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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.
UPDATE JULY 25: Since July 1st our facilitators have occasionally observed that course reflections may be generated with the assistance of AI tools. While AI can be a helpful support for drafting ideas or exploring different ways to express your thinking, it is essential that your forum posts reflect your own understanding and engagement with the course content. This is in line with the Department of Education and Youth’s Summer Course guidelines.
Before posting to the forum, we encourage you to take a moment to review your contributions and, if necessary, revise them to ensure they are appropriate and authentically your own. -
Nose High Up in the Sky
I would begin by using weather proverbs and by asking the children to collect some from home. We would then decode these together and work out their relevance to predicting weather and also explore why we need to predict the weather.
Using specific vocabulary, we would then proceed to describing weather through our senses. What can we see/smell/hear/feel and how our senses can be useful to us in predicting weather.
Finally, we would design and make a rain gauge and anemometer and set up a weather station close to our outdoor classroom. We would purchase thermometers to ensure accuracy. Using our observations and findings we would produce a daily weather forecast to be broadcast on the intercom during daily announcements.
Going forward, I would found a Climate Committee and task them with the job of observing and recording at the weather station with a view to making climate observations after longer period of recording.
Weather VS Climate
I would use this resource in conjunction with the weather station and Climate Committee aformentioned.
I would use the choose and move method (decide your answer and move to the corresponding area) for lesson 1. I may also use these statements as stimuli for debating topics.
Activities 2 and 3 would be completed in conjunction with the Climate Committee and data collected by them over the extended period of time.
I would use some of the videos from the slides- Secrets of World Climate by Geogiode and also Koeppens Climate Classification using the climate zone illuatration from slide 22
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The document Nose High Up in the Sky offered excellent and practical ideas. It clearly explains how to teach the difference between weather and climate—starting with simple observations like looking out the window and using all our senses. The combination of video clips, visuals, and especially hands-on activities to explore weather and climate is invaluable. These methods support STEM learning by encouraging creativity, problem-solving, communication, measurement, prediction, and data gathering, including using tools such as thermometers and rain gauges, and even leveraging resources like net.ie to record the weather.
For instance, students could make their own weather instruments—a weather vane or rain gauge—and record daily temperature data. This hands-on experience is likely to spark curiosity and help them notice patterns, potentially leading to setting up a mini weather station at school, in partnership with parents and the wider school community.
To expand learning further, the children could compare Ireland’s weather and climate with those of a different country. This comparison would enrich their understanding of climate variability and enhance STEM skills through research, analysis, and contrast.
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Setting up a Weather Station is such a lovely idea and provides so many learning opportunities. For example, it provides for hands-on learning. The children are not just reading about temperature or rainfall; they’re measuring it themselves. Children love jobs of responsibility, and recording the weather gives meaning to their learning. Taking daily readings would give the children ownership and pride in their role. It brings science to life. It provides opportunities for group work in assigning roles and rotating jobs which supports collaboration and communication. It sparks curiosity, which can lead to oral language discussion about the weather, the weather forecast, improve vocabulary, and create a real-life interest in the topic of weather.
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I did something similar to this with a 3rd class I had in the past with the temperature gauges and measuring rainfall and it worked out really well and all the classes got to engage and observe the outcomes. I asked a friend who was teaching in Kildare to conduct the same experiment and we the compared the rainfall and temperatures in both counties and presented the results to each other via a zoom meeting. It was very engaging.
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I feel both activities were extremely helpful and will be useful in the classroom for a more fun and investigate approach. I would have been interested in joining Climate Detectives as a class. It would have been a fantastic opportunity for the children to feel they are making a real difference in protecting our planet. Although the link has expired the activities are great. I feel I could use them with my class. It really helps them to explore climate change and see how human activities are contributing to global warming. I loved the idea of the virtual gallery. I could, team up with other schools in hotter climates so the children could compare weather.
The second activity is much more suited to all ages. I love the idea of setting up a weather station in my school. The children would have great fun constructing these. I might do a STEM activity prior and get them to think of how they would measure rainfall or what they would use. I would explore this with my class and then get them to explain and present it to the younger classes. Their findings could be incorporated into a maths lesson where they would use Data to chart their information. I would also love to do weather predictions based on their findings and upload videos for the school to see. -
Hi Dearbhail,
Thanks for your post and welcome to the course!
I am delighted that you are finding the resources on this module helpful and useful for a fun and investigative approach-the good news is that there’s plenty more to come in the next four. I hope you find them equally beneficial to add to your toolkit of options for the coming year.
Connecting with other classes around the world is a great way to foster a sense of global citizenship and a greater understanding of the issue on a global scale.
Setting up a weather station is a superb activity, and as you have outlined, there are many ways to extend this activity across multiple disciplines and develop learners’ STEM skills. It’s got potential to have an impact school-wide, with peer learning, like you mentioned and reaching the wider school community through creating videos, etc.
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Hi Dearbhail,
A weather station is so lovely. Im not sure what class you teach but I teach 3rd and they do young engineers and absolutley love it! I think doing something like this would inspire children to push their stem thinking further. The weather station is a lovely starting point for that kind of thinking! I love how you said upload the videos for the school to see so that the learning is shared with the school community.
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There was a lot of beneficial information and brilliant ideas in the document ‘Nose High Up in the Sky.
It was very explained how to teach the difference between weather and climate. The talking about weather and looking out the window and observing it, and using the our senses to teach weather would be great for the children. The video clips, visual and especially the hands on activities to teach the children about weather and climate is invaluable. This would further build on the STEM skills and encourage them to be creative, problem solve, communicate, measure, predict, use eth internet to look up net.ie and record the weather. Activities involved in the lesson e.g. making a weather vane, rain gauge, using the thermometer to record the temperature daily would be hands on and this would lead to her children questions and seeing a pattern hence this could lead to a small weather station being set up in the school with the help of the Parents and school community. I would also encourage the children to pick a different country with a different climate to us here in Ireland and look at their weather and climate alongside our weather and climate, and hence compare and contract. Hence more STEM learning skills.
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ESA’s “Nose up high in the sky” is a wonderfully hands-on resource that encourages children to use their senses and simple instruments to measure wind, rain, and temperature, and to build a basic weather station . It combines geography, science, and maths—students must observe, record, interpret, and learn how satellites and instruments inform forecasts The “Weather vs Climate” module helps clarify the key differences: weather as day-to-day atmospheric conditions, climate as long-term patterns.
In class, these activities could used as a part of a project: setting up a school weather station. Challenges include sourcing equipment (thermometer, rain gauge, anemometer), ensuring accuracy, and ongoing maintenance. I’d approach it by seeking funding—perhaps via STEAM grants or engaging local meteorology services like Met Éireann—and ordering basic, durable instruments plus a sheltered data log. Students could take daily readings, graph trends, compare them to national data (e.g. from Met Éireann), and discuss differences between observed “weather” and long-term “climate.”
Through this they’d acquire scientific skills (data collection, graphing, interpretation), technological literacy, teamwork, and communication. Cross-curricular links abound: maths (statistics), geography (local weather patterns), literacy (report writing), ICT (data logging), and even art (weather diaries or visualisation). This project sparks curiosity and develops STEM skills.
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I am in SET so STEM for me would usually would involve my students becoming more technologically literate by using apps such as book creator and Scratch. I feel that I haven’t used an interdisplinary approach to teaching STEM and that there are barriers between the four disciplines in my teaching. So that is something that I need to work on. However, I do feel that I allow for innovation and critical thinking in my lessons and also I integrate real-worl learning experiences for my students. I would also like to allow students to think up their own problems rather than being prescribed by me. I hope from this course my I will integrate more elements of STEM as laid out in the paper,.
The activities from the ESA resources are effective—but could be enriched by adding: A hands-on data collection component such as charting daily temperature over a week to deepen understanding.
A simple design challenge such as designing a simple anemometer would be a nice addition to the lessons and incorporating some cross-curricular links such as some well known stories that feature weather or different climates (ten little fingers, ten little toes is a nice one).
In my classroom, I would use the lessons as entry points and extend them with real-time observations and design challenges. -
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Hi Carmel, I love your idea starting with weather proverbs. it seems a lovely way to bring in oral tradition and get families involved. Your Climate Committee is such a great way to give students real responsibility and make the learning long-term and meaningful. I might borrow that idea for our Green Schools committee!
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STEM Education in My Classroom
STEM learning in my classroom is built on curiosity and active engagement. Students are encouraged to ask questions, test ideas, experiment, make predictions, and solve problems. Collaboration plays a central role—group work fosters teamwork, while listening and presenting skills are consistently developed. Above all, active learning and hands-on scientific investigation are key priorities in every lesson.Activity 1: Weather or Climate?
This activity helps students clearly understand the difference between weather and climate through relatable, everyday examples. The sorting task sharpens observation, reasoning, and critical-thinking skills. The addition of a “birthday weather” prompt is especially effective, as it creates a personal and meaningful connection, helping children see how short-term weather events relate to long-term climate patterns. I would begin with a whole-class discussion, followed by small group work to deepen understanding.Activity 2: Weather Detectives
In this activity, students step into the role of investigators, practicing essential STEM skills. They take daily temperature readings at the same time and place to learn the importance of accuracy in data collection. Recording their findings in graphs teaches them how to present information clearly, identify patterns, and calculate averages. By comparing classroom data with online sources, students also build digital literacy and develop skills for interpreting real-world information. To share their learning, we could present our findings during whole-school assemblies. -
Hi Austin,
Welcome to the course, and thanks for sharing your reflections.
It sounds like your classroom STEM activities are aligned with Liston’s vision, with a child-led multidisciplinary approach, through a framework of inquiry. Its great to see that hands-on scientific investigation are key priorities in every lesson.
The weather and climate activity and weather detectives run well together, and are a great multidisciplinary activity-as you mention, by comparing classroom data with online sources, students also build digital literacy and develop skills for interpreting real-world information.
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The document Nose High Up in the Sky contained excellent and practical ideas to teach weather. I feel that a weather station would work well in my class as the children have an opportunity to engage in hands-on learning when making a rain gauge or anemometer. The children can then analyse and interpret the data. There’s also great opportunity to integrate this learning with maths, for example, finding the average rainfall or wind speed over a certain period of time, or making graphs to portray the data found.
These resources can also be used to explore climate change and its impact on the environment. The children can share these issues and their findings with the school or wider community, for example by writing a letter to a local representative.
Overall these resources are very beneficial and enable children to engage in critical thinking, problem-solve, communicate, measure and predict.
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Activities 1 and 2 from the ESERO Weather and Climate resource are engaging and well-structured, offering children a clear idea of the the differences between weather and climate. Activity 1: “Is it Weather or Climate?” uses real-life examples that encourage discussion and simplify difficult concepts. The pupil worksheet encourages critical thinking as pupils decide whether each scenario describes short-term weather or long-term climate patterns. I would use this as a class sorting activity, followed by pair work/group work to explain their reasoning.
Activity 2: “Weather Detectives” promotes inquiry-based learning, with pupils observing and recording daily weather. This is great for fostering STEM skills—data collection and analysis, understanding instruments, and even building simple tools like rain gauges. I would extend this by setting up a basic weather station somewhere on school grounds and having groups report weekly updates. Older children could do this independently and report back to the whole class.
A suggested improvement is to include more visual aids or ICT such as linking with real-time weather apps or satellite imagery for broader context.
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rIntroducing the weather apps would be a brilliant idea to help children explore and monitor weather in real time. It would allow for group work where children could report on current weather trends and make weather predictions. Then, use these to make comparisons and contrasts between predictions/trends and also, use it to compare our climate with another. So much scope for learning.
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Activity 1 – STEM – Science and Maths – The ESERO Weather and Climate resource gives a wonderful suggestion of allowing children to think back to their last birthday/birthday party, its something they might easily remember or as stated might have photos from it. It’s a very engaging lesson which allows them to differentiate between weather and climate. It can be made age appropriate too depending on questioning asked , it would allow the children to collect their own weather data, identify different climatic zone etc. It highlights that weather is a short term expression and climate is a long term expression. The children learn the difference between weather and climate and also that the Earth is divided into different climate zones.
Activity 2 – Weather Detectives – STEM – Science, Maths -demonstrates responsibilities of their own learning with accurate results e.g. like not holding a thermometer too long in your hand. It allows for a lot more independent learning. In relation to a weather station as I said earlier I’d like to initiate as a whole school activity with 5th and 6th from September to October, then 3rd and 4th from November to Christmas and so on. Key members from the older classes could help and explain it to the younger groups. The results can be relayed back to all classes at our monthly assemblies to keep the interest going.
