[John Devine]

Your research question is a very important one. It vital to highlight the affect pollution has on our flora and fauna.

[John Devine]

Reducing Waste at School
How can we reduce waste at school to help protect the environment, and what simple actions can everyone take?

Start with a class discussion about waste. Ask the students:
What kinds of waste do we make every day at school?
What happens to this waste after we throw it away? Does it just disappear?
How does waste affect the planet (animals, air, water)?

Introduce the concepts of reduce, reuse, and recycle:

Reduce: Use fewer single-use items like paper towels, plastic cups, and straws. For example, bring a reusable water bottle or lunch box instead of using disposable plastic ones.

Reuse: Encourage students to use items like notebooks, pens, and backpacks that can be used multiple times. Also, make sure to find ways to reuse paper (like turning over sheets to write on the back) before recycling it.

Recycle: Set up a recycling station at school for paper, cardboard, plastic bottles, and cans. Teach everyone to separate their recyclables properly!

For future lessons, students can track the amount of waste their class generates over a week and calculate how much could be reduced with better recycling and composting practices.
They can also work on a school-wide campaign to encourage other students to reduce waste, using the posters they’ve created

[John Devine]

I agree that the children will really enjoy using various satellite tracker apps and websites to learn more about the satellites passing over us.

[John Devine]

I used the heavens-above.com website to track the satellites:
The following satellites have recently passed over Ireland:
1. Starlink-3648
2. Starlink-31143
3. Starlink-1402
4. Starlink 34451
5. Starlink -1240
Starlink satellites, developed by SpaceX, are part of a global satellite network that provides high-speed, low-latency internet access. Here’s a breakdown of what they do:
Starlink satellites orbit the Earth at low altitudes (about 550 km), creating a network that covers most of the planet. Their primary function is to provide internet access, particularly to remote or underserved areas that don’t have reliable broadband infrastructure. This includes rural communities, ships, aircraft, and even areas affected by natural disasters.
People in rural or underserved areas now have a way to access reliable internet without the need for terrestrial infrastructure like fiber-optic cables or phone lines. Starlink is used by ships, planes, and military units, as well as in areas hit by natural disasters, where conventional communication networks are down.

[John Devine]

I used the heavens-above.com website to track the satellites:

The following satellites have recently passed over Ireland:
<p style=”text-align: left;”>1. Starlink-3648
2. Starlink-31143
3. Starlink-1402</p>
<p style=”text-align: left;”>4. Starlink 34451</p>
<p style=”text-align: left;”>5.  Starlink -1240</p>
Starlink satellites, developed by SpaceX, are part of a global satellite network that provides high-speed, low-latency internet access. Here’s a breakdown of what they do:

Starlink satellites orbit the Earth at low altitudes (about 550 km), creating a network that covers most of the planet. Their primary function is to provide internet access, particularly to remote or underserved areas that don’t have reliable broadband infrastructure. This includes rural communities, ships, aircraft, and even areas affected by natural disasters.

People in rural or underserved areas now have a way to access reliable internet without the need for terrestrial infrastructure like fiber-optic cables or phone lines. Starlink is used by ships, planes, and military units, as well as in areas hit by natural disasters, where conventional communication networks are down.

[John Devine]

HOME is a visually breathtaking, emotionally powerful documentary that serves as a wake-up call for environmental awareness.
While I feel it would be too long to show my class the entire documentary I would show them key parts such as the causes of global warming:

Burning Fossil Fuels: burning of Coal and oil for energy and transportation.
Deforestation: Trees absorb CO₂; cutting them down reduces this!
Industrial & Agricultural Activities: Methane from livestock, rice paddies, and landfills; nitrous oxide from fertilizers.

Discuss the Effects of Global Warming:
Rising Temperatures: More frequent and intense heatwaves.
Melting Ice & Rising Sea Levels.
Extreme Weather Events: Hurricanes, droughts, floods, and wildfires are becoming more severe.
Human Health & Food Security: Heat stress, disease spread, and crop failures.

It is important to highlight to the class that global warming is an urgent crisis requiring immediate action. Placing emphasis on how human activity is driving climate change, and without significant reductions in emissions, the planet will face catastrophic consequences. Helping the class understand how living a sustainable life can ensure a livable future for generations to come is the main objective here!

[John Devine]

I agree, it’s a fantastic production and would be nice to show the senior classes and to get their views and thoughts on global warming and what we could do to play our part in saving our planet

[John Devine]

This lesson helps children learn about climate change in an easy, hands-on way. I would like them to discover:
How greenhouse gases warm the planet
How scientists predict future climate
What different future climates might look like

This could be a very effective lesson as there are informative videos and pictures to give the class a good understanding of the lesson. The class would be divided into groups. The resources show real climate data that scientists use and it compares positive as well as negative future scenarios in regard to the climate globally.
I would introduce the lesson using WALT and WILF.
Start with a quick discussion about what the class already know
Watch a fun cartoon about climate (like the Paxi video)

I would divide the class into groups
Each team studies a different place using a climate website
“What will our area’s weather be like in 50 years?

The class could present their findings, see below for an example:
Teams make short “weather report” videos or posters
Show how their area might change

To conclude the lesson the class could make posters with tips to help the planet and they could share ideas for how families can reduce pollution and be more mindful of the environment.

[John Devine]

I really liked the PAXI video too Tara. It’s a great way to introduce active learning into the lesson and an opportunity for self-assessment also

[John Devine]

Relating weather to the children’s birthdays is a very effective way to help the class observe various weather conditions and patterns at different times of the year.

[John Devine]

I would always aim for an inquiry-based learning environment that puts emphasis on hands-on exploration and collaboration. Students would engage in open-ended challenges with me the teacher, acting as a facilitator, guiding students to explore concepts rather than delivering direct instructions.

The resources have great, ready-to-use ideas for teaching about weather. One fun idea is using kids’ birthdays to talk about weather. —looking at photos from past birthdays and grouping kids by their birth months to see how weather changes over the year. This makes learning personal and helps kids see how weather is always different.

The video about climate zones gives children a clear way to tell the difference between weather (what’s happening now) and climate (the usual weather over time). After watching, they can explain why certain statements are about weather or climate.

Another good activity is measuring temperature. A nice project could be setting up a class weather station in September and checking the weather at the same time every week.

[Author]

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