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I think this is a really meaningful research question as it connects climate change and biodiversity to the children’s own experiences and the history of their school environment.
Allowing older pupils to compare the old and new school grounds gives them a personal connection to the investigation. I also like how the project encourages practical data collection and empowers students to propose realistic actions to improve biodiversity and create a more climate-friendly school environment! There is great potential to develop STEM skills here as well.
Research Question: How is climate change affecting biodiversity in our local area?
To encourage children to participate in exploring this question, I would begin by connecting the topic to their own surroundings and experiences. I would take the children on a nature walk around the school grounds or local area to observe the plants, insects, birds, and other wildlife they notice. Children could record their findings through drawings, photographs, or simple observation charts. We could then investigate how changes in temperature, rainfall, and weather patterns may affect local habitats and the species that depend on them. I would encourage children to ask questions, share their ideas, and work together to research different species and their needs. Activities such as creating a biodiversity map of the school grounds, planting pollinator-friendly flowers, or designing posters to protect local wildlife would give children a sense of ownership and show them that their actions can positively support biodiversity.
I really liked how you considered the different experiences and abilities of the children when adapting these activities. I agree that using real-life experiences, visuals, and technology would help children develop their understanding before introducing more complex concepts. The class weather station is a great idea as it encourages teamwork, observation, and ongoing learning.
Using the Heavens-Above satellite tracking website, I identified five satellites that recently passed over Ireland.
•The International Space Station (ISS) is one of the most well-known and is used for scientific research and experiments in space.
•Starlink-3810 is part of SpaceX’s satellite network, providing high-speed internet coverage to many parts of the world.
•Sentinel-2A, operated by the European Space Agency, captures detailed images of Earth to monitor forests, crops, water quality, and the effects of climate change.
•NOAA-19 is a weather satellite that collects information on cloud cover, temperatures, and storms to improve weather forecasting.
•Landsat 9 monitors changes to Earth’s surface, helping scientists study land use, agriculture, and environmental change.
I found it interesting that so many different satellites pass overhead each day, each with a unique purpose. Many collect valuable information that helps scientists, governments, and communities better understand our planet and improve everyday life.
I really liked how you linked the videos to the children’s everyday experiences and encouraged them to think critically about climate change. Your emphasis on discussion and practical actions, such as recycling and saving energy, helps make the learning meaningful, relevant, and empowering.
I really liked how these videos explain climate change in a simple and engaging way without overwhelming children with too much information. I would use them at the beginning of my lesson to introduce the topic and get the class thinking about how our everyday actions can impact the environment. Before watching, I would ask the children what they already know about climate change and what questions they have. As we watch, I would encourage them to listen out for new facts or ideas that surprise them. Afterwards, we would have a class discussion about what they learned, focusing on the causes and effects of climate change and what we can do to help. I would then connect the learning to our own school and community by discussing practical ways we can make a difference, such as recycling, reducing waste, and saving energy. The lesson would finish with the children creating their own climate action pledges.
I like the idea of linking climate change to the wider school community and promoting change. I know many schools have a Green Schools initiative in place, and I think this would link in well there.
The resources for module 3 were great! I liked how visual the online climate resources are, and I can definitely see how this would be beneficial in teaching about word climates. I think the idea of children working in groups would be good – these could be mixed-ability groups to allow all children access to the learning and to feel a sense of success. The videos are also great for visual learning and a good connection between language and understanding. I liked the video about Greenhouse gases as it was very easy to understand.
I like the idea of children coming up with solutions to help prevent climate change in the future. This also links to the idea of active citizenship. The prediction interactive tool for climate change is very interesting, and it’s great that worksheets to support this are ready to downloadHi Fidelma,
I also agree that it would be important to include more differentiation options in teaching the lessons. I work in a DEIS school which also has a lot of children with English as an Additional Language. Many of the children in our school would find these lessons difficult without consideration given to multiple means of differentiating.
I really enjoyed reading about the different ESA Resources. In the past, I have got the children in my class involved in making their own weather instruments using recycled materials. It was great to integrate this with Art while promoting STEM skills such as Scientific Inquiry, Computational thinking and Design thinking. I love the idea of bringing resources and ideas together in the creation of a weather station. It could be an idea that some of the classes make the instruments and explain how they work to the school during an assembly. I love the idea of recording the weather in a weather log/journal.
I like the lesson and resources based on distinguishing weather Vs climate as I think this is something that can be very confusing especially in the older classes. I work in a DEIS school, and I think some of the vocabulary would be tricky for the children in my school. I think the use of visuals alongside the text somewhat supports this.I also like the idea of the Return bottles scheme! There is great potential for this to be used in the classroom as a means to teach sustainability. The children in my class often talk about this initiative and are responsible for gathering bottles in their homes and returning them to the shop. As a reward, they often get to keep some or all of the voucher.
In my local area, people are trying to live in more sustainable ways. For example, we recycle plastic, paper, and glass. Many people use reusable bags instead of plastic ones. Shops tend to use brown paper bags instead of plastic.
Some take in our village take part in clean-up days to keep our streets and beaches clean through the “Tidy towns” initiative.We also have local farmers, including my dad, who grow food in ways that are good for the environment. These actions help protect the Earth and show that small changes can make a big difference.
In the classroom, I would teach pupils what sustainability means and why it is important. I would use local examples so they can see what is happening around them. To get them involved, we could try fun activities like starting a recycling project, planting vegetables in the school’s polytunnel, or going on a litter-picking walk in line with the Green School’s initiative in our school.
I would also ask pupils to make posters or simple presentations about how to protect the environment. This helps them learn and share ideas with others.
By doing these activities, pupils will understand that they can help take care of the planet, both now and in the future.Hi Dolores, I also agree that there is so much potential for hands-on and engaging activities for children in learning about the nutritional value of seafood.
Learning about the nutrition of seafood has helped me understand why it is such a healthy food choice. Seafood is full of important nutrients like protein, omega-3 fatty acids, and vitamins such as B12 and D. These nutrients help keep our brain, heart, and body healthy. Eating seafood regularly can improve memory, protect the heart, and even help children grow strong.
In the classroom, this knowledge can be used in many ways. For example, in science or SPHE lessons, students can learn about the benefits of eating seafood and how it helps the body. They could also prepare simple seafood dishes, which also teaches cooking skills and healthy eating habits.
Talking about seafood is also a great way to teach students about where their food comes from. We can discuss topics like fishing, the ocean, and protecting the environment. This can be linked to geography.
Overall, learning about seafood nutrition is very useful. It helps students understand how to take care of their health and the planet. By bringing this into the classroom, we can help students make better food choices and live healthier lives.
