather, and worth considering adding to class lesson plans for the coming academic year.
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The Paper, Unravelling STEM: Beyond the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, got me thinking about my teaching in general, not just teaching the STEM subjects. This paper outlines the characteristics of authentic STEM education. These characteristics included allowing for innovation and critical thinking, integrating real world and relevant learning experiences, and inspiring creativity, teamwork and problem-solving. I find these characteristics to be true to any successful lesson that I have taught in a classroom. I find that all of my STEM lessons contain these characteristics, and therefore the children enjoy them and the lessons are a success. I realised that if I brought these characteristics into all of my lessons throughout the day, it would make for very enjoyable learning experiences for the students in my class.
I think that the children will really enjoy the activities in the ESA resources. I love that both of the activities are student-led, giving the students a sense of ownership and pride in their own learning. I also like that the activities are hands on, inquiry bases, and include problem solving.
To lead the school in studying and communicating the weather and climate knowledge and ideas I have gained from the material in this course, I would get my class to set up a weather station somewhere suitable on the school grounds that is accessible to every class and student. I would firstly, make sure my class were comfortable using the equipment and explaining how it works. Then, I would get my class, in small groups to show other classes the weather station and how it works, so that each class in the school would be able to use the weather station whenever they like. -
Having read the article I can see where there are gaps when it comes to STEM learning, it has given a really clear explanation of how you can try to ensure you cover the elements needed to make a true STEM lesson.
I really like the resource weather v climate. Having completed the activities, I can see great potential for use with my second class. In activity 1 I think using the proverbs to try and predict the weather is a great starting point in getting the children aware of what the are looking for when making a prediction. I will definitely look at the proverbs with my class next year and discuss with them what they think they mean
In activity 2 Using your senses is a great simple way reinforcing what the children may already know. We all know there is a smell or feeling in the air just before rain falls. It is a good ay of giving children the opportunities to articulate that. Combining both activities over a number of days would be a great way to see if e can make predictions based on what we have observed.
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Hi Gina,
Welcome to the course and thank you for sharing your thoughts on the module.
Using proverbs and weather lore is a great discussion point for children and links well with local history. I asked my class to get weather proverbs from grandparents and older relations and they really enjoyed it and I even learned some new ones myself.
The activities outlined in this module are fantastic resources to explore the concept of the weather and allow for skills development such as prediction as you have mentioned.
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The paper, Unravelling STEM : Beyond the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics by Liston 2018 really highlights the importance for us as teachers and educators to integrate STEM disciplines right across our everyday teaching practices. STEM should not be a stand alone subject. This is fundamental in our role as teachers moving forward. We need to embed 21st century thinking skills in all that we do. We need to provide opportunities for our students to become critical, innovative thinkers so that they can define a problem (real world) , research it together as a team, plan and develop, make good decisions , reflect on them, create and build, test and evaluate them and then improve on their ideas and designs. This process should be at the core of our teaching right across our everyday teaching.
In my own role as a SET teacher in a senior school used this process mentioned above when with the “Lego Spike Essential Kits “. The children were encouraged to work in teams of 3 to become critical and innovative thinkers so that they could plan and develop a car that could move only by a programmed control panel do that the car could participate in a race to the finish line in the corridor. The children worked together using the Engineering design process (EDP)as a way of designing a solution to the task at hand. The group of children then presented the task to classes at 4th class level and 6th class level over the course of 3 weeks. I observed that the group of students from my own classroom really excelled while using the EDP. It was evident that once given the opportunity to use skills such as creativity, problem solving, inquisitive thinking and teamwork, their confidence in themselves, as learners, grew and they really enjoyed presenting the challenge to the other class groups afterwards. I learned so much by using the EDP and have since tried to embed it in my everyday teaching moving forward. In my opinion I see that by using this process, our students can make connections between school, community and work and this will enable them to solve real-life problems that are occurring in our communities and world around us.
The ESA resources “Nose Up High in the Sky” and ” Weather Vs Climate” are excellent resources to use in classrooms. I think that as mentioned above, helping the students to make connections by using the class or group “Birthday Chart ” would really help them to identify the difference between Weather and Climate. The “Weather Detectives” outdoor activities present a wonderful opportunity for children to work in groups together outside. I think that the idea of creating a school Weather Station would be a lovely challenge for the Student Council to undertake as one of their objectives for the year ahead. They could plan together where the best location in the school to have it would be and come up with a plan on how to organise the design process of all the weather devices between the 4 class levels, calculate the cost of some of these weather devices and identify how we would maintain and take care of the Weather Station area. -
‘Unravelling STEM: Beyond the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics’, it is evident that critical thinking, active learning and a hands on approach is vital for children to progress in the area of STEM. Nose Up High in the Sky and Weather Vs Climate provide a wealth of resources that could be adapted to suit a number of classes with excellent opportunity for teaching and learning with video links, worksheets, hands on approach to learning about Climate and Weather. I am currently teaching 3rd class and have taught this topic in the classroom. This year the children were introduced to a thermometer and observed the temperatures both inside and outside. However, I didn’t set up a weather station but this is something that I would love to incorporate into my teaching next year. As an Ap2 post holder I would aspire to encourage other classes to take part in these activities to set up the weather station at the back of the school, in a designated area. Having made weather equipment in the classroom in the past I would feel it is important to purchase the proper equipment eg. Anemometer and rain gauge etc. The “Weather Detectives” outdoor activities present a wonderful opportunity for children to work in groups together outside. I think that the idea of creating a school Weather Station would be a lovely challenge for the Green School’s Committee to undertake as one of their objectives for the year ahead. They could plan together where the best location in the school to have it would be and come up with a plan on how to organise the design process of all the weather devices between the members.
They could analyse and compare daily and monthly air temperature measurements. Finally, they will learn about different climate scenarios and identify what it means for the monthly average temperatures in their area/ country. The activity sheets in ‘Weather v’s Climate’ are a fantastic resource that could be used as a class or as part of ‘Green Schools’.
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Having looked up https://www.met.ie/education/school-resources I would certainly make weather equipment as part of a STEM lesson. Both sets could be used in weather station to see how efficient each set is. These lessons would lend themselves to lots of cross curricular opportunities:
Maths : measures/ decimals/ ,
Geography : climate/weather,
Irish: An Aimsir,
English: Oral language / poetry/ proverbs
Music : Songs with theme of weather, Art: Rain makers/ anemometer/
History: Sundials/ proverbs
SPHE: Global citizenship
Religion: “Laudate Deum”: the Pope’s cry for a response to the climate crisis
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Hi Tina
I love your idea of purchasing weather equipment and setting up a permanent weather station in your school. Getting other classes involved would be great as this sis something that all classes could engage with especially if different classes undertook to monitor the weather for a few weeks to complete a study of the weather throughout the school year. comparing the purchased weather equipment to the equipment they make in class will give a deeper understanding of how these instruments work. I alos love you cross curricular ideas related to weather.
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Having reviewed the paper ‘Unravelling STEM: Beyond the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics’, it really shines a light on the importance of providing children with as many opportunities as possible to use and develop their skills in critical thinking, problem-solving, communication, creativity, active learning and working as a team. This is vital so as to enable children to progress in the area of STEM and is something I am very mindful of and try hard to foster wherever and whenever possible.
I found Module one to be excellent. It was very informative with lots of practical resources for classes of all levels. I have no doubt that I will be using them with greater confidence when we return to school in September.
As is often the case, a simple video, cartoon or just another voice in the lesson will often be that special component needed to drive a message home to the children. It brings variety and options to a lesson that enables children of all ages, abilities, learning needs and different approaches to learning, to actively engage in the desired understanding and learning in the given lesson.
I love how the videos provided in this module are very useful and age appropriate when explaining the difference between weather and climate. I have no doubt that they will be received very favourably by my new class in September. Not only do the children gain a better understanding of weather and climate….. but I do too! It keeps me in line with the age of my children and keeps the lesson as a whole, age appropriate. It greatly reduces the risk of me gaging the lessons above their level of understanding.
I really enjoyed the ESA Nose up high in the sky resource and intend using it with my new class over the course of a few lessons. It is a resource that is rich in content and integrates brilliantly with literacy and numeracy and also enables the children to play an active, hands on role in their own learning.
I love the idea of creating a weather station and am certain that the children will too. This invites the children into the lesson whereby they play the leading role. They have ample opportunities to create, monitor, record and interpret results from the weather station. It is undoubtedly the most effective way for children to learn.
I also love the whole concept of Weather Detectives in activity two.
Again, children play a very active and important role in the learning process. It invites creativity in designing and creating their own weather instruments from household materials.
It creates practical opportunities for the children to use the very instruments they are learning about and see and understand their purpose when measuring temperature, rain fall, wind speed etc…
This really is the most effective resource for teachers when teaching this topic and I have no doubt that I will be using it regularly when we return to school in September.
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I agree with you about the small short videos used in this module Aisling. Children can become even more engaged with a topic even in those 3 short minutes of an interactive video.
Also the idea of children creating the weather station is also important to give children a level of responsibility on their experiments/investigations.
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I now have a clear understanding of the significance of integrating STEM topics after reading the paper Unravelling STEM: Beyond the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (Liston 2008).
The study emphasises the value of multidisciplinary education, improving students’ problem-solving abilities, and tying classroom instruction to real-world situations. Students’ critical thinking skills are enhanced in addition to their creativity when using this method.
This lesson was really fun for me, especially the resources “Weather Vs. Climate” and “Nose Up High in the Sky.” With their outstanding worksheets and video content, these were both excellent resources for teaching and learning.
The activity “Is it weather or climate?” was really thoughtfully designed. The challenge of remembering the weather on their most recent birthday was an enjoyable and memorable method for the children to interact with the lecture, and the activity sheet was simple for them to complete. To promote conversation and comprehension, the exercise at the conclusion where students separated sentences to reaffirm their grasp worked well.
“Nose Up High in the Sky,” another excellent activity, gave children the chance to construct their own weather station. Their spatial and measurement skills were well-developed through this practical assignment. Creating a weather station at school can cultivate a variety of STEM skills, including data collection and analysis, data logging, using instruments, design and construction, problem-solving, and record-keeping.
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Hi Caoimhe,
Welcome to the course and thank you for sharing your thoughts on this module.
Teaching the difference between weather and climate can be tricky, but I have found this resource great in the classroom to give practical examples such as the weather on your birthday as you have mentioned. It is important to know the difference as you explore climate in other countries in Geography.
Creating a weather station does allow for lots of skills development as you have mentioned and the children can really take ownership of their own learning. They can also use the real life data in Maths.
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Liston’s (2018) paper, “Unravelling STEM: Beyond the Acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics,” underscores the importance of integrating STEM disciplines into our daily teaching practices. STEM should not be isolated as a standalone subject but should be embedded throughout our curriculum. This approach is fundamental for fostering 21st-century thinking skills. By providing opportunities for students to become critical and innovative thinkers, we enable them to define real-world problems, collaborate on research, plan and develop solutions, make informed decisions, reflect on their work, create and build, test and evaluate, and continuously improve their ideas and designs. This iterative process should be at the heart of our teaching.
Using “Lego Spike Essential Kits,” students can work in teams to develop cars controlled by programmed panels, applying the Engineering Design Process (EDP) to solve challenges. Presenting these projects to different classes helps boost students’ creativity, problem-solving skills, inquisitive thinking, and teamwork, enhancing their confidence and enjoyment in learning. This method has proven effective in connecting school learning with real-life community and work-related problems.
Additionally, the ESA resources “Nose Up High in the Sky” and “Weather Vs Climate” are excellent for classroom use. The “Weather Detectives” outdoor activities offer great opportunities for group work. A school weather station project, led by the Student Council, could involve determining the best location, designing weather devices, calculating costs, and maintaining the station, thus providing a practical and engaging learning experience that connects with the real world.
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After reading the paper ‘Unravelling STEM: Beyond the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics’, it is clear that active learning and a hands-on approach are required for pupils to grow in STEM. Personally, I thoroughly enjoyed this module and discovered that both resources, Weather vs Climate and Nose Up High in the Sky, contributed to it.
These resources offer wonderful opportunities for teaching and learning, including video connections, workbooks and a hands-on approach to learning about weather and climate. I look forward to using these resources with my class in September. I will also look into buying equipment to aid hands-on learning experiences for the pupils such as an anemometer.
I will now consider starting a weather station in the classroom. I would like to set up a weather station on the school grounds that can be easily accessed by the children. The weather station can be used for whole school projects or by one class.
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Hi Zara,
Welcome to the course and thank you for sharing your thoughts on this module.
There are many opportunities to get the class involved in building their own weather station and it gives them responsibility in recording the data. The class could make their own anemometer to understand how it works. A weather station is a valuable resource that all children in the school could benefit from. Best of luck with your own weather station.
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The ESA Resources offer valuable tools for teaching weather and climate. Setting up a weather station at school grounds allows students to differentiate between daily weather changes and long-term climate patterns. This hands-on project fosters STEM skills by engaging students in scientific observation, data collection (technology), problem-solving (engineering), and data analysis (mathematics).
To lead the school in studying weather and climate, I would use ESA materials to educate students and staff alike. We could conduct regular observations, record data, and analyze trends using the resources provided. Collaborative activities like creating weather reports or climate impact studies would facilitate collective learning. By sharing findings through presentations or displays, we ensure broader understanding and engagement within the school community. This approach not only enriches scientific knowledge but also cultivates a sense of environmental awareness and responsibility among students.
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Nose High up in the Sky
I really liked the activity where the students discuss weather proverbs, along with being interesting and practical, this is something that the students will remember when they hear adults remark on proverbs regarding the weather, and it will encourage them to discuss this at home with their families. The activities where the children make the tool to measure wind speed and the tool to measure rain are great lessons. It would be engaging, enjoyable and challenging. The activities to go with these lessons are very simple and well laid out, and would be very useful for completing these lessons.
Weather Vs Climate
These lessons are very useful for ensuring the children understand the difference between weather and climate. The weather detectives activity would be very enjoyable and interactive. It would also integrate well with data in Maths. The Climate reporters uses some challenging concepts however it teaches about a valuable topic of greenhouse gases and their effects. I like the group work and the idea of students working together to analyse how much of an impact an increase of temperature would have on their lives and also very importantly how to try to reduce this.
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Part 1 of assignment
Liston’s paper makes some interesting observations about STEM and the importance of integrating science, maths, education and technology together as subjects. I agree with this, as sometimes students form a dislike of subjects like Maths, if they find it challenging, without realising that they are actually very skills at lots of important aspects of Maths, even if they find number challenging. It is also very important that children learn to apply their skills in ways which are adaptable in Maths, so that they can complete more challenging problem solving activities. STEM builds on this and ensures that children develop these skills in the early years. Active learning and hands on activities are engaging and interesting for students, but they also ensure that children are learning how to be agile learners that are confident to tackle activities and questions that have several steps and do not appear straightforward.
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Liston’s paper makes some interesting observations about STEM and the importance of integrating science, maths, education and technology together as subjects. I agree with this, as sometimes students form a dislike of subjects like Maths, if they find it challenging, without realising that they are actually very skills at lots of important aspects of Maths, even if they find number challenging. It is also very important that children learn to apply their skills in ways which are adaptable in Maths, so that they can complete more challenging problem solving activities. STEM builds on this and ensures that children develop these skills in the early years. Active learning and hands on activities are engaging and interesting for students, but they also ensure that children are learning how to be agile learners that are confident to tackle activities and questions that have several steps and do not appear straightforward.
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I agree with Liston’s paper about STEM. It’s important to combine science, math, education, and technology because it helps students see the value in subjects like math, even if they find numbers hard. STEM teaches skills that are useful for solving tough problems. Hands-on activities make learning fun and help kids become confident in tackling complex tasks. This way, they learn to think flexibly and are ready for challenges that aren’t easy at first glance.
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The activities outlined in Module 1 provide engaging opportunities for students to explore weather and climate concepts using resources from ESERO, SEAI, and ESA. Activity 1, “Is it weather or climate?”, prompts students to distinguish between short-term weather events and long-term climate patterns. This activity can be enhanced by including real-life examples and encouraging discussions on how weather and climate impact daily life.
Activity 2, “Weather Detectives,” involves hands-on investigations where students observe and record local weather conditions. To improve this activity, integrating digital tools or apps for weather tracking could enhance data collection accuracy and student engagement. Additionally, linking these activities to broader environmental topics, such as climate change or sustainability, could deepen students’ understanding of the importance of weather and climate monitoring.
In my class, I would use these activities to foster critical thinking and scientific inquiry skills. By completing pupil worksheets, students can document their observations and conclusions, reinforcing their learning through reflection. Overall, these activities provide a solid foundation for understanding weather and climate, but could benefit from more interactive elements and connections to real-world environmental issues to further engage and inspire students.
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There is an abundance of resources that I have looked at from module one alone. One of my favourite resources was the list of 22 proverbs that are believed to be true, I could say one of these on a daily basis. This is linked to the Nose Up to the Sky activity. This is also useful for integration of literacy and Gaeilge (Seanfhocal).
Particularly in Ireland, we can become obsessed with the weather at times. To give children opportunities to build and create their own weather instruments is a great lesson. The integration with maths is very obvious from this lesson. Children are becoming more aware of the term climate in recent times. We regularly hear the term ‘Climate Change’ in the news and in our day to day lives. As of this, ensuring the children have the correct terminology is very important. The activity where the children have to decide which phrase is linked to climate or weather is very important in my opinion, especially for children learning English for the first time.
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Hi Laura,
Welcome to the course and thank you for sharing your thoughts on this module. I really enjoyed the weather lore and proverbs also. I explored other weather lore with my own class this year and they asked older relatives and grandparents for weather lore. They were fascinated. Our favourite one was Rain before seven, fine by eleven. Just in time for our break.
I also agree that children will take ownership of the weather station when they are building and creating their own weather station. I hope you get lots of other ideas among the great resources across this course.
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Liston’s paoer “Unravelling STEM: Beyond the Acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics” is a comprehensive examination of the conceptual and practical implications of STEM education. In this paper, Liston delves into the underlying philosophy and educational strategies associated with STEM, challenging educators to think beyond the simple integration of these four disciplines.
I love the Weather vs Climate pdf and will be saving it for use next year! I think the children will enjoy the practical nature of the Weather Detectives task and it allows for learning in lots of areas including literacy, science, maths. This activity also allows for lots of pair/group work and as such provides ample opportunity for practising communication skills ie how to give your opinion, agree of disagree respectfully etc.
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The paper, Unravelling STEM : Beyond the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics by Liston 2018 really highlights the importance of STEM in the classroom in my opinion. In the last few years STEM has become a buzz word and personally until I completed this module it was something I realised I didn’t know a lot about. I can now see that STEM shouldn’t be a stand alone subject but rather one that’s incorporated through many different lessons and subjects.
The ESA resources “Nose Up High In The Sky” and “Weather V Climate” are excellent to use in the classroom and provide endless opportunities for the children to learn and explore such concepts. The idea of setting up a weather station in the classroom is fantastic and allows the children to work in groups and record their data and after exploring all the resources in this module they will more importantly understand why there seeing such changes in the weather. I think a whole school weather station would be a lovely idea and the different class levels can explore age-appropriate designs etc.
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Having review the paper ‘Unravelling STEM: Beyond the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics’ I can see clearly the STEM that I use in my class and areas where I can introduce STEM to use it cross-curricular. Also the amount of resources that I now have banked from this Module that I plan to incorporate into my lessons next year.
Weather or climate? I really liked this activity. It works well that straight away the children learn the difference between weather and climate. When this is made very clear it allows the children to learn more about each topic without confusion. I would use this daily as a talk and discussion exercise
Weather Detectives: I like that the children are the ones who are collecting the data. This allows them to have ownership over the exercises and helps retain their interest for longer. The children will also be able to make comparisons between different locations.
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Hi Karen,
Welcome to the course and thank you for sharing your thoughts on this module.
It is important to address the difference between weather and climate and I also like this resource as it gives practical examples that the learners can relate to such as weather on their birthday. This concept can also be explored when looking at weather or climate in another country in Geography.
There are many great resources in this module that I myself have used with my own class last year and I hope you will get lots of ideas for your class across this course.
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The choice of words in the title of the paper seems apt, since the experience of pulling a STEM-associated thread during class can often result in the entire lesson unravelling, such is the endless inherent potential for discussion, enquiry and investigation within the area.
I was struck by the resonances between developing a STEM lesson, as sketched out in the paper, and the analogous practice of planning for creative writing, the germ of both being a problem that requires resolution and this reminds me that the more we can elucidate on the crossover and connections between two seemingly disparate areas, the more we can help our learners think with more acuity and agility.Ruminating on what STEM looks like in my classroom, I would reflect that, most importantly, it is highly visible. I remember a friend telling me about his fondest memory from Primary School – one particular teacher, who was an avid mechanic, had placed a full car engine at the back of the classroom and in early finisher time, pupils would be allowed to go down and tinker with it. My friend’s eyes lit up when he recounted this and, not only made the learning memory of a lifetime, but provided a platform for the development of concrete, practical and transferable skills. I resolved to incorporate comparable elements into my classroom and, while our safety statement does not allow for a car engine at the back of the room, I endeavour to create retreat areas in the classroom with STEM challenges, brain-teasers, extra reading material and practical tasks, adjacent to the relevant learning objectives.
The ESA resources provide very useful practical classroom content and crucial taxonomic information, divining the oft-mistaken delineation between weather and climate. These resources could be used as a starting point to engage staff, student council and wider student body, with a view to making weather and climate a vibrant, visible component of the school environment. As with so many school wide initiatives, the role of leading can often be as simple as selling an idea through energy, depth of knowledge and awareness-making of why an issue is important to our school and I would see many of the resources and ideas presented in Module 1 as valuable assets in the pursuit of this.
