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Hi Dolores,
I really enjoyed your description of STEM in classroom as a hands on and collaborative process which is excatly what it should be. Well done!
Hi Irene,
I also thought as a 6th class teacher that the Paxi video is very effective for this age level!
Hi Eleanor,
I totally agree about the aerial footage from the movie being so effective. It really captures the true beauty of the planet!
I also agree Sean, it’s crazy to see the figures of satellites orbiting. It definitely could be fun to explore with a class!
My current class is a 6th class in an girls primary school. This class has a particular interest in fashion and clothes. A common trend in my classroom is purchasing from fast fashion sites so I have decided to base my research question on the topic of fast fashion and climate change to engage all learners:
How does fast fashion affect climate change, and what actions can our class take to reduce the environmental impact of clothing?
Having study the change and continuity of clothes in our history lessons, we would begin with inquiey based learning through data surveys to see how children in our school buy clothes and compare this to statistics online of the way people bought clothes in the past. This would allow me to introduce the idea of fast fashion to children. sUing images, short videos and facts about the clothing industry, we would explore the environmental impact of fast fashion, including water use, carbon emissions, textile waste and pollution. This would help pupils understand that the choices we make as consumers can have global consequences. There also could be a possibility to perhaps hold a clothes sale at school in order to introduce the children to buying second hand clothes in order to reduce the impacts of fast fashion on the climate!
Watching HOME by Yann Arthus-Bertrand and Climate Aid 2000 show how important it is to help children understand climate change. It shows how crucial it is to teach this to children through hope, curiosity and action rather than fear. The imagery used in HOME were powerful, particularly the overview shots. These images highlight the beauty and interconnectedness of our planet while also showing the impact of human activity natural resources. I was reminded that we all need opportunities to appreciate the environment before exploring the challenges it faces.
In my classroom, I would introduce climate change using age-appropriate, inquiry-based activities that encourage pupils to ask questions, investigate evidence and suggest practical solutions. We would begin by exploring the difference between weather and climate. Once the children have grasped this concept then we could use the children’s environment to engage all learners. The children could do this by looking at simple climate data and discussing how our local environment has changed over time. Most importantly, I would focus on positive actions such as reducing waste, saving energy, planting for biodiversity and caring for our school environment. We could complete posters or pieces of artwork to display these positive actions. It also allows for links to English oral language as the class could present their projects to other classes.
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.
Liston (2018) article was an interesting read. I enjoyed the emphasis on seeing STEM as an integrated process. Rather than teaching STEM subjects in isolation, pupils actively consolidate their learning in subjects by seeing it through all STEM lenses. I felt Activity 2: Weather Dectectives displayed the key features of Liston’s (2018) articles. The activity promotes scientific enquiry through careful observation and fair testing, develops mathematical skills by calculating averages and creating graphs, and incorporates technology by using thermometers and comparing findings with data from official meteorological sources. It also encourages critical thinking as pupils interpret patterns and distinguish between daily weather and long-term climate.
This activity would work very well with my class as it provides opportunities for collaborative learning, with pupils taking responsibility for daily temperature measurements and sharing the role of “Weather Detective.” It also links naturally with Geography, Maths, Science, and Digital Learning, making it an excellent cross-curricular investigation.
One improvement I would make to the activity is to also calculate the rainfall daily too. The rain gauges provided in this module could be made as part of a construction focused art lesson!