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Module 1 Assignment
I completed Activities 1 and 2 from the Teach with Space: Weather vs Climate resource. Both activities are well-structured, practical, and easy to visualise in a classroom setting. Activity 1 made the distinction between weather and climate clear through everyday examples. The task of sorting statements encourages observation, reasoning, and critical thinking. The birthday weather prompt is a great idea. It is personal, relevant to the children, and naturally leads to comparing short-term events with long-term patterns.
Activity 2 involves a wide range of STEM skills. Some of these include taking daily temperature readings, ensuring consistency in time and location, and recording the data. This supports scientific inquiry and accuracy. Creating graphs builds mathematical skills such as data representation, pattern recognition, and calculating averages. Comparing class data with online sources introduces digital literacy and interpretation of real-world information.
If I were using this with the children I teach, I’d add visual aids, sentence starters for reflection, and a class chart to support group recording. These activities align well with cross-curricular teaching and learning, promoting problem-solving, collaboration, and scientific thinking, all key components of STEM learning.
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Hi Sharon,
The sorting task in Activity 1 is a great way to encourage observation, reasoning and critical thinking in addition to providing collaborative learning opportunities. Likewise, I found that Activity 2 supports the development of mathematical skills. I love the improvement ideas you shared, all of these ideas would prove excellent ways through which to improve the lesson.
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According to Liston (2018), there is an increasing demand for a highly capable STEM population. As a result, there has been calls for education systems to integrate STEM in order to prepare students with the necessary skills and knowledge to function in such a society. Within my own classroom, STEM facilitates innovation, creativity and teamwork. Having engaged with the weather and climate resource presented in this module, I have gained various ideas as to how I can support my approach to STEM education within the classroom. Firstly, activity 1 involves various opportunities through which the children can learn about the different between climate and weather through a teamwork based approach. During this lesson, the children can categorise statements into climate or weather-related allowing myself as the teacher to assess prior-knowledge while also aiding the children’s learning. Activity 2: Weather Detectives likewise provides various opportunities to explore STEM in the classroom through a creative and hands-on approach. In this activity, the children measure temperatures and analysis their results. Through this activity science and maths are effectively integrated. In order to improve this second activity, various equipment could be used in addition to a thermometer to aid analysis including weather apps.
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In STEM, in my classroom, students learn by asking questions and solving real-life problems. For example, they might explore how to collect and clean rainwater. They do research, test ideas, and improve their solutions—just like real scientists and engineers.
STEM often involves working in groups. Students share ideas, take on different roles, and learn how to solve problems together. This helps them build important teamwork and speaking skills for the future.
STEM learning is connected to the real world. Students might study traffic near their school or create ways to save energy at home. These projects show how STEM can help improve their communities.
Technology is an important part of STEM. Students use tools like simulations, coding kits, or data recorders to build and test their ideas. This helps them learn how to use tech to solve problems in smart and creative ways.
Reflection on Activities 1 & 2:
Activities 1 (“Is it Weather or Climate?”) and 2 (“Weather Detectives”) are well-aligned with the Geography Strand: Natural Environments, particularly the Weather strand unit in the Irish Primary School Curriculum. These activities also integrate aspects of the Science Curriculum, specifically the Environmental Awareness and Care strand, by encouraging observation and understanding of weather phenomena.In Activity 1, students categorise examples as either weather or climate, helping them distinguish short-term atmospheric conditions from long-term patterns. This supports the curriculum objective of developing “an understanding of the weather and how it affects the environment and the lives of people” (Geography, 1999). Activity 2 then deepens this by asking pupils to observe, record, and interpret real weather data—an engaging, hands-on approach that aligns with Working Scientifically skills in Science.
Strengths:
Encourages active learning and scientific investigation through data collection and recording.Makes effective use of local context, fulfilling the curriculum aim of connecting learning to the child’s own environment.
Encourages cross-curricular links with Maths (data handling) and English (report writing).
Suggestions for Improvement:
Extend data collection over a month to better illustrate climate trends.Integrate DIY weather instruments (e.g., rain gauges or wind vanes) to enhance design and make elements from the Science: Materials and Environmental Awareness strands.
Offer opportunities for oral language development, such as presenting findings to peers.
Classroom Use:
I would use these activities within a senior class (4th to 6th class), tying them into a broader unit on environmental care and sustainability. Activity 1 would serve as an engaging opener, while Activity 2 could run over two weeks, with daily recordings leading to group graphing and analysis. Students could then compare their data to Met Éireann’s records, reinforcing the concept of climate versus weather.-
Hi Brian,
Thanks for sharing and welcome to the course!
I can see from your reflections on STEM in your classroom that this corresponds to Dr Liston’s approach and perspective, with a multidisciplinary approach, rather than siloed, and hands-on, student-led inquiry-based investigations.
I really like your ideas/suggestions for improvement, and of course, all of the activities are a starting point for teachers, who can refine and revise them to meet the unique needs of the class based on time availability, etc.
Presenting findings to peers and even the process of measuring and recording results at the weather station can be a great way to develop learners’ communication skills and engage school-wide interest.
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Weather and Climate – STEM Weather station
To get the children to connect with weather and the vocabulary around the topic I would ask the children to give their experiences of weather (sample of experiences in the local area, summer holidays, children with families from different parts of the World). I would then introduce the word climate and ask them what they thought was the differences between the two words. Using the videos provided in module 1 we would clarify the meaning of weather and climate.
From here I would introduce the idea of creating a weather station to cover temperature, rainfall and wind. Using STEM I would split the class in 4 groups, 2 to make a rainfall gauge and 2 to make an anemometer.
I would then ask the children where we should set up our weather station. I would explain as part of the process we need to look at how effective our equipment is and the position of the weather station. Later we may need to adjust / improve / reposition our rain guages and anemometer.
We could also place thermometers around different parts of the school to see is there any similarities or differences in temperature.
Recording the weather daily over a month can give the children time to examine patterns and get an improved understanding of climate.
Through Stem the children have ownership in their learning and this can foster critical thinking. It provides great opportunities for teamwork and communication. The children could share their knowledge and experiences with other classes in the school through the medium of a school assembly.
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Hi Kenneth,
Thanks for sharing and welcome to the course.
I like your plan to elicit weather information from learners by connecting it to their personal experiences, with a global perspective, capturing information on local insights, and internationally. It’s so important to gauge where learners are in terms of existing knowledge, and it’s wonderful to see you plan for this within the lesson.
Great to see your plan for learners to consider how to improve the station equipment and location over time.
By recording data for a longer period of a month, learners are likely to encounter a challenge or two, and these are great learning opportunities. If the equipment falls over/is tampered with, etc., it’s the perfect starting point for curious minds to brainstorm and apply solutions.
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I like these activities. They are very accessible for many age groups and really fit the STEM profile. It is the simple engineering and technology in the making of the anemometer and rain gauge that works really well and with some SNA help I think this activity is easily done with classes younger than the age profile given. A simpler graph could be made by the teacher to log the data collected by the rain gauge or anemometer for younger pupils or with older classes, 5th and 6th, you could ask them to come up with their own way of logging the data. The mathematical part of STEM is easily hit here. The pre teaching of the science aspect of weather is again hitting the STEM brief.
I think I would begin all these lessons by giving some homework to the children to talk to parents or grandparents about proverbs so it would be an easy intro to the lesson the next day. I think there is room for lots of discussion and there might be many proverbs from children whose parents or families come from outside Ireland. The discussion about senses is something that could be linked to literacy and story writing and what I like is how the info can be logged by just using drawings for younger children instead of words. Part three of the lesson could be a lot of fun for older classes as they can let their imagination and design skills go at making allsorts of interesting and funky anemometers and rain gauges.
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Hi Mark,
Thanks for sharing, and welcome to the course.
You make a great point about getting help-many hands make hands-on activities easier and smoother to run, and SNA’s/ANA’s provide invaluable support to learners, helping to ensure that everyone can enjoy and participate in STEM activities. Considerations for inclusion are a vital aspect of the SFI Curious Minds/ESERO Framework for Inquiry.
I like your idea on comparing proverbs on an international level-it would be interesting to see how they compare.
As the teacher, you alone know what your learners are capable of and what is most suitable for their abilities. This approach could be particularly practical with younger learners, as you mentioned in the post, by using drawings instead of words. As you can see from this activity, it can be rolled out across many levels and adapted to present a suitable level of challenge for its participants.
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I like your idea of starting the lesson with a discussion around weather proverbs, encouraging children to talk with parents or grandparents. It’s a nice way to connect the science of weather with cultural and family experiences, and opens the door for rich conversations—especially for children from diverse backgrounds.
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The beginning of activity one connects the children’s important milestone to the weather engaging children from the very start of the lesson. Giving the children the opportunity to hear each other describe what the weather was like on their birthday and through this method they become aware of the changes in the weather. Pairing children with similar birthdays to discuss what the weather is like on their respective birthdays can highlight how the weather in Ireland can be very unpredictable and this in turn leads to a discussion on climate. By contextualising weather and climate the children will be better able to understand the concept that weather is short term and climate refers to long term. As our school population is very diverse, I imagine the extension of the lesson where we will discuss climate in other countries would be very engaging for the children as they can talk about the other countries they are from and maybe about the different way they celebrated special occasions and the impact the weather had on these celebrations. Map work and discussion on where the countries are in relation to the 5 different climate zones.
Activity 2 takes a hands on approach and this sort of activity will motivate children to stay focused throughout the lesson. Children can work in pairs or groups so any child struggling will have the support of their peers. The children have an opportunity to record and analyse data temperature over a period of time. If it were possible, I would encourage some children to contact family members in their respective countries and get them to measure the temperature in their country over a period of time and we as a class could compare the results. -
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Nose up High in the Sky:
These activities are very engaging and I know my second class would love them. I would begin by discussing the proverbs. they would need to be explained to a younger class. I would also ask them to come up with their own weather proverb to build on prior knowledge.
Activity two is hands on and I thibk it is a great way to bring the children outside and use their observation skills. I would have them work in groups to create a weather instrument and use it throughout the week.
As an extension I would make it a whole school project and get every class involved. I think it is a diverse activity which can range indificulty depending on the age level. It would be great for the children to share their findings at assembly.
Activity 1 is effective in building a foundation if understanding. It’s important that children understand the difference. The worksheet prompts good discussion and reinforces learning through classification.
Activity 2 is more hands on and calls for higher order thinking. I would pair the children in mixed abilities for this task to support weaker children. This activity aligns well with scientific inquiry skills and promotes group collaboration.
I would consider extending Activity 2 by including real-time weather data. I would track the weather each day visually for the children so they could note any changes or patterns that they see.
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Hi Clodagh
Welcome to the course. I’m glad you enjoyed the first module and can see how to apply it in your class. Making and using weather instruments is a great practical way to observe the weather on a day to day basis and comparing the children’s own measurements to recorded weather data from Met Eireann is a great way to foster understanding of how weather forecasts are made and provide an introduction to how changes in the atmosphere cause specific weather events. It is great that you have thought about how to pair or group children for these tasks to ensure maximum engagement and understanding.
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My response to the STEM article and how I apply STEM to my classroom:
In my classroom, I use an enquiry-based approach to STEM where children lead their own learning through problem solving and critical thinking. In maths, this means encouraging multiple methods to solve the same problem, helping children choose strategies that work for them. In science, lessons often begin with a question and pupils are given materials to design their own experiments to find the answer (with support if needed). I highlight when children make connections between concepts and encourage them to apply prior learning in new ways. Real-life application is key, after completing an experiment we discuss how it might work in real-world situations and contexts. I also give them a range of approaches to choose from when tackling a problem. While I’m still developing how to fully integrate all STEM areas, this approach has already made learning more meaningful and transferable for the children.
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Hi Andrea
Your classroom sounds like a great learning environment with children being given a chance to use their prior knowledge and focus on the STEM skills they have developed in order to develop and investigation to answer a question or design and make something to meet a need or fill certain criteria. I love that you mention “with support if needed”. This is where teachers can often struggle. It can seem natural to swoop in and help when we see children struggle with a task, but being able to step back and give them the space to solve their own problems and learn from their mistakes is an important skill that results in greater learning for the children and a much greater sense of achievement if they manage to work things out for themselves and complete their task. As you have said, being there to provide help when the children ask for it is also important. In this case you can gently guide them through a series of questions that help them to work things out and get back on track
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I found Activities 1 and 2 from the ESERO Weather and Climate resource really engaging and well put together. They give children a clear idea of what makes weather different from climate, which can sometimes be a tricky concept.
