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Module 5: assignment
Climate detectives research question:
How can we attract more pollinators to our school garden?
We are very lucky to have an amazing garden in our school grounds, something we are all very proud of as s whole-school community. Therefore I think this research question is relevant to my school and the pupils would be very interested in the research.
We would start off by examining the garden every few days and the children would note what pollinators are seen- tally the amount of bees/butterflies/beetles etc. The children would also record the weather that day and the time of day that the observations were carried out.
We would then proceed to plant a variety of native wildflowers, herbs, and build our own bug hotel. An area of grass could be left unmown to attract insects too.
The next step would be to monitor and record the findings after these actions are put into place.
Finally, the children would come up with a conclusion. Did we attract more pollinators to our school?
Hi Cliona, that’s a great idea for a research question. It is very relevant and would definitely open the children’s eyes to the amount of waste that can accumulate. I brought my infant class out litter picking recently, and even that simple activity opened their eyes to the amount of litter lying around the school grounds.
5 satellites I found were:
International Space Station (ISS)
Starlink Satellites (SpaceX)
Sentinel-3
NOAA Weather Satellites
Terra (NASA)
I learned from this module that many satellites pass over Ireland every day, each with a different purpose. I found the above satellites using the Orbitrack app. The International Space Station is home to astronauts carrying out scientific research. Starlink satellites provide internet services around the world, including rural areas. Sentinel-3 monitors Earth’s environment and helps scientists track climate change and protect natural resources. NOAA weather satellites improve weather forecasting by collecting information about storms and temperatures. NASA’s Terra satellite studies Earth’s land, oceans, and atmosphere. These satellites show how space technology has many different roles including communication and protecting our planet.
Hi Siofra, I was also surprised by the amount of satellites orbiting Earth. I also had a look at the N2YO app and definitely see the benefits in using it in the classroom!
Hi Laura, I also agree that the themes explored in the videos could be adapted for younger classess too. I like the idea of simple investigations about caring for nature. I brought my infants out litter picking recently and they really enjoyed it. It really opened their eyes to the amount of litter that can be lying around the school and the negative impact it can have on our environment.
I enjoyed watching the documentary “Home” by Yann Arthus Bertrand. It was a powerful watch, with the message being that the Earth is our shared home and everyone has a responsibility to protect it. The documentary expresses that people must act quickly to reduce environmental damage and create a more sustainable future before it is too late. The information presented in the documentary can be used to encourage discussion, questioning, and critical thinking in the classroom rather than simply presenting environmental problems.
“Home” can be a valuable resource in a primary school setting when used appropriately. Since the full documentary contains some complex themes and imagery, I would definitely use it in the more senior end of primary schools. The documentary integrates with lots of different themes within the curriculum such as the theme of environmental awareness in SESE, aerial imagery in Geography, and global citizenship awareness in SPHE. Another clip I would use in the classroom would be the video clip of Greta Thunberg at the UN COP in 2025. She speaks powerfully about the impacts of climate change on our planet and would be a great prompt to encourage discussion around the theme in the classes in the upper end of the school.
Hi Sam, I also agree that preteaching the appropriate vocabulary is an important part of the lesson.
I would begin the lesson with a KWL on greenhouse gases. Teaching the younger classes, I would choose to use the Paxi video suggested in the lesson as a stimulus as it is very child friendly. We would then discuss the video as a whole class. I would explain the difference between natural and anthropogenic greenhouse effect. We would then discuss and make predictions about what the climate would look like in the future. I’m sure lots of valuable discussion would be made here- questions like – how do scientists predict what Earth’s climate will look like in the future will be asked.
The class will then be divided into groups to work on the different climate scenarios. They will work on filling in the activity sheets that accompany the activity. The iPads will be distributed so that the students can explore Teal online to support them with the research. Their ideas and findings will be presented back to the class as “Climate Reporters”
As an infant teacher, this activity would have to be adapted quite a bit as it is a bit complex, although the Paxi video would be suitable. The lesson would be an excellent resource to use in older classes.
The paper explores how STEM education should be seen as an integrated approach to learning rather than teaching each as separate subjects. The paper highlights that effective STEM education is centred on problem-solving, inquiry, collaboration and the application of knowledge to real-world contexts. I use inquiry based activities in my classroom when pupils are encouraged to ask questions, investigate ideas and work collaboratively to find solutions. For example, during our Space Week activities, the children wonder and question in groups before investigating. Prompts such as videos, songs, or pictures work well for me in infants. The super simple weather song shown in this module is a resource I plan to use to prompt questioning and discussion before a lesson.
he Nose up in the Sky resource can be used as an integrated approach to learning. Setting up the meteorological station in the school would be an invaluable resource for the children across the school to have real life learning and to bring the learning away from the books. Making and designing their own weather tools such as a rain gauge would give their learning purpose and a sense of pride of work too. The weather vs climate activity teaches the children the difference between the two terms- weather is short term and climate is on a greater scale.
Hi Carrie, I also agree that the worksheets would be a very beneficial resource to use in the classroom. They are clear, concise activities which is what you want in a busy classroom!
I would choose the dancing raisins activity from this module. This is a lesson I have done with infants in the past and the children always love it!
Aim of lesson:
To investigate how gas bubbles can make objects move.Materials needed:
Clear glass jar, sparkling water, raisins
Introduction:
I would ask the children as a prompt: What do you think will happen when we put raisins into sparkling water? I would encourage them to share their predictions before starting the experimentActivity:
- Fill a clear glass with sparkling water. Drop a few raisins into the glass. Watch closely as the raisins move up and down, looking as though they are dancing.
Discussion:
Class discussion about what happened. I would then explain that tiny gas bubbles stick to the raisins, making them light enough to float to the top. When the bubbles burst, the raisins become heavier and sink back down. This process repeats, making the raisins appear to dance.I would finish the lesson on the following questions to promote more discussion and gather what they have learned.
What did you notice?
Did the raisins float or sink?
Why do you think they moved up and down
The children would then record what they observed through pictures and simple sentences.
Hi Laura, I agree that it can sometimes be challenging to come up with ideas for science week. I like your weekly layout ideas listed- sounds very engaging and fun!
Hi Claire, I like the idea of your sensory exploration station. I’d imagine the children would learn a lot from exploring the different sensations and it would prompt interesting discussions on which material would work best in keeping the penguin warm in winter.
I would start the lesson by showing the class a picture of Mars as a prompt. Do you think anybody lives there? If so who? What would they need to survive?
I would then explain how scientists don’t know if aliens or martians exist but I want them to be alien designers in class. We would then do a whole-class discussion on what we think aliens might look like- do they have teeth? Hair? How many eyes do you think they have?
The children would then sketch what they think an alien would look like. They would share their finished sketch with their peers- gallery walk in classroom.
The following lesson would be a 3D construction of what they think their alien would look like using clay.
These clay aliens would then be used for many different integrated activities- such as writing prompts in literacy, or small world play in drama, or sorting and classifying in Maths.
Activity: Aliens in infants
I would start the lesson by showing the class a picture of Mars as a prompt. Do you think anybody lives there? If so who? What would they need to survive?
I would then explain how scientists don’t know if aliens or martians exist but I want them to be alien designers in class. We would then do a whole-class discussion on what we think aliens might look like- do they have teeth? Hair? How many eyes do you think they have?
The children would then sketch what they think an alien would look like. They would share their finished sketch with their peers- gallery walk in classroom.
The following lesson would be a 3D construction of what they think their alien would look like using clay/fabric and fibre
These clay/fabric and fibre aliens would then be used for many different integrated activities- such as writing prompts in literacy, or small world play in drama, or sorting and classifying in Maths.