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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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I feel I could use activity three with my class by firstly ensuring they are familiar with the vocabulary. After watching the video I would ask them for some familiar and unfamilar words which stood out for them. After ensuring the children have enough language to engage with the task. I think it will be important to reinforce that predictions use patterns from the past. The children could then work in groups using Teal to determine the outcome and represent it on posters through words, sentences or pictograms. Once the children have finished the main activity I think it would be nice to allow each group to present their chart to the class like a weather report.
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Hi Sean
Welcome to the course and thanks for sharing your thoughts of the use of the video. It is important to ensure that the learners are familiar with the vocabulary prior to watching the video to ensure they get a good grasp of the different concepts outlined in the video. This would also give the learners the opportunity to use the vocab in a meaningful way when using the Teal tool. I like how you are providing options for the learners to display their learning from the Teal Tool with posters, or data such as pictograms. Older classes could use trend graphs for comparison too. Thanks for sharing.
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I really liked the Pax video and found it to be a great resource. I teach 1st class myself so would definitely have to pre teach some of the language used as a lot of the children wouldn’t have come across the terminology before. As a Green School we are always trying to come up with ways of tying it in with one of the flags we already have earned. We are working towards the Biodiversity flag this coming year so it would be a great way of tying in with biodiversity around our school (bug hotel, polytunnel etc). This would also cross over nicely with planting plants and what conditions are needed to grow. Children could use their critical thinking skills to discuss and argue if a plant would grow better in a polytunnel or outside in a plant box.
On looking at the TEAL tool, I feel it might be a bit too advanced for my previous 1st class to use alone. For that, I would consider pairing up with one of the older 5th or 6th classes and have the older boys work alongside the younger boys and model how to use the tool. It definitely is a tool I feel would be beneficial in the class to demonstrate greenhouse gases. It also provides a great visual for students to see the affects of greenhouse gases and how bad it could get if we aren’t conscious of what we are doing with our planet.
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Hi Rachel, I really like your suggestion of teaming up with the older classes to explore the activity. I teach 6th class and they absolutely love working with the junior classes. I love that it gives students who may not feel that confident academically an opportunity to shine. We do it for buddy reading in our school and I think this activity lends itself really nicely to this type of teaching. The TEAL tool would definitely be too advanced for a first class but with guidance and support from older pupils I think they could access it and enjoy it.
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Hi Rachel I agree that the PAXI video would be very useful and relevant to the green school work in the school. We have a new garden and the children love propagating plants in the seed propagator. This video explains the process very visually and helps them recognise the various gasses that are in the balance. The failures also help them appreciate how keeping the balance right is crucial. This video could also be used to inspire an awareness poster campagain for the Green School Committee!
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Like you Rachel, I thought the Pax video was good too. I would agree with you that it would need some pre-teaching as some of the content e.g. vocabulary may be difficult for younger age groups. And as you say, the TEAL tool would be more suited to older children. In our school we often pair older pupils with younger pupils for various activities and this could be a solution to this. There is great scope here for collaboration within class and across classes which develops skills such as teamwork, talk and discussion amongst peers, and problem-solving.
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Hi Rachel,
I enjoyed reading your post, especially as I’ll also have 1st class next year. I agree that some of the vocabulary from the Pax video would need to be pre-taught to make it more accessible. I really like your idea of linking the activities to the Green Schools Biodiversity flag, as it makes the learning meaningful and hands-on. Pairing with an older class to use the TEAL tool is also a great way to build confidence and encourage collaborative learning.
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Hi Sean,
Your plan of how you would utilise the video and Teal Tool with your class is very clear. I would have to agree that ensuring your class is familiar with the vocabulary is extremely important. Working in groups to complete the activity is a great idea too. I might try and incorporate a Green Screen Weather Report as a way for the groups to present their finished work.
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Activity 3 was engaging and interactive. It would be a very good way to introduce the children to the topic of climate change. The temperature prediction tool helps children to think critically by using evidence and patterns to make predictions. The paxi video explains greenhouse gasses in a simple way for children to enjoy.
Key vocabulary needs to be made clear first, to ensure children have an understanding of the topic. Having watched the video with the class, I would put the children into groups of 4 to talk about what they watched with their group and then use the prediction tool in the groups of four. The groups could compare the predictions during the lesson.
I would also use an incentive like a prize of no homework for the best poster related to the reduction of climate change here at home. One improvement would be to create differentiated activities to support all the children with a wide range of learning abilities in every classroom.
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Hi Rachel, I also agree that vocabulary needs to be pre taught in order for the pupils to understand the video better and to get the most out of it. I also agree for the need for the lesson to be differentiated to ensure everyone could take part. Even having someone to be a time keeper for the activity or distributor for the worksheets ensures everyone can take part. Mixed ability grouping would be the best option for this activity in my opinion.
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I agree Rachel. I also thought the Paxi video explained quite a complex topic in a very child-friendly way. I like your idea of having the children work in groups to discuss their predictions, as it would encourage plenty of conversation and sharing of ideas. I also think creating posters with practical ways to reduce climate change would help children see that even small actions can make a difference in their everyday lives.
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For this activity, it’s crucial to start by teaching the children about the greenhouse effect using the Paxi video, followed by a discussion to ensure understanding. Slides 4 and 5 of this module also provide great visuals that the children can replicate to reinforce their learning.
The “Earth Under the Lid” activity will allow them to see the heating impact of clingfilm on containers, making the greenhouse effect more understandable for them. Discussing the different results from various groups will encourage analysis of why those differences occurred. A natural follow-up would be discussing scientists’ predictions about future temperatures, which some children may already know from the news.
I find Teal a little challenging, so we would practice as a class with one country first, hoping the children could then use the prediction tool in groups and help me learn. I’d select seven or eight countries with varying climates, allowing each group to share their findings with the class, as each area will provide unique insights.
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Hi Noelin,
I really enjoyed reading your response. I agree that it’s a great idea to begin teaching about climate change through teaching about the green house effects. The Paxi video is a great resource to support this teaching. I always enjoy getting the pupils prior knowlkedge on topics like this as it gives you a great starting point.
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The Paxi video on the greenhouse effect highlighted the importance of preparing children with key vocabulary and background knowledge before introducing more complex scientific ideas. For younger pupils in particular, terms such as greenhouse effect, atmosphere, and climate change would need to be explored through discussion, visuals, and practical activities. One idea that stood out to me was using a greenhouse or polytunnel to demonstrate how heat becomes trapped. While these are not available in my school, I could adapt this by using a play parachute outdoors. Children could compare how it feels standing underneath the parachute with standing outside it, helping them experience the concept of trapped heat in a simple, age-appropriate way before watching the video.
The TEAL Climate Reporter tool would also be an engaging resource for developing children’s understanding of climate change. Using iPads in pairs, children could investigate changes in temperature over time by exploring the interactive maps and time slider, with teacher guidance and a simple worksheet to focus their observations. This activity would encourage children to interpret data, identify patterns, and discuss possible reasons for changes they notice. Following this, a whole-class discussion could explore how climate change might affect their local community, wildlife, weather, or future holidays. Children could then work together to suggest practical actions, such as reducing waste, recycling, planting flowers for pollinators, or saving energy at school and at home. These activities promote scientific inquiry, critical thinking, collaboration, and environmental responsibility while making climate science meaningful and relevant to children’s everyday lives.
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I really enjoyed reading your reflection. I thought your idea of using a play parachute to demonstrate the greenhouse effect was a creative and practical alternative to a greenhouse or polytunnel, making the concept much more accessible for younger pupils. I also liked how you linked the TEAL Climate Reporter tool to collaborative learning and encouraged pupils to connect climate change to their own local community. Your focus on taking positive actions, such as reducing waste and planting for pollinators, helps make the learning meaningful and empowering for children. These are great ideas that I could see myself adapting in my own classroom.
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I agree with you Chloe, especially when you said about giving children the right vocabulary and background knowledge before introducing more complex ideas. I really like your idea of using a parachute to demonstrate the greenhouse effect, that’s clever, simple and practical way to help children understand the idea of heat being trapped for definite. I also think using the TEAL tool in pairs would be a great way to get children exploring data and spotting patterns. This could work really well in our school alongside our weather station, where pupils could compare the weather data they collect with wider climate predictions. I agree with your last point too, I’ve sen huge benefits of linking learning to practical actions, such as recycling, saving energy and planting for pollinators, it really does help children see how they can make a difference in their own school and community. Small steps lead to big steps !
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I thought the Paxi clip was a brilliant resource to support teaching. However, I think teachers would want to cover some background language first. If a school happened to have a poly tunnel, taking the class outside would be a great way to make the greenhouse effect feel much more real. My dad is a horticulturist and has many poly tunnels on site. I could help the children relate to their learning by sharing a little about how my dad uses the heat in the tunnel to let the plants grow, and how this heat is similarl to what is happening on earth. Another option could be to bring the students to a nearby garden centre. In my case, I could bring the students to the botanical garden gardens which is close to my school to help them get a deeper understanding.
The TEAL tool makes a fantastic starting point, and that time-slider feature is really great for showing pupils how things have shifted over the years. You could pair the children up with iPads so they can explore the tool at their own pace. Combined with teacher guidance and a structured worksheet to help nudge their predictions along, it’ll really get them thinking about what could happen in the future. Looking at the final results at the end offers a perfect chance to spark a discussion on how warmer temperatures could affect their day-to-day lives—think future birthdays, holidays, plants, and animals. From there, they can pivot into problem-solving mode and write up practical solutions to help reduce the greenhouse effect for their future selves. This could also tie in with green schools in my school. We could do a survey throughout the school with the support from green schools committee members and choose some steps that we as a school will take to reduce our emissions.
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@Robyn Doran
I really liked your idea of using a polytunnel to make the greenhouse effect more tangible for pupils. Drawing on your own family experience would make the learning even more authentic and meaningful both for you and your students.. While we don’t have access to a polytunnel in our small school, given its village location, it has given me the idea of looking for other practical ways to demonstrate the greenhouse effect, as hands-on experiences are particularly valuable for our pupils with dyslexia. I also agree that the TEAL tool would work well alongside structured teacher guidance and scaffolded activities, helping pupils to engage with the data without being overwhelmed by the reading demands. I particularly liked your suggestion of linking the activity to Green Schools, as it gives pupils an opportunity to apply their learning to real actions within the school community.
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Climate Reporters is an engaging way to develop pupils’ understanding of climate change by exploring future climate scenarios and considering how rising temperatures may affect our everyday life. The activity encourages discussion, collaboration and critical thinking rather than relying solely on written work, making it suitable for pupils with reading difficulties.. The introductory greenhouse effect video provides a good visual explanation before pupils analyse climate forecasts using the TEAL climate prediction tool. This multisensory combination of video, interactive graphs and discussion reduces the literacy demands while supporting understanding of more abstract scientific concepts.
For my class, I would minimise the reading component by modelling the TEAL tool on the interactive whiteboard, making use of paired work and oral questioning to help with interpreting graphs and making predictions. I would support my class group by providing sentence starters, vocabulary cards with visuals, colour-coded climate scenarios and allow the pupils to record their findings orally, using their Chromebooks, as a weather forecast rather than writing a report. A possible improvement would be to include a simplified worksheet with more visual support and to create a sample local case study so that pupils get an opportunity to relate future climate projections to their own lives and local environment. -
The TEAL (Toolkit for Engaging Active Learning) website and the ESA Paxi – The Greenhouse Effect video are excellent resources that I would use when teaching environmental awareness and climate change in a junior primary classroom. Both resources present scientific ideas in an engaging and accessible way while encouraging children to become curious about the world around them. As a teacher of younger pupils, I appreciate resources that are visually appealing, interactive and age-appropriate, and these materials provide valuable opportunities to develop scientific understanding through active learning.
When I return to school, I am most likely to use the TEAL Tool as a source of practical classroom activities and ideas to support inquiry-based learning. The activities encourage children to observe, explore, discuss and investigate environmental issues through hands-on experiences. I particularly like that many of the activities can be adapted for Junior Infants, Senior Infants and First Class by simplifying the language and focusing on exploration rather than complex scientific explanations. I also intend to use the ESA Paxi – The Greenhouse Effect video as an introduction to lessons about caring for our planet. Paxi is a friendly and familiar character who explains scientific ideas in a way that is easy for young children to understand. The colourful animations and simple language help make what could be a difficult concept much more accessible for younger learners.
I would use these resources as part of an integrated, play-based approach to teaching. After watching the Paxi video, I would encourage the children to discuss what they noticed and identify simple ways we can help care for the Earth. Rather than focusing on the science of greenhouse gases in detail, I would concentrate on positive actions that children can understand, such as recycling, reducing waste, saving energy, walking to school where possible and looking after plants and animals. These discussions could then lead into practical activities from the TEAL Tool, allowing children to investigate and learn through doing.
The resources also provide excellent opportunities for cross-curricular learning. During Science and Geography, pupils could observe seasonal changes, plant flowers or vegetables, or investigate what plants need to grow. In Mathematics, children could collect simple data by recording the daily weather or counting how many recyclable items are collected in the classroom each week. Literacy activities could include reading stories about the environment, learning new vocabulary related to weather and nature, and creating class books about how to care for the planet. In Visual Arts, pupils could design posters encouraging others to recycle or create artwork using recycled materials. These integrated activities support the development of scientific knowledge while also fostering creativity, communication and teamwork.
The resources also support the development of digital literacy. Using the interactive whiteboard to access the TEAL activities and watch the Paxi videos helps children become familiar with digital technology as a tool for learning. Children could also use tablets to photograph seasonal changes in the school grounds or document their class projects. These experiences allow pupils to use technology with purpose while developing observation and communication skills.
Although I found both resources very useful, I believe there are a few areas that could be improved. Some of the activities within the TEAL Tool are better suited to older primary pupils and would require adaptation for younger children. Additional guidance specifically for Junior Infants to Second Class, with simplified instructions, shorter activities and suggestions for play-based learning, would make the resource even more accessible. Similarly, while the Paxi video explains the greenhouse effect clearly, some of the vocabulary may still be challenging for very young learners. It would be helpful if the resource included accompanying teacher notes, discussion prompts and follow-up activities specifically designed for junior classes. More printable worksheets, picture cards and games would also support teachers in reinforcing key concepts after viewing the video.
These resources will support our school’s School Self-Evaluation (SSE) by encouraging active, child-centred and inquiry-based learning. The activities promote questioning, discussion, observation and investigation, all of which are central to developing children’s scientific understanding. They also encourage pupils to work collaboratively, communicate their ideas and reflect on their learning, supporting many of the competencies outlined in the Primary Curriculum Framework.
The resources also align strongly with our Digital Learning Plan. They demonstrate meaningful ways of integrating digital technology into everyday classroom practice through videos, interactive online resources and digital documentation of learning. Rather than using technology simply for entertainment, children use digital tools to investigate, communicate and reflect on real-world issues. This helps to develop both digital competence and environmental awareness from an early age.
Overall, I found both the TEAL Tool and the ESA Paxi video to be valuable additions to my teaching resources. They provide engaging, age-appropriate opportunities for junior pupils to begin developing an understanding of climate and environmental responsibility through active, practical and cross-curricular learning. With some additional junior-specific supports, these resources could become even more effective in helping young children develop curiosity, confidence and a lifelong appreciation for caring for the environment.
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I really like your emphasis on introducing the vocabulary first. Building the children’s understanding before starting the activity would give them more confidence to participate. I also think presenting their findings as a weather report is a fantastic idea, as it makes the learning more interactive while developing their communication and presentation skills.
Your point about explaining that predictions are based on patterns from the past is really important too, as it helps children understand the difference between making an informed prediction and simply guessing. This sounds like a very engaging way to encourage collaboration and develop both scientific thinking and oral language skills.
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I think activity three used in tandem with the video is a fantastic use of both resources together. Following on from module 1 it is also a proper authentic STEM lesson, hitting all the STEM aspects in the one lesson. I like the way it bridges the gap between a conceptual video and concrete, data-driven critical thinking. By pairing a video on the greenhouse effect with a climate projection chart, you move students from understanding the mechanism to analysing the consequences.
If I was to do this lesson in my classroom, my main objective would be for Students to be able to explain how greenhouse gases cause global warming and use climate projection data to predict and analyse future temperature shifts, and identify the implications these shifts may have for their future.
I would do this by first having the children study history to get a baseline weather temperature and then track the temperature increase over the years and impacts it has on the world. Finally looking at the predicting a possible future temperature. These results would be graphed out then to have a god visual representation of the increase over the period of time. We would finish with the effects of this and what we can do the sloe down or reverse the trend.
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Michael
Using history as a baseline before tracking temperature change over time gives children genuine context and makes the data meaningful. Graphing results is an excellent idea as the children see the trend visually rather than just reading numbers.
Your three stage structure works beautifully incorporating understand the past, analyse the present, predict the future. Finishing with what children can actually do is so important.
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Hi Michael,
Welcome to the course. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the video and the Teal tool. I agree that using the video allows for knowledge of the concept and then the Teal tool provides for practical exploration of the tool and also critical thinking as they make connections with the content of the video and the results of the Teal tool exploration. Learners can also consider the consequences of the rising temperatures. It is great to integrate this with maths also through the real life use of data.
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Hi Michael,
I really like the idea of using History and then working towards making predictions. This could be really useful to help children understand trends and in turn it would make climate change more meaningful to them.
I think the active learning and making the graphs is very good. I think children would really enjoy learning about what they can do to help reverse the trend. Children really like to feel like they are a part of helping to make improvements to our world.
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I really like your approach, especially the idea of starting with historical weather data before moving on to future climate projections. It would give the children a clear understanding of how temperatures have changed over time. You could integrate the lesson to maths by asking the children to graph their findings and this would give them a visual representation (this would be good in older classes)
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Overall, this is an engaging and effective activity that combines digital technology with scientific learning. The activity develops pupils’ digital literacy while encouraging critical thinking about environmental issues. With additional teacher support and opportunities for discussion and reflection, pupils will understand both the causes and impacts of climate change. The Paxi video is colourful, engaging, and age-appropriate for pupils 6th. Class. It explains greenhouse gases and the greenhouse effect in a simple way that is easy for children to understand. The combination of a video and a hands-on digital tool caters to different learning styles, including visual and inquiry-based learners. The prediction tool could be challenging for some pupils without step-by-step guidance or a worksheet to help them interpret the results. The lesson overall could be made more relevant to the children by including examples of how climate change affects Ireland, helping pupils connect global issues to their own lives.
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Hi Irene,
Welcome to the course and thanks for sharing your thoughts on the Paxi video and the Teal Tool.
I agree that the teacher will have to plan different activities around using the Teal tool depending on the level in their class. I plan to use it as a demonstration approach first with the class so this can provide some guidance for independent use. I think a worksheet would help to keep some learners focused on specific areas and keep them on task. It does allow for UDL as learners can access the material and then present the information in different ways. I also agree that the use of the video and Teal Tool makes connections for the learners between their own lives and global issues. It raises awareness among the learners and can encourage them to take action also.
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Excellent points made about the importance of using digital technology to support learning. Children often find the video approaches the best. However, when teachers are searching the internet for an appropriate video for primary ages it can be time consuming. Also we must encourage the video explains this serious topic without placing a burden on the young children.
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Hi Irene,
I agree with the points you have made. Your point about the Paxi video being colourful and engaging is important, as the younger classes would benefit from the information being presented in a simple way. I also agree that combining the video with the interactive tool caters for different learning styles.
