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How has Ireland’s Deposit Return Scheme Impacted on Climate Change?
The children could look into areas such as recycling rates, litter, prevention of waste etc. in relation to this topic and analyse data and findings as part of their study.
The climate detective research planner is a great tool in order to develop a research question relating to climate change.
Children could carry out surveys at home and in the local community recording and analysing data in groups and display it using graphs/ bar charts and share their findings with the whole class.
Predictions regarding the short, medium and long term effects could be made as part of this study.
Using their findings, the class could contact The European Comission through the means of letter writing ( persuasive writing genre) and suggest rolling out the deposit scheme to more Eu countries and the potential benefits this could have in terms of reducing global warming and climate change.The ESA activity “From the Ground to the Sky” uses striking photographic images of various different landscapes where the photos were taken from both the ground and also from space. It provides children with opportunities to explore and investigate images from different angels and perspectives and to compare , contrast and match such photos. These absolutely stunning images of earth are breathtaking and will definitely capture the children’s attention and gain immediate interest. The stark difference of the images from space and from the ground will be of huge significance and very important for the children to explore. It also gives children an insight into the importance of satellite images being taken in order to study very remote places which are very difficult to access or inaccessible from the ground. Children are provided with opportunities to analyse ground and satellite photos and to retrieve relevant information required for their studies.These activities could also lead on to the study of astronauts in space and the ISS. The children could also explore more satellite images from astronauts Flickr accounts which would be a wonderful novelty. The children will be provided with much opportunity to engage in group work and collaborative learning throughout the different activities
outlined in “From the Ground to the Sky”. I am very keen to use this activity in the classroom as it will no doubt be a huge hit and of great interest to the children while developing so many key skills.I would introduce climate change facts through the means of these videos in a gentle and positive manner and focus on all that we are doing and can do, without scaring or evoking fear in the children. Children are highly sensitive and could worry greatly about climate change, especially as some children might not be able to fully comprehend certain aspects of climate change that could be presented to them from the videos so I would be careful as to what clips I would choose to show them and ensure that everything they would be exposed to was fully comprehended and give them the chance to explore the topics fully. I found the videos in this module highly effective and thought provoking, however there was a lot of information to absorb and the ‘Home’ video was vast and contained a multitude of information. It would be of utmost importance to facilitate a way in which the class understand the importance of looking after and minding the world we live in without evoking a huge fear or anxiety in them, it really would not be fair for them to have to endure eco-anxiety. Therefore, focusing on the positives and all that we are doing in our school community, at home, in our local community and the wider community and encouraging them to brainstorm more ideas of how to keep our world a beautiful place and to mind the world we live in would be a lot healthier than evoking fear in them and causing worry and panic. It is important to realise that not just one individual is responsible for combating climate change but when people work together it is highly effective and so powerful. Everything needs to be done in moderation. Greta Thunberg is an admirable young lady and is extremely passionate in what she does, it is fabulous to see how she cares so much about combating global warming but on the other hand at times she can come across as being somewhat extreme and perhaps a little overwhelming, which might not be the most healthy way of approaching things (but each to their own). I think it is important to encourage children to focus on their duty and responsibility as a citizen and how their actions as an individual and also when combined with the actions of the communities they belong to can be highly highly valuable, effective and positive. Many of the images in the video ‘Home’ are utterly stunning and extremely beautiful and it is of utmost importance for children to realise that the small little changes we make can help to keep our world so beautiful.
Hi Carmel, I agree that it important to share the relevant and appropriate segments of the video and to focus more so on the positives of how we are already doing so much to combat climate change and to encourage children to use their own initiative to continue to combat climate change in their school, home and the community in a gentle and child friendly appropriate manner without evoking a sense of fear in them or causing eco-anxiety.
The Paxi videos are hugely effective and great food for thought. They are a fantastic resource to draw upon in the classroom and integrate into many curricular areas in an innovative and interesting way. I would draw upon the videos and incorporate them into a lesson by introducing the topic with a KWL Chart (K and W) and then ask the children to share their prior knowledge in pairs and thereafter in small groups. After that the children would watch and contemplate upon the Paxi Videos, then discuss their thoughts upon it in small groups and one person from each group would make a presentation to the class. They would continue their learning and exploration through the means of group work projects on how to combat / reduce the impact of climate change. Afterwards they could display their projects to the whole school and finally fill in L on KWL chart. The knowledge gained could be shared at home and within the school and wider school community to work on combating the effects of climate change on a daily basis.
