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A well-known scientist linked to Dublin (originally from Waterford) is Ernest Walton, an Irish physicist who, together with John Cockcroft, managed to split the atom back in 1932. They won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1951—making Walton the only Irish person to ever win a Nobel in science. There are endless classroom activities that could be prompted by his work.
Voltage Climber” – Exploring Electricity
Investigation Theme: Voltage and energy transfer.Activity:
Build circuits and measure voltage increases with series connections of batteries
Activity:
Have students research Walton’s life and contributions and present them as a creative story, poster, or skit.
Connect scientific ideas to real people and real challenges, highlighting Walton’s perseverance and innovation.“Be a Particle Physicist” – Model the Atom
Investigation Theme: Atomic structure and forces.Activity:
Use ball-and-stick models to build atomic structures.
Simulate nuclear reactions with colored beads representing protons and neutrons.
Discuss forces within the nucleus and what happens during fission and fusion.I think it is great to connect someone of interest from the students own local county with classroom experiments.
Students are challenged to design and build a model bridge that can:
Span a specific gap
Hold a minimum or specified weight
Use a range of materialsMaths element:
Use scale drawings
Calculate perimeter/area of bridge components.
Use ratios and proportion for design comparisons.
Record and analyse test data
Use geometryIntro:
Show pictures/videos of Birr Castle bridge or local bridges.
Discuss: What makes a bridge strong? What materials are used? How are bridges tested?
Introduce the design challenge and success criteria.Research & Design
In groups, students research types of bridges.
Sketch and label their designs.
Estimate and measure materials.Build Phase
Provide materials and allow time for testing and tweaking.
Record measurements throughout construction.
Document decisions and problem-solving.Test & Evaluate
Each bridge is tested
Results are recorded on a class chart or leaderboard.
Reflect on what worked well and how they could improve.Presentation
Groups present their designs and test outcomes.
Use graphs to show weight held, materials used, or time taken.Hi Megan, I love the idea of using Dublin’s landmarks and different bridges for the lesson. It lends itself to lots of integration from a history and geography angle as well.
Students will observe, track, and document biodiversity in the local environment across the a chosen season, understanding how ecosystems change and adapt over time. They will develop scientific inquiry skills, utilize digital tools, and connect their observations to real-world environmental issues.
Resources:
– Physical resources such as bug collecting kits, insect magnifiers etc.
– Observation Logs for students to record species and environmental data (weather conditions, species observed, behavior, location, etc.).
– Seasonal Biodiversity Checklist: A list of key species to look out for each season, such as wildflowers, birds, insects, mammals, and amphibians.
Field Journal for sketches, notes, and reflections on what students observe during each outing.
– Activity Sheets for challenges like the Minibeast Safari Challenge or Spring Diary Challenge.Outdoor Learning:
Gardening for Biodiversity video clip: Teach students how gardens can support biodiversity, and if possible, set up a winter wildlife garden with bird feeders and shelters for insects and small animals.
Robby the Christmas Robin: Share the story to talk about winter birds, especially robins, and their behavior in colder months.
Digital Tools:Birdwatch Ireland Garden Bird Survey: Have students track the birds they see in their local environment and participate in the annual bird count. They can observe and record data about winter bird species.
Recording & Integration:Observation Logs: Focus on species that are active during the winter, including birds, mammals, and any surviving plants.
Math: Graph bird species sightings over the month to look for patterns.
Science: Discuss animal adaptations to cold and how different species manage in winter.I think Lora’s idea of jam making is a fantastic activity and a great connection from theory and learning to real life.
Activity: Have students map their own classroom. Give them paper, and ask them to draw a simple map of the classroom layout. Remind them to include features like doors, windows, tables, and the teacher’s desk.
Discussion:
As they draw, ask questions like:“Where is the door? Where is the window?”
“How can we show the direction of the door (north)?”
Incorporating Scale:
For added challenge, students can estimate how far objects are from each other and include a scale on their map (e.g., 1 cm = 1 meter).Google Maps Exploration:
Project Google Maps on the screen and walk students through zooming in and out, using the satellite view, and identifying key landmarks in their local area. You could choose a place near the school or a well-known city to examine.Activity:
Have students pick a location they are familiar with (like a park, zoo, or library) and use Google Maps to find it. Ask them to note what features they see in the satellite view (buildings, roads, rivers, parks, etc.).