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The Pax video is a great resource. Lots of pre language would be needed before showing the video. Any school with a green house or poly tunnel could bring their class outside to give a more immerse feel for the greenhouse effect. We don’t but I wonder if sitting under the play parachute would provide the same analogy.
Activity three : Climate Reporter
The TEAL tool is a great starting point. The time slider is also useful to show pupils how data has changed over time. Pupils could be placed into pairs and given ipads so that they could interact with the TEAL tool at their own pace. With teacher support and the support of worksheet to help guide the predictions it would really get them thinking about the future.
Analyzing the end results would provide a great opportunity to get them thinking about how warmer temperatures could possibly effect their lives like birthdays, holidays, plants and animals. It would then provide them a chance to problem solve and write solutions on how to reduce the greenhouse effect for their future selves.
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I agree Elspeth that the Paxi video is a great resource. I actually hadn’t thought about pre teaching the language in it. I think that is a great idea as it will give the students a greater understanding of the video. I also thought thought that was a really nice idea about bringing the students into a poly tunnel. I have one myself and it never hit me that many students may never have been in one!
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Hi Elspeth,
Welcome to the course. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the video resource and the Teal Tool. I think that if you are fortunate to have a poly tunnel, it is a great opportunity to introduce the concept of the greenhouse effect and the changing in temperatures.
I also agree that there is a lot of new vocabulary in the Paxi video and exploring these new words prior to watching the video would engage the learners more as they can make connections with the content of the video as they watch it.
The Teal tool is a great resource but would need some support and guidance initially such as a teacher designed task or worksheet. This would also support critical thinking as they explore the changes in temperature using the tool. Thanks for sharing, I hope you enjoy the other modules.
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Elspeth, your idea about bringing the children into an actual greenhouse or polytunnel is so simple but ingenious. I have taught this topic many times but I have never thought of doing so. Bringing them inside a greenhouse or poly tunnel on a warmer, sunnier day would also be great to show them exactly how the Earth is heating up. Unfortunately my school doesn’t have one either but it would be a great opportunity if we did, or perhaps visiting a local garden centre or a local school that has one may be an option.
I am not familiar at all with the Teal tool as a resource and will have to look further into this. -
Hi Elspeth. Your post really stood out to me because you make the learning feel so real and hands on for the children, especially with your clever greenhouse analogy and use of the TEAL tool. I like how clearly you show the value of prediction, discussion and problem solving, and how naturally you connect all of it to the pupils’ everyday lives.
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I really liked the ideas shared around the PAX video. I agree that it would need a good bit of pre-teaching, especially with younger classes, as some of the vocabulary would be completely new to them. I also thought the suggestion of using a greenhouse or polytunnel to help children experience the greenhouse effect was a brilliant way of making the learning more meaningful. We don’t have either in our school, but it did make me wonder if something as simple as sitting under the play parachute could create a similar experience and help the children understand how heat can become trapped.
I also liked the ideas around the Climate Reporter activity. The TEAL tool looks like a great way to introduce climate data, and the time slider would really help children see how temperatures have changed over the years. Working in pairs on iPads, with teacher support and a simple worksheet to guide their thinking, would make the activity much more manageable. The follow-up discussion about how climate change could affect their own lives, from holidays to wildlife, is a lovely way to encourage problem-solving and help children think about positive actions they can take for the future.
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I think the Paxi video would be very useful for a Senior Infants class. The cartoon is engaging and the language used is simple and understandable for children. It would be a great stimulus for a lesson and a great ‘hook’ to get the children engaged in what we are learning. I would probably use it as a way to start a discussion with the children on how we could care for our planet. As the video is so child-friendly and colourful I can’t help but think of extending this activity by encouraging the class to make a picture book log. We could do a lot of hands on activities like sorting pictures into things that help the environment and things that do not. I think the climate prediction tool may be too advanced for infants but I think we could start to develop an understanding of how to care for the environment. We could do the different activities each day eg. planting flowers, turning off lights, etc. and add them to our picture book log where we draw the things we did to help the environment. Part of the picture log then could also be included with our daily chat about the weather. I think for infants it is important to keep the topic simple and I felt overall the video promotes curiosity, discussion and environmental awareness.
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Hi Eleanor,
That is such a lovely idea for senior infants! I can imagine their excitement creating their picture log book! Having a daily chat about the climate would be lovely too, as you said you need to keep it simple and to their level and then continue to build upon their knowledge in 1st class.
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I really like your idea of using the Paxi video as a hook for learning. The picture book log is a fantastic way to make environmental awareness meaningful and age-appropriate for Senior Infants, while also encouraging creativity and discussion. I especially like how you would connect the activities to daily weather chats, helping children make real-world links. Your focus on keeping the topic simple, hands-on, and engaging is very well suited to this age group.
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Hi Eleanor,
Using the Paxi video as a hook to get the children interested is a good idea. The picture book log is a lovely way to keep the learning going & linking it to daily weather chats is a great idea too. I agree that keeping the topic simple and hands-on is the best approach for Senior Infants.
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I really liked your post, Eleanor, because it shows a very practical infant-classroom approach to climate education. Your idea of using the Paxi video as a “hook” is excellent, and I especially liked the picture book log and daily environmental actions, as they make the learning hands-on, age-appropriate, and meaningful for young children.
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I thought the Paxi video was really good. It explained in child friendly terms what green house gases do and how too many of them are changing our climate. I also really liked how it explained to children what we can do to help prevent the release of too many of these green house gases and that there is hope for the future. With 5th or 6th class I would introduce this topic by talking about what we already know about climate change, then we would watch the Paxi video as a class and discuss it. I would then introduce the tool for predicting future temperatures. I would show the students how to use it and then let them play around with it on their chromebooks. In our next lesson I would put the students into small groups of 3 or 4 and ask them to pick a country and look at how temperature has changed over time. I would ask them to discuss in their groups how this may or may not change the quality of peoples lives, their daily activities etc. The students can share their thoughts with the rest of the class at the end of this lesson and we can have a whole class discussion.
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Hi Sarah,
Welcome to the course and thanks for sharing your thoughts on the Paxi video. I like how you plan to discuss what the learners know about greenhouse gases prior to watching the video as this could help their focus while watching the video.
The Teal tool allows for group work and independent work. I like how you plan to give them time to explore the teal tool initially before giving them a specific task. I like how you plan to give them different countries and look at the impact changing temperatures has on the lifestyle etc. This allows for lots of critical thinking and also links to real life experiences as we look at the temperatures in Europe at the moment.
Thanks for sharing.
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Great idea, I agree that the Paxi video would be very useful in a Senior Infants class. It is engaging and the language is simple, making it a good way to introduce the topic. I also like your idea of using it as a hook to start a discussion about caring for the environment. I would also use picture books, sorting activities, and simple daily actions like planting flowers or turning off lights so the children can learn in a hands-on way.
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I think the Paxi video is very effective. The video is engaging, colourful and age appropriate which is essential in primary school classes. Utilising think, pair, share during this video could allow collaborative learning to occur. I think the esa booklet of activities is very effective and useful tool for teaching STEM in primary school.In particular, I enjoyed activity 3. Activity 3 Climate Reporters seems like an engaging and exciting activity that I would love to use in my classroom. If I was completing this activity in my classroom it would allow for effective cross curricular links as I have 6th class. The activity could be extended with a group discussion that would encourage pupils to think critically about how climate change may affect their local community and empower them to identify practical actions they can take to reduce their environmental impact.
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I really like your focus on making climate change relevant to pupils’ own lives. Using group discussion to explore local impacts and practical actions is a great way to encourage critical thinking and collaboration. The Paxi video also provides an engaging starting point for developing understanding through meaningful STEM learning.
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Hi Aine
I agree that the Paxi video is very effective. The very beginning may put off older learners as they may think it is too babyish, so I might skip that with older classes. The main body of the video is really clear and explanatory. Think, pair, share is a great idea and will give the children time to stop and think about what they have heard and ensure they’ve understood the content.
I agree that the Climate Reporters is an engaging activity for 6<sup>th</sup> class, and is a great way to increase awareness of the real effects of global warming and to springboard thinking of practical ways they can help to reduce it.
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Hi Aine,
Welcome to the course and thanks for sharing your thoughts on the video and resources in this module. The video is ideal for the senior classes and I like how you plan for collaborative learning during the video, for the learners to share their thoughts and ideas on the video to extend their learning.
The resources in the module allow for lots of cross curricular links and this can lead to meaningful connections with their learning and as you have suggested, it gives the learners an opportunity to reflect on action they can take in their local community and empower them to take action too. Thanks for sharing, I hope you enjoy the course.
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I really enjoyed Activity 3 and thought using it alongside the Paxi video was a great way to introduce and reinforce the concept of climate change. The video explains the greenhouse effect in a simple, engaging way, while the prediction activity encourages children to think more critically about the impact of rising temperatures. I think this combination creates a meaningful STEM lesson by integrating science, technology and mathematics through inquiry and data analysis.
If I were teaching this in my classroom, I would begin by exploring local weather patterns and discussing how the weather has changed over time. We could collect and graph temperature data before comparing it with climate projections to help children identify trends and make predictions. I also think it would be valuable to include discussion about how climate change affects Ireland and what small actions we can take in school and at home to help. This would make the learning more relevant and encourage pupils to see how STEM can help us understand and respond to real-world issues. -
Activity 3, “Climate Reporters,” is a valuable resource for my 6th class students, encouraging them to engage with the concepts of weather and climate through research and reporting. The activity promotes critical thinking by having students investigate current climate issues and present their findings, enhancing both scientific literacy and communication skills.
In my classroom, this activity could be highly effective by allowing students to explore local climate patterns and changes, connecting global concepts to their immediate environment. Incorporating national data or case studies, such as the impact of climate change on local agriculture or coastal regions, would make the activity more relevant.
To enhance the activity, I would suggest using online databases or news sources for research, and perhaps creating digital presentations or videos rather than just written reports. This would not only make the task more engaging but also help develop digital literacy which is a goal in my school.
Providing clear guidelines for the reporting process could help students understand expectations and improve the quality of their work. Including peer review sessions where students give and receive feedback on their reports would also add a collaborative element, encouraging critical evaluation and discussion among classmates.
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Hi Gráinne,
Thank you for sharing your response to the Climate Reporters activity.
I really like your suggestion of using digital presentations or videos instead of written reports only. As you noted, this would support digital literacy while also giving pupils choice in how they communicate their findings. Peer review is another strong addition, as it encourages collaboration and helps pupils refine their work before sharing it with a wider audience, such as another class or on the school website.
Another step you could take would be to encourage the learners to consider the consequences of rising temperatures and suggest real-world solutions that they could implement in school. This would give them a sense of agency and would also help strengthen the Engineering Design Process, which Liston’s paper highlights as central to effective STEM learning.
Overall, this sounds like a very engaging way to help pupils move from researching climate change to understanding how it connects to their own school and community.
I hope you enjoy the rest of the course.
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Introducing Greenhouse Gases and Climate Change – Senior Infants
Introducing Senior Infants to the ideas of greenhouse gases and climate change should be simple, engaging, and based on stories and visuals. The ESA Paxi video is an excellent resource, as it explains these concepts in a child-friendly way and is suitable for a wide range of ages.
The aim of the lesson is for children to understand that the Earth needs to stay at the right temperature to keep plants, animals, and people healthy. They will learn that greenhouse gases act like a warm blanket around the Earth, helping to keep it warm, but that when the blanket becomes too thick, the Earth gets too hot. They will also begin to understand that everyone can help to look after our planet.
While watching the Paxi video, pause at key points to encourage discussion by asking questions such as, “What is Paxi wearing?”, “Why is Paxi wearing it?”, and “What happens when the blanket gets too thick?” This helps children to think about and understand the ideas being presented.
After the video, invite the children to share ideas about how they can help to protect the Earth. Record their suggestions on the board and agree as a class to carry out one simple action every day.
Some actions the children could choose include:
Turning off lights when they are not needed.
Walking or cycling whenever possible.
Planting and caring for trees or flowers.
Avoiding wasting water.
This lesson encourages children to develop an awareness of caring for the environment while showing them that even small actions can make a positive difference.-
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Hi Irene,
I love the idea of planting and caring for trees and flowers. These hands on activities are just gorgeous in the infant classes. It is lovely to watch the children having something that they feel responsible for so they rush in, in the morning to check on it. My school has a school garden and the children learned to work collaboratively which, looking at it now, aligned well with the authentic STEM learning experiences.
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<p class=”PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer” data-start=”127″ data-end=”533″>I really enjoyed reading your post Irene. I completely agree that the Paxi video is an excellent starting point for introducing younger children to such a complex topic. I especially liked your idea of pausing the video to ask questions along the way. I think this would really help to keep the children engaged and give them time to process what they are seeing rather than trying to understand it all at once.</p>
<p data-start=”535″ data-end=”727″>I also loved the comparison of greenhouse gases to a blanket around the Earth. It’s such a simple way of explaining a difficult concept and I think it’s something the children would remember.</p>
<p data-start=”729″ data-end=”1188″ data-is-last-node=”” data-is-only-node=””>The idea of agreeing on one small action to help the environment each day is something I would definitely use in my own classroom. It gives the children a sense that they can make a difference, even through simple actions like turning off lights or looking after plants. I think this would also link really well with our Green Schools policy and help children see that caring for the environment is something we can all do every day, not just during one lesson.</p>
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Activity 3 is lovely. I enjoyed how it is clearly laid out, and how it could be adapted to the class in front of you. The Paxi video is an excellent resource. Age appropriate language and a clear explanation of which can be a challenging concept for children to understand. Most children would, after viewing the video being able to explain how greenhouse gases cause global warming.
Thinking of the class I had this year, I could imagine how they would have incorporated drama into the lesson. Like others have mentioned the children could work in groups exploring the temperature changes in various countries using Teal. They could report their finding back like a news report or a National Geographic video style reporting. Perhaps their presentations could be recorded and reviewed later as per of an oral language or critical thinking activity. They could engage the whole school in a poster designing competition to raise awareness school wide.
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I found the Paxi video on greenhouse gases very engaging because it explained a complex scientific concept in a simple, child-friendly way. The colourful animation and clear language would help younger learners understand how greenhouse gases trap heat in the Earth’s atmosphere and contribute to climate change. There are also much more details for older classes to focus on. It uses key words without over complicating the video. It is very clear on the do’s and don’ts to help the green house effect which is clear for all age levels.
The TEAL tool was also valuable because it allows you to explore how different levels of greenhouse gas emissions can affect global temperatures over time. It would be more aimed at higher classes but it would get them to think about the long-term impact of human actions and highlights the importance of making good sustainable choices. It can be linked to geography and there are lots of options for group work activities around using this tool.
I could use this activity with my class as part of a science or geography lesson on climate change. The video would provide an engaging introduction, while the prediction tool could be used in pairs or small groups. The children could compare different scenarios and countries.
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Hi Amy. The points you made about both resources are very relevant. I agree that the Paxi video is an excellent way to introduce the greenhouse effect, as it explains a challenging topic in a way that is accessible for younger pupils while still offering enough detail to extend learning in older classes. The use of simple language, colourful visuals, and practical suggestions for helping the environment makes the learning meaningful and memorable. I also like your observation that the TEAL tool is more suited to senior classes. It encourages critical thinking by allowing pupils to investigate how different emission levels influence future global temperatures. This inquiry-based approach would support both science and geography learning while promoting discussion, collaboration, and problem-solving. Using the video as an introduction followed by the TEAL tool in pairs or groups would create an engaging lesson that helps pupils understand the real-world consequences of climate change and the importance of sustainable decision-making.
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Hi Amy,
I really like your idea of integrating the TEAL tool across both Geography and Science. It creates meaningful cross-curricular links and helps pupils see how concepts learned in one subject can be applied in another. Using digital tools in this way makes learning more engaging and authentic, while also encouraging pupils to investigate, explore, and make connections between different areas of the curriculum. I think it’s a great example of how ICT can enhance learning in a purposeful and interactive way.
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Hi Amy. I really liked your reflection because you show such a clear understanding of how both the Paxi video and the TEAL tool make climate learning accessible and meaningful for different age groups. You explain so well how these resources spark curiosity, support real thinking, and link naturally to geography and group work, which makes your whole approach feel very thoughtful and practical.
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I would begin the lesson by showing the children the Paxi video on greenhouse gases, engaging in talk and discussion with the children. I would show pictures of common greenhouse gases like car exhaust, factory smoke and cow methane. We would then do a science experiment to explain how the green hose effect works. For this experiment I would place a container under a lamp and cover it with plastic wrap, this will represent greenhouse gases trapping the heat. I would then ask the children to predict the weather. I would give them a blank weather prediction chart for the week. They would then draw a symbol into each box which represented the weather. Each day we would compare their predictions with the weather.
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Climate reporters and predicting temperature change is a great activity for pupils. There is a lot to explore in this topic. I really enjoyed this activity and I thought that the Paxi video was great. It was very child friendly and a fun way for children to learn about greenhouse gases. I would play this video for my class and then hold a classroom discussion with emphasis on how us humans are influencing climate change. I would divide pupils into groups and ask them to come up with 3 changes that we could make to tackle climate change. I would use the temperature predictor tool to show them how temperatures vary depending on where we life and the factors that are considered when predicting future temperatures. I would ask the children to use the simulation tool on i-pads in small groups for them to see the impact on climate change throughout the world.
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I would introduce the topic by showing the children the Paxi video on greenhouse gases, followed by a class discussion about greenhouse gases. Pupils can conduct an experiment to model the greenhouse effect. The ESA Earth Under the Lid resources could be used for this.
In relation to activity 3, the pupils become Climate Reporters and learn about climate projections. They would get some understanding about how a future increase in temperature may affect their own lives. In groups the children can work collaboratively to come up with ideas and suggestions on how to lessen the impacts of global warming and climate change in their area. I’m sure they will come up with lots of interesting suggestions. They can use the Book Creator App to record their ideas and conclusions and share them with the class. Their books can be shown at assembly on the portable IWB and they can be shared on the school Website for parents to see.
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Hi Anne,
Thank you for sharing such a thoughtful response to Activity 3.
Your point about pupils becoming “Climate Reporters” gives them an active role and helps them understand that climate projections are not just abstract numbers, but can relate to their own lives, school and local area. I also like how you have built in group work, as this encourages collaboration, communication and problem-solving around a real-world issue.
Using Book Creator to record their ideas and conclusions is a lovely way to integrate digital technology into the activity. Sharing their work at assembly and on the school website would also give the pupils a real audience, which can make the learning feel more meaningful and empowering.
It sounds like a very engaging way to help pupils move from understanding the science to thinking about local action and solutions.
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Hi Ann, I also use the book creator app with my pupils and I think it could lend itself very nicely to this topic also. It would be a great way for pupils to record and present their learning and hopefully ensure they are engaged with the topic. As you mentioned I think it’s important that pupils have a genuine audience to report to. I think encouraging the pupils to become climate reporters would ensure they would have a sense of responsibility and investment in the topic.
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I agree with your ideas Laura and I also really liked the Paxi video. I thought it explained greenhouse gases in a simple and fun way that children could understand. I liked your idea of having a class discussion after the video because it gives pupils a chance to share their thoughts about climate change and how people can help the environment. I teach 4th class, and I think this activity would work really well with my class. They enjoy using iPads, so they would like using the simulation tool to see how climate change affects different places. The temperature predictor is also a good way to show children that temperatures are different around the world and can change over time. After these activities, I would ask my class to make a poster with simple ideas for helping the environment, such as recycling, walking to school, or saving electricity. I think this would help them remember what they learned and encourage them to make small changes in their everyday lives.
