Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
Hi Niamh, yes I agree that many adults never mind children don’t know much about sealife and where the fish they eat comes from me included. I found it very interesting to learn about the life cycle of the salmon and about muscles.
By exploring tools linked to aquaculture and Social License, it provides a meaningful way for children to engage in real-world learning. By using interactive resources—such as simulations, mapping tools, webinars, and hands-on activities- children can develop a better understanding of how aquaculture impacts environmental, economic, and social systems. These tools will not only enhance engagement but promote critical thinking by encouraging students to take on the perspectives of various stakeholders, including fishers, community members, scientists, and policymakers.
By teaching about Social License, we can play a key role in raising students’ awareness of sustainability and the impact they can have on our sea life and creatures. By learning about Social License children learn how trust is gained or destroyed in fish farming. This teaches them about what is right and wrong and how to understand different people’s opinions, and think about how these connect to their own beliefs. It teaches them how to ask good questions, understand media, and have respectful conversation which is important in all aspects of life.
.I really like this approach and how you highlighted local role models like Aimee and Ashley Keogh. This makes learning more relatable and inspiring for the children. Their work on the Mind the Gap app shows how young people can make a real difference. It’s a good way to encourage pupils to get involved in science.
My local area is Laois and to explore the natural and scientific heritage of Laois, I would guide pupils through a creative project that incorporates drama, art, and writing. We would begin by learning about the Slieve Bloom Mountains, the boglands, and about the scientist Robert Boyle. Pupils would research the unique biodiversity of the area, local legends, and scientific contributions. Using this knowledge, they would write short play from the perspective of a plant, animal, or historical figure, bringing Laois’s heritage to life through drama. They would then create music to accompany their play. In art, they could create backdrops using natural materials inspired by the colours and textures of local landscapes. Creative writing lessons would focus on crafting poems or short stories set in these environments. This project would not only build creative skills but also foster a deeper appreciation of Laois’s heritage.
“This is a fantastic idea, Susan! I also really like how the focus of the activity could be easily changed to suit either younger or older students. I also like the way you are using cross curricular ideas to link to all the different subject areas.
“I completely agree with your point, Lora. Connecting STEM to real-world problems is a very good approach. When students tackle challenges like reducing waste or recycling, they not only develop practical skills but they also see the positive impact they can have on their school and community. I also love the idea of letting students choose the problems they want to address—it boosts their engagement and shows them that their ideas are valuable and capable of creating real change.”
Hi Joan, this is a very nice idea. I like the way you are taking the class to see the actual bridge. This makes a link for the children between what happens in school and in everyday life.
I would begin by showing photos or a short video of the suspension bridge at Birr Castle Demesne. We would discuss “Why do we build bridges?”, “What makes a strong bridge?”. I would introduce the task: Design and build a bridge that can hold weight (e.g., a toy car or a stack of books) using materials like paper, string, cardboard, lollipop sticks, etc.
Pupils will then sketch a blueprint of their bridge.
I would get them to estimate and record:
o How long the bridge will be
o What materials will be used (introduce basic budgeting if appropriate)
o How much weight it will hold
In teams they will build their bridges using classroom or recyclable materials. I will use stopwatches to time how long it takes, or scales to measure the weight it can carry.
We will test each bridge under the same conditions.
• Record:
o How much weight each held
o Which design worked best and why
Each pupils will have to graph the results (bar chart for weights held, pie chart for bridge types used, etc.).
I would link it to 1st class maths by using blocks, non- standard units, problem solving, 3d shapes and 2d shapes.Hi Mary I like the way you used what you had done in a course in your local national park. I think it is great to incorporate ideas, strategies, and information from different courses.
My dissertation in college was based on outdoor education and the benefits of engaging in learning outside. I would use what I learnt from this course and from my dissertation to create an outdoor learning area/ garden that can be used all year long. I would create some raised beds where different fruits, vegetables, and wild flowers can be sown. We would use this area to analyse and compare the wild life in the beds. We would compare the difference between the well kept raised beds with plants like strawberries or potatoes compared to the wild flower beds that are never weeded. We would go out every few weeks to compare the wild life and plants at the different times of the year. We would integrate this into maths, science, stem, geography and physical education. The resources I would need would be surveys, paper, grids.
Bullet point 2:
I would begin the lesson by discussing “What is a map? Where have you seen one?”
I would show examples of simple maps on the board (e.g., a treasure map or playground map).The children would then draw a map of their classroom or school.
They would add a key/legend using simple symbols (desk, board, door, etc.).
They would label features and draw a compass rose.Then using Google maps or Geohive we would investigate maps online. We would compare old maps (time slider) to modern ones, if relevant.
The children would present their maps to the class or in small groups.
Discuss: “What did you learn about making maps?” or “What was the hardest part?”To finish the lesson I would take pictures of the maps and print the maps for the children. They could swap their maps and discuss each others maps checking for labels, coordinates and directions.
After reviewing the paper Unravelling STEM: Beyond the Acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths, I have reflected deeply on the purpose and potential of STEM education in my classroom. Liston challenges educators to move beyond viewing STEM as a set of discrete subjects and but to view it as an integrated, holistic approach to learning that promotes critical thinking, creativity, and real-world problem solving.
In my own teaching, I’ve often been reluctant to approach STEM activities focusing only on science experiments or building activities. However, Liston’s wants us to use a more interconnected and socially conscious approach, this has encouraged me to open my mind up to stem and to reconsider how I design learning experiences. For example, when teaching about renewable energy, I would get the students to design solar panels out of various materials, investigate the environmental benefits, cost of products to make solar panels and figure out things like location, angles etc.
