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I love this multi-disciplinary approach. Children and adults have different ways of expressing themselves and it is so refreshing to allow children to choose a way to express their ideas. Presenting a topic in a range of ways would allow the information to be presented in a way that is creative and unique.
Our school is located close to Portumna which is a rich heritage town located on Lough Derg and the River Shannon. It is home to Portumna Castle and Gardens which date back to the early 17th Century, the 13th-century Portumna Dominican Friary, and the regional famine history at the Irish Workhouse Centre. It has a beautiful 450 hectare forest, marina and a swing bridge which connects Galway and Tipperary. There are many aspects of Portumna which could be used in a project to study the area. However, the forest park is a personal favourite for me and is a fantastic resource for exploring trees and animals. There are the most beautiful trees visible in the park on the walking trails which could be central to an art project. The children could take note of the colours and textures of the leaves and bark by doing leaf and bark rubbings. They could take photos of trees and create sketches when they return to the classroom. Free exploration would be very important – allow them to take photos of their favourite flora and fauna.
If I had older classes we would visit Portumna Castle and the Workhouse and ask the children to work in groups to research the history of both and present their findings to the class.I would use the familiar story of the Three Billy Goats Gruff as a stimulus for a class challenge to design and build a bridge. I would begin by discussing what the function of a bridge is and where you find a bridge. This could be linked to the bridges in Galway City and other famous bridges around the world. By viewing these bridges they can see the link between fiction and the real world. Technology can be used to view these bridges. In doing so, Geography is linked in the lesson. Explore where the bridges are, their function, what materials they are made from and what shapes are present in a bridge. I would present them with two plastic teddy bears which we use for maths and ask them to design and make a bridge that would allow these bears to cross a stream safely. I would ask them to brainstorm in their groups what materials they would use and what shapes/features their bridge would have. Then I would ask them to plan and draw the bridge. Maths would be incorporated by measuring how long and wide the bridge would need to be. I would encourage them to create a little stream outside for the bears to cross and to use natural materials, where possible. It is important for them to explore and choose materials in the planning stage. I would set a time for planning and construction so that all groups know how long they have. When finished, they would evaluate their design and construction. This is an important part of the process. They would discuss what they like most about their bridge, does it fulfil its function, what materials were used and why did they choose those materials, did their design change during the process and why. I would ask them is there anything that they would change and a reason for that change. It is a brilliant project for creating cross-curricular links: art (design), maths (counting, shapes, measures), English (oral language), and SPHE (communication, teamwork, and cooperation).
This is a fantastic way of making learning relatable to the real world. They can link their learning to what they see on a regular basis and link it to other buildings and construction in the future. It is a great way of exploring different occupations and their role in construction.
I love the idea of using the trail cameras – imagine the excitement of seeing the birds visit. I’ve also seen clear bird feeders which attach to a window. Some schools use these on their classroom windows. The trail camera may be less disruptive!
Outline how you would use some of the course resources to conduct a seasonal biodiversity project to run throughout the school year. What resources and recording sheets would you need? How often would you bring learning outdoors? How would you integrate other subject areas?
There are many resources in this course which would form the basis of a seasonal biodiversity project. The tree identification, minibeast safari challenge, minibeast hunt and scavenger hunt challenge really provide a basis for children to base their project on. I love the idea of taking a picture of different aspects of the environment. This would really provide a visual image of trees and plants in each season and allow the children to compare as the year progresses. I bring learning outdoors quite regularly so this could be done each fortnight to allow children to see changes and spot things that they may have missed. Other subjects such as English, Maths, SPHE and Art are integrated through recording, counting, shapes, measures, communication, teamwork, drawing and nature/season based art projects.
Each September we look at our local environment in 1st and 2nd Class. I love the idea of making a 3D map using natural materials. It allows the children to be flexible and creative in what they use and how they depict the area. I would begin with the wondering section of the lesson by asking them what do they know about their area and what do they think they will see on the walk. Then I would gauge what they would include on their map. At this point I would introduce google maps and the concept of a birds eye view. We would explore how buildings and other features are depicted. The video in this course would be really helpful to show the children how to create the map after the walk. On the walk I would use various prompts to bring their attention to objects and their shapes. After the walk the children could depict their walk using natural materials. Usually I would use mixed ability groups and encourage all members during the process. After creating their map I would ask them what they like about their map and what part was the most fun to make. I would also encourage them to think about what was the biggest challenge and encourage them to ask each other about their maps. Allowing them time to go around and view other maps is brilliant to see other ideas and perspectives. Google maps could be used afterwards to see the area and compare to their maps.