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really enjoyed Activity 3: Climate Reporters. The Paxi video explained the greenhouse effect in a clear and engaging way, making a complex topic much easier for children to understand. I would begin the lesson by discussing what pupils already know about greenhouse gases and climate change before introducing some key vocabulary. This would help prepare them for the lesson.
I thought the TEAL temperature prediction tool was a great resource, particularly for senior classes. It encourages pupils to explore how different levels of greenhouse gas emissions can affect future temperatures and helps them understand the impact our actions have on the environment. I would guide the class through the tool and encourage discussion about what the different predictions could mean for people, wildlife and the planet.
To extend the lesson, I would have pupils research examples of extreme weather events and discuss simple ways we can reduce our carbon footprint at home and at school. They could then create posters or presentations to share their learning with other classes. One improvement I would suggest is providing a simplified version of the TEAL tool for younger pupils, as some of the graphs may require additional teacher support. Overall, I found this activity engaging, relevant and a great way to develop STEM skills through real-world learning.
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I really enjoyed reading your reflection, Mollie. I agree that the Paxi video is an excellent introduction because it explains the greenhouse effect in a way that’s easy for children to understand. I also like your idea of introducing key vocabulary beforehand, as it would help pupils engage more confidently with the lesson. Your suggestion to research extreme weather events and create posters or presentations is a great way to extend the learning and encourage students to think about practical actions they can take. I also agree that a simplified version of the TEAL tool for younger pupils would make the activity more accessible. You have highlighted some excellent ways to make the lesson engaging, interactive and meaningful.
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Having watched the Paxi video on greenhouse gases and explored how to use the TEAL tool for predicting future temperatures I think there are a lot of opportunities to use this with my class.
As others have noted the language is quite advanced and it would require an degree of preteaching to make sure that all pupils can access the lesson fully but I think the idea of linking climate change with the past and showing children how we can learn from the past to make future predictions is a great way to make climate change more real and relevant.
The Paxi video is colourful, engaging, and stimulating for young children. I felt it explained greenhouse gases and the greenhouse effect in a clear and accessible way, making these concepts easy for children to understand. The combination of the video and the interactive digital tool would accommodate a wide range of learning styles. For me, it’s definitiely something I can see myself using next year.-
I agree that some pre-teaching of key vocabulary would be important especially with younger pupils to ensure everyone can fully engage with the activity. I also like your point about linking past climate data with future predictions as it helps children understand that climate change is not just an abstract idea but something that can be explored through evidence. The combination of the Paxi video and the interactive tool would definitely make the topic more engaging and accessible for pupils.
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As others have outlined here the the Paxi video on greenhouse gases and the tool for predicting future temperatures is a really fantastic resource to use with senior classes but younger classes would need help to access it I feel. In particular, a lot of the vocabulary would have to be pre taught so that the pupils could engage with the content of the lesson.
That being said the video is colourful, engaging and attractive for pupils. I think it can be really beneficial to combine digital technology with scientific learning as this is the world they are growing up in and any opportunity to use technology to really enhance and deepen understanding should be welcomed. For the younger classes they would be attracted to the graphics and it would be a great way to ‘hook’ ‘their attention.
This video is a great spring board for further learning and exploration of the topic and I can definitely see myself using it with my senior classes next year. -
I think the Paxi video is really well presented. It explains green house gases in really easy to understand language, along with colourful animation. I think it would engage the children and be a wonderful starting point. We would discuss all the new vocabulary- atmosphere, greenhouse gases, carbon dioxide etc to ensure everyone understands their meanings, (especially the children with English as their second language). We would brainstorm how we can make changes in our everyday lives to help combat climate change. We would agree on one suggestion and work on that one for that week with the other suggestions to follow on from that. We might present our suggestion list at school assembly and explain why it is important for everyone to play their part. The TEAL prediction tool allows students to explore how different levels of greenhouse gases can affect temperatures around the world and it allows them to compare countries. This tool would require a certain amount of pre teaching, and I myself would have to feel comfortable with it before using it. That said, it looks like a fascinating resource.
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I really like your idea of presenting your suggestion list of how we can help to combat climate change at assembly. Each class in our school is responsible for presenting an assembly once throughout the year. It would be a great way of getting the message across to the whole school and even better delivered by the children. Thanks
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Activity 3 is an engaging, hands-on activity that promotes active pupil participation and learning. I believe this activity would be particularly suitable for my 4th class, as older primary pupils would benefit most from the level of exploration involved.
In my classroom, I would begin by completing a KWL chart with the class to assess their prior knowledge and identify what they would like to learn. I would then show the Paxi video, allowing time for class discussion and reflection on its content. Following this, I would use our allocated ICT tablet time to enable pupils to work in pairs to explore the Teal simulation tool and investigate its features.
This approach allows pupils to independently explore the resource while also experiencing its application in a meaningful, real world context. Working collaboratively encourages discussion, problem-solving, and peer learning, while also highlighting the value of ICT as a contemporary and purposeful teaching and learning tool within the classroom.
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Activity 3 was engaging, informative and appropriate for primary school learners. The Paxi video explained the greenhouse effect in a simple and visual way making a complex scientific concept easier for children to understand. The use of animation and age appropriate language helped to maintain interest while clearly showing how greenhouse gases affect the Earth’s temperature.
The future temperature prediction tool was also very effective. It allowed learners to explore how changes in greenhouse gas emissions can influence future global temperatures. This interactive element encourages students to think critically about the impact of human actions on climate change and promotes discussion about environmental responsibility.
I could use this activity with my class as part of a science or geography lesson on climate and sustainability. I would first show the Paxi video then guide the class through the temperature prediction tool. Afterward, students could work in small groups to discuss what they observed and suggest practical ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in their homes and school. As a follow-up activity, pupils could create posters or presentations promoting environmentally friendly actions.
One improvement would be to include more opportunities for students to record their predictions and compare different scenarios. A printable worksheet or quiz linked to the activity would also help reinforce key learning points and provide a useful assessment tool. In addition, adding more examples of local climate impacts would make the learning more relevant to students’ everyday lives.
Overall, I found Activity 3 to be an excellent educational resource. It combines clear explanations with interactive learning and encourages students to develop scientific understanding while fostering awareness of environmental issues and the importance of taking action to protect the planet.
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Module 2
I think activity 3; Climate reporters, is an engaging STEM activity because it integrates science, mathematics and technology fully as Liston’s 2018 article in module one stated. This activity also applies critical thinking through the investigation of a real-world issue. Pupils are encouraged to analyse climate data, interpret future climate scenarios and consider the social and environmental impacts of climate change. This inquiry-based approach helps children develop data literacy while fostering an understanding of how scientific evidence is used to make predictions about future environmental conditions.
In my classroom, I would use this activity with my fifth class as part of a unit on sustainability or Earth’s changing environment. Before beginning the investigation, I would find out what the children already know about climate change, greenhouse gases, and weather versus climate through a class discussion, concept map or KWL chart. The introductory video about the greenhouse effect provides a good starting point and helps establish a shared understanding before students analyse climate data. It could be used as a little recap for the class to ensure we are all beginning with the same base knowledge. I found this video really engaging for children, providing clear, concise information. As I was watching,my seven year old walked in and thoroughly engaged with it and enjoyed it.
Working in small groups would promote collaboration and communication as students compare low- and high-emissions scenarios and discuss how different levels of greenhouse gas emissions affect future temperatures. Children would use digital technologies to access and interpret climate data, while applying mathematical skills to calculate and compare average temperatures. After analysing the results, they could present their findings through digital presentations or posters, and propose practical actions that we as individuals, each class or our whole school or community could take to reduce the impacts of climate change.
One improvement I would make is to include more opportunities for students to connect the data to their local community. For example, the children could investigate how rising temperatures might affect local wildlife, water resources, agriculture, or health in the community. This would make their learning more meaningful and help the children to understand that climate change has both global and local consequences.
I would also extend the activity by incorporating an engineering design challenge. After examining the climate scenarios, the children could design and test solutions such as an energy-efficient classroom model. This would strengthen the engineering component of STEM and encourage them to apply their scientific understanding to solve authentic problems.
Another useful addition would be to provide differentiated resources for students with varying levels of mathematical and scientific understanding. Scaffolded worksheets, guided questions, vocabulary support, and opportunities for extension would ensure that all learners can participate successfully while still challenging the more capable children.
Overall, I found this to be a valuable STEM activity because it combines scientific inquiry, mathematics, technology, and collaborative problem-solving in a meaningful context. It not only develops students’ understanding of climate science but also empowers them to think critically about environmental issues and identify practical actions they can take to contribute to a more sustainable future. Another resource to bank for the next coming school year – thank you!
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Hi Heather,
I really like your suggestion of connecting the activity to the local community. Looking at how climate change could affect local wildlife, farming or even weather patterns in the area would make the learning much more meaningful for pupils and help them see that climate change isn’t just a global issue – that it has local impacts too.
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I found Activity 3 to be a really engaging introduction to climate change. The Paxi video explained the greenhouse effect in a simple, child-friendly way and would be a great starting point for class discussion. I also liked the future temperature prediction tool as it helped make climate change feel more real by showing how temperatures could change over time. I think visual resources like these make a difficult topic much easier for pupils to understand.
I would use this activity as part of a Science and Geography unit. After watching the video, I would encourage pupils to discuss the difference between the natural greenhouse effect and the enhanced greenhouse effect caused by human activities. We could then use the prediction tool to compare future temperatures and discuss what these changes might mean for Ireland, such as more extreme weather events or impacts on wildlife and farming.
One thing I would add to the activity is a follow-up task where pupils investigate simple actions they can take to reduce their carbon footprint, either at home or in school. This would help pupils move from learning about climate change to thinking about positive actions they can take. -
I enjoyed Activity 3, Climate Reporters, because it helps children understand climate change in a simple and engaging way. The activity encourages pupils to explore future climate scenarios, discuss the effects of climate change, and think about how they can make a difference. I liked that pupils work together in groups to create a climate report for the year 2050 using climate data and then present their findings to the class.
I teach 4th class and I think this activity would suit my pupils well. I would begin by showing the Paxi video about the greenhouse effect to introduce the topic, followed by a class discussion about how human activities affect the climate. I would then divide the class into small groups and help them complete the climate summary worksheet using data provided by the teacher. The pupils could present their reports as weather presenters, which would make the lesson enjoyable while also developing their speaking and teamwork skills.
One improvement I would make is to include more examples based on Ireland, as this would make the activity more meaningful for younger children. I would also provide simpler worksheets and more visual supports, such as maps, pictures, and graphs, to make the climate data easier for 4th class pupils to understand. -
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For activity 3 we’re going to look at exploring future climate scenarios and then writing a climate report for 2050 based on projected temperature data from the Copernicus Climate andEnergy Education Demonstrator.
First, I’ll ask the kids a few questions –
What is a greenhouse gas? How do human activities affect the climate? How do scientists predict future climate conditions?
The I’ll explain that scientists use observations from Earth and spaceas well as computer climate models to create different future climate scenarios.
The I’ll divide the class into small groups and give half the groups a low emissions scenario and half the groups a high emissions scenario Then, using the Copernicus education tool the kids will select a country or region and check out the record monthly mean temperatures and compare historical temperatures with projected temperatures
The the children will write a short weather forecast style report, talking about how in their region, the mean temperature for July 2050 was ____. Hopefully they’ll say that this was 2°C warmer than the historical average and that summers are expected to be warmer, which may will have a big impact on humans and nature alike, not to mention all our activities and way of life. They will use the worksheet to help and explore how might warmer temperatures affect daily life, whether birthdays or holidays will feel different, and most importantly, what people could do to reduce the impact of climate change. The children will then share their ideas with the class and I’ll write them on the whiteboard and have a vote on the best and most effective. -
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The Paxi video is an excellent resource for introducing STEM concepts to primary pupils because it presents information in a lively, accessible and visually appealing way. Its colourful animation and child-friendly approach are well suited to maintaining pupils’ interest while supporting their understanding of complex ideas. I would incorporate a discussion strategy such as Think–Pair–Share after the video to encourage pupils to exchange ideas, justify their thinking, and learn from one another.
I also found the ESA activity booklet to be a valuable teaching resource, offering a range of practical tasks that promote inquiry and active participation. Of all the activities, Climate Reporters stood out as the one I would be most eager to use with my 6th Class pupils. The activity lends itself naturally to integrating several curriculum areas, allowing children to combine scientific investigation with literacy, geography, and oral language skills. To deepen the learning experience, I would conclude the lesson with a whole-class discussion focused on the potential effects of climate change within the local area. Pupils could then work together to suggest realistic and achievable actions that individuals and communities can take to promote environmental sustainability.
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The paxi video on greenhouse gases is an excellent resource for encouraging students to understand a key factor of climate change. It simplifies a lot of confusing, detailed concepts and language in a fun and engaging way. Videos like these are often a great introduction to a concept, or a mid way break for a lesson.
I really enjoyed exploring the Teal Tool resource for analysing climate history and predicting further changes. It’s fascinating to see how we compare to the rest of the world. I know the children in my class would find this very interesting as it’s quite tactile feeling for an online resource and is full of thought-provoking data. They would definitely enjoy comparing Ireland to other countries in terms of precipitation levels!
Activity 3 in the Weather Vs. Climate resource would be very useful in merging these learnings into a practical, cohesive activity. I would pre-teach/revise some of the vocabulary on the sheet before handing it out. I’d also provide some specific questions to less-abled students to help with their research task, as I can see the wording of some of the questions and gap-fills a being confusing for some.
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I agree that the Paxi video is a great way to introduce the greenhouse effect, especially as it makes complex ideas much more accessible for pupils. I also like your point about the TEAL tool being interactive, as comparing Ireland’s climate with other countries would encourage pupils to think critically about global climate patterns. Your suggestion of pre-teaching vocabulary and providing extra scaffolding for some learners is important and would help ensure all pupils can engage successfully with the activity.
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After examining activity three “Climate Reporters” I have found that it is a very good resource to help teach about the atmosphere and green house gases. I found the Pax resource very good. It is engaging has some great information. I would need to pre- teach some of the new vocabulary as I teach the younger classes. It also makes great links other aspects of science such as living things and the conditions they need to grow. It also would link up to projects and collaborations with other classes on the roof top garden in my school
I think the Teal website may be a bit challenging for my class level; however they could collaborate with older class levels to examine the various climate scenarios. I really like the ideas of thinking about ways to lessen the impact of climate change. I think this may be another way to collaborate with classes and possibly create posters for the school. This would also be a way to integrate other curricular areas. -
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Activity 3 of the Weather and Climate teaching material offers an interesting introduction to greenhouse gases and climate change. The Paxi video manages to present complex scientific ideas in a manner understandable to young people, thus helping pupils grasp the idea of how greenhouse gases influence the temperature of our planet. The future temperature prediction tool is especially useful because it helps pupils explore different climate scenarios and their implications in terms of human actions.
I would implement this activity in an interdisciplinary module on sustainability and environmental responsibility. This activity involves critical thinking, discussion and interpretation of data, and helps pupils understand the idea of cause-and-effect relationships. Group work can be organized by encouraging pupils to make predictions and find practical ways to decrease the amount of greenhouse gas emitted into the atmosphere.
As additional ideas that might enrich this activity, one could add an investigative task such as measuring the temperature of covered and uncovered containers as an illustration of the greenhouse effect. Another idea that might be useful is incorporating more local examples and pupil-driven projects.
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I really enjoyed Activity 3 – Climate Reporters and found it very useful for teaching children about climate change in a simple way.
The Paxi video on greenhouse gases explains the topic clearly and in a way that children can understand. I would use this video at the start of the lesson to introduce the idea and then have a class discussion about what greenhouse gases are.
After this, I would use the temperature prediction tool in small groups so the children can explore how the climate might change in the future. This would help them see the difference between short-term weather and long-term climate in a visual and engaging way.
To improve the activity, I think it would be helpful to add a simple recording sheet for younger children so they can draw or write their ideas. I would also include a follow-up discussion on small actions we can take in school to help protect the environment. Overall, I think it is a very practical and meaningful STEM activity for the classroom
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Hi Elaine,
Welcome to the course. Thanks for your feedback on the Paxi video. It does clearly outline the concept of greenhouse gases. You can then choose to pause the video at different moments to allow for class discussion and even get the learners to create a mind map while watching the video to record and share their learning.
The Teal tool would allow for lots of learning opportunities, from getting information on temperatures in the past, present and future. Learners could also gather real life data to create their own trend graphs or bar charts. For other younger learners, a worksheet, as you have suggested, would guide their learning and use of the tool. It is always important for the learners to reflect on action they can take in school, at home and in their wider community to ensure meaningful connections.
Thanks for sharing, I hope you enjoy the course.
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The Paxi video is a great explanation and a fun and light hearted to explain something which can be quite heavy and complex. The comparison to the glasshouse to grow plants was a great comparison and give the students an everyday context to understand the greenhouse effect.
I would probably stop the video for a paired discussion to allow students to brainstorm and discuss ideas that they think would help.
I think activity 3 is great as it encourages empathy, perspective and deepened understanding of the scenarios as they students explore these in groups. presenting to their peers will consolidate their understandings and deepen their knowledge. I would allow the students to present their new information in various ways of their choosing to give them choice and agency such as a digital poster, a hand made poster or presentation.
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Hi Lauren, I agree the Paxi video is lighthearted and fun which I think is important when talking about a topic like climate change that can feel very heavy especially for young children. I also felt it was pitched well for children to understand. I too think I would give the children choice in their presentation of their findings as this gives the children agency and facilitates the child-centered focus of Inquiry based learning.
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I really liked the Paxi Greenhouse Effect Video, I felt like it was full of useful information in a format children will find engaging and entertaining. Some of the vocabulary may be advanced for younger years which is why I would spend time pre teaching this before playing the video. Again for activity three I feel it may be too advanced for the younger years to use the Teal tool so I would either leave it for the older years or pair children from an older class with children from a younger class, again feeding into the collaborative aspect of STEM activities. I felt as though this activity really followed the inquiry based framework with the video as a tool to engage the pupils, then allowing them to go ahead and investigate themselves using Teal tool – I would also give the children choice in how they would like to represent this data and then next steps where the children in groups are encouraged to come up of ways of reducing the effects of climate change in their area. I as a teacher would then reflect on how next to build upon the what was achieved over the course of activity 1, 2 and 3 and plan accordingly.
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As I mentioned in Module 1, I had already looked at activity 3 and felt that it would be a great resource to use when teaching the report writing genre in English. Adapting the worksheet may be an option in order to make it user friendly for putting together a report at the end of the research. I would also link the use of digital technologies to this piece of work and have the children use child friendly search engines to find more information about climate change to add statistics to their report. I do feel that it is important not to overwhelm children with the doom and gloom of climate change as they need to feel empowered and feel that they can make a difference. We certainly do not want to add anxiety to their lives. The PAXI video would be a really useful piece to share with the class and to use for discussion about the topic for the report writing. After watching it might be useful to compile all the relevant information onto a flipchart or poster for the children to refer to during the drafting of their own report. There is some language in the video which would need to either be pre-taught or explained after the video to ensure that the children understood what it meant.
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After completing the first two activities, I found Activity 3 – Climate Reporters very engaging and something my 3rd/4th class would really enjoy. The Paxi video on greenhouse gases explains the idea in a simple, child friendly way, and I think my pupils would easily connect it to things they see in everyday life, like weather changes or farming practices in our area. The temperature prediction tool is a great way to introduce the idea of climate trends, and my class would love experimenting with it and comparing results.
