[Brid Murray]

I would love to take my class to Portumna in Co. Galway to study the scientific and natural heritage of the area.

We would commence the trip at Portumna Marina where the children would get the opportunity to walk a 5k walk along the Shannon callows until they reach Portumna bridge.

The bridge is a swing bridge with the central section resting on Hayes Island.

we will then visit Portumna Castle. The castle guide gives an excellent tour of the castle for school groups that is very engaging  for children.

We will also explore the old kitchen castle garden, walled in and over an acre in size. We will discuss how this garden was used to provide all the fruit and.vegetables for the people living in the castle at that time.

Finally, we would visit Portumna workhouse building and bring to life the story of The workhouse poor. The children would get to experience what it was like to live in a workhouse.

[Brid Murray]

I love the idea of choosing a person of interest that is from where the children live so they can relate to the person

[Brid Murray]

As I am currently teaching senior infants I would first read them the story of The Three Billy Goats Gruff and discuss the importance of bridges to connect two areas together. We will also explore the importance of building a bridge that is stable and durable.

For inspiration we will visit the suspension bridge in Birr and the pivoting swing bridge in Portumna.

When we return to the classroom we will look at different materials we might use to design and build our bridges. We will discuss the scale of our model bridge compared to a real bridge.

I will get the children to work in groups of two to design their bridges. I will invite them to explain to the class the materials they used and the type of bridge they built.

We will integrate music and learn the song London Bridge is falling down.

I am looking forward to using these idea to teach the children about bridges next year

[Brid Murray]

Hi Sarah,

I agree that it is so.important for the children to get the opportunity to visit a bridge and experience walking over and under a bridge

[Brid Murray]

Hi Colm,

That is a great way to integrate art is to do mature sketching

[Brid Murray]

We are lucky in our school to have a large sensory garden where we have a polytunnel, raised beds, fairy garden and a herb garden to use.

I take my class on regular walks where we observe seasonal changes in our school  garden.

I am very grateful to this course for making me aware of the National Biodiversity Data Centres website which helps to identify plants and minibeasts. This will be an excellent resource when taking children on nature walks and help them identify all the wildflowers and minibeasts they find.

When we return to the classroom after our nature walk I encourage the children to record their findings in their Nature Diary. This is a great way for the children to engage in report writing in a meaningful way.

I also try to read the children stories about the minibeasts or plants they find on their walks for example The Hungry Caterpillar and The Snail and the Whale

[Brid Murray]

I am currently teaching senior infants and I found this module very benefical to help me to plan and conduct a lesson on map making.

I would commence the lesson by telling the children we were going on an autumn nature walk. I would explain to them that we would be making a 3-d map after the walk and they could gather materials for example twigs. autumn leaves and stones to help them create a 3-d map of there walk along the way.

As a teacher I always love to take children on a nature walk to spot the environmental changes in our environment during each season but I never developed this lesson by integrating mapping.

After the children make there 3d maps I will ask them to consider how their map would change for each season.

I think it is important also to challenge early finishers and encourage them to explore googlemaps on their own ipads and encourage them to reflect on their journey they explored on the nature walk.

[Brid Murray]

Hi Joan, I like the idea of the children using google maps on their own devices and to find places of interest for them

[Brid Murray]

I found the stem education policy statement very helpful on how I could apply some of the concepts and skills I have learned in this module to my classroom. I am currently teaching senior infants and love the idea of an integrated and holistic approach to applying stem thinking to other subjects. As teachers we all feel under pressure to cover all areas of the curriculum and rely heavily on an integrated approach.

In the next school year I am looking forward to adding the theme of Space to my fortnightly schemes. In art I hope to get the children to construct their own telescopes using towel rolls. In music I will teach the children the songs Twinkle Twinkle and Zoom, Zoom, Zoom, were going to the moon! I am also looking forward to reading and exploring the book Baby loves Aerospace Engineering by Ruth Spiro.

As a school we have also decided to organise a science field trip every year for the children. I think it would be a fabulous opportunity after exploring the theme of space through all subject areas that we would then take a trip to Birr castle to see a real telescope.

I have found this module most helpful and am looking forward to bring the knowledge I have gained to the classroom

[Brid Murray]

Hi Daniella,

I agree with you that we need to move beyond viewing stem as a set of discreet subject and to view it as an integrated and holistic approach.

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