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The impacts of climate change are increasingly affecting County Kildare, with more frequent heavy rainfall and flooding, especially near rivers like the River Liffey. Warmer winters and drier summers are disturbing crop growth and reducing biodiversity. Local wildlife, including birds, insects, and native plants are all under threat due to shifting temperatures and changing habitats.
To engage primary school pupils with climate change in a meaningful way, we need to make lessons personal to our students so they can relate climate change to their own lives. I will encourage students to focus on our locality and the observations they can make. By making learning about climate change fun and relevant students will be more actively engaged. Making lessons active and visual will also promote engagement such as having as engaging in “Climate Detectives” project. This could involve students tracking daily weather and comparing it with past patterns using simple charts and graphs. Nature walks and habitat studies in local parks or rivers allow pupils to observe the real effects of climate change, such as flooding marks or tree health. Connecting their observations and findings to action, such as having them source and arrange relevant local guest speakers like farmers or environmentalists, can provide opportunities for real-life insights.
Involving creativity and team work such as; green school projects activities like; building bug hotels, planting native flowers, COW or WOW Days (cycle on Wednesdays or Walk on Wednesdays) or creating climate awareness posters, encourage teamwork and environmental responsibility.
To help slow climate change, students can take action by planting trees, reducing waste through recycling and no-waste lunchboxes, and saving energy by turning off lights and taps. Children can be chosen to be monitors to supervise this to give them a sense of responsibility. These activities help children connect locally with global issues, empowering them to protect their environment starting in their own community.
Yes, I agree. The impact of climate change in Ireland in recent years can’t be ignored. The Beast from the East in 2018 and Storm Éowyn in January of this year being the most memorable. The extensive damage, widespread electricity outages and disruption to water supplies are stark warnings that we need to act now to prevent worse effects in the future.
Likewise in Kildare, a long with the national organisations active in Ireland there are also a number of organisations actively supporting refugees and asylum seekers in County Kildare including; County Kildare LEADER Partnership – AMIF Kildare Integration Project, Helping Irish Hosts (partnering with Irish Refugee Council, Nasc, Doras, Irish Red Cross, and Open Community to support hosting in Kildare) and Teach Tearmainn (Safe Ireland members).
I think the main way my school can take action to support refugees and help welcome them to the community is to foster empathy and understanding in our students regarding the true circumstances of refugees. The resource “Brothers Across Borders” (https://brothersacrossborders.com/en/) from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies is a fantastic resource in assisting students to gain a real-world insight and connection with the reality of life for many refugees in Ireland today. It is an interactive film exploring the Syrian refugee crisis through the story of Ismael, a 21-year-old searching for his brother Muhammed in Turkey. The film prompts users to make choices that affect Ismael’s journey and the fate of his family. I think this is a great opportunity for students to “walk in someone else’s “ before making judgements. A similar resource that I have found fantastic in developing compassion among my pupils is the Cafod: On the Move-A refugee simulation activity. Again, this is an activity designed to help students understand the experiences of refugees by “walking in their shoes”. This activity provides a really great stimulus for discussion and debate and ultimately helps students to gain empathy and understanding for refugees and their struggles. Both these activities go beyond students simply reading statistics and facts about refugees from a book or watching a video. They provide an immersive experience allowing for a deeper emotional connection to the refugee experience. By gaining a better understanding of the refugee experience, students may be more motivated to support organizations working with refugees, advocate for policies that protect refugees, and challenge negative stereotypes. Linking this to class novels addressing issues relating to refugees such as books that I have mentioned in a previous posts i.e. New Girl by Sinéad Moriarty, The Boy at the Back of the Class by Onjali Q.Rauf and Shadow by Michael Morpurgo are lovely relatable stories that can show students that they can take action and make a difference.
Great idea to partner with Irish Water or environmental groups to host workshops and visits to water treatment plants. Thanks for sharing.
I would explore the Sustainable Development Goal of Clean Water and Sanitation with my class. I would have students break into groups to research and learn about different water issues within our locality and nationally such as;
-significant water disruptions after storms, like those that occurred following Storm Éowyn in January 2025. At its peak, Storm Éowyn left approximately 140,000 households without water. Full restoration of water supplies took time in many areas with households and businesses experiencing disruptions for several days. Alternative water supplies, such as water tankers, had to be deployed in some areas. Storm Éowyn highlighted the vulnerability of Ireland’s infrastructure to extreme weather events.
– water pollution (from agriculture, sewage, or plastics).
– Drinking water supply issues leading to boil water notices are issued for various reasons, including bacterial contamination and THM levels (a disinfection byproduct), and some notices remain in place for extended periods.
-Water scarcity caused by a mixture of low reservoir levels, prolonged dry spells, high water demand due to a growing population and economic expansion particularly during hot weather spells resulting in hose bans for gardens, washing cars and outdoor play activites etc.