Activity 1, “Is it Weather or Climate?”, is especially useful. It uses real-life examples that get kids talking and make the topic easier to understand. The worksheet is great for getting them to think carefully about each example and decide whether it’s about short-term weather or long-term climate patterns.
I’d start this as a class sorting activity to get everyone involved, and then let pupils work in pairs or small groups to explain their choices. That way, they can talk through their thinking and learn from each other.
Activity 2, “Weather Detectives”, is a great way to get kids learning through investigation. They observe and record the weather each day, which really gets them thinking like young scientists. It’s a great way to build STEM skills—things like collecting and analysing data, learning how weather instruments work, and even making simple tools like rain gauges.
To take it further, I’d set up a basic weather station somewhere on the school grounds. Different groups could take turns collecting the data and giving weekly updates. Older pupils could run this more independently and share their findings with the rest of the class.
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Hi Brenda,
I really like your idea of starting Activity 1 as a class sorting task, it’s a great way to get everyone engaged and thinking critically from the start. Setting up a basic weather station is a fantastic extension of Activity 2, giving pupils a real sense of ownership and purpose. It’s also a great opportunity to build leadership and communication skills, especially with older students taking the lead.
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Module 1
After reviewing “Unravelling STEM: Beyond the Acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics” (Liston 2018), I can recognize several STEM concepts and activities that I incorporate into my teaching. While my classroom does have areas that promote creativity, I find that the students are more engaged when they participate in teamwork and problem-solving activities outside the classroom. Experience serves as a strong motivator for them, especially when the tasks involve building and construction. I acknowledge that tracking these activities is an aspect I need to improve in!
Is it weather or climate.
The videos are very informative and also incorporate a fun aspect. I plan to use the weather watcher next year. “Nose up high in the sky” is unfamiliar to me, but the kids will have a great time while learning about weather and climate.
Weather detectives
I really enjoy the concept of creating an anemometer and documenting daily observations. This is something that would greatly benefit all grade levels, from the basic idea of using paper cups to more advanced designs that older students might devise. In our school, we were provided with an electronic weather system, but to be honest, the students don’t connect with it. It was part of a green flag initiative, and now it just sits unused. I have utilized classroom materials that allow students to choose how to describe the weather, and we have some thermometers. We might use a rain gauge next year. One year, we made windsocks, and we even had one attached to a fishing rod. The excitement in the classroom was palpable whenever it changed direction. -
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Maeve Liston’s (2018) article challenges educators to move beyond viewing STEM as separate subjects and instead embrace an integrated, student-centred approach grounded in real-world problem-solving. She highlights the importance of the Engineering Design Process (EDP) and STEM literacy, which includes critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, and civic responsibility. In my classroom, STEM is most effective when pupils engage in hands-on, inquiry-based learning that links science, maths, and technology. However, engineering is sometimes underused, and activities can lack iterative design or cross-curricular depth. The “Weather and Climate” activities are strong foundations—Activity 1 clearly distinguishes between weather and climate, while Activity 2 promotes observation and data collection. To align more with Liston’s vision, I would build in local climate data, digital tools, and open-ended challenges, such as designing a weather-resistant structure. This would deepen engagement and integrate all STEM elements, supporting learners in becoming confident problem-solvers who connect classroom learning to the world around them.
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Both activities offered engaging and hands-on approaches that I found incredibly valuable and inspiring for classroom use. They promote curiosity and encourage students to take an investigative role in learning about the environment. One initiative I wish we could have participated in as a class is the Climate Detectives project. It would have given students a meaningful chance to feel empowered and actively involved in addressing climate issues. Even though the original link is no longer active, the activities remain highly relevant and adaptable. I plan to use them to help students understand the impact of human activity on global warming in a practical and relatable way.
I especially liked the idea of a virtual gallery and there’s great potential to collaborate with schools in different climates. This could allow students to compare weather conditions, observe trends, and develop a global perspective on climate change.
The second activity is highly accessible and adaptable across age groups. Setting up a school weather station would be a fantastic project. I’d like to begin with a STEM challenge where students design simple tools to measure rainfall, temperature, or wind. Once they’ve built and tested their instruments, they could present their methods and findings to younger students, promoting peer learning. We could also turn their collected data into a math project by graphing results and analazing trends. To take it further, I’d involve the class in making weekly weather forecasts and creating short video updates for the school community.
New idea:
In addition to these, I’d love to introduce a “Climate Action Innovation Fair.” Students would work in small teams to design and prototype solutions to local environmental issues—like reducing food waste in the cafeteria or creating upcycled art from classroom waste. They’d pitch their projects to classmates and possibly local experts. This would encourage problem-solving, creativity, and civic responsibility while tying in science, technology, and sustainability education. -
Both activities offered engaging and hands-on approaches that I found incredibly valuable and inspiring for classroom use. They promote curiosity and encourage students to take an investigative role in learning about the environment. One initiative I wish we could have participated in as a class is the Climate Detectives project. It would have given students a meaningful chance to feel empowered and actively involved in addressing climate issues. Even though the original link is no longer active, the activities remain highly relevant and adaptable. I plan to use them to help students understand the impact of human activity on global warming in a practical and relatable way.
I especially liked the idea of a virtual gallery and there’s great potential to collaborate with schools in different climates. This could allow students to compare weather conditions, observe trends, and develop a global perspective on climate change.
The second activity is highly accessible and adaptable across age groups. Setting up a school weather station would be a fantastic project. I’d like to begin with a STEM challenge where students design simple tools to measure rainfall, temperature, or wind. Once they’ve built and tested their instruments, they could present their methods and findings to younger students, promoting peer learning. We could also turn their collected data into a math project by graphing results and analazing trends. To take it further, I’d involve the class in making weekly weather forecasts and creating short video updates for the school community.
New idea:
In addition to these, I’d love to introduce a “Climate Action Innovation Fair.” Students would work in small teams to design and prototype solutions to local environmental issues—like reducing food waste in the cafeteria or creating upcycled art from classroom waste. They’d pitch their projects to classmates and possibly local experts. This would encourage problem-solving, creativity, and civic responsibility while tying in science, technology, and sustainability education. -
In Unravelling STEM (Liston, 2018), the author challenges the narrow interpretation of STEM as separate disciplines, advocating instead for integrated, inquiry-based learning rooted in real-world contexts. In my 5th class setting, where many pupils have special educational needs (SEN), I strive to create inclusive, hands-on STEM experiences that are accessible and engaging which often involve activities like designing a marble run, or creating towers made of various materials in small groups. Using visuals, concrete materials, and collaborative tasks, I support diverse learners in making connections across subjects, encouraging curiosity, problem-solving, and confidence—core goals aligned with Liston’s broader, more holistic vision of STEM education.
Activity 1
This activity effectively builds understanding of key concepts in Geography (climate zones and weather patterns) and Science (environmental awareness and data observation). It encourages critical thinking, discussion, and personal engagement through memory and photos. However, some pupils may struggle to recall or access past weather information, and interpreting climate zones from pictures can be abstract without sufficient guidance. It offers limited direct engagement with the Maths curriculum beyond basic categorisation. I believe it would be important to focus on building a word wall in the class based on climate and weather to help the children’s understanding of the topic, especially for EAL learners.
Activity 2
This was my favourite activity of the two. The Weather Detectives lesson is a strong, inquiry-based activity that encourages collaboration, scientific observation, and data analysis—perfect for 5th class. It supports cross-curricular integration, especially with maths (averages, graphing), geography (weather patterns, local climate), and digital literacy (research skills).
To improve it:
· Differentiate tasks for SEN pupils using visual aids, simplified data tables, and scaffolded instructions.
· Extend learning by integrating English (weather diaries or reports) and art (drawing weather scenes or graphs creatively).
· Consider using digital thermometers or apps for accessibility and engagement.
This makes the lesson more inclusive, interdisciplinary, and engaging for all learners. I think this type of activity could be used by our school’s Green Committee or Student Council to collate data based on weather trends for the whole school.
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Thank you for sharing such thoughtful reflections. I really like how you’ve linked Liston’s holistic vision of STEM with practical, inclusive activities tailored to your 5th class. Your use of concrete materials and visuals clearly supports both SEN and EAL learners. I agree that Activity 1 could benefit from a stronger visual scaffold, like a word wall or anchor chart. Your feedback on Activity 2 is spot on—it’s a brilliant example of hands-on, inquiry-based learning that hits multiple curricular areas. Using it as a project for the Green Committee or Student Council is a great idea and adds real-world purpose.
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Hi Catherine,
Thanks for your post and welcome to the course. Reading your reflections, I can see you put considerable work into ensuring an equitable education experience for all your learners, and your STEM classes are very much aligned with the ideals outlined by Dr. Liston.
You make excellent points about how both activities could be improved upon to meet the needs of your learners, and I like your idea to use a word wall-important for learners generally, but even moreso for EAL learners. A Kahoot quiz or similar can also help consolidate learning.
As you mentioned, some of your own considerations for inclusion would be using visual aids, simplified data tables, and scaffolded instructions, to differentiate tasks for SEN pupils. With this tailored approach, all learners can participate to their full potential in an inclusive class lesson experience. A great activity for the Green Committee or school council, too-it’s great to get the wider school community involved in this.
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I found both activities highly engaging and age-appropriate for the primary classroom, especially in terms of linking real-life experience with scientific concepts. Activity 1: Is it Weather or Climate? successfully helps pupils distinguish between short-term weather and long-term climate by using relatable examples like birthday memories. The use of photos and maps further reinforces visual learning and geographical awareness. I particularly liked the extension that introduces climate zones, as this connects science with geography in a very practical way. For my own class, I would expand this by asking pupils to present a short weather report from a country in a different climate zone.
Activity 2: Weather Detectives offers a brilliant hands-on opportunity for students to engage in data collection and analysis. It supports maths integration through graphing and calculating averages, while promoting teamwork and scientific inquiry. To enhance this activity, I would consider incorporating tablets or iPads for digital data logging or integrating an online weather station feed for comparison. Both activities support the development of critical thinking and would fit well within an SESE STEM-integrated scheme.
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Activity 3 offers a clear and engaging introduction to the greenhouse effect and how it contributes to global warming. The Paxi video is a very good resource as it’s colourful, animated, and pitched at a level that younger pupils can easily grasp. It manages to break down a complex scientific process into something relatable and easy to follow, making it a great springboard for deeper discussion or follow-up activities.
The temperature prediction tool is a standout feature. It allows pupils to manipulate variables and visually see the potential long-term impact of human behaviour on global temperatures. This interactivity not only makes the learning more memorable but also empowers pupils to understand the importance of sustainability and informed decision-making.
In my class, I would extend this activity into a practical investigation—pupils could examine their own carbon footprints and come up with realistic changes they could make in their daily lives. We could also track class progress over time using a ‘climate action’ chart. To further improve the activity, it would be useful to have a printable student worksheet or journal page where pupils could record their predictions, reflections, and pledges. Adding links to real-world examples of climate initiatives (like school eco-clubs or local community efforts) would also help ground the lesson in real-life action. -
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Liston’s (2018) Unravelling STEM: Beyond the Acronym challenges the compartmentalised view of STEM subjects and encourages a more integrated, inquiry-based approach that connects learning to real-world contexts. In my classroom, I aim to reflect this by designing cross-curricular lessons that build critical thinking, collaboration, and creativity. For example, students might investigate sustainable energy solutions, collect and analyse data, and use technology to present their findings. I also emphasise collaboration, allowing students to work in teams to explore open-ended challenges.
The Weather and Climate resource supports this vision effectively.
Reflection on Activities 1 and 2:
Activities 1 and 2 from the Weather and Climate resource provide an excellent starting point for developing students’ understanding of key geographical and scientific concepts in an engaging, inquiry-based way.
Activity 1: Is it Weather or Climate? clearly distinguishes between short-term weather events and long-term climate patterns. The sorting activity allows students to apply their understanding to real-life scenarios. I would use this in a whole-class setting, encouraging discussion and justifications for each choice. It works well as a formative assessment tool, helping me gauge students’ prior knowledge and misconceptions.
