Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
I really like the idea of making the pupils “Energy Detectives” as it gives them a real purpose and responsibility. The classroom inspections and surveys would make the project very practical, while the links to Maths and English would allow them to use their findings in meaningful ways. I think the whole-school action plan would be especially effective.
Research question: How does the weather around our school change throughout the school year?
For Junior Infants, I would keep the research question simple and linked to something they experience every day. I think this would be more meaningful for young children than starting with a complicated climate change issue. We could begin by talking about the weather and what the children notice when they arrive at school each morning.
As a class, we could record the weather using a simple chart with pictures for sunny, cloudy, rainy and windy days. The children could take turns being our “weather detectives” and checking outside each morning. We could also record whether we need coats, hats or umbrellas and talk about how the weather makes us feel.
Over time, we could look back at our chart and discuss what we have noticed. The children could draw pictures, make simple graphs and talk about changes they have seen. I would make it as practical and child-led as possible, allowing the children to ask questions and make their own observations. This would encourage curiosity while introducing the idea that scientists collect information over time to understand changes in our environment.I really like how you have adapted the resource for Junior Infants. The weather chart and outdoor weather walks would make the learning very hands-on and meaningful. I also love the idea of using role-play and the Space Station. Your example shows how inquiry and child-led play can work really well together at this age.
EO Browser is a really useful online tool that allows you to explore images of the Earth taken by satellites. You can look at different places around the world and see how they have changed over time. I think this could be a great resource in the classroom because it makes topics such as climate change, weather, pollution, deforestation and natural disasters much more real for children.
If I was explaining it to another teacher, I would describe it as a way of letting pupils see the Earth from space and investigate real changes for themselves. Rather than just looking at photographs in a textbook, pupils can explore satellite images and compare different places and dates.
In class, I would use EO Browser with older primary pupils as part of a geography or STEM lesson. For example, pupils could compare an area before and after a forest fire or look at changes in land use. They could work in groups, discuss what they notice and make their own conclusions. I think it would encourage curiosity and help children understand that satellites are useful for studying our planet.I agree that using short sections of HOME would be much more suitable for First Class. I also like your focus on practical actions that children can understand and take part in. Activities such as sorting and drawing would make the topic more engaging and help children connect it to everyday life.
I found HOME by Yann Arthus-Bertrand very interesting and quite powerful. The aerial images show the Earth in a way that children may not have seen before. It shows how beautiful our planet is, but also how human activity is having an impact on it. I think this would help children to understand that climate change is not just a topic in a textbook, but something that affects the world around them.
I would introduce these ideas slowly and in an age-appropriate way. I would first ask the children what they already know about climate change and what they think causes it. I would then show short sections of HOME and some of the other clips from the module and allow the children to discuss what they noticed.
I would use simple examples that children can relate to, such as energy use, transport, waste and looking after nature. I would also focus on what we can do to help rather than making the children feel worried. Activities, discussion and practical actions around the school could help make the topic more meaningful for them.<div class=”” data-turn-id-container=”0d6f6d1a-1646-4fc3-9ae4-566821dcc26d” data-is-intersecting=”true”>I really like your idea of using the children’s own experiences to make the topic more meaningful. Linking the discussion to the trees being cut down near the school would definitely encourage engagement, as it gives them a real-life situation to think critically about rather than just learning about climate change in an abstract way. I also agree that the Paxi video would work better as part of a series of lessons, allowing time for discussion, questioning and follow-up activities rather than trying to cover everything in one session.<section class=”text-token-text-primary w-full focus:outline-none has-data-writing-block:pointer-events-none [&:has([data-writing-block])>*]:pointer-events-auto R6Vx5W_threadScrollVars scroll-mb-[calc(var(–scroll-root-safe-area-inset-bottom,0px)+var(–thread-response-height))] scroll-mt-(–sticky-padding-top)” dir=”auto” data-turn-id=”0d6f6d1a-1646-4fc3-9ae4-566821dcc26d” data-turn-id-container=”0d6f6d1a-1646-4fc3-9ae4-566821dcc26d” data-testid=”conversation-turn-3″ data-turn=”user”>
<div class=”text-base my-auto mx-auto pt-12 [–thread-content-margin:var(–thread-content-margin-xs,calc(var(–spacing)*4))] @w-sm/main:[–thread-content-margin:var(–thread-content-margin-sm,calc(var(–spacing)*6))] @w-lg/main:[–thread-content-margin:var(–thread-content-margin-lg,calc(var(–spacing)*16))] px-(–thread-content-margin)”>
<div class=”[–thread-content-max-width:40rem] @w-lg/main:[–thread-content-max-width:48rem] mx-auto max-w-(–thread-content-max-width) flex-1 group/turn-messages focus-visible:outline-hidden relative flex w-full min-w-0 flex-col” data-conversation-screenshot-content=””>
<div class=”flex max-w-full flex-col gap-4 grow”>
<div class=”min-h-8 text-message relative flex w-full flex-col items-end gap-2 text-start break-words whitespace-normal outline-none keyboard-focused:focus-ring [.text-message+&]:mt-1″ dir=”auto” data-message-author-role=”user” data-message-id=”0d6f6d1a-1646-4fc3-9ae4-566821dcc26d”>
<div class=”flex w-full flex-col gap-1 empty:hidden items-end rtl:items-start”>
<div class=”flex flex-col w-fit max-w-(–user-chat-width,70%) items-start self-end rtl:items-end rtl:self-start”>
<div class=”corner-superellipse/0.98 relative min-w-0 overflow-hidden rounded-[22px] px-4 py-2.5 leading-6 user-message-bubble-color w-full”>
<div class=”A_HxFq_root” data-custom-highlighting-behavior=”boundary” data-collapsed=”” data-testid=”collapsible-user-message-root” data-can-expand=””>
<div id=”_r_28_” class=”A_HxFq_content” data-testid=”collapsible-user-message-content”>