I would use this activity as a small project where pupils work in groups to create short “climate reports” for our school. They could record temperatures, discuss changes, and present their findings at assembly. One improvement might be adding a simple recording sheet or template to guide younger pupils. Overall, it’s a very practical activity that fits well with hands on STEM learning in a rural school.-
Hi Criona,
Welcome to the course, and thank you for sharing your response to Activity 3. It sounds like this would be a very engaging and meaningful activity for your class, in a rural school context where pupils may already have some awareness of weather changes, farming practices and the local environment.
I really like your idea of turning the activity into a small group project where pupils create short climate reports for sharing with the school. This would give the pupils a real audience and help develop communication skills alongside scientific understanding. Your additional suggestion of adding a simple recording sheet or template is excellent, and would help scaffold the task and support them in organising their observations, findings and conclusions clearly.
I hope you enjoy the rest of the course.
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The Paxi video on greenhouse gases explains the greenhouse effect very clearly but in a child friendly way. I think most age groups could watch it although the smallest children won’t really understand the process. After watching the video children could engage in a comprehension worksheet based on the video, or write a summary of the greenhouse effect in their owns words, or there could be a Quiz.
For a follow up lesson children could do the Greenhouse Effect experiment involving 2 jars with thermometers inside each and with one of the jars having cling film on the top.
I think Teal is a really interesting climatic recording and projection tool. It can show children at a glance the countries/areas of the world receiving, the most precipitation/the highest air temperatures/etc. Children could explore the website and then could be asked to list the countries with the most precipitation/the highest air temperatures/etc.
5th or 6th class class could use the climate projections feature on Teal to make a weather report for a country, incorporating the summary worksheet from the ESA Weather V Climate Pack.
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Hi Manus,
Welcome to the course.
I agree that the Paxi video explains the greenhouse effect in a very clear and child-friendly way. Your suggestions for follow-up activities, such as a summary writing task or quiz, would be useful ways to check pupils’ understanding after watching the video. Asking pupils to explain the greenhouse effect in their own words would be especially valuable, as it would help them process the key ideas rather than simply repeat new vocabulary.
Your idea of using the climate projections feature on Teal to create a weather report for a country is a particularly strong cross-curricular activity. This would combine things like climate science, digital literacy, geography and language in a meaningful way, while also helping pupils understand how future climate changes may affect different parts of the world.
I hope you enjoy the other modules.
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Activity 3 is a fabulous introduction to the greenhouse effect and climate change. This is an area in our school that I was surprised at, a lot of children lacked knowledge around causes of climate change and the green house effect. This came to light during one of our Green Schools flag campaigns. The Paxi video explains the concept of greenhouse gases in a child-friendly way, using simple language and colourful animations that would be suitable for younger learners also. The future temperature prediction tool is really useful. I look forward to using it throughout the year. It would help students see how global temperatures may change over time.
I would use the Paxi video as a whole-class introduction after first going through any relevant vocabulary to ensure the students have a clear understanding of it. We would then complete fun and practical activities such as identifying and sorting friendly and unfriendly actions, create posters or green screens about ways to protect the Earth. Students could also reinforce previous Green Flag initiatives like correct recycling in classrooms and energy saving activities around the school.
If I wanted to improve the activity to engage my class even more, I would include opportunities for outdoor learning. Outdoor learning is something I would like to improve on myself and I feel weather and environmental activities outdoors would be a great start. I would also add more visual supports for younger children and children who have learning difficulties.
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I really enjoyed this activity and thought it explained the greenhouse effect in a simple and child-friendly way. The Paxi video was engaging and helped to make a difficult topic easier to understand. I also liked the future temperature prediction tool because it showed how climate change can affect our world over time.
Next year I will be teaching Second Class, and I think this activity would work well with my class. I would use the video as an introduction and then have a class discussion about simple ways we can help the environment. The children could create posters, sort pictures into actions that help or harm the Earth, and keep a class recycling chart. We could also go on a nature walk around the school to look for ways we can care for our environment.
Overall, I think this is a very useful activity. I would include more hands-on and outdoor learning opportunities as these help younger children stay engaged and make the learning more meaningful.
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I agrre with you David, that there is room for improvemnt by incorporating ourdoor learning into this lesson. Outdoor learnig is something our school is starting to do mor of next year, and what a good topic to start with- weather and climate.
I also agreed that there would be need for some worksheets and visual supports to be included for the younger children to be able to use, as some of the content is difficult to access.
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I enjoyed this module and i really feel it is something that will grab the attention on my 3rd and 4th classes upon return to school in the autumn.
The Paxi video is excellent. Maybe some of the older pupils might find it a bit babyish but with encouragement, I have no doubt that they would get on board and the content is most certainly at their level. This would be a super intro to the topic for the classes.
The Teal app is excellent and the informative video would serve as an excellent progression on the point of rising world temperatures. I know the children would relish the opportunity of researching independently from a verified source which is reasonably easy to interpret.
The aim of the lesson is for children to understand that the Earth needs to stay at the right temperature to keep plants, animals, and people healthy. They will learn that greenhouse gases act like a warm blanket around the Earth, helping to keep it warm, but that when the blanket becomes too thick, the Earth gets too hot. They will also begin to understand that everyone can help to look after our planet.
I would divide the children into group of 4 and assign each member a role etc.. taking into consideration the abilities and personalities of each group. Using resources provided we would carry out the experiments outlined in activity 3 to further understand the concept of global warming and climate change.
We could use the teal app to explore further what may happen in our future in best and worst case senarios.
To conclude i would ask the chn what can we do to make a difference….Turning off lights when they are not needed.Walking or cycling whenever possible.Planting and caring for trees or flowers.Avoiding wasting water.
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Hi Mark, I really enjoyed reading your post. I agree that the Paxi video is an engaging introduction to climate change, even if older pupils may need a little encouragement at first. I also like your idea of assigning group roles and using the TEAL app to explore future climate scenarios. It encourages teamwork, critical thinking and helps pupils understand how their everyday actions can make a positive difference.
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I found Activity 3 to be interesting and easy to follow. The Paxi video explained greenhouse gases in a simple way and introduced the topic using language that children can understand. The future temperature prediction tool was also useful because it showed how temperatures may change over time and helped explain the effects of climate change in a visual way.
Next year I will be teaching Second Class, and I think this activity would work well as part of our SESE lessons on weather and the environment. I would watch the Paxi video with the class and then have a discussion about what greenhouse gases are and how we can help to protect the environment. We could make a class poster with simple ideas such as walking to school, recycling, saving electricity and planting flowers or trees. The children could also draw pictures or write a few sentences about one thing they can do to help the planet. This would also link well with English through oral language and writing, and with Art through poster making.
One thing I would improve is adding more hands-on activities. For example, children could sort pictures into actions that help or harm the environment or complete a simple experiment about keeping heat in. Overall, I thought this was a useful activity that introduced climate change in an age-appropriate way. I would be happy to use it with my Second Class next year because it encourages discussion, teamwork and caring for the environment.
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Hi Linda, I agree that the Paxi video is a great way to introduce climate change in a simple and age-appropriate way. Although I will be teaching Junior Infants, I could adapt the activity by focusing on class discussions and simple art activities, such as creating posters about caring for the Earth. I also like your suggestion of including more hands-on activities, as these help children engage with the topic in a meaningful way.
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I think Activity 3, ‘Climate Reporters’, is an engaging way to introduce young children to the ideas of climate change and greenhouse gases. The Paxi video explains these concepts in a simple, child-friendly way, making it suitable for the Junior Infants class I will be teaching in the coming school year. I could use the temperature prediction tool as a whole-class activity, encouraging the children to talk about what might happen if the Earth becomes warmer.
To make the lesson more appropriate for Junior Infants, I would follow the video with a class discussion and invite the children to draw pictures showing simple ways to care for our planet, such as planting flowers, recycling, or walking to school. We could combine their drawings to create a colourful classroom display celebrating ways to help the environment. I think adding a picture book related to climate or caring for the Earth would further support children’s understanding and provide another opportunity for discussion.
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I really like your idea of following the lesson with a drawing activity, as it gives young children a simple way to show what they have learned. Using a picture book is also a great addition because it reinforces the message in an age appropriate way. I think these activities would help make the topic more meaningful and encourage children to see that even small actions can help care for the environment.
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Hi Louise,
Welcome to the course and thanks for your feedback on the resources in this module. The Paxi video is very child friendly and engaging even for the younger classes. I like how you plan to follow on from the video with drawings of how the pupils can take action. Even at a young age it is important to promote their own small actions. I also like linking in with the picture book. Have you heard of the Green Schools Global Goals book club. It has lots of lovely suggestions for picture books across the goals which address different topics.
Thanks for sharing, I hope you enjoy the course.
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I think using Activity 3 alongside the video works really well, as the two resources complement each other and help make a complex topic much easier to understand. It also builds nicely on the learning from Module 1 and provides a meaningful STEM lesson by combining science, technology, maths and problem-solving in a practical way. The video introduces the idea of the greenhouse effect in a simple, engaging way, while the follow-up activity encourages pupils to look at information, ask questions and begin to understand how climate change may affect the future.
In a special school setting, my main aim would be for pupils to develop a simple understanding that greenhouse gases contribute to global warming and that temperatures have changed over time. Rather than focusing on complex climate data, I would encourage pupils to observe patterns, compare information and begin to understand that our actions can have an impact on the environment.
To support this learning, I would adapt the activities using visual supports, simplified graphs, photographs and practical discussion. We could look at weather records over a number of years, compare warmer and colder temperatures using colour-coded charts, and talk about how changes in weather affect people, animals and plants. Together, we could create a simple class graph to show how temperatures have changed over time, making the information easier to understand. We would finish the lesson by discussing positive actions we can all take, such as recycling, reducing waste and saving energy, helping pupils understand that everyone can play a part in caring for the environment. -
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The Paxi video is an excellent resource, I can definitely see myself using this in the classroom next year, along with the other resources in activity three. I found the video was probably the best pitched part of this activity, in terms of being suitable for all class levels. However I agree with other participants that some of this activity may be more suitable for older classes, or need simplification in the junior end of the school. The Teal tool is fantastic but I did have to rewatch parts to fully get to grips with the task.
I think when teaching the content of this activity, I would definitely focus on Ireland as a basis for learning and then students could investigate or make comparisons between Ireland and the rest of the world. There is a good opportunity for integrating this learning across the curriculum, particularly with maths as well as some links with the Green Schools Programme.
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Module 2 Assignment – Climate Reporters
The Climate Reporters activity is an excellent way to introduce pupils to climate change through engaging, inquiry-based learning. After watching the Paxi video on greenhouse gases, pupils gain a clear understanding of how greenhouse gases affect Earth’s temperature. Using the future temperature prediction tool allows children to investigate real climate data, interpret graphs and identify patterns over time. This supports the development of scientific enquiry, mathematical data-handling skills and critical thinking.I would use this activity with Senior Infants and First Class by simplifying the graphs and encouraging pupils to discuss what they notice before making predictions. We could compare today’s weather with long-term climate trends and explore simple actions that help protect the environment. To extend the lesson, pupils could create posters promoting climate-friendly habits or keep a class climate diary. Overall, this ESERO activity provides an engaging, cross-curricular approach that helps children understand climate change while developing observation, communication and problem-solving skills.
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I really enjoyed the PAX video and found it to be an excellent teaching resource. As I teach Second Class, I would need to introduce some of the key vocabulary beforehand, as many of the children would be unfamiliar with the terminology. As a Green School, we always look for opportunities to connect new learning with the Green Flags we have achieved. This year, we are working towards the Biodiversity Flag, making this an ideal way to explore biodiversity through our bug hotel, polytunnel, and school garden. It also links well with planting activities, allowing children to investigate the conditions plants need to grow. They could use their critical thinking skills to predict and discuss whether plants would thrive better in a polytunnel or an outdoor planter. While I feel the TEAL tool may be too advanced for Second Class to use independently, pairing pupils with Fifth or Sixth Class buddies would provide valuable support and make the learning experience more engaging.
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The PAX video is very clear and accessible for primary pupils and would appeal to my class of 9 year olds with dyslexia. It provides a very good introduction to the greenhouse effect and would help build the background knowledge needed before beginning this activity. For my class, I would use the video as a stimulus for discussion and brainstorming, encouraging pupils to come up with practical ideas about how they can reduce greenhouse gas emissions in their everyday lives and around the school.Ot could equally be used to inform the Green School Committee. We could follow up with a poster campaign or even stories or audio posters on Book Creator. We have a newly developed school garden and this would link well with our seedling growing in the propagator and understanding the importance of getting the balance right. In the coming term the teachers could use the Paxi video along with the curiousminds ESERO framework to plan some simple engaging lessons around greenhouse gases.
The TEAL resource, while an excellent tool, would be too challenging for my class of nine-year-olds, particularly for pupils with dyslexia. To make the activity accessible, I would use it to provide an opportunity for collaborative learning with the senior classes. Older pupils could support younger learners in interpreting the TEAL data and discussing future climate scenarios. This cross-age learning would benefit both groups by promoting teamwork, communication and peer mentoring.
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Hi Amanda,
I really like how you have considered the needs of your 9-year-olds with dyslexia. The Paxi video sounds like a great resource for your class and an accessible way to introduce greenhouse gases, build vocabulary and spark discussion before moving into practical ideas for reducing emissions in school and everyday life.
Your links to the Green Schools Committee, Book Creator, audio posters and the school garden are excellent. These would give pupils creative ways to show their understanding while connecting the learning to real action in the school.
You also make a very good point about TEAL being challenging for some pupils. I really like how you have considered adapting it for use as a cross-age learning opportunity with senior classes, encouraging teamwork, communication and peer support while making the data more accessible.
Thanks for sharing and hope you enjoy the rest of the course!
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I really enjoyed the PAX video and I think it would be a great resource to teach both younger and older classes the effects of green house gases. it’s explained in a very safe appropriate way. Activity 3 , Climate Reporters is an engaging activity that encourages pupils to think about future climate scenarios and how climate change may affect people’s lives. Presenting information through the role of a weather or climate reporter is creative and allows pupils to develop their communication, oral language, and presentation skills while exploring an important environmental issue. The activity also encourages critical thinking as pupils consider how climate changes could impact different regions and communities.
I would use this activity with my class after pupils have developed a clear understanding of the difference between weather and climate. Working in small groups, pupils could research a future climate scenario and prepare a short weather report or news broadcast, using maps, images, or digital presentation tools. This would provide valuable opportunities to integrate Science, Geography, English, and ICT while promoting teamwork and creativity.
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Hi Sheila
It is great that you found the resources in this module so useful and you have great ideas for implementing them in your classroom. As you said, having a good understanding of the difference between weather and climate is essential before going on to use the TEAL tool. I love your ideas for both STEM integration and cross curricular learning in the future news and weather reports with the use of maps and digital tools to both research and present their findings.
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I really like your idea of having pupils create a weather report or news broadcast. It makes the learning much more engaging and allows them to develop their communication and presentation skills while exploring climate change. I also agree that ensuring pupils understand the difference between weather and climate first provides a strong foundation for the activity. It sounds like a great way to integrate a range of subjects while keeping the lesson enjoyable and meaningful.
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I found the PAX video very suitable for primary school children. It has clear and simple explanations, appropriate new vocabulary and an engaging presentation. It can however, over simplify solutions to climate change.
I found Activity 3 to be pitched at a much higher level of expectation than the previous 2 activities.
I feel it would only be suitable for senior classes and would require a lot of help and guidance.
I would begin this lesson by explaining the new vocabulary and showing the video. Following a short discussion( KWL) I would demonstrate how to use the TEAL tool and explain how to complete the Activity sheet provided.
There is scope for cross curricular integration into both History and Geography as children can research specific events from the past that may have been influenced by these changes in climate.
We could extend the activity by using the data collected to create a trend graph or a specific pictorial representation that the children have chosen themselves.-
Hi Padraig,
Thank you for sharing your thoughts on Activity 3.
I agree that the Paxi video is very suitable for primary pupils, as it explains greenhouse gases in a clear and engaging way while introducing useful new vocabulary. You make a good point, however, that the solutions can feel somewhat simplified, so teacher guidance and follow-up discussion would be important.
Your observation that Activity 3 is pitched at a higher level than the previous activities is very valid. It does seem best suited to senior classes, particularly if pupils are using the TEAL tool and interpreting climate data. Beginning with vocabulary, a KWL discussion and a teacher demonstration would provide helpful scaffolding.
I also like your cross-curricular suggestions, especially linking with History, Geography and Maths through climate events, trend graphs and pupil-chosen visual representations.
I hope you enjoy the rest of the course.
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Module 2.
I found the paxi video to be an excellent resource for introducing and explaining green house to children. The paxi video was a simple, clear and child friendly approach for this concept. I liked that that the video is interactive and will appeal to children. I would begin my lesson with a kwl chart and then I would show the children the video. After the video I would start a classroom discussion on greenhouse gases.
Then I would encourage the children to discuss the difference between natural greenhouse effect and the greenhouse effect caused by human activities.
We would discuss simple ways to prevent greenhouse gases and reduce our carbon footprint- recyle, reduce, reuse, walk or cycle.
We would create posters to support the climate and reduce our carbon footprint- walk/ cycle to school posters.A feature I liked was the future prediction of temperatures tool which showed how temperature can change over time. We can simply look at counties summer temperatures now compared to long ago to see the increase. Look at forest fires or fires caused by heat. Then we can discuss the changes the temperature will have such as extreme weather or impact on farming and wildlife.
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Hi Sharon,
I like your idea of discussing simple ways we can prevent greenhouse gases and then using this information to create posters based on reducing our carbon footprint. I did this with my 3rd class last year and it was great to see the creative slogans they came up with for their posters, e.g. ‘Don’t be a fool, walk to school’, etc
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Prior to starting this lesson I think I would first look at assessing the children’s prior knowledge on the topic of both climate, the greenhouse effect and greenhouse gases. The Paxi video on the Greenhouse effect is a super way of introducing this topic to the children and I find videos such as these are a great way of peaking the children’s interest in the topic. We will then discuss the climate and what changes they think might happen in the future. We will look at the different ways in which scientists use different observations to monitor and understand how the climate is changing. The children will then be put into groups and told that they will be acting as scientists looking at different scenarios where they will need to calculate monthly average temperatures. They will be told they need to work together to create a presentation on how future temperatures can affect their lives and also come up with ways to lessen the impacts of climate change within their area. Children in their groups will then need to report back on their findings. For this lesson it is essential that children are grouped by mixed abilities and that the children are offered different ways of giving their feedback to the rest of the class.
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Hi Laura,
Welcome to the course. Thanks for sharing your lesson idea using the Paxi video. I agree that it is important to review the learner’s prior knowledge as this can also give you the opportunity to address any misconceptions or also to reduce the anxiety around climate change and greenhouse gases.
The video is a great way to engage the learners as you have mentioned and I like how you are planning for project work on calculating average temperatures, the Teal tool would be a great resource for the learners to explore when focusing on future temperature changes also. Thanks for sharing, I hope you enjoy the course.
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The PAX video was very good and I feel it was appropriate for primary school children. It is fun to look at and the animation is of a good standard. It is informative, and to the point. The graphics are good at demonstrating the effects of the green house gases, in particular the little arrows, that would be a great way to show how the gases travel around the world and how they can’t escape our atmosphere.
I think activity 3 is good, however, I would start with a KWL wall, to get the children’s previous knowledge on climate change. I would ensure that the children know the words such as paleoclimatologist etc before we teach the lesson. Having looked through the other lessons, I think they would be aimed for the older classes, I think some of them have language that might be quite difficult for some children. I also think I might have to prepare alternative worksheets for children with EAL and SEN, as the activities could be a little tough for some. I would get the children working in groups for some of the activities and they can do self and peer assessment during the lessons.-
Hi Aoife.
