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Hi John,
I really like your research question because it focuses on something pupils can see and relate to every day. It is practical, easy to investigate and shows how small actions can make a real difference to the environment. I also like how you have planned for pupils to collect their own data, present it in charts and then repeat the survey to see if their ideas have worked. Giving every child a role is a great way to encourage teamwork and ensure everyone is involved. This project links several curriculum areas naturally and helps pupils understand that they can play an important part in reducing their school’s carbon footprint.
A good research question for older classes in our school would be: “How has the amount of green space around our school changed over the past five years, and how might this affect local wildlife?”
We moved into a brand new school building a few years ago and the grounds around the new school have changed significantly to what they had been on the old school footprint. Older classes in the school would remember the old school well and the grounds around it and so be able to compare them. They could present their findings to the whole school in an assembly.
This question fits the Climate Detectives project because students can:
• Use maps and blueprints to compare the two schools (old and new)
• Carry out observations aound the school.
• Measure local temperatures in different areas.
• Investigate how trees and plants help reduce the effects of climate change.
• Suggest actions the school community could take to improve biodiversity and reduce heat.I agree that the Satellite Tracker app was confusing to use. I found it difficult to understand how to track satellites properly and the layout was not very user-friendly. Another thing I did not like was that the app encouraged me to sign up for a free trial before I could access some of its features, which I was not comfortable doing. Instead of spending more time trying to figure out the app, I decided to search the internet for information about satellites that had recently passed over Ireland. I found this approach much easier and was able to get the information I needed more quickly.
Here are five satellites that have passed over Ireland recently and what they have been doing.
The International Space Station (ISS) has been carrying astronauts who are doing science experiments, testing new technology and learning how people live in space for long periods.
Sentinel-2A has been taking detailed pictures of Earth to help track forests, farms, rivers and changes in the environment.
EIRSAT-1, Ireland’s first satellite, has been testing new space technology and carrying out scientific experiments to help Irish researchers gain experience in building and operating satellites.
NOAA-20 has been collecting weather data from around the world, helping forecasters predict storms and improve daily weather reports.
A Starlink satellite has been orbiting overhead as part of the huge Starlink network, providing internet connections to people in remote places where fast broadband is harder to get.
They all have different jobs but each one helps scientists learn more about our planet, improve technology and make life better for people here on Earth.Hi David, these are some really good ideas. I also found Home to be a very powerful film. The aerial footage is amazing and really grabs your attention from the start. It would definitely get children talking about climate change and why it’s important to look after our planet.
I especially liked your idea of comparing healthy forests with deforested land because it’s such a simple but effective way to help children understand the impact people can have on the environment. The class campaign and pledge are great ideas too, as they encourage pupils to think about small changes they can make in school and at home. I also think the links with Art and English would work really well. Creating artwork inspired by the film or writing a diary entry from the Earth’s point of view would give children a chance to be creative while exploring the topic. Overall, I think this film is a brilliant resource for starting meaningful conversations about climate change in a way that is engaging and suitable for primary classrooms.Before watching the “Home” video, I would begin by asking the children if they have ever noticed changes in the weather, such as hotter summers, heavier rain or stronger storms. I would explain that the video is about climate change, which is the Earth’s climate changing over a long period of time. I would tell them that scientists have found the Earth is getting warmer because people burn fuels like coal, oil and gas, which release gases that trap heat in the atmosphere. I would encourage the children to watch carefully and think about what is causing these changes, how they affect people, animals, and plants, and what we can do to help. I would remind them that weather is what happens from day to day, while climate describes the usual weather over many years. After the video, I would ask the children to share one new fact they learned and one action they could take to help the environment. I would finish by reminding them that even small actions, like recycling, saving energy and caring for nature, can make a positive difference when everyone works together.
I would use the Greta Thunberg video to introduce the idea of speaking up for the environment. Before watching, I would explain who Greta Thunberg is and ask the children to listen for her main message. Afterwards, I would discuss why protecting the planet is important and encourage the class to share simple ways they can help, such as recycling, saving energy and reducing waste.Hi David.
I really enjoyed reading your post and I like how you have planned the lesson in a way that builds on the children’s prior knowledge before introducing new ideas. I think starting with the Paxi video would be a great hook as it would get the children thinking and asking questions. The jigsaw approach is also a brilliant idea as it gives each child a sense of responsibility for their own learning while encouraging teamwork and discussion. I especially liked the idea of each group sharing a “wow factor” at the end, as this would help make the learning memorable.
Using the WEMC TEAL Tool would also be a great way to bring real-world data into the classroom and help children see how climate and energy issues are connected globally. It sounds like a really engaging and meaningful learning experience for the children which I’m sure they will love doing.
I really liked the video on the greenhouse effect. It explains the greenhouse effect in a simple and engaging way that primary pupils can understand. I would use it as a starting point for class discussions about climate change, global warming and how our everyday actions can impact the environment.