From our studies of local and national water issues we would extend our study to global issues. I would encourage students to develop empathy for those living in other parts of the world and to recognise and make the connection that globally, children in vulnerable regions face more severe consequences relating to water and sanitation i.e. from food insecurity due to droughts to displacement from climate-related disasters,
To encourage my students to take action to support the SDGs in Ireland in support of ESD to 2030 Priority Action Area 5: Accelerating Local Level Actions I would focus on making achievable goals with my students such as; creating posters highlighting the importance of water conservation for inclusion in the school newsletter, present their findings at a whole school assembly and set a challenge; such as reducing water waste at school/home, students can take responsibility for inspecting and monitoring taps and toilets around the school for leaks or wastage and report to the caretaker. write impact stories regarding how clean water and sanitation affect those locally, nationally and globally, role play or create drama’s depicting life without clean water and create songs or poems regarding the importance of clean water and sanitation for all. I would encourage children to consider the global impact by supporting global water projects e.g. run a whole school event such as simulating what it’s like to walk for water i.e. carry buckets around the yard to raise awareness, organize a bake sale or civvies day to support charities like WaterAid or UNICEF, connect with a school in a country facing water scarcity and establish penpals.
I also have experience of similar situations where I have received similar responses like “that’s a boys job” or “girls don’t do that”. I have found this to particularly prevalent across some cultures and backgrounds. I have found this difficult to navigate at times. I always want to be mindful and respectful or all children’s familial beliefs and customs and I want to be careful for children not to be overwhelmed and conflicted by mixed messages from home and school.
Completing this module has really helped me to reflect on my own practice as a teacher and how my own gender stereotypes are unintentionally imbedded in my own day to day practices and teaching i.e. things like asking “all the boys to line up together and all the girls line up together”/choosing girls for tidying up, organising or creating art displays and choosing boys to do heavy lifting activities such as moving desks or gathering and replacing P.E. equipment.
I need to be aware of how this can shape my student’s attitudes, behaviours and aspirations for the future and the significant implications this can have on their development and learning. These stereotypes can influence children’s self-image and confidence. I can see how this could lead students to avoid actively participating in certain subjects or activities if they have gained the feeling that they are less capable or it is less “gender appropriate” for them to participate in an area. These gender stereotypes may cause children to feel pressured to hide any perceived shortcomings, preventing them from seeking assistance and support and ultimately falling behind and falling into the trap of the “self-fulfilling prophecy”. This could create huge anxiety and isolation for those who don’t fit the mould as such.
Instances in the class where I have seen these stereotypes being typically apparent is during school shows or plays such as the Christmas nativity. For example, a girl being chosen for, what may typically be perceived as a male role or vice versa i.e. to be chosen as one of the 3 Kings has caused unease and distress between students and parents alike. I found this issue to be more prevalent among the junior classes; junior to 2nd and 5th and 6th classes. I’m assuming this is an innocence among the younger classes and a self-consciousness among the older classes, again a reflection of the ingrained gender stereotypes children are exposed to from a young age. I think simply reflecting on our own practices and being conscious of not reinforcing our own unintentional stereotypes will go a long way to help combatting these stereotypes.
I agree it is important to give our students the opportunities to care and have empathy with others. I have found that using novels to help students to gain an insight into the lives of others less fortunate can be a nice stimulus to promote discussion and understanding. Books that my 5th and 6th classes have enjoyed in recent years are; New Girl by Sinéad Moriarty, Shadow by Michael Morpurgo, The Boy at the Back of the Class by Onjali Q.Rauf, No Country by Joe Brady, Danny Chung Does Not Do Maths by Maisie Chan and The Boy Who Made Everyone Laugh by Helen Rutter.
I enjoyed the positive tone of Ehigie’s paper. He referenced Dr Martin Luther King Jr: the ‘arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice’ (Knight, 2021: 15). Ehigie states his belief; “I solemnly believe it can also be attributed to the impetus that is found in the activism of many of today’s young people. This impetus has enabled a significant number of today’s youth, and wider society, to recognise their role as global citizens, and play their part in positively bringing the global village forward, ethically”. This reminds me of how my role as an educator can inspire my students and how my choice of lessons can shape their understanding of global interconnectedness, diversity, climate change, inequality and human rights. His paper focuses on understanding, feeling, and acting which aligns with the principle of teaching to connect the head, heart and hands outlined in the Module 1 slides. Development Education equips students with factual knowledge, but rather than simply limiting them to just acquiring this knowledge it encourages students to connect classroom learning to real-world issues and take action. This classroom learning could be extended to promoting whole school initiatives such as reducing waste, fair-trade initiatives, litter picking, walk or cycle to school days, creating petitions, hosting school events showcasing music, dance, food, and stories from diverse cultures or having virtual pan pals to learn about other children from around the world’s daily lives. Children could take ownership and responsibility for leading these activities.
I like the idea of connecting their research to their everyday lives. I hadn’t thought I linking my research topic of how car dependency and urban sprawl is increasing green house emissions and how this could be connected to those who suffer from asthma or allergies. This would be another interesting aspect to add to our investigation. Thanks!
