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I am very lucky that my school is not too far away from Birr castle and all the pupils would be familiar with it. Mary Parsons, Countess of Rosse, was a famous astronomer, photographer and engineer who lived in Birr castle. Although I admitedly had not heard of her before this course, I have now researched her and am eager to use her as an inspiration for science investigations in my classroom.
I think it is very important to highlight women in STEM in the classroom, as it is usually the men children hear about! Mary Parsons would be an excellent example for this. I’m sure many of my pupils would be eager to find out about a female astronomer from the local area. When learning about Mary, pupils could learn about the telescope. They could then explore how to design and make their own telescopes. Pupils could also investigate Mary’s interest in photography and explore lessons on light and shadows.
This is a great idea that I’m sure the pupils would be very enthusiastic about. I’m sure the bottle caps would be very effective.
I would use the framework for inquiry to plan a lesson based on the suspension bridge in Birr castle. To engage the pupils in this design challenge, I would bring the class to observe the structure of the suspension bridge at Birr castle. Back at the classroom we would have a class discussion about why we need bridges and what is their purpose. I would show the pupils pictures of some famous bridges such as Carrick-a-Rede and Tower Bridge as further prompts.
I would then challenge the pupils to work in small groups to design and make their own bridges using a variety of materials such as paper, lollipop sticks or string. Pupils would then test their bridge designs to see if they could hold weight. Using a success criteria, pupils would then evaluate their designs and consider what they did well and what they could change.
Maths could be incorporated in this lesson by measuring the length or height of their bridges. Pupils could also put in order which bridge is the longest/shortest. Estimation could also be used in this lesson- pupils could estimate how mugh weight their bridge will hold.
Lovely lesson idea here that can be differentiated for different class levels. I like how you combined STEM, Maths and real life application.
I would use a variety of the course resources to carry out a seasonal biodiversity project throughout the school year. At the beginning of each season I would bring the class out for a nature walk. The children would use the same template of a record sheet to record what they observe on their walk, such as what flowers they see and what colours are the trees. The children could use resources such as magnifying glasses, bug viewers or tablets with identification guides. Time could be spent at the end of the school year to compare the found information and children could work in groups to observe the changes seen and discuss possible reasons for the changes.
I would aim to bring the learning outdoors at least once a month. By repeating the same activities at the start of every season pupils are able to observe changes in the local flora and fauna. The project could also be developed across different subject areas. For example, visual art could be incorporated through nature drawings and literacy through report writing.
Some fantastic ideas here. The no-mow idea is great, we did this in our school for the first time last year and it was great to see all the wildflowers that were around the school grounds. The pupils were very engaged in the initiative also.
There was a wide variety of ideas and resources given in this module for younger classes and map making. For a younger class I would plan a lesson around mapping a familiar area such as the school playground. To begin the lesson I would show the pupils a map and create a discussion about what they are and what they are used for. I like the heritage video and that could be used at the start of the lesson for inspiration and motivation. The class would then go for a walk around the area and notice everything that they see. On the walk pupils could collect materials to use when making their maps such as twigs, leaves or stones. Upon returning to the classroom, the children would work in group to create a map of the area explored. Children would be encouraged to use materials collected on the walk. Each group could take turns presenting their maps to the class, highlighting the different elements and features they mapped in the school yard.
This is a fantastic idea that I will be bringing to my school in September. I love the combination of outdoor learning and ICT. Such an engaging and beneficial activity.
Hi Cristina,
When I taught in a special class I found STEM a difficult subject to plan for. I really like some of your methods and ideas for differentiating in a special class.
Liston (2018) caused me to reflect on how I approach STEM in my classroom. I think that children have greater interest and deeper understanding when they investigate and explore concepts for themselves. Therefore, I encourage a hands-on approach with STEM education in my classroom. As stated in the article, STEM education should be taught using an inquiry approach and hands-on, problem-solving methods support this.
The article outlined how STEM education is not an isolated subject but should be interconnected. This module also outlined how STEM education can be easily integrated. This is something I want to work more on this school year, as before I found STEM a daunting area, particularly in the junior classes. The article also highlighted the importance of making connections to children’s everyday lives. In order to make learning more meaningful, it has to be linked to things the children already know and experience. I completely agree with this. I believe students will be more engaged and be more likely to retain information if the learning is linked to their everyday lives.