Welcome to the course. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the Paxi video. As you have mentioned, it is very engaging and informative for the learners. I think exploring the pupils’ prior knowledge is a great start to these lessons, to assess what they know already and address any misconceptions (if there is any). I agree that while the lesson is informative, some vocabulary should be taught prior to the lesson to ensure the learners can engage fully and as you have mentioned, activities and written tasks may have to be modified to suit the learners in your own class. It is great to engage the learners in peer and self assessment also to allow them autonomy over their learning. Thanks for sharing, I hope you enjoy the course.
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As a teacher in a senior school, I think it would be great to begin this lesson by playing the PAXI video. The video could be used as a trigger for a discussion by the children in small groups about greenhouse gases. The children could then be given a mini whiteboard or sheet of paper to record any knowledge they might have about greenhouse gases. These could then be shared with the class by one chosen member of the group. Following that, we would have a whole-class discussion on how the temperatures are changing and the groups could be asked to predict future temperatures. I would then introduce the children to the TEAL tool and show them the function for showing temperature changes around the world in the last 70+ years. In their groups, the children could use the class iPads to research temperature change in a country or countries of their choice.
Adding more Irish or local examples of climate action would help make the learning feel more relevant to pupils.-
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Hi Jacqui,
Welcome to the course. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the Paxi video and how to use this in your senior class. I like how you are planning to get the learners to record their learning, they could also construct a mind map as they watch the video to note interesting points and make connections too.
The Teal tool is a fantastic resource, and would need some teacher demonstration initially prior to the learners engaging with the resource independently. I think looking at the Irish context initially is a great idea, looking at the changes in Irish temperatures and then exploring countries familiar to the learners.
I agree that looking at local examples of climate action would be great and encourage the learners to reflect on action they too can take part in. Thanks for sharing, I hope you enjoy the course.
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Activity 3 would be an excellent way to introduce children to the topic of climate change in a meaningful way. I liked the temperature prediction tool. The tool would encourage students to think critically by analysing patterns and evidence before making predictions. After watching the video, I would place the class into small groups to discuss what they learned and share their thoughts. They could then work collaboratively to use the prediction tool and compare their predictions with those of other groups as a whole class activity. Later I would have a lesson to make weather prediction tools.
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I enjoyed the Paxi video and think it would be a great way to introduce the greenhouse effect to my class. The animation keeps the topic engaging while explaining a scientific concept in a way that is easy for pupils to understand. I would still spend some time introducing key terms such as “greenhouse gases” and “carbon dioxide” before watching the video so that students are familiar with the vocabulary.
I think the TEAL Tool works well as a follow-up activity because it allows pupils to apply what they have learned using real climate data. I would use Activity 3 and guide the class in exploring temperature trends, discussing what the data shows and what it could mean for the future. This would encourage pupils to ask questions, think critically and support their ideas with evidence.
To make the lesson more relevant, I might ask pupils to consider how climate change could affect their own local area – biodiversity, farming, or extreme weather events. They could work in groups to present their findings through graphs or digital presentations. Overall, I think these two resources complement each other very well and provide an engaging, cross-curricular STEM lesson that encourages pupils to think about both the science behind climate change and the actions they can take to help protect the environment.-
Hi Cian,
Welcome to the course. Thanks for sharing your feedback on the Paxi video. It is very engaging and addresses the concept in an age appropriate way. I agree that reviewing vocabulary in a previous oral language lesson would help the learners in engaging with the video and the content and ensure understanding of the concept.
I like how you are planning to look at the learners’ local area first and the impact of changing temperatures and climate change relevant to the learners. While they may be enjoying the heat wave at the moment, what is the impact on farmers and biodiversity.
I agree that the Paxi video and the Teal tool compliment each other very well and allows for meaningful connection of knowledge and real life scenarios. Thanks for sharing, I hope you enjoy the course.
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Hi Cian,
I thought the Paxi video was very child friendly. I like your idea of asking the pupils to consider how climate change could affect their own local area – biodiversity, farming, or extreme weather events. Children are more likely to understand climate change and become active participants in changing the future, if they believe it will affect their lives.
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I will use Activity 3 with my 5th class. I have watched the TEAL tutorials and spent some time exploring the platform, but before introducing it to my pupils, I would need considerably more practice to become confident using all of its features. Once I have mastered the tool, I would use it regularly as a whole-class activity to monitor and discuss air temperature, precipitation, wind speed, solar radiation, and carbon emissions. Before collecting and analysing data, pupils would need explicit teaching on the meaning of each of these terms, why they are measured, and how they relate to weather, climate, and the environment. They would also need opportunities to explore the potential impacts of increases in these measurements, including more extreme weather events, rising temperatures, flooding, and climate change, both in Ireland and globally. This would help pupils develop scientific understanding, data literacy, and greater awareness of environmental sustainability.
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I found activity 3: climate detectives to be very engaging and interactive for children. I found the PAXI video describing greenhouse gases to to be very child friendly and I would definitely use this resource before beginning activity 3. It clearly explains what a greenhouse gas is and how they are produced as well as highlighting ways we can improve our carbon footprint by cycling, scooting, skating to school, etc instead of driving. I found this video to be very engaging for students before they can investigate themselves using Teal tool. It definitely is a tool I feel would be beneficial in the classroom to demonstrate greenhouse gases. It also shows children the effects of greenhouse gases on our planet and how we can improve our carbon footprint. It provides students with opportunities to explore how changes in greenhouse gas emissions can influence future global temperatures. This encourages children to think critically about the impact of human actions on climate change and what we can do in school and at home to slow down climate change, e.g, recyling, walk or cycle to school, car pooling, etc
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Hi Niall
Welcome to the course. It is great to hear your feedback on activity 3 in this module.
The Paxi video is very engaging and has age-appropriate content to support learners and allow for discussion and critical thinking. As you have mentioned it allows for the learners to reflect on actions they can take such as cycling or walking to school.
The Teal tool is a great resource to explore in the classroom and make links between the content of the Paxi video on greenhouse gases and the future global temperatures and as you have said it allows for critical thinking on human actions and more opportunities to reflect on actions they can take.
Thanks for sharing, I hope you enjoy the course.
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I found Activity 3 both engaging and informative. Climate change can be a challenging topic to teach, but the Paxi video explains greenhouse gases and the greenhouse effect in a simple, age-appropriate way that would help pupils develop a clear understanding of the topic. The future temperature prediction tool complements the video by encouraging pupils to think critically about how human actions influence future climate outcomes while also developing their digital literacy.
I could use this activity with my 6th class next year as part of a cross-curricular STEM unit linking Science, Geography, SPHE and Maths. It could also provide excellent opportunities for project work, where pupils could investigate renewable energy, explore ways to reduce their carbon footprint, and create presentations promoting sustainable practices within the school.
To strengthen the activity, I might include a worksheet with guiding questions to support pupils in interpreting the prediction tool and encourage class discussion afterwards. I also think adding more examples of how climate change is affecting Ireland would make the lesson more relevant and meaningful, helping pupils connect global environmental issues to their own everyday lives.-
Hi Laura
Welcome to the course. Thanks for your feedback on the activity in this module. I agree that climate change can be a challenging topic and can cause some anxiety among some learners in our classes. However, the Paxi video explores this concept in simple and age-appropriate way as you have mentioned.
I like how you are planning to use this activity in an integrated approach across the areas of SESE, SPHE and Maths. This would make meaningful connections of the knowledge across the different curricular areas and as toy have said to make connections between global environmental issues to their own everyday lives. I always encourage my learners to think about actions they can do themselves whether in school, at home or in their local communities to reduce carbon footprint so I like how you are going to promote sustainable practices in the school through presentations. This is very engaging and could involve the whole school if they share their work with other classes.
Thanks for sharing, I hope you enjoy the course.
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Activity 3 ‘Climate Reporters’ enables pupils to learn about climate projections and acquire some understanding of how a future increase in temperatures may affect their lives. There is minimal resources needed for this, children only need access to the internet and the pupil activity sheet. The Paxi video explains the greenhouse effect in a very clear and concise way and makes it interesting for children. Although it is probably aimed at younger pupils, I think the older classes would enjoy it too. We are a green school and I think this would tie in nicely with that initiative.
I would do some work firstly on asking the children their understanding of what the greenhouse effect it. Some pupils may never have heard of it. I would ask them to predict what they think the future will look like if we do not work together with other countries to help solve the problem.
The lesson would also be good for cross-curricular activites in Geography, Maths, developing literacy in English and also some Gaeilge words could be used.-
I totally agree that the series of lessons would be great for a cross-curricular approach. Oral presentations and discussions in English and An Aimsir as Gaeilge. I have participated in the ESB Science Blast on a number of occasions and it is amazing the opportunities that present themselves once you start using the investigative approach. While the focus might be on Science, there are endless roads into other subject areas that the project leads you on.
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I would use the climate reporters activity as part of our science lessons when learning about climate change and caring for the environment. I think the children would enjoy working together in groups to find out about topics like recycling, saving energy or protecting wildlife. I would provide books and suitable websites to help them with their research.
When they have finished, each group could share what they have learned with the rest of the class by creating a poster or giving a short presentation. This would help them build confidence while also improving their speaking and teamwork skills. We would finish the lesson by talking about simple things we can all do to help the environment, both at school and at home. I like that this activity gets pupils involved and encourages them to think about real-life issues. It shows them that even small changes can have a positive impact.
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The PAX video would be very useful as a way of getting the pupils engaged in the lesson. Some vocabulary would have to be taught to them beforehand to help them better understand the video. My aim for the lesson would be for pupils to be able to describe what greenhouse gases are and their contributions to global warming. In groups, they will discuss and come up with some simple ways they can help raise awareness of temperature increases and present their ideas to some of the other classes in the school or out student council.
We are fortunate to have access to the iPads once a week so we could use that time to have a look at the tool for predicting future temperatures as a class on the board and then in small groups on the iPads. Pupils could choose a country and examine the temperature changes for that country over the years. They could then create bar graphs to compare average decades for example. They could also use the website tool to predict what they think temperature changes will be like when they are older etc.-
Hi Marie
It is great that you find the Paxi video so useful and it is so important that children are able to understand terms such as greenhouse gases and global warming and explain them to others. This will help them to be better informed about the actual issues and the science behind them and hopefully able to resist being swayed by the wealth of climate misinformation and disinformation. I find that vocabulary is best introduced in a practical way that helps children to understand concepts while learning the language. The Earth Under the Lid resource is a really good way to explain the greenhouse effect as the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere do the same job as the glass / plastic in the greenhouse. This can also be really well illustrated if your school has a greenhouse or poytunnel. Encouraging children to present their learning and their ideas for action to other classes or the student council is a great idea as is use of iPad time to explore the TEAL tool.
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I think this Climate Reporters lesson would work very well with senior classes especially. They could think about what ages they will be by 2050, what stages of life they could be at (most 6th class pupils will be 36!), what the world around them will look like, likely similarities and differences with present day.
The TEAL tool is very effective and impactful. Each group could use their chromebooks. The running of temperatures on a loop is excellent for highlighting the changing nature of temperatures over the decades. I think this illustration of the passage of years would also help the children to appreciate in some small way at this stage in their lives, the idea that we are custodians rather than owners and we are aiming, at the very least, to pass on the planet to future generations.
The Paxi video explains the nature and effect of greenhouse gases very clearly. I think in an activity like this lesson, it is important to not only explore the damage being done to the planet, but also remain some way hopeful. I have had children in my classes who become visibly upset around the future of the earth, destruction of habitats, pollution, etc. It is important that we try to focus on what we, as individuals, can do every day, even small steps we can take. There has to be hope and some optimism in our lessons also.
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Valerie, I really like your idea about thinking of what ages the children themselves would be in 2050. It could also be an interesting creative writing prompt or art piece for them to imagine what they, their lives and the world would look like. You could also discuss how they would like the world around them to be and how it could look if we take care of the environment and work to improve it compared to what could happen if greenhouse emmisions continue to rise.
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Activity 3 is a really good way to help pupils understand climate change and how scientists predict what our climate might look like in the future. The Paxi video explains the the greenhouse effect in a simple and engaging way that pupils can easily understand before moving on to the main activity. The activity encourages group work and discussion while helping pupils see the impact of greenhouse gas emissions.
For pupils in my SET class, I think using the C3S Climate & Energy Education Demonstrator could be quite challenging, especially interpreting graphs and comparing different climate scenarios. I would use simplified graphs, provide visual supports and model each step before asking pupils to complete the task. I would also pair the children or have small-groups work together so pupils could support one another. This would allow all pupils to take part and build their understanding at a pace that suits their needs.-
I agree Fiona – some of the activities are certainly geared more towards the upper end of the school. In our school, we have paired classes together – 6th with 2nd, 5th with 1st etc. Perhaps a similar approach could be used if the whole school was focusing on the topic of weather and climate – a sort of buddy system to allow the children to learn from each other.
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• Feedback: I found Activity 3 engaging and relevant as it helps pupils understand climate change using real climate projections rather than learning about it in theory. The Paxi video also explains the greenhouse effect in a clear, age-appropriate way.
• Using it in class: I would use this activity with senior primary pupils as part of a cross-curricular STEM scheme of work. I would link it to science, geography and maths through data analysis, discussion and problem-solving. It would also encourage pupils to think critically about the impact of climate change on their own lives.
• Improvements: I would incorporate more Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles by providing pupils with different ways to engage with the activity and demonstrate their learning. For example, pupils could present their climate report as a poster, video or oral presentation. I would also have visual supports, sentence starters and differentiated resources to help all learners have access to the learning. -
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In response to activity 3, Climate Reporters – The Paxi video explained greenhouse gases in a way that I think my 2nd Class pupils would understand. It would be a good way to introduce the topic and encourage discussion.
The future temperature tool helped show how temperatures may change over time. I would use it with my 2nd Class to talk about why it is important to care for our environment, keeping the information simple and suitable for the level of the class.
I would use this activity in Science and link it with Geography and SPHE. We could talk about easy ways to help the planet, such as recycling, saving water and turning off lights. I would also pair my class with 6th Class as I found the 2nd Class group responded extremely well to peer work last year. The older pupils could help the younger children complete the activities and work together to make posters about looking after the environment. This would help build teamwork and confidence.
To improve the activity, I would add more hands-on tasks, such as sorting pictures into good and bad choices for the environment or making a class promise to save energy.
Overall, I think this is a fun and engaging activity that would work well with my 2nd Class and has the scope for multiple lessons.-
Hi Claire from reading your post I like how you focused on making the learning practical and relevant for younger pupils. I also agree pairing the class with older children is a great idea as this type of peer learning can build confidence and encourage collaboration while supporting understanding. I also agree that linking the activity across different subjects would help reinforce the key messages in a meaningful way.
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I found the PAX video to be a very useful resource and very child centred. It would be a great introduction to teaching a young class about the greenhouse effect. As I teach First Class, I would need to pre-teach some of the vocabulary, as much of the terminology would be unfamiliar to the children. As a Green School, we always look for opportunities to link new learning with the Green Flags we have achieved. Since we will be working towards the Biodiversity Flag this year, the PAX activities could be integrated with our school’s biodiversity initiatives, such as the bug hotel and polytunnel. This would also connect well with learning about plant growth and the conditions plants need to thrive. Pupils could use their critical thinking skills to compare and discuss whether plants would grow better in a polytunnel or in outdoor planters.
After exploring the TEAL tool, I felt it would be too advanced for First Class pupils to use independently but a simplified version could be used or even have a buddy system where you could pair them with Fifth or Sixth Class pupils, allowing the older children to model how to use the tool. I believe this would be an effective way to demonstrate greenhouse gases, as the visual representation helps pupils understand their impact and encourages discussions about the importance of protecting our environment.-
Hi Bernie
Welcome to the course. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the Paxi video and how you could use it in your own class.
I agree that for any class level, there needs to be some vocabulary explicitly taught prior to watching the video to help engage the learners. It is great that you can then use the knowledge from the video and apply it to real life situations such as Green Schools. You could link the greenhouse gases and rising temperatures when the learners are in and out of the polytunnel as it would allow for connections from their experiences.
The Teal Tool is a fantastic resource but as you have mentioned, your class level would probably need to work with older pupils in order for them to engage with it but it will give them some knowledge and understanding of the concept too.
Thanks for sharing, I hope you enjoy the course.
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When you look at any topic in STEM or SESE or any topic at all for that matter, I think the key to understanding is knowing where the children are already and building on that information. That is why the Curious Minds template is of particular use in the case of STEM lessons and this lesson on Climate change in particular. In lesson 1 and 2, we focused on weather and logically, we need to review that knowledge before starting into the Climate Reporter exercise.
That’s why I think the Paxi video is a great little starting point. There is a fair bit of terminology used in it and these act like a refresher of what the children already know. If I were working on these lessons with my class, I would create a word wall, either on the IWB or physically, with a list of terms and phrases that we come across. This would tie in nicely with the weather lore that we would generate from speaking with parents/grandparents.
The use of the TEAL tool ties in nicely with data generation and graphs in maths and would be an interesting activity, particular for senior classes. I think it would be great to get different groups within the class to focus on different aspects as generated by TEAL – precipitation, wind speed, solar radiation etc. and to produce a poster or powerpoint or presentation of some sort based on what they find out.
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I enjoyed Activity 3: Climate Reporters as it encourages children to think beyond the weather they experience each day and consider how our climate may change in the future. The Paxi video was a great introduction to greenhouse gases, explaining a complex topic in a simple and engaging way. I also liked the temperature prediction tool, as it gave children the opportunity to interpret data and discuss how different climate scenarios could affect everyday life.
I will be teaching 3rd next year and I think this activity would work well for this age group. I would begin with the Paxi video before allowing the children to work in pairs to explore the temperature projections and discuss the possible impacts on our local area. This would lead naturally into conversations about positive actions we can all take to reduce our impact on the environment.
One addition I would make would be to include a local element. For example, pupils could compare the projected temperatures with weather data they have collected themselves or investigate how climate change might affect the local village in the future. I think this would make the learning more meaningful and relevant to them.
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I really like your idea of making the activity more relevant by linking it to the local area. I think comparing projected temperatures with weather data the pupils have collected themselves would make the learning much more meaningful. Your idea of discussing positive actions they can take is also a great way to help children feel empowered rather than overwhelmed by the topic.
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Hi Jane
I am glad that you liked the activities and tools presented in this module and can see their relevance to your third class. Tying in to local issues is always a great idea as it helps dispel the myth that Climate Change is something that happens far away and makes it relevant to the children. A hands on approach always helps to make learning more relevant and by gathering their own weather data, children can understand where the online data comes from and how temperature scientists use the date gathered in the past to predict future temperatures. The idea of looking at your local village and considering the future effects of Climate Change is a great idea and you might also have them think about any past or present effects, such as flooding or unpredictable weather making farming more difficult.
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Jane, I really enjoyed reading your reflection. I like how you linked the activity to your own teaching and focused on making climate change relevant to the children’s local area. Your idea of comparing future climate predictions with weather data collected by the class is an excellent way to develop enquiry skills and make the learning more meaningful.
