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ASSIGNMENT
Return to the Weather and Climate resource you downloaded for the module 1 assignment and go to activity 3
- Watch the Paxi video on greenhouse gases
- Use the tool for predicting future temperatures
Provide your feedback on activity 3 and how you could use it with your class.
Make reference to anything you think could be improved or added to the activity.Post your response (150 words minimum) as a reply to this post.
Please also comment on at least one other participant’s post
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Activity 3 is a good introduction to the concept of the greenhouse effect and its impact on rising global temperatures. The Paxi video is engaging, age-appropriate, and simplifies a complex process in a way younger pupils can easily understand it. It’s a great visual aid that supports learning and could be revisited during other lessons on climate.
The temperature prediction tool is an effective hands-on element that encourages pupils to think critically about human actions and their consequences. By manipulating variables like emissions, children can see how choices today may influence future climate activity. This fosters a strong connection between science and decision making.
In my classroom, I would use this activity as a platform for a project on reducing carbon footprints. Pupils could create posters or campaigns advocating for sustainable choices and their importance.
To improve the activity, I’d suggest including a follow-up reflection sheet or discussion prompts to help pupils connect the simulation results to everyday life and possible climate solutions. Children could then discuss their posters in groups and share ideas with their peers.
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I agree, Lauren that the poster idea is both creative and meaningful. It not only reinforces learning but also promotes ongoing awareness. To extend it further, pupils could present their campaigns during a school assembly or on an eco-day, helping spread the message beyond the classroom and encouraging the whole school to get involved.
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I really enjoyed the Paxi video on greenhouse gases. It was a fun video with lots of appealing visuals, and it was explained in a simple and fun way. This would be great for all visual and aural learners in the classroom. At times, this can be a difficult topic to explain and this video did a great job in communicating about the green house gases and the effects on our world. I will be using this great video with my class in the coming year and communicating it with the staff. The TEAL tool is a great resource. I hadn’t heard about it before and I know my class will really enjoy it. The temperature prediction tool is an effective hands-on element that encourages pupils to think critically about human actions and their consequences. This could be used alongside all the work the The Green Schools Committee are doing and the findings could be displayed on eth Green Schools noticeboard. This tool encourages exploration in the children and more hands on discover I plan to integrate in to our classes more this coming year. I would also compile a graph with the children of the temperatures of different counteries and how it compares to us here in Ireland.
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I really like your plan to connect the temperature prediction tool with your Green Schools Committee work. I’ll definitely think about including this in my classroom next year. I agree that using the video to support visual and auditory learners is a good idea especially for a topic that can be tricky to explain. I also love your idea of comparing temperatures from other countries to Ireland; it’s a fantastic way to give pupils a global perspective.
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Marie, I think the idea linking temperature difference with countries around the world is a really great one. We have become a School of Sanctuary this year and we are always looking for ways to celebrate the cultures and countries that all of our students come from, so this would be very appropriate in our classes to compare and contrast various countries of origin : )
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I think your idea to link the temperature prediction tool with your Green School Committee. This would allow other class teachers an opportunity to use your results for their pupils learning on the topic. It will also generate interest and discussion amongst pupils from your class with other pupils, making your pupils feel valued for their work.
Comparing with other countries is a great extension activity.
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I thought that the Paxi video was an excellent resource to describe The Greenhouse Effect in a fun and clear way. I would definitely use this video when teaching this topic, and I loved the clear explanation of letting in just the right amount of heat in a greenhouse when growing plants and comparing that to the Greenhouse Effect. The visuals in this video also appeals to visual learners. I also found the recap of new learning at the end of the video very useful and would help children to consolidate the key points of learning. I also feel that it is important for children to reflect on the ways they can help and make a difference in their everyday lives, so that they understand there is still hope. To improve this activity, I would use examples of how climate change is impacting different regions in different ways around the world.
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Hi Sinead,
Thanks for sharing.
I am glad to see that you found the Paxi video to be an excellent resource. Understanding the greenhouse effect is such an important part of climate change education, and this video really appeals to visual learners, like you said. I think this works very well with a KWL chart, as it covers so much that it could be repeated in subsequent years as a recap.
Great idea to put the focus on the positives. It is so important to look at all the good actions being taken locally, nationally, and internationally, and the ones we can take in our own lives.
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The “Climate Reporters” activity is an engaging way to help students connect scientific concepts with real-world issues. After watching the Paxi video on greenhouse gases, students gain a clear, age-appropriate understanding of how human activities contribute to climate change. Using the ESA tool to predict future temperatures adds a strong interactive element, allowing them to visualise data and trends, which supports inquiry-based learning.
With my class, I would use the activity as part of a larger project where students take on the role of journalists creating short news segments or articles about climate change impacts in their own community. This would develop not only their science understanding but also their communication and media literacy skills.
One improvement could be to integrate more local data alongside the global ESA projections, so students can directly relate climate impacts to their own environment. Additionally, a comparison between predicted and historical temperature data could deepen critical thinking. Adding a collaborative element—such as a class climate blog—would allow students to publish and share their reports more widely.
Overall, the activity is well-designed, and with a few enhancements to personalise the data and expand the creative output, it could be even more impactful.
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I thought that this was an engaging activity to introduce children to greenhouse gases, climate models, and future scenarios in an engaging, hands-on way. As stated in the lesson it is important to begin by assessing prior knowledge and showing Paxi’s video (which is lovely for all ages!) I’d then start an activity on natural vs. human-induced greenhouse effects, followed by a discussion on how scientists use climate models to predict future conditions.Working in groups, pupils would explore low and high emission scenarios using the C3S Climate & Energy Education Demonstrator. For younger pupils, I’d provide data and graphs to interpret patterns; older pupils could calculate monthly averages and create visual presentations. To improve the activity, I’d include a “human story” for each scenario, and end with a reflection task on potential local impacts. This approach combines science, maths, and critical thinking, while allowing differentiation by age and ability, and ensures that all pupils—regardless of internet access—can actively engage with the learning.
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Hi Aoife,
Thanks for sharing.
I like how you’ve outlined how you could make this activity work for both younger and older pupils and included plenty of math’s in both instances. I also think it’s terrific that you are making climate change more real by including human stories.Climate justice is a massive issue, with those furthest behind being disproportionately impacted by climate change, yet they have the fewest resources to address the impact. By bringing these stories to life, learners may come to understand the true devastation of this issue.
By exploring the impact of low and high emissions ,learners will come to understand how important our actions are now to address this issue for the future.
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Activity 3 is a good stimulus to get children thinking about the future and how we can act now for a better future.
The Paxi Video would be an excellent prompt to introduce the lesson and begin the discussion around greenhouse gasses and climate effect.
Using observations from our own weather station and the TEAL tool, we would create fact based reports in working groups. Depending on tech access, we may have an ipad or laptop per group to access the temp, rain and wind data on the TEAL tool.
I would use these reports as part of a Climate Awareness Day where the children could present their weather station findings and reports to the the rest of the school and explain how we can make a collective effort within our school to reduce our climate impact.
Improvement wise, I would include a ‘Next Step’ element from the framework in the form of relating their knowledge to real life as in the aforementioned school effort to address our climate impact.
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Great ideas Carmel! The Paxi video is a perfect way to introduce the topic and get students thinking. I love how you’re planning to use real data and group work—it makes the learning hands-on and meaningful. The Climate Awareness Day sounds fantastic, especially with the children leading the presentations. Including a ‘Next Step’ is a great way to help them see the real-world impact of what they’re learning!
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That’s a great idea Carmel. A Climate Awareness Day would be a brilliant way to bring all the learning together. It would be a fantastic opportunity for the class to present their weather station findings and reports to the rest of the school and raise awareness within the whole school community. Also a great opportunity for the Green School committee to get involved and voice to the school community about their initiatives saving electricity, reducing litter, walk/cycle and so on.
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Activity 3 – The Paxi Video is very child friendly and it allows the teacher to gauge what the children know about what a greenhouse gas is and how it is produced, it allows a lot of room for great discussions and ideas from the children.
The Temperature prediction tool allows children to be aware of their own future climate decisions and what it could lead to discussion on how if they make a difference now, how it might change what might occur in the future.
The TEAL tool is an excellent resource which allows the children to explore is possible to explore climate variables for three different greenhouse gases. It will encourage them to be more aware of climate change and how they could have an impact on it.
In my classroom I would initially install a sense of increase awareness of environmental issues and encourage the children how they could make a change. Compile a list and see what is viable for us to do within our school environment one step at a time.
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“Compile a list and see what is viable for us to do within our school environment one step at a time.”
Nice idea! Creating a class-generated list of possible actions helps children take ownership and feel involved in real change.
You might even split the class into small “eco-teams,” each responsible for researching and trialling one idea (like a plant-a-tree day, turning off lights campaign, or reusable water bottle drive), then presenting their findings and results to the rest of the school. Empowering children to take action is a great way to make environmental learning meaningful.
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Activity 3 – The Paxi Video is very child friendly and it allows the teacher to gauge what the children know about what a greenhouse gas is and how it is produced, it allows a lot of room for great discussions and ideas from the children.
The Temperature prediction tool allows children to be aware of their own future climate decisions and what it could lead to discussion on how if they make a difference now, how it might change what might occur in the future.
The TEAL tool is an excellent resource which allows the children to explore is possible to explore climate variables for three different greenhouse gases from low, medium to high – interesting topic to converse on.
In my classroom I would initially install a sense of increase awareness of environmental issues and encourage the children how they could make a change. Compile a list and see what is viable for us to do within our school environment one step at a time.
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Hello Audrey,
Thanks for your post and welcome to the course!
I am glad that you can see the benefits of using the Paxi video with your young learners-it really does cover a lot in a simple, straightforward manner.
