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Hi Annie,
That sounds like an amazing shop/initiative! Kids love hearing about your own personal stories! I would love to go there myself!
I chose the question “How is climate change affecting the frequency of flooding in Ireland?”
To engage pupils with this research question, I would relate this issue back to our own lives. I would show clips/photographs from Midleton, Co. Cork and Newry from their recent flooding in 2023. Showing these news clips, videos, photographs from people affected by these floods would help the children have a better understanding the real life implications of climate change in Ireland. Next, I would encourage the children to look at the climate change and the recent flooding / rising sea levels are linked. I would group the children together to examine specific towns or regions. As our school is located near Portrane, Co Dublin this is a real life issue for our local area. The children can demonstrate their findings/understandings using posters/presentations/ real life models etc. Finally, I would encourage the children to share their findings with the wider school community. The children would feel empowered to make a difference, seeing their work as impactful and relevant.
Hi Anita,
Like yourself, I really enjoyed looking at the old weather proverbs. Haven’t heard some of them in years.
I chose the “Nose High Up in the Sky” resource and tried out the pupil activities.
Activity 1: Before starting this activity, I would explore looking at objects / things in our classroom from different perspectives (birds eye view etc.) We could then discuss how the Earth would look if the viewpoint is located in Space. The pictures taken by the astronauts are fantastic and I really believe the children would love exploring all the different photographs.
Activity 2: Building on from the previous lesson, we would continue to look at different perspectives. The children can examine photographs of different landscapes and look at the similarities and differences. The opportunity for classroom discussion is endless. What a great resource to have. I will definitely be printing and laminating this one!
Activity 3: I like the way this activity builds on from the previous lesson. I would only introduce this lesson if the children were confident in activity 2. However, it’s a great way to challenge them. I love the “sentence starters” located in the teacher guide.
The video “Home” by Yann Arthus Bertrand is a profound and moving documentary that showcases the beauty and diversity of Earth’s landscapes and ecosystems. “Home” distinctly illustrates the serious impact humans have had on the Earth, showing how our actions have led to deforestation, climate change, loss of biodiversity, and other environmental crises. After watching clips from the movie, students (in groups) can be asked to research specific environmental issues highlighted in the documentary and present their findings to the class. You could also incorporate drama into your lessons (role play/conscience alley etc.). I would also use Greta Thunberg’s TED talk to demonstrate to the children that they have a very important role to play in trying to help climate change. The video is extremely thought provoking and the children can form a connection as she is of similar age to them. I thoroughly enjoyed the website where it calculated your own carbon footprint. This could open up invaluable discussions in the class as to what small steps can be taken to help our carbon footprint.
Hi Carmel,
I love your idea of involving the green school committee. I also love your idea of an entrance noticeboard which involves the parents and the whole school.
Activity three looks like an excellent and engaging resource. I think this would be a fascinating lesson for the senior end of the school. I would start the lesson by recapping on the children’s prior knowledge and showing them the Paxi video (to consolidate their understanding of the greenhouse effect). It is a lovely child-friendly video with great illustrations. The children can come up with their own changes they can make in their own lives. I would then introduce the Teal Tool to the class. I think it’s a fantastic resource but it might be a little tricky for younger children. Dividing the class into small groups to focus on different countries/climates will promote teamwork, discussion and collaboration. They can then present their findings to the rest of the class using a method of their preference eg. graphs, bar charts, posters, powerpoint, drawings etc. To conclude the lesson, it’s important the children reflect back on their own learning.
Hi Edel,
I like your idea of collective practice and shared responsibility! Will definitely think about using that approach in September.
After reviewing the paper “Unravelling STEM: Beyond the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics”, it is imperative that we try to inspire creative, critical thinkers and problem solvers in our classrooms. These particular skills are crucial to enable children to grow in the area of STEM. I believe that STEM can be taught through hands-on approaches and through active learning.
Activity 1: This is a fantastic activity which allows students to differentiate easily between weather and climate through classroom discussions. I think that contextualising the weather back to their personal lives (their own birthdays) will help the children understand the clear difference between climate and weather. I like the option of extension for older pupils.
Activity 2: I love the idea of setting up a weather station within the grounds of your school. Also, the opportunity for the students to create their own weather instruments makes learning about weather far more playful and enjoyable for the children. This is an activity which every class in your school would benefit from. It is a fantastic way to integrate all the skills mentioned in the paper “Unraveling STEM: Beyond the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics” and provides plenty of opportunities for problem solving, creativity and child-led inquiry.
Digital tools can support student engagement, assist teachers in improving lessons and enables differentiated learning within your classroom. Technology can help teachers present subjects in more interactive and creative ways. It can be used as a great motivator in the classroom! There are endless apps and websites that are readily available to schools.
I think it’s imperative that we prepare students for the future. To thrive in the 21st century workplace, students will need more than a working knowledge of current technological tools. Digital literacy skills is in high demand in the workplace. By integrating technology into the classroom, students are collaborating, using productivity tools and effectively communicating using digital platforms.
School self evaluation ensures high standards and continuous improvements in our schools. It also allows for self assessment and critical reflection. A current goal for our school this year is to invest in more iPads/chrome books so that we can imbed our Digital Learning School Plan effectively. We have been very fortunate to spend a lot of Croke Park hours over the past few years upskilling in the area of Digital Learning. However, there is still fear among some teachers about using technology in the classroom. I found it interesting what one of the teachers said in the PDST video. She monitors who is taking the iPads and if she spots a name that doesn’t appear, she offers guidance and help. I thought that was a lovely idea, one that I will bring back to my school!
