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Hi Robert, I tried to use the apps to track some of the Satellites but to no avail. I would have really enjoyed tracking these satellites. I find it so interesting that they are obirting us daily and that we are oblivious to what they are doing and when they are passing us! Thank you for naming the satellites and describing what they do!
I downloaded the app Satellite Tracker and I found it very difficult to use. I tired to track a few different satellites that were passing over Ireland over the period of 24 hours but I was unsure how the app worked correctly.
I found the ESA “Nose High Up in the Sky” resource engaging, well structured and classroom-ready. The teacher guide clearly sequences learning objectives, background science (atmosphere layers, air pressure, basic aeronautics) and suggested timings; pupil activities are hands-on, inquiry-focused and use low-cost materials—ideal for primary settings. Activities that build models (paper planes, simple wind tunnels) and observational tasks (measuring lift, tracking flight paths) effectively combine physics, data collection and design thinking, making STEM tangible and playful.
Strengths: clear learning progression from concrete exploration to explanation; strong cross-curricular links (science, maths, literacy); detailed safety notes and differentiation suggestions; pupil worksheets scaffold prediction, observation and reflection well; extension tasks for more able pupils (calculations, redesign challenges) support deeper inquiry. The ESA imagery and contextual notes about real-world applications (satellites, atmospheric research) enhance relevance and motivation.
Improvements: include printable larger-format templates for younger learners, and a simple rubric for assessing design/process skills.
This is a great question. Our school completed something similar this year. We have a Green Schools Committee, and they held an activity day in the hall this year where they had a range of activities for the other students in the school to participate in. Activities included sorting waste, single use plastics and recycling batteries. The students in the school found it very informative and beneficial.
Research question:
How has the average daily maximum temperature at our school changed over the past 10 years, and what possible effects could these changes have on pupils’ outdoor playtimes and the school garden?I would introduce the question with a short class discussion: ask pupils what they notice about weather now vs. years ago and how it affects them (play, plants). Co-create hypotheses (e.g., “summers are hotter,” “plants need more water”) to build ownership. Practical participation steps:
Roles: rotate pupils as observers, data-recorders, graph-makers, and presenters so everyone contributes to different skills (science, maths, literacy, ICT).
Data collection: combine existing sources (local meteorological station or online historical datasets) with current school measurements (daily max temperature logged for a term). Use simple thermometers or digital sensors; provide paper logs and a shared spreadsheet for older pupils.
Analysis: teach pupils to calculate weekly means and plot line graphs; older groups can compute 10-year averages and percentage change. Use visual supports (coloured charts, templates) for younger pupils.
Cross-curricular links: writing (reports), art (posters), citizenship (action plans to reduce heat stress).
Assessment & motivation: short reflective prompts, group presentations, and a classroom action (change planting schedule or create a hydration poster) to show real-world outcomes. Concerns: historical data access may be limited—use facility to approximate with nearest station; ensure device access by offering low-tech options. This project supports enquiry skills, data literacy and school improvement evidence for SSEI too thought about the HOME video and the impact that it might have on some children. It is a very visually strong video where the reality on climate change is clearly seen, I would have some concerns showing this full video to some of the children in my class.
Yes I think that is a great idea to start with before introducing the PAXI lesson. I think it is important that the children have a good understanding of how this contributes to the green house effect.
Yes I really like the easy to use lesson plan. The children in my class would really like working as weather detectives to explore and record different types of weather. And again these lesson support cross curricular planning, which will make learning about data, more engaging and fun for the children.
I found the video “HOME”, a very powerful and visually rich film that demonstrates and connects human activity to the changes in the plant and the impact these changes have on our planet. The video deomonstrates the impact of climate change on the world and the consequences of climate change on the planet, making it visually clear and informative for children.
To introduce these facts to pupils I would:
- Begin with a short, age-appropriate excerpt from HOME (2–4 minutes) focused on a clear image or story—avoid overwhelming younger children with the full film. Ask a single open question: “What did you notice?” to surface ideas and emotions.
- Follow with the Paxi video to explain greenhouse gases simply, then use the prediction tool or a classroom simulation to let pupils test “what if” scenarios.
- Use local examples and pupil experiences (recent weather, school grounds) to make impacts relevant and actionable.
- Build empathy and agency: include a brainstorming session on small, achievable actions (school energy, waste, planting) and turn one into a class project.
- Scaffold emotionally: provide time to express concerns, use positive framing around solutions, and differentiate tasks (drawing, role-play, data work) by age/ability.
- Assess understanding with a short exit task: draw or write one cause, one effect, and one action they can take.
Activity 3 (Paxi video on greenhouse gases and future-temperature prediction tool) is engaging and effective for introducing causes of warming and the consequences of emissions choices.
The Paxi video explains greenhouse gases simply and accessibly for primary pupils with a visual and clear explaination on how the green house effect is occurring and the impact of the green hose effect on the world around us.