Creating awareness is such an important starting point for environmental issues. Climate change is an issue that needs to be handled carefully with young learners, exploring the problem, its impact locally and globally, but also focusing on the positives, the many actions underway around us. Great to include ideas to reduce carbon footprint. Like you said, one step at a time…
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Activity 3 is a fun and meaningful way for young children to learn about climate change. It links well with the Paxi video and allows the children to apply what they’ve learned about greenhouse gases to real-life situations. I like how the activity promotes teamwork, critical thinking, and STEM skills such as analysing and interpreting data.
Using the Teal tool to explore future temperature predictions would help the children understand how different levels of emissions can impact the world around them. I would begin by demonstrating the tool on the interactive whiteboard, then assign different emission scenarios to mixed-ability groups. The ‘Climate Summary’ worksheet provides a helpful structure for recording findings, while the group presentations encourage collaboration and creativity. It is a very useful activity that supports learning across several areas of the curriculum and helps children see themselves as part of the climate solution.
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Hi Sharon,
I am also impressed by the opportunities this lesson affords to engage the children in teamwork, critical thinking and STEM. Using the ‘Climate Summary’ sheet is a great ideas as it provides a very helpful structure for the children to recording their findings. This lesson integrates various subjects and would be a great way to support learning across several areas of the curriculum.
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That’s a great reflection! I really like how you’ve structured the activity to support mixed-ability groups—assigning different emission scenarios is a clever way to make the TEAL tool more manageable and meaningful. The link with the Paxi video is a strong hook too, especially for visual learners. I agree that the ‘Climate Summary’ worksheet adds helpful scaffolding, and the presentations give pupils a real sense of ownership over their learning. It’s definitely a well-rounded activity that promotes critical thinking and encourages pupils to see the bigger picture around climate action.
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Activity 3 provides a well-structured lesson which can be used to introduce children to future climate scenarios and deepen their understanding as to how these will impact temperatures. Additionally, this lesson familiarises the children with actions to help lessen/raise awareness of the impacts caused by an increase in temperatures.
The Paxi video would prove an excellent stimulus at the beginning to the lesson to introduce the concept of greenhouse gases to the children in an accessible way. Furthermore, this lesson would be visually engaging and provide a good basis for starting a classroom discussion on the topic.
Secondly, the children could engage with the tool for predicting future temperatures using school ICT. The visual nature of this resource would encourage the children to critically examine the impact of human actions around the globe. This resource could also support collaboratively learning, encouraging the children to gather data in pairs/small groups.
In terms of improvements, following group ideas and suggestions on how to lessen the impact of climate change, the school could organise a small trip for the children within their local area to observe actions being undertaken in the local area to lessen the impact of climate change such as the Tidy Towns Committee, electric car charging station etc.-
Hello Rebecca,
Thanks for your post and welcome to the course! The resources in this module are a great way to incorporate ICT into a lesson, and as you have seen, navigating them is pretty intuitive with a little bit of practice.
I love your idea to come together to discuss group ideas and suggestions to lessen the impact of climate change. By bringing learners on a journey of discovery in their local community, they will be empowered to see the changes already underway, and perhaps even result in more changes!
If you are very lucky, you may even have a member of a local environmental group/parent give a talk to your class. There is so much happening, it’s just a matter of opening our eyes to what is underway in our local communities: a lovely idea and way to connect locally.
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Activity 3: I think this activity could be a bit challenging for my class. I enjoyed experimenting with TEAL, and I believe my students would as well. However, due to limited access to laptops and the possibility that some students may struggle with reading the data, I might set up a recording station first. This activity would be particularly well-suited for an older class. I really like the idea of recording information, it’s a wonderful opportunity for group work, with students investigating historic climate changes and making predictions about future trends. One idea could be to assign each group a specific climate change scenario to analyse and predict its outcomes. The Praxi video is extremely helpful and child-friendly, and I think introducing specific extreme weather events beforehand would further support understanding. This activity would also make a strong follow-up lesson to the Greenhouse Effect experiment.
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Activity 3 offers a well-structured lesson that introduces children to future climate scenarios and helps deepen their understanding of how rising temperatures may affect the planet. It also raises awareness of actions that can help reduce the impact of climate change.
The Paxi video would make an excellent starting point, presenting the concept of greenhouse gases in a clear and engaging way. This visual and accessible introduction would help spark curiosity and open up discussion in the classroom.
Using the temperature prediction tool on school ICT devices would further enhance the learning experience. Its visual format encourages pupils to explore the potential consequences of human actions on a global scale, while working in pairs or small groups promotes collaboration and shared critical thinking.
To extend the learning beyond the classroom, pupils could take part in practical projects such as planting trees or creating a pollinator-friendly school garden. The class could also organise a “Green Day” event to share their learning with the wider school community, showcasing posters, presentations, or even short plays about climate action. Another option could be inviting a local environmental expert or community member to speak about sustainable practices. Alternatively, students could carry out a school energy audit and suggest improvements to reduce the school’s carbon footprint. These activities would help make the topic of climate change more tangible and empower children to take action in their own environment.
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Hi Brian
As you have outlined here, it is great to be able to combine learning about greenhouse gases and the effects of Climate Change through videos, online data and classroom investigations with practical activities to reduce our own impact. Biodiversity projects such as tree planting and looking after pollinators are a great way to get children engaged with appreciating and looking after the Earth that sustains us. Energy audits are also a great idea to identify actions that can make a difference
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The visual on the video showing clearly the atmosphere surrounding the earth will support the children’s understanding of the important role the atmosphere plays in protecting the earth. Without the atmosphere, life on earth would not be possible. The atmosphere is like a greenhouse around our planet. The visual of the greenhouse and the explanation makes understanding what a greenhouse is and how plants can live and survive there. This video shows how humans are responsible for the greenhouse effect and gives ideas of how we can protect the atmosphere.
I do think the video is very clear and informative, however I think the next part of the lesson could be quite challenging and the children would need extra support. Grouping children so that learning can take place for all is important. I think children will find working as scientists fun but challenging.
Children will enjoy presenting their findings and I think talking to other classes about their findings and what each individual can do to protect the atmosphere. -
Activity 3 is a great way to get children thinking about the future and how the choices we make now can have a real impact. I’d love to use this as part of a Climate Awareness Day, where pupils can share what they’ve learned—like presenting their weather station data and talking about what we can all do as a school to help reduce our impact on the climate.
The Paxi video is really child-friendly and a great way to introduce the idea of greenhouse gases. It helps the teacher get a sense of what the children already know, and it sparks some really interesting discussions and ideas.
The temperature prediction tool is also a brilliant resource. It helps children understand how their own actions could affect the climate in the future. It opens the door to meaningful conversations about how small changes now can lead to a big difference later on.
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Hi Brenda
I love the idea of the Climate Awareness Day where children get to showcase their weather data and any investigations or design and make projects related to climate and climate change. They could also showcase what they have learned from using the Teal tool by deciding what way they want to represent the information. The showcase could have examples of posters, creative writing pieces and dramas, as well as the practical activities they have done. This Climate Awareness Day could be your STEM showcase for Step 5 of the Curious Minds awards.
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After watching Paxi, I found the animated explanation age‑appropriate and clear for kids, explaining how greenhouse gases trap heat and contribute to global warming in a child friendly way. I like the character used to raise awareness without overwhelming kids with complex information. The Teal Tool is a fantastic visual aid as it allows kids to see what goes on. It would be a great opening stimulus for a lesson. The two compliment eachother in expanding knowledge. Id use the Paxi to establish basic knowledge for the kids and then split the kids into the groups. I would have them use the Teal Tool to work on the effects of different emissions. This could be incorporated into maths and they could use various charts to represent their data. I like the real-world linkage to climate targets that come with these tools.
To improve I would include guided worksheets as I have a younger class.
I would also pre-teach using the class iPads to ensure the kids knew how to use the tools. -
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Activity 3
The kids possess a vast amount of knowledge regarding climate change. This lesson is quite hands-on, allowing them to brainstorm what they’ve learned about climate change and greenhouse gases. Many children are already familiar with recycling practices in their school and how recycling is implemented at home. Numerous kids are now taking their bottles to recycling drop-off points and are increasingly mindful of the bottles that remain unreturned. Additionally, they recognize the concept of zero grazing in agriculture and understand that the higher consumption of beef leads to an increase in methane gas in the atmosphere.
The Paxi video is both informative and entertaining, primarily aimed at older students. It helps children understand the greenhouse effect through the use of engaging images and clear explanations. The video doesn’t just focus on negative aspects; it also conveys an uplifting message that even small changes we make can positively impact climate change. Students would likely appreciate the temperature predictor tool, allowing them to explore how temperature is influenced not only by global factors but also by local conditions. I expect a a great discussion to arise, especially since we are situated in a rural/suburban area. This could lead to a productive debate. -
Activity 3 provides a clear and accessible introduction to the greenhouse effect and its role in rising global temperatures. The Paxi video is both engaging and age-appropriate, presenting a complex concept in a simplified, visual format that younger pupils can easily grasp. It serves as an effective visual aid and could be revisited during future lessons on climate and sustainability.
The temperature prediction tool adds a valuable interactive element, allowing pupils to explore the impact of human actions on the climate. By adjusting variables such as emissions, children can directly observe how current decisions might shape future climate conditions. This helps build critical thinking and highlights the link between science and real-world decision making.
In my classroom, I would use this activity as a springboard for a project on reducing carbon footprints. Pupils could design posters or awareness campaigns promoting sustainable actions and explaining why these choices matter.
To enhance the activity further, I would recommend adding a reflection worksheet or guided discussion questions. These would help pupils make stronger connections between the simulation and their everyday lives, encouraging them to think about realistic climate solutions. Sharing their posters in small groups would also allow for peer learning and idea exchange.
