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Hi Ellen, I love this idea! Coming from a school where many of the pupils are from farming backgrounds, I think it would be interesting to consider both the positive and negative sides of this weather. Of course many will have enjoyed the heat and the sun, but I also know that some of my pupils will have seen a negative impact on their farm with the lack of rain affecting their grass growing and overall health of the land and animals! This could open up some excellent class discussions and areas for enquiry.
Research Question: How can we reduce single-use plastic in our school to help protect the environment?
I think this research question would be very relevant for primary pupils as it focuses on an issue they encounter every day and gives them an opportunity to make a meaningful difference within their own school community. I would begin by encouraging pupils to discuss what they already know about plastic pollution and complete a simple class survey to investigate how much single-use plastic is used in lunchboxes and around the school. This would lead naturally into collaborative group work, where pupils could research the environmental impact of plastic and explore practical alternatives using books, tablets and reliable online resources.
Each group could present their findings through posters, digital presentations or short videos, helping to develop communication and digital literacy skills. As a class, we would evaluate the proposed ideas and decide on realistic actions, such as introducing reusable water bottles, organising a plastic-free lunch day or creating awareness posters for the school. Finally, we would monitor the impact of these initiatives over several weeks by collecting data and reflecting on any changes. This would allow pupils to see that their research can lead to real, positive environmental action while developing important STEM enquiry and problem-solving skills.Hi Janet, I agree with your point. Coming from a senior school setting, I hadn’t considered how a younger audience might be affected by some of the images/ messages in this resource. I like your suggestion of approaching the topic in a positive way.
Hi Catriona, I like your idea of group work to complete these activities. The children often love group work and I find that their learning is more meaningful when discussing and sharing ideas with each other.
Hi Hazel, I agree! I really liked the resource and can certainly see uses for it in my classroom next year and in the future.
Option 3:
I found the ESA resource ‘Nose High Up in the Sky’ to be engaging, well-structured and highly suitable for the primary classroom. The activities are practical, inquiry-based and encourage pupils to develop observation, discussion and scientific investigation skills. I particularly liked how the lessons progressed from exploring everyday ideas about weather to analysing real weather data, helping pupils build their understanding step by step.Activity 1 gives an excellent introduction by encouraging pupils to discuss weather sayings and their own experiences. This would promote oral language development while also allowing pupils to question whether common weather proverbs are always accurate. Activity 2 encourages children to use their senses to observe and describe weather conditions, introducing scientific vocabulary in a meaningful context. I especially enjoyed Activity 3, as pupils use satellite images and real weather information to investigate and interpret weather patterns. Using authentic images from space would capture pupils’ interest and provide a strong link between science, geography and technology.
I could definitely use this resource with my 6th class next year as part of a cross-curricular STEM unit. To enhance the activities, I would include opportunities for pupils to keep a weather journal over several weeks, compare their observations with satellite images and weather forecasts, and present their findings to the class using digital tools.
I found the documentary HOME to be both powerful and thought-provoking. The stunning visuals highlight the beauty of our planet while also illustrating the impact that human activity has had on the environment. Although the documentary is quite long to show in its entirety in my opinion, I think carefully selected clips would provide an excellent stimulus for discussion and reflection. The other video clips in the module, including those featuring young climate activists, reinforce the importance of environmental responsibility and show pupils that individuals can make a positive difference.
When introducing climate change to my class, I would ensure the topic is presented in an age-appropriate and hopeful way. I would begin by exploring pupils’ prior knowledge and misconceptions before using short video clips to spark discussion about how climate change affects people, wildlife and the natural environment. Pupils could then work collaboratively to identify practical actions they can take at home and in school, such as reducing waste, recycling and saving energy. As a follow-up activity, they could create posters or presentations promoting positive environmental action, empowering them to see that small changes can have a meaningful impact.
Hi Ellen, I like the way you’ve broken down how you would use each activity/ resource. I agree that the Nose up High in the Sky activity also has many starting points that it could be used for.
I found Activity 3 both engaging and informative. Climate change can be a challenging topic to teach, but the Paxi video explains greenhouse gases and the greenhouse effect in a simple, age-appropriate way that would help pupils develop a clear understanding of the topic. The future temperature prediction tool complements the video by encouraging pupils to think critically about how human actions influence future climate outcomes while also developing their digital literacy.
I could use this activity with my 6th class next year as part of a cross-curricular STEM unit linking Science, Geography, SPHE and Maths. It could also provide excellent opportunities for project work, where pupils could investigate renewable energy, explore ways to reduce their carbon footprint, and create presentations promoting sustainable practices within the school.