Activity 2: Weather Detectives encourages students to observe and record weather patterns, supporting the development of skills in data collection and analysis. I would use this over the course of a week, allowing students to track daily weather and report back using graphs or digital tools like weather apps or on worksheets. It links well to Maths and Digital Learning.
To improve the activities, I would incorporate local weather reports or bring in guest speakers (e.g., a meteorologist) to connect learning to real-world contexts. Group work, presentations, and digital reflections could further enhance collaboration and communication skills. These activities fit naturally into an integrated STEM or SESE unit. The pupil worksheets are well-structured and accessible, though I believe the activities could benefit from digital extensions, such as integrating real-time weather apps or satellite data for comparison. Adding a collaborative group task where students present local climate findings could enhance peer learning and communication skills.
Overall, these activities align well with STEM principles and could be seamlessly integrated into science or geography lessons.
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Activity 1: Is it Weather or Climate? This was a very practical activity to use in the classroom. It provided students with real life and relatable scenarios. The objective of this lesson seems to be quite a basic and simple one but it is amazing how many adults, let alone children, struggle to understand the difference between weather and climate. Many people are ignorant to this. This lesson is very interesting by it’s nature and would therefore keep students engaged from start to finish.
Activity 2: I feel that the weather detectives lesson provides far more opportunities for children to enhance their own scientific and mathematical skills. The fantastic about this lesson is that there doesn’t necessarily have to be a timeframe on it. I would use this continually throughout the school year and it also allows for children to publish their results. I would look at incorporating ICT and posting updates on school website or social media etc. I feel that this would create continuous engagement with the subject and would definitely help to improve the lesson.
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Hi Conor,
Welcome to the course and thanks for sharing your thoughts on the resources in this module. The Weather Detectives allows for many learning opportunities and skills development and as you have mentioned this could be used across the school year. In my own class I explore the weather in Term 1 the first year and Term 2 or Term 3 the second year. This allows my class to compare the data from year to year or month to month. I really like how you plan to share their results/data through social media or on the school website. It is a fantastic opportunity to share learning among the school community.
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Both of these activities were very enjoyable activities to complete. This is such an interesting and relevant topic that I think any class from 3rd to 6th would thoroughly enjoy it and would get a lot out of it. Activity 1 was a very basic lesson but I could see myself using it early in the school year. It raises awareness of facts that you might think were obvious but it’s not until you sit down and thin about them that they become obvious. That, for me, is the best part of this activity. It creates a situation where students have to think about a topic that is real to them, that they experience all the time but rarely think about. This activity would then lead students to activity 2 where they become weather detectives. To improve this lesson, I think I would set up a committee in the class to complete a weather chart displayed on the wall. This could rotate throughout the year to ensure that all children get a chance at it.
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Hi Liz,
Welcome to the course and I am glad that the activities in this module were enjoyable and can be adapted to suit many classes. I think it is important to address the differences between climate and weather, as you have mentioned it is not until you sit and think about them that it becomes obvious. So in our own classes I think it is necessary to explicitly teach the difference between weather and climate to ensure pupils are familiar with each concept.
I like how you plan to set up a committee in the class to take responsibilities for recording the temperature and displaying the results in the class for everyone. It ensures pupils take ownership of their learning and assume a level of responsibility in recording the data.
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Weather or Climate? effectively uses relatable scenarios, such as birthday weather memories, to prompt students to distinguish between short-term weather and long-term climate patterns. This builds a solid conceptual foundation, which is further reinforced by the categorisation task and climate zone map extension. In the classroom, this activity could be used as an introductory lesson, combining individual reflection with pair or group discussion to encourage collaborative thinking.
Weather Detectives supports scientific enquiry by allowing pupils to measure air temperature over time and analyse their data. This hands-on element promotes ownership of learning and reinforces maths skills through graphing and calculating averages.
To enhance both activities, I would suggest including visual interactive elements, such as drag-and-drop sorting (e.g.Wordwall or digital graphing tools (e.g. Sheets), to support different learning styles. Providing differentiated worksheets or sentence starters could help ensure accessibility for all learners. Additionally, integrating local weather or climate data would add relevance and deepen engagement. Overall, these activities are well-designed and adaptable, offering a good foundation for cross-curricular teaching in science, geography, and maths.-
I like how you’ve highlighted the strengths of both activities. Using familiar examples like birthday weather memories is a great way to make weather or climate relatable and memorable for pupils. The categorisation task and climate zone map are useful for cementing the concepts and pairing them with group discussion would enhance the learning.
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Hi Denis
Welcome to the course. I agree that exploring relatable scenarios such as remembering the weather on their birthday will further explore the concept of weather and also demonstrate the difference between weather and climate.
Weather Detectives also allows for lots of enquiry based learning and exploration. Allowing the pupils to record the weather using instruments gives them ownership of their learning and as you have mentioned the pupils can record their own data and use this data to enhance maths skills. There are lots of opportunities to explore weather across multiple curricular areas.
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Weather Vs Climate Resource
In activity one I really like the idea of introducing the students to the topic by relating it to a real life event, the weather on their last birthday. Having a connection like this can make a topic much more relatable for students. The extension to group work with this activity, grouping students with similar birthdays I think would also be a very beneficial activity. The activity lends itself to collaborative learning and would also highlight weather differences throughout the seasons.
Another aspect of activity one that I like is the opportunity to extend learning for older students with the introduction to climate zones activity.
Nose High Up in the Sky
Activity 3 Build a Weather Station. I think this activity would work extremely well in the older classes, I have completed similar with younger classes before but focusing as a whole class group on one aspect e.g temperature at a time. I like how this activity encourages some group work which allows then for a variety of weather factors to be recorded. I think the children would enjoy making the weather stations and in turn recording a weather journal.
I would like create a weather station with my class in the coming school year and as I will be working with older students I hope they will be able to link in with some younger classes and when they are confident with their work show and explain to others how it works/ explain their findings.
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Is it Weather or Climate?
This encourages pupils to reflect on their own experiences to understand the difference between weather and climate. The children will think back to their birthday and recall what the weather was like. Pupils with birthdays in the same month can work together and compare what they remember. They may discover that the weather was very different for each of them, even though their birthdays are in the same month. This helps them to realise that weather can change from day to day. From this, we will begin to explore the concept of climate – how it refers to long-term weather patterns over many years.
Weather Detectives
This activity is designed for older pupils to develop their skills in observation and data collection. We will explore air temperature and how to measure it using a thermometer. Pupils will discuss the importance of consistent conditions for accurate results – such as taking measurements at the same time each day and choosing a shaded area to avoid direct sunlight or wind interference. Over a week or more, pupils will record temperatures and use this data to create line graphs, integrating maths. This practical investigation helps children understand scientific accuracy while making real-world connections to everyday weather.
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Hi Edel.
Welcome to the course. I think the lesson to explore weather on your birthday is a great opportunity for discussion on the different types of weather and as you have mentioned even though pupils’ birthdays are in the same month, it could be very different weather for each day. This will also help to address the difference concepts of weather and climate.
If the pupils can record their own data of the daily temperature it gives them real ownership of their learning. As you have mentioned it will also allow for skills development and the collection of their own data which can then be explored in maths to create trend graphs etc. My own class have loved recording the temperature, then using this data and exploring other weather instruments.
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Having read the above article I was reminded that STEM education is not just about teaching separate subjects but about fostering curiosity, problem-solving, and real world connections. In my classroom, STEM happens through integrated projects linking observation, data gathering, and creative solutions, so as pupils see how the disciplines support each other. I run a stem club in my school weekly and see the benefit of STEM for the children and how it enhances their problem-solving skills.
The Weather and Climate activities fit perfectly into this approach.
• Activity 1: Is it Weather or Climate? clearly distinguishes between short-term conditions and long-term patterns. Pupils enjoyed sorting examples and debating tricky ones.
• Activity 2: Weather Detectives was engaging and hands-on, encouraging careful observation and data recording. It promoted both science skills and critical thinking.
I’d enhance these by incorporating live local weather data, linking observations to climate change discussions, and adding follow up tasks comparing results over several weeks. Overall, they’re accessible, adaptable, and ideal for fostering STEM thinking in primary classrooms. -
The ESA resources “Weather vs Climate” and “Nose Up High in the Sky” provide engaging, hands-on activities that effectively support the development of STEM skills. These materials can be integrated into the curriculum by setting up a weather station on school grounds, enabling students to measure temperature, wind speed, and rainfall. This fosters scientific observation, data collection, mathematical analysis, and basic engineering through the creation of instruments.
Using “Weather vs Climate”, students learn the distinction between short-term weather and long-term climate patterns through real-world data and climate modelling scenarios. By comparing daily weather data to long-term averages, pupils gain insight into climate change. Meanwhile, “Nose Up High in the Sky” supports sensory-based learning and simple instrument construction, ideal for younger students.
As a school teacher, I would facilitate collaborative practice by forming a student-led Weather & Climate Team. This group would record, analyse, and present findings to the school community through posters, assemblies, and a weather blog, promoting environmental awareness and collective learning.
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Hello Karl, I really like your idea of having a weather blog as I think this is something the children would really enjoy. It also made me think about having a weather Podcast where the children could share their findings and include interesting weather facts all while promoting their oral language development.
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I really enjoyed this resource and love the simplicity to it but yet effectiveness. Both activities are engaging and very child friendly.
Activity 1 – Is it Weather or Climate? This resource is very easy to use and very accessible. The worksheet is straightforward helps students grasp the difference and understand that weather is short term and climate refers to long term patterns. I would start this lesson with a discussion about the weather we have had that week in the classroom and then build from that to contrast it with the long term climate we experience here in Ireland.
Activity 2 – Weather Detectives is a great activity where students will record daily temperatures, record these on a graph, calculate the average and compare their results with their peers. To use this activity I would set up a weather station. The children will be divided into groups and each group will take turns recording the weather and collating the data. Using the information gathered we will compare it to the official average for Munster.
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Hi Margaret,
I completely agree with you—this is such a fantastic resource! I really appreciated the simplicity of it too; it’s so accessible and easy to implement, yet really effective in helping children understand the difference between weather and climate.
I also loved both activities. Activity 1 is a great way to introduce the concept—starting with a discussion about the week’s weather is such a natural and relatable hook for the students. It really helps ground the idea before moving into longer-term patterns.
Activity 2 is brilliant for hands-on learning. Setting up a weather station and having the children actively involved in recording and comparing data makes it so engaging and meaningful. I like your idea of comparing the class data to the official average for Munster—it’s a great way to bring in real-world application.
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I really enjoyed reading through these ESA resources as they are simple, practical, and very engaging for children. They make the topic of weather and climate fun while still being very effective in building understanding.
In Nose Up High in the Sky, I love the idea of students building their own weather instruments. It’s hands-on, child-friendly, and allows them to actually see how data is gathered. I’d have the children work in small groups to build a rain gauge and anemometer, and we’d keep a weather diary to track changes throughout the week. The Weather vs Climate activities would link perfectly with this. For example, students could record daily measurements from our weather station, plot them on graphs, and then compare their findings to official averages. This would help them clearly see the difference between short-term weather and long-term climate while practising real STEM skills in science, maths, and technology.-
Hi Eve,
Welcome to the course and thanks for sharing your thoughts on the resources in this module.
From my own class experience, they have loved creating their own weather instruments and recording the weather on a daily basis. They could then gather their own data and as you have mentioned the link to making graphs in maths also. I like how you plan to compare the data with official data, I have often used Met Eireann data when learning about trend graphs in class. There are lots of opportunities for meaningful integration.
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Nose High Up in the Sky
To begin this topic, I would introduce weather proverbs and ask the children to collect examples from home. Together, we would decode the meanings behind these sayings and discuss their relevance to weather prediction, as well as why it’s important to forecast the weather.
We would then move on to describing weather using our senses—what we can see, smell, hear, and feel—and explore how sensory observations can help us anticipate changes in the weather. This would also be an opportunity to introduce key weather-related vocabulary.
Next, we would design and build our own rain gauge and anemometer and establish a weather station near our outdoor classroom. To enhance accuracy, we would purchase thermometers. Students would record their observations daily and use this data to produce weather forecasts to be shared over the school intercom during morning announcements.
As an extension, I would establish a Climate Committee, a student-led group responsible for managing the weather station and maintaining consistent recordings. Over time, this committee would begin to analyse patterns and trends in the data to make broader climate observations.
Weather vs Climate
This resource would complement both the weather station project and the work of the Climate Committee.