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Hi Diarmuid
Welcome to the course. I like your plan for using the activities in this module. Using the Paxi video and exploration of the Teal tool as a way to educate the children about the causes and consequences of Climate Change is a good plan. I like the idea of developing a reflection worksheet for children when exploring the Teal Tool and a series of questions to prompt group or class discussion would also be good. Using these tool before moving on to discussing what changes can be made in school and at home is a good idea. I find that children are often great at listing ways to save energy or making posters but often without an understanding of why it matters. Having a basic knowledge of the Science of Climate Change will mean that they understand why actions like saving electricity or walking to school can make a difference and their posters will have more meaning.
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Having spent some time working with the teal tool, I have to say that it wouldn’t be a resourse i’d run to especially with a class of children less than 5th or 6th. Maybe it’s me but I find the resourse difficult to work with. It is certainly something to stimulate the children who are mathematically minded and love to see figures but for me as a teacher with a whole class , it would have to be a no no. To begin with the teal bot i found confusing to work with, when I realised I didn’t need itthen clicking on countries and looking at the simple graphs and projections seems easy and worthwhile, however, if I was asking the children to complete the exercise in Activity 3 Climate reporters, I really don’t know how to find out the data for each month. When i downloaded some data on word and through PDF it was difficult to interpret. At best I might show this resourse on a whiteboard to all the class and work through some material as a whole class group. I think at a basic level you can see how the graphs are all rising and thus showing children that our current path and climate trajectory is not good.
The Paxi video is great. It is concise, engaging and I would happily show it to all class levels. It highlights the problem, explains the issue clearly and offers a more hopeful note as it mentions that we can all do something to affect climate change.
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Liston’s (2018) approach to STEM really aligns with how I try to teach in a real-world, meaningful way. Instead of keeping subjects like science and maths separate, I find it far more effective to combine them through practical tasks that pupils can actively explore. In my previous classes, where many children have additional learning needs, I prioritise hands-on, inclusive STEM experiences. Simple group challenges like designing a marble maze or building structures with classroom materials help pupils problem-solve while also working on teamwork and communication. Visual supports and concrete resources are key to helping everyone engage.
Activity 1 gave pupils the chance to reflect on the concepts of climate and weather through personal memories, which I found helpful for connection and discussion. However, for some pupils—especially those with SEN or EAL—remembering past weather events or interpreting climate images might be difficult. Building up key vocabulary through a class display or weather-themed word wall would definitely help to bridge this gap and support language development.
Activity 2 was the standout activity for me. It allowed pupils to work like scientists, collecting and analysing real data while learning to read patterns and use maths in a practical way. I would adapt it further by using visuals to support learners who might find the data tricky, and I’d also look at ways to integrate it into English or Art through creative follow-up tasks. I could see this working well as a class project, or even being used by groups like the Student Council to track local weather as part of a school initiative.
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Hi Tommy
Thanks for your response, particularly the ideas for including all learners in practical group activities and including adaptations for students who may have Special Educational Needs or are not used to communicating their ideas through English. I love the idea of the word wall to help build vocabulary around the subject of weather and climate. As you said, the collection and interpretation of weather data is a great inclusive activity, where all pupils, regardless of age, ability or learning style can participate at their own level, especially with the use of pictures, recording sheets and different ways of visualising data.
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Activity 3 –
This is a very good way to introduce the children to the Greenhouse Effect. The Paxi video is child friendly and very informative. I would use this to initiate discussions among the children about their life experiences. I would ask them to make a list of any unusual weather they have seen or experienced. Then can they think of any fossil fuels that they might use during a school day.
I would like the children to explore the experiment ‘Under the Lid’ and gain an understanding of how temperatures are rising and how this can affect the greenhouse gases. The children need to think about how we are responsible for the greenhouse gases and possible ways we can reduce some of them.
David Attenborough video How to save the planet highlights how we need to make changes. I would show the children this and then group them to discuss what they could do to help the climate.
From the children’s perspective we could look at our individual actions and how we can promote positive climate change in our school.
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Hi Kenneth,
I like how you use the Paxi video to introduce the greenhouse effect in a way that’s accessible for children. I agree that linking the topic to their own experiences with weather and fossil fuels helps make it more relevant and engaging. I also like your idea of using the Under the Lid experiment and the David Attenborough video to deepen understanding and inspire discussions about how we can all contribute to positive climate action in school.
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Being a Climate Reporter for a 5th class pupil is exciting because they get to learn how Earth’s climate is changing. They use real tools like the Teal Tool to predict temperatures and rainfall. The advantages are learning new things, using cool maps and models, and feeling like a scientist. The disadvantages are that some data can be hard to understand, and future predictions might be scary or sad. Sometimes it’s tricky to explain changes in climate to younger kids or to adults who don’t believe it. But learning to share the truth is an important part of helping our planet.
I enjoyed the Pax Greenhouse Effect video clip. Paxi helps explain the greenhouse effect in a fun, simple way. He shows how gases trap heat in Earth’s atmosphere. The Teal Tool helps us look at past and future climate data, like temperature and rain. Both tools are great for learning how our planet is changing due to global warming.
To make improvements to the lesson on Climate Reporters I would add more pictures, make the data simpler, use interactive charts, include local stories, and let students present their own ideas.
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Activity 3 is a valuable introduction to the topic of greenhouse gases and climate change. I think the Paxi video is colourful, animated, and age-appropriate, making abstract scientific ideas, such as the greenhouse effect, accessible and engaging. It’s a great conversation starter, and I would use it as a whole-class viewing followed by a guided discussion using simple, open-ended questions (e.g. “What do you think keeps Earth warm?” or “What can we do to help the planet?”).
The temperature prediction tool is more advanced, so I would simplify it for my 2nd Class by modelling it on the interactive whiteboard. Together, we would explore how different choices (e.g. using less energy or planting more trees) might impact future temperatures. Pupils could then draw or write about what they learned and how they could help reduce climate change, connecting the learning to our Green Schools programme and local environmental efforts.
To improve the activity for this age group, I would include a simplified worksheet with visuals and sentence starters, and follow up with a hands-on art activity like creating posters about protecting the Earth. This approach would support integration across SESE, SPHE, and Visual Arts while developing early STEM awareness in a way that’s meaningful and age-appropriate for the pupils in my class.
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The “Greenhouse Effect” segment of the video featuring Paxi is an engaging way to introduce children to a relatively complex environmental topic. The use of Paxi as narrator helps make scientific ideas relatable. The excellent animations are very well done and would effectively hold the attention of younger viewers. The explanation of the atmosphere functioning like a greenhouse is demonstrated and explained well, helping students visualize how gases trap heat to keep the Earth warm.
The video succeeds in presenting a clear cause-and-effect: how human activities increase greenhouse gases, particularly carbon dioxide, and how this intensifies the greenhouse effect. It emphasizes personal responsibility, suggesting practical actions children can take.
However one quibble is that while the video mentions animal farming and construction as contributors to the problem, it might need a more balanced tone to avoid sounding accusatory or oversimplified.Finally, although the message is well-intentioned, the phrasing “the greenhouse effect is becoming too strong” could be misleading without clarification that the natural greenhouse effect is beneficial. It is the enhanced greenhouse effect caused by human activity that is the concern.
The C3S Climate & Energy Education Demonstrator seems to be inaccessible. The website is “undergoing maintenance”.
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I think that activity 3, with the Paxi video on greenhouse gases and the temperature prediction tool, are effective ways to introduce pupils to climate change. The video breaks down the role of greenhouse gases clearly and simply, making a hard topic more understandable for children. The interactive prediction tool is great for engaging pupils, letting them see how different emission levels can affect future temperatures. This approach encourages critical thinking. In my classroom, I would use this activity to start conversations about human impact on the environment and the importance of reducing emissions. An extension activity could be to ask pupils to write or draw their predictions and thoughts, helping them process what they’ve learned. Including local climate examples would also make the activity more relevant and relatable. Overall, this is a strong, interactive resource that supports learning about climate change in an accessible way.
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Hi Marie
Welcome to the course.
I agree that the Paxi video is an effective approach to introducing the concept of climate change and greenhouse gases to our pupils. I also agree that the TEAL tool would be very engaging for pupils, I hope to explore this with my own class this year, and it would be a great tool to support critical thinking among the pupils. Pupils could compare their own local area with another area in the world that they are familiar with to further enhance their critical thinking and the use of the TEAL tool. As you have mentioned the activity would ensure climate change is explored in an accessible way in the classroom.
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Activity 3 – Climate Reporters
I like how this lesson opens with establishing students prior knowledge of Greenhouse Gases. It is always good to allow students a chance to brainstorm at the beginning of a topic, some student may have prior knowledge that they wish to clarify in their own minds and it also allows students to voice any misconceptions they may have.
The introductory video clip is also a nice way of grabbing students to attention, it is short, engaging and shares clear concise information. This clip may not be suitable for older classes but I think would work well with a 3rd class age group.
I like how the main body of the lesson affords the opportunity it’s to work in groups while also incorporating ICT, for the use of Teal. I think this activity would work well in a 5th/6th class, the students would enjoy working with such a computer task and recording their results.
This activity also lends itself to short pair or group work presentations as an extension activity, students could work together to create a short poster/Google Slides showing how the increase in temperature could impact their lives in the future. Results could be shared with their peers or other classes of similar ages.
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Hi Nicola
Welcome to the course. I agree that exploring the pupils’ own prior knowledge is important to address any misconceptions and also to establish what the pupils know about the concepts or topic.
The TEAL tool is a fantastic learning resource and I agree it is more suited to a senior class level. Pupils would enjoy exploring the results for their own local area and could also compare it to another area they are familiar with. I also like how you plan to explore this further with the pupils using slides or other presentation methods. You could consider encouraging the pupils to reflect on actions they could take to support the environment and reduce Greenhouse gases.