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Hi John,
Welcome to the course and thank you for sharing your thoughts on Liston’s paper. I am trying to image what a car engine at the back of the room would look like in any school but an amazing opportunity for children to explore all the same. In my own classroom I have the most basic of equipment and resources to allow for STEM challenges, straws and pipe cleaners and even index cards and tape. While it’s not a car engine, it allows for hands on tasks and critical thinking along with being a regulation tool for some.
There are many resources across this course that I hope you can bring back to your own classroom and school in September.
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Based on Liston’s (2018) paper, STEM education in my classroom focuses on integration where possible, completing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics through active learning and hands-on activities. From teaching senior classes, I believe my future pupils would really enjoy and engage in building weather stations which develops their understanding of the scientific method.
The Module 1 resources were excellent and worthwhile, such as the “Nose Up High in the Sky” resource. The activities provide the opportunity for skill development and conceptual understanding and could be adapted for all class levels by simplifying or adding extension activities. The weather detective activity is suitable for all classes, helping them gain important skills like using weather instruments and weather recording. I will definitely be seeking to set up a weather station at my school using instruments like homemade rain gauges and anemometers. Overall, I foresee these resources will definitely enhance my students’ understanding of weather and climate in future school years.
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Hi Sean,
Welcome to the course and thank you for your comments on module one. There are many resources across the course that I hope you will get to use in your class.
Having a weather station that the class have made gives them ownership of their learning and they can record their own data too which you can integrate with maths.
I hope you enjoy the rest of the course.
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From reading the paper Unravelling STEM: Beyond the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (Liston 2018), I can see there are some elements of STEM in the teaching and learning but many more areas I need to develop. I place a huge emphasis on collaboration and real world problem solving. Critical thinking is also high on my list of skills I seek to embed in my classroom. However, time restraints can sometimes cause me to move on to new topics too soon, often leaving less time than I would hope for reflective thinking on how a project or lesson went.
Activity 1: Is it weather or climate?
Activity 2: Weather DetectivesI found both resources to offer a great range of diverse lesson ideas. The video in activity one is eye catching and can be used as a great lesson opener. Weather Detectives, activity 2, is a fun lesson to get students out and about. As a school, we don’t have a huge amount of weather resources but as shown in Module one, homemade ones can be made. We have a green screen in our school where we have gotten the students to record the weather in both English and Irish.
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Hi Brendan
It’s great that you are already placing a strong emphasis on collaboration and critical thinking in your classroom. Your point about the time constraints is a valid one, but hopefully the resources in this course especially the Curious Minds / ESERO Framework for Inquiry will help to illustrate how a STEM lesson doesn’t just incorporate Science and Maths. Reflective thinking can bring in elements of oral or written language and also includes many aspects of SPHE by encouraging children to focus on their strengths and abilities and how they work with others. I love that you have been using your green screen to allow children to record the weather and making their own weather instruments and using them toi record the weather will be a great addition.
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Dr Liston’s article was an interesting read. “ The foundation of STEM education lies in engineering and of the four letters in the acronym, the “E” is the least understood and utilised.” I found this resonated with me and caused me to reflect on my current practices. As a junior infants teacher most of our STEM activities are linked to Aistear time and perhaps at times could have had a clearer design and real world application.
Both activities provided huge opportunities for student engagement and learning. The videos provided that outlined the difference between climate and weather would definitely be a hit with older classes. The weather detective lesson would also be an opportunity to get the whole school involved. Perhaps different classes monitoring for different periods of the year and using different weather equipment as age appropriate. The hands on element of the lessons are a huge bonus and would definitely build excitement within the school. Perhaps a notice board displaying results and findings would be useful too.
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Hi Niamh,
Welcome to the course and thank you for sharing your thoughts on this module.
Within early years and play based learning, there can be many connections to real world that we may not recognise at first, whether it is building towns in Construction or Small World there can often be real life links to themes and topics in play that are unplanned.
I like your idea of the weather station to encourage whole school involvement such as the notice board and providing for hands on learning through using weather instruments or even older classes making the weather instruments.
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Dr.Liston’s paper explains that STEM education should be more than just teaching science, technology, engineering, and math separately. Instead, these subjects should be combined to solve real-world problems. It emphasizes the importance of interactive, student-centered learning that connects STEM to their everyday life.
I found the resources in Module 1 great, especially the videos. The ESA resource “Nose Up High in the Sky,” activities provided great flexibility and could be adapted for all classes and I anticipate these resources will significantly enhance my 5th class students’ understanding of weather and climate in the coming school year. It also brings us back to pre technology times and encourages us to use nature and our senses to predict weather and how easy it can be to set up a weather station with a homemade wind anemometer and rain gauge using simple resources.
Building and using a weather station would allow students to collect and analyze weather data. It involves science (observing and collecting data), technology (using sensors), engineering (building the station), and maths (analyzing data).
We could have great fun comparing RTEs weather forecast with what happens in our own weather station the next day! Was the wind, temperature and rainfall as they predicted?
To lead the school, I would organize projects where my students share their findings with other classes. This would help create a school-wide interest in learning about weather and climate, making everyone more aware and knowledgeable about these topics
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Reading the Unravelling STEM paper was immediately useful for me for properly defining STEM (which I didn’t fully understand) and then also useful for reminding me how often I implement STEM education in my lessons and everyday teaching and how to implement it more often.
Activity 1 is important as it is a very unambiguous way of defining weather which misunderstood by a surprising number of people. This definition is also key to combat the misinformation surrounding climate change such as “it’s cold now how can the world be heating up?”.
Activity 2 is great for implementing STEM principles since you have a piece of technology (the thermometer) and Mathematics. I find that doing weather measurement over time is great for giving the class a sense of scope, the passing of time and seasonal changes. This could be expanded on further with children “engineering” better thermometers, rain/wind measurement devices and testing hypotheses as well.
I enjoyed the module as a whole, the Nose in the sky activity of actually getting outside and feeling what the weather is like is so simple and yet it is such a good reminder to actually incorporate the senses into lessons.
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Hi Maurice
It’s great that Dr Liston’s paper has given you a better understanding of STEM and even better that you have been using a STEM approach already without realising it. you make a very good point about countering the misinformation around Climate Change. So many people think a colder and wetter summer is evidence that the Earth isn’t warming because they fail to grasp the difference between weather and climate and understand how a warming Earth can make all sorts of abnormal weather events more frequent. I hope that you get to try out some weather instruments with your class and make full us of Science, maths, engineering, technology and integrated learning opportunities that weather recording provides.
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Liston’s (2018) paper, “Unravelling STEM: Beyond the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics,” emphasises a multidisciplinary approach to STEM education, encouraging integration and real-world application of concepts. In my classroom, STEM education is interactive and project-based, promoting critical thinking and problem-solving. The “Weather and Climate” activities are effective in distinguishing between weather and climate (Activity 1) and in developing analytical skills through weather data investigation (Activity 2). Enhancements could include integrating technology, creating interdisciplinary links, and extending projects to track weather patterns or predict climate scenarios, thereby deepening students’ understanding and engagement with the material.
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I see STEM education in my classroom as hands-on, problem-solving, and connected to real-life situations. It encourages students to think critically and work together.
The ESA resources “Nose Up High in the Sky” and “Weather vs. Climate” are great for teaching weather and climate. I plan to set up a weather station on our school grounds. This will help students learn the difference between weather and climate while developing STEM skills such as observing, recording data, and using technology.
To lead the school in studying weather and climate, I hope to organize group projects where students can share their findings. Using what I’ve learned from the ESA materials, I hope to hold workshops and discussions to help everyone understand weather and climate better. This will encourage teamwork and shared learning across the school.
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Hi Eimear,
Welcome to the course and thank you for sharing your thoughts on this module.
A weather station will allow for many learning opportunities in a school, skills development as you have mentioned and integration with other curricular areas along with developing ICT skills.
I like how you have planned to develop this approach across the school through the sharing of resources and organising group projects, this could also encourage and provide for peer learning opportunities.
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When I read the Unravelling STEM: Beyond the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths paper, I thought back to my days in Montessori College where I trained before completing the Post Grad. Everything Maria Montessori’s method advocated for has now become a central point for teachers in the primary school system. All of the materials developed for the Montessori method were hands on, practical and involved the concept of active learning.
The two resources mentioned; Nose up High in the Sky and Weather vs Climate follow this theory too and allow for an active approach to learning about the weather and climate.
Like the other participants in the course, I have taught the “topic” of weather every year in a different manner of ways but bar setting up a rain gauge one year, I have never explored it in a hands on way. We have a perfect area in our school to set one up and I have 6th class this coming September so it will be an ideal class to try it out with. The area is a sensory garden which includes a little outdoor classroom. The children are supervised at all times in this area and it is used across all of the classes in our senior school. The children would love to make their own rain gauges but we could also make anemometers and we have some thermometers already in the school which could be hung in the outdoor classroom.
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I also plan on doing the same Jacqui. We too have a nice outdoor sensory garden which would be ideal. I teach first class so I plan on getting the green school committee involved and making it a whole school initiative if possible. I think children would be really excited and invested in this hands on learning
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Hi Jacqui
Your sensory garden sound like a lovely place to set up a weather station and do some weather monitoring. As you have 6th class, you might be interested in another ESERO resource https://esero.ie/wp-content/themes/esero_theme/pdf/66_Class%20weather%20station.pdf which gives instructions for making a simple thermometer, a hygromter for measuring humidity and a different type of barometer. Another resource 46_Strong-air.pdf (esero.ie) gives instructions for making a simple barometer. While not all of these instruments will give accurate readings, making them will help students to understand how the different weather instruments work and why we need to record so many different variables when forecasting the weather.
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Hi Jacqui
Your sensory garden sound like a lovely place to set up a weather station and do some weather monitoring. As you have 6th class, you might be interested in another ESERO resource https://esero.ie/wp-content/themes/esero_theme/pdf/66_Class%20weather%20station.pdf which gives instructions for making a simple thermometer, a hygromter for measuring humidity and a different type of barometer. Another resource 46_Strong-air.pdf (esero.ie) gives instructions for making a simple barometer. While not all of these instruments will give accurate readings, making them will help students to understand how the different weather instruments work and why we need to record so many different variables when forecasting the weather.
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Dr Liston manages to cover a great deal in her paper ‘Unravelling STEM: Beyond the Acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics by Liston (2018)’. It makes for an interesting read. The paper offers up many ideas beneficial for both teacher and learner. It offers guidance on how to deliver an authentic STEM experience in solving problems and real-life applications. Going forward I now plan to build a weather station with my class with the help of the schools green committee. This hands-on project would allow students to explore science, technology, engineering, and maths in a practical and engaging way. Creating a weather station will help to develop STEM skills, such as understanding weather patterns, using technology, engineering, analysing and collecting data. With children working collaboratively in groups and sharing results together.
I love the Nose high up in the Sky activities. Pupils would really enjoy the hands-on aspect of them and after all we are so very good at talking about the weather in this country!! The activity is engaging and practical, working on recording, analysing and allowing children to play an active role in their own learning.-
Hi Clare,
Welcome to the course and thank you for sharing your thoughts on Liston’s paper. It does provide guidance and ideas on how best to develop STEM experiences in the classroom to provide for critical thinking and problem solving skills.
Ad you have mentioned this can be further developed in creating a weather station and then the pupils will have access to real life data that they can use to compile charts etc. This will integrate with Data in Maths also.
Thank you for sharing your ideas, I hope you enjoy the course.
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I think that the resources from ESA are an invaluable resource to have in the classroom. Ech lesson is laid out to give the teacher guidance on what to teach. I would firstly look at the weather sayings and also look at what how farmers are able to tell the weather from the land and animals. It would be lovely to invite a farmer into the classroom to talk to the children about weather on the farm. I would then look at setting up a weather station. I would encourage the children to make their own anemometer and rain guage. This would bring S.T.E.M. to life in the classroom as the children. As the children would have to plan out how to make both devices, design them and make them. Also evaluate them at the end. I think I would lead a weather and climate initative in school. Use display boards to show where the different climates are in the world, their names and the weather associated with them. Then I would get the children to record the daily weather too. This would bring both weather and climate to life for the children.
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Hi Victoria,
Welcome to the course and thank you for sharing your thoughts on the ESA resources. They are invaluable for the classroom and can be adapted to be used across all the classes.
In like how you are making connections with the weather and the local area and the visit from a local farmer to recognise the impact weather can have for farmers. In creating the weather station the pupils will have ownership of the station and develop responsibility in their learning.
Thank you for sharing your ideas, I hope you enjoy the course.
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Activity 1
Liston’s paper Unravelling STEM is very informative. It highlights the importance of inquiry based learning and experimenting in classrooms to aid creativity, problem solving, critical thinking, and communication skills. These are all skills that are necessary for students growing up in a world that is constantly changing and advancing in terms of science and technology.In my classroom STEM is taught through project-based lessons. Children are generally split up into mixed ability groups and given the necessary guidelines and resources to complete their project. As I teach 5th class projects are student led and they are encouraged to go deeper in their understanding of their project.
Activity 2
The Weather and Climate resources are very clear and easy to follow. They provide a step-by-step approach to teaching the lesson and a clear learning outcome.
I like how the lessons make climate relatable to children such as recalling the weather on their last birthday. It immediately makes the lesson personal for children especially when they can relate to it and how weather and climate affects all of them. The lessons offer great differentiated options which is great for all levels and abilities and ideas for adapting the lesson to make it more visual and comprehensive depending on students’ abilities.
I love how each lesson is student driven and offers very interactive activities and opportunities to get moving and outdoors. The lessons highlight the importance of consistency when carrying out an investigation and give reasons why consistency is so important to get an accurate result. The lessons encourage teamwork discussion and problem solving. These lessons could be dramatized where students pretend to be meteorologists and report their findings in front of their classmates.
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After reading and reviewing the paper Unravelling STEM: Beyond the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (Liston 2018) I feel that removing traditional barriers of separating the four disciplines of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (Vasquez, Comer and Sneider 2013) is key for the children to be able to carry out and understand STEM activities to the best of their ability. The children will become critical thinkers and active learners by using a hands on approach. In my classroom this year (Junior Infants) the children work in small groups with concrete materials so they can carry out their practical tasks by thinking critically and learning through investigation.
Activity 1: Is it weather or climate?
This activity was enjoyable and will be relatable to all children. I feel that relating the weather to the children’s birthdays will help the children understand the difference between weather and climate. I also feel the videos that are provided are age appropriate and particularly useful when explaining the difference between weather and climate for all children.Activity 2: Weather Detectives
This activity can also be differentiated so that even children as young as Junior Infants will be able to carry it out. The children can help develop a weather station to mount the thermometer so that it will be able to be used by other classes in the school and there will be no fear that the heat from the children’s hands will change the temperature, the results will be constant and reliable. This will help the children become critical thinkers as they will have to decide on the best area for the weather station. They will become hands on learners as they will have to design and make the actual station. -
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1: Review the paper Unravelling STEM: Beyond the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (Liston 2018) and reflect on what STEM education looks like in your classroom.
The paper “Unravelling STEM: Beyond the Acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics” by Maeve Liston (2018) explores the complexities and challenges of designing and understanding STEM education. She emphasizes the need for authentic, integrative STEM experiences. She provides practical examples of implementing STEM in the classroom, focusing on how to create lessons that are engaging, interdisciplinary, and reflective of real-world problems. In my classroom we enjoy using project-based learning and hands-on activities that require students to apply concepts from multiple STEM fields.
P2: Provide your feedback on named activities and how you could use them with your class.
I feel that these activities are very enjoyable and engaging. Implementing a weather station in the classroom and integrating STEM education offers numerous benefits. It provides students with current weather data, enhancing their understanding of meteorological concepts.It engages students in practical, hands-on activities such as recording and analyzing weather patterns. It also engages students by involving maths (data analysis), science (meteorology), technology (sensors and instruments), and engineering (constructing weather stations). This is something that I will be exploring further in September.-
Hi Marian,
Welcome to the course and thank you for sharing your thoughts on Liston’s paper. It sounds like you have a very good approach to project learning in your class which would incorporate STEM based activities too.
The weather station activity would be great in every classroom, allowing the children to build their own instruments so that they could record real life data and also learning about meteorological concepts as you have mentioned. I hope you enjoy the course.
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It is encouraging that STEM will be formally recognised in the new Primary Curriculum because, as Maeve Liston (2018) points out, it has been called upon for a long time. It is easy to see how the topic of Climate and Weather could be integrated across plenty of curricular areas and it provides plenty of opportunities for active and discovery learning.
Activity 1: I enjoyed this activity but I think I would copy the statements onto cards and ask the children to manually sort them into weather and climate statements. It would support the learning to look at photos of different climates and each group could write a concept map based on what they see and compare them. I think this lesson could also work for younger pupils in a classroom. I would ask the children about their birthdays but perhaps focus on events throughout the past school year that we might all remember first (e.g. Do you remember when we had sports day/Winter show? What was the weather like? What were we wearing? Did we need hats and coats etc.). It would be great to introduce language like weather and climate as early as possible.
Activity 2: This is a great activity and the children would really enjoy looking at the thermometer each day. For older classes it could be done digitally and graphed over a two week period using school ipads/computers.It would be interesting to put thermometers in different parts of the school indoor and outside as we have a new and old building where temperatures in the classrooms and yards differ greatly. This could lead to discussions about future building design etc.
Reference: Liston, M. (2018). Unravelling STEM: Beyond the Acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, Science, 53 (3) p 28-29
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Having reviewd the paper’Unravelling STEM: Beyond the Acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics” It’s clear that a hands on approach that allows the children to think and question for themselves is vital. I had not previously understood the importance of the “engineering’ side but am now aware it really is the ‘glue’ and I hope to focus more on not just conducting experiments in the book but to develop questioning skills in the children and how they could use engineering skills to create products to solve problems based on the exeriments, use critical thinking and not just carry out an experiment to achieve an expected outcome and move on.
I am enjoying module one and the resources are very well suited to the age group I am currently teaching. I have 4th-6th and a high % of EAL students so the visual resources like the videos are am asset to me as well as the inclusion of hands on activities. The ‘Nose High Up in the Sky’ is a great resource, appealing to students and not to complicated for teachers to carry out. I love the idea of building our own weather monitoring stations and I would link this to our green flag activities and use recycled materials, harvesting rainwater etc. I would love to involve the whole schoolas we are currently focusing on our garden area and it would be a great addition of each class made one of the monitoring devices. I would also integrate it with morning Gaeilge and An Aimsir. I would use data collection to enhance Maths skills and link to the Weather V Climate activity to see if our weather is corforming to our climate. I would like to look back on how our climate has changed over the years.
the activities both allow for the development of STEM skills such as critical thinking, problem solving( I look forward to the children coming up with their own ideas of how to measure the wind and record it), engineering design skills and creativity. -
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Unravelling STEM: Beyond the Acronym- The paper by Liston (2018) looks into the broader implications of STEM education beyond its literal letters. STEM education places importance on an interdisciplinary approach, integrating science, technology, engineering, and mathematics with literacy. It encourages critical thinking, problem-solving, creativity, and collaboration. Effective STEM education goes beyond rote learning and focuses on real-world applications. It supports the learning of all students including those with different learning styles and those with learning difficulties. STEM promotes an all inclusive education.
In any classroom it should involve hands on activities, cross curricular projects, inquiry based learning where they are focused on a problem and work in groups when appropriate and use different equipment and technology to help solve the problem.Activity 1: Is it weather or climate?
To extend this activity, I would try discussing real-world examples of weather events versus climate trends. Activities 1 & 2 are ideal STEM activities for creating inquiry-based experiments that the children can learn from. The children will use their creativity in their design for their weather station.
Activity 2: Weather Detectives
I really like how this activity links in data collection in Mathematics and will bring this strand to life and it will connect with real life experiences. To extend this further, pupils could collect data on other weather variables (rainfall, wind speed) or compare data across different locations. It is important to allow the children to reflect on where to place the thermometer, the time of day to record it. It gives them responsibility for recording data and the opportunity to graph it mathematically. -
Personal Feedback:
I really enjoyed the supporting videos that were attached to this module of the course, particularly the videos which gave a simple, visual breakdown of the different types of climate patterns that there are in on earth, and why that is the case. I would be happy to use them in the classroom environment.
Activity One:
The activity promotes dialogue amongst pupils about the different types of weather that they have experienced on special occasion, reinforcing the concept of weather being the state of the atmosphere at that particular time. The activity also gives the child the basic understanding of climate being a measurement of weather patterns over a long period of time, hopefully tapping into their curiosity in terms of how that is achieved.
Activity Two:
What I really like about what activity two tries to achieve is that the children begin to get a deeper understanding and develop a deeper relationship with weather and climate through discovery, inventing their own measurement tools with materials that they are familiar with and plotting their findings on graphs to be displayed. Having a little weather station in the classroom really brings the whole topic to life for them.
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Hi Alan,
Welcome to the course and thank you for sharing your thoughts on this module.
I am glad that you have enjoyed the supporting videos in the course. There are many great videos and resources across the course that can be used in the classroom.
The weather and climate resource allows for lots of discussion and to get a clear understanding of the difference between weather and climate. Having a weather station would make connections between the classroom and real life and also gives the opportunity to record real life data that could be used in maths.
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Hi Linda. I agree with your statement that effective STEM education goes beyond rote learning and focuses on real life applications. One of the vital elements of effective STEM education is communication and as such it must be collaborative. Children working in groups and pairs and finding the need to critically think, investigate and problem solve is where real learning takes place.
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Activity 1:
STEM is an area I have skirted around for many years, inadvertently or intentionally incorporating aspects of it into my SESE lessons without fully understanding what the objective of ‘STEM’ was. Liston’s 2018 paper addresses this and hits the nail on the head when it says that we often teach Science or Maths or even Science and Maths but without the presence of Engineering, we are not truly teaching STEM. I found the flow graph pictorial representation of the EDP particularly insightful and helpful and I intend using it as a focus for STEM lessons in the future.