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<p class=”isSelectedEnd”>I really enjoyed Activity 3 and thought it was an excellent way to introduce the concept of climate change in an age-appropriate manner. The Paxi video was engaging and explained greenhouse gases using simple language and colourful visuals that would capture pupils’ attention. I also liked the future temperature prediction tool as it encouraged pupils to think about how our actions today can affect the future and prompted meaningful discussion.Before beginning the activity, I would revise key vocabulary such as weather, climate, greenhouse gases and global warming using visual aids and a class word wall. After watching the video, pupils could work in pairs to discuss what they learned before using the prediction tool together. As a follow-up activity, the class could design an action plan for becoming a more environmentally friendly classroom by suggesting simple changes such as recycling, reducing waste or saving energy.One improvement I would make would be to include more opportunities for hands-on investigations or outdoor learning, such as measuring temperatures around the school grounds or comparing local weather data over time. This would make the activity even more relevant and strengthen links to real-life STEM learning.</p>
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The PAX video would be an excellent way to introduce the topic and capture the pupils’ interest from the beginning of the lesson. Before watching it, I would spend some time teaching and revising key vocabulary so that the children can better understand the content and participate confidently in class discussions afterwards. My main learning goal would be for pupils to understand what greenhouse gases are and to explain, in simple terms, how they contribute to global warming and climate change.
Following the video, I would encourage the children to work in small groups to discuss practical actions that people can take to help protect the environment and reduce the effects of climate change. Each group could then present their ideas to the class, and some of the suggestions could be shared with other classes or through the student council to help promote environmental awareness throughout the school.
We are fortunate to have access to iPads each week, and I think they would be a valuable resource for this topic. As a class, we could explore the online temperature prediction tool before allowing pupils to investigate it in pairs or small groups. They could choose different countries, compare how temperatures have changed over time, and use the data to create simple bar graphs. Finally, pupils could make predictions about what temperatures might look like in the future and discuss how these changes could affect their own lives and communities.
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Hi Sean
I like your ideas for using the resources in this module. If children really understand the concept of greenhouse gases, this will make all understanding around climate change easier. By allowing them time to dicuss the concepts in the Paxi video and maybe showing it a few time, or pausing throughout to discuss the vocabulary used, they can start to see the relevance to their own lives which should help inform their discussions on actions. I like the idea of creating bar charts to help understand the data in the TEAL tool and the sharing of ideas with the student council.
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I really like the idea of pre-teaching the vocabulary first to build their confidence for discussion. Using the iPads for the temperature tool and graphing makes the data so much more meaningful. Getting the student council involved is a brilliant way to spread that learning across the whole school.
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I found Activity 3 – Climate Reporters to be engaging and interactive for primary school pupils. The Paxi video provided a clear and child-friendly explanation of greenhouse gases, making it easy to understand through colourful visuals and simple language. The future temperature prediction tool encouraged pupils to explore how different levels of greenhouse gas emissions can affect global temperatures, helping them to make connections between human actions and climate change. This inquiry-based approach promotes critical thinking and discussion while supporting the Geography and Science curriculum.
I would use this activity with my class as part of a lesson on weather, climate or sustainability. Pupils could work in pairs or groups to discuss what effect global warming may have on our planet in the future. They explore different scenarios before discussing their predictions as a class and writing a climate summary for the year 2050. To improve the activity, I would include a short quiz or reflection sheet to check understanding, along with extension tasks that encourage pupils to identify practical actions they can take at home or in school to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.-
Hi Sean,
I really like how your lesson builds from developing pupils’ understanding to encouraging them to think about practical solutions. Teaching key vocabulary before the video is an excellent strategy, as it ensures all pupils can engage confidently with the content and discussions. I also think your use of collaborative group work is a good idea. As I teach in a boys only school, hands on tasks relating to real world issues is a great way to engage the boys. Also with the current heatwave and warm summer we are experiencing, this would be a great starting point for any discussion around climate change!
and presentations promotes communication and teamwork while reinforcing learning. Integrating iPads and the temperature prediction tool is a great way to develop digital and data-handling
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I found Activity 3 to be a really engaging way of introducing pupils to climate change. The Paxi video explains greenhouse gases in a clear and age-appropriate way, making what can be a difficult concept much easier to understand. I also liked the future temperature prediction tool as it encourages pupils to think about how our actions today can influence the climate in the future. It provides a great starting point for discussion and helps children see the importance of making environmentally responsible choices.
I would use this activity as part of a Geography or Science lesson with my class. After watching the video, I would have pupils work in groups to discuss practical ways they can reduce their carbon footprint at home and at school. As I teach in an all boys school, I think the hands-on and collaborative nature of the activity would work particularly well. I would also encourage them to create posters, short presentations or news reports to share what they have learned with the rest of the class.
One improvement I would suggest is adding more practical, inquiry-based tasks alongside the online resources. For example, pupils could carry out a simple energy audit of the school, investigate recycling habits or measure classroom electricity use. I also think it would be useful to include extension activities for older or more able pupils along with printable vocabulary cards to support key scientific language. Overall, I found the activity engaging, relevant and easy to adapt and it provides a great opportunity to develop pupils’ understanding of climate change.
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Hi Aisling
Welcome to the course and thanks for your thoughts on this module. I like your point about the TEAL tool being useful to help children realisewhy their actions matter as this is something that is very important. Chilcren are great at giving lists of actions we can take but unless they understand why these actions are important, they won’t become embedded. Group discussion on actions will be really helpful especially if they then solidify that by sharing their ideas creatively with others and hands on investigations and activities will help to keep their interest. I also like your ideas on extension activities as there will be some children in your class who are already well aware of the basics and will relish the challenge to progress their learning further.
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The activity, Climate Reporters, is a very useful learning experience for the pupils. It allows them to be journalists and requires them to engage in research, report their findings and to consider the effect of climate change on humans and the environment.
Climate Reporters supports integration of STEM across many curricular areas. The pupils engage with science as they develop an understanding of climate systems, patterns in the weather, and environmental change. Mathematics is included as they interpret graphs, contrast climate data, recognise trends, and support their findings using evidence. Using digital tools for research, analysing data, creating their presentations, or recording a news report integrates well with technology.
I think the activity is adaptable for different age groups which would be necessary with aspects of it. The Pax video is very good in terms of production for younger children. It would need some pre-teaching as some of the content e.g. vocabulary may be difficult for younger age groups. The TEAL tool would be more suited to older children but in our school we often pair older pupils with younger pupils for various activities and this could be a solution to this. There is great scope for collaboration within class and across classes which develops skills such as teamwork, talk and discussion amongst peers, and problem-solving.
This activity helps pupils to develop scientific understanding and the conviction to engage with one of the greatest global challenges we are currently facing. This is a real-life issue and it would be a great way to engage the pupils with the important subject of sustainability and climate change and the role they can play in it.
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Hi Paula,
Welcome to the course.
I really like how you have highlighted the “Climate Reporters” role as a way of giving pupils a clear purpose. Asking them to research, interpret data and report their findings makes the learning active and meaningful.
Your links to STEM are very strong, particularly the way pupils can use science to explore climate systems, maths to interpret graphs and trends, and technology to research or create presentations and news reports. There is also great potential here to strengthen the engineering design element by asking pupils to use their findings to design, test and improve a practical school-based solution, such as a campaign to reduce energy use, improve recycling, or create more shaded/green areas.
Hope you enjoy the rest of the course.
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Activity 3: Climate reporters. This is an excellent resource and really allows the children to understand the effects of climate on their future lives. Getting the children to work in groups is another aspect to the activity that I like. The Paxi video on greenhouse gases is very informative and would be attractive to the pupils. This could be used to introduce the topic and capture the children’s attention. The range of Paxi videos and animations will be a valuable resource when dealing with the whole area of climate/weather.
I found the Teal tool very interesting but also a little tricky and the information it produces too difficult for my own class group. I would need to simplify it before introducing with my class I feel. As other participants have noted I like that you can compare and contrast with other countries. This would be a fun thing to do in the class especially with so many pupils in my school coming from all over the world. Overall, another excellent resource that will be used in some way in my class next year.
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Hi John
I’m glad you liked the Paxi video on Greenhouse gases and the other Paxi videos too. As you have said, the TEAL tool isn’t suitable for all classes and it may be that you don’t use it with your class or else that you maybe use it as a demonstration to show the contrasts between Ireland and other countries. If you do decide to allow children to explore it, you might simplify it by giving them a simple set of instructions to follow to find out a few pieces of information.
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I enjoyed the PAX video and think it is a useful resource for the classroom. There would need to be some preparation for the vocabulary to ensure children can engage with the content.
I also liked the Climate Reporter activity using the TEAL tool. The time slider allows pupils to see how climate data has changed over time, making the information more meaningful. Working in pairs on the computers in our school using a worksheet and teacher available for guidance would encourage discussion and prediction. As the children discuss the results, it would provide an excellent opportunity for pupils to consider how rising temperatures might affect their own lives including birthday, holidays, plants and animals. This could naturally lead into a problem-solving activity where pupils develop practical ideas for reducing the greenhouse effect and protecting the environment for their future selves. I do feel the activities may be difficult for younger classes so maybe some “buddying up” with older classes would help.
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Hi Aoife
Wecome to the course. It is great that you find the content of module 2 so useful. Having a worksheet to work through when exploring the TEAL tool would be very useful in getting to know how to use it. You could have a range of tasks from performing a specific set of actions to working out themselves how to find a particular peice of information and soem open ended tasks where they choose a question for themselves and show the class what they have found out. This would allow everyone in the class to engage with the data at their own level. The tool is probably more suited to older classes but as you said buudying up might make it more accessible.
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I agree, especially about the vocabulary. Spending a bit of time on the key words beforehand would make a big difference. I also like your idea of pairing pupils up on the computers, as it would encourage plenty of discussion and sharing of ideas. Buddying younger classes with older pupils is a great suggestion too and would make the activity much more accessible.
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Activity 3 – Climate Reporters is an excellent activity that helps children understand how climate change may affect the future. I liked how the Paxi video explains the greenhouse effect in a simple, child-friendly way and how the TEAL Tool allows pupils to investigate future temperature predictions. It encourages discussion, teamwork, problem-solving, and develops STEM skills through analysing and interpreting data.
Working in a DEIS Band 1 junior school, I would simplify the activity for younger pupils by focusing on one local area and comparing today’s weather with predictions for the future. Children could discuss how rising temperatures might affect plants, animals, and our local community before creating posters or short presentations suggesting ways to reduce climate change.
One improvement would be to include more age-appropriate worksheets and visual supports for younger children and pupils with EAL. Adding a practical follow-up activity, such as planting flowers for pollinators or carrying out an energy-saving challenge, would help children see how their actions can make a positive difference.-
Hi Colin
I think your ideas for keeping the a local focus are great. Too often, climate change is seen as something that happens far away. People think that it doesn’t affect us or that our actions don’t make a difference, so bringing the discussion to how climate change is already having an impact in our local community and how it could have a greater impact in the future makes it relvant to the children and involving them in practical tasks helps show how our actions have relevance
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Activity 3 was engaging and easy to follow, and I found the combination of the Paxi video and the future temperature prediction tool very effective. The Paxi video explained the greenhouse effect in a simple, child-friendly way, making a complex scientific concept easier to understand. The interactive temperature prediction tool helped demonstrate how different choices can affect future climate outcomes, encouraging critical thinking and discussion.
I could use this activity with my class by first showing the Paxi video to introduce greenhouse gases, followed by small group discussions about the causes and effects of climate change. Students could then use the prediction tool to explore different scenarios and compare the results. This would encourage inquiry-based learning and help develop digital literacy alongside scientific understanding.
One improvement could be to include more real-life examples of how climate change affects different parts of the world, helping pupils connect the topic to everyday life. It would also be beneficial to add short follow-up activities that encourage students to think about practical actions they can take at home or in school to reduce their environmental impact.
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I agree Evelyn I found activity 3 very easy to follow with the video and predicition tools being very effective. I think looking at the real-life examples of how climate change affects different parts of the world is a great idea. Using art, drama and presentations it would be great to see the children expand on what that impact might be and create a picture for all their fellow students to understand. I think moving global warming from a concept and idea to real world visual applications will paint a strong picture to the children on how important this is.
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I thoroughly enjoyed the video. I am only disappointed I’m only coming across them at this stage in my career. The video explained in a child friendly way the impacts of green house gases and how these gases are impacting our environment. I thought it was very positive for the video to explain to us all- young and old, how we can impact change and help to protect our planet going forward. While teaching 4<sup>th</sup> class, I would firstly conduct a KWL group chart, to gather our current knowledge. I would then show them some videos to promote discussion. We would explore the prediction tools, the students could use their devices in class to explore this further. As we engage with Creative Thursday initiative, I would encourage children to pick an area in the world to explore climate change and how this may impact the daily lives of people and animals. At the end of the month, they can report back to their peers and share their learning.
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The paxi video was a very good resource. To begin with it was engaging and interesting. It also put across it’s ideas very effectively and clearly. Explain concepts at a child’s level. It also gave a really clear picture of where we are at again in a way that a child could understand. Again the resource allows to teach across many areas of the curriculum together in a way that is very real and meaningful for the children. The hope is that this will result in a great impact on the children. This ties in well with the new primary school framework that highlights the importance of global citizenship. The activities also progress through the Curious Minds/ESERO framework for Inquiry and offers plenty of opportunity for collaboration, investigation and real actions.
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<span style=”font-weight: 400;”>I found activity 3 very interesting and a great resource for engaging with students. The Paxi video was colourful and inviting, using clear language to explain the greenhouse effect simply for children. As some of the vocabulary used may be a little difficult for some age groups to understand, I would discuss what they already know about this topic. I would explain some of the words and vocab used prior to the video. I think this would be a good resource to use in the classroom to effectively teach about greenhouse gases, climate change and how we can help to take care of our planet.</span>
<span style=”font-weight: 400;”>I would use the climate projection tool to predict, explore and analyse future temperature changes and to identify the implications this may have in their own future. Integration between maths, geography and science would come into play, and we could graph results of future predictions in different areas. It could be made more relevant to their own experience by including examples of how climate change directly affects our country, Ireland. This would make a connection between climate change and their own lives.</span>
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I thought Activity 3 was really good and it’s definitely one I’d use with my own class. Before starting it, I’d do a short vocabulary lesson so the children understand words like climate, greenhouse gases, emissions and carbon footprint. I think that would help them get a lot more out of the lesson.
The Paxi video is a great way to introduce the topic. It explains the greenhouse effect in a simple way and I think the children would really enjoy it. I also liked the temperature prediction tool. It helps children see how the choices we make today can affect the future. The weather report for 2050 is a nice way for them to use what they’ve learned and gets them thinking.
I’d have my class work in groups, compare the different scenarios and then chat about their ideas together. It would also be a good chance to talk about simple things we can do at home and in school to help the environment.
If I was changing anything, I’d include a simpler version of the graphs for younger classes as they might find them a bit difficult. I’d also add a printable worksheet or a follow-on activity based on Ireland. Overall, I thought it was a really enjoyable activity that would get plenty of discussion going in the classroom.
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Hi Steven,
Welcome to the course.
I really like your idea of beginning with a short vocabulary lesson. Words such as climate, greenhouse gases, emissions and carbon footprint can be challenging, so pre-teaching them would help pupils engage more confidently with the Paxi video and the wider activity. You could have a ‘New Words’ chart specifically for this, and return to it throughout the week to check in with the students.
I also like your suggestion of group work, comparing scenarios and discussing practical actions at home, and in school, to take the learning beyond the classroom. This would help empower your students with positivity about their potential impact. Your idea of simpler graphs and an Ireland-based follow-on activity would make the resource even more accessible and locally relevant for pupils.
Hope you enjoy the rest of the modules.
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I liked how Activity encourages children to think about how our climate might change in the future. The Paxi video is a great introduction as it explains greenhouse gases in a way that younger children can understand. However, I think the climate prediction tool would be quite challenging for First Class so I would use it as a teacher demonstration rather than expecting the children to use it independently.
I would adapt the activity by focusing on simple discussions about the seasons and how weather can affect our everyday lives. We could talk about questions such as, “What happens if we have less rain?” or “How would very hot weather affect the plants and animals in our school?” The children could then plant sunflower or wildflower seeds and observe how weather conditions affect their growth over a number of weeks. I think this would make the learning much more meaningful because the children would be able to see changes happening for themselves.
The only improvement I would suggest would be to include simpler activities for younger classes. While the resource is excellent, some of the data and graphs are better suited to older children. A more visual version with picture prompts and simpler recording sheets would make it much easier to adapt for a junior classroom. Overall it is a valuable resource, but like many STEM activities, it just needs to be pitched at the right level for the children in front of you.
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Hi Janet,
I really like how you have considered the needs of your First Class pupils and adapted the activity accordingly. Using the climate prediction tool as a teacher demonstration is a very sensible approach, as it would still allow pupils to engage with the idea of future climate change without being overwhelmed by the data or graphs.
Your suggestion of focusing on seasons, rainfall, heat, plants and animals is very age-appropriate. Planting sunflower or wildflower seeds and observing their growth over time would make the learning hands-on and meaningful, while also helping children see how weather conditions can affect living things.
I also agree with your point about simpler supports for younger classes. Picture prompts, visual recording sheets and more concrete examples would make the activity much easier to adapt for younger pupils.
Thanks for sharing, hope you enjoy the rest of the modules.
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I really enjoyed Activity 3, especially the Paxi video on greenhouse gases. I thought it explained a difficult topic in a really simple and engaging way, and I can see pupils enjoying it. The future temperature prediction tool was also a good feature because it helped show how our actions can affect the climate over time, making the learning much more meaningful.
For a 6th class, I would make the activity a bit more challenging and hands-on. After using the prediction tool, I’d have pupils work in groups to come up with practical ways our school could reduce its carbon footprint and present their ideas. It would also be a great chance to link with other subjects. As Antarctica is mentioned, I’d tie it into History by learning about Tom Crean and other Antarctic explorers. In English, pupils could engage in creative writing on what the world might look like in the future. I think it’s important to note as well that children can sometimes become overwhelmed with this topic, from my experience, and a bit frightened. It’s important that we highlight that there is hope and that there are ways we can improve our lifestyles to improve the planet and look at easy, practical ways of doing so.
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I feel like activity 3 would help students to develop a better understanding of the greenhouse effect and future climate changes. I like the way they suggested assessing student knowledge. I feel like Paxi’s video about the greenhouse effect would be an excellent stimulus for discussing new vocabulary and identifying common misconceptions that students may have. Dividing students into groups to explore to calculate monthly average temperatures based on high/ low emissions promotes learner autonomy. I think it would be excellent if a worked example could be provided to show students and they can use this as a reference.
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The Paxi video is a very useful resource for teaching children about greenhouse gases. I think it can be used at all class levels as it is engaging and informative. It would be a good starting point for a lesson on greenhouse gases as it sparks an interest in, and awareness of, the topic.
<p style=”text-align: left;”>In my opinion, activity 3, climate reporters would be most suited to older classes, as I think the climate prediction activity would be too advanced for younger pupils. When using this activity with older classes, I would firstly revise the concept of climate with the class and recap on the previous lesson ‘weather vs. climate’. Following on from this, I would ask the children to work in groups independently to research and record temperatures. This could be integrated into other lessons such as maths – recording and representing data, Geography – weather, climate and atmosphere, history – past and present, English – report writing, Gaeilge – an aimsir, as well as themed arts lessons on weather/climate.</p> -
I really liked the Paxi video on Greenhouse Gases. I find that many resources online around global warming can be a bit heavy or frightening for young children, but I think this one struck the perfect balance. The illustrations and analogies explained the concept in a really clear way, and I feel that the overall message was hopeful with simple ideas that the children can put in place.