The research question I would investigate with my class would relate to transportation and Emissions. The climate issue would be regarding how car dependency and urban sprawl in Co. Kildare may be increasing greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to climate change. I would have a whole class discussion with the children regarding what our main research focus will be. I would have the children break into smaller groups to brainstorm how we are going to pose our question in their own words and then come back as a class to agree on our main research question i.e. “How does using lots of cars and building more houses in Kildare affect the air and the climate?” Again, we will break into small groups and brainstorm and define the scope and focus of our investigation i.e. Local relevance: Such as will we focus on one town only or nearby towns like Naas, Celbridge, or Newbridge where many people drive to school or work. Climate link: More cars = more greenhouse gases = warmer planet. Observable aspects: Number of cars at school, traffic at drop-off/pick-up times, green space vs. new housing areas. We will again break into groups and agree what data each group will be responsible for collecting bearing in mind differentiation and ability. Some pupil-friendly data collection ideas could include:
-Traffic tallies: Count how many cars arrive at school each morning.
-Travel survey: Ask classmates how they get to school (walk, bike, car, bus).
-Map activity: Draw or mark on a map where everyone lives and how far they travel.
-Photo diary: Take pictures of green areas vs. built-up areas (with permission).
-CO₂ comparison chart: Show how much CO₂ cars make compared to walking or cycling (simple visual aids).
-Utilise information from the EO browser for more tech competent children.
We will then analyse our collected data through a variety of methods such as:
-Bar charts or pictograms to show how many students use each type of transport.
-Compare car use to the number of students who walk or cycle.
-Look for patterns: “Do children who live nearby still come by car?”
-Use simple math to estimate CO₂ based on number of cars (with teacher guidance).
We will then share our findings with parents, other classes, or in assembly. We could create a display wall in a prominent area in our school, create a podcast on our findings or create a report for the school newsletter or create.
Yes, it’s really interesting to see how many satellites there are. I used the Orbit Tracker App. I’m looking forward to using this App with my students next year. I think they will really enjoy tracking actual satellites. It is fascinating to see how many satellites have passed over Ireland recently. I think this will really boost the children’s interest by making the topic more relatable. It will give students a real world connection to space exploration.
I used the Orbit Tracker App. Five satellites that I found that have passed over Ireland recently were:
1. The Alos diachi satellite:
Was designed to create detailed topographic maps of the Earth’s surface. It played a crucial role in monitoring and assessing damage caused by natural disasters like earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions. ALOS’s operational phase ended in May 2011 due to a power anomaly, likely caused by a meteoroid impact, according to Wikipedia. While the satellite remains in orbit, it is no longer functioning and is considered “dead”.
2. EIRSAT‑1: Ireland’s very first satellite, a 2U CubeSat launched December 1, 2023. It’s built by UCD and ESA to test Irish technology in orbit.
3. Cosmos 2228:
Was a Russian military satellite, part of the ELINT (electronic intelligence) system. Its main purpose was to detect, locate, and analyze radio signals from various sources, including potential enemy military activities. Cosmos 2228 is no longer actively functioning or serving its intended purpose and is now considered space debris, according to satellite tracking sites.
4. DELTA 2 R/B (1):
Refers to a rocket body (R/B) from a Delta II rocket launch. Specifically, the “1” indicates it’s the first stage or core of the rocket. These rocket bodies are often tracked as space debris after their operational satellites have been deployed. After a satellite or other payload is deployed, the rocket body (including the first stage) often becomes space debris, unless it is designed to deorbit or maneuver to a safe orbit.
5. Meteosat‑11:
A geostationary weather satellite operated by EUMETSAT. It scans Ireland roughly every 15 minutes, providing infrared and visible imagery crucial for real-time weather monitoring, cloud tracking, and precipitation forecasting
The film HOME is a powerful, evocative and thought-provoking account of the global issue of climate change. I think it would be a powerful tool to utilise within the classroom setting to raise awareness among pupils regarding the serious environmental problems and damage caused by human activity in recent times. I can’t avoid addressing my initial feeling of being unsettled by the content. I found the overall tone of the film disturbing and alarming at times, even as an adult. I found myself questioning whether the scenes and images of environmental damage, such as bush fires, flooding, drought etc could be overwhelming especially for younger and more sensitive children and what age level and what setting would ultimately be the best way to use this video. I think this will be dictated by the class group each year. But, overall, I think it is an important message that children must be made aware of. It highlighted to me not to let the starkness of the message allow me as an educator to shy away from addressing it. I like how the movie has a clear and simple timeline for children to understand how this issue has evolved over time. I would use the video to show children the beauty of the Earth and to encourage the children to think on a larger scale beyond our own locality and country. I think it will be useful to help children to comprehend the impact of environmental issues around the world and how lucky we are to be living in the Western World. I hope that this would help to build empathy and a sense of responsibility among my pupils towards people living in other climates. I think the visual imagery from HOME will be more impactful that just reading this information and facts from a textbook. Greta Thunberg’s speech is an eye opening and passionate reaction to these issues and an excellent way of relating that this is an issue for all, not just an adult problem. I think seeing a young person like themselves reacting and taking action will be a inspiration to them that they also have a voice too. I think that ending any lesson about climate change on a positive note such as sharing success stories i.e. reforestation projects, renewable energy innovations, youth-led movements etc. will emphasize that change is possible and that students can be part of making a change.