Activity 2:
The ESA lessons are very child and teacher-friendly! Well constructed and beneficial without being overly or unnecessarily complicated. I have taught various aspects of weather monitoring to all class levels throughout my teaching career but have never gone as far as to establish a dedicated Weather Station area in my school. This is something I might take on next year.
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Hi Triona,
Welcome to the course and thank you for sharing your own thoughts on this module. We often teach about the weather in the class, but creating a weather station and recording the weather over a period of time will give the children responsibility over their learning and allow them to make meaningful connections between learning about the weather in SESE to analysing the data from the weather station in maths.
I hope you enjoy the course and get many resource and ideas for your own class for the next school year.
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Dr Maeve Liston’s paper on STEM lessons is certainly food for thought. I think as educators we would like to think that we are incorporating some element of STEM teaching nowadays. However, the critical thinking and technology aspects sometimes escape us. In our school we have created some STEM boxes where the children have to work together to solve problems like building structures/bridges using straws for example. We also have some activities where towers have to be built using strings, paper clips, loom bands and plastic cups. This requires teamwork and strategy but I now question if it involves technology.
I like the resources in the ESA document and like Grainne I love the idea of recording the weather. We have created rain gauges before but I have just recently purchased a digital, wifi-connected weather station, which I am looking forward to using with 6th class next year. I think the graph template is useful but a table for recording temperature might also help.
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Hi Simon,
Welcome to the course and thanks for sharing your thoughts on module one. I too have many different STEM boxes in my classroom along with tasks for the children to complete. Revisiting these I will have to check whether they address all aspects of STEM.
I have a digital weather station that I got in Lidl and my own class have compared the inside temperature with the outside temperature. We also recorded the temperature at a specific time each day over the course of a month. We created our own data that they could then plot in maths. It gave the class such responsibility over their own learning. I hope that your class enjoy using your weather station also.
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Setting up a weather station on the school grounds would be an exciting way to learn about the difference between weather and climate. Weather refers to the short-term conditions of the atmosphere, such as rain or sunshine, while climate is the average weather pattern over a longer period. By monitoring the weather daily, students could observe patterns and changes, enhancing their STEM skills in science, technology, engineering, and math.
To lead the school in studying and communicating weather and climate knowledge, students could take turns recording daily weather data like temperature using a thermometer, precipitation using a hand made measure, and wind speed as per the slides provided. They can analyse the data collectively to identify trends and make predictions. Students can also create weather reports or presentations to share their findings with the school community, fostering teamwork and communication skills. This hands-on activity would not only enhance scientific understanding but also promotes collaboration and critical thinking among students.
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The paper, Unravelling STEM: Beyond the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (Liston 2018), refers to the design process for STEM lessons and activities, which include research, planning and designing, communicating and testing and evaluating. Inquiry based learning and experimenting is central to these lessons. I like to place an emphasis on inquiry-based learning in my classroom and pupils are encouraged to be innovative and think critically. The paper shows how STEM can be used in multi-curricular areas. I especially like the ESA resource ‘Weather v Climate’. This gives the pupils the opportunity to set up their own classroom weather station. The class can be divided into groups and explore and record their data, this could be integrated in a Maths lesson, and findings. The pupils learn the difference between climate and weather from the lessons and their data. The class can explore the weather and climate findings in other countries.
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The paper, Unravelling STEM: Beyond the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (Liston 2018), discusses the process for STEM lessons and the need for them to utilise skills such as collaboration, innovation, inquiry and communication amongst peer groups. In my classroom, STEM education based on the fundamental knowledge associated with
Hands-on practical learning whereby the pupils do the thinking and the doing.Activity 1:
Liston utilises the idea of real-life contextual learning for the pupils to ensure it encapsulates its full value. The use of enquiry based learning and pupil application across a variety of curricular areas.Activity 2:
In my classroom, the “Weather Detectives” activity again insists that students themselves are using their skill sets to apply practical and useful methods of enquiry along with creating their own instruments for practice. Here, collaboration, communication and innovation is key.
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I enjoyed the paper ‘Unravelling STEM: Beyond the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics’. This paper really highlights the importance of allowing children to use and develop STEM skills such as learning to think critically, to problem solve and essentially to think outside the box. Module 1 offered a great insight into the difference between climate and weather. The ESA resources, “Nose Up High in the Sky” are excellent and there is plenty of scope and opportunities to use literacy and numeracy with different class levels. I like the idea of setting up a weather station and I feel that it would be a real winner with the children. This programme of work is something that could be taken on by the whole school, fostering and growing stem skills in the whole school community. It is active learning at its best and it provides a wonderful opportunity for the children to take their learning outside. The Weather or Climate and Weather Detectives activities and worksheets are very good could be adapted for small group work.
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Module 1 has been very enjoyable and I’ve found it to be a great introduction. The resources supplied were fantastic and I will really enjoy using these with my class last year. They were clearly laid out and easy to follow.
Activity 1: Is it weather or climate? I thought this activity was very well presented. I think that many, even adults, still can be confused by this question. It was explained very clearly and simply in this lesson. The pupils’ activity sheet is great and easy for kids to complete. I liked the idea of remembering weather on their last birthday as it can be difficult to recall but children usually remember how they spent their birthdays. Dividing the sentences at the end was a good way to check understanding and to discuss together.
Activity 2: Weather Detectives. I liked this activity as pupils get to use the thermometer, it is hands on and active and I think children will really enjoy it. It will provide for good discussion and every pupil will get the opportunity to use the thermometer. It is integrated well with maths when they create the graph. Overall, I really liked the simplicity of these two lessons. There are many ways they could be extended. They could share their findings with other classes or link up with more junior classes and show them how the thermometer works.-
Hi Michelle,
Welcome to the course and I am glad you have enjoyed module one. There are many great resources across this course that you can use with your own class next year. Having used some myself with my own class, I agree that they are very clear and easy to follow.
I also think it is important to explicitly teach the difference between weather and climate as people can often be mistaken as you have mentioned. Using real life examples such as the children’s birthday can help their understanding.
I hope you enjoy the course and get many resources for your own class.
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Having read the paper by Dr. Liston, I think I could integrate more engineering and maths into my STEM lessons. She highlights the need for children to not just investigate a problem but to go and engineer a design to solve problems. I think I could take my STEM lessons further and challenge the pupils more in my classroom.
The Nose in the Sky activity is great and could involve the whole school community. I have found that children love talking about weather and proverbs. It would also be lovely to design a weather recording measurement such as a rain gauge. All of the classes in school could go and examine how much rain has fallen and it could be used from infants to 6th.
The Climate vs. Weather activity also has fantastic activities and resources included. Climate change and temperatures are being discussed regularly on the news so it would give children first-hand information on what is happening in the world around them. Again, there would be lots of opportunities to facilitate whole-school discussion and investigations.
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Hi Louise,
Welcome to the course and thank you for sharing your thoughts on module one. The paper by Dr Liston would allow for us all to reflect on our own classroom practice and how to improve our STEM based activities. Recently I did the Steps Young Engineers with a 3rd & 4th class group. It encouraged them to look at problems in their local area and then come up with solutions and make a prototype. It was a great opportunity to explore the local area and also get the children to solve real life problems through engineering. While it is aimed at 3rd & 4th class, this approach could be used by others also.
I hope you enjoy the course and the many resources across each module.
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Dr. Liston’s paper highlights a multidisciplinary approach to STEM education, using integration and real-world application of concepts. This is so applicable to the classroom and real life teaching.
Activity 1:
As several other participants have mentioned, I think I would use a school activity or an outdoor event as a good hook for maximum engagement. This would work particularly well in terms of older children, as I was working through the activity myself, I was starting to think of how I could tweak it to suit a diverse sixth class next year. I would also try to integrate the different climate zones with the heritage of the students in the class and the places that they visit and travel to.
Activity 2:
I think there are great learning opportunities in activity two and love the integration of maths also. I always love when there is a chance to get outside and get involved in hands-on learning and I think Weather Detectives would be great for this. It would be important to discuss the different variables that allow for accurate readings and maybe have a variety of different sized temperatures depending on the age of students and or differentiation.
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I would begin by working on the topic of weather and climate with the pupils, to ensure their understanding of these concepts, using digital videos. I would make use of the equipment within our school, revising how the thermometers work and how we shall read our temperature and record this daily. We will also construct the rain gauge and anemometer
With regards to creating a met station in our school environment we shall follow the guidance as to where we shall place the thermometer, the rain gauge and the anemometer. Our school yard is a place of play and activity, therefore we could overcome this challenge by choosing wisely, and place our met station near our vegetable garden. We could share the responsibilities and fun of this work with other classes, over the period of a term, this could provide opportunities for group work, peer and active learning, making wonderful use of our learning environment. We could also engage with our Green School Committee in this work.
Opportunities for integration would include, visual art work with construction of the equipment, Mathematics with data, number, directed numbers and Irish, with weather vocabulary and Irish Sayings, History with interviewing grandparents about weather long ago. Music with weather songs and Literacy with Climate Reports. The school community could be involved through interviews, both recorded and live. We have many families who work in the area of farming and science, who could share their knowledge with our class and school. The paper addresses the need to look at creative thinking opportunities for our pupils, to consider everyday science for our students and the excellent example of the pen, in how a simple object entails a great deal of engineering. -
Hi Eileen,
I think the paper considers how pupils can see science all around them, in the real world and the practical implications of science, in their lives. The paper considered how science integrates with so many curricular areas, from mathematics, to literacy and construction in visual arts. The paper considered how science and engineering can support the development of critical thinkers, problem solving skills and creativity with our students, encouraging the development of 21st century skills.
I enjoyed the first module and particularly, the support of many fun and engaging digital resources. -
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Setting up a weather station in school would be highly favourable. In my school we have a sensory garden that in nice and safe, this would be the ideal place to set one up. We have ample wall space also upon which an interactive display could be made. This would help with differentiating between weather and climate. On the display, there would be room for changing today’s weather, the season and Ireland’s climate. A display of a selection of the twenty – two proverbs would be nice also, maybe some weather proverbs in Irish too.
With collective practice, I think a good idea would be for each day of the week a cohort of students record the weather. I work in a DEIS school, we have a long corridor for whole school displays, this would fit nicely. For example, junior & senior infants record the weather (sunny, rain, etc), 1st & 2nd record the temperature at the same time daily, 3rd & 4th record the wind speed, 5th & 6th record the isobars on the map.
I think 3rd class that I will be teaching in September would love to join the Climate Detectives mentioned in the ESA resources. I would have a mini weather station in the class and have a group each week as “weather detectives”.
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Hi Edel
I love the idea of setting up a weather station in your sensory garden and making the most of it by getting different classes to record different aspects of the weather. Creating a whole school display on the wall would really add to this project. Adding the weather proverbs and a section on Ireland’s climate would be a lovely way to tie it all together. You could even add some graphs of long term climate patterns and get the children to write their own explanations of weather and climate to add to the display.
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Listons article ‘Unravelling STEM: Beyond the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics is an interesting read. It highlights the importance of an integrated approach to STEM in order to deepen understanding and how this can help to develop a wide range of skills. In my classroom I always try to create activities where children are actively learning, critical thinking and learning through investigation. I find children are most engaged during project – based learning, both this module and article have provided great ideas for this going forward.
I really enjoyed this module, the videos, resources and worksheets provided are very engaging, age appropriate and integrate literacy and numeracy. I believe a weather station would really enhance these activities, particularly if the children were to make their thermometer, rain gauge etc, this would make it more challenging and hands on. Having several images and vocabulary displayed around the classroom in relation to the topic would be beneficial too.
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Hi Kate,
Thanks for your post, and welcome to the course!
Liston’s article provides considerable food for thought on the delivery of an authentic STEM experience. I am delighted to see you have been inspired by some of the activities shared in this module and have seen first-hand how project-based work is highly engaging for your learners.
The weather station is a great addition to any schoolyard and can be a relatively quick installation process by purchasing the necessary equipment, but it is so much more worthwhile as a holistic and in-depth learning experience when students get the chance to make the equipment too, and problem solve as challenges invariably arise along the way! Best of luck with these activities in the coming academic year!
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I would begin by working on the topic of weather and climate with the pupils, to ensure their understanding of these concepts, using digital videos. I would make use of the equipment within our school, revising how the thermometers work and how we shall read our temperature and record this daily. We will also construct the rain gauge and anemometer
With regards to creating a met station in our school environment we shall follow the guidance as to where we shall place the thermometer, the rain gauge and the anemometer. Our school yard is a place of play and activity, therefore we could overcome this challenge by choosing wisely, and place our met station near our vegetable garden. We could share the responsibilities and fun of this work with other classes, over the period of a term, this could provide opportunities for group work, peer and active learning, making wonderful use of our learning environment. We could also engage with our Green School Committee in this work.
Opportunities for integration would include, visual art work with construction of the equipment, Mathematics with data, number, directed numbers and Irish, with weather vocabulary and Irish Sayings, History with interviewing grandparents about weather long ago. Music with weather songs and Literacy with Climate Reports. The school community could be involved through interviews, both recorded and live. We have many families who work in the area of farming and science, who could share their knowledge with our class and school. The paper addresses the need to look at creative thinking opportunities for our pupils, to consider everyday science for our students and the excellent example of the pen, in how a simple object entails a great deal of engineering.-
Hi Fiona,
Welcome to the course, and many thanks for your post. I can see you have put considerable thought into how this activity would work in your school. It would be interesting to see if your learners could come up with a suitable location for the weather station themselves when given an understanding of the criteria that make a good position as outlined in the course. This can give rise to teamwork, discussions and presenting of the reasons why they selected a certain location, extending the activity and developing their skillset.
It’s great to see your extensive list to extend learning further, with plenty of cross-curricular links and the opportunity for learners to develop an understanding of real-life applications through visits from suitable parents/members of the community.
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I would like to create and install a sundial in our school environment. It is something that all children in our school community would enjoy. We are very lucky to have a sensory garden on our school grounds. I think this would be an ideal location to have the sundial and a fantastic addition to our garden.
I would begin by introducing sundials through SESE lessons and we could explore and discuss sundials from around the world. I would then take them to the garden for an outdoor lesson to look at shadows and sunlight and link that in with the location of the herbs, flowers and vegetables that we have planted in our garden. The children could then decide what location would be best suited in the garden for our sundial.
Given that I work with Senior Infants at the moment, this would be the perfect opportunity for peer learning which is encouraged on our school. I would team up with an older class, split them into groups with my own class and assign them the task of designing and creating their own sundial.
The whole school community could be invited to come and test the sundials once they are completed. It would foster a great sense of achievement that the children have created something for our sensory garden.-
Hi Deirdre,
Thanks for your post, and welcome to the course! I am delighted to see you have a sensory garden in your school. It sounds like the perfect location for a weather dial( as long as nothing nearby creates shade on the dial). By empowering the learners with the challenge of selecting the correct location and materials to use, they will develop their skills.
With the support of senior classes, there is considerable opportunity for peer learning, and by involving other classes to test the dial, it creates a whole school engagement in the activity and nurtures curious minds.
There are also many opportunities for STEM vocabulary development, such as gnomon, and it is worthwhile recording these new terms on a poster.
Best of luck with this activity in the coming academic year! -
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Lesson 1: Weather or Climate?
I really like this resource and will definitely use it for teaching the topic of weather. I think its suitable for all age ranges aqnd can be adapted accordingly to suit whatever class I’m teaching. enabling the children to explore and DISCOVER THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WEATHER AND CLIMATE IS VERY IMPORTANT WHEN TRYING TO TEACH THEM ABOUT OUR PLANET AND CONSERING THE EARTH. Many children, and indeed adults, may not fully grasp the idea of Climate meaning a period of 30 years or more, anf the importance of looking at what we can do longterm to help climate over the next 3o years or so. I like both sorting activities, firstly sorting the phrases into weather or Climate, and also placing the countries in their different climate zones. There is so much scope for oral language here and lots of opportunity for thought and discussion.
Activity 2: Weather Detectives
Children love hands on experiments and discovering things for themselves. I really like the idea of the weather diary to record the temperature over a week or fortnight. It’s exciting for the kids to be so involved and to find the temperature pattern. Their skills for reading a thermometer correctly and fairly are also being honed, and they will be thoughtful about where a thermometer should be placed in order to give accurate results and how to carry out a fair reading at the same time each day. I also like the cross-over with Maths for recording their findings on a graph and seeing the trend/pattern in such an effective visual representation.
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esson 1: Weather or Climate?
I really like this resource and will definitely use it for teaching the topic of weather. I think its suitable for all age ranges aqnd can be adapted accordingly to suit whatever class I’m teaching. enabling the children to explore and DISCOVER THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WEATHER AND CLIMATE IS VERY IMPORTANT WHEN TRYING TO TEACH THEM ABOUT OUR PLANET AND CONSERING THE EARTH. Many children, and indeed adults, may not fully grasp the idea of Climate meaning a period of 30 years or more, anf the importance of looking at what we can do longterm to help climate over the next 3o years or so. I like both sorting activities, firstly sorting the phrases into weather or Climate, and also placing the countries in their different climate zones. There is so much scope for oral language here and lots of opportunity for thought and discussion.
Activity 2: Weather Detectives
Children love hands on experiments and discovering things for themselves. I really like the idea of the weather diary to record the temperature over a week or fortnight. It’s exciting for the kids to be so involved and to find the temperature pattern. Their skills for reading a thermometer correctly and fairly are also being honed, and they will be thoughtful about where a thermometer should be placed in order to give accurate results and how to carry out a fair reading at the same time each day. I also like the cross-over with Maths for recording their findings on a graph and seeing the trend/pattern in such an effective visual representation.
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Paper Review
Having read “Unravelling STEM: Beyond the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering, and
Mathematics.” (Liston, 2018) it is evident that the author believes that STEM is greatly missing the ‘E’ from STEM. The examples of STEM events outline that they could be categorised as Science events or Maths events. Without incorporating Engineering into STEM events the true benefit is not being felt. The paper is an encouragement and challenge for teachers to begin to explore ways to incorporate all of the elements of STEM. The paper outlines the many benefits of STEM such as creative, problem solving, critical thinking and communication skills. Further to this the paper highlights that STEM also brings Economic, Social and Cultural benefits. With so much to gain from STEM it makes sense that teachers should do everything they can to fully understand how best to implement STEM in schools.Weather and Climate Activities
Activity One:
Activity one is a good conversation starter regarding the weather and climate. It uses the student’s prior knowledge to build up a bank of words and vocabulary that will be useful as the topic is explored further. It also starts from observations which can be then explored and developed further to determine why the things we observe can be connected to the prediction of the weather.Activity Two:
Activity two looks at how our senses will give us an indication of the weather and how we can determine what will happen in the short term. However, it further explains the need for the scientific method and more rigorous ways of giving an accurate forecast.Both of these activities are good ways to approach weather and climate in a primary school classroom and set up plenty of conversations and ideas that can be explored in further lessons.
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Hi Dara.
I agree that activity 1 is a great introductory lesson to the topic of Weather and Climate. It assess prior knowledge and requires children to use vocab related to the topic. By conversing with peers they may pick up some new words and information before the topic is explored in further detail.
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In “Unravelling STEM: Beyond the Acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics” (Liston, 2018), the paper emphasises the need for an integrated approach to STEM education that transcends traditional boundaries. It advocates for a holistic educational framework that fosters critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving skills. In my classroom, STEM education involves collaborative projects where students apply interdisciplinary knowledge to real-world problems, encouraging innovation and practical understanding.
Weather and Climate Activities:
Activity 1: Is it weather or climate? effectively introduces students to the distinction between weather and climate, fostering foundational understanding.
Activity 2: Weather Detectives engages students in hands-on investigation, promoting inquiry-based learning.
The activities are well-structured and engaging, making complex concepts accessible. To enhance these activities, I would incorporate digital tools for real-time weather data analysis and interactive climate models to deepen understanding. Additionally, integrating cross-curricular links, such as the impact of climate on local ecosystems in geography or the role of technology in weather prediction, could provide a more comprehensive learning experience.-
I agree that STEM promotes creative thinking and encourages problem solving, Michaela, which are such important skills for children to master. Incorporating digital tools would be a great and interesting way to analyse weather. There are so many wonderful resources available online.
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Maeve Liston made several interesting points in her paper “Unravelling STEM: Beyond the Acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics”. Often teachers are confused about what STEM actually is, but I think it is clearly stated in this paper that engineering must be at the centre of the activity to make it a STEM activity. Children love working on STEM activities and there are several simple activities that can be used to introduce them to STEM. It is a great way to encourage communication and collaboration between children working together.
The ESA resources provided in this module are organised well and they are very suitable for primary school children. The children will enjoy the hands-on activities in the “Nose up high in the Sky” and the “Weather vs Climate packs.” I have previously made some of the weather equipment mentioned with my class and they really enjoyed monitoring the weather over a few weeks. A weather station is a great idea. There is an open space outside my classroom and it would be ideal for such an activity.
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I found the reading of Dr Maeve Liston’s paper Unravelling STEM- beyond the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics very interesting. In recent years, we as educators have had many acronyms thrown in our direction- some useful, others not so much!
STEM, however has managed to incorporate many aspects of learning and has been hugely beneficial in many classrooms. Dr Liston has noted correctly the STEM mania of the last few years- STEM events, STEM courses, STEM resources and we can all identify with the STEM kits, as companies jump on the STEM bandwagon! I felt her summary of authentic STEM characteristics in education very useful especially
• Inspiring creativity and problem solving
• Allowing for critical thinking
• Integrating real world and relevant learning experiences.All the above can surely be implemented successfully without the dreaded and very expensive STEM kit!
I found the resources in Module One engaging, practical and useful and I will definitely use them in the next school year.
The Nose in the Sky is excellent and provides many opportunities for the children to work together and to observe and record weather conditions. It also manages to integrate literacy skills along with the STEM subjects.