I also like that the Paxi videos always include a summary at the end!!I find Activity 3 has a lot in it, from calculations to reading comprehension. I think really it would depend on the ability level of the class.
I think it would be most useful in 5th or 6th class after a body of work in maths on data (graphs and averages), so that they would have a good conceptual understanding of what “mean” means!I definitely feel they would need step-by-step guidance and support, even on a practical/ organisational level- navigating between the TEAL tool and their worksheets.
I would possibly do it as a whole class activity and get the children to create their own graphs as an independent activity.-
Hi Claire.
Welcome to the course and thanks for sharing your thoughts on the Paxi video. I agree that some resources and videos online on the topic of global warming can be a bit heavy and can cause some anxiety in children. However, the Paxi video, as you have mentioned, strikes the perfect balance in outlining the concept in a child-friendly manner.
The Teal tool is a great resource to explore and I agree, having senior classes myself, that the learners using it themselves would depend on the class. It might work as a demonstration or teacher exploring the tool initially on the smart board before the learners work independently. I also agree that it is a fantastic opportunity to integrate with maths and using real life data. Thanks for sharing, I hope you enjoy the course.
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Like many others, I would also use Activity 3 with my Junior Infants by first introducing the key weather vocabulary using picture cards, actions and songs. After watching the video, I would ask the children to identify familiar and new weather words and match them to pictures.
Before the activity, we would discuss how predictions are based on patterns we have noticed, using our class weather chart as an example. The children could then work in small groups to use Teal to make a prediction and record it using drawings, pictograms, labels or simple sentences.
Each group could present their poster as a short weather report to the class. As a follow up, we could compare our predictions with the actual weather the next day/the coming week and update our class weather chart to help the children recognise patterns over time.-
Hi Katie
You have some great ideas for introducing infant classes to the idea of a weather forecast. Using songs, pictures and videos is a great way to introduce younger pupils to weather vocabulary. Activity 2 in this resource is also ideal for infants as they can use simple instruments and picture cards to make weather observations and record the weather daily. This weather recording activity could lead on to a discussion on weather patterns and combined with watching some clips of weather forecasts from RTE the children might make a weather prediction for the next day and present it to the class. The concept of climate is probably a bit advanced for infants so the TEAL tool would not be relevant to their weather reports
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After completing Activity 3: Climate Reporters, watching the Paxi video on greenhouse gases, and using the future temperature prediction tool, I found the activity enjoyable and easy to follow. It introduced climate change in a clear, age-appropriate way and encouraged pupils to think about how the choices we make today can influence the future.
I would use this activity with my fourth class and I believe they would love it. Having previously thought this class before I know they are consciencious and thoughful. The children could examine future climate predictions, discuss the possible effects on their local area, and create a climate report or news broadcast for the year 2040. This would help develop their communication skills while encouraging curiosity and critical thinking.
To improve the activity, I would include more examples that relate specifically to Ireland so pupils can make stronger connections to their own environment. I would also finish the lesson with a simple class project, such as identifying practical ways to reduce our carbon footprint in school. Overall, I think this is a valuable and engaging activity that helps pupils understand climate change while encouraging them to become more environmentally aware.
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I had a look at the activity ‘Climate Reporters’, and thought about how I would use it in my class. I would do this lesson as a cross curricular activity while my class is learning about report writing during English. My class would start by watching the paxi video on climate change, to make sure they understood the topic. I’d expect the class would have a good grasp on what climate is and how it is changing having looked at the first two activities. I would then do the activity ‘Climate reporters. I would begin by using the opening paragraph as a prompt for a discussion, then have the children work in pairs or small groups to research the worksheet answers using TEAL. We would finish by having each group report back to the class. As a follow on activity I would have the children use the work sheet to create a short report of their own on climate, using the tools and templates they have learned. It provides a great real world application to genre writing, and a cross curricular link to Stem.
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Climate Reporters was my preferred activity because I feel as though it introduced the topic of climate change in an engaging and age appropriate way that would be easy for children to understand. The Paxi video explained the greenhouse effect clearly and contained lots of information. I would begin the lesson by asking pupils what they already know about climate change and greenhouse gases. I would then introduce key vocabulary to build their confidence before watching the video. In my opinion, the TEAL temperature prediction tool is an excellent resource and I would use it in my own classroom. It allows children to investigate how different greenhouse gas emission scenarios can influence future global temperatures while encouraging critical thinking and discussion about the effects on people, wildlife and the environment. As an extension, I would ask pupils to work in groups to design a “Green School Action Plan” with practical ideas for reducing energy use, recycling more effectively and encouraging sustainable habits within the school community. Each group could present their plan to the class and explain how their suggestions could make a positive environmental impact. This could be brought to assembly to educate other classes.
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I find the Climate Reporters to be a useful activity because it encourages students to take an active role in their learning. Rather than simply learning facts about climate change, the children are being asked to investigate, interpret information and communicate their ideas, which makes the topic feel more relevant and meaningful and offers scope for creativity.
I could see this activity being an effective group task.Before beginning the activity I would use the Paxi video, and perhaps even pre teach key vocabulary before the video. I would have students work in groups to use the predicted future temperatures tool and to then plan and present their reports.
One area I think could be improved is the inclusion of more local examples and real climate data. Students are more likely to engage with the topic if they can see how climate change may affect places they are familiar with. This is a high ceiling task, so high achievers /early finishers may explore this line of thinking and present their findings.-
Hi Sam,
Welcome to the course. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the climate reporters task. I agree that there are lots of opportunities for vocabulary development in the video and pre teaching the specific vocabulary will allow the learners to engage with the video more and apply their learning when using the Teal Tool.
I agree that the Teal Tool allows for high ceiling tasks in allowing the learners to explore at their level and allowing for more difficult tasks for some learners and encourage them to present their work in multiple ways. I think that the Teal Tool would be very relevant to learners this year, given the high temperatures we have experienced and the high temperatures across Europe. Thanks for sharing, I hope you enjoy the course.
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The PAX video was one of the resources that stood out to me because it showed how environmental topics can be explored in a way that is engaging and practical for younger children. I know I would need to spend time introducing and revisiting some of the vocabulary, as terms such as biodiversity and greenhouse gases would be new to many of the children. Using picture cards, real-life examples and class discussions beforehand would help to build their confidence and understanding. I would also get them to draw what they understand to help them to consolidate their learning.
As a Green School, we try to make meaningful links across different areas of learning rather than teaching topics in isolation. Since we are working towards our Biodiversity flag this year, I could connect these lessons with our bug hotel, planting beds and polytunnel. The children could observe living things around the school, record what they find and discuss why different habitats are important. It would also tie in well with our planting activities by investigating what plants need to survive. For example, the children could predict whether seeds would grow better in the polytunnel or outside in raised beds, then carry out the investigation and compare the results. This would encourage observation, prediction and critical thinking while making the learning more meaningful.
I liked the TEAL tool, I think it would be nice to for older classes and even a buddy system with a younger class. This would benefit both age groups, encouraging teamwork and communication while making the technology more accessible. I also felt the visual nature of the tool was one of its biggest strengths, as it helps children see the impact greenhouse gases can have on our planet in a way that is much easier to understand than simply reading about it.-
hi Patrice, I really enjoyed reading your post. I love how you’ve linked the activities to your Green School and Biodiversity Flag work. The bug hotel, planting beds and polytunnel provide such meaningful, real-life opportunities for children to investigate and make connections. I also think your idea of using a buddy system with older pupils is brilliant. It would build confidence for the younger children while giving the older classes a chance to develop leadership and communication skills.
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I really enjoyed Activity 3 and found it to be a great way of introducing what greenhouse gases are in a child-friendly and engaging way. The Paxi video explained a complex topic using simple language and visuals, making it much more accessible for primary pupils. I also liked the future temperature prediction tool as it helped to make climate change feel more real by allowing children to see how temperatures may change over time. Rather than simply telling pupils that the climate is changing, it encourages them to interpret data and discuss what the information might mean.
As I teach Senior Infants and also work as a SET, I would simplify some of the content and focus on helping children understand that looking after our environment starts with small everyday actions. I could see us watching the Paxi video together before discussing ways we can care for our school and local community, such as recycling, reducing waste, saving electricity and walking to school where possible. This would link well with SPHE and Geography as well as Science.
One improvement I would make would be to include more differentiated activities for younger classes. The prediction tool is excellent for older pupils, but a simplified version with more visual supports would make it more accessible for infants. I also think a follow-up practical activity, such as planting seeds or carrying out an energy-saving challenge in the classroom, would help children see that everyone can make a positive difference, no matter how small.
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The Climate Resources is a very engaging resource and interactive which is very suited to primary school learning and an excellent way to introduce children to the issue of climate change and its correlation with green house gases. The Pax video is very age appropriate for primary school children. Children are encouraged to think and reflect on their actions which effect emissions and global temperatures through the temperature prediction tool and allows them to feel a sense of active citizenship in their future and the future of the environment and world they live in. This activity would be particularly useful in my classroom and incorporated into multi curricular lessons while simultaneously fostering critic thinking, problem solving and collaboration through group work. I would also like to have the children design their own artwork or posters depicting their ideas on environmental action which can help limit greenhouse emissions. As regards improvements I think worksheets might be a good way to reinforce learning while also serving as a good assessment tool.
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I would begin the lesson with a KWL on greenhouse gases. Teaching the younger classes, I would choose to use the Paxi video suggested in the lesson as a stimulus as it is very child friendly. We would then discuss the video as a whole class. I would explain the difference between natural and anthropogenic greenhouse effect. We would then discuss and make predictions about what the climate would look like in the future. I’m sure lots of valuable discussion would be made here- questions like – how do scientists predict what Earth’s climate will look like in the future will be asked.
The class will then be divided into groups to work on the different climate scenarios. They will work on filling in the activity sheets that accompany the activity. The iPads will be distributed so that the students can explore Teal online to support them with the research. Their ideas and findings will be presented back to the class as “Climate Reporters”
As an infant teacher, this activity would have to be adapted quite a bit as it is a bit complex, although the Paxi video would be suitable. The lesson would be an excellent resource to use in older classes.
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Hi Laura
The KWL is a great resource to start a dicussion on Greenhouse gases to see if the children have any prior knowledge and identify any misconceptions. I often work with TY students and ask them to give their own definitions for Climate Change, Greenhouse Gases, Global Warming etc and most struggle to do so, so it is good to introduce the concept at a young age and then build on it in future years. For an infant class, the Paxi video itself is probably enough combined with a simple practical demonstration like the ESERO resource Earth Under the Lid, but older classes woul enjoy exploring the TEAL tool to predict future scenarios.
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I really like the lesson of Activity 3. It definitely would be of most interest to and suitable for senior classes. I thought the Paxi video on Greenhouse gases was excellent and a great way to teach even younger children about the effects of Climate Change. Our school is part of the Nature Heroes programme and so the children are already learning about the effects of Climate Change on the environment around us. I feel the Paxi video would be a great resource for explaining it all to them.
I thought the TEAL tool for predicting future temperatures is also an excellent resource, particularly for older children. The layout and tools are child friendly and the explanations for using the filters and graphs are clear and concise.
Overall I found this module very engaging with lots of videos and resources which will be beneficial, for example, the SEAI Fossil Fuels video which is very child friendly.-
Hi Breege
It is great that the children in your school are already learning about the effects of climate change on biodiversity through their participation in the nature hero awards and I’m glad that you found the resources in this module useful for continuing this education and making further links. As you said, there are a variety of resources that can be used by different class levels with the Paxi video being useful for infants but also as an introduction to or recap on greenhouse gases for an older class who might then go on to use the TEAL tool.
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As a Junior teacher, I loved the Paxi video and I felt it explained Climate Change so well. I feel that there is great anxiety with children around the terms Global Warming, Climate change. They are hearing these terms all the time on the news, social media and the video provides an opportunity for talk and discussion and assess their understanding on the topic.
There are great opportunities for integration in this lesson, development of oral language, maths and I would use it in SESE under the theme of “Weather” and get the children “working like a scientist”. Scientists make observations and predictions. We could work as Climate Reporters. How do you think scientists predict the world climate? What can we do to lessen the impact of climate change? There are endless opportunities for the development of science skills such as observing, investigating, predicting and problem solving.
I found the Teal Tool really interesting but would be suitable for an older class. I would do it as a whole class activity. It would provide lots of opportunities for talk and discussion -
I think the Paxi video is a great way to introduce the topic of greenhouse gases. It presents the informative in a fun and concise manner that is very engaging for children. It explains clearly what greenhouse gases are and how the greenhouse effect is important for plants, animals and humans as it keeps the earth warm. However, some human activities are changing the earths natural greenhouse effect causing the atmosphere to trap more heat resulting in a warmer Earth. I found the experiment “Keeping a lid on it” to be good and practical way to show children the greenhouse gases effect. Data can be tracked, analyzed and plotted on a graph developing their mathematical skills. I am looking forward to trying this experiment next year with my class.
I would also choose group work activities such as sorting friendly and unfriendly ways to help combat climate, prompting a good class discussion on what we are doing already and what we can improve on to reduce greenhouse gas emissions at home and in school. This activity could be integrated with art class eg designing posters or creating a school collage from recycled materials.
The Teal tool is a useful resource to explore and understand climate change further. It allows you to look at climate variables and predict future climate projections. First, I would model how this works on the interactive whiteboard and then the children in small groups could select different countries to interpret climate data from. This activity integrates ICT, Geography, Science, SPHE, Mathematical skills such as working out averages, plotting their results on bar graphs and allows them to work collaboratively together. They could then present their findings to the class which could inspire them to become more environmentally aware.
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As a 4th Class teacher, I found Activity 3 to be a very engaging way to introduce pupils to the greenhouse effect and climate change. The Paxi video explains greenhouse gases in a simple, child-friendly way, making a complex topic easy for children to understand. I think my class would enjoy the visual approach and it would lead to valuable discussions about caring for our environment. The future temperature prediction tool helps pupils see how temperatures may change over time, making climate change feel more relevant. I would use this activity during SESE lessons and link it with Geography and Science by exploring ways we can reduce our carbon footprint at school and at home. One improvement would be to include more examples of how climate change affects Ireland, making the learning more meaningful. A simple hands-on experiment demonstrating the greenhouse effect would also strengthen the activity. Overall, I think it is an excellent resource that encourages curiosity, critical thinking and environmental responsibility.
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It is important to introduce children to the greenhouse effect using the Paxi video, followed by a class discussion to help them understand and reflect on what they have watched. With further teacher support and opportunities for discussion, puoils can develop clear understanding of the causes and impacts of climate change. This approach carers to a range of learning stlkes and provides all pupiks with opportunities to participate, engage and contribute to the lesson.
The video can be followed by a variety o hands-on activities to reinforce learning andcdeepen pupiks understanding of the topic. The tool for predicting future temperatures would be particularly effective for older classes, as it encourages them to consider the long-term impact of human actions on the environment. This activity could be incorporated into a Science or Geography lesson on climate change to promote criticsl thinking and develop pupils awareness of environmental issues.
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Hi Louise,
Welcome to the course, thanks for sharing your lesson ideas following the Paxi video. As you have mentioned some guided discussion following the video it would allow the learners to understand the causes and impacts of climate change.
I agree the TEAL tool would be most suited for older learners to explore, while I do think it would need some teacher demonstration initially, this would lead to discussion and critical thinking before they explore the temperatures in other areas. I agree that these activities would develop the learners’ awareness of environmental issues.
I hope you are enjoying the course.
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The Paxi video is a lovely, visual way to introduce climate topics to Junior Infants, though I’d definitely pause it throughout to unpack the bigger words in child-friendly language. At this age, keeping things hands-on is key, so the “Earth Under the Lid” experiment would work brilliantly as a whole-class demonstration. The children would love watching the temperature change under the clingfilm, making an abstract concept much more real for them.
Since the TEAL tool would be far too complex for 4- and 5-year-olds to navigate independently, I’d adapt this by pairing my infants with our 6th class buddies. The older pupils could model how the tool works and help guide the discussion, which build fantastic cross-school links.
It also aligns perfectly with our Green School’s Biodiversity theme—we could follow up with a nature walk around the school grounds to spot local plants and habitats! -
The Paxi video is very informative. I would introduce some of the language initially eg climate change, atmosphere, the green house effect, green house gases or use a KWL chart to see what they already know about the climate and climate change. The Curious minds website is very useful and the framework for creating an engaging and interesting lesson is really useful ( I really enjoyed the finger print lesson and will be trying it out on my class this year) The 4 step framework – engage, investigate, and reflect is very useful also for future planning.
The TEAL tool is a little intimidating and i feel i would have to introduce it to the class as a whole before letting them use it in groups or individually. Giving them a reason to use it eg investigate the weather in another part of the world you have visited in the past / or a place where you have family living might be a good place to start.
The Activity Climate Reporters is a great way to make the lesson interesting and fun and engaging.
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I thought this activity was a great interactive way to introduce climate change to the pupils. The Paxi video was enjoyable and informative and I could see my Third Class enjoying using the temperature prediction tool.
There would have to be explicit teaching of some of the more technical vocabulary, maybe pair or group work to discuss and predict
We’re lucky to have iPads and Chromebooks in our school and Third Class is a big step up when they start using them. I’d be allowing plenty of time for getting used to the prediction tool, it could be a bit confusing at first and how to understand the data (even the concept of time periods is challenging for some, I feel like this is a later-in-the-year topic when our timeline hanging up is a bit fuller). Maybe teaming up with some older classes (we tend to teach similar topics in 2nd/4th/6th, 1st/3rd/5th) might be a good idea in terms of differentiation and collaboration.
It’s always good to introduce a little competitive element so there could be a prize of some sort for the best poster they create afterwards.
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I really enjoyed reading your reflection on Activity 3. I agree that the Paxi video is a very effective way of introducing the concept of greenhouse gases, as it breaks down a complex topic into language that is accessible and engaging for primary pupils. I also liked your point about the temperature prediction tool, as it encourages pupils to become active participants in their learning by making predictions and considering the consequences of different actions.
I think the idea of extending the activity by linking it to local climate actions would be a great way to make the learning more meaningful for pupils. It would allow children to see that climate change is not just a global issue but something that connects to their own lives and communities. I also agree that differentiation would be important, particularly for younger pupils or pupils with additional learning needs. Providing visuals, key vocabulary and group discussion opportunities would help ensure that all pupils can engage with the activity.
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Hi Robbie
Thanks for your thoughts on this module and how to make the resources work for your third class. As you sadi, the Paxi video is a great way to introduce the concept of greenhouse gases and the basic science around Climate change and pair or group work is a great way to tease out the vocabulary and discuss what they think each term means before discussing the meaning as a whole class. I like your approach to the TEAL tool, leaving it towards the end of the year when you have done more work on timelines, allowing plenty of time to explore the tool and pairing up with an older class. Combining some simple step by step instructions to find a particular peice of information with some more open ended exploration may also be a good approach which allows for difefrentiation.
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Activity 3 from the Weather and Climate resource provided an excellent opportunity for pupils to explore the concept of climate change in an engaging and accessible way. I found the Paxi video on greenhouse gases particularly useful as it introduced a complex scientific concept through clear explanations, visuals and child-friendly language. The video would be a valuable starting point for discussion, allowing pupils to develop their understanding of how greenhouse gases affect the Earth’s temperature and climate.
I found the temperature prediction tool to be a particularly effective resource as it encouraged pupils to think critically about the impact of human actions on our planet. It provided an opportunity for pupils to make predictions, explore different scenarios and discuss possible solutions. This links well with STEM education as pupils are actively investigating, analysing information and developing problem-solving skills.