For Lesson 1, I would use the choose and move method, where students physically move to different areas of the classroom based on their chosen response. These statements could also serve as prompts for classroom debates.
Activities 2 and 3 would be completed with the involvement of the Climate Committee, using the long-term data they collect.
To deepen understanding, I would show selected videos from the slides—particularly Secrets of World Climate by Geogioide—and introduce Köppen’s Climate Classification, using the climate zone illustration found on Slide 22.
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Activities 1 “Is it Weather or Climate?” and 2 “Weather Detectives” offer an engaging way for pupils to understand the difference between short-term weather events and long-term climate patterns. I would start with Activity 1 as a whole-class interactive quiz encouraging pupils to justify their choices and discuss why an example fits into one category or the other. This promotes scientific language, reasoning skills and collaborative discussion.
In Activity 2, pupils would work as weather investigators recording daily measurements such as temperature, rainfall and wind speed. Using STEM skills they could design and test simple tools, select suitable measurement sites and produce graphs to track changes over time. This hands-on process naturally integrates science, maths and engineering while also encouraging teamwork and problem-solving.
To extend learning we could set up a permanent school weather station, compare results with national reports and share findings on the school website linking local observations to global patterns.
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Hi There
Just started the course and really enjoying it so far.Lots of practical hands on approaches which are also fun ,super important for teachers and their pupils!!Activity 1 Is it Weather or Climate
I liked how it started with the birthday memories of weather great way to suck the children in.Chat about compare and contrast summer birthdays to winter birthdays etc
Getting children to talk about weather and climate using appropriate language.Getting them to actually see they are different.I know from experience in the classroom they are often seen as the same thing.Depending on the age group I would use videos from the national geographic etc to show weather as short term and climate as years and decades.Using different climate zones in the older classes.Lots of room here for cross curricular activities.Activity 2 Weather Detectives
This activity allows for the collection and analysis of data.Very hands on lots of learning and collaboration with pupils.It can be differanciated in many ways depending on class and ages of pupils.Teaching the children how to use a thermometer getting some children to teach others this skill.It could be done for a month in the 4 different seasons.So many opportunities to analyse data.For the older classes representing data on graphs calculating averages etc
Seeing if the children could work out the best place to record temperature( not too hot or windy)…best to take temp at the same time each day….drawing their own conclusions through collaboration talk and discussion with their classmates.The use of ICT and more visual aids very beneficial.
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Hi Brid
Welcome to the course. I am glad you are enjoying it so far. As you have said, the very simple idea of discussing the weather on children’s birthdays has so much scope for discussion on seasonal variations in weather but also the short term changes from day to day and leading on to a discussion about climate and longer term variations. It would be interesting for children who have family in other countries or who may have been abroad on their birthday on some years to compare the weather there to introduce the topic of climate zones. As you said, there is so much scope with recording of the weather for differentiations for different classes and abilities from simple techniques for reading a thermometer, to working out where to place thermometers or other weather instruments, when and how to collect the data and how to analyse and represent it.
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I think these ESA resources are a handy resources for these topics in STEM. I have 2nd/3rd Class in the coming year and I can really see how these would be very useful for this age group. I like how each topic is divided into the three parts which you could do over 3 weeks.
In Nose Up High in the Sky I can see how building the weather station for the class would be fun and engaging for the children. I can see that I would need to make sure I have all the right equipment ready to go the children to start building. There would be a lot of trial and improvement for children which is what we want.
The Weather vs Climate theme is interesting as its not something I have ever covered to compare the two. I like the worksheets that go with the pack and I can see how useful they would be for the children and are pitched at a nice level for my class. All of this ties in really nicely with their maths learning.
I am keeping all these resources on a desktop file so that I can easily use them this year and add to my planning. The use of some of the videos is handy but I can see preparation of having the right equipment on hand will be important.-
I agree. The ESA resources are incredibly well-suited for a 2nd/3rd class, offering a practical and engaging way to teach STEM topics. The clear, three-part structure for each topic makes them easy to integrate into your planning, allowing for a focused, multi-week exploration. I particularly like your point about the Weather Station activity—the hands-on building and subsequent trial-and-improvement process are exactly what fosters a love for science and engineering in young learners. It’s also great that you recognize how these activities seamlessly connect to their maths curriculum, reinforcing data collection and analysis skills.
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I think that there is alot of useful information in this resource that can be used in alot of classes.
Activity 1: Is it weather or climate?
This resource is very easy to use. The worksheet is clear and consise which helps students understand the affects of weather and patterns.I would begin this lesson with a quick discussion with the children about the weather we are currently having, what we usually have etc and then build on from that.Activity 2: Weather Detectives
It is a great way to get kids learning through investigation, inquiry based learning which we know is so important. The kids will observe and record the weather daily, and to get them to understand some different tools/instruments to do so instead od us just using out visual skills. It’s a good way to build STEM skills, which is key like collecting and analysing the data etc.-
Hi Joanne
Welcome to the course and I’m glad you enjoyed the first module. As you said the activities here are very child friendly and accessible for all children. There are so many great STEM skills that can de developed from recording the weather from making and using instruments, to recording their findings, analysing their weather data and comparing it to online readings from Met Eireann. Even the simple act of placing thermometers in different parts of the school and on light and dark surfaces on a sunny day and seeing the differences between the temperatures is a great way to demonstrate why temperature is always recorded in the shade.
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Response to activity 1 + 2:
I think these activities are really useful to develop the children’s understanding of weather and climate. I like how the sentences used in Activity 1 were child-friendly and relevant to the children themselves and their life context, so it would interest them and allow them to develop their own understanding rather than just being told the difference between weather and climate. I also like how there was an extension activity for groups who may finish early, as it would challenge more advanced learners.An improvement could be to have the statements cut out and for the children to place them into the weather/climate category. This could help children who have difficulties with writing and may still be taking down the first statement as the other children move on to the following statements.
Activity 2 was also very good, providing a hands-on and investigative approach to learning that I think the children in my class would enjoy, as I find children like having an active role in their learning. Maybe for early finishers, the children could find an additional way of presenting their data other than the graph.
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ESA resources for primary children ‘Nose up high in the sky’, learning to use our senses to describe weather conditions. ESA resource ‘weather v climate’ with links to handling data within the math’s curriculum. I really liked activity 2: weather detectives, as children get hands on experience of how to measure air temperature, how to show this information on a graph and then how to analyze the data with weather and climate in mind. Stem skills such as teamwork are utilized and problem-solving skills are necessary to work out the weekly or months average temperatures. There are opportunities with this activity to have the temperature collection done by every class, with each class given a set number of days. Data collected can be displayed on a central display board in the school for viewing and discussion. This taps into stems collective practice of open communication and the sharing of knowledge.
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In my 3rd class, I have a real mix of ability levels, so I think a lovely way to start would be to use this alongside an aimsir lesson in Gaeilge. The children are already used to talking about the weather and pretending to be weather presenters, so it’s a nice lead-in to exploring the difference between weather and climate (which, honestly, I nearly struggle with myself—and I’m almost 40!).
I love that the teacher’s guide asks why meteorologists use the term weather and not climate. It’s such a simple but clever question. I also really like how it encourages group work and discussion, especially with the reading activity where they decide if something is describing weather or climate, and then put the definitions into their own words. That’s such great reinforcement.
I’m always a fan of combining SESE and literacy, and I can’t resist a good picture book. Thundercake is a gorgeous story about storms, and it worked really well with my class last year. For this lesson, I think I’ll use The Great Irish Weather Book. I might also look at the class novel we’re reading to see if the children could rewrite a small section, adding in different types of weather or climate.
There are so many lovely ideas that could grow from this
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STEM education in my classroom involves lots of questioning, testing, experimenting, predicting and problem solving. It involves lots of group work promoting teamwork. Listening skills and presenting skills are to the forefront. Active learning and scientific investigation are very important in my classroom.
Activity 1: Is it weather or climate?
This activity effectively explains the difference between weather and climate using everyday examples for meaningful discussion. The sorting exercise works on children’s powers of observation, reasoning, and critical thinking. Including a “birthday weather” prompt is particularly clever. It’s personalized and meaningful to children, helping them naturally connect short-term weather events with long-term climate patterns. I would start this lesson with a class discussion and then get the children to work in small groups.Activity 2: Weather Detectives covers lots of STEM basics. Children can become real investigators by taking daily temperature readings and making sure they record them at the same time and place each day—this helps them learn to collect data accurately. Drawing their results in graphs teaches them how to show information clearly, spot patterns, and work out averages. Comparing what they record in class with data from the internet builds digital know how and helps them understand how to interpret real-world info. As a class we could bring our findings to whole school assemblies.
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Hi Michelle
Welcome to the course. It is great to hear that you are providing for lots of active learning and skills development in STEM activities in your classroom.
The weather or climate activity allows for lots of class discussion as you have mentioned, along with critical thinking using the prompt of weather on their birthday. It helps to pupils to understand the differences between the two concepts.
Weather Detectives has always been a hit in my own classroom, giving pupils the responsibility to check the temperature at the same time every day and recording the data that they can then use with their peers to create graphs and recording averages as you have mentioned. It gives meaningful purpose to the maths lesson when they are using data they have collected themselves and it is a great idea to share your findings with the whole school and acknowledge their work. Thanks for sharing.
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The way to teach the difference between weather and climate was really clear. Talking about the weather, looking outside, and using our senses to explore it would be great for the children. The videos, visuals, and especially the hands-on activities to help kids understand weather and climate are really valuable. This would help build their STEM skills and encourage them to be creative, solve problems, communicate, measure, predict, use the internet to check sites like met.ie, and record the weather. Activities like making a weather vane or rain gauge and using a thermometer to track temperature every day would be very hands-on. This would get the children asking questions and noticing patterns, which could lead to setting up a small weather station at school with support from parents and the school community. I would also get the children to choose a country with a different climate than Ireland to study their weather and compare it with ours. This would add even more STEM learning.
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Hi Katie, I love your idea of having students compare Ireland’s weather and climate with that of other countries. It’s a brilliant way to deepen understanding and connect STEM to the wider world, and as Sinéad mentioned, choosing countries that the children have personal connections to would make it even more meaningful.
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The ESA educational resources provide an excellent foundation for teaching weather and climate. Their clarity, practicality, and age-appropriate design make them particularly effective for engaging young learners while fostering scientific understanding. One notable resource, Nose Up High in the Sky, encourages students to construct their own weather instruments. This hands-on approach is both accessible and pedagogically sound, enabling students to actively participate in data collection. I would implement this by organizing students into small groups to build rain gauges and anemometers, followed by maintaining a structured weather diary over the course of a week.
To reinforce learning, I would integrate the Weather vs Climate activities. Students could record and graph daily weather data, then compare their results with long-term climate averages. This comparison would effectively illustrate the distinction between short-term weather variations and long-term climate patterns. Additionally, such tasks provide valuable opportunities to develop essential STEM skills, particularly in scientific observation, data analysis, and quantitative reasoning.
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Hi Keith
Welcome to the course.
Through creating their own weather instruments the pupils will be engaged and take more responsibility for their learning and the data they can collect. There are lots of opportunities for skills development as you have mentioned such as observation, recording and analysing and many opportunities for critical thinking also.
You have mentioned a weather diary over the course of a week and you could consider exploring this over a longer period. You could also consider Term 1 for the first year and alternate the terms in subsequent years to allow the pupils to explore and compare the data from the previous class. I hope you enjoy the course.
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Weather or Climate
After studying the activities as part of this resource, I would use these to guide the children’s learning of the difference between climate and weather. After completing the temperature investigation in activity 2, I would ask the children to investigate rainfall and wind speed also. Our school has the resources to do this, and each group of children would be given a span of time of when to carry out their research, write up their findings and present it to the class. To develop their learning further, some children could design their own rain gauge or anemometer. This would be an excellent means of integrating STEM in the classroom. It also provides opportunities to integrate Gaeilge. The children could put together a short presentation about the difference between weather and climate, using maps, photos and videos to assist them.
Nose High Up in the Sky
This resource looks to be fun and engaging, offering lots of informative videos on the difference between weather and climate. It fosters critical thinking and problem solving which is very important especially with the older classes.-
Hi Sarah
Welcome to the course
In my own class they have always enjoyed learning about the weather, they have made their own instruments and gathered their own data. I also have weather instruments from school supplies, however I find they like to make their own and take more responsibility when creating their own instruments too.