I particularly like the inclusion of proverbs and would also like to see local weather lore included, especially if these could be provided by grandparents or members of the farming community.
I also love the idea of setting up the weather station. This is something I have done in my own classroom for years. The pupils always love when it is their turn to go out to check the rain gauge and the thermometer. Again, English skills and Maths are developed as they report back their findings to the rest of us and record on the weather chart.
The Weather VS Climate resource is probably more suitable to the senior classes and gives them plenty of opportunity to work with numbers, data, averages, geography, maps etc. -
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I found the reading of Dr Maeve Liston’s paper Unravelling STEM- beyond the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics very interesting. In recent years, we as educators have had many acronyms thrown in our direction- some useful, others not so much!
STEM, however has managed to incorporate many aspects of learning and has been hugely beneficial in many classrooms. Dr Liston has noted correctly the STEM mania of the last few years- STEM events, STEM courses, STEM resources and we can all identify with the STEM kits, as companies jump on the STEM bandwagon! I felt her summary of authentic STEM characteristics in education very useful especially
• Inspiring creativity and problem solving
• Allowing for critical thinking
• Integrating real world and relevant learning experiences.All the above can surely be implemented successfully without the dreaded and very expensive STEM kit!
I found the resources in Module One engaging, practical and useful and I will definitely use them in the next school year.
The Nose in the Sky is excellent and provides many opportunities for the children to work together and to observe and record weather conditions. It also manages to integrate literacy skills along with the STEM subjects.
I particularly like the inclusion of proverbs and would also like to see local weather lore included, especially if these could be provided by grandparents or members of the farming community.
I also love the idea of setting up the weather station. This is something I have done in my own classroom for years. The pupils always love when it is their turn to go out to check the rain gauge and the thermometer. Again, English skills and Maths are developed as they report back their findings to the rest of us and record on the weather chart.
The Weather VS Climate resource is probably more suitable to the senior classes and gives them plenty of opportunity to work with numbers, data, averages, geography, maps etc.-
Hi Siobhan
I’m happy that STEM is one acronym that you can get behind and I fully agree with you on the STEM kits. I hope you will find from using the resources in this course and others on the Curious Minds and ESERO websites that a wide range of active and engaging STEM lessons can be carried out very well with very little expense, simply by using materials already in your classroom, supplemented with the contents of your recycling bin and some inexpensive stationery items. Of course some specialist equipment for some of the energy and forces strand units such as electricity, light and magnetism are very useful. It is fantastic that you already monitor the weather with your class and I hope you have found some new ideas from this module to add to your weather station.
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Resources and their use with my students
While this programme is designed for 8 to 10 years there is lots of scope to use within my special ed class. The worksheets and concepts could be adapted to suit my class. You could use it across the curriculum to teach many things. I think doing a little bit around proverbs could be very interesting when studying language in english, types of weather and weather broadcasts could be done when studying various types of media, the weather dial and constructing and monitoring weather tools could be very interesting when studying geography. I would also love to do a study of the difference between weather and climate. Again, I would use more age appropriate videos of extreme weather conditions around the globe and how this has changed. The weather V Climate worksheets would suit my students ability.There are many aspects in these worksheets that can be used as part of the JC L2LP numeracy programme. I think the study of weather systems through making the weather station gives an excellent insight into the study and tracking of weather across the globe. Looking at satellites and their capacity to record and predict weather. There are lots of resources that could be incorporated into STEM creativity, problem solving, critical thinking, relevant real world experiences and working as part of a team.
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Hi Gemma,
I too liked the idea of using weather proverbs, a lovely nice literacy lesson. I felt too, that some of the videos in the module wouldn’t quite suit the primary classroom and that I might need to source some more age appropriate ones. Peekaboo kidz on youtube have some nice videos depending on the topic you are covering
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Hi Gemma,
Thanks for your post, and welcome to the course! I am delighted to see how you are planning to use the resources outlined in this module in your special ed class. As you said, the materials can be adapted to your class and its unique abilities. With this approach, all learners can enjoy meaningful STEM experiences, developing their skills in this area.I highly recommend the weather station as it offers learners an opportunity not only to capture data but also to take a break in the outdoors- something all learners benefit from, and it can form part of a schedule during the day for observation. It can be used by the whole school and is a topic that offers many cross-curricular links in terms of language, art, etc.
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<span style=”font-size: 7px;”>I found that both of these activities and the accompanying resources from ESA are ideal for use in my 4th class classroom. I think the the weather vs climate is a great introduction to the topic of weather and while it can be completed in pairs or a small group it lends itself to opening up a class discussion or debate on the different statments. This type of actiivity can really engage children and cause them to buy into the topic with great ease. In follow up to this setting up a weather station in school for use by our own class and other classes would be a terrific idea. Combined with weather journals they could even be used to create a fun and competitive task of recording accurately the different weather patterns in iur school. Most of this equipment is readily available in our resource room and the equipment that isn’t could be made from a variety of recycled materials. This is a great opportunity to address climate change by exploring upcyclling materials as well as looking at climate and weather in a fun and interactive way.</span>
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STEM in my classroom/ in my school is continuing to be an area that is developing. Like many schools we lack the resources and training to really feel that we are doing the kids justice. However as most of us are young teachers I can see STEM evolving as time goes on. I have undertaken some CPD in the area over the past 2 years with Oide and completed the ESERO summer course on space in Junior classes, I am much more confident with the idea of STEM and facilitating STEM exploration in my class. As outlined in the paper as central to STEM, active learning and much more hands on tasks are becoming common in my classroom
I really liked both of the resources for review in this module. We currently have a weather station in our school, which I don’t think I have made much use of. This module has some lovely tasks to support the use of this resource. I had 2nd class last year and I really liked some of the home made weather tools we saw in this module, the boys would have loved making these to add to the school weather station!
Weather detectives links nicely with the first resources and I think they complement each other well. Again the opportunity to make their own weather instruments makes learning about weather much more playful. I like the opportunities this resource provides for outdoor learning too. I will be in SET this year, so, as of yet, I don’t know my learners and what will be appropriate for them.I think overall this module has provided some really nice ideas for use in the classroom to support STEM and associated skills. I hope in the next few modules there are some videos of STEM in action in Irish classrooms.
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We have no weather station in our school but I will definitely try and set up. I will be in SET next year and I find those pupils struggling in maths need ample opportunities to work with a hands on approach, working with concrete materials. They need to see maths in the real world and STEM lessons allow for so much scope for developing other curricular areas and valuable skills.
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Hi Ciara
It’s lovely to hear that you are becoming more familiar with the concept of STEM and are getting more confident at encouraging active STEM exploration in your classroom. It is great that you have a weather station and encouraging children to make their own weather instruments is a great way to supplement what is in your weather station or even to compare their own instruments with the others to understand how they work. As Lorna said, I think you will find the Curious Minds and ESERO resources to be very useful for your work in SET as practical hands on STEM lessons are a great way to work on numeracy and literacy skills especially to see the practical application of maths.
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I have read the paper ‘Unravelling Stem: Beyond the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics’(Liston 2018). Stem enables students to think critically. They have the opportunity through STEM to involve themselves in real-world learning experiences. It enables pupils to be creative, innovative and work together collobaratively to solve real world problems. There is such a scope for learning in so many subject areas, maths, science, geography, technology. Stem lessons also give pupils opportunities to learn and develop new skills for example estimating, analysing etc.
I have a Stem Box with many challenge cards in my classroom. I give the pupils opportunities to work in mixed ability groups to solve two challenges a month. They will bring in the bulk of the materials they need themselves and I will supply the rest. Children are so engaged in STEM lessons.
I have downloaded the Weather and climate resource.
Both activities 1 & 2 allow for collaborative work. Activity 1 allows for development of their oral language skills, categorising statements into weather or climate. Discussion is so important among peers. Activity 2 is so hands on, pupils taking measurements on weather. It allows for math skills development, collecting data and representing data, working out average temperature. The most interesting point here is that those children who do not enjoy maths as a subject might not even know they are developing their maths skills and end up enjoying it.-
Hi Lorna,
Thanks for your post, and welcome to the course. There is certainly a lot to unpack from Liston’s paper, and I can see you have already focused on STEM in your classroom through challenge cards, providing learners with hands-on problem-solving challenges.You make an excellent point about learners who do not enjoy maths may not even know they are developing skills in this area when working on a STEM activity like the weather station. By making maths practical and relevant to real life activities, we can cultivate a deeper appreciation and more positivity towards this subject as part of a fun STEM lesson.
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The paper ‘Unravelling STEM: Beyond the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics’ highlights a necessary educational shift that is long overdue. Learners need to develop the skills of critical thinking, problem solving and creativity and it is very interesting that industry and employers have recognized a shortfall in this area that urgently needs addressing. STEM in my classroom has focused more on Science & Mathematics but having reviewed the paper, my focus will be to incorporate more technology & engineering to achieve a better-defined STEM lesson.
The activity “Is it weather or climate?” gave the class the opportunity to discuss and debate the different statements. The weather on their birthdays also helps build discussion and can link to the seasons. I also liked the extension activity which helps further distinguish between Weather & Climate.
“Nose Up High in the Sky,” was very user friendly and clearly outlined how a weather station could be incorporated in the school environment. It gave pupils a certain freedom on how they could measure & record their results. It is an excellent resource and I look forward to using both in the coming academic year.
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Hi Padraic,
Thanks for your post, and welcome to the course. I can see you have taken the time to truly reflect on Dr Liston’s paper and its implications for STEM delivery in your classroom.The weather station has a lot of potential and can be as small or big a project as time allows, whether that’s a week of observations, a month or even a term! It is also a wonderful way to give all learners a movement break outside, and it can extend to the whole school, with presentations to other classes to develop communication skills.
Wishing you the best of luck with this in the coming academic year!
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Upon reviewing the paper Unravelling STEM: Beyond the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (Liston 2018) , I can identify many aspects of STEM I use in my classroom on a daily basis but also the need for more STEM education cross curricular in my room. This article has made me realise the endless possibilities we as educators have to promote innovative critical thinking among the children. I love the simple idea of the pen. Something so simple but yet with the right questioning , can facilitate a deeper understanding of Science and Mathematical concepts.
I really like all 3 activities mentioned in the resources on Weather v Climate.
As I teach in an Infant school and have Senior Infants next year I wouldn’t get into the climate zones. I would just have them understand the difference between weather and climate. I would show them various weather pictures and then also pictures of the desert and Artic in an effort to get the meaning of climate across to them. As an activity, I would get the children into groups and we would divide photos into warm and cold climates. An extension of this could be to sort animals into warm and cold climates depending on where they live.
I feel the children would love the activity of Weather Detectives. This hands-on approach enables them to become the meteorologists. It is also developing their STEM skills through recording, analysing and collecting data.
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I enjoyed reviewing the ESA resources. Both the ‘Nose up in the Sky’ lessons and the ideas for teaching climate and weather were very useful, teacher friendly and would certainly be enjoyable for primary school pupils.
Having spent some time teaching English as an additional language recently I found it helpful that these resources were available in nine different languages.
The weather proverbs lesson in ‘Nose up in the Sky’ was super. I can envisage using it this year with my third class. It will compliment language lessons well especially when teaching the comprehension strategy of inferring and art.
‘Seagull, seagull sit on the sand. It is never good weather when you’re on land!’. This proverb was new to me! I grew up by the sea and my mam used to say that when you’d see the seagulls coming into shore with the fishing boats, that the rain was on the way! So, this made a text to life connection for me! I can see may paint and colour art lesson opportunities here.
The worksheets in the weather and climate resource were well laid out and would appeal to the visual learner. The Koppen Climate Classification Map was very colourful and clear. -
Having completed Science as my specialism subject in college, the paper ‘Unravelling STEM: Beyond the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (Liston 2018) provided a welcomed reminder of what STEM education should look like in the classroom. The paper emphasises how STEM education provides a cross-curricular approach to real world issues and concepts. When implementing STEM education in my classroom I try to ensure that lessons promote critical thinking among the students, are student led and inquiry based, and that all learners in the room are able to engage to the best of their ability.
Activity 1: I thought this was a great activity in establishing the difference between weather and climate. Using the children’s birthdays to differentiate between weather and climate is something I am definitely looking forward to trying in my classroom. I also like the idea of getting the children to come up with their own definition for each term based on their findings as a means of promoting child-led, inquiry based learning.
Activity 2: I love the idea of setting up a weather station within the school grounds and think it is a great way of giving the children ownership of their learning. Our instruments for measuring the weather are stored away until the topic is taught so I think having a school weather station and using the instruments regularly, will effectively facilitate real world learning opportunities. It will also promote the development of skills such as critical thinking, questioning, and creativity.
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Hi Bronagh,
Thanks for your post, and welcome to the course. It sounds like you have a deep understanding of STEM education and how to create meaningful learning opportunities for your learners, with a strong focus on fostering critical thinking among the students through inclusive student-led and inquiry-based activities.
I am delighted to see you plan to use these resources with your class in the coming academic year. I think the plan to let the learners create their own definitions is a great way to make STEM vocabulary accessible, understandable, and memorable.
With access to the instruments already at hand, it will be relatively easy to get this project underway-and I agree that with regular use/readings, there are greater opportunities for learning with more data points to create graphs and averages, more potential for something to go wrong with the equipment, and for the class to problem solve by creating a solution, etc.
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I like that you said that the article provided a reminder of what STEM should look like in our classrooms. I definitely think critical thinking and problem solving is key to worthwhile STEM activities. Sometimes the best learning opportunities arise from real life problems and discussions that arise daily in classrooms.
I agree I think the use of birthdays could lead to really interesting conversations and allow the children to find patterns. It’s also providing meaningful links for the children rather than just talking about a random November day they would automatically be more engaged when it’s significant to them.
I think all of these activities would give great real life context for a lot of maths topics such as data; creating and reading graphs, finding average, Measures, positive and negative numbers and lots more.
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The ESA resource activities are perfect for use in the classroom. They are useful and well-organized. If I were to make use of these materials, I would begin by learning about the differences between climate and weather. While it may seem clear to an adult, I assume that young children would value further explanation of this idea. Next, I would try to establish a weather station in the schoolyard. Creating a small team, even with only one additional teacher, would be my first move. Collaborating fosters collegiality and could improve the number of kids who gain from the trial. We would decide on a spot together; ideally, it would be distant from trees and houses. Next, we would spend money on equipment. Some of the equipment could be made, but this might be done as an after-school project to broaden the kids’ education. We would buy a wind vane, a rain gauge, and a thermometer. After that, we would proceed to gather information from our devices. This would require a recording. At this point, it would be wise to include community projects and parents in order to promote a sense of involvement and practical application.
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I found Module 1 was full of useful resources and videos that I think I will get great use out of in my classroom. The article about STEM being more than an acronym I found very interesting. I agree I think STEM is definitely the buzzword that’s getting thrown around which in some ways I actually think is taking away from what true STEM should be. Everyone feels as though they’re doing STEM by just doing an activity that incorporates one or two elements. Even reflecting on my own practise I think the engineering element has been loosing out and needs to be focused on more.
I thought that the 2 ESA resources were fantastic so practical and there’s no need for fancy resources or anything. I love the idea of the weather station and I think that by the children creating their own weather instruments would really help them buy into it and lead to more meaningful engagement. As a 6th class teacher we’re always looking for ways to allow 6th be leaders in the school so it could be a nice way that they could teach the younger classes about their instruments and their findings.
I thought the Weather V Climate resource provided lots of meaningful opportunities for integration across the whole curriculum. There’s lots of lovely literacy, maths, geography activities outlined and I find one of the most challenging parts of covering any topic is finding time but when you can do worthwhile integrated tasks it leads to more effective teaching and learning for the children-
Hi Sarah,
Thanks for your post, and welcome to the course!
Dr Liston’s paper is an insightful read and a reminder for us all of what STEM truly means and should include in an authentic learning experience. It can serve as a useful benchmark for how to deliver in the classroom, and I am glad to see it gave rise to your reflection on including more engineering.You make a great point about how the activities don’t require fancy resources- this can be a real barrier to participation for schools.
Fortunately, most STEM concepts can be explained/demonstrated or designed with minimal resource investment. Often the contents of a recycling bin is what is required- a great reminder for learners of the importance of reusing, too, and being resourceful. Integrating topics is a great way to add more time to complete activities, especially with a jam-packed curriculum!
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The paper ‘Unravelling STEM: Beyond the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics’, was very interesting! It allowed me to reflect on the importance of active learning surrounding STEM lessons in the classroom. It emphasises the importance of involving the children and a hands on approach to STEM. This module really opened up my eyes to how I can enhance the teaching of STEM in my classroom. There are many different approaches to teaching STEM that can be used in the classroom. It could be effective to focus on different areas each term. A wole school approach could also be useful.
Exploring the difference between weather and climate could be a tricky topic especially in the younger classes. The difference between weather and climate could be quite abstract especially when the wording is often used together! Watching videos on these and defining the terms could be a good starting point- what is weather> what is climate? How do they differ I think researching different climates around the world could be a good lesson to emphasise the differences between weather and climate. For this, the children could use iPads and each be given a different country to research. Discussion could occur afterwards based on the different types of climate- are there simialrities/ differences?-
Hi Alyson,
Thanks for your post, and welcome to the course.
I am delighted to see this module’s positive impact on how you plan to deliver STEM in the classroom. You make a good point- sometimes the terms are used in an intertwined way, so getting a firm understanding of the differences between climate and weather may take a couple of exercises for learners to grasp both concepts, and the videos are a most helpful starting point for this.The climate in different countries activity is a lovely way to learn more in a global context, and you may be fortunate to have a learner from another part of the world who can share how different the climate is and how it impacts day-to-day living.
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Reading through the paper unravelling stem it is evident – barriers are removed and each subject area is intertwined. I found this very interesting as the paper clearly states that critical thinking and active learning are key components of stem education.Teaching children how to think and not what to think is a key component of stem education.Stem education in my classroom tries to embrace what has been said in this paper ..getting the children to plan, explore ,reflect.. how to make it better if it doesn’t go right,working in groups work as a team are all key components of stem education.
On review of the resources I found them to be of excellent benefit and something that I would definitely incorporate in my teaching. The weather station is a fantastic idea and I think to have it as somebody said at the front of the school is brilliant.To just realise the explanation – weather is a short time it’s what it looks like today but climate is over a long period of time measuring data .Just such a fantastic way to explain to especially small children the difference between weather and climate .Also the practical steps of using a thermometer correctly that it needs to be in a shaded area well ventilated area to give it about five minutes outside to adjust to the temperature.It’s something that can be done on a daily basis a weekly basis and a fantastic opportunity to incorporate all aspects of stem education It is something I will definitely use in the next year
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Unravelling STEM: Beyond the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (Liston 2018), clearly outlines the importance of integrating all STEM subjects and incorporating engineering throughout teaching to encourage, promote and foster problem solving skills and design across the curriculum and to support exploration in children’s learning thus providing opportunities for them to work effectively with their peers as a team in order to gain as much as possible from their holistic learning experience in school, and in the wider community. It aids them in thinking outside the box and to see the bigger picture in relation to designing and creating in order to solve problems and to make connections across the curriculum and also in the wider community while completing hands on, innovative tasks in school but also promoting the implementation of this method of thinking and adaptation of skills they have learned in school in relation to its use in their everyday lives.
The weather and climate resources in this module will really benefit me in my teaching and I will be sure to delve into this rich supply when teaching 5th class next year. I will be particularly interested in giving the children the opportunity to create and design a weather station and am looking forward to this immensely as it will create so much opportunity for design and problem solving while combining it across all STEM areas (and further) in an integrated manner.
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Hi Fiona,
Thanks for your post and welcome to the course. Dr Liston’s paper provides a lot of food for thought on creating meaningful STEM lessons and STEM’s true meaning.
I am delighted to see that you plan on making use of the resources provided in this module. Your senior learners will develop both their STEM skills and understanding through engaging with this activity; creating their own instruments will provide them with a welcome hands-on opportunity to create and learn.
It’s a wonderful opportunity to deep-dive into this topic by monitoring and analysing results over time, with plenty of opportunities for cross-curricular links, too.
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I really enjoyed reading Dr. Liston’s paper Unravelling STEM: Beyond the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. The paper combined with all the informative videos really help me understand a topic that I didn’t really have much experience or knowledge with. Before doing this module, I would have felt a bit apprehensive about teaching stem in my classroom, after going through these activities I feel I will be a lot more confident.
I really like the hands-on approach to the teaching and learning, and how it tells us to empower the children to be a big part of the lesson. The old school chalk and talk does not have any room in a good STEM lesson. In my classroom I can see how the collaborative side will really help some of the children to take part at their own pace.
I like the idea of the weather detectives. I think this could open itself to collaboration with older classes helping the younger classes. I have first class and am already thinking how I could do a lesson where we made class made or bought equipment and then get the sixth-class kids to go outside and pair up with a smaller kid to look at the weather station results and help them understand what’s going on. -
Following my review of the paper Unravelling STEM: Beyond the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (Liston 2018), it is clear that meaningful, real-world and relevant STEM learning experiences are critical to inspire pupils’ creativity, problem solving, critical thinking, teamwork and communication skills in the classroom.
I found that both resources, Nose Up High in the Sky and Weather Vs Climate provide excellent opportunities for pupils to learn about weather and climate in a meaningful way using hands on, interactive activities which lend themselves well to group work and collaboration.
I particularly like how the Nose High in the Sky encourages pupils to use their senses to describe weather conditions. The informative teacher notes are also very helpful in terms of implementing these activities in the classroom.
The ESA Weather Vs Climate and Nose Up High in the Sky resources are excellent programmes of work which could be used over a period of weeks. They include real world, meaningful activities where pupils can explore their local area to collect, analyse and interpret their own weather data. The activities promote critical thinking and problem solving skills.
I look forward to using them in the classroom this coming year.-
Hi Amy,
Thanks for your post, and welcome to the course.