Geohive:
Introduce Geohive, an online tool that visualizes geographic data such as population, climate, or land use. Show students how to access different layers of data on the map (e.g., population density or terrain).Activity:
Ask students to pick a country or region on Geohive and explore its population, weather, or terrain. How do these maps look different from the ones they see in Google Maps? Discuss how different maps serve different purposes.Class Discussion:
Have each group share their maps with the class. Discuss what was easy or challenging about creating the maps. Ask questions like:“What features did you include in your map and why?”
“How did using Google Maps or Geohive help you understand more about the world?”
Wrap-Up:
To wrap up, summarize key points from the lesson. Reinforce the idea that maps are useful tools for understanding and navigating the world, and explain that there are many different types of maps based on what they are showing.Hi Megan,
I like the stepped approach to this mapping lesson and can see myself using something similar. Also love the use of incorporating ICT and using iPads.
Reflecting on Unravelling STEM: Beyond the Acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths by Liston (2018), it’s clear that the usual way of doing STEM — where subjects are kept separate and the focus is mainly on technical skills — is being questioned more and more. Liston pushes for a different approach: one that’s more connected, creative, and socially aware. He suggests that STEM education should go beyond just facts and formulas, encouraging students to think critically, engage with real-world issues, and explore how STEM can make a difference in society. This way of thinking really changes how we might look at what STEM actually means in the classroom.
In my classroom, I use project-based learning and hands-on activities to help students think critically and solve problems. But Liston’s paper points out that we need to go beyond just teaching science, technology, engineering, and math as separate subjects or even loosely connected ones. It pushes educators to rethink STEM as something more connected and inclusive, where all the subjects come together in a more integrated way.
Liston critiques how STEM is often treated as neutral or without any political influence. Looking at this, I see a gap in my own classroom where we don’t always connect STEM to bigger social or ethical issues. There’s a chance to bring in topics like sustainability, fairness, or how tech affects society. For example, when studying renewable energy, we could also talk about who can access these technologies and what barriers might be in the way.
The paper highlights how creativity should be a core part of STEM, not something extra. In my classroom, creativity often takes a back seat to focusing on precision and being “right.” I now realize how important it is to bring in the arts and humanities more intentionally, turning STEM into STEAM, to make learning richer and support different ways of thinking.
On inclusion and equity, Liston’s focus on social justice really stands out to me. While I try to make STEM accessible to all students, I can do more to challenge the idea of who “belongs” in STEM. This could mean being more thoughtful about the role models we show, whose contributions we highlight, and how we recognize different cultural ways of solving problems.
I definitely can see the value of using the student’s local area as a hook or connection to the satellite tracker.
EO Browser is a free, web-based tool that gives you access to real satellite images from missions like Sentinel and Landsat—all in just a few clicks. You can explore how landscapes, cities, or coastlines have changed over time, monitor weather events like floods or fires, or track vegetation health. It’s intuitive and doesn’t require any coding or technical skills. Whether you’re teaching geography, climate change, or STEM, it brings the Earth into your classroom—visually, interactively, and in real time.
Local Investigations
Students can view satellite imagery of their town or school from different years and discuss changes in land use, urban development, or deforestation.
They can create time-lapse animations using the ‘Compare’ and ‘Play Timelapse’ functions to see environmental change over time.Climate Change Case Studies
Use EO Browser to explore shrinking glaciers, rising sea levels, or forest fire scars globally.
Link visual data to real climate science and policy discussions.I love the investigation of school transport as part of the research question, I could definitely see that being a runner.
My research question is “What is the solution to climate change?”. I think the simplicity of this question would allow the students to examine our current efforts being undertaken in the combat of climate change. They could also look back at changes that have been made over the years and critically examine what and where we have gone wrong and what is proving to be effective to date. I think Greta’s Ted talk and speeches could be a great provocation for this activity. The students could also look at the school as a point of investigation for its carbon footprint and analyse the school day in terms of energy consumption. This could be done through whole class learning and also small group research using ICT. The children could start to brainstorm action or solutions at a class level and a school level, tying into our school’s Eco Team initiative at the same time. I think it would be very engaging and great that it could be an ongoing project.
