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I like the comparison between native Irish species and the exotic plants in the Japanese Gardens, as it promotes observation, inquiry, and critical thinking. Showcasing the pupils’ findings through art and digital media also provides a meaningful way to celebrate and share their learning.
I like how you connect a real local building with art, design, and STEM, making learning meaningful and accessible for all pupils. The emphasis on inquiry-based learning, collaboration, and differentiated questioning ensures that every learner can participate and develop their creativity, problem-solving, and design skills.
I like how it combines practical actions, pupil leadership, staff involvement, and community expertise to create lasting impact. Registering with the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan and monitoring progress also gives pupils a meaningful way to see how small actions can contribute to protecting pollinators and enhancing biodiversity.
This is an excellent example of meaningful, pupil-led STEM learning. The mapping activity combines digital technology, biodiversity, and environmental stewardship while giving pupils ownership of their school environment. I particularly like how the completed map becomes a practical tool for planning Green Team initiatives, helping children see the real impact of their observations and decisions throughout the year.
I particularly like the emphasis on pupil-led investigations and taking positive action, as this helps foster environmental responsibility and shows pupils that their ideas and actions can make a difference.
I would use Crag Cave in Castleisland county Kerry as the inspiration for a project exploring its geology, history, and natural environment. After learning about how caves are formed, pupils would write imaginative stories or poems from the perspective of a cave explorer or an underground creature. In Art, they could create cave-inspired paintings, clay stalactites and stalagmites, or collaborative murals. Drama activities could include role-playing as geologists or early explorers, while Music could involve creating soundscapes to represent dripping water, echoes, and underground wildlife using instruments and found objects. Pupils would present their work in a class exhibition or performance. This project would integrate Science, Geography, Literacy, Visual Arts, Drama, and Music, encouraging creativity, communication, collaboration, and an appreciation of their local natural heritage while supporting inquiry-based STEM learning.
I would organise a class design and make challenge where pupils work in teams to design, build, and test a model bridge using recycled materials. Following the Curious Minds and ESERO inquiry process, pupils would investigate bridge designs, sketch plans, predict outcomes, build prototypes, and evaluate their designs based on strength and stability. Mathematical thinking would be embedded throughout the project. Younger pupils would measure lengths, compare sizes, and identify 2D and 3D shapes, while older pupils would calculate spans, explore symmetry, angles, scale, perimeter, and weight distribution. Pupils would record measurements, interpret results, and present findings using tables and graphs. This cross-curricular project would integrate Science, Maths, Engineering, and Art, while promoting collaboration, creativity, problem-solving, and resilience through hands-on, inquiry-based learning.
I would plan a seasonal biodiversity project that encourages pupils to observe and record changes in local plants and wildlife throughout the school year. Using the Wild Connections resources, identification keys, nature guides, and citizen science platforms, pupils would monitor flowering plants, insects, birds, and trees, recording observations on seasonal recording sheets and simple data tables. We would bring learning outdoors at least fortnightly to collect evidence, compare findings, and discuss changes linked to weather and climate. The project would integrate Science, Geography, Maths, and Digital Technologies through data collection, mapping, graphing, and analysing trends. Literacy would be developed through nature journals, oral presentations, and report writing, while Art could include observational drawing. Participation in citizen science projects would give pupils a real-world purpose for their work, promoting environmental awareness, inquiry skills, wellbeing, and a strong connection with their local environment.
I will use maps, satellite images, weather records, and environmental data to develop pupils’ skills in collecting, organising, representing, and interpreting data. For example, pupils could compare local weather patterns, measure distances using digital maps, or analyse changes in land use over time, presenting their findings using graphs and charts. These activities will strengthen mathematical understanding while developing digital literacy, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. I also hope to incorporate the ESA Climate Detectives project to give pupils an authentic opportunity to investigate environmental issues using real data. By integrating these resources across subjects, I can demonstrate the relevance of mathematics in everyday life and support the development of STEM skills through engaging, inquiry-based learning.
This module has strengthened my understanding of inquiry-based STEM teaching and how to use the Curious Minds/ESERO Framework to plan engaging, child-centred learning experiences. In my classroom, I will use the Curious Minds Planning Guide to design investigations that encourage pupils to ask questions, predict, observe, and reflect, while differentiating activities to meet the needs of all learners. I will integrate STEM with literacy by using oral discussion, science journals, and topic-based reading and writing. I also plan to use ESERO resources to explore astronomy through practical investigations with telescopes and observations of the night sky. These approaches align with the STEM Education Policy Statement by promoting curiosity, critical thinking, problem-solving, collaboration, and real-world learning, while fostering positive attitudes towards STEM across the primary curriculum.