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Research Question: Environmental impact of the loss of Irish bogs
class discussion on the role of bogs as a fossil fuel. Look at alternatives to using turf to heat our homes.
Research the benefits of protecting our bogs; Irreplaceable loss of biodiversity, intact bogs which are actively forming peat , play an important role in combating climate change by removing excess carbon dioxide from the air and placing it into long term storage for thousands of years, reduction or loss of key bog species, reduction of flood risk.
If the school is close to a bog it would be wonderful to take a day trip to explore the unique flora and fauna. Gather samples of peat, moss, bog cotton and work in groups to research their benefits.
Use the ‘blanket bog restoration project’ website to look at restoration techniques and how we can all play a part. The irish peatland conservation website gives lots of information on the bogs and a range of lessons on the bog covering all areas of the curriculum.
final projects; pro’s and cons of using peat as fossil fuel
impact of large companies cutting turf
Ways to protect our bog and benefits of the bog.
interview a member of the Irish peatland conservation project if possible.
use images from the bog to research wildlife and plants of the bog .
This is an excellent question and one that students would really enjoy researching I think. Last year I did a month long project on the rainforest and the effects of deforestation. You could begin your lesson on the importance of the rainforest and how it effects our climate. Then move on to the impact of clearing large areas of rainforest on our planet and how it effects the weather in Ireland.
The proverbs are a lovely way Niamh to introduce the topic of weather. Also the children can share these proverbs with their parents and this allows for discussion at home.
I downloaded the ‘ nose high up in the sky’ resource and found the activities to be engaging and enjoyable. I found the third activity, where the class would create a weather station to be the most interesting. This is a very hands on lesson and works well for STEM learning. using a thermometer to record weather will bring in maths ( understanding recording weather in degrees) Building the anemometer is a great team building exercise and allows the students to work together to record wind speed. A hygrometer would allow the students to gain a better understanding of what humidity is and allow them to measure the moisture in the air. There is so much to be learned from this activity and act 1 and 2 would be an excellent starting point to get students discussing weather before they build the station.
Art, maths, geography, oral language, project work, reading and writing can all be covered using these activities.
Alice I agree that the whole documentary may be a little overwhelming to watch in full. 3 or 4 lessons could be based around the video..it could be broken down into sections and projects created around it.
The video HOME is an excellent documentary with beautiful powerful imagery which would capture the attention of the class. There are soany different lessons you could create from this piece of cinematography. One of the most interesting facts I took from the documentary was the impact humans have had on the world since 1950. Since 1950 our population has nearly tripled and since 1950 humans have had the greatest impact in altering the world in our entire 200,000 years on the planet . With Nigeria being one of the largest exporters of oil and yet 70 percent of its population live in poverty, there are so many different lessons we can take from this video. For the older classes, the uneven distribution of wealth and its impacts would be another very interesting lesson.
Other videos which I’ve found really interesting are the Greta Thunberg TED talk . I feel because she is a young girl herself the kids would really relate to her and listen to what she has to say.
The video explaining the 4 types of climate from the Congo to the North Pole is a simple break down of why countries have certain climates. Very interesting
I think your point about the lesson needing some scaffolding is an excellent point.. If climate change was a project being worked on throughout the school, it might be an idea that the older children would work with younger classes to help them utilise the tool.
I would begin this lesson by watching the paxi video on greenhouse gases. We would create an area in the classroom for learning about climate change and from watching the video we would create a chart on the effects of green house gases on the climate. I would then demonstrate how to use the simulation tool and the students would work in small groups to adjust variables and see how these effect temperature changes. This research could be recorded and information gathered displayed in the climate change learning area.
We would then relate all of this information to our everyday lives..questions like do we burn fossil fuels in our homes , our electricity use , our use of plastics etc . This is part of the project which could be taken home and a questionnaire done with parents could be done. Close the the end of the project once students understand their impact on climate change they could educate their parents on how their household can help..this can be ongoing .
If the school were to collaboratively work on the topic of weather under STEM it might be an idea for the younger children to make all the instruments with the help of the older classes and the older classes could create a real weather station with longer lasting instruments.
yes I agree the videos were really helpful in providing the information needed to create your own lessons/ project on weather and climate.
Stem education within the classroom provides children the opportunity to become innovative thinkers and fosters collaborative thinking in the group setting. A classroom where STEM leads many activities shows children using many different resources and engaging with each other in their creativity. According to the article, in order for STEM to be a success within the classroom it is important to remove traditional barriers which separate the four disciplines of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Real world learning experiences are vital for the proper use of STEM within the classroom. Examples of these making a hydrometer to measure humidity, create a watercycle model, make your own barometer to measure atmospheric pressure. Engineering must lie at the heart of all STEM activities . According to the article many examples of STEM activities are scientifically based with very little emphasis on design, engineering or real world application. The ESA resources provide an opportunity for all students to gain knowledge of what weather is and how it can be measured using STEM.
Within my 3rd class I would begin with weather observation and creating a word wall to describe the weather. The class would be broken up into groups of 4 and each group would create an instrument for measuring the weather. Our weather station would be set up outside our window and the groups would take turns in observing and recording the weather each morning . These recording could be further recorded on a chart and presented to the whole school in assembly. A short powerpoint could be presented in assembly to provide information to the whole school on how the students recorded the weather over a two week period. Science- measuring the temperature/ engineering – designing and creating all instruments for recording the weather . Technology- researching how to create the instruments and creating a chart of recording on the computer. Maths- measuring weather changes.