I am delighted to see that you are looking forward to using these resources in the coming year.
This module certainly provides plenty of options for teachers to choose from. You are prudent in your planning to carry these out over a number of weeks. This is especially important if you plan on setting up weather station-monitoring results over a period of a week or more, which will generate a lot of data that learners can then use to create charts and graphs and interpret with averages, etc.
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I found module 1 Weather and Climate had lots of valuable resources and ideas that can be used in the classroom. One I liked for younger classes is the idea of having a weather journal. This would be a fun activity for kids and something that could be done every day. I also found the videos helpful when explaining different concepts about weather and climate. There was some good child appropriate videos included also. I love the idea of creating a weather station in the classroom or even take a whole school approach. There were some great ideas of how to make your own weather instruments. There would be opportunities for older classes to help younger children learn about weather by showing them how to use these instruments and what they tell us.
Activity 1- Weather vs Climate
This is a simple activity that allows children understand the difference between weather and climate. The idea of asking children about the weather on their last birthday is something that would really engage students and prompt relevant conversations.
Activity 2- Weather Detectives
This activity teaches children how to carry out scientific test in a fair way. There is also strong cross curricular integration with maths concepts that can be used to teach things like graphs, averages and more. An activity like this will interest children while also providing lots of learning opportunities.
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Hi Cian,
Thanks for your post, and welcome to the course!
I am delighted to see that you are finding the resources shared in this module valuable-there is a lot covered, and these activities work well as a block of lessons.
The weather journal is a simple and highly effective way for learners to start to explore weather in a very accessible way. I do highly recommend the weather station, even beginning with one instrument and growing the station from there.
Learners will enjoy the opportunity to go out and read the results daily and develop a host of skills through observing, recording and interpreting results, with ample opportunities to incorporate maths at a level appropriate to your class’s abilities.
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Reflecting on Dr. Liston’s article, it becomes clear that she highlights a vital aspect of STEM education in schools. For example, having my students construct weather stations merges engineering principles with scientific exploration. This method not only encourages creativity but also enhances problem-solving abilities and critical thinking skills, leading to a well-rounded grasp of STEM concepts.
“Weather detectives” empowers children with the independence to conduct their own research both within the school and in the local environment. This activity involves numerous skills, such as determining the optimal location for a thermometer, ensuring proper ventilation, and avoiding direct sunlight. These considerations prompt students to think critically about their choices and understand the underlying reasons. As I am teaching 6th class this year, I plan to incorporate this project, as it offers an additional responsibility for the students to undertake. -
I reviewed the article ‘Unravelling STEM: Beyond the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics’, it encourages a very positive hands-on approach for children. Active learning is evident throughout this process. I think this is a very enjoyable and interactive module.
The video links and worksheets definitely assist with the teaching of this lesson. I did this course last year and it inspired me to create a weather station with my 3rd class. The children totally immersed themselves into it. We set it up in the garden of the school so that it could be accessed freely with supervision and would be less likely to be interfered with. It was also a great area for children to visit on a movement break and each morning the children would ask to visit it to assess the weather.
We had a school thermometer, and we made a rain gauge. However, this year I want the older students in the school to make an anemometer and record the findings. Would it be interesting to buy an anemometer, which, I have found, are available from abcschoolsupplies.ie for E35 approximately and comparing the results in both?
I really like the activity ‘Earth Under the lid- Understanding the greenhouse effect from the ESA and ESERO. The teacher guide and worksheets are very user friendly, interactive and easy to use. The guide for teachers is super.
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The paper “Unravelling STEM” highlights the seamless integration of different subject areas within STEM education, removing barriers and fostering interconnected learning. I found it fascinating that the paper underscores the significance of critical thinking and active learning. Emphasising how to think rather than what to think is a fundamental aspect of STEM education. In my classroom, I strive to adopt these principles by encouraging students to plan, explore, reflect, and work collaboratively. When projects don’t go as planned, we focus on improvement and teamwork.
The resources I reviewed are highly beneficial, and I am eager to incorporate them into my teaching. The idea of creating a weather station is particularly appealing, and placing it at the front of the school is an excellent suggestion. This setup makes it easier to explain that weather represents short-term conditions while climate is measured over a longer period. This method is particularly effective for young children. Additionally, teaching the correct use of a thermometer—ensuring it is placed in a shaded, well-ventilated area and allowing it five minutes to adjust—provides practical, hands-on learning. This project can be integrated into daily or weekly routines, offering a great opportunity to cover all aspects of STEM education. I am excited to implement this in the upcoming year.
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Hi Lauren
Welcome to the course. I’m happy that you enjoyed Maeve Liston’s paper and that the ideas fit with what is already happening in your classroom. Creating a weather station is beneficial in lots of ways. As you said, it’s great for teaching the difference between weather and climate and also for explaining how weather data is gathered for forecasting and also for compiling over a long period of time to establish changing climate patterns. The correct use and reading of a thermometer is also an important skill that could be useful for future science investigations.
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Having reviewed the paper ‘Unravelling STEM: Beyond the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics’, it is evident that critical thinking, active learning and a hands on approach is vital for children to progress in the area of STEM. In addition to finding many areas in which I can advance and promote STEM in my classroom so that the kids can learn via cooperative problem solving, I have also been able to discover specific STEM-related activities that I implement in my classroom.
Activity two – Weather Detectives. The fact that this resource allowed the kids to go outside made me truly like it. It’s fantastic that they can create their own weather instruments using common household items. It also allows them to get outdoors checking the rain, gauge, the wind speed and also the temperature using a thermometer. Children enjoy doing independent research and doing hands-on activities. The notion of keeping a weather journal to track the temperature over a week or two is one that I really like.
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I also really like the idea of keeping a weather journal which can be used to develop an understanding of weather patterns over time and comparing at different times of the year across different seasons, etc. It could also be used as a resources for future years to measure changes in weather in the locality over time.
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Module 1 Assignment:
After reviewing the ESA resources, I found the activities to be highlight engaging and practical for classroom use. during my school placement, I had the opportunity to introduce students to weather concepts through basic observations, these resources provide an exciting, structured and comprehensive approach to learning about weather and climate. I know I can use them with my first class by setting up a weather station in the classroom. This will be a great way to have the students participate and engage with some of the ESA resources, for example, ‘weather detectives’, ‘build your weather station’. By engaging in this project, students will develop STEM skills such as scientific inquiry, technology use for data collection, critical and creative thinking and mathematical skills in data interpretation. To promote communicating weather and climate knowledge in school, students could share their learning with their peers. Presenting their findings and understanding.
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Hi Peace,
Thanks for your post and welcome to the course!
I am delighted to see that you find that these resources provide an exciting, structured and comprehensive approach to learning about weather and climate and that you plan on using them with your first-class learners.Building a weather station is a great project that may take a number of lessons to complete, depending on whether you plan to buy or build some of the equipment. There’s plenty of math integration with this activity, and it also provides learners with a welcomed opportunity for a movement break out in nature as they record results.
It’s wonderful to see that you plan to develop their communication skills by presenting their learnings to their peers, and a possible opportunity to make use of ICT to present findings too.
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Assignment 1
Classroom Reflection
In my classroom, STEM education is project-based, emphasizing critical thinking and creativity. Students work on interdisciplinary projects that merge science, technology, engineering, and math, fostering collaboration and problem-solving skills. Real-world applications are prioritized to demonstrate STEM’s relevance beyond theoretical concepts.
ESA Feedback
The European Space Agency’s resources “Nose Up High in the Sky” and “Weather vs Climate” are engaging tools that simplify complex meteorological concepts for children. They effectively distinguish between weather (short-term atmospheric conditions) and climate (long-term patterns), using interactive activities and vivid imagery. These resources are particularly valuable in a classroom setting to foster curiosity and understanding.
To apply these concepts practically, I would develop a project where students set up a weather station on school grounds, using a mix of self-made and school funded equipment. The goal of this hands-on activity would be for children to explore the skills of collecting and analyzing meteorological data, promoting STEM skills like data analysis, technological proficiency, engineering design, and mathematical modeling. By comparing our findings with historical climate data in our local area, students will gain insights into climate patterns.
I will facilitate collective practice by organizing school-wide workshops and presentations where students can share their weather and climate insights, enhancing communication skills and interdisciplinary collaboration. -
Both of these resources provide lots of engagement activities for children to learn about temperature and climate in the classroom. The Nose High in the Sky resource has some lovely, practical hands on stem activities to really engage children in measuring different elements of weather patterns, while supporting their skills of collecting data in meaningful waysand would really help students u deratand the purpose of setting up a station in school to collect and measure data (wind, rainfall, temperature) relevant to their locality so that they might be able record local weather patterns over a designated period of time.
Likewise the lessons on Weather V Climate are very practical, with lots of scope for extension and cross curricular links, eg the history of weather data collection and mathematics strand for different to types of data representation and anylisis. I also really like the creative writing aspect of the last lesson based on imagining how climate will look in 2050, especially with our growing concerns over climate change, etc. I think this really supports students to see themselves as active participants in the climate change debate, which will continue to be of relevance as they get older. -
Having reviewed and completed the activities I can see huge benefits to bringing them into the classroom and I look forward to doing so in the coming year. I love carrying out lessons where the children are active and in charge of their own learning. With the integration links of literacy and numeracy the cross curricular opportunities are endless.
Creating a whole school approach is something I would be interested in as I teach in a relatively small country school. Setting up a weather station and allowing different classes to record the weather over different weeks and then bringing the data together to note any weather patterns would be fun and engaging. I would encourage the children to bring in cups and bottles etc from home in order to try and make some of the equipment for the weather station ourselves which could also integrate the arts into. The infant classes could also make great use of it during Aistear!
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Hello Sarah,
Thanks for your post, and welcome to the course!
I am delighted to see your positive feedback and enthusiasm for delivering these activities to your learners.As a small country school, it would be great to include the whole school in this. Learners from other classes will certainly be curious if they come across a weather station in the yard, and together, the classes can learn and do more with this station. If there is a strong farming community, it could be good to link into the importance of weather for farmers too-how does rainfall impact their grass growing, etc.
I am glad to see that you plan on getting the learners to make some of the equipment-it really adds to their skillset through make and do, and seeing if their creation works effectively.
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In my classroom, I try to use a wide approach to STEM projects and use real-world examples by connecting lessons to current events or practical scenarios. such as when we discuss climate change and its impact on different ecosystems when studying environmental science. In Liston’s paper a reference is made to , “STEM education isn’t just one thing—it’s a range of strategies that help students to build understanding apply concepts and skills from different disciplines in contexts that make connections between school, community and work in order to solve meaningful problems (Gerlach 2012; Vasquez, Comer and Sneider 2013).”
Is it Weather or Climate clearly differentiates between the concepts of weather and climate. It encourages students to think about the characteristics of each, I enjoyed the Nose up High in the sky and the weather watchers. I my classroom I would try and integrate even more multimedia resources, such as videos or interactive maps, could make the activity even more engaging.
Weather Detectives- This is something all classes would get great benefit from taking place in a school, as mentioned before I like the idea of building a weather station in out sensory area and outdoor classroom and linking the recording and anaslying of data with the new Primary Maths Curriulum too in terms of Maths Eyes and Problem Solving.
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I found this module extremely helping in terms of methods to teach Stem to primary school children , filled with resources I can use in my teaching this coming school year.
I feel the videos by ‘Paxi’ do an incredible job of explaining the difference between the 2 topics of climate and weather incredibly and clearly for younger children so that they can grasp the topics and there differences accordingly.
I loved reading the paper “Unravelling STEM: Beyond the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics” by Dr Maeve Liston. It showed me what parts of stem we take for granted and how truly interconnection all of the parts are ; Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.Their connections allow them to be taught accordingly to show children how to open their minds up to out of the box thinking and critical thinking , skills they will need throughout life.
An activity I cannot wait to try in my own school/class would be to build a weather station , it’s an amazing opportunity for children to learn in a hands on and creative way. They would learn how to use equipment such as a thermometer, rain gauge and perhaps an anemometer which would link in science as well as technology already . They could create things like tables are grafs to show the changing of weather and display the level of rainfall.
This module is an incredible asset to teaching not only the ‘S’ of ‘STEM’ but it in entirety.
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Hello Mary,
Thanks for your post, and welcome to the course.
It’s great that this module has provided you with a wealth of resources for the year to come, and that you see this module as an asset when delivering STEM.
The weather station activity is a superb way to integrate the disciplines, and provides ample opportunity for learner led inquiry, problem solving with considerable real-life applications.
It is also a great opportunity for learners to develop communication skills by mentoring junior learners on the station and its equipment, presenting results to other classes, etc.
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In reviewing ‘Unravelling STEM: Beyond the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics’, I learned that STEM education emphasises real-world applications and encourages students to apply their knowledge in meaningful ways, such as developing renewable energy solutions or advancing medical technologies. It aims to develop critical skills like problem-solving and critical thinking. This integrated approach prepares students for future challenges and opens up opportunities in some of the fastest-growing career sectors. In my classroom STEM is practised by taking on integrated projects on paper, construction, computers and model building which mesh the subjects Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics together in a meaningful way
Activity 1 – Initially the difference between weather and climate can be a difficult concept to grasp, especially for younger classes. However, once the children learn that weather is the short term atmospheric conditions in a specific place while climate is the long term weather patterns over a period of time, only then can they complete activities about their differences
Activity 2 – The children in my class would love this as they have been studying and recording the weather all year using a station which is located in our courtyard. They love taking turns to record the weather using graphs and pictures and are well reversed in using thermometers, light and moisture meters and anemometers.
The only improvement I could recommend would be to shorten this activities and make them slightly more concise.
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Hi Killian,
Thanks for your post, and welcome to the course!
I can see that you have reflected on and are aligned with the principles outlined in Liston’s paper in your classroom through your meshing of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics together in a meaningful way.
I am delighted to see that you already have a weather station and it’s great to see that it also is something your learners are passionate about and are eager to take turns recording the weather using graphs and pictures.
Of course, you can refine the content of these activities to cover what is most important, shorten exercises, etc, to fit into a busy schedule. In your instance, the learners may already have an understanding of climate and weather so it, may only need to be visited briefly. It all really depends on the group’s starting point, which is what makes a KWL charts so helpful.
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Liston’s paper, “Unravelling STEM: Beyond the Acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics,” provides a thorough exploration of the conceptual and practical aspects of STEM education. Liston investigates the underlying philosophy and educational strategies related to STEM and encourages us as teachers to think beyond merely integrating these four disciplines. I think this paper would be useful to share with colleagues who are apprehensive about the introduction of STEM as a subject in the new curriculum.
I find the “Weather vs Climate” PDF excellent and will be saving it for use with my 4th class next year. I believe the children will enjoy the practical nature of the Weather Detectives task as it facilitates learning across various areas, including literacy, science, and maths. This activity also allows for a lot of pair and group work, offering many opportunities to practice communication skills, such as expressing opinions and agreeing or disagreeing respectfully which is a skill we work on using accountable talk techniques.
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Hi Colette,
Thanks for your post, and welcome to the course!
I am delighted to see that you view Liston’s paper as a worthwhile reference for colleagues who are concerned about the introduction of STEM as a subject. It certainly provides a considerable amount of clear-cut guidance and gives much-needed clarity to this buzzword.
Great to see that you plan on using the Weather vs Climate resource with your 4th class learners. Accountable talk techniques sound like a great way to ensure open and respectful communication on what is sometimes a contentious topic, particularly when we move on to the actions required.
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Stem in my classroom is very much science based. I use discover science a lot and I find it a good tool as it is levelled for junior, middle or senior classes.
The Weather and Climate resource provided in this module is great. These are very easy to use with a class and the kids will be actively involved in their own learning. It provides a very good opportunity for team work within the class and provides kids with the opportunity to use their prior knowledge skills and put them into action. For example using a scale at the side of the weather apparatus. Climate change is a hot topic and these activities give the children an opportunity to play a part in recording any change in the weather and gives a feeling of active participation, it is a precursor for the next step of fighting and reversing climate change.-
Hi Brendan,
Thanks for your post, and welcome to the course!
You make a great point about how climate change is a hot topic and how, through learning about weather and climate, they have a solid foundation of understanding that must precede fighting and reversing climate change.
By getting the learners to create and monitor a weather station, recording and reporting results to others provides a wealth of opportunities for skills development and understanding of this topic.As another poster who has a weather station mentioned, learners love the opportunity to go record results, and become confident in reading the apparatus.
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I think the Weather and Climate resource introduced in this module is an excellent way or integrating SESE with Maths and a great way of making the children aware of the climate around them. The ‘Nose Up High In The Sky’ resource has an excellent lesson of Building your own weather station. I really like the hands – on activities and feel the children would be very motivated. I would get the children to make an anemometer and rain gauge and collect data over the different seasons. The children could then create Graphs through Data in Maths and compare the different seasons in their locality. This would allow the children to compare the weather patterns over the year. The children would also be ‘Weather Detectives’ and take note of the temperature over the different seasons using a thermometer. The students could then research the temperatures in Ireland in the past and compare their recorded temperatures with these results where they could analyse the climate they live in. Both activities are hands – on which motivate the children to become engaged in the topic and be aware of their climate and weather patterns.
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Hi Derbhla,
Thanks for your post, and welcome to the course!
You make an important point about the nature of these activities being hands-on. It’s a terrific way for learners to engage with a topic in a fun and meaningful way, and by getting the learners to make the instruments themselves, there is a lot of scope for testing, comparing results of the team’s equipment, and addressing any challenges that arise during the design process or when in use.
By comparing results today to historical data, learners begin to see patterns and possibly even the changes that are underway as Ireland is becoming warmer and wetter.
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Maeve Liston’s paper “Unravelling STEM: Beyond the Acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics” seeks to provide us with a more critical look at STEM education and how it appears in our classroom. I liked how she talked about the importance of ensuring that all the subjects are more connected and that we should not be trying to make a science experiment a ‘STEM Activity’ just for the sake of ticking a box. I think as educators we need to look and see if our STEM lessons are ensuring that the objectives and targets of the lesson are being met in a way that is meaningful for the pupils. I think she has also highlighted appropriately the need for more support and resources to be provided for schools in the area of STEM as it can be overwhelming at times for teachers to plan effectively for it and in turn implement STEM in an already over loaded curriculum. More emphasis needs to be placed on the integrated approach which can be taken with these subjects.
Having looked at the ESA resources I thought about how I could potentially set up a met station in my school. I think it is a great idea and I particularly liked the activity where the children look at weather proverbs. This is a great opportunity to promote links between home and school-including parents and even grandparents in this activity. I think the met station activity would also lend itself to a whole school approach perhaps even led by the green schools committee. Certain classes could be in charge of a weather instrument to include construction, monitoring and data collection. It is an effective activity to include lots of subjects including art and maths also.
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In reading Dr. Liston’s paper Unravelling STEM: Beyond the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics it really emphasised the importance of exploring all areas of STEM in the classroom and to be mindful of focusing too much on just one aspect of STEM and neglecting others when all are equally important. I found it interesting that E:Exploring was the aspect that was found to be the least understood and utilised in the classroom.
I found the ESA Nose up in the sky resource excellent. I thought that it was very well explained and thought out. It covered all areas of teaching and learning. I think that the child friendly explanations and worksheets would make the lesson very engaging for the children while also making the lesson easy for the teacher to teach through the notes provided.
I have 3rd class this coming year and I think they will love the idea of creating a weather station in the classroom and I can see ways in which I can link it to other areas of the curriculum. I think that the children will respond really well to the active elements of the lesson and it will make the content more enjoyable and memorable for them.
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Module 1 Assignment: Siobhan ni hiceadha
Review the paper Unravelling STEM
Download the ESA – Done
Watched Nose up / Weather v climate
Provide feedback to ESA resources:
The Unravelling STEM paper really highlighted the importance of a hands on and active learning approach. It also highlighted encouraging the children to become more critical thinkers.
I teach Senior Infants. I am happy to see that a lot of these activities in this module can be made age appropriate for all classes.
Nose up high to the sky and climate vs weather are very good resources to have seen here, and are very user friendly.
The creation of a Weather Station in school is an excellent idea for getting all children in the school involved and a great way of developing childrens STEM skills at different levels. I feel it is important here to make sure the green schools committee/ student council are responsible to making sure the purchased / made equipment is taken care of. We are very lucky in my school that we have a fabulous school garden which would be an ideal area to create a weather station for the whole school to use. We would need to purchase some equipment but also the older classes would really enjoy creating some equipment to record the weather.
For me in the infant classroom I would be using these ideas cross curricularly. Aistear would be a great way to teaching about weather /climate – from teaching the names of different types of weather/ weather measuring equipment/ drawing the weather/ role play of being the weather person of the day etc. Also have the weather corner where the weather each day is recorded pictorally. Selecting a weekly weather detective is another great idea which my infants would love.
I also have used a lovely idea where I take photos of our school garden in all different seasons. The children really loved this as it’s the same area but the can see how the different seasons/ weather change the landscape. -
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Module 1 Assignment: Siobhan ni hiceadha
Review the paper Unravelling STEM
Download the ESA – Done
Watched Nose up / Weather v climate
Provide feedback to ESA resources:
The Unravelling STEM paper really highlighted the importance of a hands on and active learning approach. It also highlighted encouraging the children to become more critical thinkers.
I teach Senior Infants. I am happy to see that a lot of these activities in this module can be made age appropriate for all classes.
Nose up high to the sky and climate vs weather are very good resources to have seen here, and are very user friendly.
The creation of a Weather Station in school is an excellent idea for getting all children in the school involved and a great way of developing childrens STEM skills at different levels. I feel it is important here to make sure the green schools committee/ student council are responsible to making sure the purchased / made equipment is taken care of. We are very lucky in my school that we have a fabulous school garden which would be an ideal area to create a weather station for the whole school to use. We would need to purchase some equipment but also the older classes would really enjoy creating some equipment to record the weather.
