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I had no idea just how many satellites are passing over Ireland at any given time. I found the website fascinating, and the sheer number of satellites in orbit was incredible. I quickly became engrossed in exploring each one, discovering where it came from, how long it had been in orbit, and the different purposes it serves. It really highlighted how much satellite technology is involved in our everyday lives, often without us even realising it.
Question 3
Having worked through the Nose High to the Sky resource, I think it is an excellent set of lessons that helps children understand the relationship between space and Earth. It encourages pupils to explore different perspectives by comparing photographs of Earth taken from observation satellites, astronauts aboard the International Space Station, and from ground level. These comparisons help children recognise how each viewpoint provides different types of information and why they are all valuable.
I particularly like how the resource highlights the importance of satellites in monitoring our planet. Satellite images allow children to observe large-scale features such as weather systems, landscapes and changes over time, while photographs taken from the ground provide more detailed views of specific places or objects. Images captured from space also enable pupils to identify patterns, monitor environmental changes and make predictions about weather and climate.
Overall, I feel this is a worthwhile and engaging resource that promotes observation, critical thinking and scientific inquiry. I would definitely use it in my classroom to develop pupils’ understanding of Earth, space and the important role that satellite technology plays in our everyday lives.
I really like your focus on ending the lesson with solutions rather than just the challenges of climate change. Encouraging pupils to work collaboratively on ideas such as renewable energy and protecting local environments helps develop problem-solving skills while leaving them feeling hopeful and empowered to make a positive difference in their own communities.
I found Module 3 both interesting and thought-provoking, particularly in highlighting the urgency of climate change. While I think the Home video contains important messages, I feel it may be too long and complex for many primary school pupils. Instead, I would use selected clips to introduce key ideas and support these with class discussions and age-appropriate activities. This would help children understand the concepts without feeling overwhelmed.
I also really liked the TED Talk by Greta Thunberg. As a young person, she is someone children can easily relate to, and her message demonstrates that individuals can make a real difference. I think this would encourage pupils to feel empowered and recognise that their everyday actions matter. Activities such as calculating their ecological footprint, discussing ways to reduce waste, recycling, saving energy and planting trees would help children connect their learning to real-life situations. Encouraging them to share these ideas with their families would also extend the impact of the lesson beyond the classroom.
I really like your focus on making climate change relevant to pupils’ own lives. Using group discussion to explore local impacts and practical actions is a great way to encourage critical thinking and collaboration. The Paxi video also provides an engaging starting point for developing understanding through meaningful STEM learning.
I really enjoyed Activity 3 and thought using it alongside the Paxi video was a great way to introduce and reinforce the concept of climate change. The video explains the greenhouse effect in a simple, engaging way, while the prediction activity encourages children to think more critically about the impact of rising temperatures. I think this combination creates a meaningful STEM lesson by integrating science, technology and mathematics through inquiry and data analysis.
If I were teaching this in my classroom, I would begin by exploring local weather patterns and discussing how the weather has changed over time. We could collect and graph temperature data before comparing it with climate projections to help children identify trends and make predictions. I also think it would be valuable to include discussion about how climate change affects Ireland and what small actions we can take in school and at home to help. This would make the learning more relevant and encourage pupils to see how STEM can help us understand and respond to real-world issues.I really liked your focus on adapting the activities for Senior Infants. Using pictures and symbols to record the weather is a great way to make learning accessible while encouraging observation and discussion. Your example of the unexpected hailstones shows how real-life experiences can spark curiosity and meaningful STEM learning.
Unravelling STEM: Beyond the Acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (Liston, 2018) argues that STEM education should be more than teaching science, technology, engineering, and mathematics as separate subjects. Instead, it should encourage integrated, real-world learning where students develop problem-solving, creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking skills.
In my classroom, STEM education involves providing hands-on, inquiry-based activities that encourage students to investigate problems, work collaboratively, and apply knowledge across different subject areas. I aim to create meaningful learning experiences that connect STEM concepts to everyday life, helping students build confidence, curiosity, and practical skills.
Module 1
I found so many resources in module one very helpful, and I will certainly be using them in my teaching next year, they offer great opportunities for children to advance their stem skills.
I found the videos that were provided, particularly useful when explaining the difference between weather and climate, very age-appropriate and user-friendly, and I think they would really appeal to primary school aged children. The ESA Nose up high in the sky resource is a great programme of work that could be used over the course of a few weeks. It not only incorporates developing the children’s stem skills, but also integrates with literacy, numeracy active and practical learning. It provides the children with many opportunities to get outside to create and record and interpret results from the weather station. I think creating the weather station is very appealing and the children would get great enjoyment from it, whilst learning at the same time.