I would use this activity with my class as part of a Science or Geography unit on climate change. After watching the video, pupils could work in groups to discuss what they noticed, record their predictions and explore ways in which individuals and communities can reduce their impact on the environment. I would also encourage pupils to research local climate actions and present their findings using digital technologies.
One area that could be improved would be adding more differentiation options, such as vocabulary supports or simplified recording sheets for younger pupils or pupils with additional learning needs. An extension activity could also involve pupils comparing past and present climate data or investigating local environmental changes. Overall, I found Activity 3 to be a valuable resource that promotes curiosity, scientific enquiry and responsible citizenship.
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I found Activity 3, Climate Reporters, really engaging and I think it would work well in a primary classroom. The Paxi video explained the greenhouse effect in a simple way that would be easy for pupils to understand, while still getting across the importance of greenhouse gases and climate change. I also liked using the future climate scenarios tool, as it encouraged pupils to explore how temperatures could change over time depending on the choices we make. It got pupils thinking rather than just giving them information to learn. I would use this activity as part of a Science or Geography lesson and have pupils work in pairs or small groups to compare the different climate scenarios and discuss what they notice. It would also be a good starting point for talking about simple actions we can take at home and in school to help the environment. As a follow-up, pupils could design posters or presentations encouraging others to reduce their carbon footprint. Overall, I think the activity is well planned and would keep pupils interested. One thing I would add is an Irish case study or examples of how climate change is affecting Ireland today. I also think an extension activity using local weather data would help pupils make stronger links between what they are learning and their own lives.
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Hi Erin, I agree that the Paxi video does a good job of explaining a tricky topic in a way that children can understand. I also liked how the climate scenarios tool gets pupils thinking and discussing different outcomes rather than just learning facts. Your idea of including Irish examples is a good one, as it would help make the topic feel more relevant and relatable for the children.
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I found the Paxi video to be an excellent, accessible hook for introducing the greenhouse effect to 5th class. To build on their prior knowledge, I’d start with a brain-storming session on key vocabulary before diving in.
The TEAL tool is fantastic for upper primary, as 5th class pupils can dive deeper into data analysis. Working in small groups, they could track temperature patterns across different continents, which ties in brilliantly with our Geography curriculum.
As a Green School currently working towards our Energy flag, this links seamlessly with our school’s action plan. We could use the predictions to audit our own energy consumption and brainstorm practical ways to lower our carbon footprint. To differentiate, I’d scaffold the TEAL activity with guided task sheets for pupils who need extra support, while challenging higher-ability groups to present their data using graphs during visual arts.
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Hi Mark,
Welcome to the course. Thanks for your feedback on the Paxi video. While it does provide a great starter point for the greenhouse effect, I agree that there would need to be a level of vocabulary pre-taught so the learners are familiar with the concept and can engage fully with the video.
The Teal Tool would be a fantastic resource for the senior pupils and as you have mentioned, they can explore data analysis in more detail and you can also integrate with geography too. I like how you are planning to differentiate the tasks with multiple options for learners to engage and share their learning.
Thanks for sharing, I hope you enjoy the course.
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I enjoyed Activity 3 and thought it was a good way to introduce children to the topic of climate change. The Paxi video was clear and engaging, and I think it would hold the attention of a 1st class quite well. Some of the language used would be new to the children, so I would spend some time beforehand introducing and discussing key vocabulary to make sure they understand the main ideas.
After watching the video, I would get the children talking in pairs or small groups about what they learned and any new words they heard. This would help to check their understanding before moving on to the temperature prediction activity. I liked that the prediction tool encourages children to look at information and think about what might happen in the future. However, I think most 1st class pupils would need support using it, so I would use it as a whole-class activity on the interactive whiteboard rather than expecting them to work through it independently.
To follow on from the lesson, I would link it to looking after our environment and discuss simple things we can do at school and at home to help. The children could then create posters or drawings showing their ideas.
One thing that could be improved is having a simpler version of the prediction activity for younger classes, with more visuals and less text. Overall, I thought it was an interesting and useful activity that could lead to some great classroom discussions.
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Hi Cathriona,
Welcome to the course. It is great to hear that your enjoyed Activity 3 and how the Paxi video was clear and engaging, and would hold the attention of your 1st class.
I think there is a lot of vocabulary development opportunities in the video and as you have mentioned it is an opportunity for pair or group work to focus on the vocabulary initially. The video does allow for lots of classroom discussion that could be guided by the teacher in the younger class. I like how you are planning to extend the learning further with posters of how the learners could take action, at home or in school, and this would empower them to encourage others to take action, at home, in school or in their local community.
Thanks for sharing, I hope you enjoy the course.
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<p class=”isSelectedEnd”>I found Activity 3 to be engaging and highly relevant for senior primary pupils. The Paxi video provides a child-friendly introduction to the greenhouse effect and explains how greenhouse gases influence Earth’s climate in a clear and accessible way. I also found the future temperature prediction tool particularly effective as it allows pupils to explore how different choices can affect future global temperatures, making the concept of climate change more meaningful and evidence-based.</p>
<p class=”isSelectedEnd”>I would use this activity with my 5th and 6th Class as part of a cross-curricular STEM project. Pupils could first discuss the causes and effects of climate change before using the prediction tool to investigate different scenarios. They could record and analyse their findings, create graphs, compare predictions and present their conclusions to the class. This would develop scientific inquiry, mathematical data analysis, digital literacy and critical thinking skills.</p>
To extend the activity, I would link it to our school weather station by comparing local weather observations with long-term climate trends, reinforcing the difference between weather and climate. Pupils could also investigate ways our school can reduce its carbon footprint, such as reducing waste, conserving energy or encouraging active travel, and present their recommendations to the Green Schools Committee. One improvement would be to include more Irish case studies or examples of how climate change is affecting Ireland, making the learning even more relevant to pupils’ own experiences.-
Hi Sheena,
Thank you for sharing your thoughtful response to Activity 3.
I really like how you have identified the value of the Paxi video as a child-friendly introduction to the greenhouse effect, and how the temperature prediction tool can help pupils explore future climate scenarios in a more visual and evidence-based way.
Your idea of using this with 5th and 6th Class as a cross-curricular STEM project is very strong. Recording findings, creating graphs and presenting conclusions would support science, maths, digital literacy and critical thinking. Linking it to designing solutions to decrease your school’s carbon footprint is an excellent way to make the learning local and meaningful.
For an Irish-based extension, pupils could explore Met Éireann school resources or compare local weather data with wider climate trends in Ireland. This could then lead into practical school actions around energy, waste or active travel.
Just a small technical note: some formatting code seems to have pasted into your post. Using right click and “paste as plain text” or clearing formatting before posting can help avoid this.
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I really enjoyed the Paxi video and found it to be an engaging way to introduce the greenhouse effect to my 5th class. Although the concepts are appropriate for this age group, I would still pre-teach key vocabulary such as greenhouse gases, carbon dioxide, and climate change to ensure all pupils can fully engage with the lesson. As a Green School, I could link this learning to our biodiversity initiatives and use our outdoor areas to investigate the conditions needed for plants to grow. Pupils could compare plants grown in a polytunnel with those outside, making predictions, collecting data, and explaining their findings using scientific language.
The Earth Under the Lid activity is an excellent practical investigation that makes the greenhouse effect more concrete. I would use it to encourage pupils to work collaboratively, record their observations, and discuss why different groups may have obtained different results.
I found the TEAL tool to be a valuable resource for extending pupils’ understanding of climate change. I would begin by modelling how to use the tool with the whole class before assigning groups different countries to investigate. Pupils could compare climate predictions, identify trends, and present their findings to the class. This would integrate Science, Geography, Mathematics, and Digital Technologies while encouraging critical thinking and discussion about the global impacts of climate change. -
I found Activity 3 on greenhouse gases and future temperatures interesting, particularly as it connects closely with the environmental work already happening in our school. Paxi’s video would be a good starting point for introducing younger pupils to the greenhouse effect.
I think the temperature prediction tool is a great addition to the activity as it allows pupils to see how different emissions scenarios could affect future temperatures. It would provide opportunities to link Science with Maths and Geography, while encouraging pupils to think about how climate change could affect their own lives.
This would work particularly well in our school, where we have been involved in Green-Schools for 11 years and have achieved numerous flags. We could use data from our own weather station, which measures temperature, rainfall and wind, and explore how changes in temperature and rainfall could affect our school garden, pond, plants and biodiversity.
I would adapt the activity by adding a local element, asking pupils to identify a climate-related issue in Dublin 8 and design a practical solution. I’ll be sure to lead with empathy as a starting point as a contributor said in the last forum. This is sure to strengthen authentic STEM endeavours and as I’ve seen previously, make children engaged, active and take ownership.
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Hi Lorraine,
Welcome to the course.
I really like how you have connected the greenhouse gases and future temperatures activity with the environmental work already happening in your school.
Using the temperature prediction tool alongside your school’s own data on temperature, rainfall and wind would create strong links between Science, Maths and Geography. I also like how you would connect this to the school garden, pond, plants and biodiversity, as it helps pupils see how climate change can affect living things in their immediate environment.
Your idea of focusing on a climate-related issue in Dublin 8 is excellent. Asking pupils to identify a problem and design a practical solution would really strengthen the Engineering Design Process, while your emphasis on empathy would help keep the learning grounded, purposeful and pupil-led.
Hope you enjoy the rest of the course.
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I really enjoyed Activity 3 because it made climate change feel more real and relevant for pupils. The Paxi video explained greenhouse gases in a simple and engaging way. This made it accessible to younger pupils, although there would be a need to pre-teach vocabulary in order to maximise pupil engagement and the impact of the lesson. The climate prediction tool was interesting to use because it showed how temperatures and rainfall could change in the future. It gave an insight into how scientists use data and computer models to make predictions about the climate.
I would definitely use this activity with older class because it encourages learners to think critically and ask questions. It also gives them the chance to work with real data, discuss their ideas, and present their findings to others. I like that the activity doesn’t just focus on the problems caused by climate change but also encourages learners to think about what they can do to make a positive difference.
One thing I think could be improved is adding a little more guidance on how to read and understand the climate graphs. Some learners may find the data confusing at first, so an example or step-by-step explanation would be helpful. I also think it would be fun to include a creative activity, like making a weather report for the year 2050 or creating a poster about ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Overall, I think this is a great activity because it combines science with real-life issues that learners can relate to. It encourages teamwork, problem-solving, and environmental awareness, while helping learners understand why climate change is important and how their everyday actions can make a difference.
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Hi Claire
Welcome to the course. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the Paxi video. I agree that in order for the learners to engage fully with the video they would need to have certain specific vocabulary and this may need to be explored prior to watching the video in an oral language lesson.
The Teal Tool does allow for lots of work with and analysis of real life data which is very engaging for learners in the senior classes. I would recommend exploring the tool with the class as a demonstration initially to allow for questions and to explore how to read and understand the climate graphs. I really like your activity to create a weather report for 2050 based on the data. This is creative and would allow for lots of critical thinking. Thanks for sharing, I hope you enjoy the course.
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Activity 3 – Climate Reporters is an engaging and age-appropriate introduction to climate science. The Paxi video explains the greenhouse effect clearly through animation and simple language, making a complex concept accessible for primary pupils. The TEAL Tool is particularly valuable because it allows children to explore future temperature predictions and see how human actions can influence climate outcomes. I could use this activity in a 5th or 6th class as part of a cross-curricular STEM unit where pupils investigate climate data, compare predictions, and create reports or presentations. Science skills are developed through inquiry and evidence-based reasoning, while mathematics is used to interpret graphs and trends. I would also integrate geography by examining local climate impacts in Ireland. One improvement would be to include a specific Irish case study and a structured worksheet for recording predictions, observations, and reflections. Adding guidance for differentiating the data analysis tasks would make the activity more accessible for pupils with varying mathematical abilities.
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I really like your last two suggestions here. A case study guide would be a great tool. Home is a natural starting point and regional data would be great to analyse. Worksheets to guide would be a great resource.
Also a differentiating tool would be valuable as some of the data would be challenging for some pupils. The teacher could also pair pupils accordingly so that they can learn from their peers.
It is a great tool and there is huge potential for graphing and creative presentation of data.
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Hi Matt,
Welcome to the course. Thanks for your feedback and lesson outline when using the resources in this module. The Paxi video explores the concept of greenhouse gases in a very age-appropriate and engaging way.
The Teal Tool is a great resource for the senior pupils to explore data and using their own skills to analyse the data. As you have mentioned this may need to be differentiated to suit the needs of your class. As with every task, we need to consider the different levels and offer different ways to present tasks to pupils with multiple ways for them to engage and show their learning too. The Teal Tool could be used as a demonstration task initially to allow for all learners to become familiar with finding data and using this data in presentations or in reports as you have mentioned.
Thanks for sharing, I hope you enjoy the course.
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I really like the Pax video. I’ve tried to source videos to explain the Greenhouse effect and would use this one from now on. I think a little visual at the end showing some of the suns rays getting trapped by the co2 ‘Greenhouse ‘ would help to bring all the information together.
The Teal tool is very impressive. It’s ease of interaction means that after a demonstration to the class they would be able to explore a wealth of information independently in groups on their i pads. Guiding the pupils to draw conclusions about the rate of warming in various regions could provide great opportunities for analysis and critical thinking. Allowing the children to chose their country and share their information, justifying their predictions builds interst and confidence.
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The Climate Reporters activity is a good fit for the senior classes because it gets pupils thinking about climate change in an active and engaged way using real data instead of just reading about it. It gives them a chance to practise reading graphs, identifying patterns and explaining what they find in their own words. I also like that it links science, geography, maths and literacy together in one lesson. Using local weather or climate data could also make the activity more interesting and easier to relate to. It also exposes children to the technologies that exist in the realm of weather and climate forecasting.
I would adjust the lesson in the way that I differentiate for different learners – I would group together children of varying abilities, assigning each child a different role within the lesson – child who is strong in maths: graphs; child who is artistic: construct or sketch a supercomputer. This would give each child a meaningful role according to their learning style.
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The video is concise and visually appealing. It is a topic that deserves our attention. Our pupils probably hear about climate change on an almost daily basis but many will not understand the science behind it. I agree with other posters who emphasize the importance of pre teaching the vocabulary. The video will go over the pupils heads if the terminology is not explained in advance. The children would enjoy the practical element of the lesson and it certainly allows for cross curricular links. This is a real stem project which allows for collaboration, critical thinking, investigation and evaluation. During the recent heat wave weather in June, I had my pupils make solar ovens in which they cooked their own s’mores. They thoroughly enjoyed this activity and were amazed how we could utilize solar power so effectively using every day items such as foil, cardboard and black card. The pupils worked to their strengths during this project.The teal tool will allow pupils to analyze and interpret data and draw their own conclusions. I am excited to use these tools and resources in the future.
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The Paxi video can be used with children as a trigger or stimulus at the start of the lesson and to elicit prior learning. By looking at and discussing future scenarios, children will learn what they would mean for monthly average temperatures in our area. Students can identify the consequences of increasing amounts of carbon dioxide and actions we can take to reduce global warming. Cutting and pasting images from the video is a nice activity for middle classes. The TEAL tool could be used with the senior classes to explore temperature rises locally and across the globe. As a follow up, I would use the ESERO Framework to plan inquiry in action activities. Modelling the green house effect using thermometers, lamp, soil and 2 clear plastic bottles, cling film etc. is a great hands on learning activity. Children can record and compare the temperatures from both bottles and discuss reasons for the differences.
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I really enjoyed the Paxi video and found it to be an engaging and accessible resource for teaching climate change. As I teach 6th class, I would explicitly pre-teach key vocabulary, as much of the scientific terminology would be unfamiliar to many pupils. As a Green School working towards our Biodiversity Flag, this lesson would link well with existing initiatives such as our bug hotel and polytunnel. Pupils could investigate the conditions plants need to grow and use critical thinking to debate whether plants would thrive better in a polytunnel or an outdoor planter, justifying their opinions with evidence.
The TEAL tool is another excellent resource, providing a clear visual representation of greenhouse gases and their impact on our planet. The temperature prediction activity encourages pupils to interpret patterns, analyse evidence, and make informed predictions, making it an effective introduction to climate change.
After watching the Paxi video, I would organise pupils into small groups to discuss the content before using the prediction tool collaboratively. Groups could compare their findings and explain the reasoning behind their predictions, encouraging communication and teamwork. If a greenhouse or polytunnel was unavailable, a simple activity such as sitting under a play parachute could demonstrate how heat becomes trapped, making the greenhouse effect more tangible.
To extend the learning, pupils could design posters promoting ways to reduce climate change at home, with a class reward for the most creative ideas. Finally, I would ensure activities were differentiated to support the diverse learning needs of all pupils. Overall, these resources provide engaging, practical opportunities to develop scientific understanding, critical thinking, collaboration, and environmental awareness.
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Hi Fionnghuala
Tying in the Pax video with your polytunnel is a great practical way to illustrate the Greenhouse effect. As you have said, many children and adults too will have heard the different terms before but few will actually know what they mean so by bringing them out to the tunnel and showing the difference in temperature, you can easily explain that Carbon Dioxide and other gases are called greenhouse gases because they act like the glass in a greenhouse. The clear glass or plastic allows light energy from the sun to enter the tunnel and turn to heat when it is absorbed by the soil. The glass / plastic then traps heat and holds it inside. In our atmosphere, the sun’s heat is trapped by greenhosue gases. Max/min thermometers can be bought quite cheaply in garden centres of hardware shops and are a very useful addition to any polytunnel and a great learning tool. The Earth Under the lid resource from ESERO is another good way of illustrating this or you can buy small pop up greenhouses sized for fitting over a single raised bed that can illustrate it too. Clear glass or plastic is necessary to illustrate the greenhouse effect. Your parachute wouldn’t be a great way of illustrating the greenhouse effect as the heat trapped inside the parachute is body heat raditaing from the people inside not the sun’s heat being trapped.
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I believe this activity (3) would be highly effective for use with a fifth-class group. Before beginning the investigation, it would be important to ensure that pupils have a clear understanding of the greenhouse effect and are familiar with the key vocabulary associated with climate change and global warming. Revisiting these concepts beforehand would provide a strong foundation and allow pupils to engage more confidently with the activity.The videos included in this module would serve as an excellent recap of the topic, reinforcing prior learning in an engaging and accessible way. Displaying vocabulary flashcards around the classroom would also provide useful visual supports, helping pupils to recall and apply subject-specific language throughout the lesson.
This activity effectively incorporates all aspects of STEM by encouraging pupils to explore scientific concepts through practical investigation while developing critical thinking, problem-solving and collaborative skills. The hands-on nature of the experiment, particularly the opportunity to use ICT in the classroom, is likely to increase pupil engagement and curiosity. Overall, it is an interactive and meaningful learning experience that promotes both scientific understanding and active participation. -
Climate Reporters is an engaging and thought-provoking activity that helps pupils understand the causes and effects of climate change through age-appropriate resources. The Paxi video explains greenhouse gases in a simple and visual way, making a complex scientific concept accessible for primary pupils. The future temperature prediction tool encourages children to interpret data, identify trends and consider the long-term impact of human actions, supporting both scientific enquiry and critical thinking skills. In my classroom, I would use this activity as part of an inquiry-based STEM lesson, allowing pupils to work collaboratively to investigate climate data, make predictions and present their findings. To enhance the activity, I would include more Irish-based climate data and local case studies so pupils can relate the learning to their own environment. Providing differentiated worksheets and extension challenges for more able pupils would also improve accessibility and ensure all learners can participate meaningfully in the investigation.
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