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Hi Dara,
This is a great idea as it can lead to many other SESE lessons e.g. Polar bears etc. I love the idea of doing an experiment to get the children interested in the topic as well as showing them in a fun and active way.
Research question: ‘How can we as a class, reduce our carbon footprint both at home and in school?’
Firstly, I would discuss what carbon footprint to find out if the children understand that it means. I would then ask the children to do the ‘how big is your environmental footprint’ online questionnaire, encouraging the children to answer the questions honestly to get an accurate result.
The children would discuss and compare their findings with their partner and then with a class as a whole. The class will brainstorm on the white board some ways that we can reduce our carbon footprint. We will then pick one thing to focus on for the next couple of weeks for example walk, cycle or scoot to nearby places instead of driving. The children will be asked to keep a diary to take note of how much they are using their car at the beginning of the challenge and they will revisit it and take note again at the end of the challenge to see if there is a difference.
Additionally, this could be done on a whole school level by the children in my classroom doing presentations to other classes on how they can reduce their carbon footprint and introduce the challenge of less driving. The school could introduce a ‘walk on Wednesday’ initiative where classes could get the chance to win a prize if a majority of the class walked/cycled/scooted to school. This will encourage all classes to get involved and may reduce the schools carbon footprint significantly.
I recently explored the teacher guide and pupil activities for the ESA resource “Nose up in the Sky”. I thought that this was a great resource and will be particularly useful for my 3rd class in September and I know that they will enjoy it.
I knew the proverb ‘red sky at night, shepherds delight; red sky in the morning, shepherds warning’. This is a phrase that I learned growing up and is something I still say to myself now. It will be great to share these phrases with the children in my class in September. There were a few proverbs there that I did not know. A lot of them are very useful, one I particularly liked was ‘Seagull, seagull sit on the sand. It’s never good weather when you’re on land’. This is a phrase that I will use in my classroom.
The “Sensing the Weather” activity is suitable for children of all ages and would integrate well into a literacy lesson. Lastly, the weather station activities were excellent. I am considering the possibility of creating a class weather station where all students can participate actively.
I think the idea of getting the children to work in groups of three to discuss how they can change their actions in school to reduce their greenhouse gases is a great idea and it helps them understand it on a more personal level.
Activity 3 is a very useful resource that I will definitely be using with my 3rd class children in the new school year. I would elicit any prior knowledge that the children may have on climate change by doing a spider diagram (brainstorm) or a KWL chart. I would ask the children some questions about climate change.
Before we watch the paxi video on greenhouse gases and would ask them to discuss what they think greenhouse gases are. We would then watch the video and I would ask the children to comment on ways to reduce greenhouse gases.
The Teal tool also caught my attention. It’s a fantastic visual aid that captures the students’ interest and effectively advances their understanding.
For younger students, though, the data focus might be a bit too challenging. I would suggest using the colour levels to illustrate changes over time. This approach simplifies the concept and makes it more accessible for them.
Hi Gina,
I will have 3rd class this September and I am also hoping to use a lot of these activities when teaching the concept of weather to the children. This can be a tricky topic to teach so I think that these are really good resources to use to support and enhance my teaching of weather!
I now have a clear understanding of the significance of integrating STEM topics after reading the paper Unravelling STEM: Beyond the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (Liston 2008).
The study emphasises the value of multidisciplinary education, improving students’ problem-solving abilities, and tying classroom instruction to real-world situations. Students’ critical thinking skills are enhanced in addition to their creativity when using this method.
This lesson was really fun for me, especially the resources “Weather Vs. Climate” and “Nose Up High in the Sky.” With their outstanding worksheets and video content, these were both excellent resources for teaching and learning.
The activity “Is it weather or climate?” was really thoughtfully designed. The challenge of remembering the weather on their most recent birthday was an enjoyable and memorable method for the children to interact with the lecture, and the activity sheet was simple for them to complete. To promote conversation and comprehension, the exercise at the conclusion where students separated sentences to reaffirm their grasp worked well.
“Nose Up High in the Sky,” another excellent activity, gave children the chance to construct their own weather station. Their spatial and measurement skills were well-developed through this practical assignment. Creating a weather station at school can cultivate a variety of STEM skills, including data collection and analysis, data logging, using instruments, design and construction, problem-solving, and record-keeping.
