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Hi Alessandra, I think this is a really practical and meaningful research question for pupils as it allows them to see the direct impact of their own actions. I like the idea of beginning with a waste audit because it gives children real evidence to investigate rather than simply learning about waste reduction through discussion. I would encourage pupils to become “eco detectives” by exploring the types of waste they produce in their classroom and thinking about changes they could make. Activities such as creating posters, sorting rubbish, and setting up recycling stations would make the learning active and engaging. I also think sharing their findings with the wider school community would give pupils a sense of responsibility and achievement. It would help children understand that small daily choices, such as reusing materials and reducing waste, can make a positive difference in protecting our environment.
Research Question:
How can we make our school grounds a better home for insects and plants?Climate Issue:
Loss of biodiversity due to changes in habitats, pollution, and the impact of human activity on the natural environment.As a 1st class teacher, I would introduce this research question by encouraging pupils to become “Climate Detectives” and explore the living things that share our school environment. I would begin with a discussion about what children already know about insects, plants, and habitats, asking questions such as “Where do insects live?”, “What plants do bees and butterflies like?” and “What could we do to help nature in our school?”
Pupils would take part in outdoor investigations around the school grounds, working in small groups to observe and record what they find. They could use simple tally charts to count insects in different areas, compare spaces with lots of plants to areas with fewer plants, and observe which flowers attract the most insects. Children could take photographs, draw observations, and record changes over time.
To encourage participation, I would give each child a role within their group, such as “bug recorder”, “plant observer”, or “nature photographer”, so everyone feels involved. I would also make the learning practical by creating a class biodiversity action plan. This could include planting pollinator-friendly flowers, improving the bug hotel, creating a wild area, or caring for plants in the school grounds. By seeing the positive impact of their actions, pupils would understand that even small changes can help protect biodiversity and support a healthier planet.
Hi Sean, I found your list really interesting, especially the variety of purposes these satellites serve. I hadn’t realised that services we use every day, like the Emergency SOS feature on iPhones, rely on satellites such as GLOBALSTAR. It’s amazing to think about how satellites support communication, weather forecasting, and environmental monitoring, and I think pupils would be fascinated to learn about their everyday uses.
The Earth Observation (EO) is a fantastic resource that uses satellite images and data to help us better understand our planet. I would explain to a colleague, that it allows us to see real-life changes happening on Earth, such as deforestation, flooding, climate change, and urban development, from space. It makes environmental topics much more engaging because pupils can view actual images rather than simply reading about them in a textbook. In my own 1st class, I would use EO in a simple, age-appropriate way by showing before-and-after satellite images of forests, rivers, or local areas and encouraging pupils to discuss what they notice. This would develop observation, questioning, and critical thinking skills while linking with SESE, Geography, and Science. Combined with outdoor activities around our school grounds, EO would help children connect global environmental issues with their own local environment in a meaningful and memorable way.
Hi Rebecca,
I really like your focus on balancing the reality of climate change with positive actions pupils can take. I’ll be teaching 1st class next year, so I agree that practical, hands-on activities like planting and recycling are much more meaningful than overwhelming children with facts. Helping them see that their everyday choices can have a positive impact is a great way to build lifelong environmental awareness.
Watching Home followed by Greta Thunberg’s climate change speech provided a powerful overview of both the science behind climate change and the urgency of taking action. Home beautifully illustrates the interconnectedness of our planet, showing how human activity has affected ecosystems, biodiversity, and natural resources. Greta’s speech builds on this by giving a passionate voice to the consequences of climate change and highlighting the responsibility we all share in protecting our environment. While both resources are aimed at an older audience, they encouraged me to think about how I would introduce these ideas to my own 1st class pupils. I would focus on age-appropriate concepts such as caring for nature, reducing waste, recycling, saving energy, and looking after the plants and animals in our local environment. Through stories, outdoor learning, planting activities, and discussions about our school’s biodiversity projects, children can begin to understand that small actions can make a big difference. My aim would be to inspire curiosity and responsibility without creating fear, helping pupils develop positive habits that support a more sustainable future.
Hi Rachel,
I enjoyed reading your post, especially as I’ll also have 1st class next year. I agree that some of the vocabulary from the Pax video would need to be pre-taught to make it more accessible. I really like your idea of linking the activities to the Green Schools Biodiversity flag, as it makes the learning meaningful and hands-on. Pairing with an older class to use the TEAL tool is also a great way to build confidence and encourage collaborative learning.
Activity 3 was engaging and easy to follow, and I found the combination of the Paxi video and the future temperature prediction tool very effective. The Paxi video explained the greenhouse effect in a simple, child-friendly way, making a complex scientific concept easier to understand. The interactive temperature prediction tool helped demonstrate how different choices can affect future climate outcomes, encouraging critical thinking and discussion.
