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I agree that the EO Browser is like a window to the Earth from space. I think it is a fantastic resource that children would love using. I look forward to using it with my class in September.
<p style=”text-align: left;”>Hi Padraic. I think using a quiz is a fun way to gauge prior knowledge. Also allowing pupils to do their own research would be very enjoyable for the children. It sounds like a great lesson.</p>
Hi Valerie, this is a very interesting question and one I think children would be very interested in exploring more. They would love visiting the beaches and making their own observations. I also like the way you would bring in the satellite imagery also. A guest speaker would be very informative also.
How can as a school community reduce our carbon footprint?
I will direct pupils to the How Big Is Your Environmental Footprint Questionnaire online and ask pupils to complete the questionnaire as honestly as they can. We will discuss findings. There are many ways and areas we can focus on to try and reduce our carbon footprint but we will pick one to focus on for the year. We will focus on reducing the amount of plastic in lunchboxes. We have found in our school that we have a problem with the amount of plastic that is in our bins at the end of the day, majority being from lunches, fruit juice cartons, yogurt pots, lunches wrapped in cling film. We will appoint some students as monitors who can visit each class and count the amount of plastic in lunchboxes. Figures will be recorded and we will run a campaign around school to try and encourage pupils to reduce amounts. Pupils could run a poster competition, prizes for most improved class, etc. Ideas will be given to pupils and an ‘idea sheet’ could be sent home to parents. Reusable bottles, reuse cling film or else use paper, buy big yogurt pots and send in small class jars, etc.
After a month, monitors will visit classes, record figures again and see are there improvements. Continue the campaign and hopefully it was also encourage changes at home also which in turn will have a positive effect on reducing our carbon footprint not only in school but at home.3. Nose High Up In The Sky is a great resource that I definitely intend on using with my class in September. I think they will find this resource fun and interesting. Children will love seeing the photographs of Earth taken from Space. I think it is a great way to start the lesson. The visual resources included are great and the activity of matching the photos to the different landscapes take from the ground will be interesting. The third activity then of learning about how a satellite works and how it is different to a space station will allow for some interesting discussions in the class. It is a great lesson as it provides children with the opportunity to see different perspectives which they usually wouldn’t get to experience in other lessons. It is a great resource to get children interested in delving deeper into the topic and hopefully doing some further research.
Hi Ciara, I also felt many emotions throughout the documentary. Using the Paris agreement synopsis is a great idea also. I also feel the children would take alot from watching the Greta Thunberg TED talk also.
Home by Yann Arthus Bertrand is a fantastic documentary that highlights the diversity and beauty of our world while also considering the important environmental issues we are facing. It shows us how humans and their activities are impacting the environment. It presents evidence of climate changes such as rising sea levels, increasing greenhouse gas emissions and melting glaciers. It also focuses on the loss of biodiversity and the unsustainable use of natural resources like water, fossil fuels and minerals. It promotes the use of renewable energy sources and sustainable practices.
I would introduce these climate change facts to the children in a number of different ways. I would show them some short clips from the documentary. I would carry out hands on activities such as conducting experiments to demonstrate climate change effects. I would find some interactive stories about how climate change affects children in different parts of the world. I would ask pupils to create posters and drawings to show effects of climate change and maybe carry out a class project where children have to come up with ideas to reduce their own carbon footprint. I would also find some games and quizzes online that children could play.Activity 3: Climate reporters and predicting temperature change is a great activity for pupils. There is a lot to explore in this topic. I really enjoyed this activity and I thought that the Paxi video was great. It was very child friendly and a fun way for children to learn about greenhouse gases. I would play this video for my class and then hold a classroom discussion with emphasis on how us humans are influencing climate change. I would divide pupils into groups and ask them to come up with 3 changes that we could make to tackle climate change. I would use the temperature predictor tool to show them how temperatures vary depending on where we life and the factors that are considered when predicting future temperatures. I would ask the children to use the simulation tool on i-pads in small groups for them to see the impact on climate change throughout the world.
Hi Emma, I fully agree with you that STEM is the buzz word at the moment and that there is such an emphasis on it at the moment. I also found that the children were very interested in the topic of weather and climate and I really look forward to setting up a weather station.
Maeve Liston’s paper, “Unravelling STEM: Beyond the Acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics,” highlights the importance of integrating STEM activities that go beyond teaching these subjects in isolation. Interdisciplinary approaches, problem solving skills development and real-world applications are vital to STEM education. This fosters creativity and critical thinking in the pupils. I really enjoyed this module and Nose Up High in the Sky and Weather Vs Climate resources were excellent. Both resources provide excellent opportunity for teaching and learning with video links and excellent worksheets.
Is it weather or climate? I thought this activity was very well presented. I think that many, even adults, still can be confused by this question. It was explained very clearly and simply in this lesson. The pupils’ activity sheet is great and easy for kids to complete. I liked the idea of remembering weather on their last birthday as it can be difficult to recall but children usually remember how they spent their birthdays. Dividing the sentences at the end was a good way to check understanding and to discuss together.
Nose up high in the sky was also an excellent activity. I particularly liked building their own weather station, it provided great opportunities for children to develop their measurement and geographical skills.
Many STEM skills could be developed from setting up a weather station in the school such as data collection and analysis, data logging, instrument use, design and construction, problem solving and recording to name a few.
