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For this activity, I would like my students to observe and record the position of the Sun at different times during the day. I think this would be a good activity because it is something that the children can see for themselves rather than just learning about it from a book or a video.
I would start by asking the children what they notice about the Sun in the morning, around lunchtime and in the afternoon. I would ask them if they think the Sun is in the same place at each time and where they think it will be later in the day. We could make some predictions before going outside.
The students could work in small groups and record the time of each observation, where the Sun appears to be in the sky and the direction and length of any shadows. We could repeat this over a number of days and compare our results. The children could then draw or create a simple chart showing how the position of the Sun changes throughout the day.I think this activity links well with Liston’s (2018) ideas about STEM being more than just the individual subjects of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths. The children would be using observation, questioning, measuring, recording and comparing results. They would also have an opportunity to work together and discuss what they have noticed. It could lead to further questions about why the Sun appears to move, why shadows change and how this connects to day and night and the Earth’s rotation. Most importantly, the activity would allow the children to investigate something in their own surroundings and learn from what they observe.
We also embraced the deposit return scheme in our school. The younger classes really love bringing in bottles and cans. They can be quite competitive about it.
In my local area, people help the environment by recycling, keeping parks clean, and supporting local farmers. These actions protect nature and keep the community healthy and safe. This is a good way to teach children why it is important to care for the Earth. To help pupils learn more, I would take them on nature walks to parks, farms, or recycling centers nearby. This way, they can see how people work to keep the environment clean. In the classroom, we could do fun and simple activities like planting flowers, sorting recycling, and learning how to save energy and water. These activities connect well with subjects like science and social studies. By doing these things, children learn how small actions help the environment. It also helps them feel proud of their community and understand how everyone can work together to protect the Earth for the future.
I totally agree that many younger children will only be aware of fish fingers/fish and chips. It would be great to make them more aware of all the options they had for eating fish.
Seafood is very good for our bodies because it helps us grow strong and stay healthy. It has important things like protein, vitamins, and special oils that help our brains and hearts work well. In the classroom, we can learn about different kinds of fish and sea animals that people eat. We can talk about why eating seafood is good for us and how it helps keep our bodies healthy. We can also learn where seafood comes from, like the sea or fish farms where fish are raised. These lessons help children understand healthy eating and the importance of caring for the sea and animals. Using pictures, videos, stories, and simple activities makes learning about seafood fun and easy for young children. This helps them start good habits for eating well and thinking about nature from a young age.
I agree, the ARC’s lessons encourage student discussion on aquaculture, nutrition, and sustainability. The quizzes help check understanding and spark curiosity for deeper, enquiry-based learning in the classroom.
The ARC online lessons are very useful for helping young children learn about STEM in a fun and simple way. For Junior Infants, I would use pictures, short videos, and hands-on activities from the ARC to talk about fish, the sea, and how people work together to farm fish. Children could learn to sort, count, measure, and ask questions—skills that link well to early maths and science. These lessons match the goals in the STEM Education Policy by helping children explore, think, and work together. As part of the SSE process, our school could use these activities to focus on improving STEM in a way that is age-appropriate. All classes could do similar lessons at their own level, helping us to build a whole-school STEM plan. The ARC lessons are a great way to show children how STEM is part of real life and how we use it in our communities.
I agree using videos, maps, and real-life stories makes aquaculture engaging, supports cross-curricular learning, and connects students to sustainability.
I agree. In many coastal areas, traditional fishing has declined, leading to fewer job opportunities and population decline. Aquaculture offers a sustainable and reliable source of employment, not just on the farms but across many related sectors such as processing, transport, and local services. This industry helps keep younger generations in their hometowns, supports local schools, and keeps businesses running.
Aquaculture farms in Ireland are usually found along the coast, in quiet bays and sheltered waters. These places are good for farming fish and shellfish. Many of these farms are in rural or coastal areas where there may not be many jobs. Aquaculture can help these communities by providing work for local people. It also supports other jobs, like driving boats, selling fish, or making equipment. This helps the local economy and allows families to live and work in their home areas. In school, this topic can be linked to geography and science by exploring how people use the sea. It also fits into SPHE, as it teaches children about community and caring for the environment. Learning about aquaculture can help students understand how people and nature are connected, and how local industries are important. It also shows how we can use natural resources in a responsible and fair way.
I really love the idea of asking family members questions. It’s a great way of creating some home school links and making families aware of what the children are learning about.
This module helped me see how aquaculture and the idea of social license can be used in the primary classroom in interesting and meaningful ways. Aquaculture connects well with SESE and science, as it teaches children about how food is produced in the sea and how we can farm fish in a sustainable way. It also helps children learn about caring for the environment and thinking about where their food comes from. The concept of social license—getting public support for farming—can lead to great class discussions about trust, fairness, and the importance of working with the community. These topics can also be linked to SPHE, where students can learn about responsibility and decision-making. Using videos, stories, and real-life examples from this module will make learning more engaging. Overall, this topic can help students become more aware of the world around them and how they can play a part in protecting it.
I love the idea of doing a fieldtrip. We did a forest schools trip with my junior infants class last year and it was the highlight of the year.
My research question is: Why is the ice melting in the Arctic, and how does this affect polar bears? Even though we live far away, the Earth is getting warmer, and the ice where polar bears live is melting. This means polar bears have less space to hunt and sleep. To explore this, we can watch videos and pictures of melting ice, do simple experiments with ice cubes melting in warm and cool places, and track polar bear stories on a map. I would introduce this with a story about polar bears and a video about climate change, then set up a sensory table with ice and toys. Pupils could draw pictures of polar bears now and in the future, and we could talk about ways to help, like saving energy or planting trees. Sharing our work with other classes would help everyone learn how we can care for the planet together.
