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Activity 3: Climate reporters and predicting temperature change is an very engaging and exciting activity. There is a lot to explore in this topic and a lot of skills to be drawn on as a class. In my class I would use the Paxi video as a visual and relatable starter into the topic. I found the video very engaging and provided a simple and clear explanation to the greenhouse effect with lots of clear imagery. I also like the way the video ended with positive outlooks on how we can change our actions to help reduced the effect. I would use the temp predictor tool maybe to show them how temperatures can increase where we live and the factors that are taken into account when trying to predict future temperatures. I really enjoyed this task and think it would be a extremely engaging group project.
I really like that you included recording as part of your STEM activities in your classroom. As a junior infant teacher I find I can often forget the recording element and focus too much on the practical, hands on elements.
I also liked your point of it being important that at the end of the first activity children should be made aware of the difference between climate and weather.
Thank you for your great answer.
STEM activities in my classroom take the format of children working in groups or teams on hands on, practical tasks, thinking critically and learning through investigation. I think in order to create and achieve in STEM activities there needs to be an open and holistic approach taking in all knowledge and skills.
Taking a look at the two activities I found them very interesting.
Activity 1: Weather or climate
I really enjoyed this activity. I thought it was an excellent way of introducing the difference between weather and climate to younger children, which really appealed to me as I am in a junior school. I really like the idea of linking it back to something personal to them (their birthday) which I think is very effective in helping them understand.
The second activity: weather detectives enables the children to have some independence in carrying out their own school based research and research on the local environment. There is a lot of skills involved in deciding where the best place for the thermometer is, ventilation and out of direct sunlight. These give the children things to think of and reasons as to why they need to consider those things.This sounds like a really fun lesson. I love the use of songs in lessons and I think using the yellow hoop and creating planets around it is a great activity and good movement for the younger children.
For this activity I would will discuss the activity set: The Sun and Shadows.
Next year I will have senior infants. I think to begin this topic I would read the book My Shadow. From this book we would explore the idea of a shadow and what it is. I would then bring the children outside and I would let them explore each others shadows in the sun. We would see are they they same or different, do our shadows follow us everywhere, can we see our shadow in all parts of the yard etc? We would then go back inside and see if we can find our shadows why/why not? I would then introduce torches and explore if we can find our shadows now. What do our shadows need to come out? What made our shadows come out outside?
And we would reflect that the sun gives us light.
For the assignment of Module 1 I will look at the effects of sunlight on plants. I would start by reading the book “The Emperor and the seed” Which will introduce that seeds need certain things to grow. I will pose my wonder question “I wonder what would happen if we had no sun” I would gather ideas from the children and create a mind map. I would then pose a starter question ” What would happened if we planted a seed and it got no sun”. We would then each plant some seeds of choice in a pot. Some will have sun and others will not. We would then investigate and observe what happens over time and draw our conclusions. We would then link this to other plants that we rely on.
This sounds like a really simple and effective lesson. I love the use of a book to introduce the lesson. The endless opportunities fo children to explore whebrelight comes from. A great lesson.
For the first assignment of Module 1 I will be looking at the effects of heat on on different things. I would start with my wonder question ” I wonder what would happen if I heated a bar of chocolate?” I would gather answers form children and create a mind map of their answers, filling in more detail as it is given. I would then ask a starter question “How would I heat chocolate?” I would expand on the mind map and see what detail they children give. I would then apply heat the bar of chocolate as a class activity and conduct the investigation. We would share and interpret the data and apply they same thinking to other foods (e.g butter, ice etc.). To extend the learning I would make Rice Krispie cakes and put them in the fridge and ask children what has happened to the chocolate now that cold has been applied. We would reflect as a class.