Activity two – Weather Detectives
I really liked this resource because it allowed the children to get outdoors. It is great that they can come up with their own weather devices by making them themselves from every day materials. It also allows them to get outdoors checking the rain,gauge, the wind speed and also the temperature using a thermometer.Overall, I think the activities provided in module one have a great scope to be differentiated and altered slightly to suit many age groups. They not only provide opportunities for children to improve their stem skills also skills such as investigating monitoring, analyzing recording, interpreting, which is very important, especially for the older classes.
As you pointed out Colm I think its so important that the initiatives that the children are doing in school must be passed on to their home life, I feel involving and engaging with the parents on these topics is vital, to really make a sustainable change.
In my local area, climate change has become increasingly visible through more unusual and more frequent weather like flooding, unpredictable weather patterns, and the loss of biodiversity in natural habitats. These changes affect vast areas of our communities like agriculture, local infrastructure, and even the mental well-being of communities. I think it would be a great idea to have pupils explore these issues, I would begin with a local climate audit, encouraging students to observe and record signs of environmental change around them. We would investigate the causes and consequences of these changes through cross-curricular projects in Science, Geography, and SPHE.
Three actions we would take in our classroom include: Starting a recycling and waste-reduction initiative, organising walk or cycle to school weeks to reduce emissions, walk on Wednesdays are a nice way we already have implemented in our school on a monthly basis. Creating awareness campaigns to share climate facts and eco-friendly tips around the school, we could even invite parents to such events.
The Development Education modules from this course directly support School Self-Evaluation by encouraging teachers to integrate global citizenship, sustainability, and critical thinking into daily practice. These modules provide a framework for identifying areas of improvement, planning targeted initiatives, and fostering a whole-school ethos of inclusion and responsibility toward global and local issues.In my local area, climate change has become increasingly visible through more frequent flooding, unpredictable weather patterns, and the loss of biodiversity in natural habitats. These changes affect agriculture, local infrastructure, and even the mental well-being of communities. To help pupils explore these issues, I would begin with a local climate audit, encouraging students to observe and record signs of environmental change around them. We would investigate the causes and consequences of these changes through cross-curricular projects in Science, Geography, and SPHE.
Three actions we would take in our classroom include:Starting a recycling and waste-reduction initiative, organising walk or cycle to school weeks to reduce emissions, creating awareness campaigns to share climate facts and eco-friendly tips around the school.
The Development Education modules from this course directly support School Self-Evaluation (SSE) by encouraging teachers to integrate global citizenship, sustainability, and critical thinking into daily practice. These modules provide a framework for identifying areas of improvement, planning targeted initiatives, and fostering a whole-school ethos of inclusion and responsibility toward global and local issues.Thank you for sharing such a positive story about the 6th class boy. This is amazing he is doing so well and is so motivated considering what he has gone through, it just highlights the importance of being open and supportive to people who were forced to flee their home country. Wishing him much success in the future.
The Irish Red Cross has played a key role in supporting Ukrainian refugees arriving in Ireland since the onset of the conflict in Ukraine. They have provided emergency accommodation, essential supplies, and emotional support to those displaced by war. Reflecting on their work, I believe schools have a vital role to play in fostering a welcoming environment for refugee children and families in our communities. I personally host Ukranian refugees through the Red Cross and it has really been a very fulfilling experience.
As a school, we could organised a welcome drive, collecting school supplies, clothing, and hygiene items to donate to the Irish Red Cross for distribution. In the classroom, we have explored themes of displacement, empathy, and global citizenship through age-appropriate books, discussions, and projects. Students in some classes wrote welcome letters and made posters which were displayed around the school which promoted inclusivity. We as a whole school, held a multicultural day and in the future we could invite a Red Cross guest speaker which would help deepen students’ understanding and show solidarity with those affected by crisis.I love this organic link that you made from the drinking water in your classroom to a more global issue, and how it allowed the children to see how fortunate they are and how this not the case in many parts of the world. I’m sure it created empathy among your students and integrated nicely into other subject areas.
Climate Action (SDG 13) is a critical issue that affects children both locally in Ireland and globally. In Ireland, children are already experiencing the effects of climate change through increased flooding, unpredictable weather, and biodiversity loss. Globally, children in the Global South are disproportionately affected by extreme weather events, food insecurity, and displacement caused by climate-related crises.
To support Priority Action Area 5: Accelerating Local Level Actions, I would empower students to take meaningful steps in their own communities. This could include starting a school garden to learn about sustainable food systems, organising litter-picking initiatives, or creating posters and videos to raise awareness about reducing carbon footprints. Integrating climate action projects across the curriculum, such as in science, geography, and SPHE and of course closely linking it with the Green schools initiative. This will help students see the relevance of global challenges in their everyday lives. By fostering a sense of responsibility and agency, we can inspire students to be proactive in building a sustainable future for all.