For me in the infant classroom I would be using these ideas cross curricularly. Aistear would be a great way to teaching about weather /climate – from teaching the names of different types of weather/ weather measuring equipment/ drawing the weather/ role play of being the weather person of the day etc. Also have the weather corner where the weather each day is recorded pictorally. Selecting a weekly weather detective is another great idea which my infants would love.
I also have used a lovely idea where I take photos of our school garden in all different seasons. The children really loved this as it’s the same area but the can see how the different seasons/ weather change the landscape. -
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After reading and reflecting on the paper Unravelling STEM: Beyond the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (Liston 2018) and what STEM education looks like in my classroom, I can say that STEM education is a vibrant and engaging experience that is deeply rooted in the practicalities of everyday life and tailored to the unique interests and needs of my students. As a teacher in a special educational setting, I prioritize creating a learning environment that is both inclusive and accessible, ensuring that all students can engage meaningfully with STEM subjects. I like to ensure that STEM lessons are designed around real-world scenarios that students can relate to. For example, when teaching basic physics principles, I might use a simple activity like building paper airplanes to explore aerodynamics. This not only helps students understand the concepts but also demonstrates how these principles are applicable in everyday life. It is vital I recognizing the diverse abilities and interests in my classroom, and that I customize activities to align with each student’s strengths and passions. For instance, if a student is particularly interested in cooking, I might use recipes to teach measurements and fractions in math, or discuss the chemical reactions involved in baking as part of a science lesson. STEM education in my classroom emphasizes hands-on activities and projects. This approach helps students, especially those who may struggle with traditional lecture-based instruction, to grasp concepts through direct experience. We engage in activities like gardening to understand biology and ecology, or building simple circuits to explore electricity.
STEM education in my classroom is a dynamic blend of practical, hands-on activities that connect to the real world and are tailored to the individual interests and needs of my students. By creating a supportive, inclusive environment, I aim to inspire curiosity and equip my students with the skills and confidence they need to explore the world around them.-
Hi Rachel,
Thanks for your post and welcome to the course! I am delighted to see how after reflecting on Liston’s paper, you can see the strengths in how you deliver STEM in a special education setting, sharing how are bringing STEM to life, with dynamic, engaging and hands on experiences for your learners, that are adapted to their unique abilities and interests, with a focus on real life scenarios.
I really like how you make the activity the learner enjoys a springboard for topic integration, covering maths during baking, etc., and using the simple but highly effective, fun, and hands-on activity of building a paper plane to explore aerodynamics.
Sometimes, there is a misconception that STEM activities require lots of expensive equipment, but this really is not the case, and your examples demonstrate this very well.
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Liston (2018) argues that STEM education should go beyond isolated subjects, focusing on interdisciplinary approaches that foster critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving. The paper highlights the importance of inquiry-based learning and real-world applications, advocating for a holistic, integrated approach to STEM education. Reflection on STEM Education in My Classroom
In my classroom, I emphasise inquiry-based learning, real-world problem solving, and the connections between STEM fields. Collaborative projects help students understand how these fields intersect, though I see opportunities to improve technology integration and accessibility for all students.Feedback on “Weather and Climate” Activities
Activity 1: Is it Weather or Climate?
Effectiveness: Good for distinguishing weather and climate, though more varied examples and explanations would reinforce learning.
Activity 2: Weather DetectivesEffectiveness: Engages students in data analysis, mirroring real-world meteorology. Adding a predictive element would deepen understanding.
Classroom Use and Suggestions
These activities fit well in a weather and climate unit. I’d use them for group work and formative assessment. Enhancements could include digital tools, follow-up activities linking weather to climate, and extensions for advanced students. -
I found the videos and resources explained in this module to be extremely useful and I have them downloaded and saved to use with my class this year. In particular, both resources mentioned above will be extremely useful to me in my classroom this coming year. I like that the ‘Nose Up in the Air’ resource explores old weather proverbs. It provides a nice opportunity for integration with the History curriculum. Both resources involve the children going out and taking measurements which is great as hands-on learning is so beneficial. I would love to set up a weather station in the school and involve some other classes. Our school has plenty of space for this. Each class could take turns taking measurements and collecting data. Each class could report their findings over the intercom each month. This would be a great way to get the whole school involved and learning in a collaborative way.
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While reviewing Liston’s paper it highlights the relevance of incorporating all STEM subjects together, this begins at the lesson planning stage. She mentions that STEM education isn’t just one thing, it’s a range of strategies that help students to build understanding apply concepts & skills from different disciplines in order to solve meaningful problems.
The ESA Nose up high in the sky resource was content rich and will be very useful in the year ahead it also integrates very well with literacy and numeracy and also enables the children to play an active, hands on role in their own learning.
Creating a weather station will certainly get any class excited, it allows for critical thinking and invites the children into the lesson whereby they play the leading role. They have ample opportunities to create, monitor, record and interpret results from the weather station. It is certainly the most effective way for children to learn.-
Hi Marie,
Thanks for your post and welcome to the course.
Liston’s paper is a great reminder of what makes for a meaningful and authentic STEM experience and provides great insights-like you mention, it’s a range of strategies.
I am delighted to see that you found The ESA Nose up High in the Sky resource useful for the coming. The weather station is a great way for learners to take ownership of a project and, through this learner-led activity, will develop a considerable skillset, along with a deeper understanding of weather. There is a wide scope for cross-curricular activities, and a KWL chart can come in handy to kickstart this lesson series.
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Having read Liston’s paper I can see that my understanding of STEM in the classroom has been more about the individual subjects viewed in isolation than the integration of all four that is required for the effective learning through science, technology, engineering and maths. She says that when the subjects are integrated and used effectively children work together to creatively address real world problems that are relevant to them. More than just a science or a maths lesson, they can go deeper by investigating analysing hypothesising and finding creative solutions through technology and engineering. Her explanation of the pen and its technological breakthrough takes the pressure off the teacher and the students in that the technology piece of STEM doesn’t always have to be computer led. Children can be most inspired and innovative when they recognise a human need for something, and when given the space and time to explore it, they are often the best lessons and most remembered.
I find both activities will be beneficial to my 5th class next year. In activity 1 Weather or Climate it takes 30 years of recoding to observe the latter and that hundreds of satellite observations are operating recording weather variables such as rain wind and temperature to track changes in the climate and understand how and why the climate is changing. This is very appropriate for children to develop an understanding of now as it concerns everyone and their future. Using Activity 2 Weather Detectives a weather station in school grounds is a practical step in addressing those concerns. It gives the children lots of opportunities to work collaboratively, investigate and compare results and to present that work to the class, integrating many outcomes of the Primary language Curriculum.-
Hi Orla,
Thanks for your post and welcome to the course.
I can see you have taken a lot from Liston’s informative paper and reflected on how to apply her definition of STEM activities in your classroom, moving away from a siloed approach to the four disciplines. You make a great point in that people often think technology means computers, but Liston’s paper is a great reminder that its scope is far broader than that.
I am glad to see you plan on using the two activities with your 5th-class learners in the coming year; there is considerable opportunities for skills development and a deeper understanding of climate and weather.
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Liston (2018) discusses the importance of integrating the four STEM disciplines – Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics in education. The paper highlights the value of an integrated, interdisciplinary approach that prepares students for future challenges by promoting critical thinking, innovation, and problem-solving skills. Reflecting on this in my classroom involves creating a dynamic and inclusive learning environment where students can engage in hands-on projects, collaborate, and see the real-world relevance of their learning
Activity 1: Is it weather or climate?
Using children’s birthdays to differentiate between weather and climate is an innovative and engaging activity that aligns with the integrated STEM approach advocated by Liston (2018). It helps students understand fundamental concepts in a personal and practical way, fostering critical thinking and data analysis skills.Activity 2: Weather Detectives
I think setting up a weather station for kids is an enriching educational project that offers numerous STEM learning opportunities. It encourages hands-on learning, critical thinking, and real-world application of classroom concepts. By thoughtfully planning and integrating this project into the curriculum, students can gain valuable skills and a deeper understanding of the environment around them. -
An aspect of ‘Unravelling STEM: Beyond the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics’ that stood out for me was the Engineering Design Process that Liston refers to. These steps can make a very complicated or abstract problem posed to the class appear more manageable as it is broken down. I would like to display these steps in my classroom or use it as a reference when coming up interesting problems to solve!
I liked how the ‘Nose Up High in the Sky’ resource is organised and broken up into 3 activities. I would discuss and pre-teach the 3 activities to my 6th class and then select a 3rd or 4th class to work with. They could carry out these 3 activities over a few weeks in small groups with the younger classes. The younger children would love working with 6th discussing the weather proverbs and creating weather forecasts. The weather station would further solidify the collaboration between the class groups over a number of weeks!
I found the ‘Weather Vs Climate’ resources to be very suitable as there can be confusion between the 2. The interactive map suggested on Climate.Copernicus.EU was very useful in showing how research and data can be used to tackle the problem of Climate Change!
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I enjoyed the content provided in module 1. There was excellent examples provided to explain the sometimes difficult concepts of weather and climate. I hope to use the ESA resources and adopt an across the curriculum approach to this. I like the activity on weather and climate. Getting the children to discuss this together should be interesting as to gain their response on their understanding of the topic. Allowing them to link weather to special events in their minds will help gain an insight on how weather can affect their lives, did it rain for my birthday? Did the weather affect our holidays? Snow days from school? Sports days? I think this is an excellent starting point on weather/climate as it makes it real for the kids and not just referring to the weather in general context. Pair -shared work could be very useful to allow the kids engage in meaningful conversation on the impact weather can have on their lives. I also like the idea of weather journals to help identify weather patterns and as a class activity, they could complete their own weather proverbs.
Becoming weather detectives looks a ideal lesson to help children get active in exploring weather and climate, I hope to set up a weather station in my classroom to collect data and display for all to study. I will be aiming to set up different weather instruments to carry out investigations. I will give the opportunity for children to take home the thermometer at the weekends and compare different readings. By doing so we will collecting a lot of data and this will give the children a good sense of responsibility. We will be using be maths and art to display the information gathered. We have weekly assembly’s in our school, I will the class opportunities to present the work they complete by being weather detectives.
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After reading the paper Unravelling STEM: Beyond the acronym of science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (Liston, 2018), I have formed many opinions and ideas which will prove helpful in my classroom this year and in the future. I will discuss these now.
It has been made clear that integration between subjects is essential. Children can make real life connections between aspects of the world. This is evident in this topic.
Out of the two resources provided, I have to say my favourite was the ‘nose up high in the sky’. Being split into three clear sections is useful and provides an organised lay out. This makes the resource more approachable for both student and teacher. This activity can be carried out for a number of weeks which will provide the children with many opportunities to engage in STEM. Creating a weather station is an amazing idea which the children will enjoy immensely.
Activity two is very interesting. This activity allows the children to work together and get outside to check the weather devices and to make their own weather devices.
Both resources will be beneficial in my third class this year, I am looking forward to using them.
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The ESA materials’ activities are perfect for use in the classroom. If I were to make use of these materials, I would begin by learning about the distinction between climate and weather. While it may seem clear to an adult, I assume that a small child would value further explanation of this idea. Next, I would try to establish a weather station in the schoolyard. Collaborating fosters collegiality and could improve the number of kids who gain from the trial. We would decide on a spot together; ideally, it would be distant from trees and houses.Next, we would spend money on equipment. Some of the equipment could be made, but this might be done as an after-school project to broaden the kids’ education. We would buy a wind vane, a rain gauge, and a thermometer. After that, we would proceed to gather information from our devices. This would require a recording. At this point, it would be wise to include community projects and parents in order to promote a sense of involvement and practical application.
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The ESA (“Nose Up High in the Sky” and “Weather vs Climate” ) resources and activities are fantastic and are practical and can easily be used within the classroom. I look forward to using the ESA resources in my classroom this coming academic year. The videos included in this module were also very relevant and engaging. If I were to set up a weather station in school, I feel that I would most definitely aim to involve all classes within the school and take a whole school approach to this. I would set up a little weather team and encourage all class levels to nominate a weather recorder who would be responsible for recording the weather each day for a period of time and each class would have a weather display in their room. In doing this I feel that there is ample opportunity for linkage in other subjects, such as data collection in maths and oral language opportunities in literacy.
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These resources are excellent and very clearly laid out for teachers to use. I definitely plan on creating a weather station in my school with input from all the class levels. I will get children to record the readings daily as a movement break. In addition to this I will use the resources in weather vs climate to teach the children the differences. I will use each lesson and their accompanying resources to help the children to thoroughly understand weather and how it affects the world around them. Their STEM skills will be developed at all levels of these lessons and they will foster a greater understanding of real-world weather data and reporting. This also builds on our BT Young scientist project from last year where we investigated “Does climate change mean we have to change our summer holidays?”. The children have a great interest in the climate and so will really enjoy these lessons.
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The activities in the ‘Weather V Climate’ pdf are very useful and child friendly. I like the questions that are suggested at the start for prompting the discussion of how the weather was on the child’s last birthday. For activity one I would have the children work in pairs and sort the statements in to weather or climate. For the weather detective activity again I would put the children in pairs. Then I would give each pair a different weather condition to record. When the weather conditions are assigned we would then speak about the equipment need to carry out their recording. We would discuss as a class if it possible to make the equipment ourselves like a rain gauge or if it is something we need to purchase such as a thermometer. We would then decide on how long we are going to record the conditions for and how we will record and report the data collected.
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The Esa resources are very detailed but I’m looking forward to using some of them in my classroom. I find particularly designing a weather station to be a fun and practical activity for the children. This is very revelant to STEM curriculum. It’s active and inquiry based. In groups children get a hands on approach to finding out about today’s weather. It’s also revelant to climate change. For example, how our weather is affecting the amount of bees, wasps and butterflies in our gardens/ classroom gardens this spring/ summer die to excessive rainfall due to climate change.
Using our senses is also a very practical and fun activity for children. By going out into the school play area/garden children get a realistic idea about the current weather.
I find also using proverbs to be fun for the younger children. They can also carry out some research and ask their parents/ grandparents about what proverbs they have used to describe the weather.
I will be using all these ESA activities in my classroom incorporating the STEM dept of Education guidelines
Laura Groarke
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I have found the resources, Nose Up high in the Sky and Weather vs Climate Understanding the difference between weather and climate from module 1 of this course to be useful and informative. I particularly like how both resources give adequate background information which can help and enpower me as a teacher to teach the topic competently.
Both resources promote a practical, active learning approach to teaching the topic of climate and weather to children in primary school. I am particularly drawn to Nose up in the Sky activity 3 and could see myself using this very successfully in my class.
I have never considered the idea of setting up a weather station in my class/school. However, I think this is an excellent idea. In my school I think it would work well to set this up outside my classroom. I would include a variety of weather devices which my class could make along with a display with information gathered and created by my students detailing the different weather devices. This would include step by step instructions on how to use them. This could be integrated with literacy and procedural writing. These devices could be shared and promoted to other classes in the school to use.
The weather station can also be integrated with Maths by using the display to detail and communicate weather data collected throughout the a number of weeks or even the year. It could also display climate data from Ireland and abroad over the course of a number of years and allow students to investigate climate zones. Students can compare and contrast changes in climate throughout the world.
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I have to say I found both resources given excellent. The background information and facts given provided a nice bit of information for the teacher. The lesson plans were clear and easy to follow and the worksheets provided were nicely laid out.
For the first resource (nose in the sky) I would:
· Ask the children to ask their parents/ grandparents for weather proverbs and then research the background of these in small groups and see what the truth is and if there is any science behind them.
· I would use the sensory weather observation worksheet. I would build a weather station on the school grounds also. The senior classes could make the instruments as instructed (rain gauge and wind speed). The younger classes could use the weather instruments that the school has. All classes would be invited to visit the station and use the weekly weather chart to record their findings. I liked the weather stamps provided too and I think the younger classes would use these.
For the second resource (Weather verses Climate)
· I would use the weather v climate statements and the worksheet to go with this activity.
· I liked the weather detectives activity and it would tie in nicely with the weather station above.
· I like the climate reporters activity and I would use the videos given : Paxi’s video about the Greenhouse effect’ and’ C35 Climate energy education demonstration’.
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I completely agree that the resources were fantastic. The weather proverbs idea is brilliant! It combines tradition with science in a really engaging way. I love the practical approach with the weather station too. It’s a perfect way to bring learning to life. I’m definitely going to try the weather detectives activity – sounds like a fun way to get kids thinking critically.
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<p style=”text-align: left;”>I also agree with the use of proverbs.English is so rich in it s context and I believe that is being lost with the considerable increase in technology and would be nice to bring back the tradition of the proverbs and use them while covering topics such as weathering and climate.</p>
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I found this module excellent and very informative. The resource weather vs climate is super and it explains through questioning and co-operative discussion what weather and climate is. The teacher will have to explain what weather and climate is before doing the worksheet. The worksheet is a very good reinforcement for the lesson and has could lead to some interesting discussions. Activity 2 is brilliant and I believe it could lead to lots of self-directed learners in the class. Pupils can take charge of the learning and results and measure the weather using various weather instruments. The teacher will need to explain how to record and use the weather instruments and facilitate the recording. Through good recording of the weather the pupils can then predict what the weather will be like.
I really enjoyed how these 2 worksheets were laid out but this on its own is not sufficient learning. The teacher still needs to explain key vocabulary and content. I liked the video about the greenhouse effect. This module did provide some great videos about weather and climate.
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Liston’s paper highlighted the importance of integrating STEM subjects for a holistic approach to learning. In my classroom, I’ve tried to incorporate STEM elements through designing and building models of bridges and buildings etc to explore structural integrity, strength, form and then report our findings. However, there’s definitely room for improvement in terms of making these connections more explicit.
The ESA resources on weather and climate are invaluable. The visual appeal of “Nose Up High in the Sky” would captivate my students, especially with its focus on satellite imagery. It’s a fantastic starting point to introduce weather phenomena. The contrast between weather and climate in the subsequent slide is clear and would be easy to adapt for different age groups.
A school weather station would be an ideal platform to apply STEM concepts. Students could design and build instruments, collect and analyse data, and use technology to visualise trends. In terms of the actual equipment I think there is a great learning opportunity in actually making a weather vane or an anemometer. This practical experience would solidify their understanding of weather patterns and climate change.
To engage the whole school, I’d create a weather club where students could take ownership of data collection and analysis. Perhaps the school could be split and each group given a season to report on by gathering data and using their new made weather tools/equipment. Collaborating with other teachers, we could incorporate weather-related projects across subjects. Sharing findings through school assemblies and digital platforms would foster a sense of community involvement in understanding our local climate.
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There’s endless opportunities to bring about fun learning to children in our schools and offer them a chance to direct their own learning particularly combing bio diversity, with climate change and using the STEM module. Weather Club is a fantastic idea and a long term goal could be to apply for the green schools flag or even make recordings and share them with the school each week.
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Hi Ger,
Thanks for your post, and welcome to the course.
I can see you have taken time to reflect on the true meaning of STEM based on Liston’s paper. Her work serves as a great reminder of how to deliver an effective and authentic STEM experience in the classroom. It’s great to see your continuous improvement mindset in terms of making connections more explicit, and from your post, it is clear that you are already active in working to achieve this through the activities you cover.
I love the idea of a weather club-what a great way to get learners excited about learning involving the whole school, and furthering reach through leveraging digital platforms to reach the broader community.
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‘STEM education is an interdisciplinary approach to learning that removes the traditional barriers separating the four disciplines of science, technology, engineering and mathematics and integrates them into real-world, rigorous and relevant learning experiences for students’ (Vasquez, Comer, & Sneider 2013). This quote has really resonated with me throughout the module. Instead of teaching each subject in isolation, STEM encourages a blend of concepts and skills from each area to solve practical and sometimes complex issues. There were such excellent resources available throughout the module which really focused on the real-world experiences of the child.
I loved the idea of setting up a weather station in the school grounds. It would be an engaging, hands-on educational experience that would foster a wide range of STEM skills. It would encourage students to observe, analyse and communicate weather and climate knowledge. It would also enable students to understand their environment better and engage in meaningful scientific inquiry.
The course really solidified the importance of being able to differentiate between weather and climate. The idea of recording the weather on the children’s birthdays and asking to interview family members to see if patterns emerged, brings the idea of engaging the children in real-world exploration. Also, the video clips throughout were very engaging and informative. I especially enjoyed the clip explaining how to decode the weather forecast. I will use this with my class in the coming year.
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Having engaged in both resources, I can see how they would be really effective and engaging in the classroom. I teach Senior Infants.
Firstly, the Nose up in the Sky resource. I love the idea of setting up a weather station in the classroom. It’s not something I had thought of. I will be honest and say I always have high hopes to talk about the weather each morning but sometimes it just doesn’t end up happening. Assigning children to look after the weather station is a great idea. The measuring of temperature, wind etc might be a bit tricky for senior infants but having a daily weather station would be great and prepare them for possibly doing those steps in 1st class.
The weather vs climate resource is very effective at helping children distinguish between weather and climate. I like the link to maths in getting average temperatures. I think this resource would work better in older classes. I did like how it included Paxi’s lesson about greenhouse gas for younger learners.
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I have read “Unravelling STEM: Beyond the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics” and discovered that there are many things required in order to teach STEM to an acceptable standard. The importance of cross circular is evident here as is the students ability to use technology . The resources as outlined o this module are beneficial to me as a teacher and I believe that I will be able to use the effectively to cover all abilities within the class.Students as a rsult will have a meaningful understanding of weather an climate both of which are so important at this time . Setting up a weather station would be something that the whole school would benefit from perhaps locatoing it beside our polytunnel.
Equipment such as rain gauge, thermometer, and anemometer for the children in my class to use would be ordered but a whole school activity can be done for this, as it is relevant to all. Junior and Senior can record the weather on a Monday,1st and 2nd on Tuesday 3rd and 4th on Wednesday and 5th and 6th on Thirsday with the special classes doing Friday.