To build on the video, I would include some hands-on activities. One activity could involve children placing thermometers in two clear jars, covering one with cling film and leaving the other open, to observe how heat can become trapped. I would also get pupils to create mini climate reports, using weather data collected from a school weather station and present their findings to the class. Another idea would be a recycling investigation where children track the amount of waste produced in school and suggest ways to reduce it. These activities would make the learning more practical and meaningful. I think the resource could include more ideas like these to encourage active learning.
I really enjoyed reading your post David. I agree that the ESA resources are so practical and easy to use in the classroom. I loved your idea of using children’s birthdays to introduce weather and climate – it’s such a simple way to get everyone talking and thinking. The idea of having weather monitors is brilliant too, as it gives the children real responsibility and keeps them involved every day. I also liked how you linked the activities with other subjects, especially Maths and Art. Your class will definitely have great fun with these activities and I’m sure they’ll learn loads along the way!
After reading Liston (2018), I see STEM as much more than teaching Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths as separate subjects. It’s about helping children make connections through practical, hands-on activities and real-life problem-solving. In my classroom, STEM happens when pupils work together to investigate ideas, build, create, test and use technology to support their learning. I try to encourage curiosity, creativity and teamwork while giving children opportunities to think critically and learn from mistakes. I also encourage them to try out everyone’s ideas even if they are different to what others might think. Time is often a big constraint to doing this as often as I would like.
I thought the ESA resources were straightforward and gave plenty of ideas that I could actually use in the classroom. The activities explaining the difference between weather and climate were clear and would help children understand the topic without it feeling too complicated. I’d like to set up a simple weather station outside so the class could record the weather each day and look for patterns over time. It would be a nice way to develop STEM skills through measuring, recording results, using digital tools and discussing findings. I could also share the class’s work at assemblies or on a school display board so other classes could get involved and compare their own observations.
I absolutely agree Kathleen, as a society we definitely are over focused on ‘bad’ food and we should try to avoid them as much as possible. I was taken aback one day in class when we were talking about milk and it’s benefits. We then began talking about the different types of milk and one of the children referred to ‘girls milk.’ When I asked further they said ‘the pink one’ which of course was skimmed milk. They then said they wouldn’t drink it for another few years but would when they were a teenager. I found this absolutely shocking. Children need to be educated as to the benefits of eating certain types of food and see that actually we can get all the nutrients we need from the food we eat.
We are also a Green School, our focus this year has been to reduce packaging waste, where the green school committee have been keeping track of the amount of packaging our school lunches. We have noticed that there is an over all trend to reduce the amount of cling-film, tinfoil etc.
Luckily we are in the position to promote walking, cycling etc to school and some of the older children have divided into cycling groups where they call for each other on the way to school and all come down together.
I live in what was once a small village on the Meath/Kildare border but it is getting bigger and bigger by the year. As part of a county-wide renewal scheme, the village received €500,000 to refurbish the old parish hall, which had fallen into a state of disrepair, into a versatile community facility, promoting social sustainability and reducing the environmental impact of new construction. The aim is to create a modern, accessible hub with improved heating, wiring, which can benefit the whole community.
The village is also involved in The Town Centre First initiative, this aims to revitalise the centre of the village by focusing on creating a vibrant and attractive place for living, working, and visiting. This involves addressing challenges like dereliction and vacant properties, and improving the overall environment to encourage more activity in the town centre. The committee also want people to become more active in their own community and take an interest in what is going on around them.
In my own school we have developed close links with the Tidy Towns committee who regularly come into school to do planting and gardening. They take the classes on historical walks in the village and encourage them to become involved in town clean-ups etc.Well, I know I’d start this classroom lesson as a complete hypocrite because I wouldn’t be the best seafood eater myself even though I am well aware of the many nutritional benefits found in the different fish.
I’d probably start by getting the class looking up the many omega-3 fatty acids, high-quality protein, vitamins like D and B12, and essential minerals such as iodine and selenium that are found in seafood. They could then do some research into why these are good for us. Learning about the benefits of different foods can sometimes change how we look at them and doing this research can help children see how seafood is a valuable part of a balanced diet, especially for brain and heart health.
It’s a great way to tie in science with real life. Students can explore where their food comes from and how nutrients affect the body. It might even get them to see that food is more than just fuel, it impacts how we feel, think, and perform. If like our school, you are lucky enough to have cooking facilities it might be nice to try making some simple fish dishes as a class, fish cakes, fish pie etc.Having looked at the online lessons and resources developed for the ARC I can see many useful concepts and skills that I could try to incorporate into my classroom. The first video with Professor O Mara would be a useful introduction to group based projects on different farming techniques at sea. Each group could be given a different fish-muscles, oysters, salmon etc to research during IT sessions and maybe make a GoogleSlide/PowerPoint presentation on what they learned. They could then present these to the whole class. Working together on these projects would surely cover all aspects of STEM. If they compared figures of fish farming in Ireland over the years or fish farming figures in Ireland to those globally this could incorporate a maths element to the project. They could also include figures of species that might be considered to be over-fished in Irish waters and what measures we are taking to prevent this to include an “environmental awareness and care,” aspect to the project. In regard to STEM education and SSE the school could review the practises that are working well in the school and set new targets for areas of STEM to focus on for the coming school year/years.