I also integrate the weather across Gaeilge and we explore weather forecasting using maps and the whiteboard. If you have a greenscreen it is very engaging as pupils can record their own forecast and use images or maps they have made themselves in their video.
I like how you plan to get the pupils to present their work and to use lots of different resources to do so such as videos, maps and photos. I hope you enjoy the course.
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I think the children will really enjoy activity 1. The videos on weather and climate are stimulating and will be engaging when exploring the theme, giving them a good understanding of the differences between weather and climate. This will be a good point of reference for the children by the time they begin activity 1. The design of activity 1 lends itself really well to group or paired discussion, which children love. They have an opportunity to tease out their answers without the pressure of too much writing, and then they are tasked with explaining what weather and climate are in their own words. This will give me an opportunity to see if they understand the differences and is a useful form of assessment.
Activity 2 is very interesting and again, I think the children will enjoy it. There are brief instructions which are useful, but not too many, which I think will also naturally create a deviation in results, which will provide very stimulating and challenging discussions. For example, it doesn’t suggest taking the air temperature inside the classroom (which we know can vary rapidly throughout the day) or whether they should take it outdoors. They are also challenged to think critically about which resources they need as opposed to being told. I particularly like that they are given a graph template, but again they are tasked with filling in the details themselves, thus opening up room for error, which again will provide critical discussion. The simple explanation for finding the average is also a very practical way of introducing a mathematical concept and applying it to an everyday problem. The activities have all of the features of a good STEM activity.
This activity would be a natural segway into creating our own weather station to collect data and engineer data collection tools as it would allow the children to reflect on some of the things that worked well, or some of the things we need to improve ( such as where we would locate the weather station).
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Hi Patricia.
Welcome to the course, it is great to hear that pupils will enjoy the different tasks and activities in this module.
I agree that activity 1 allows for lots of discussion which pupils do love as they can offer their opinions and as you have mentioned tease out their ideas without the pressure of writing. Through participating in the discussions it does allow for assessment as the teacher can assess whether they have fully grasped the concepts of weather and climate.
I also agree that activity 2 allows for lots of critical thinking, as you have mentioned pupils are asked to think about what resources are needed rather than it being led by the teacher or a set of instructions. I also think that the pupils may find the task on finding averages of the temperature more meaningful as they are using their own data and as you have said this is a practical way to apply a maths concept to an everyday problem.
These activities do lend themselves towards a weather station which will be outlined in another resource from ESERO. I hope you enjoy the course.
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Liston points out that real STEM learning blends science, technology, engineering, and maths, with engineering linking them together in meaningful, real life problem solving. In my class, STEM is hands-on and project-based, encouraging curiosity, problem solving, and teamwork.
The ESA “Nose Up high in the Skyy” and “Weather vs climate” resources are perfect for this. Setting up a school weather station would give pupils the chance to gather and record daily weather data, use technology to analyse it, and compare it to long term climate patterns. They would develop practical skills like measuring temperature accurately, creating graphs, and interpreting Trends. Linking this to climate studies would help them see the bigger picture of how weather and climate connect. As a school, I would lead by creating a shared space for classes to post data, compare findings, and present reports, so everyone can take part in understanding and sharing our weather and climate story.-
Your plan to use a school weather station sounds great. It perfectly aligns with Liston’s point about real-life problem solving in engineering. This project would give students a tangible way to apply science, technology, and maths, while developing important practical skills and a deeper understanding of climate change.
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Activity 1:
I think this would work well with my 5th class however personally with my classes I don’t think the topic of birthdays would work to begin. I find they work better with a joint experience to start such as sports day, the first day of school etc. It could then be developed to their individual birthdays. I do think they would enjoy this lesson as an introduction. After question 1 I would display pupil page and highlight on IWB which category they put each into. Have them develop oral language skills to describe why they made that choice. Use this discussion to base their answers for q2.
Activity 2
This trend graph would work v. well with my 6th class. I would I would probably aim to complete this after we have completed trend graphs in Maths as it would be excellent revision that is also applied, which is great. Additionally averages will be completed in Maths therefore I would complete this as revision. I would spend a little longer teaching how to read a thermometer before starting this topic as I have completed this activity with a 5th class previously and some results coming back were way off. I would be unsure of the answer if there was a difference from the internet value (if it was in the shade, no hands used, place where wind can flow freely).-
Hi Megan
Welcome to the course. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on reflecting on the weather for a joint experience initially, this will engage all pupils and you can then reflect on the weather for their individual birthdays. Using these examples is a great way to recognise the difference between the concepts of weather and climate in a meaningful way with examples and connections to real-life.
Integrating the trend graph of temperature with maths is a really engaging task for the pupils as it gives them meaningful purpose to the graphs they are creating. You can also explore averages as you have mentioned. I agree that learning how to use and read a thermometer is a skill for the pupils and they must recognise it must be left in the shade and if possible mounted on the wall for accurate readings. These are all valuable learning experiences for the pupils. I hope you enjoy the other modules in this course.
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The following are my thoughts on the ‘Weather and Climate’ activities:
Activity 1: I think it would be very helpful to consolidate learning on the differences between climate and weather and their day-today relevance. It is a shame that for all the languages it’s available in it isn’t also available in Irish. As I teach sixth class in a Gaelscoil I would use the explanatory text as English reading comprehension (I think it is quite challenging in parts) and we would have the oral discussion through Irish.
Activity 2:Temperature – I like the emphasis on how it is measured ( eg. in the shade) as I think this is something most adults don’t even realise when discussing air temperature. This could provide opportunities to critically assess thermometers that might not be as accurate (eg. car), and why.
I also like the amount of Maths involved – graphs, coordinates, averages.
In this particular activity however there isn’t really any engineering, so wouldn’t count as STEM. It could be an idea to have the pupils design a stand that would hold the thermometer and not affect its readings, to incorporate engineering.
Activity 3: Out of interest I took a look at the TEAL tool and I agree with what was said in the slide. It is difficult to understand and would be off-putting for most children.
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Hi Sinéad,
Welcome to the course.
Thanks for your feedback on the lack of an Irish version-I will share your input with the team. I like how you have adapted this by making it part of your English comprehension instead.
Your idea to build a stand for the thermometer sounds like a terrific way to incorporate a problem-solving engineering challenge, with scope to reflect and improve on the design through testing.
I quite like TEAL as an interactive visual display of climate variables changing over time. As we move from 1950 to 2024, the temperature increase shown in red dramatically changes, making it a striking reminder of what is happening. Having said that, it is sluggish, and there are many other resources on offer to visually demonstrate these changes.
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Activity 1: Is it weather or climate?
This activity would be very useful for children learning the difference between weather or climate. Having the children categorise their own statement that they have said would make the activity interesting and relevant to them. The use of visual images for children to link to different climate zones would be very helpful in making the lesson accessible to all learners. Children working in groups will also allow them to bounce ideas off each other.
Activity 2: Weather detectives
This resource is straight forward and easy to use. The use of active learning in this activity will keep children engaged and interested in the lesson. This resource would be very useful in developing children’s skills in collecting and analysing data. This could link in with data in maths as the children are finding averages and using graphs.
To extend the activities, I would encourage the children to set up a basic weather station in the school where they could record and display their findings.
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Module 1 Assignment:
Dr. Liston’s paper, Unravelling STEM: Beyond the acronym of Science, Technology , Engineering and Mathematics, looks to emphasise integrated real world learning over isolated subjects. She highlights benefits such as critical thinking, problem solving, ethics, collaboration and technological literacy. She maintains that authentic lessons should connect science, technology, engineering and maths to meaningful applications that prepare students for the future.ESA Resource- Nose High Up in the Sky
This is a brilliant resource to help students explore and understand weather through observation and measurement in a fun and engaging way. The hands-on activities, such as building rain gauges and anemometers, will be great for helping the children explore weather in a tangible and practical way. It also clearly shows how scientists gather, record and use data to understand weather patterns and make accurate forecasts. I’m looking forward to using it in my classroom next year and think the children will really enjoy and benefit from it. -
I think the weather station activities would work really well with my 3rd Class. Lots of useful resources and ideas and the class would love being involved in the set up and collection of data. Firstly, linking Weather to birthdays –
I love the idea of asking the children about the weather on their birthdays. The children will enjoy this activity because it connects to their own lives. We will start by talking about the weather on their birthdays. This will get them interested and ready to take part. Next, they will work with their groups to compare the weather. This will help them see how Irish weather can change a lot and will lead to learning the difference between short-term weather and long-term climate. For example maybe they have birthdays in the same month or season as their peers and the weather was different across the week, month or season for them.
We will then talk about weather and climate in other countries. The children can share how special occasions are celebrated in these places maybe when they are on holidays or visiting family and how the weather might affect them. Using maps, we will find the countries and place them in one of the five main climate zones. We would have children from many parts of the world and this could awaken more curiosity among the class if they were willing to share.
Another activity my class would enjoy is collecting and comparing temperatures In this activity, children will work in pairs or small groups to record the temperature each day for a set time. I would make large thermometers available in a specific place outside our classroom door and a record chart for each group to record daily temperatures at the same time each day. It might be nice for the group to predict the temperature before they check each day and talk about the weather on that day, After collecting the temperatures, they will look at the results to seeing any patterns emerging in the daily temperature. We could link it up with maths at the end of the recording process over a week or a month and use data to interpret our results.
The Teach with Space resources will be very useful when teaching Third Class this year.-
Hi Una
Welcome to the course and it is great to hear that the resources from this module would work well in your classroom.
The activity allows for lots of discussion on the weather, whether it is on their birthday or maybe the weather if they were on holidays in a different country. This is a great opportunity to explore the concept of weather initially before exploring the concept of weather. With pupils of different nationalities it is a great opportunity to link with weather and climate in their country if they are willing to share as you have mentioned.
I also like how you are planning to predict the temperature before checking it, this will allow for consolidation of learning and skills. Thanks for sharing.
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I just checked out the ESA activities “Nose Up High in the Sky” (observing and measuring weather conditions) and “Weather vs Climate” (understanding their differences). I love how “Nose Up High in the Sky” could get our students actually building or using a simple weather station—measuring temperature, wind or rainfall—and then comparing that real data with longer-term climate patterns. The “Weather vs Climate” activities make that difference super clear: weather is what happens day‑to‑day, while climate is about averages over years.
In class, this could spark tons of STEM skills—kids practicing measuring, graphing their own data, doing math to calculate averages, spotting trends, and even designing their own mini-weather station (engineering in action!). To bring the school community in, we could share weekly weather insights in assemblies, digital displays or newsletters—getting everyone curious about how weather and climate connect. That way, we create a shared practice of watching, learning and talking about our changing world together.
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Hi Peter,
Welcome to the course, and thanks for sharing your thoughts.
A weather station is a wonderful addition to any school and provides so many learning opportunities! You have mentioned the many opportunities to develop a suite of STEM skills-from measuring to graphing, calculating, interpreting and designing-its an activity that packs a punch in terms of value.
What I like about this activity is that it doesn’t need to be completed in one class; the weather station can grow its instrument collection over time, and data collection can be ongoing, allowing everyone to take the lead and ownership of the task. A great way to incorporate a movement break into a busy day, too!
Great plan to make it part of weekly assemblies, and leverage technology to capture/share data and insights making use of technology to develop ICT and communication skills.
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I found this module to be very clear and informative. The ESA resources are very engaging and child centered and present the topic of weather and climate in a fun, hands on manner. The first set of lessons Nose Up in the Sky, are a great way to teach children about weather in a way that engages all of their senses. I liked the use of weather proverbs to open a lesson but as I teach first class, I would adapt this to include some YouTube videos and songs also to open the discussion. Setting up a weather station with the children is a wonderful idea. It has always seemed like a big undertaking for me with limited time for covering the curriculum but I feel it would be a very worthwhile activity the children get to use STEM strategies such as problem solving, predicting, data gathering and analysis and communication to work together to complete this project. I think that building their own anemometer and letting them take charge of their learning is very important. Keeping a journal or log of their findings allows them to notice weather patterns first hand.
The second set of lessons are also very well presented and the resources provided look to be practical and easy to use. The whole school could get involved in monitoring daily temperatures and this could be communicated daily by intercom. The student council could get involved and make a presentation about climate and weather and the findings from our observations at a school assembly.
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Hi Laura,
Thanks for sharing, and welcome to the course!
I am delighted to see that you found this module clear and informative, with engaging and child-centered activities.
