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I really like the idea of taking the children along the Royal Canal to explore biodiversity, as it would make the learning much more real for them. The school waste investigation would also be a great way for pupils to see what changes they could make themselves. I think having someone from the local community come in to speak to the children would make it even more meaningful.
In my local area, I think there are lots of examples of sustainability that could be explored with children. Recycling, using reusable bottles and bags, composting and trying to reduce food waste are things that many families are already doing. Living near the coast also gives us an opportunity to talk about looking after the sea and the importance of protecting marine life.
I would start by asking the children what they think sustainability means and what they already do at home or in school to help the environment. We could then look around the school and see what we are doing well and what we could improve. The children could work in small groups to investigate areas such as recycling, water use, energy use and food waste.
As part of our learning about aquaculture, we could also discuss how seafood can be produced while trying to protect the marine environment. I would encourage the children to come up with some ideas for making our school more sustainable. They could create posters or short presentations to share their ideas with the rest of the school.
I think this would help the children see that sustainability is not just something we learn about in Science. It is something we can all take part in through small changes in our everyday lives.I really like the idea of following the journey of a fish from the ocean to the plate, as it would help children understand where their food comes from. The tuna wrap activity sounds like a fun hands-on way to introduce healthy eating too. I also like the idea of using a class survey and graphs, as it would be an easy way to link the topic with Maths.
I found learning about the nutritional benefits of seafood really interesting, as I had not realised how many important nutrients seafood can provide. I think this would be a useful topic to explore with children as part of learning about healthy eating and where our food comes from. We could talk about different types of seafood that the children may have eaten and what they know about them.
I would use some of the ARC resources, pictures and simple activities to explore the different types of seafood and the nutrients they contain. The children could work in groups to sort different foods into healthy food choices and discuss why seafood can be part of a balanced diet. We could also look at a simple food label and see what information we can find.
I think this could link well with Science and SPHE and would give children the chance to make connections between food, health and the environment. I would also encourage them to talk about their own experiences of eating seafood. One issue might be that some children do not eat seafood or may have allergies, so I would make sure that the activities are inclusive and do not require children to taste anything. Overall, I think it would be a useful way of helping children understand the importance of making healthy food choices.I really like the idea of having a common STEM inquiry time across the school, as it would help make STEM a regular part of learning rather than just an occasional activity. I also think using real-life topics such as energy, water and biodiversity would make the learning more meaningful for children. The idea of sharing the children’s work through exhibitions or digital portfolios is also a great way to celebrate their learning.
I really enjoyed looking through the ARC online lessons and resources as they give lots of ideas that could be used in a primary classroom. I particularly liked that the lessons are practical and connected to real life. I think children would enjoy learning about the sea, seafood, marine life and the different jobs connected to the marine industry.
I could use some of the activities with my class as part of Science and Geography. The children could investigate where seafood comes from, explore different types of marine life and look at how we can protect our oceans. I would also encourage them to work in groups, ask questions, make predictions and share their ideas. This would help develop their STEM skills in a way that feels natural rather than just teaching STEM as a separate subject.
I think the resources could also support our SSE by giving teachers ideas for more hands-on and inquiry-based learning across the school. It would be useful to share the resources with other teachers and perhaps choose some activities that could be used at different class levels. This would help make STEM a bigger part of learning throughout the school.I really liked the connection you made between aquaculture and the wider community, especially the way it can support other local businesses and jobs. I also agree that this would be a great topic for children in coastal areas as they may have family connections to the sea. I think discussing the balance between jobs, tourism and protecting the environment would lead to some really interesting conversations in the classroom.
I found it interesting to learn about where aquaculture farms are located around Ireland and how important they can be to coastal communities. I had not really thought about the connection between aquaculture and local jobs before. Many coastal areas depend on the sea for work and income, so aquaculture can provide employment and help support local businesses.
I think this would be an interesting topic to explore with children, especially if they live near the coast or have family connections to coastal areas. I would show them a map of Ireland and look at where some aquaculture farms are located. We could then talk about why these areas might be suitable for farming fish or shellfish. The children could investigate what jobs are involved and how an aquaculture farm might support other businesses in the area.
I would also encourage the children to think about both the benefits and any concerns people might have about aquaculture. I think this would help them understand that the sea is not only important for wildlife but also for people and communities. It would be a good way to link Science, Geography and SPHE in a meaningful way.
I agree that this module really makes you think about where our food comes from and how little we sometimes know about it. I also liked the idea of bringing aquaculture into the infant classroom, as the videos and pictures would make it much easier for young children to understand. I think it could also lead to some really interesting conversations about looking after the sea and the animals that live in it.
I found learning about aquaculture really interesting as I had not really thought about how much food can be produced in the sea. I think this would be a good topic to introduce to children as it connects with things they see and eat in everyday life. We could look at pictures and videos of fish farms and seaweed farming and talk about where some of our food comes from.
I also think Social License is an interesting idea to explore with children. We could talk about why people might have different opinions about fish farms. Some people might see them as a good way of producing food, while others might have concerns about the effect on the sea and wildlife.
I would get the children to work in groups and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of aquaculture. They could then come up with questions they would ask before deciding whether they would support a fish farm in their local area. I think this would encourage the children to think for themselves and listen to other people’s opinions.I really like the idea of using rockets with First Class as I think it would be a great way to get the children excited about space. I especially like the prediction and measuring part, as the children would be able to see for themselves what works and compare their results. It would also be a great opportunity for teamwork and problem-solving.
I would like to organise a Space Week in my classroom as I think it would be a great way to bring together lots of the activities from this course. I would start the week by asking the children what they already know about space and what they would like to find out. We could make a class display of their questions and add to it during the week.
During the week, we could explore the planets, stars and the Moon through stories, videos and simple hands-on activities. We could make rockets using different materials and see which ones travel the furthest. We could also make our own constellations using black paper and chalk and explore shadows outside if the weather is suitable.
I would use the interactive whiteboard to explore space using online resources and Stellarium. The children could draw pictures, make models and talk about what they have learned. We could take photographs throughout the week and use them to make a Space Week display.
I think Space Week would be a fun way to encourage curiosity, questioning and creativity while bringing Science, Maths, Art, English and STEM together.I really like the idea of using The Snowman to introduce the topic as it would be a familiar and engaging starting point for the children. The greasy skin investigation sounds like a great hands-on activity too, as the children can make predictions and see the results for themselves. I also like that you have included a short science report at the end, as it gives the children a chance to explain what they have learned.
I would use the hands-on classroom activities with my class as I think young children learn best when they can actually do something and explore it for themselves. I would choose an activity based around space, such as making a simple rocket or exploring how things move. I would start by asking the children what they think will happen and allow them to make some predictions before we begin.
The children could work in small groups and use different materials to make and test their ideas. I would encourage them to talk about what they are doing and make changes if something does not work the first time. We could take photographs of the different stages and look back at them afterwards.
I think these activities would help develop important STEM skills such as questioning, predicting, testing, observing and problem-solving. They would also give the children opportunities to work together and share their ideas. I would keep photographs and examples of their work as a record of their learning. This could also be useful for SSE as evidence of STEM and inquiry-based learning happening in the classroom.I really like the idea of using The Way Back Home as an introduction, as I think the children would really enjoy the story and it would get them thinking about what an alien might look like. I also like how you have linked the activity with maths and oral language, especially comparing the different aliens and talking about their features. It sounds like a really fun hands-on activity for Infants.