The prediction tool then makes the abstract concept of the impact of the green house effect more concrete to learners by letting students test scenarios and see temperature trajectories. It provides a hands on learning experience for the students to consolidate their learning in a practical activity.
I would use these ideas in my classroom by:
- Starting with the Paxi video as a shared whole-class stimulus and brief. Followed with a whole class discussion (What are greenhouse gases? How do they affect Earth?).
- I would then, in small groups, let pupils use the prediction tool with guided scenarios (e.g., “what if emissions keep rising?” vs “what if we reduce emissions?”). Allowing each group records predicted temperature changes and creates a simple poster or graph.
- Hold a gallery walk and whole-class comparison to build data literacy (reading graphs, comparing trajectories) and link to local impacts (flooding, heatwaves).
- Follow with action-focused tasks: design one school or home action to reduce emissions and measure expected impact qualitatively.
I think that the use and implementation of these tools in my classroom would benefit the learning styles of the children and their interests as the activities are:
- Child-friendly explanation (video).
- Interactive prediction tool fosters inquiry, hypothesis-testing, and numeracy.
- Clear visual feedback connects choices to outcomes—great for causal reasoning and debate.
Additions to activity 3 when being used in my class:
- I would provide screenshots of key prediction outputs and a paper-based scenario activity for student who have difficulty using devices/technology
- Include differentiation and different methodologies to suit the learning needs of all children in the class
- Provide this children with self assessment to understand their level of understanding of the lessons provided
Having read Liston, and completed Activities 1 and 2 from the Weather and Climate resource, I found both activities effective for developing scientific thinking and cross-curricular skills that I could use and be adapted in my classroom, providing the children in my class with hands on activities to support their thinking and learning experiences.
Activity 1,
“Is it weather or climate?”
This activity uses clear, contextual examples that help learners distinguish short-term atmospheric conditions from long-term patterns. Pupils engaged well with the sorting task and follow-up discussion; connecting statements to local events made the abstract distinction concrete.
Activity 2
“Weather Detectives”, promoted observational skills and basic data-handling as pupils recorded temperature, precipitation, wind, and cloud cover over short intervals. The worksheet guided them to notice patterns and start making simple inferences, which is a good bridge to introducing concepts of variability and measurement error.
In my classroom I would use Activity 1 as an introductory lesson and link it to current local weather reports.
I would use Activity 2 as a class-wide project: small groups keep daily logs for several weeks, then pool data for graphs, calculate simple averages, and compare to online historical records—adding maths and digital literacy to the science focus.
To extend the children’s learning and understanding I would cross curricular plan activities to include: printable data tables, differentiation options, STEM activities for the hands on learners, a simple rubric for observation and data interpretation.
Activity Set: The Sun and Shadows
From the activities above I would like to explore the Sun and Shadows Activities.
The children in my class have really enjoyed the introduction of STEM and STEAM activities during Science lessons during the school year. They also really benefit from the inclusions of hands on and practical activities and experiments. I think the children in my class would really enjoy the trancing their shadow activity, focusing on the movement of their bodies on the hour, and how the height and shape of their bodies change with each passing hour. This would be very beneficial for the visual learners in my class. I also think the children in my class would really enjoy the sun dial activity. Creating their own sun dial and exploring how during the day, sunlight changes. This would also be a lovely activity to plan cross curricular with History and the history of time telling.Hi my name is Enya Roche. I am teaching in a Special School in a Junior ASD class. The children in my class really enjoy engaging science lessons and learning about space. I have recently started to include STEM and STEAM lessons as part of our science lessons.
The fact that I found interesting is who Astronauts travel to space, how they eat and survive! WE have watched some lovely videos this year in school that the children really enjoyed.
This is my mind map! https://miro.com/welcomeonboard/WldqQlMzdmd4bXlqYXBwd0x1bWg0QzRPQzFBbmZIWDVPR2xLbE55M3hZdWY4U1A2QlkyTnBTemV4TUZZZkJXYnwzNDU4NzY0NTI5ODExNzIwMDY5?share_link_id=891890093895
For my module one assignment I would like to explore how insulation works and how important it is to living things to help them survive in the winter and in colder climates. To begin I would show the children pictures of different types of animals, some that live on land with fur, others that live in the water. We would discuss how these animals survives in the colder months and how their fur and skin and body fat help to keep them warm. We would also discuss how we keep warm during the colder winter months. For the experiment, I would present the children with 2 bottles of water that I have previously frozen with 2 different food colours, so that it would be easy for the children to differentiate. I would explain to the children that the water is frozen and that we are going to predict which bottle of water would defrost first. I would wrap one bottle in a blanket, while keeping the other bottle expose to the natural elements of the classroom and the environment around out. I would write on the board Bottle 1 and Bottle 2- and get the children to predict which bottle will melt first giving reasons for their answers. We would put the bottles in the same location in the classroom so that the results are fair. We would conduct this experiment over the course of the day. We would then examine the results of the experiment and discuss why and how the ice melted at different rates. We would discuss the importance of insulation and the different types of insulation, fur, hair, fat.