First class is a great age to run these activities, and I like how you plan to adapt this to engage your learners by using some YouTube videos and songs as a prompt for this lesson.
Great idea to get the whole school involved in monitoring temperatures and creating peer learning opportunities.
The curriculum is jam-packed, but like you say, it would be a very worthwhile activity if the children get to use STEM strategies, and come along in their STEM skills.
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In my opinion, this module on weather and climate was made very accessible. The activities that have been suggested are child centred and clearly explained. I think that the lessons from ‘Nose up in the sky’ are a great way of introducing children to exploring the weather using their senses. I love the idea of setting up a weather station! The children engaging in hands on activities like this is exactly what they need!
I think that the resources in the ‘Weather vs Climate’ lessons are excellent! They clearly explain the two in a child friendly way that is easy to understand.
I think that I will definitely make use of these resources in my teaching of second class. I will modify them slightly to suit the level of my class. In general, weather is something that I would chat about with my classes each day. So I love the idea of keeping a class record of it and comparing it over time.
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The ESA resources offer engaging, hands-on activities that can make weather and climate concepts tangible for students. Setting up a school weather station would allow learners to collect real-time data, observe patterns, and compare short-term weather with long-term climate trends. These activities offer great opportunity in relation to Stem. For science (data collection and analysis), technology (using sensors, i pads), engineering (designing and maintaining the station), and mathematics (graphing and interpreting results). Findings could be then be displayed in the school, a daily weather forecast could be done over the school intercom or assembly.
It also always for integration with Irish as pupils could present the weather as Gaeilge.
I also like the idea of the proverbs as I think it would gain pupils interest and I like the home school link.
In relation to Climate v Weather I think Activity 1 is definitely a good starting point as it would get pupils thinking.
I like the idea of tracking our climate with historical and projected figures. I think this will give pupils a better understanding of what a climate is and climate change.-
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Hi Ciara,
Thanks for sharing, and welcome to the course!
I am delighted to see your interest in these resources and their scope. Presenting the weather As Gaeilge is a terrific idea for a cross-curricular opportunity, and its wonderful to see your plan to engage the entire school with daily intercom announcements.
Proverbs are a novel way to link in with the wider school community and open a discussion on weather with learners’ family members, and it’s interesting to see if national and international proverbs have a common thread.
By looking into the past, present and potential futures, and explaining the human-made changes that rapidly occurred since the Industrial Revolution, learners will begin to understand the relationship between our emissions and the changing climate challenge.
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The weather and climate resource provide an array of information and activities that will allow children to broaden their knowledge on the topic. Prior to starting activity 1 “Is it Weather or Climate?” I would have the children brainstorm what they know about weather and climate and discuss this by creating a KWL chart. The statement activity is an excellent way for children to analyse, discuss and identify what classifies as weather or climate. Guided discovery learning is very evident here. To further add to this, children could create fact files on the types of weather and climates. Technology can be integrated here for researching and also creating a video presentation of their fact files. Once pupils have completed the climate zones extension, they could play a game in groups to see who could sort the countries into the correct zones the fastest. Something fun but also they learn which country belongs to which zone.
Weather detectives is an excellent name for the activity. I love how they have integrated maths by graphing their results.
To begin this activity, class discussion on temperatures and how to measure temperatures. Thermometers will be given to groups to aid discussion. Activity sheets will be given out for measuring temperature. Key questions about how to measure and where to measure etc, will be given out for groups to discuss. Measurements will be taken daily over the course of a month. To extend this activity, pupils could use weather apps to record predicted temperatures. Comparisons can be made with recorded temperatures. These apps could also help pupils identify the difference in their recorded temperatures and temperatures in another area in Ireland, another country etc.
Activity 2 could be done at different stages of the school year to make temperature comparisons between seasons. The pupils could also identify the weather conditions with each temperature reading to further extend learning.
Pupil could also design and make rain gauges and anemometers to further engage with their local weather. This can be integrated then with maths especially the strand data. I am excited to use this resource this year with my pupils.
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Module 1 helped me understand the difference between weather and climate, why accurate measurements matter, and how these ideas link to STEM skills. The ESA activities Nose Up High in the Sky and Weather vs Climate are perfect for making learning hands-on and fun. I would set up a school weather station so pupils could build simple tools like thermometers, anemometers, and rain gauges to record daily temperature, wind, and rainfall. This would bring together science (observing), technology (using tools), engineering (making), and maths (measuring and graphing). We could compare our results with long-term climate data to see the bigger picture of change over time. I would encourage the class in sharing our findings on a noticeboard or in assemblies so every class feels part of the project. This could be a lovely project to ‘carry over’ from year to year to allow more comparisons.
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I thought the resources were very good and were very child-friendly. Activity One where the children learn to differentiate between weather and climate is so important so that the they grasp the different concepts clearly. Starting with what they know and building upon that is the key to deepening understanding.
Exercise 2 – Weather Detectives was also a great resource. Building a meteorological station is a great idea for teamwork and is very inclusive, as children can be buddied up. I think that if the children will be going outside to read the temperature each day, there is an opportunity to include adding a rain gauge (again, discussion needed for the ideal location and reasons why!) and recording of daily rainfall, the use of an anemometer and weather vane for wind speed and direction and I even sometimes (depending on class) measure the cloud cover. Tracking the data for a number of weeks is a great idea, but repeating the activity in each term is great for highlighting different weather in different seasons.
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Hi Fiona,
Thanks for your post and welcome to the course.
I am glad to see you find the resources provided to be very good and child-friendly. There is a whole suite of measuring devices possible for a weather station, and I like how you are considering visual cloud cover observations too.
Time constraints can be a challenge, and another option could be to have the rain gauge as a homework activity. This one offers plenty of opportunities for reflection, refinement, and improvement over time, making it great for math interpretation, from averages to charts and more.
You make a great point about the value of tracking data, and repeating every term has the added benefit of different seasons. It would be great to see what learners predict for each coming season in terms of temperature averages, rainfall, etc.
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Reading Unravelling STEM (Liston, 2018) reminded me how STEM isn’t just about teaching contentand more about helping children make sense of the world around them through curiosity, problem-solving, and real-life applications. In my own classroom, I’ve seen how much more engaged children are when learning is hands-on and connected across subjects.
I plan on using the Weather and Climate resource—particularly Activities 1 and 2. .” For Activity 1, I would turn the statements into a walking debate where children have to physically choose “weather” or “climate” corners. This would led to great discussions, especially about things like “It’s usually warm in Spain.” Some weren’t sure if that counted as weather or climate, so we explored it further using maps and weather data online.
Activity 2: “Weather Detectives,” seems a great outdoor learning session. The class could bring their clipboards and spent the lesson observing clouds, wind direction, and temperature. I would pair this with a simple experiment—placing cups of water in sun and shade to see which evaporated faster. This could be linked to the water cycle. To extend the learning, I would have the class build simple rain gauges using plastic bottles and set up a mini weather station in the school garden. We’ll tie this into data handling in maths and even produce our own weekly weather reports for the school newsletter.
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I completed Activities 1 and 2 from the Teach with Space: Weather vs Climate resource. The activities are fun for both teacher and learner, very engaging and user friendly. The first Activity clearly defines weather and climate.I love to use a sorting task in my teaching and sorting the statements encourages observation, reasoning,team work and critical thinking. If I had infants I would try asking them to sort images.The birthday weather discussion is an excellent teaching idea. It immediately invites everybody into the lesson and it makes the distinction between weather and climate more personal and concrete.
Activity 2 “Weather Detectives” is equally as fun engaging it gives students a practical, hands-on experience of measuring weather data. By actively using thermometers, they would be able to see how temperature varies in different locations and times of day, which makes the concept of weather more tangible and engaging. The activity encouraged careful observation, recording, and comparison, helping to develop both scientific skills and critical thinking. Overall, it combines scientific inquiry with real-world application, making the learning memorable and meaningful.
I would be very enthusiastic to use these lessons in my classroom. I would put yen children in groups and then guide a discussion of their findings.
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How to Implement STEM in the Classroom
Project-Based Learning
Example: Design a water filtration system using simple materials.Cross-Curricular Lessons
Combine math (measurements), science (chemistry of water), and technology (coding sensors) into one project.
Hands-On Experiments
Robotics kits, coding games, or building simple machines.
Technology Integration
Use simulations, 3D printing, or VR to explore concepts.
STEM Challenges / Competitions
STEM fairs, coding challenges, or engineering design contests.
Examples of Classroom STEM Activities
Infants: Build bridges with popsicle sticks and test their strength.
Middle classes: Create simple circuits with batteries and LEDs.
6th class: Program a robot to navigate a maze or design an app prototype.
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Hi John.
Welcome to the course. Thanks for sharing the examples of cross curricular lessons for STEM.
However, you are reminded that the purpose of this assignment was to explore and reflect on the activities outlined in this module. Have you explored the Weather and Climate resource? Is there any activities you have listed that could be further explored within the topic of weather and climate? Perhaps you could revisit this resource and ensure that your post aligns with the assignment for this module.
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The resource Nose High Up in the Sky presents both engaging and practical strategies for teaching and I look forward to using it with my class in September. It offers a clear explanation of how to distinguish between weather and climate, beginning with simple sensory observations—like looking out the window and noticing what we see, hear, and feel. The integration of video clips, visuals, and especially hands-on activities makes the exploration of weather and climate particularly effective. These approaches foster STEM learning by encouraging creativity, problem-solving, communication, measurement, prediction, and data collection. Students are guided to use tools such as thermometers and rain gauges, and even digital platforms like net.ie, to track and record weather conditions.
For example, pupils might construct their own weather instruments—a rain gauge or weather vane—and chart daily temperature data. Such active participation not only nurtures curiosity but also helps them recognize patterns, which could evolve into establishing a small-scale weather station at school, supported by parents and the wider community.
To deepen their learning, students could also compare Ireland’s weather and climate with those of another country. This extension would provide valuable insights into climate variation while further strengthening STEM skills through research, critical analysis, and comparative study.
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Activity 1: Is it Weather or Climate?
This activity is very practical for the classroom. It gives students real-life, relatable examples. The goal is simple: to help students understand the difference between weather and climate. Even many adults find this confusing, so it’s a very useful lesson. Because of its interesting nature, it would keep students engaged from start to finish.
Activity 2: Weather Detectives
This lesson gives children more chances to develop their scientific and math skills. One great thing is that it doesn’t need a set time—it can be used all year. Students can also share their results. I would include ICT by posting updates on the school website or social media. This would keep students engaged and make the lesson even better.
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Hi Cian,
Thanks for sharing, and welcome to the course.
Having read Liston’s paper, what does STEM education look like in your classroom? Do you align with what she describes?
You are right, the weather or climate activity is so simple in what it sets out to achieve, but is such a fundamental foundational piece, and adults struggle with this too, often using the terms interchangeably.
Weather detectives is a very worthwhile activity, and one that has significant scope across STEM and cross-curricular links too. Food for thought for the rapidly approaching academic year!
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STEM education in my classroom can look different depending on the day. I try to have as many hands-on activities as possible, but some topics can be a bit trickier than others in that regard. I am hoping through this course that I will become better equipped to teach topics such as climate and weather in a more fun and interactive way. The slide which explained the difference between weather and climate was beneficial and the Nose in the sky was an excellent way to help pupils to learn how their senses when describing weather conditions and not just in the traditional way in relation to food.
I tend to use an inquiry-based approach and pose questions to the class at the beginning of a topic. We make use of KWL charts regularly and the children’s curiosity and interest can guide their learning on a topic, with guidance from me when appropriate (depending on class level, curriculum etc).
Weather Detectives is a fitting example of this as the children are responsible for their learning by making use of an inquiry-based learning activity, with pupils observing and recording the weather every day for a certain period. The class would love making the different instruments to measure the weather; rain gauges, anemometers and even challenging them to create a new instrument to measure an aspect of the weather.
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“Nose High Up in the Sky” was a great find. There were many solid, practical ideas. I especially liked how it breaks down the difference between weather and climate by having kids start with something they know, like just looking outside. Using videos and hands-on projects makes it a lot more fun than just reading from a book. It’s exactly the kind of thing that makes STEM come alive. Kids get to be real scientists—they’re not just learning about things, they’re doing them. They have to think, solve problems, talk about what they find, and use tools to measure and collect data.