I could use this activity with my class by first showing the Paxi video to introduce greenhouse gases, followed by small group discussions about the causes and effects of climate change. Students could then use the prediction tool to explore different scenarios and compare the results. This would encourage inquiry-based learning and help develop digital literacy alongside scientific understanding.
One improvement could be to include more real-life examples of how climate change affects different parts of the world, helping pupils connect the topic to everyday life. It would also be beneficial to add short follow-up activities that encourage students to think about practical actions they can take at home or in school to reduce their environmental impact.
Hi Dolores, I really liked your point about STEM being integrated rather than taught as separate subjects. Your example of children designing and improving bridges clearly shows how science, engineering, and maths can work together in a meaningful way. It also highlights the importance of creativity and problem-solving, which are key messages from Liston’s paper.
After reading Unravelling STEM: Beyond the Acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (Liston, 2018), I reflected on how STEM is used in my own classroom. The paper reinforced that STEM is most effective when subjects are connected through real-life learning rather than taught separately. I think this is something I try to do, and these weather activities are a good example of how this can work.
I really enjoyed Activities 1 and 2. Is it Weather or Climate? helped pupils understand the difference between weather and climate in a simple and engaging way, while Weather Detectives encouraged observation, discussion, and recording data. I could see my class enjoying collecting weather information and comparing it over time. It also links well with maths through graphing and literacy through discussing and explaining findings.
One improvement would be to include an extension activity where pupils use tablets or online weather forecasts to compare their results with official data. I also think adding more opportunities for pupils to ask their own questions and investigate them would make the activities even more engaging. Overall, I found these lessons practical, enjoyable, and easy to adapt for my classroom.
Hi Dolores, this is a very engaging and imaginative lesson idea for First Class pupils. I like how the Alien Chemistry activity combines hands-on investigation with opportunities for prediction, observation and discussion. The use of familiar household materials makes the experiment accessible while still creating excitement and curiosity in the classroom. I also think the cross-curricular links with Mathematics, Oral Language, Visual Arts and creative writing add great value to the lesson and allow children to express their learning in different ways. Extending the activity through ESERO Ireland resources and Space Week is an excellent way to deepen interest in STEM and space.
To teach this lesson with infants, I would begin by introducing the idea of a rocket mouse and explaining that we will be using air to make it fly. The children would each have a clean milk carton, a paper cone (mouse) template, scissors, glue or tape, and colouring materials to decorate their mouse. First, the children would make and decorate the paper cone mouse and place it on top of the carton. I would then model how to carefully squeeze the milk carton so that the trapped air pushes the mouse upwards into the air.
Throughout the lesson, I would ask science-based questions such as: What do you think will happen when we squeeze the carton? Why does the mouse move? What is pushing it up? To extend the investigation, the children could test bigger and smaller cartons and compare how far each rocket mouse travels, helping them explore forces, air pressure, and prediction.
Hi Karen, I really like how this set of activities combines active learning with clear links to understanding weather and appropriate clothing. The variety of stations keeps children engaged and allows them to learn in different ways, especially through movement, games, and creative tasks. The dress-up relay and weather charades are particularly effective for encouraging collaboration, communication, and decision-making. I also think the “Create a Weather Wardrobe” activity is a great way to consolidate learning, as it allows children to demonstrate their understanding visually and independently. Overall, this is a very well-structured and child-centred approach that supports both science understanding and oral language development in an enjoyable way.
I would use the Stellarium Web tool in my classroom as part of a cross-curricular STEM lesson on space and the night sky. I would begin by introducing the children to the idea that we can observe stars and constellations digitally, even during the daytime. I would begin with the North star, and how to go about finding it. As the video suggested they could try get a selfie with it. Using the interactive tool, we would explore what the sky looks like from our own location in Ireland and identify familiar constellations.
To support understanding, I would show the children clear pictures of each constellation alongside the Stellarium view so they can match the star patterns to the named shapes. This would help them see how people connect stars to form recognisable images such as animals or objects. We would then discuss what each constellation might look like and why it may have been given its name.
I would set the children a simple investigation task: “Can you find a pattern in the stars?” Working in pairs, they would explore different times of night and directions in the sky, recording what they notice through drawings or screenshots. This would support observation, prediction, and digital literacy.
To extend the learning, pupils could design their own constellation and explain its shape and story to the class. From a STEM-focused SSE perspective, I would further develop this by regularly using digital astronomy tools throughout the year so children can track changes in the night sky and build a deeper understanding of space through inquiry-based learning.