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Hi Mary. My school is based beside the sea as well and I really like your idea of creating beach-inspired sculptures. Last year we went to the beach to collect shells, which we then used to create beach landscapes. This year I think I’ll take your idea and create sculptures with what we find on the beach.
Research a famous scientist or engineer associated with your local area and describe how you would use that person as inspiration for classroom science investigations:
My school is based near to Dublin Bay. Using the Dictionary of Irish Biography I discovered Nathaniel Colgan (1851–1919), a well known Irish botanist and marine biologist who was born in Dublin. He had a great love for the plants and sea life of Ireland and spent much of his life exploring the natural world around him. He is best known for his work on Irish wildflowers and seaweeds, and he wrote one of the earliest books on the plants of County Dublin.
Colgan’s work can be a wonderful inspiration for science investigations in a primary classroom. He showed us that we do not have to travel far to make exciting discoveries. Using Colgan’s passion for nature, children can explore the school garden or local park to look at different types of plants and trees. They can learn how to collect and press leaves or flowers, just like Colgan might have done.
Children could also carry out simple investigations at the seaside, looking at different types of seaweed or shells, asking questions like “Which seaweed grows closest to the water?” or “What creatures live in rockpools?” These types of questions help children think like real scientists.
Through the story of Nathaniel Colgan, pupils can learn that curiosity, patience and a love of nature are all part of being a good scientist. He reminds us that Ireland has its own rich natural world waiting to be explored.
Hi Mary. I really like the idea of assigning different engineering style roles to students. Some students can find it difficult to get involved in complex projects and activities like this and having a defined role can certainly help with keeping children on task.
A good feature of engineering in my school’s locality is the Dart railway line that runs through the area. The bridges, tracks and overhead lines are all part of a clever system that has stood the test of time and weather. For a classroom design and make project, I would take inspiration from the railway bridge near Howth Junction. Its solid structure and clever use of space could be the basis for a miniature model project.
Students could design their own bridges using recycled materials, testing them for strength and balance. This would bring engineering to life in a hands-on way and show how science and design work together. We could take walk to the bridge for sketches and measurements before building our models back in the classroom. It would be a brilliant way to connect local infrastructure to learning and give students a greater appreciation for the built environment around them.
Hi Veronica. The ‘wildflower walk’ looks like a fantastic resource, I certainly intend on using it this year myself as well and hope that other teachers in the school follow suit.
The last couple of years I have had my class using nature journals, which has been very successful as they have helped to log all the outdoor activities we do throughout the year. I think trying to get outside with the class for nature based activities at least once a fortnight is a great idea. It’s the kind of thing that can be forgotten about in the colder months, but is great to keep up right throughout the year.
I have registered my own garden with the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan and intend on continuing to enhance its biodiversity over the summer. I only recently bought the house and the garden was completely concrete, so there’s plenty of improvements to be made!
Regarding my own school, I will register us in September for the pollinator plan. We are already doing a lot right in our school. We have a great field on the grounds and have a number of tree species, flower species, a pond, bird feeders and houses and some bug hotels on site. This year I will work on enhancing its biodiversity even further by planting wildflowers in the grassy areas of the field and by developing some hedgerows by the school fences.
Since our school grounds are already quite biodiverse, the main improvement that can be made this year is by increasing awareness with students and teachers about the pollinators in the school and the local area. I intend on providing resources to each classroom to encourage learning about pollinators. I also intend on having our own biodiversity week early on in the year so as to stimulate nature based, outdoor learning in the school that can be carried on throughout the year.
Hi Emma. I like the idea of relating the soil type/weather etc. to what local farmers are growing as it helps to make the content more relatable. What I’ve found difficult in the past is trying to get children (and sometimes adults!) to grasp why biodiversity is so important. If they can understand and appreciate the myriad of factors that allow the local crops to grow, it could help them to respect and understand the reasons why we must protect and enhance our local biodiversity.
The class would take part in a hands-on mapping activity where they create map layers of the school grounds. The focus is on observing and recording different variables outdoors and using online tools to deepen their understanding of the local environment. To begin, we’d introduce the idea of maps having layers such as land use, vegetation, and species sightings, and explain how this helps scientists and planners make decisions. Using Geohive, pupils can view aerial images and map features of the area around the school. We’ll then head outside with clipboards, base maps, and coloured pencils to create our own layers. Variables to map could include tree types, flower patches, insect sightings, bird sightings/calls, and areas of shade and sunlight. Swatches could be used to help identify different plant and animal species.
Back in class, we’d compare our findings with Biodiversity Ireland maps to see if similar species have been recorded locally. Pupils will be asked questions like: What part of the field has the most biodiversity? Why might that be? How could we protect or improve these areas? This lesson not only teaches mapping skills but also builds awareness of our impact on nature and the value of our local habitats.
Hi Mary. I totally agree with you on the ESRO framework for inquiry template. I like how it keeps track of previous questions, predictions etc., that can be referred back to at the end of a topic. It’s certainly something that could be used across a range of subjects. I’ll definitely use it next year for any investigations my class undertakes.
Learning about telescopes and astronomy would be a fun and engaging topic to do in the classroom. This topic naturally integrates science (light, space, and waves), technology (use of optical instruments), engineering (design of telescopes), and maths (measuring distances and angles in space). Teaching about telescopes allows children to investigate how light travels and how lenses refract light to magnify distant objects. These concepts align closely with the “Energy and Forces” strand of the SESE Science curriculum, particularly in learning about light and shadows.
In practice, I would use simple experiments, such as creating rainbow spinners or basic refracting telescopes using lenses, to make these abstract ideas tangible. This hands-on approach supports the STEM Education Policy’s goal of fostering inquiry-based learning, critical thinking, and problem-solving from an early age. By connecting these experiments to real-world contexts, such as observing the moon or planets, students can see how STEM is relevant and exciting. Encouraging curiosity through astronomy not only deepens scientific understanding but also inspires future engagement with STEM subjects.