<div class=”max-w-full min-w-0 [overflow-wrap:anywhere] whitespace-pre-wrap”></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</section></div><p class=”isSelectedEnd”>Activity 3, Climate Reporters, is an engaging and interactive way to introduce pupils to the causes and possible impacts of climate change. I found the Paxi video particularly useful as it explains greenhouse gases and the greenhouse effect in a clear and age-appropriate way. This gives pupils a good foundation before using the temperature prediction tool. The interactive tool is a strong part of the activity as pupils can explore how future temperatures may change under different scenarios. This could help make the idea of climate change more real and encourage pupils to think about how human actions can affect the planet.</p>
<p class=”isSelectedEnd”>I would use this activity with my class by working in small groups, allowing pupils to explore different parts of the world and discuss what they notice. Pupils could then share their findings with the class, developing communication, teamwork and critical-thinking skills.</p>
I think the activity could be improved by providing more guidance on how to interpret the temperature data, as some pupils may find the graphs or predictions difficult to understand. A glossary of key vocabulary and differentiated worksheets would also be useful. I would also add a follow-up activity where pupils consider practical ways they can reduce greenhouse gas emissions in their school or community. This would help connect the scientific information to their own lives and make the learning more meaningful.I really like your idea of adding an engineering challenge, particularly designing and building a weather shelter. I think this would make the STEM element even stronger and give the pupils an opportunity to apply their learning in a practical way. Comparing their own data with official weather data would also be a great way to encourage discussion and develop their understanding of how reliable their results are.
I really enjoyed completing Activities 1 and 2 from the Weather and Climate resource. Activity 1, Is it Weather or Climate?, was particularly useful as it highlighted how easily the two terms can be confused. I think this would be a good introductory activity with my class as it encourages children to think about the difference between what is happening around us today and patterns that occur over a much longer period of time.
I also liked Activity 2, Weather Detectives, as it gives children an opportunity to become more involved in observing and recording weather rather than simply talking about it. I could see myself using this as an ongoing class activity, perhaps recording the weather each morning and discussing changes throughout the week. It would also provide opportunities to incorporate Maths through recording temperatures, creating charts and comparing data.
One thing I would add is more opportunities for children to make predictions before collecting their data. It would be interesting for them to predict what they think the weather will be and then compare this with their observations. I think photographs or a simple class weather station could also make the activities more interactive and meaningful for younger pupils. Overall, I found both activities practical and easy to adapt to the classroom, while also providing opportunities for Science, Maths, discussion and data collection to be integrated naturally.I love this idea, especially using The Way Back Home as a stimulus for the lesson. It is a wonderful story to spark children’s imagination and interest in space. The activity provides great opportunities for STEM learning as the children become engineers, design and create their own rockets, test them, and reflect on how they could improve their designs. I also love the hands-on element of launching the rockets as it encourages problem-solving, teamwork and scientific thinking.
For this module, I would choose the Rockets activity because I think it would really capture children’s interest. I would begin the lesson by showing a short video of a rocket launch and asking the children what they already know about rockets and how they think they move. We could then work in small groups to design and make simple paper or balloon rockets before testing them outside.
Before launching the rockets, I would ask the children to make predictions about which rocket they think will travel the furthest and explain their reasons. After each launch, we would compare the results and talk about whether our predictions were correct. This would help children understand that science is about testing ideas and learning from the results.
I also like that this activity links with other subjects. The children could measure how far their rockets travelled, record their results in a simple chart and then improve their designs before testing them again. This would bring together science, maths, engineering and problem-solving in a fun and practical way.
I think this activity would be a great addition to Space Week. We could finish the week by holding a class rocket launch and displaying the children’s rocket designs and investigation results. I feel this activity would encourage teamwork, creativity and curiosity while helping children develop important science skills such as observing, predicting, investigating and communicating their findings.
I love this idea as it provides rich opportunities for cross-curricular learning while developing children’s oral language, creativity and social skills. Using Home as a stimulus is a great way to encourage discussion and comparison, and the hands-on construction activity would allow children to explore the concept of homes in a meaningful and engaging way. I also like how the children’s creations could be reused in Aistear, extending their learning through play and role-play.
I would choose the Investigating Children’s Coats activity because it is something that children can easily relate to. Every child wears a coat, so it would be a good way to introduce science using something from their everyday lives. I would begin by asking the children to look at different coats and discuss when they wear them and what makes a coat suitable for different types of weather. We could compare materials, thickness, waterproof features and hoods, and make predictions about which coat would keep us warm or dry.
I like that this activity encourages children to ask questions, make predictions and investigate their ideas rather than just being told the answers. As a follow-up activity, I would ask the children to design their own coat for a particular season and explain why they chose certain materials and features. This would also link well with art and oral language.
I think this lesson would keep children engaged because it is practical and based on real-life experiences. It also develops important science skills such as observing, comparing, predicting and communicating findings. I would finish the lesson by discussing what we discovered and encouraging the children to think about how weather affects the clothes we wear every day. I think this activity is a great example of how STEM learning can be simple, hands-on and enjoyable for young children.