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Activity 3 of the Weather and Climate resource provides an engaging and thought-provoking way for pupils to explore the greenhouse effect and the impact of climate change on future temperatures. Beginning with the Paxi video is an excellent way to introduce younger learners to the concept of greenhouse gases in a fun, visual format. It simplifies complex ideas, making the topic accessible to all abilities.
Using the C3S Climate & Energy Education Demonstrator tool adds a hands-on, inquiry-based element that supports cross-curricular learning, combining science, maths, and digital literacy. Pupils working with different emissions scenarios helps them understand the link between human activity and long-term climate impact. It also fosters teamwork, critical thinking, and problem-solving.
To improve the activity, I would suggest integrating more localised data examples to make it relatable to pupils’ own environments. Adding a creative element—like making posters or digital campaigns based on their findings could enhance engagement and consolidate learning.
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The Paxi video explaining greenhouse gases and the greenhouse effect is an excellent resource for primary school age students. It is very child friendly due to the animation and language used throughout.
Children can clearly see how gases like carbon dioxide trap heat and contribute to global warming. I would use this video at the start of the lesson to introduce the concept of global warming and as a stimulus to spark class discussion.
The TEAL tool is a fantastic resource to support children’s understanding of how our climate is changing. It clearly shows that our present actions will influence climate change in the future. Using this tool in class will help raise awareness of the impact we each have on the environment and it will help encourage pupils to think about the positive changes they can make to reduce their own carbon footprint.
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Hi Margaret
I agree that the Paxi video is a really clear and simple way to explain the concept of greenhouse gases and global warming to children. It is an easy way to introduce the science of climate change and correct any misconceptions the children may have about the causes of global warming and climate change. In doing workshops on climate change in schools, I regularly come across pupils who think that the atmosphere is warming because of holes in the ozone layer, so this simple video is a great way of showing what is already happening. If you have a school greenhouse or polytunnel or even try out the ESA Resource Earth Under the Lid, measuring temperatures inside and outside a greenhouse on a sunny day a nice way to reinforce the learning from the video.
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The satellite imagery tool an interesting application and older children would enjoy engaging with it. This is a capture of Portmarnock in July https://shorturl.at/ux98C
The “Greenhouse Effect” segment of the video featuring Paxi is an engaging way to introduce children to a relatively complex environmental topic. The use of Paxi as narrator helps make scientific ideas relatable. The excellent animations are very well done and would effectively hold the attention of younger viewers. The explanation of the atmosphere functioning like a greenhouse is demonstrated and explained well, helping students visualize how gases trap heat to keep the Earth warm.
The video succeeds in presenting a clear cause-and-effect: how human activities increase greenhouse gases, particularly carbon dioxide, and how this intensifies the greenhouse effect. It emphasizes personal responsibility, suggesting practical actions children can take.
One quibble is that while the video mentions animal farming and construction as contributors to the problem, it might need a more balanced tone to avoid sounding accusatory or oversimplified. Also the phrasing “the greenhouse effect is becoming too strong” could be misleading without clarification that the natural greenhouse effect is essential to life on earth. It is the enhanced greenhouse effect caused by human activity that is the concern.-
Hi Denis
The EO Browser is great to use satellite images of your own local area to use in the classroom. You can observe changes from different years and would allow for lots of inquiry based learning too.
The Paxi video is also a great resource and as you have mentioned there are excellent animations to engage pupils and hold their attention.
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Climate Reporters
I really enjoyed this activity, and I look forward to using it with my pupils next year. We will begin by learning about greenhouses gases using the child-friendly Paxi video, which clearly explains a complex process in an engaging and accessible way.
Next, we will explore future temperature predictions using the interactive prediction tool. I will first model how to use the tool on the interactive whiteboard. Pupils will then work in groups with each group assigned a different emissions scenario. They will record their results, analyse the data and present their findings to both the class and the Green Schools Committee.
Through his activity, pupils will gain a deeper understanding of how rising temperatures – caused by varying levels of carbon emissions – can impact their lives and the planet. I hope it will encourage them to think critically about their own choices and feel empowered to take positive action for a more sustainable future.
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Hi Edel,
I really enjoyed reading your plan for the Climate Reporters activity—I’m completely on the same page with you! The Paxi video is such a brilliant starting point; it’s so clear and engaging for younger learners and makes the concept of greenhouse gases much more accessible.
I also love your idea of using the prediction tool in groups with different emissions scenarios—it’s a great way to encourage collaboration and critical thinking. Presenting findings to the Green Schools Committee is a fantastic way to give the work real purpose and audience, which I think will really motivate the pupils.
I agree that this activity has such potential to spark meaningful conversations and empower pupils to reflect on their choices. Looking forward to trying this out too!
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Activity 3 provides a strong introduction to the greenhouse effect and its role in rising global temperatures. The Paxi video is engaging, age-appropriate, and breaks down a complex concept in a way that’s easy for younger pupils to grasp. It serves as a powerful visual aid and could easily be revisited in future climate-related lessons.
The temperature prediction tool adds a valuable hands-on component, encouraging pupils to think critically about the impact of human actions. By adjusting variables such as emissions, they can clearly see how present-day choices can affect the future climate. This makes a meaningful link between scientific understanding and responsible decision-making.
In my own classroom, I would use this activity as a springboard for a project on reducing carbon footprints. Pupils could design posters or awareness campaigns promoting sustainable actions and highlighting why they matter.
To enhance the activity, I would add a follow-up reflection sheet or discussion questions to help pupils connect what they observed in the simulation with real-life actions and possible solutions. Pupils could then share and discuss their posters in small groups, fostering collaboration and deeper understanding.
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Activity 3 offers an engaging mix of visual learning and interactive exploration. The Paxi video explains greenhouse gases in a clear child-friendly way, making a complex concept accessible and sparking curiosity. Its mix of animation and simple language appeals to a wide range of learners and provides a strong foundation for classroom discussion.
The temperature prediction tool adds a valuable hands-on element. Pupils can explore how different human actions may influence future climate outcomes, encouraging critical thinking and helping them make connections between choices and consequences. The children enjoy sharing their findings through posters which could be displayed on the Green School Committee notice board.
The TEAL tool is another fantastic way for children to explore human impacts on climate change. This could be used in small groups on iPads to promote collaboration.
Children could then use their findings to brainstorm initiatives for our school and local community putting their learning into action, for example reducing energy use, improving recycling or planting more greenery around the school grounds.
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Hi Rebecca
Welcome to the course. I’m glad you enjoyed the resources in this module especially the Paxi video. It is a great way to get started on the topic of Climate Change as it explains in a very clear way, how Greenhouse gasses trap heat in the atmosphere leading to Global Warming and in turn Climate Change and as you said, it is a great way to begin classroom discussions and investigations into Climate Change. Temperature prediction and the Teal tool can then be used to lead on from this. There is a natural progression from learning about Climate Change and its causes to brainstorming ways to make changes and this is important for the children so that they can feel empowered to do something about the problem.
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I think the Paxi video is a lovely way to introduce the topic in an engaging and simple way for my class. The video breaks down the role of greenhouse gases clearly and simply, making a hard topic more understandable for children.
I cannot see myself using the prediction tool site though. I feel it is a bit too technical for their age group and would be fussy for them to use as a class, adding to more unnecessary screen time. I would use it if I was still in 5th/6th class.
I can see myself using our polytunnel at the back of the school for this topic as it gives a real -life example of what they are learning about. Investigating with the upside-down plastic bottles on the windowsill I feel is another lovely way of demonstrating the warming of the earth in easy way for the children to understand.
I can see how these topics are perfect for our Green Flag programme and easy to adapt throughout the school.
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Hi Yvonne
Thanks for your post and I’m glad you liked the Paxi video and can see its application in your class. While tools like the Teal Tool can really add to learning for some classes, I agree that it is not suitable for all. The use of technology is great in the classroom but it should be done in an integrated manner and using tools that enhance learning for the class and not as you said just contributing to extra screen time. Having a polytunnel in the school is fantastic and it is a great practical way to model the Greenhouse effect. We got a polytunnel at home in February this year and one of the first things we did was install a maximum minimum thermometer to monitor the temperature variations. It is fascinating to see the maximum temperatures reached in the greenhouse and compare the temperature inside to that outside on both sunny and cloudy days. This is something that could be tracked in a class and even graphed with lots of learning on the energy from the sun.
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The Paxi video on greenhouse gases was simple yet effective.The concept of greenhouse gases can prove tricky so visually this video is ticking alot of boxes.Its just under 5 minutes and I think it would be appropriate to use with most classes.I like the way it offers simple ways we can all make changes in our lives to help our planet. There are other Paxi videos that would be useful visual aids in class.
The TEAL tool is a very good tool for visualizing and exploring climate data.Its very hands on and user friendly.Children could explore air temperature wind speed precipitation and solar radiation.It allows the opportunity to look back at data from the year 1950 and make predictions up to the year 2100.
It would be brilliant for each child to see that each one of them can make a vital
contribution to our climate solution.The Green schools committee or Climate committee could help organise events at school such as debates, poster designing ,slogans ,poetry, story writing etc children themselves should be involved with planning what to do.Start with our school what are we doing thats good ? how can we improve?
What are we and our families doing at home? How could we make changes to improve things?
Getting a local environmentalist in to talk to the children involving the local community and spreading the word. -
Assignment response to activity 3: This resource of activity 3 could be used in the class to introduce children to the topic of climate change by explaining the science behind it in a child-friendly way starting with the Paxi video. I would show the video in a whole class setting to introduce the topic, followed by the class discussions outlined in the resource. Following the discussion I would show the ‘C3S Climate & Energy Education Demonstrator: A Demonstration’ video and explain before putting the children into groups. I woul dplace the children in mixed ability groupings to allow for differentiation and have the children use the demonstrator on the ipads which our school have access to . I would allow the children to present their data and project scenarios to the class aftwards as stated in the activity pack. A further extension I may add would be for the children to present this information at a school assembly or through posters/projects displayed around the school to sprea dthe information even further.