Hi Colm, I concur that implementing and promoting collaborative teaching, learning and thinking is hugely important.
Unravelling STEM: Beyond the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (Liston 2018), clearly outlines the importance of integrating all STEM subjects and incorporating engineering throughout teaching to encourage, promote and foster problem solving skills and design across the curriculum and to support exploration in children’s learning thus providing opportunities for them to work effectively with their peers as a team in order to gain as much as possible from their holistic learning experience in school, and in the wider community. It aids them in thinking outside the box and to see the bigger picture in relation to designing and creating in order to solve problems and to make connections across the curriculum and also in the wider community while completing hands on, innovative tasks in school but also promoting the implementation of this method of thinking and adaptation of skills they have learned in school in relation to its use in their everyday lives.
The weather and climate resources in this module will really benefit me in my teaching and I will be sure to delve into this rich supply when teaching 5th class next year. I will be particularly interested in giving the children the opportunity to create and design a weather station and am looking forward to this immensely as it will create so much opportunity for design and problem solving while combining it across all STEM areas (and further) in an integrated manner.
I have adapted the ESRO Lesson Plan on Planets for this task.
The Planets Learning Outcomes
To:
• know/recognise the names of the eight planets
• know that the planets revolve around the Sun and that the Sun gives light
• differentiate between in front, behind, above, below, left and right
• be given opportunities to listen, understand and respond
I would introduce lesson by reading Meet the Planets by Caryl Hart. To trigger further interest in this topic I would play the Planet Song and We Are Planets. The children could vote on which song they would like to learn.
Play ‘The planets Journey through the Solar System’ as outlined in ESRO Lesson Plan
Key Questions after game: At the end of the game, ask what planet names the children can remember. You might like to repeat all the names once more. And why is the Sun in the middle? Explain that this is because the planets revolve around the Sun.
Play ‘Spin the Planet’ to focus on children’s spatial orientation as outlined in ESRO Lesson Plan
Conclude by chatting about the learning experience and use higher order questioning to enrich children’s reflection on the lesson.
The above lesson includes lots of fun games and informal learning, learning through fun, play, story, songs and games is the ideal way to engage children and the will easily retain information learned when they are interested and really enjoying the whole learning experience.
Hi Aoife,
I concur that equipping children with the skills to come up with their own ideas and conclusion and communicating this information is so important and it also boosts children’s self esteem and confidence.
Inquiry Based Activity
Introduction/ Stimulus: Children will listen to and discuss Goodnight Spaceman by Michelle Robinson and Nick East (inspired by astronaut Tim Peake and his sons) and participate in sensory fine motor skills activities based on theme of space. Then watch a clip of Tim Peake, first official British ESA astronaut’s time in space on his six month long mission aboard the International Space Station in 2015/2016.
Focus: Energy and Forces: Explore various vehicles through the means of play; children will be probed to discuss how they work. Prompting will be implemented to encourage children to note similarities and differences between two vehicles of choice.
Use stimulus of space machine pictures from BBC’s Graces Amazing Machines and predict how they work (Mars Rover, Space Junk Collector etc.) Then watch Space Machine episode of BBC’s Grace’s Amazing Machines.
Children will discuss how they think rockets work using pictures as an aid. They will then make plans to create their own junk art rockets. They will be questioned, prompted and probed around how their rockets could be powered e.g. balloon (with air) or balloon (with baking powder and vinegar) etc. They will also be questioned as to how they might guide the rocket in desired direction. They will initially launch rockets separately and then perhaps two or three rockets simultaneously. They will then reflect on the rocket launch describing what they feel went well and choosing one aspect of the launch that they would adapt; then be given the opportunity to launch rockets again. Finally they will display their rockets and then launch them at school assembly.
Cross curricular linkage – Art, Maths, SPHE, Literacy , History
Hi, my name is Fiona Ní Cheallaigh and I will be working in SET this year.
My favourite science fact is that there are more stars in the universe than grains of sand on Earth. It is estimated that there are approximately 10,000 stars for each grain of sand on earth.
I also like the fact that without Nasa Mathematician Katherine Johnson’s calculations Neil Armstrong would not have walked on the moon. She was hugely significant in the history of space travel but was not acknowledged anywhere near to the same extent as Neil Armstrong.