The best part, for me, is the idea of having them build their own weather tools. Imagine a student making a rain gauge and then actually using it every day. That kind of project is a huge curiosity booster. You could even turn it into a bigger class project, maybe setting up a little weather station for the school. Getting families involved would be a brilliant way to connect what they’re learning in class to the wider community. The last idea about comparing Ireland’s weather to another country’s is a perfect idea that can be used in older classes . It really pushes them to think bigger and see how all of their little observations fit into a global picture.-
Hi Patrick,
Welcome to the course, and thanks for sharing your reflections. It’s lovely to read how the interactive and diverse nature of the resources provided in “Nose High Up in the Sky” makes this project fun and STEM come alive! There is considerable potential to develop an array of skills within these resources.
I do hope you take the opportunity to roll out the weather station project this year. Considering how simple and accessible the instruments for it are, it provides a wealth of learning opportunities.
It’s a lovely idea to connect to other countries’ weather, especially if it’s relevant to some of your international students, taking the learning from a local level to a global one. It’s also a great segue to talking about the importance of following the same scientific methods and practices globally, and asking questions like, if one country measures temperature in the sun and another in the shade, can those data points be compared? Etc.,
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“Nose High Up in the Sky” was a great find. There were many solid, practical ideas. I especially liked how it breaks down the difference between weather and climate by having kids start with something they know, like just looking outside. Using videos and hands-on projects makes it a lot more fun than just reading from a book. It’s exactly the kind of thing that makes STEM come alive. Kids get to be real scientists—they’re not just learning about things, they’re doing them. They have to think, solve problems, talk about what they find, and use tools to measure and collect data.
The best part, for me, is the idea of having them build their own weather tools. Imagine a student making a rain gauge and then actually using it every day. That kind of project is a huge curiosity booster. You could even turn it into a bigger class project, maybe setting up a little weather station for the school. Getting families involved would be a brilliant way to connect what they’re learning in class to the wider community. The last idea about comparing Ireland’s weather to another country’s is a perfect idea that can be used in older classes . It really pushes them to think bigger and see how all of their little observations fit into a global picture. -
I have always loved geography and learning about weather and climate, and it’s something I really enjoy teaching because it connects so easily to everyday life. In our school, we often weave weather into daily Gaeilge neamhfhoirmiúil, which makes it fun and relevant for the children. The ESA activities Is it Weather or Climate? and Weather Detectives are a great way to bring this topic alive. In Activity 1, children talk about the weather on their birthdays, which they love (but this chat can go way off topic if not mananged carefully!), and it helps them see the difference between short-term weather and long-term climate. Activity 2 builds on this by setting up a weather station in the school grounds. When I tried this with Junior Infants, they were so enthusiastic. They reminded me every day to check the instruments! These activities foster curiosity, observation, and teamwork, while also developing maths and problem-solving skills. Sharing results across the school creates excitement and collective learning.
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I found both activities to be incredibly valuable and believe they’d be great for bringing a more hands-on, investigative approach to the classroom. While the link to Climate Detectives has expired, the activities are fantastic. I particularly love the idea of having students explore climate change and see how human activities contribute to global warming. It would have been a wonderful opportunity for them to feel like they’re making a real difference. I’m especially excited about the virtual gallery concept and the possibility of collaborating with other schools to compare weather in different climates.
The second activity, building a weather station, is so versatile and seems perfect for students of all ages. I can already picture my students having a blast constructing it. Before we build, I’d challenge them with a STEM activity, asking them to come up with their own ways to measure things like rainfall. Once it’s built, they could present their findings to younger classes, and we could turn the data into a great math lesson on charting. I’d even love to have them make their own weather predictions and share video updates with the entire school.
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STEM learning in my classroom varies day to day, but I always try to include hands-on, engaging activities. Weather and climate can be harder to make interactive, so I’ve really appreciated the practical ideas shared in this course.
The Nose High Up in the Sky resource stood out—it clearly explains the difference between weather and climate through simple sensory observations. The mix of visuals, videos, and active learning helps develop key STEM skills like data collection, measurement, prediction, and problem-solving. Using real tools like thermometers and rain gauges, along with online resources such as Met.ie, adds real-world relevance.
Activities similar to Weather Detectives have worked well in my classes in the past. Pupils enjoy making their own instruments, tracking daily weather, and noticing patterns. This often sparks curiosity and discussions about setting up a class weather station. Comparing Ireland’s weather with another country’s could also extend learning through research and analysis.
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Using the ‘Nose High Up in the Sky’ Resource
I like the idea of using the weather proverbs as a discussion topic to start. Children are usually quite familiar with the ‘Red Sky at Night’ saying so maybe setting them a task to ask at home/grandparents and we will list any new ones they can come up with. Also the proverb website resource given could be used do discuss and debate the relevance of these predictions in relation to weather. They would also serve as a starting point as to why people might need to predict the weather ie farmers saving the hay, planning a picnic etc.
For lesson two being outside and using their senses would be a fantastic way to bring their weather lesson to life. Using specific weather vocabulary they will describe what they can see/hear/smell/touch and how these senses can help to predict the weather ie ‘I can see rain on the bench so it has rained today but there are no clouds in the sky so I don’t think it will rain again.’
Lesson 3 making a weather station would really appeal to children and can be linked to Art/Geography/English writing etc. Designing and making a rain gauge and anemometer would be enjoyable as would taking the weather measurements on a daily basis.
While I like the Climate Vs Weather Resource I think some of the lesson topics and content might be slightly too difficult for my multiclass 2nd/3rd.
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Hi Miriam.
Welcome to the course. I agree that weather proverbs can allow for great discussion and links with local history as the learners can ask older relatives for more proverbs. It would encourage critical thinking as they make links between the proverbs and their relevance to the weather for some people such as farmers as you have said.
The activities in the resources can be easily adapted for your class level, while recording the temperature might be appropriate you could show them the anemometer and allow the learners to use it. This would also allow for the language development you have mentioned along with the activity on using the senses.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, I hope you enjoy the course.
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I enjoyed this module, it really made very clear definitions between weather and climate and some of the videos were perfectly balanced and at an ideal level for the primary school classroom.
I have a few ideas as to how I would use the Nose High Up In The Sky resource.
I often start new SESE topics with a KWL chart and I think that would be perfect to use to introduce this topic, and firstly figure out what the children already know.
Our Autism Support Class pupils integrate at regular intervals during the day, and I think setting up a weather station and recording the daily weather (temp/rain guage/anemometer) are ideal opportunities for integration.
We always use our daily calendar to record the weather, and this is a perfect opportunity to link the topic with Gaeilge also.
“Is it Weather or Climate?” This video would be used to inspire a number of projects, also to update the KWL chart.
As I have a multigrade senior room, I think the senior children would be able to work in groups to develop a fact file on each climate- the younger pupils could also respond by drawing the different landscapes associated with each/preparing a report on a typical animal in each climate.
Of course, in true STEM fashion, maths will play a vital role here and the STEM skills of gathering data, questioning, experimenting, making predictions and drawing conclusions will all be developed in these lessons. I would see fantastic opportunities in data representation with each group presenting the data in a chart.
I would also keep a record of all new vocabulary on a wordwall.
Activity 3: Climate Reporters. I think this lesson is better suited to the more senior pupils. Once the lesson is complete they could share the results and present their predictions in a fun ‘future weather forecast’ scenario for the younger pupils.
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The ESA “Nose Up High in the Sky” activity offers a hands on way for students to build a mini weather station, collecting rain, wind speed, and temperature data to understand how scientists gather reliable measurements. Paired with the “Weather vs Climate” module, students can explore short term weather versus long term climate by collecting daily data, calculating averages, graphing results, and comparing them to historical norms.
In my class, I would coordinate setting up a basic weather station in the school grounds with secure placement, regular readings, and shared responsibilities. Measuring and graphing weather teaches science (data collection), technology (using digital sensors or apps), engineering (designing the station), and maths (averaging, graphing). Over time, students will observe how daily weather differs from climate trends, helping them distinguish the two concepts.
To lead the school, I would facilitate collaborative data logging, encourage peer led weather briefings at assemblies or newsletters, and share findings with the local community, fostering a culture of collective scientific practice and climate awareness.
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I really like your idea of linking Nose Up High in the Sky with Weather vs Climate. It makes it really clear for the kids how daily weather is different from long-term climate. Setting up a weather station sounds like a great hands-on project, and I like the way you’d have the class share jobs so everyone’s involved.
The way you pointed out the science, tech, engineering and maths parts is really helpful too – it shows how much learning comes out of one activity. I also love the idea of students giving weather briefings in assembly. That would make it feel real and give them a chance to practice speaking to an audience. A school blog or display of the data could be another fun way to share it.
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The activities offered engaging, hands-on approaches. I feel they will be highly valuable and inspiring for classroom use. They allow for curiosity and encourage students to take an investigative role in learning about the environment.
One initiative I wish our class could have taken part in is the ‘Climate Detectives’ project. It would have provided students with a meaningful opportunity to feel empowered and actively involved in addressing climate challenges.
I was particularly drawn to the idea of a virtual gallery, as it holds great potential for collaboration with schools in different climates. This would allow students to compare weather conditions, track trends, and develop a global perspective on climate change and would work well for our overseas children.The second activity is equally accessible and adaptable for different age groups. Setting up a school weather station would make an excellent project. I would begin with a STEM challenge where students design simple tools to measure rainfall, temperature, or wind. After building and testing their instruments, they could present their methods and findings to the whole school in an assembly. We could also use their data for a maths project by graphing results and analysing trends. To extend the activity, the class could create weekly weather forecasts and produce short video updates for the school community.
In addition to these activities, I would love to introduce a ‘Climate Action Fair. Students would work in small teams to design and prototype solutions to local environmental issues—for example, reducing food waste in the cafeteria or creating upcycled art from classroom materials. They would pitch their ideas to classmates. This initiative would encourage problem-solving, creativity, and civic responsibility while integrating science, technology, and sustainability education.
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Liston (2018) shows that real STEM learning is about linking science, technology, engineering and maths together in real-life ways, not just teaching them separately. In my class, I try to make STEM lessons hands-on, where children can ask questions, solve problems and work together.
The ESA Weather and Climate activities are very useful. In Activity 1 (Is it Weather or Climate?), the children could easily see the difference between daily weather and long-term climate using the examples given. I think it would be even better if there were more local examples so pupils could connect it to what they see around them. Activity 2 (Weather Detectives) is fun and practical — collecting and graphing temperature data gave pupils a chance to practise maths, observation and using technology.
To take it further, I’d like my class to build simple weather instruments and set up a school weather station. This would bring in engineering skills and give pupils something real to measure and share. We could report our findings in assemblies or on a school noticeboard, helping everyone learn more about weather and climate.
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Hi Caoimhe.
Welcome to the course. I like how you have planned for STEM in your class, solving problems and allowing the learners to work together.
Thanks for your feedback on the activities. I agree that while the link to birthdays is a good example you could also consider events such as sports day to make links with their local area.
Setting up a weather stations offers so many learning opportunities for the learners and it is great that you intend to use it as a school weather station. It allows for lots of skills development as you have mentioned and also gives the learners real ownership of their learning as they record the data and share their work.
Thanks for sharing, I hope you enjoy the course.
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After reviewing Liston (2018), I have developed a deeper appreciation of STEM as more than the sum of its parts. It is not simply teaching Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics in isolation, but creating meaningful, integrated learning experiences where pupils develop problem-solving, collaboration, and critical thinking skills. In my classroom, I aim to foster curiosity through real-world inquiry and hands-on activities that connect learning across subjects.
The ESA resources ‘Nose Up High in the Sky’ and ‘Weather vs Climate’ are excellent tools for engaging students in understanding the atmosphere and climate systems. I would use these to present the idea of weather observation and to start a school-based weather station project. Pupils could collect daily data on rainfall, temperature, wind, and cloud cover using both manual instruments and digital apps, fostering skills in science (investigation and observation), technology (using tools for measurement and data logging), engineering (designing simple instruments), and maths (analysing and interpreting data).
To lead collective practice, I would organise a school-wide “Climate Detectives” initiative, encouraging classes to share findings, display data publicly, and communicate their learning through presentations and digital media, promoting collaboration and climate awareness across the school. We could organise this at school assembly.
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Hi Paddy
Welcome to the course and thanks for your feedback on the resources in this module. They would support your plan to develop a school based weather station. As you have mentioned learners could record the data using instruments or digital tools. You could also consider asking the learners to make weather instruments to give them ownership of their learning. Have you considered how the concepts of weather and climate could be developed using the weather vs climate resource?
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