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I really enjoyed the Paxi video on greenhouse gas emissions. Greenhouse gas the human effect on it has been a constant topic throughout most of our lives. I feel that this video made the topic very engaging for young children and I think that it would certainly keep a class very interested. The animation in the video was particularly impressive.
I had never come across the TEAL tool before. I really like how it incorporates so many different parts of the curriculum. It would open up the opportunity for children to discuss the topic with their parents and grandparents and therefore, raise awareness of the topic across different generations. I would incorporate this into my class by inviting older members of the community to come to the school and share their thoughts on climate change with the children. I would have to be prepared, however, for some contrasting and possibly, controversial opinions on it.
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Activity 3 is a good stimulus to get children thinking about the future and how we can act now for a better future.
The Paxi video is engaging with the animation etc, age-appropriate, and simplifies a very complex idea in a way that can be easily understood. It’s a great visual aid that supports learning. I think the children would enjoy watching it and it’s a good introduction to the topic at hand.
The TEAL tool is a good resource to help support children’s understanding of how our climate is changing drastically. It shows how our present actions will influence climate change in the future and I suppose how it is changing already. Using this tool in class will help raise awareness of the impact we each have on the environmen. I think it will help encourage pupils to think about the positive changes that we can all do daily to help and spark a good conversation, using critial thinking aswell.
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I absolutely love the Paxi video, it explains it in a fun and coherent way that both students and myself can understand! Sometimes I can find it hard to not over simplify or over complicate things so a video is always a great hook! I really like comparing the climates in other countries also, that is building on their curiosity. I always love to pair every activity with a picturebook, Childrens books Ireland recommend Climate Action by Georgina Stevens so I have ordered this. I also saw a lovely one called you’re snug with me by Chitra Soundar.
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Hi Laura
Welcome to the course. I like how pair a picture book with different activity. I love using picture books with my own class and it does not matter whether they are infants or senior pupils. They can all relate to picture books. I haven’t heard of the book you have mentioned, Climate Action, but I will have to take a look myself. I am not sure if you are familiar with the Green School Book Club where they have different picture books to link with each Global Goal. I particularly like Greta and the Giants from this list.
Thanks for sharing the book recommendations.
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I really enjoyed the Paxi video because it explains things in such a fun and engaging way that both students and I can easily understand. Sometimes I find it tricky to avoid either oversimplifying or overcomplicating information, so having a video as a hook is always a fantastic starting point. It captures attention right away and makes the topic more approachable. I also think it is really valuable to compare climates in other countries, as this builds on children’s natural curiosity and helps them make meaningful connections with the world around them. Pairing each activity with a picture book is something I always try to do, since stories add warmth and creativity to learning. Children’s Books Ireland recommend Climate Action by Georgina Stevens, which I have already ordered, and I am excited to use it. I also came across a beautiful story called You’re Snug With Me by Chitra Soundar, which looks perfect to complement the lesson.
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Activity 3 is a great way to get children thinking about the future and what we can do now to make it better. The Paxi Video would be perfect to start the lesson and get the discussion going about greenhouse gases and how they affect the climate. Using data from our own weather station and the TEAL tool the children could work in groups to create fact-based reports. If technology allows each group might have an iPad or laptop to check the temperature rain and wind data on the TEAL tool. I would use these reports for a Climate Awareness Day where the children present their weather station findings to the whole school and talk about how we can all work together to reduce our climate impact. For improvements I would add a practical element where the children come up with simple actions they can do at school or home to help the environment.
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Activity 3 offers a well-structured lesson that introduces children to future climate scenarios and deepens their understanding of how rising temperatures may affect the planet. It also raises awareness of actions that can mitigate the impact of climate change.
The Paxi video serves as an excellent introductory stimulus, presenting the concept of greenhouse gases in an engaging and age-appropriate way. The lesson is visually rich and encourages meaningful classroom discussions around climate-related issues.
Pupils could then explore the temperature prediction tool using school ICT resources. The interactive and visual aspects of this tool would support critical thinking about the global impact of human actions. It also lends itself well to collaborative learning, as students could collect and analyse data in pairs or small groups.
As a follow-up, the class could develop ideas on how to reduce climate change impacts and then observe real-world initiatives within their community. A local trip could be arranged to visit projects such as the Mens/ Womens Shed, local wind farm, tidy towns, a community gardeb etc. This would help children connect classroom learning with real-world environmental action.
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I like that the children’s prior knowledge was elicited before the teacher begins teaching, to identify any misconceptions they may have etc. I also like that the lesson was started with a video as a way of engaging the children with the topic about future climate scenarios. Alternatives to a video could be a picture of storms, floods or the recent fires that engulfed parts of California. Children could be asked to consider what they think is causing these events and why they are happening more frequently. Children work together collaboratively which is a key component of inquiry-based teaching. The use of the free world energy and meteorology council visualization tool ‘Teal’ is a great way for children to imagine the different greenhouse gases emissions scenarios. The graphs clearly illustrate the upward trajectory in temperatures from 1950 to the present day and will help children to imagine what will happen in the future regards temperatures etc.
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Hi Aimee.
Welcome to the course. I agree that eliciting prior knowledge is necessary at the start of lessons on this topic to explore what they know and also address any misconceptions they may have. The Paxi video is a great way to introduce explore the concept in an interesting and engaging way for the pupils. Your use of photos of recent events such as floods or fires would also allow for lots of discussion and pupils applying what they learned in the video in the discussion.
The Teal tool allows the pupils to explore the changes of temperatures and predict how this will change in their local area or in a contrasting area.
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The Paxi Greenhouse gases video is informative and engaging, explaining clearly how global warming is occurring. The TEAL website was something I had not heard of before and is a really useful resource for the classroom. With Activity 3, I would use the Paxi video as the introduction to explain what the greenhouses gases are and to generate discussion on the ways people are harming the environment and contributing to the greenhouse effect. The children would be given the opportunity to explore the TEAL tool and compare different locations around the world, with a specific focus on Ireland. To enhance their learning and report their findings the children would write a piece for the school newsletter informing people of their findings, and offer suggestions and ways people can do their best to reduce their contribution to global warming. They could also use their results from their weather station to support the information.
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Hi Sarah,
Thanks for sharing. I couldn’t agree more about the Paxi videos-they really do cover the topic well, at an age-appropriate level, and it is a super choice of prompt as an opener to your lesson. I feel like they should be shown more than once, if time allows, with questions for learners to answer the second time round to consolidate learning.
The TEAL tool is a user-friendly way of exploring data, and I really like your plan to get your learners to create a researched piece of writing for the local school newsletter to share findings and ways we can all reduce our impact at this critical juncture. It is a wonderful opportunity for learners to begin to understand the importance of taking action, through understanding and communicating the issue. Great to integrate literacy and communication skills into this activity.
By including the weather station findings in the newsletter, learners will see the value of their data, being broadcast to the wider school community, and they in turn will be encouraged to have a greater interest in this important topic.
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Activity 3: Climate Reporters
I would begin with The Paxi video. This is such a brilliant starting point for introducing the concept of greenhouse gases to younger learners. It’s clear, engaging, and perfectly pitched for primary school age, using simple language and fun visuals to explain a complex topic in a way that makes sense to them. By presenting the information through a friendly character like Paxi, it captures their attention and helps them understand how greenhouse gases work and why they matter. It’s a great way to spark curiosity and start meaningful discussions about climate change and our role in protecting the planet.
In activity 3, Climate Reporters we look at future climate scenarios and analyse how these will impact temperatures. We will discuss actions to help lessen or raise awareness of the impacts caused by an increase in temperatures. Children should acquire some understanding of how a future increase in temperatures may affect their lives. I would get the children to work In groups. They can come up with ideas and suggestions on how to lessen the impacts of climate change in their area. They would present their ideas and conclusions to the class.
The temperature prediction tool is a great hands-on activity that helps the children think about how human actions can affect the environment. By changing variables like emissions, they can see how the decisions we make today might impact the climate in the future. It’s a powerful way to link science with real-life decision making and helps them understand that their choices matter.
I would have the children present their findings to the class. I might extend the activity by having them share their findings at a whole school assembly or create posters and projects to display around the school. This would help spread awareness to the wider school community and give the children a greater sense of purpose and pride in their work. -
Activity 3 is an excellent way to introduce pupils to the greenhouse effect and its link to climate change. The Paxi video is colourful, engaging, and pitched perfectly for younger audiences. It breaks down a complex scientific process into a story they can easily follow, making it ideal for sparking curiosity. The temperature prediction tool is a great interactive feature by adjusting emissions and other variables, pupils can instantly see the potential future impacts on global temperatures. This cause-and-effect link makes the science real and encourages critical thinking.In my classroom, I would combine this activity with a follow-up workshop where pupils brainstorm practical actions they can take to reduce emissions. They could then present these ideas in poster form or through short “news report” roleplays.One improvement would be adding a printable reflection sheet with guiding questions, so pupils can connect the simulation results to their own lives and local community.
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I really enjoyed the Paxi video on greenhouse gases. it is bright, clear, and pitched for kids. I can already imagine my class loving it, especially if we follow up with something hands-on, like coveringjars labelled with different gases, putting them under heat lamps, and tracking the temperatures. It makes the ‘invisible’easy to see.
The TEAL temperature prediction tool is a great way to spark curiosity. Watching Ireland’s projected temperatures change under “low,” “medium,” and “high” scenarios would really bring the idea of climate change home for the children. It is powerful to see how small differences now can have big impacts later.
One thing I would chhange is adding child friendly explanations for the scenarios. Something like “high means we keep using lots of fossil fuels” so they can connect the dots. Overall, I think it is a practical, and a clever way to link experiments and real-world data in a meaningful way.