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I have read “Unravelling STEM: Beyond the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics” and discovered that there are many things required in order to teach STEM to an acceptable standard. The importance of cross circular is evident here as is the students ability to use technology . The resources as outlined o this module are beneficial to me as a teacher and I believe that I will be able to use the effectively to cover all abilities within the class.Students as a rsult will have a meaningful understanding of weather an climate both of which are so important at this time . Setting up a weather station would be something that the whole school would benefit from perhaps locatoing it beside our polytunnel.
Equipment such as rain gauge, thermometer, and anemometer for the children in my class to use would be ordered but a whole school activity can be done for this, as it is relevant to all. Junior and Senior can record the weather on a Monday,1st and 2nd on Tuesday 3rd and 4th on Wednesday and 5th and 6th on Thursday with the special classes doing Friday.
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Hi Caroline
Welcome to the course. I am glad that you have enjoyed the first module and are confident that you can use the resources to round out your teaching of STEM and provide a more inclusive and interactive STEM experience for your pupils. Hopefully you will find lots more inspiration in the rest of the course for inquiry based STEM integrated with all other aspects of the curriculum. I like the idea of involving all classes in your weather station with each class being responsible for recording the weather on a different day of the week.
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The ESA Nose up high in the sky resources were excellent tools to link and integrate all subjects areas together. The idea of including proverbs and senses is excellent to get the children involved in the ever-changing discussions of day to day weather. The lessons develop the children’s conversational skills, cognitive thinking, appreciation of the world around them as they compare weather and climate as well as problem solving skills.
I loved the idea of the children comparing weather on their birthdays or comparing weather in one country to another during the different seasons. Using their birthday in the subject matter fosters a sense of pride and importance to motivate the children to enjoy reflecting on the lessons as a class.I found the Weather V’s Climate resource very useful to help differentiate and compare the two, as it can be confusing for children. It’s also a great tool to develop the children’s geographical skills and become more aware and appreciative of the world around them. The activities and experiments based on this is very hand-on and stimulating.
The idea of the weather station is fantastic and as mentioned by a participant could prove a great success if implemented and monitored by the green school committee with a representative from each class.
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Hi Carmel,
Welcome to the course and thank you for sharing your thoughts on this module. I have to admit I do like covering the topic of weather and climate with my own classes as there is so much scope for exploring it across other curricular areas such as proverbs and weather lore that you mentioned in History and also exploring the data from their own weather station in Maths.
Developing the weather station with the green schools committee is also a great opportunity to get more pupils and classes involved as each member of the committee can share the information back with their own class.
I hope you enjoy the course.
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The ESA resources offer excellent activities for classroom use, with a clear and practical layout. If I were to incorporate these into my teaching, I would begin by exploring the distinction between weather and climate. Although this difference may be clear to adults, it’s a concept that young children could benefit from understanding more deeply.
Weather station – I would aim to establish a weather station in the school sensory garden. The first step would be to assemble my class and the classes of those collaborating. Collaborating in this way not only fosters teamwork and cooperation, but also broadens the effectiveness of the activity, allowing more students to engage in the learning.
Instruments such as a thermometer, rain gauge, and wind vane are essential to the activity. These items would be discussed with children beforehand, how they work and what their functions are. Once the instruments are in place, we would start collecting and recording data. We would also have some parents or members of the local community centre to work with the children, fostering collaboration and relationships between school and community.
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Hi Luke,
Welcome to the course and thanks for sharing your thoughts on module 1.
I agree that the ESA resources are practical and easy to adapt to use in any classroom. It is important to explicitly teach the difference between climate and weather, as you have mentioned it is not a concept that younger children understand fully. I like how you plan to work collaboratively across the school in establishing a weather station for all pupils to engage. The pupils will be really engaged when they can collect their own data and that could be used in integration with maths. I like how you plan to develop this within the wider school community also.
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I found the paper ‘Unravelling STEM: Beyond the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics’ to be so interesting. I had never thought of engineering as the glue that ties STEM subjects together. I agree that it is so often overlooked. I also was particularly struck by the mention of the need to improve the gender gap in the STEM workplace. Girls tend to do better academically at this age so it would be wonderful to harness this at primary school level in the hope it would narrow the gap in the future.
Weather and Climate is a topic I cover every year in 4th so I was delighted with this module as I now have so many new resources to use. The videos and resources that were provided to explain weather and climate were so informative. They were also very age-appropriate and user-friendly, my class will love them. They will also love the hands on activities and checking the various weather apparatus each day will be great fun.
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Hi Susan,
Welcome to the course and thank you for sharing your thoughts on this module. The article from Liston does encourage us to reflect on our own practice in the classroom and how we can develop the engineering for all pupils. From participating in Science Blast I often found it was the girls in my class who actually presented the project better, so it was encouraging to see more girls in STEM, I hope this continues for them.
I also love teaching the topic of weather with my own class and have used many resources from this course in the lessons, my own class have really enjoyed the hands on activities and recording their own data which makes these topics more meaningful for the pupils.
I hope you enjoy the course.
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Stem education within the classroom provides children the opportunity to become innovative thinkers and fosters collaborative thinking in the group setting. A classroom where STEM leads many activities shows children using many different resources and engaging with each other in their creativity. According to the article, in order for STEM to be a success within the classroom it is important to remove traditional barriers which separate the four disciplines of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Real world learning experiences are vital for the proper use of STEM within the classroom. Examples of these making a hydrometer to measure humidity, create a watercycle model, make your own barometer to measure atmospheric pressure. Engineering must lie at the heart of all STEM activities . According to the article many examples of STEM activities are scientifically based with very little emphasis on design, engineering or real world application. The ESA resources provide an opportunity for all students to gain knowledge of what weather is and how it can be measured using STEM.
Within my 3rd class I would begin with weather observation and creating a word wall to describe the weather. The class would be broken up into groups of 4 and each group would create an instrument for measuring the weather. Our weather station would be set up outside our window and the groups would take turns in observing and recording the weather each morning . These recording could be further recorded on a chart and presented to the whole school in assembly. A short powerpoint could be presented in assembly to provide information to the whole school on how the students recorded the weather over a two week period. Science- measuring the temperature/ engineering – designing and creating all instruments for recording the weather . Technology- researching how to create the instruments and creating a chart of recording on the computer. Maths- measuring weather changes.
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Hi Caitriona,
Welcome to the course and thank you for sharing your thoughts on module 1.
Liston’s article does provide for some reflection of our own classroom practice and how to develop it further with links to real life engineering to make activities more meaningful. I like your ideas on developing this with a focus on weather.
Exploring the weather is a great topic at any level and I like how you plan to develop topic specific vocabulary within the topic. Encouraging the class to record their own data and share with the school during assembly will also provide them with opportunities to take responsibility for their own learning and also encourage other classes to record the weather also. Lots of great ideas, thanks for sharing.
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Is it weather or climate? Pupils analyse different statements about weather and climate and examine images of different places on Earth with different climates. Pupils learn the difference between weather and climate and understand that the Earth can be divided into climate zones with different.
I think this is a very nice way for the children to learn about weather and climate. In my earlier teaching career, when teaching Science, I probably rushed through a lot of the scientific skills such as making a prediction etc. Questioning is such an important scientific skill, and this lesson enables children to question and discuss the differences between climate and weather. A simple question such as ‘What is the weather like today’ is a good starting point. While discussing how climate is the weather of a specific region averaged over a long period of time.
Weather Detectives Students collect temperature data for a period. Afterwards, collected data is graphed and averages are calculated. Pupils learn skills in data collection and practice handling data mathematically.
I like this lesson as again they get to discuss in pairs what is needed to measure temperature. There are excellent cross curricular skills here too as the data collected is graphed and to extend learning, children can work out the average temperature over a certain period. -
I believe that both activities are as excellent introductions to weather for any class level, encouraging children to explore weather through an investigative approach.
Activity One: This activity promotes open-ended thinking and collaborative group work. It also introduces the topic of global warming, which we will have a class discussion about trying to gauge their PRK on the topic. Also I would perhaps do construction projects, allowing children to create their own weather instruments, such as a rain gauge or a wind vane.
Activity Two: Similarly, this activity allows strong group collaboration, requiring children to share ideas and work together. For younger classes, this activity could be adapted by pairing them with an older class, allowing them to work together.
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I thoroughly enjoyed the content of the first module in this course. The module, along with the ESA resources provided, is exceptionally detailed and will be invaluable when teaching my fifth class this year. I appreciate the differentiation opportunities this topic offers, and the module has effectively provided the scope to teach across various levels.
The ‘Nose Up High in the Sky’ resource, thoughtfully organized and divided into three activities, will make the lessons practical and easy to follow. I plan to pre-teach the three activities to my sixth class and then select a third or fourth class for them to collaborate with. Additionally, I really liked the resource link about the science behind proverbs. This could easily be integrated into a visual arts lesson, where students create posters based on the proverbs. Using stations to teach weather would further reinforce learning and ensure that a broader range of topics is covered.
I found the ‘Weather vs. Climate’ resources particularly suitable, as students can often confuse the two concepts. Helping children differentiate between weather and climate from a young age will empower them to take ownership of their learning before transitioning to secondary school. The interactive map suggested on Climate.Copernicus.EU was an excellent tool for demonstrating how research and data can be used to address Climate Change. By incorporating digital technology, students could undertake a project over an extended period of time whilst making the activity cross curricular. -
I love how interactive both resources are: Nose up in the sky and Weather versus Climate. The activities associated with Nose up in the sky can are so adaptable and can used for a wide range of class groups. The activities are engaging and thought provoking and, in my opinion, will lead to deep and meaningful conversations with the children. I thoroughly liked the activity with the proverbs as it is cross curricular and will benefit children who might struggle with writing. I cannot wait to try these activities with my class in the coming year.
One of the key aspects of Weather versus climate that really stood out to me, is how clearly and simply it explains the difference between both as a lot of people (adults) still struggle with the misconception. I like how the children can use ICT to capture the results that they have gathered and analyse them. -
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Activity 1: Is it weather or climate?
“Weather versus Climate” effectively distinguishes between the concepts of weather and climate, emphasising that weather refers to short-term atmospheric conditions while climate describes long-term patterns. It provides clear examples and visuals, helping learners grasp the differences and their significance in understanding Earth’s atmospheric systems. The resource is well-structured, making complex topics accessible to students and is a valuable tool for teaching fundamental meteorological concepts.
Activity 2: Weather Detectives
“The Weather Detectives” is an excellent educational tool that brings weather science to life in the classroom. It encourages students to engage in active inquiry by investigating real weather phenomena, fostering critical thinking and analytical skills. The resource is well-structured, with clear instructions and age-appropriate content, making it easy to integrate into the curriculum. It’s a hands-on approach that effectively deepens students’ understanding of weather patterns and their causes.
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Hi Claire
I’m glad you enjoyed those resources. The first step in understanding the processes that cause Climate Change and the science behind it is understanding the difference between weather and climate. It is a distinction that many adults don’t seem to have grasped so it is very important to explain the difference to children before moving on to study Climate Change. Involving the children in gathering their own weather data is part of this process. By gathering data they learn to understand how weather data is compiled.
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2. . Complete the following sentences using your own words.
Weather A, D,F,H & I
Climate B, C,E &G
Weather is changes in weather patterns over a short time span such as minutes , hours and days.
Climate is looking at weather patterns on a long term basis usually taking into consideration the average weather over 30 years
3. Discuss the following sentence with your classmates: Climate scientists say that the temperature is increasing but the weather today is rainy and cold
Weather temperature is increasing and causing ice caps to melt which brings about more high pressures
What do you need to remember before starting to take measurements? Discuss with your classmates and note below what steps are necessary for your investigation. Think about what instrument you want to use for your observations and what else you need to take into consideration
A thermometer is required to take measurements. • It is important to make sure that the temperature measurements are taken in the same place and at the same time every day (preferably at noon). • The location should be shaded (so that the Sun does not heat the thermometer directly,) and well-ventilated, such that the wind can blow freely (not in a porch or a partially-covered shed, for example). It is also important that the measurements are not accidentally tampered with, for example by holding the thermometer in warm hands. The thermometer will also need some time out in the air – about five minutes – for it to adjust properly to the actual outdoor temperature.
Stem in the classroom is allowing the child to become a confident, individual learner with an inquisitive mind. Children come across many problems and having the correct tools as outlined in STEM, the children can solve their own problems and record their findings. STEM is divided into four categories to help the children solve real problems. Stern is enhanced in the classroom through a variety of media, such as the use of IT but we must also remember to offer the child a concrete tool in order to enhance their learning.
In order to enhance the learning of my students, I would use a buddy system with senior classes and my ASD class to help with some of the problems the children may face
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Having read Unravelling STEM: Beyond the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering, and
Mathematics. I have become enthused about incorporating more opportunities for exploration particularly in my ASD classroomStem in the classroom is allowing the child to become a confident, individual learner with an inquisitive mind. Children come across many problems and having the correct tools as outlined in STEM, the children can solve their own problems and record their findings. STEM is divided into four categories to help the children solve real problems. Stern is enhanced in the classroom through a variety of media, such as the use of IT but we must also remember to offer the child a concrete tool in order to enhance their learning.
In order to enhance the learning of my students, I would use a buddy system with senior classes and my ASD class to help with some of the problems the children may face
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Hi Claire,
Welcome to the course and thanks for sharing your own thoughts on this module.
Within an ASD classroom there are opportunities to explore STEM based activities and allow for the pupils to engage with STEM in approaches suitable for their needs while also making links to real life experience. The concrete tools will be an important part of this process as you have mentioned. Within my own school we had buddies with my senior class and the autism class for engineers week where they worked together with lots of materials to build a bridge. This would depend on each individual class but it can work well.
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“Unravelling STEM: Beyond the Acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics” (2018) is a an excellent eye opener for me as an NQT into the world of STEM. The paper provides useful ideas for both teachers and students, including how to create meaningful STEM experiences that involve problem-solving and real-world applications. Inspired by this, I plan to work with my 2nd class to build a weather station. This project will give students a chance to explore STEM concepts in a practical, hands-on way, such as understanding weather patterns, data collection, and data analysis using our school’s tablets. Students can work together in groups or pairs and share their findings which will enhance their communication skills.
I am immediately drawn to picturing weather from a day in your past such as on your birthday. The activity is both engaging and practical, allowing students to record and analyse data which is relatable to their own lives.
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This module was very useful in providing a wide range of ideas and resources to support children of all ages to explore weather and climate. I really liked the interactive and engaging video explaining the difference between weather and climate which in my experience is a concept that children can sometimes find difficult to grasp.
I think the ‘ESA nose up high in the sky’ is a really valuable resource in promoting rich discussions amongst the children about weather. It also provides great scope for integration across different curricular areas which facilitates children to explore these ideas on a deeper level. I think creating a weather station is a particularly meaningful idea as it gives children the opportunity to have ownership of their own learning and they would love how active and engaging it is whilst also fostering their skillset in the areas of STEM.
Reflecting on ‘Unravelling STEM: Beyond the Acronym’ it reminded me of the importance of engineering in STEM activities and how often activities can be incorrectly labelled as STEM. Upon reading Liston’s paper what really resonated with me was the emphasis on providing the children with real-life meaningful experiences which I think both ‘Is it weather or climate?’ and ‘Weather Detectives’ provide.-
Hi Aimee and welcome to the course.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on module one. There are many great resources within this module and across the course to explore with your own class.
I agree that the difference between weather and climate can be a difficult concept for pupils and as you have mentioned the videos and resources allow for great discussion and exploring these concepts to develop understanding. The creation of a weather station will allow for real life connections with the topic and from creating weather instruments with my own class this is something they really engage with. They also loved having their own data to use in maths.
I hope you enjoy the course.
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This article discusses the growing importance of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education, emphasizing its role in developing critical skills like creativity, problem-solving, and communication. It argues that true STEM education integrates these disciplines into real-world, interdisciplinary learning experiences, rather than treating them as separate subjects.
I really appreciate how interactive both resources are: “Nose Up in the Sky” and “Weather versus Climate.” The activities linked with “Nose Up in the Sky” can be tailored to suit a wide range of classroom groups. They are engaging and thought-provoking. I particularly enjoyed the activity involving proverbs, as it integrates multiple subjects and will be especially beneficial for children who may find writing challenging.
What really impressed me about “Weather versus Climate” is how effectively it clarifies the difference between the two concepts, especially since many people still struggle with this misunderstanding. I appreciate how the children can use ICT to record and analyse the data they collect. -
<p style=”text-align: left;”>This module “Unravelling STEM: Beyond the Acronym of science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics” ( 2018) was very interesting and will be of great value to me when teaching 1st class about weather and climate this coming school year. The videos are very engaging and the children will really enjoy them and the songs also.</p>
The ESA resource: Nose up high in the sky is a fantastic resource.. it provides plenty of scope, great ideas and can be used across the curriculum also. I think the idea of setting up a weather station in the school is brilliant.. it would be a great whole school activity. I also think the children will love being Weather Detectives , especially in the Junior end of the school – a great idea for aistear and other role play.On relection, one part of the module really got me thinking… do I focus enough on the engineering aspect of STEM activities and lessons in my own classroom.. from reading Listons paper I could see the importance of providing my class with real life activities to really get them to learn and be more focused on this area.
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After reviewing the paper “Unravelling STEM: Beyond the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics”, it is imperative that we try to inspire creative, critical thinkers and problem solvers in our classrooms. These particular skills are crucial to enable children to grow in the area of STEM. I believe that STEM can be taught through hands-on approaches and through active learning.
Activity 1: This is a fantastic activity which allows students to differentiate easily between weather and climate through classroom discussions. I think that contextualising the weather back to their personal lives (their own birthdays) will help the children understand the clear difference between climate and weather. I like the option of extension for older pupils.
Activity 2: I love the idea of setting up a weather station within the grounds of your school. Also, the opportunity for the students to create their own weather instruments makes learning about weather far more playful and enjoyable for the children. This is an activity which every class in your school would benefit from. It is a fantastic way to integrate all the skills mentioned in the paper “Unraveling STEM: Beyond the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics” and provides plenty of opportunities for problem solving, creativity and child-led inquiry.
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Having engaged with the paper, ‘Unravelling STEM: Beyond the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics’, and also the Weather and Climate activities, I have really deepened my understanding of STEM. These resources have provided me with a wide repertoire of practical, hands-on tasks which I look forward to implementing in the classroom in the coming year. I am particularly more aware of the ‘Engineering’ aspect of STEM education and the importance of actually inventing/ creating a product to solve a problem, i.e. taking action. Admittedly, I have undertaken more STEM activities with older classes, due to their abilities and complexity of content, however, module one has already opened my eyes to the opportunities for STEM across multiple subject areas at virtually all class levels. For instance, I had never considered constructing a weather station before. Engaging children in such activities in primary school fosters their critical thinking, problem-solving, creativity, teamwork, etc., while also facilitating cross-curricular integration.
Activity 1:
I particularly like the introduction of the lesson, in which children discuss the weather on their birthdays. This would genuinely stimulate the children’s interests and consolidate the learning that weather is constantly changing. I like the way in which pairs must categorise the statements into weather vs. climate, as this promotes collaboration, critical thinking and active learning.Activity 2:
Setting up a weather station is an exciting approach to developing understanding about the weather. Firstly, the homemade equipment is sustainable, economical and convenient to create, while also instilling a sense of autonomy in the students. Above all else, the students would relish the opportunity to monitor the weather and observe their learning in a real-world scenario, e.g. noting the water level in a rain gauge. I think it would be worthwhile to spend time teaching children (and teachers) across the school how to use and respect the equipment. -
Following my engagement with this module and with “Unravelling STEM: Beyond the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics” it is evident the vast opportunities to engage with cross-curricular activities such as science and maths. Within this module I was introduced to a wide range of resources which can be utilised in various ways within the classroom across all class levels. As I teach in the older end of the school and engaged with many hands-on, enquiry-based STEM activities this year it was enjoyable learning about the various adaptations that can be used when teaching younger classes during this module. The resourced that I engaged with provided a in-depth and practical activities which I will definitely be using in future lessons.
During activity one, “Is it weather or climate?” I particularly liked the introduction as I think using the children’s birthdays is a great way to spark their interest in the topic of weather, it makes the lesson more personal and allowing the children to discuss the weather in groups or pairs would really encourage cooperative learning in the classroom. I also enjoyed the sorting activity, here the children could discuss their understanding on the difference between weather and climate, here, the children would be developing their oral language skills also and their reasoning skills.
Activity two, “Weather Detectives” is an excellent, hands-on means in which children can record and investigate the weather. I think it provides children with autonomy over their own learning and gives them a sense of responsibility in ensuring the temperature is not tampered with and retrieving accurate readings each day. Noting their own results will aid them in their understanding of weather and it will also help them explore the difference between weather in the present moment and how this differs from climate.
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STEM in my classroom is evolving from what 20 odd years ago when I started teaching when I would have taught it as a very stand alone area. I now try to investigate a topic over a number of weeks throughout a number of subject areas. Weather and Climate was part of our curriculum this year in 5th class. I have gotten so many great ideas from the module and by completing the activities which will be very useful. It is vital to get the children actively learning and making a weather station and observing the weather in real time will really bring this topic to life for them. Also getting the whole school involved in such a project would be very beneficial. We could also get our Green Schools committee involved in helping with constructing our weather station and helping to record readings. I also like to use Minecraft to build and explore ideas and possible future inventions which will help with protecting our environment. This might be an idea to expand on the learning from the activities.