To strengthen the activity, I might include a worksheet with guiding questions to support pupils in interpreting the prediction tool and encourage class discussion afterwards. I also think adding more examples of how climate change is affecting Ireland would make the lesson more relevant and meaningful, helping pupils connect global environmental issues to their own everyday lives.I found Liston’s (2018) paper very insightful as it reinforced the idea that STEM should be taught as an integrated approach rather than as four separate subjects. I liked the concept of engineering acting as the link between science, technology and maths through problem-solving and design. In my classroom, I aim to provide hands-on, collaborative learning experiences that encourage pupils to investigate real-world issues and apply their knowledge across different curriculum areas.
I found both Weather and Climate activities engaging and practical. Is it Weather or Climate? clearly introduces the difference between weather and climate, while Weather Detectives encourages pupils to observe, record and analyse weather conditions using scientific enquiry skills. I will be teaching 6th class next year and I can see these activities working particularly well with senior classes as part of a cross-curricular STEM unit.
To extend the activities, I could set up a class weather station where pupils could build simple instruments, collect and graph weather data, and compare their findings with online forecasts. A useful addition would be a longer-term investigation where classes share their results, helping pupils identify seasonal weather patterns and strengthening links between Science, Geography, Maths and Technology.
Lesson topic = Counties of Ireland
Subject = Geography
Class level = 5th class
My aim for the lesson would be to balance traditional geography learning with interactive AI tools, ensuring students develop both knowledge and curiosity.
The lesson will begin with a map exploration activity with each child/pair using an atlas, where children will locate and name counties, discuss cultural or historical associations, and share any personal connections. To deepen engagement, I plan to use AI tools for differentiation. For example, I can ask CoPilot to generate a range of county-related questions suited to different ability levels. This allows me to provide both challenging prompts for advanced learners and simpler recall questions for those who need more support.
The next part of the lesson will be an online quiz created on Quizizz. The quiz will act as both an assessment tool and a fun, competitive activity to reinforce learning.
Reflecting on this plan, I do think that it’s important to see AI as an assistant rather than a replacement. By using it to generate questions and adapt content, I free up time to focus on discussion, explanation, and individual student needs. Ultimately, the goal is to create a lively, student-centered lesson where technology enriches the core geography content, without distracting from it.
Hi Melanie, I really like the way you’re planning to use AI in the new maths curriculum. I think some of the aims of the new curriculum are quite broad and overwhelming so the use of AI could certainly help with tackling that and making the content appropriate for the children in our class, as you mentioned above!
I have never used RoboGarden in my teaching before this but from the information in this module, and after doing my own research, I have learned a lot and can see potential use for it next year in my classroom. Robo Garden teaches coding and AI through games, which makes it accessible and engaging for pupils who might otherwise find these concepts abstract or intimidating. By including learning into playful experiences, it lowers the barrier to entry and allows students to experiment without any fear of failure.
If I were to introduce this tool, I would start by framing it as an exploration rather than a ‘formal’ lesson. I would encourage pupils to treat the platform like a puzzle box – one that gives students the opportunity to learn and understand how AI works by asking them to solve challenges and various building projects. I believe this approach would spark curiosity and allow for independent problem-solving, while also supporting collaboration and teamwork when students compare strategies or share solutions.
Over time, I would hope to gradually connect the challenges in RoboGarden to broader curriculum goals, showing pupils how the coding skills and AI concepts they are practicing link to real-world applications. In this way, the tool could serve not only as a motivator but also as a bridge between playful learning and meaningful digital literacy through the use of AI tools.
Hi Ronan, I hadn’t considered using Scratch with my class this year, however the visual aspect of it is certainly very appealing in teaching students the basics in AI and coding.
One way I can use the tools identified in this module is through Microsoft’s CoPilot Image Creator for literacy and descriptive writing. This can be a fun and interesting way for students to see the effects of good descriptive writing. They can immediately see how adding more adjectives and extra details to their own writing can make the image more realistic or accurate. For me as a teacher, it provides a creative way to assess how well students are using language and encourages them to experiment with vocabulary.
Another AI tool that I liked was Microsoft Reading Coach, which builds confidence for children in their reading fluency. The tool is easy to use, practical and effective. It also allows for differentiated teaching within the classroom based on each student’s own reading ability and level. This ensures that students receive individualised support, while I can track progress and adapt tasks as needed.
In the classroom, both tools have the potential to increase motivation and engagement. CoPilot Image Creator links writing with visual feedback, making abstract skills more tangible for the students, while Reading Coach offers personalised practice that supports progress over time. More broadly, AI tools like these can transform future teaching, learning and assessment. They allow teachers to focus on creativity and critical thinking, while technology helps meet a range of diverse learning needs.