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Hi Cliodhna
Welcome to the course, it is great to hear your feedback on the Paxi video and how your class will enjoy it. It is really engaging and informative for the learners. I agree that follow up tasks and activities will also support their learning about this topic.
I like how you plan to support the learners understanding of the Teal Tool with child friendly explanations that link back to other lessons on climate change. It is great opportunity for the learners to explore this tool and compare different areas and different scenarios. As you have mentioned it is also important to make the learners aware of the positive changes they can make and how these differences can have big impacts later.
I hope you enjoy the other modules in this course.
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I think activity 3 is very stimulating! The children will love having the autonomy to choose which country they want to base their statistics on. They will also enjoy hearing about other countries their friends have chosen.
The Paxi video is interesting, short and visually appealing. I think it would be an effective start to the lesson and would grab the children’s attention. It is also very relatable and I think all of the children will be able to make connections to it.
The TEAL tool is fascinating. I love how the children will get an opportunity to explore this tool as part of the assignment. They can work in groups using the i-Pads and it ties in nicely with our Digital Learning Plan.
One thing that might enhance the lesson and bring in some mathematical skills would be if the children were to present graphs of the predicted changes in their chosen countries in a given year.
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The Paxi Video is a very interesting video to watch. It brought the entire topic down to such a relatable level and this would work very well in the classroom. I definitely thing the children would enjoy it and get a lot from it. Since I was in school, I have been hearing about ozone layers, greenhouse gases and now climate change. It can be easy to get lost in all of this but the Paxi video made the topic very accesible for children and adults.
I thought that the TEAL tool was very good and would work very well alongside a school’s ICT plan. Children working individually, in groups or in pairs could use this and due to the hands-on and tech nature of it, it would appeal to children of all abilities.
I think that the Paxi video and the TEAL tool would work really well with a 3rd/4th class level and they could then progress with it in 5th/6th class.
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Activity 3: Climate Reporters
The Paxi video would work really well in my classroom as part of this lesson. It is aimed at children, and I think they would find it interesting and enjoyable. This resource would have the children engaged in the lesson as it presents the topic in a way that could be accessible to all children in a class. It could be used as a stimulus to start the lesson as I think it would get the children’s attention.
I think this activity is an excellent way to get interested in STEM and develop their critical thinking skills. This activity also encourages inquiry based learning. It can also be linked to maths as children would be revising data through finding average temperatures. Giving the children the choice to choose the location of where they are basing their data on would make the activity appealing to children.
To extend this activity I would ask the children to design a display for the school to present their findings on.
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Hi Laura
Welcome to the course. It is great to hear that the Paxi video from this module would work well in your classroom. The video presents the information in an engaging and informative way and as you have said it is accessible to the pupils in your class and it would act as a good stimulus too.
The TEAL tool allows for integration with maths but also allows for the pupils to engage with the topic of averages in a meaningful and purposeful way. It is important to develop connections to real-life scenarios in STEM and the TEAL tool would allow for this. As you have mentioned allowing the pupils choice over the location and area would also allow for critical thinking and inquiry based learning. Thanks for sharing.
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Weather and Climate activity 3 has some great resources for helping children understand climate change and the greenhouse effect in a way that feels engaging and fun. The Paxi video is a brilliant starting point and it explains greenhouse gases in simple terms that the children can easily understand. I can definitely see myself using it with my class next year and it sparking some interesting discussions. I also really like the TEAL tool. It gives the children the chance to explore different scenarios and see the effect each one has on the climate. The strong visual element makes the concepts easier to follow, and it works well for group work where pupils can compare ideas, share observations, and discuss the wider impacts of climate change together. It shows how the choices we make today can influence the future, encouraging children to think about the bigger picture and see themselves as active participants in tackling climate change.
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Hi Siobhan
Welcome to the course, thanks for sharing your thoughts on the Paxi video and it is great to hear how you think it will spark interesting discussions in your class. The video is engaging and informative and as you have said presents the information in simple terms for pupils to understand.
The TEAL tool would allow for lots of collaborative work but also give the pupils the opportunity to share their learning and then compare their results with others to support critical thinking. It also encourages pupils to reflect on the changes they can make in school, at home or in the local community and as you have said encourages the pupils to see themselves as active participants in tackling climate change.
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The Paxi video is an engaging, child-friendly resource that would be an excellent stimulus for discussion on greenhouse gases. Its clear explanations and visuals would grab childrens attention and get conversations flowing.
The Teal tool is another fantastic, visual, and user-friendly way to spark curiosity about climate change. By presenting real data in an accessible format, it helps children grasp the global impact of climate change in a relatable way.
Using the school iPads, the class could share and compare the temperature data they’ve collected in Module 1 with local climate norms, looking for patterns. This would help pupils connect their learning to real-life scenarios in the wider community and explore what different groups are doing to help the climate.
The only improvement to the Teal tool would be adding simple, child-friendly explanations for its scenarios.
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The resources in module 2 are a great way to get pupils thinking about the future of our planet. I’d start with Paxi’s video so they can understand what greenhouse gases are and where they come from. Then we’d use the TEAL tool to look at what our local climate might be like in 2050 under different emission scenarios. Working in groups, pupils could fill in the climate summary and compare it with today’s temperatures and rainfall. They’d see how even small changes can make a big difference over time. This activity brings together science, technology, engineering, and maths in a hands-on way, but also sparks important conversations about what we can do to help. I’d add a visual element, like making posters or short videos with ideas for action, and share them at assembly or on a school noticeboard. That way, the whole school learns from their work and feels part of the solution.
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Activity 3 is an excellent resource that would allow pupils to engage effectively with the topic climate change. The PAX video is an amazing video that is engaging, fun and pitched effectively for pupils understanding on a complex but important topic. I would have pupil complete a before and after Greenhouse Gases/Climate change brainstorm chart to identify what they know before and then after watching the PAX video.
The TEAL tool is a fantastic resource for pupils to learn and see the effects of rising emissions on our climate. It’ll give them a good idea on how their local temperatures could rise each decade. To extend this part of the activity, you could have groups compare their results with predicted results of a country/area of their choice. It’ll give them scope to discuss why maybe some areas see quicker temperature rises than others and so on.
After their results, pupils could participate in a climate action project where they identify small, simple changes they and the wider school community could do to combat climate change. Posters can be designed to go with their projects to be displayed on the Green School noticeboard and presented to other classes.
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Hi Cora,
Thanks for sharing.
Great idea to use the KWL chart in advance of the PAXI video! It’s such an informative resource that I think it’s important learners view it from the perspective of answering specific questions.
Lovely ideas on getting learners to predict-it’s a tool that has so much data, just a matter of gaining confidence navigating it. For digital natives in your classroom, I am sure it will be a breeze!
I like your idea to identify changes and participate in a climate action project. There are so many ways we can all contribute to a better future-and these changes often come with more than one benefit.
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The Paxi video is really kid-friendly and a fun way to get the class thinking about what greenhouse gases are and how they’re made. It’s also a great chance to see what the kids already know and get some interesting discussions going.
The Temperature Prediction Tool helps them understand how the choices they make now can shape the future. It sparks some good chats about how even small actions can make a big difference over time. The TEAL Tool is another cool resource where students can explore how different levels of greenhouse gases affect the climate. It’s a great way to get them thinking and talking about possible outcomes.
In my classroom, I’d start by raising awareness about environmental issues and encouraging the kids to come up with ways they can help. We’d make a list of ideas and see which ones we can actually try out at school, step by step.
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Activity 3:
I think the Paxi videos are great and already use them in my classroom. Even for older children they are a bit of fun. He covers the content very quickly however so I always find a few viewings are necessary, pausing as you go to discuss what he says.
I think the overall graphics in Teal are effective however the pop up box with graphs is confusing.
Activity as a whole: There is a lot of work in it for the kids. On Teal it seems as if they would have to get each monthly average temperature for each individual year, and then calculate the average by month over that span of time (1981-2010)? Is there a way to get the average for a specific month over several years? In my tinkering around with it I couldn’t figure that out.
I might simplify the activity by sticking to just one month per year or the average over the whole year but I think it would take some trial and error depending on the group. I wouldn’t want them spending any longer than twenty minutes on that section of it.
It would be nice to create a display for viewing by the wider school community demonstrating the increases in various countries, for example posters with illustrations and graphs.
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I really like the idea of using activity 3- climate reporters. It is a very engaging way to introduce the children to the topic of climate change.
The Paxi video is an excellent resource. It explains the greenhouse effect in a very simple way that is easy for children to understand. My own seven year old daughter watched it with me and she found it very interesting! I think I would use this in my own teaching as a way to introduce the topic as it could spark a great discussion as well as a way to find out what prior knowledge the children might already have.
The temperature prediction tool is also another great resource to use as it can help the children see that what they do in their everyday lives can make a huge impact over time. This tool could be used in the classroom to engage the children in making predictions and then comparing this to the results found and then coming u with ways they can help in school. -
I think that both activities is a good introduction to developing an understanding of climate change. The video would definitely catch their attention. I think that I would start with the video in class after gaining pupils prior knowledge on the subject. I would then discuss any misconceptions that we may have come across.
I think that Activity 3 is an excellent activity as I think that it would offer pupils to think about our world going forward and what low emissions v high emissions would mean. I think you could have some fun with this also and get pupils to do a news report perhaps or write a news article.
I think these activities are a good springboard also for doing some project work on climate change and what we can do. There could be a whole school initiative
Perhaps a reflection sheet or a short quiz may have added to this activity.