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STEM lessons are interactive and enjoyable in my classroom and usually take place within another subject as I find it easiest to integrate them into SESE, English Genre writing, Aistear etc. Examples are science activities, planting flowers, fruits and vegetables with younger classes and the incredible years I have done in the past with older classes. Blending colours is an activity that I’ve explored with first and second class. Simple block/structure building was used as an activity in infants during engineering week. Digital storytelling and interactive educational apps are two examples of technology that we use during our ipad time on a Wednesday. Mathematics is integrated with counting games, sorting objects, and recognizing shapes in the environment and especially during maths week when we go on shape hunts. During Active schools week we bring in STEM into our orienteering also with problem solving being the main skill being worked on. In the past we have bought weather recording instruments however after this module I have google how to make them and it’s quite easy and the items/resources necessary are all ones we would have around the house. I’ll definitely use these ideas in the future as the STEM activities mentioned would be engaging for children of all ages and would foster curiosity and problem-solving skills too.
Activity 1: This is a great exercise to help students understand how weather and climate are not the same thing. I think using their everyday life e.g. days of the week, christmas, birthday, halloween, easter etc as a way to understand weather would help them but then using different countries/states/continents etc to understand climate might assist them.
Activity 2: Setting up a weather station offers the children a dynamic way to understanding weather. Homemade equipment is sustainable and as mentioned above after googling on youtube how to make the instruments it’s more cost-effective. Most importantly, students always love when they are given a job and will enjoy monitoring the weather, like tracking water levels in a rain gauge, recording what direction the wind is going in etc.
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Dr. Liston’s paper ‘Unravelling STEM: Beyond the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics’ prompts us as teachers to clearly reflect on what STEM means and how each element is as important as the other. In order for an activity to be truly STEM, integration across the four elements is essential. Engineering is a vital approach which helps binds together science, maths and technology. I found the pen analogy helpful in looking at technology not only as ‘a plug in’ but a manmade device that fulfils a human needs or want.
In First Class, my pupils measured rain fall using a class made rain gauge. We also collaborated with Third Class. First Class read the temperature each day and Third Class took the results over a few weeks and analysed the data using graphs. Setting up a school Met. Station is a great way to promote outdoor learning. By encouraging children to become weather detectives, they are developing problem solving and critical thinking skills also.
I found the ESA resources very practical. I look forward to using the ‘Nose Up high in the Sky’ activities. There is potential for linkage with Gaeilge, history and the local weather proverbs. Grandparents and older people often have great sayings relating to the weather. -
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Having reviewed the paper it is clear that STEM in the classroom is when the children take a hands-on approach to problem solving. Rather than teaching the answers, the teacher provides opportunities for the children to explore and investigate different projects and by doing so have a better understanding as they learn by doing.
Activity 1 – is it weather or climate?
This activity is a great way to introduce the topic. You can do a think pair share on what they think the difference is before eventually explaining weather is over a short period where as climate is measured over a longer period. You can then move onto different climate zones using the map and having the children guess where each one goes.Activity 2 – weather detectives
Following on from first activity, introduce different ways/instruments to measure weather/climate. Show the children how they work and then discuss areas around the school where we could set these devices up. Discuss all varying factors of different locations and how much one area could impact the results for example temperature – in a warm sun trap vs. a well ventilated area. In groups then the children can take measurements at the same time each day for a period of 2-4 weeks and discuss their findings. A further lesson can be spent making such instruments like a rain gauge.-
Hi Keith
Yes true STEM learning is about allowing children to take an active part in their own learning and allowing them to learn by trying things out, experimenting, designing and finding solutions. By allowing them to research information, explore materials and engaging in active learning and discussion, they will gain more skills and knowledge than if they were just passively absorbing information. As you have said, the activities in this module are great examples of this learning approach where children get to bring their own ideas and discuss what they already know before engaging in a process that allows them to increase their understanding. Discussing the placement of each weather instrument with the children is a great example of this. Rather than the teacher saying we will place the rain gauge in this location and giving reasons for it, the children can discuss as a class how the rain gauge will work and what it needs to do before deciding on a location to place it. If they choose an unsuitable location, they will learn by trial and error why it was unsuitable.
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The ESA resources offer excellent classroom activities that are well-structured and practical. If I were to use these materials, I would begin by exploring the difference between weather and climate, a concept that may not be obvious to younger students. Following this, I would aim to set up a weather station in the school garden. My first step would be to form a small team, even if it’s just one other teacher. Collaborating like this promotes teamwork and increases the number of students who can benefit from the project. Together, we would select an appropriate location, ideally away from buildings and trees. We would then invest in equipment, such as a thermometer, rain gauge, and wind vane. While some of the equipment could be handmade, this could serve as an additional activity to deepen the students’ understanding. After setting up, we would begin collecting and recording data. Involving parents and community groups at this stage would enhance the project by providing real-world context and encouraging community engagement.
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After reading Liston’s paper “Unravelling STEM Beyond the Acronym of Science, Technology and Mathematics” It reminded me of the importance and usefulness of using a STEM approach and fostering learning opportunities in everything around us. For e.g. looking at the simple pencil.
I want to foster this in my classroom and present children with the opportunities to use as a methodology going forward. I really like the activities outlined in the Weather v Climate ESA resource. Analyzing is it Weather or Climate? and becoming weather detectives themselves. The collaborative investigations are what using STEM is all about and could turn into a whole school activity where the senior classes could buddy up with the junior end to create weather recording resources and the junior end could reading/record a weather diary from the created resources. I like the way the children can created their own weather recording devices e.g. rain gauge/anemometer. In the older class groups children could analyse e data they recorded with MET Eireann info or using real weather devices already in the school.
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The Liston 2018 paper focuses on so many worthwhile aspects of STEM education in the classroom:
-Take maths and science concepts and delve deep into understanding them.
-Ask key questions as learners (what causes this to happen? how does this happen? Etc.) and teachers (e.g. what do you think? Why do you think this? Where is the evidence for your thinking? Etc.)
-Develop a set of problem solving steps
-Use teamwork to tackle STEM projects
-Use technology to engage with STEM projects
-View STEM positively as the key to the door of future employment and careersThe design and development of a meteorological station is a very creative activity. Group work skills are enhanced as children collaborate in the actual construction of the following: an anemometer (to measure the wind speed), a rain gauge (to measure rainfall). Taking personal responsibility to take measurements at least once per day is a very worthwhile aspect for children to develop.
A weather station that is strategically positioned so as to have visibility for the whole school community expands teaching and learning opportunities for all. Senior classes can ‘buddy’ with younger classes to explain and share knowledge. A senior class could explain to a middle class how the weather station highlights the definition of weather as the state of the atmosphere at a particular place and time. The term climate can be referenced as the average weather data taken over a longer time period. Herein lies mathematical language such as average, measure etc.
Resources which are useful for the creation of a weather station include: how to make an anemometer and a rain gauge.
The use of topic specific vocabulary enhance literacy skills and incorporates well known and less well known weather proverbs.
Skills fostered would include the following:
Working scientifically: by questioning, observing, predicting, investigating, estimating, measuring and analysing
Designing and making: exploring, planning, making and evaluating-
Hello Martina, I really like the idea of have the weather station strategically positioned so that the whole-school can become engaged in activities as weather is a topic that all students can engage with at different levels. Also I agree that an older paired class can be hugely beneficial to the success of the data gathering and interpreting.
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I really enjoyed the introduction to this course via Module one. Both Activities 1 and 2 – Weather v Climate and Weather Detectives are very engaging and interactive. They will lend well to class learning and I think they will lead to a deeper discussion within the class.
I liked the proverbs lesson as it is interesting and cross curricular. I will used this.
I did make a rain gauge before with the class but looking at a number of Weather systems going forward and creating a Weather station within the school grounds is an excellent concept and one which I will put into practice this year. We are a senior school starting from 3rd and are lucky enough to have lovely land around our school. I think I will create a Weather station with the children up on a height near the polytunnels as while we are watering and weeding we can check in on the weather.
Creating the instruments together will be fun and a great way to incorporate STEM into the classroom. I loved the videos and songs about Weather at the start of this module. I will purchase one piece of equipment for the station as that what funds would probably allow for and then the children csn get creative in groups, make our own instruments and become weather detectives. There’s a lot of learning with this.
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Thank you for sharing your thoughts.I’m glad to hear that you found the activities in Module One engaging and that you plan to use them in your class. It sounds like your school’s outdoor space provides a fantastic opportunity to create a Weather Station, which will definitely enhance the students’ learning experience.
Incorporating the proverbs lesson is a great idea, especially as it ties into cross-curricular learning. Your plan to integrate STEM by building instruments with the students and allowing them to get creative with their weather devices is both practical and educational. Even with limited funds, the approach of combining purchased equipment with student-made instruments will provide hands-on experience and a lot of valuable learning.
It’s great to see your enthusiasm for these activities, and I’m sure your students will enjoy and benefit from them as much as you anticipate!
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Hi Hilary,
Welcome to the course and I am glad that you have enjoyed this module. It sounds like you have a great opportunity to develop a weather station in your school grounds and having it next to the poly tunnel will ensure that children can engage with the weather station on a regular basis.
The pupils will enjoy creating their own weather instruments and it allows them to take ownership of their learning too. My own class made anemometers last year and were really excited to use them particularly on a windy day.
I hope you enjoy the course.
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These are excellent resources that will enhance my teaching and provide meaningful, hands-on learning opportunities for my students. It is important to highlight the value of integrating STEM activities with other areas of the curriculum, such as literacy and numeracy, and the importance of getting students engaged with real-world, practical tasks.
The ESA “Nose Up High in the Sky” resource shows how it can offer a comprehensive learning experience that goes beyond just science. By involving students in activities like creating a weather station and recording their observations, we can help them develop not only STEM skills but also critical thinking, problem-solving, and data analysis skills.
The “Weather Detectives” activity, with its focus on outdoor learning and the use of everyday materials to create weather instruments, seems particularly engaging for primary school children. The hands-on aspect, combined with the opportunity to observe and record real-time data, makes it an ideal way to teach concepts like weather and climate in a way that’s both accessible and enjoyable for young learners.
The activities being adaptable to different age groups is key. Differentiation is crucial in any classroom
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While reading the paper, it is clear that when engaging in STEM it is vital to provide hands on practical activities for the children. This will encourage active learning and allow the children to take responsibility and make actual discoveries.
What I liked about the nose up in the sky resource is that it is something that could easily be integrated into the daily routine of the classroom. The measuring rain, checking the thermometer etc. could be a weekly job role. Integrated with maths through table records, the children will take responsibility for record keeping and analysis. I will be teaching First Class this year and I feel this is something that could be easily adapted to their age group, maybe focusing on one measurement at a time/ getting assistance from older students initially. There is a great opportunity here to integrate learning, perhaps through stories, art etc.
Weather vs climate offers some excellent resources (vidoeos, worksheet templates etc) and plans for all age groups. While some parts of this may be challenging for my younger class (the concept of climate, weather detectives) I feel that I could make use of Pax’s greenhouse effect video for engaging a discussion about climate change. I also found a lot of the videos in the module would be very beneficial in engaging in more in depth discussions about weather. Sometimes, with the younger classes, these discussions can jus be “it is hot/cold/wet today” etc. and not encourage the children to engage in active discovery.-
Hi Niamh,
Welcome to the course and thank you for sharing your thoughts on this module. Recording the data from weather instruments can easily become part of the classroom routine as you have mentioned. I had a class where we recorded the weather every day at 12 over the course of the month, the first year we did this in February and the following year we did it in October, then we could compare the results. This was a middle class and as you have said it might be easier to introduce one measurement at a time in your own class. I agree that there are so many resources in this module to make the weather topic more interactive and allow for active discovery. I hope you enjoy the rest of this course.
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I liked going through the ESA resources. The lessons on “Nose up in the Sky” and the concepts for teaching weather and climate were both very helpful, teacher-friendly, and would undoubtedly be entertaining for students in my class.
The fact that these recourses are available in nine various languages is excellent considering the modern day classroom.
The lesson on weather proverbs in “Nose up in the Sky” was excellent. I see myself using it with my first class. It will be a great addition to language lessons. I found the list of 22 proverbs a great addition. In particular I liked the proverb “Seagull seagull sit on the sand, it is never good weather when your on land” as you can really visualize the proverb and I think this would appeal well to children. I find proverbs a great way of learning as the children will remember the proverbs for years to come. There is also great scope for learning from parents and grandparents proverbs.-
Hi Shane,
Welcome to the course and thanks for sharing your thoughts on the resources in this module. It is important to teach the differences between weather and climate and as you have said the resource is very teacher friendly to explore this concept and relate it to the lives of the pupils in your class.
I agree that proverbs and weather lore allow for integration with History and getting older members of the family involved to recall weather lore they may have known. I did this with my own senior class this year and it worked really well. Our favourite one was Rain by seven, fine by eleven. Just in time for break.
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The paper highlights that STEM education must go beyond the mere integration of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. It emphasizes critical thinking, problem-solving, and real-world applications. In my classroom, STEM is integrated through inquiry-based learning, where students engage in hands-on projects that address real-world challenges, fostering innovation and collaboration.
The ESA resources, “NOSE UP HIGH IN THE SKY” and “Weather VS Climate,” offer engaging activities to explore atmospheric science. Setting up a weather station on school grounds would allow students to collect real-time data, differentiating between weather and climate, thereby reinforcing STEM skills such as data analysis, engineering design, and technological proficiency.
I would lead by encouraging students to present their findings through interactive school displays, fostering collective learning. Collaborative projects, such as creating weather reports, would also be an excellent way to engage the broader school community, enhancing both scientific literacy and communication skills.
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This paper delves into the multifaced nature of STEM education, moving beyond the mere acronym to explore the interconnectedness and real world applications of these disciplines. Liston’s work shed light on the importance of integrating science, technology, engineering and mathematics in a holistic manner. It also highlights how STEM education can prepare pupils for complexities of the modern world and addresses global challenges such as climate change.
The Two resources Nose up in the sky and Weather vs Climate are both engaging and educational, offering valuable insights into space exploration, weather monitoring and climate sciences. Nose up in the sky focuses on space exploration and astronomy encouraging curiosity about the universe. Then Weather vs Climate compares weather patterns and trends. These activities are great and I will use these in the classroom. When setting up a weather station I would gather essential equipment that will measure the temperature, rain and air and place them in a designated outdoor area that it easily accessible to the pupils to record the data. I would get the children to keep a weather journal for all information collected.
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Hi Shauna,
Welcome to the course and thanks for sharing your thoughts on this module. Liston’s paper would encourage reflection of our own approach to STEM education in the classroom to fully integrate all areas within STEM.
Weather V Climate is a great resource to explore and teach the difference between the two concepts. Setting up a weather station in an outdoor area would ensure that it is accessible for all, as you have mentioned. I also like your idea of a weather journal for pupils to keep a record of the data.
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Liston’s paper ‘Unravelling STEM: Beyond the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics’ prompts us to reflect the differences between labelled STEM activities and truly incorporated STEM activities. I found the explanation of technology very informative and there are lots of opportunities to link inquiry based STEM activities with the problem solving focus of the new maths curriculum.
The ‘Nose Up High in the Sky’ and ‘Weather vs Climate’ resources are excellent and I’ll definitely use the ideas with my first class this year. I really like the idea of collecting data on the weather across the year and have seen other participants mentioning ‘weather watchers’ as part of the classroom jobs rotation; I think this is a brilliant idea. I also like the idea of pairing with an older class who could use the data collected to calculate averages and plot graphs which we could discuss. Discussion around summer holidays could be very useful for looking at weather vs climate.
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The paper Unravelling STEM: Beyond the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (Liston 2018) critically examines the limitations of the STEM acronym, advocating for an integrated approach that emphasises interdisciplinary connections and real-world applications. The importance of context and creativity in STEM education, urging educators to move beyond isolated subject silos.In my 6th class classroom, STEM education is about fostering curiosity through hands-on projects that blend science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. We focus on problem-solving and encourage pupils to see the connections between different STEM fields. Activities 1 and 2 are well structured for introducing students to the differences between weather and climate. They promote critical thinking and engagement through practical tasks like identifying weather patterns and analysing data. However, I would add a collaborative component, such as group discussions or presentations, to enhance peer learning. Additionally, incorporating technology, like weather apps or online data tools, could make the activities more interactive and relevant for my pupils.
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I found that there was a variety of valuable and useful ideas/resources that I will have great use for in my classroom from Module 1- Weather and Climate.
Weather v Climate lesson will provide great opportunity for class discussion as an introductory lesson and it will be enable the class to work in pairs/small groups. The videos will be fantastic tool to use with my class in September.
Weather Detectives activity integrates really well with the Maths curriculum as the class will be recording and plotting their results on a graph.
All these activities/lessons/ideas are pitched well for the class I will be having in September, which is fourth class and I’m looking forward to teaching the lessons.
After reviewing the paper ‘Unravelling STEM: Beyond the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics’, I found there was a numerous STEM ideas that I can use in my teaching. Through the use active learning and collaborative learning the class can successfully access the learning and learn from one another.
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Hi Niamh,
Welcome to the course and thanks for sharing your thoughts on the resources in this module. There are many great resources in this module and across the course that can be adapted and used in different classes.
I like the integration with maths also, I always feel that my own class engaged better when it was real life data and with the weather station they can collect their own data. There are many opportunities for class discussion across the lessons/resources and will provide for opportunities for critical thinking also. I hope you enjoy the course.
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The activities in the ESA resources are great for engaging students in both hands-on and theoretical learning. Building a small weather station and taking measurements would help students to understand how scientists rely on accurate tools. The weather vs. climate activity clearly explains the differences between these concepts which will help to avoid confusion for the pupils. In class, these activities could improve observation skills, critical thinking, and an understanding of environmental issues.
Setting up a weather station at school would allow students to collect real data regularly, helping them see the difference between weather (short-term) and climate (long-term patterns). This project would also develop important STEM skills like data analysis and problem-solving.
To lead the school in a project like this, I would encourage students to work together, perhaps by creating a school weather blog to share their findings. We could also collaborate with other schools or local experts to deepen the learning experience.
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I found the Liston paper (2018) very interesting, especially the point that STEM lessons are essentially engineering lessons. Putting it into the context of engineering, I have a clearer understanding that lessons should be based on problem-solving and that children should be afforded the opportunities to come up with different solutions. Moreover, it reminds me of the book “The Elephant in the Classroom” by Jo Baoler, who espouses the “Low Floor, High Ceiling” approach to STEM lessons. I liked the incremental approach that was evident in the Weather and Climate Resources. I particularly liked in the “Nose High up in the Sky” that there was an emphasis on the colloquial approach to weather proverbs/idioms and customs. However, I wonder is there an extra resource for proverbs that have been historically used in an Irish context, which could also be integrated with History?
The lessons for creating a weather station are clearly defined and structured – I will definitely be using them in my class. I have made an anemometer with 4th class pupils before. However, this module reminded me that I need to be sequential in my approach and to make sure that problem solving is in-built to the weather project within my class.
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Hi Jacinta
Welcome to the course. I’m glad you enjoyed Maeve Liston’s paper. I wasn’t aware of the Jo Baoler book but it sounds like one to look up and the “low floor, high ceiling” idea is very descriptive and even without reading the context in the book, this seems to sum up the teaching of STEM very effectively. I often say, we can start with very simple ideas and questions but by allowing the children to design their own investigations and giving them the space to problem solve and adapt, they can reach great heights in their exploration. I’m not aware of specific Irish proverbs related to weather but I think a good place to begin your search would be Michael Fortune’s website and Facebook page https://folklore.ie/
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I have enjoyed the first module in this course. There is a wide range of resources available to teach this topic. I will definitely use some of the activity ideas and videos from this lessons. The STEM education outlines the importants of creativity and child centered learning and this module provides multiple ways of facilitating this in the classroom.
Activities 1 and 2 are very well planned out and very realistic for the classroom. I think that they are child centered and will be excellent in helping the children learn more about weather and climate in a motivating and fun way. Nose up High in the Sky lends itself to a lot of integration in maths, numeracy etc. There was a lot of content here and this learning could definitely be developed over a few weeks with the children.
In activity two I thought that the worksheets were very practical and child friendly and would focus the learning of the children. These lessons plans included videos, ideas for child focused creative learning and group work. There were excellent extra links at the end of the pdf that I will also use next year! These lessons definitely promoted child investigation and curiosity which I will aim to do more of in my classroom next year! -
Upon reviewing the paper Unravelling STEM: Beyond the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (Liston 2018), we are challenged to think in a more in depth way about how we include the element of engineering in our STEM activities. It is an interesting concept that ‘Engineering is the glue that integrates science, mathematics and technology and forces them towards workable solutions.’ and one that makes sense.
The Youtube videos were very appropriate to all Primary school children’s ages and some that I will save to use next year, especially the difference between ‘Weather and Climate’ video. This along with the activity sheet ‘Weather vs Climate’ , I believe will giv ethe children all they need to know about the topic. Exploring the weather on their Birthdays is a great way to make the assignment have a personal connection. Here we could extend the children’s learning and encourage them to do a collaborative project on Google classroom where they input the weather from their last two Birthdays onto a shared G.Slides. That way we could scroll through to make connections.
Activity 2: Weather Detectives is a very collaborative activity and one that can involve everybody regardless of ability. If I was to carry this activity out I would attempt to include the whole school by encouraging the children to write up a report each week together and nominating two weather detectives to make a report orally on the intercom for the whole school. This could also be recorded as a video on the IPADS during IPAD time.
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One quote that stuck out to me from reading the paper Unravelling STEM, is the one from Vasquez, Comer, & Sneider 2013 – about how STEM education must be an integrated approach, with real world learning experiences. Too often as teacher it’s easy to slide into a routine of demonstrating things to students, or ensuring that their tasks are always successful. The learning comes from experimentation, and failing, and trying again. I always tell the children I teach that astronauts didn’t get to the moon on the first try, they had to fail multiple times – and so if their art/science/ geography task fails in outcome that’s okay, the learning was in the process.
After looking at the two different activities I think that they would be very useful to do in collaboration with an older class. I am teaching Second class this year and I think both activities would be great to team up with Fifth or Sixth class and work together on.
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