Wha a fantastic idea, I’m sure this is one of the highlight activities for the children on the committee. The hands on learning experiences and teamwork skills they can develop through this is immense. What a great way to explore and appreciate their local environment.
I strongly agree with Maeve Liston’s 2018 paper “Unravelling STEM: Beyond the Acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths” that STEM is more than teaching four subjects in isolation. It encourages a more modern, hands-on, practical approach which encourages and fosters teamwork and problem-solving skills which should be greatly valued in life beyond the classroom. I use the Explorers programme from Folens as the basis for STEM activities. It encourages investigation and learning through the environment around us. We are very lucky to have a large outdoor school environment full of nature which the children can explore and use across a wide range of topics. The children are encouraged to be active participants in their learning and co-operative learning forms the basis of many of our lessons. There are so many opportunities to use real life contexts to leran about and explore the world around us. This is something I have seen as a transferrable skill which children use well after the lesson has ended. It opens up the children’s eyes to their environment and encourages them to question what they see and relate it to what they already know.
I agree that sometimes projects can be daunting and time-consuming, especially in the junior classrooms. Simple activities that encourage cooperative learning and foster curiosity in the world around us is so important at any age but particularly in the younger classes. Children learn much more from their experiences and through investigative learning the process is as important as the result or conclusion.
I love the use of the ball – this would certainly maintain their attention! I had never heard of UV beads until I did this course. They would be a brilliant addition to a lesson about the sun. The children would love using them!
Activity set: The Planets
The children are always so fascinated about the planets and it is one of my favourite topics to teach. There are so many cross-curricular links within the topic.
I would begin with a simple discussion of what the children already know about the planets. Many of the children have a vast prior knowledge from reading, Netflix or youtube. This is a good chance for me to assess their prior knowledge and also see if there are any misconceptions that we can target.
Then I would play the song ‘We are the Planets’ by StoryBots. Many of the children watch this programme so will be familiar with it and it will certainly catch their attention. They can sing along and discuss the facts about the planets.
After this I would play the planet game to reinforce the names of the planet. The use of hula hoop helps them to understand the concept of the sun at the centre of the solar system. It would be a fun and interactive way of learning the names of the planets.
Following on from this I would revise the facts about the different planets through the use of ‘My Tiny Little Book of Planets in Our Solar System’. I like the rhyming facts which would make them easier for the children to remember and is a great link with literacy.
Two stories which I could read at the end of the day which targets the topic of planets are ‘Adam’s Amazing Space Adventure’ and Meet the Planets’.
When using the topics of planets last year I used the following art idea using acrylic paint on black card and the children absolutely loved the way they turned out. We used it as our space display throughout the year. https://www.thecrafttrain.com/solar-system-art/
Great lesson Una – lovely cross curricular links and the P.E. activity is a great hands-on activity that they would love! I will keep this story in mind for the coming year – it’s a great one!
<p class=”MsoNormal”>This is my mind map: https://miro.com/app/board/uXjVPf4t6lY=/</p>
<p class=”MsoNormal”>An enquiry-based lesson that I would do with my class is to introduce gravity through the use of magnets. This would be the foundation of the concept of the magnetic field that surrounds Earth which would be further developed as the children get older.</p>
<p class=”MsoNormal”>I would start the lesson with a discussion about space and gravity. What happens to astronauts in space? I would discuss push and pull forces with the children and it’s relation to magnets.</p>
<p class=”MsoNormal”>Trigger: show a variety of magnets. What have they all got in common? What is their function? How do they function?</p>
<p class=”MsoNormal”>Wondering: I wonder do all materials attract magnets?</p>
<p class=”MsoNormal”>Prediction: Present a variety of objects/materials. Think, pair, share what objects will attract the magnet and what objects/materials will repel the magnet.</p>
<p class=”MsoNormal”>Exploring: In groups they explore a variety of objects/materials and sort them into two groups: attract and repel.</p>
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<p class=”MsoNormal”>Further learning: Magnets have north and south poles similar to Earth. Explore the concept of the magnetic field of Earth and its function.</p>