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Activity 3 is a very interesting topic to cover in the classroom. It is a complex lesson, you would need to have done a lot of background work on weather and climate before beginning. I would check for understanding of concepts about weather, climate, weather zones etc before beginning. The Paxi video is excellent for introducing the greenhouse effect and green house gases to the children in a very simple child friendly manner. It is important to check for understanding with the children after watching. Recap on what is a greenhouse gas, what effect can they have on the climate and also the other negative effects that can happen when we produce too much. When the children are confident in their knowledge, I would move to the next teaching point. I would ask them how scientists make predictions about our climate in the future. In groups the children could come up with ideas and share with the class. I would then explain to them that scientists use observations from the ground, air and space along with computer programs to make these predictions. I would introduce the tool for predicting future temperatures and model and explain how to use this as a whole class. Then I would put the children in groups with different scenarios to explore using the tool to predict future temperatures. I think the use of ipads would be fantastic here and I would give each group one to work with. The data can be downloaded from the website in advance so this would be another option if ipads are not available. The conclusion of the lesson is for each group to come up with ways to reduce our temperature by reducing our emissions. The need to think of ways this could be done. Explore this at a local level and a global level. Ideas can be shared by groups making a short presentation to their class mates.
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I really enjoyed Activity 3 and found it to be a useful way of showing pupils how greenhouse gases work. The Paxi video looks fun and engaging ffor kids, and I think younger children in particular would really enjoy the characters and visuals. It makes a tricky topic much more approachable and is something I would come back to in future lessons to help with revision or to build on the idea of climate change.
The temperature prediction tool is also very effective because it gives children the chance to experiment and actually see what happens when emissions increase or decrease. It turns the science into something they can interact with, rather than just being told about it. I think this would really spark good discussions in the classroom about choices we make today and their consequences in the future.
In my class, I would extend this activity by asking pupils to think about their own habits and ways they could reduce their carbon footprint. We could create posters, short presentations, or even run a small campaign in school to encourage simple changes like saving energy or cutting down on waste. To improve the activity, I’d suggest adding a short reflection sheet so pupils have a chance to connect what they see in the tool with what they do in their daily lives.-
I agree completely. Activity 3 is an excellent way to demonstrate how greenhouse gases function. The Paxi video is a fantastic and engaging resource that makes a complex topic like greenhouse gases approachable for children. I think the fun characters and visuals make it a perfect tool for sparking initial interest and serving as a memorable reference point for future lessons.
Extending the activity by having students reflect on their own habits and launch a campaign to reduce their carbon footprint is a brilliant idea. Connecting the on-screen learning to real-world actions like saving energy and reducing waste will make the lesson stick. Adding a reflection sheet would be a perfect final touch to help them bridge that gap between what they see in the tool and how it applies to their daily lives.
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Catherine, I really like your idea of linking the prediction tool with the Green Schools Committee. That would give the activity an extra sense of purpose, and it’s a lovely way of involving pupils in wider school projects. I also think your idea of comparing Ireland’s temperatures with other countries is excellent and it would really help children to see that climate change is a global issue, not just something that happens in other regions far away from Ireland.
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The PAXI video is a great stimulus to begin a lesson with as it presents the factors involved in Climate Change in a very child-friendly way. This video would be very useful to show children of all ages to prompt discussion about what they know and what they might like to find out as Climate Change is a topic that they hear a lot in the general media on a daily basis.
The TEAL tool is a great tool to use with older classes especially as they can watch the animations that show the changes in temperature/carbon emissions over time…which would link nicely with History/Geography as to what they think has helped to accelerate the changes in global temperatures in the more recent history, in particular. Learning from history and seeing the changes illustrated in such a visual way would then lead us to a discussion about the changes each of us could make to help reduce carbon emissions. This could then link with art/English/SPHE when we create posters/debates about the importance of everyone doing something to help with the current climate crisis. There are so many possibilities that could stem from using this video and TEAL tool.
Our school has let our Green Schools initiative slip in the last few years, unfortunately. Seeing the stimulating and incredibly informative resources that are now available, I feel that it is something that we could bring to our Student Council with a view to re-introducing it to the school again. Working together really can make a difference and it is vitally important that the children learn this and experience this for themselves.
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In this short, ESA’s mascot Paxi explains the greenhouse effect in a child-friendly way, showing how it contributes to global warming and rising temperatures.
Paxi introduces the greenhouse effect and how certain gases trap heat in our atmosphere.
It demonstrates, in simple terms, how this leads to increasing global temperatures.
The animation is designed for younger audiences (ages 6–12) but works well for anyone looking for an accessible explanation
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I would begin with showing the Paxi video, an excellent introduction to the concept of greenhouse gases for children, I feel my 4th class would really engage with it. Its simple language, engaging visuals, and friendly character make a complex topic both accessible and memorable for primary school students. By presenting the science through storytelling, it captures children’s attention while helping them understand how greenhouse gases work and why they matter. This is an ideal springboard for sparking curiosity and initiating meaningful discussions about climate change and our role in protecting the planet.
In Activity 3, Climate Reporters, we would explore possible future climate scenarios and consider their effects on temperature. Together, we would discuss actions that can reduce or raise awareness of these impacts, encouraging children to think about how climate change might affect their own lives. Working in groups, pupils would brainstorm practical ideas for lessening climate change effects in their local area. They would then present their ideas and conclusions to the class, building confidence in communication and collaboration either on paper or digitally.
The temperature prediction tool adds a valuable, hands-on element. By adjusting variables such as emissions, students can see how today’s choices influence the climate of tomorrow. This activity provides a direct link between science and real-life decision-making, reinforcing the message that individual actions truly matter.
To extend the learning, children could present their findings not only to their classmates but also at a whole-school assembly. They might design posters or create projects to display around the school, spreading awareness to the wider community.
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Paxi guides children through how greenhouse gases trap heat in the Earth’s atmosphere and contribute to global warming and what we can do about it. In a lesson including this video I would begin with a question that taps into their curiosity and hopefully hooks their interest in the topic.
Have you ever wondered why Earth is warm enough for us to live, instead of being an icy planet? I would then ask them what they know about ‘greenhouse gases’ or if they’ve heard of the greenhouse effect.
We would then watch the video, and I would ask the class to answer the following questions as they watch; one thing they learned, one thing they found surprising and one action they think they could do to help. We would have a class discussion and create a mind map with their ideas for actions that they/we could do to help.
Three hands-on activities we would complete under this topic would be.
Drawing a comic strip showing Paxi explaining the greenhouse effect/showing their action that could help, we could create a mini-greenhouse using jam jars and thermometers to observe how heat is trapped and finally we could make posters encouraging recycling, walking/biking/scooting to school and other small actions that could reduce emissions. -
Activity 3 provides a carefully designed framework that introduces pupils to projected climate scenarios, fostering a deeper understanding of the potential impacts of rising global temperatures. It additionally emphasizes the importance of individual and collective actions that can mitigate the consequences of climate change.
The Paxi video represents an effective introductory resource, as it conveys the concept of greenhouse gases in a concise and engaging manner. Its visual and accessible presentation serves to stimulate curiosity and establish a foundation for informed classroom discussion.
The integration of the temperature prediction tool through school ICT resources further enriches the learning experience. Its interactive and visual format enables pupils to investigate the possible outcomes of human activity on a global scale. Furthermore, structured opportunities for pair or group work encourage collaboration, problem-solving, and the development of critical thinking skills.
To reinforce and extend learning beyond the classroom, pupils may engage in practical initiatives such as tree-planting or the creation of a pollinator-friendly school garden. In addition, a school-wide “Green Day” could be organised, providing pupils with an opportunity to disseminate their knowledge through exhibitions, presentations, or performances, thereby raising awareness and promoting sustainable practices within the wider school community.
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I really liked your suggestion of extending the activity into practical initiatives like tree planting or creating a pollinator friendly garden. It’s such a meaningful way to connect classroom learning with real action, and I agree it would help pupils see the tangible impact they can have on their environment.
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I have used the Paxi greenhouse effect video before with my Junior Infants, and their eyes lit up as soon as it began.It’s fun, engaging and educational. At the time, we were running a whole-school Green Schools initiative on reducing our carbon footprint, and this was one of the resources suggested by our Green School reps. The children loved watching Paxi explain why the Earth gets warm, and it provided an excellent starting point for discussion. Afterwards, we built two mini “greenhouses” using clear plastic boxes (one sealed and one open) and placed them under a lamp to compare the temperature difference. The pupils were amazed by the warm air trapped inside and eagerly shared their observations. To deepen learning, I paired key vocabulary in Gaeilge (“teas,” “atmaisféar”) with their drawings of the experiment. Linking the video to our own environment in Dublin, we discussed how buildings and playgrounds feel hotter in summer, which gave the children a real-world connection and a strong visual anchor.
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I really like how this activity introduces the greenhouse effect and rising global temperatures. The Paxi video is very helpful—it’s easy for kids to understand and visually explains a the concept of greenhouse emissions. A class could definitely use it again when we talk about climate. The prediction tool is a great hands-on part, too. It makes students think about how our actions matter and can effect our climate. When they change the emissions, they can see exactly how today’s choices affect the future, which is a good way to connect science with real life decisions. I’d use this to kick off a project where the kids work on how to lower their carbon footprint. They could make posters or create campaigns to encourage better choices and use creative slogans. A KWL grid is also great to use in topics such as this. That way, they could talk about the results of the simulation and brainstorm solutions, then share their poster ideas with each other
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Activity 3 is a strong introduction to the greenhouse effect and climate change for younger pupils. The Paxi video is colourful, age-appropriate, and simplifies complex ideas, making it ideal for sparking discussion and checking prior knowledge. It helps pupils understand how greenhouse gases work and why they matter.
The temperature prediction tool adds an interactive element, allowing children to explore how everyday choices—like using less energy—can affect future temperatures. For younger classes, this can be modelled on the whiteboard and followed by drawing or writing activities to reinforce learning.
The TEAL tool encourages deeper thinking by showing the impact of different greenhouse gases. It helps pupils connect science with real-world issues and decision making.
