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I like this question as our school was a new build on a brownfield site with very little mature vegetation, and we are constantly looking at how we can preserve our grass areas and resist introducing astro-pitches and hard landscaping so as to promote wildlife and biodiversity in the school grounds
Research Question
How does reducing our classroom temperature by approximately 1.5°C affect pupils’ comfort and concentration?
Why are we investigating this?
Climate scientists say that limiting global warming to 1.5°C is important for protecting people and the environment. We wanted to investigate whether a change of 1.5°C can actually be noticed in our own classroom and whether it affects how comfortable we feel during learning.Hypothesis
We predict that lowering the classroom temperature by 1.5°C will make little difference to pupils’ comfort for most children, but some pupils may report feeling colder or find it easier to concentrate.5. Equipment
• Digital thermometer
• Hygrometer (optional)
• Data recording sheets
• Comfort survey (1–5 scale)
• Stopwatch/clock
• Spreadsheet for recording resultsMethodology:
Day 1
• Measure the normal classroom temperature.
• Pupils complete a comfort survey before and after the lesson.
• Teacher records observations.
Day 2
• Reduce the classroom temperature by approximately 1.5°C (if possible using heating controls or increased ventilation).
• Repeat the same lesson at the same time of day.
• Pupils complete the same survey.
• Record temperature and humidity.
Repeat several times over two weeks to improve reliability.
When recording data children can use smiley-face scales or a 1–5 rating. When analysing data children could calculate average comfort scores, calculate average concentration scores, produce bar charts, produce line graphs of temperature changes, discuss patterns, compare results between different days.In answering the research question, did children notice the temperature difference, were children more or less comfortable, did concentration change, and was the difference significant?
If children remain comfortable at a slightly lower temperature, children might follow up with actions such as recommending that the school reduce classroom heating slightly to save energy, calculate the possible reductions in energy savings and carbon emissions.I was a little reluctant to look up the satellite tracking apps as I think I would have gotten lost down several rabbit holes! Your post made very interesting reading and saved me from the cavernous hollows!
Nose up high in the sky – observing and measuring weather conditions 8 – 10 year olds
In the context of Activity 1, given the diversity of the socio-economic and cultural backgrounds of children in our school, many may have limited experience of such figurative language. Instead, I would begin with photographs of different weather conditions, a weather walk around the school grounds, or a perhaps a storybook. These activities would provide more concrete experiences and build the vocabulary children need before introducing scientific ideas.
Activity 2 asks children to use their senses to describe the weather encouraging observation and language development and fits well with the play-based approach promoted in the new Primary Curriculum Framework. However, I might use technology such as cameras or audio recorders asking the children to respond by “presenting” the weather rather than a written sheet. Children could supplement their presentations with drawings and / or picture symbols and collaborate to make a class weather chart.
Activity 3: Constructing an anemometer and accurately measuring rainfall could be challenging because of the fine motor skills and mathematical understanding involved. I would simplify the activity by making one class weather station together and allowing children to take turns recording simple observations, such as whether it is sunny, cloudy, windy or rainy, over several weeks.
Overall, I found the resource had excellent inquiry-based ideas and strong cross-curricular links.The film “Home” uses amazing aerial footage and this provides a powerful way to compare healthy forests, rivers and oceans with areas affected by pollution, deforestation and drought. I would highlight simple facts from the film, such as how forests absorb carbon dioxide, how glaciers are melting, and how human activities increase greenhouse gas emissions. Rather than overwhelming the class with statistics, I would use a few clear data points, supported by photographs, maps or simple graphs, to help children understand that Earth’s climate is changing over time.
Throughout the lesson, I will encourage children to ask questions, share observations and think about actions they can take, such as saving energy, reducing waste and protecting biodiversity. Ending the lesson with positive, solution-focused discussions helps children develop hope and a sense that their everyday choices can contribute to caring for the planet, our school student council motto is “everyone can contribute, everyone’s one small thing counts”.I really like your plan to use the film HOME in short bite-size stories rather than overwhelming with the full 90 minutes. I might further this and assign different groups different sections eg one group watches minutes 10 to 18 and another 26 to 35 and so on and then jigsaw the film together as a whole group
I think Activity 3 is interesting and gives pupils a chance to think like scientists by exploring real climate data and making predictions. It encourages discussion, teamwork and critical thinking, while also developing digital skills. However, I think some children might find the meaning of the measures themselves quite challenging without teacher scaffolding to provide context for those measures, for example what does an average annual air temperature mean in the context of today’s air temperature? The TEAL tool could also be a little overwhelming without clear teacher modelling. There are a lot of layers to the data in the tool, and children might find it difficult to land on which is relevant to them and their inquiries. I would begin the lesson with a short recap of key concepts and demonstrate how to use the tool before allowing pupils to explore it independently. I would also include opportunities for pupils to connect the climate scenarios to their own lives and communities in Ireland, making the learning more relevant and meaningful
I really like how you begin the lesson with talk and discussion and brainstorming as I find within our school that there can big a huge divergence in terms of both children’s interest in and knowledge of what is meant by the Greenhouse Effect.
I also like Fidelma’s suggestion of comparing and contrasting Ireland’s data against that of another country
I really like your idea to further the learning by comparing Irish weather to another country. We have lots of children in our school who travel to visit family in other countries and this might be a nice idea to compare and contrast the weather we are experiencing in Ireland with what their wider family are experiencing elsewhere
Liston (2018) described planning integrated STEM activities such measuring and graphing weather data. These hands-on, real-world tasks encourage collaboration, creativity, problem-solving, and critical thinking while making learning meaningful and connected across subjects. The new Primary Curriculum Framework reflects this encouraging a ‘playful’ and integrated approach to teaching STEM.
The sorting activity at Activity 1 is an effective introduction to the concept of distinguishing between Weather and Climate because it encourages discussion, reasoning and collaborative learning rather than rote memorisation. However, some of the statements are quite abstract for example concepts such as 30-year averages and annual temperatures, might be difficult for younger children to grasp.
The practical investigation in Activity 2 seems more playful and fun where children actively measure temperature, record observations and identify patterns using authentic data. This inquiry-based approach develops scientific skills and mathematical understanding, making it more meaningful. Teacher modelling and scaffolding is required for this activity to be successful. It would also be important to remind children that Activity 2 is recording weather changes and not ‘climate’ changes, as the distinction between short term and long term can be confusing for some.