In my classroom, I’d extend the activity into a small project focused on sustainability. Pupils could brainstorm realistic changes we could make at school, then create posters or campaigns to share their ideas. A simplified worksheet or discussion prompts would support reflection and cross-curricular links with SESE, SPHE, and Visual Arts.
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Activity 3 provides an excellent introduction to the greenhouse effect and its role in driving global temperature increases. The Paxi video is particularly engaging; it presents a scientific concept that can often feel abstract in a way that is age-appropriate and accessible for younger learners. Its animated style captures pupils’ attention, while the simplified explanation makes the science memorable. Because of its clarity, the video could easily be revisited in later lessons as a point of reference when exploring related topics such as weather, ecosystems, or sustainability.
The temperature prediction tool offers a valuable interactive component, allowing pupils to actively test ideas rather than passively receive information. By adjusting factors such as greenhouse gas emissions, deforestation, or energy use, students can see how different human behaviors directly affect climate patterns. This interactivity not only develops scientific reasoning and problem-solving skills but also helps children understand the link between everyday actions and long-term environmental outcomes. It frames climate change not as a distant problem but as a challenge influenced by human choices.
In practice, I would expand this activity into a broader project on reducing carbon footprints. Pupils could research examples of sustainable habits—such as using less plastic, walking or cycling instead of driving, or saving energy at home—and then design posters, presentations, or campaigns that advocate for these changes. This would encourage creativity while reinforcing the idea that even small individual actions can contribute to global solutions.
To strengthen the activity further, I would add a structured reflection stage. This could take the form of a worksheet with guiding questions (e.g., “Which human activities have the biggest impact on temperature rise?” or “What could we do in our school to lower our carbon footprint?”), followed by group discussions. Such reflection would help pupils move from the abstract simulation to tangible, everyday actions. Additionally, group presentations of their posters would foster collaboration, peer learning, and a sense of agency.
Overall, this activity blends visual, interactive, and creative elements in a way that makes climate science engaging and meaningful for younger learners. With a few enhancements, it could become a powerful foundation for cross-curricular projects on environmental responsibility and sustainability.
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I agree with you about the Paxi video – it’s such a simple way to explain something that can be pretty tricky for children to get. I like your idea of linking it to a bigger project on carbon footprints too, because it gives the class a chance to take action and not just learn the facts. The poster and campaign idea sounds really fun and would make the learning feel real. I also think your reflection questions are a great touch – they’d help the children connect the simulation to their own lives. I could see this working really well as a whole-school project too, with classes sharing their posters or pledges.
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My class would love the Paxi video. We are very passionate about the environment (on our 10th Green Flag) and we have quite a few activists in the making. This video is brilliant, and I will definitely be sharing it with all staff.
I also like it because it focuses on the positives and instills hope in the audience. I have one pupil who suffers from anxiety and has become quite fixated on the traumas of the earth and often experiences anxiety in relation to Climate change. I think this video is a good option for exploring the issue and avoiding the ‘Doom and Gloom’ attitude.
Like a previous participant said, designing posters is a great strategy for exploring the Green house effect and climate change. This is particularly useful for those who excel in artistic and design skills.
The TEAL resource was great, I loved using the slider bar and I think this is an activity I would use with a buddy system (6th class pupils in group with 3rd class pupils for example). Some of my senior pupils would be able to understand the data and explore predictions, but I feel this would be best used as an early finisher/extension activity for the ore able pupils in my classroom.
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Hi Claire.
Welcome to the course, what a fantastic achievement for your class to be on the 10th Green Flag. Well done to all the learners in your school. It is great to hear that the Paxi video will be shared among school staff to support their teaching on this topic.
I agree that climate change can cause a lot of anxiety for some pupils. I have experienced this in my own class before too and the Paxi video is great as it focuses on the positive and encourages the learners, giving them hope.
It is a great idea to use a buddy system to explore the TEAL tool with 3rd class students. This will allow them to engage with the results and be suppported by older pupils. Lots of learning for the older pupils too in this task as they support the younger pupils in understanding the data. There are lots of opportunities to allow for extension of learning for some pupils too as you have said. Thanks for sharing, I hope you enjoy the course.
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The Paxi Greenhouse Effect video is a charming and child friendly introduction to the greenhouse effect and global warming, ideal for primary school audiences. The TEAL Tool offers an interactive and visually engaging way to explore climate data from historical trends to future projections through different greenhouse gas scenarios.
Activity 3 works wonderfully as a springboard for students to become Climate Reporters. I would use Paxi’s approachable narrative to spark curiosity and then guide students to explore how temperatures might change under low, medium, or high emission futures. To improve the activity, adding structured prompts or worksheets that guide students through selecting a region, comparing scenarios, and creating prediction narratives would deepen their engagement.
I would also encourage my class to record short video weather forecasts using the data, which we could share at assembly. This would strengthen communication skills and allow students to see themselves as real scientists reporting to their community.
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The Paxi video is a fantastic, child-friendly resource for gauging students’ understanding of greenhouse gases. It’s an excellent starting point that naturally leads to engaging class discussions and helps the teacher identify what the children already know.
The Temperature Prediction Tool is also very powerful. It allows students to see how their current actions can influence future climate outcomes, sparking conversations about the importance of making a difference now.
Similarly, the TEAL tool is an excellent way for children to explore various climate variables related to different greenhouse gases, making them more aware of climate change and their potential to have an impact.
In the classroom, I would use these tools to build a sense of environmental awareness. We would then brainstorm a list of actionable changes we could make within our school to contribute to a better future, taking it one step at a time.
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Hi Paul
Welcome to the course. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the Paxi video. It is very engaging and informative and as you have said a great starting point for class discussions and to see what the learners know.
I like how you plan to use the TEAL tool to raise environmental awareness. The learners could explore their own local area on the TEAL tool and then compare it to other areas in the world that they are familiar with. This would also allow for exploration of the data and critical thinking.
I also agree that it is important to encourage the learners to be active participants and making lists of actions they can take at home, in school or in the local community would support this. I hope you enjoy the course.
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I really enjoyed the Paxi video on greenhouse gases. It was engaging, visually appealing, and presented the concept in a simple and enjoyable way. I feel my class will really enjoy and engage with it. It is an excellent resource for both visual and aural learners. As this topic can sometimes be challenging to explain, the video does a great job of clearly communicating what greenhouse gases are and their effects on our planet.
I also discovered the TEAL tool, which I hadn’t come across before. I’m confident my class will enjoy using it. The temperature prediction tool, in particular, offers an effective hands-on experience that encourages pupils to think critically about human actions and their consequences. It could be used alongside the work of the Green Schools Committee, with findings displayed on the Green Schools noticeboard. This resource promotes curiosity, exploration, and practical discovery—approaches I intend to integrate more into my lessons next year.As an extension, I would work with the children to compile a graph comparing temperatures from different countries with those in Ireland. This would provide valuable cross-curricular links between science, geography, and maths while helping students develop their data-handling skills.
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I found the “Climate Reporters” activity very engaging. The Paxi video explains greenhouse gases in a simple, fun way, and the ESA prediction tool really helps students see how climate might change in the future. It gives them a hands-on way to explore data rather than just being told about it.
With my class, I’d take the activity in the direction of a design challenge. After looking at the predictions, students could work in groups to come up with practical solutions for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in school or at home. For example, they might design posters to encourage energy saving, plan a “no car to school” day, or create models of eco-friendly inventions. This way, they move from just understanding the problem to actively thinking like engineers about solutions.
To make it even better, I think it would help to include some local climate data so students can compare what’s happening globally with what’s happening where they live. A follow-up reflection activity—like writing a class pledge or action plan—would also give students a sense of agency and ownership.
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Climate Vs Weather Activity 3/Paxi Video
Based on the Curious minds framework the Paxi video could act as a stimulus to get the children thinking about the Greenhouse Effect. It is a lovely video which is suitable for all ages. It could also link to any Green Schools activities on energy. It would provide a good basis to begin discussion on how they can help and how little things they do will make a big difference. This video could also be a good starter activity for The Greenhouse Effect experiment.
I enjoyed experimenting with Activity 3 and the Teal tool. This is a very visual approach which I feel children would find engaging. They can clearly see how climate temperatures and other conditions have changed over a long period of time as a result of The Greenhouse Effect. This activity could be challenging for the middle classes and would be more suited to the senior end of the school but could work well with senior and middle class working together.
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Activity 3 – Climate Reporters is a well-structured and engaging way to introduce students to the concept of climate change, its causes, and its impact over a prolonged period of time. The Paxi video on greenhouse gases is a strong visual introduction, especially for younger classes, presenting complex information in a clear and age-appropriate way. It successfully grabs pupils’ attention and opens the door for deeper discussion about human impact on the environment.
Using the temperature prediction tool brings a data-focused element to the activity, allowing students to envisage how emissions scenarios influence future global temperatures. It encourages inquiry, data analysis, and critical thinking. I would use this in senior classes (5th or 6th) as part of a cross-curricular SESE and maths project, having students interpret and analyse graphs and create their own climate reports and presentations.
One improvement could be to include a printable data table or worksheet to help pupils organise their predictions and reflections. Additionally, linking this activity with local climate data or Irish weather events could make it more relatable. Incorporating a writing component—such as letters to the future or newspaper articles—would also help extend learning and develop communication skills.
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I think Activity 3 does a great job helping pupils understand how our actions affect the Earth’s temperature. The Paxi video is fun and clear, and it explains the greenhouse effect in a way younger children can really grasp. I like that it can be used more than once, either to introduce the topic or to review it later on. The temperature prediction tool is especially useful because it lets pupils experiment and see what happens when emissions go up or down. It makes climate change feel less abstract and shows that human choices matter. In my class, I would extend this activity by having pupils think of small actions they can take at school or at home to help the planet. They could share ideas in groups, create simple drawings or posters, and explain them to the class. This would help them link the science to real life.
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