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I really like this idea and I think it would be a really engaging topic for the children, especially because fast fashion is something they see and experience all the time. I agree that a lot of children, and adults too, probably don’t realise the environmental impact of buying new clothes. I also like the idea of linking it to something like Vinted. It’s interesting how buying second-hand has become much more popular and even seen as a “cooler” option now, whereas years ago there was definitely more of a stigma around wearing second-hand clothes. I think the children would enjoy investigating this change in attitudes and looking at how small changes in how we buy, reuse and donate clothes can make a difference. The idea of bringing different classes and families on board through a clothes swap would be a great way to make the project really meaningful.
Research Question: “How can we reduce single-use plastic in our school?”
I think this would be a good research question because it is something the whole school could get involved in and the children can actually see the impact of their actions. I would start by asking pupils how much single-use plastic they think we use in a normal school day. We could then carry out a simple plastic waste audit to see what we are actually using and where most of it is coming from.
We could have “Plastic Monitors” in each class who could help keep an eye on plastic waste and record how much is being thrown away each week. This could make the children feel like they have an important role in the project. The Green-Schools Committee could also help organise the project and share the results with the whole school.
Pupils could use reusable water bottles and lunch containers, while teachers could reduce the use of plastic for classroom activities and choose reusable materials where possible. Families could also get involved by making small changes at home, such as using reusable shopping bags, lunch boxes and containers instead of cling film.
At the end of the project, we could compare our plastic waste with what we were producing at the beginning. I think seeing the difference would be a great way for the children to realise that small changes across the whole school can have a much bigger impact.
I really like your idea of having the children become “weather detectives” each day. I think giving them a little job and responsibility would make the activity much more exciting for Junior Infants. I also really like your idea of using their own symbols to record the weather. It would make the activity much more visual and accessible, while also bringing in a nice Visual Arts element. I think the children would have great fun creating their own symbols and then using them on the class weather chart.
I really liked the ‘Nose High Up in the Sky’ resource and could definitely see myself using it in the classroom. I found the activities practical and engaging, and I think children would enjoy getting outside and actually investigating the weather rather than just learning about it from a book.
I particularly liked the focus on observation and prediction. The children could go on a weather walk, use their senses to describe what they notice and record their findings. I also think there are lots of opportunities for cross-curricular learning, such as keeping a weather journal, creating graphs and using Gaeilge vocabulary when describing the weather.
It also reminded me of work we did last year through the Creative Clusters Programme, where the children made their own weather instruments. They worked in groups and had to think creatively about what materials they could use. We had porridge scoops being used to make anemometers, 2L bottles turned into rain gauges and plastic plates and straws used for wind vanes. Every group came up with something different. One child even used her 3D printer to make the base of an anemometer and explained to the class how she made it. I think activities like this really encourage creativity, problem-solving and give children ownership of their learning.
I really agree with your point about using short excerpts from HOME rather than showing the whole film. I think the idea of using the Shenzhen section is really interesting too, especially linking it to History and looking at how a city has changed over time. I also like the idea of then bringing it back to Ireland and getting the children to look at a local area they are familiar with. I think making these connections to their own surroundings would make a big topic like climate change much easier for them to understand.
I found ‘HOME’ really interesting and I think it would definitely get children thinking about climate change and the impact we are having on the planet. At the same time, I think some of the content is quite advanced for primary school children, so I wouldn’t show the whole documentary. I would use short clips alongside the other videos in the module.
I think it would be important to go back to the basics first, especially in line with the Irish Primary Curriculum. Before introducing big ideas like greenhouse gases and global warming, I would make sure the children understand the difference between weather and climate. We could start by talking about the weather we experience every day and what changes we notice over the seasons.
From there, I would introduce some key vocabulary and perhaps make a class weather and climate dictionary with pictures and simple definitions. Once the children have a good understanding of the basics, I would introduce short clips from ‘HOME’ and use them as a starting point for discussion. I would also link the learning to our own environment through activities such as observing biodiversity in Mayo, looking at energy use or discussing ways we can reduce waste. I think keeping it practical and local would make a big topic like climate change much easier for children to understand.
Hi John,
I agree with you about the Paxi video. I thought it was a really good way of explaining greenhouse gases, especially as it can be a difficult concept for children to understand. I also really liked the idea of linking the temperature tool to what has been happening with extreme temperatures in Europe. I think that would make the learning much more relevant for the children.
I also agree that the Climate Reporters activity could have a bit more hands-on work. I really like your idea of getting the children to actually become reporters and investigate how climate change could affect Ireland. Looking at things like farming, wildlife and local weather would make it much more real for them. Having the children present their findings to another class would also be a great way to finish the activity and give them a real purpose for their research.I really enjoyed Activity 3, Climate Reporters, and found that I learned a lot from it myself. I think it is a great way to introduce climate change because it combines Science, technology and data in a way that feels quite practical. I particularly liked the Paxi video as an introduction to greenhouse gases, as it explains what can be quite a difficult concept in a simple way. The temperature prediction tool was probably my favourite part, as pupils can explore different parts of the world and see how temperatures could change depending on greenhouse gas emissions. I can imagine their curiosity really kicking in when they can interact with the data themselves.
I would use this with a senior class, working in small groups and getting each group to investigate a different scenario before sharing their findings. They could create graphs and compare the information with weather data from our own local area. I would then link this to a practical climate action project in the school, such as reducing waste, improving biodiversity or looking at our carbon footprint.
I think the activity could be improved with differentiated worksheets, simpler graphs and a glossary of key vocabulary. Some of the concepts may be quite abstract for pupils, so visual supports and a graph template could help. It would also be useful to include more Irish and local examples so pupils can see how climate change connects to their own lives.
I really liked your point about the weather station giving the children ownership of their learning. It made me think about how easy it would be to link this with Gaeilge as well. We could use the weather journal throughout the year to build up our ‘Aimsir’ vocabulary and have the children record and discuss the weather as Gaeilge. It would be a nice way of using Irish naturally rather than only focusing on Aimsir for a few weeks during the year.
I really enjoyed this module and actually learned a lot myself from doing the activities. I think the ‘Unravelling STEM’ paper made me look at STEM in a different way. It’s not just about doing experiments or using technology; it’s about children asking questions, investigating things, solving problems and working together.
I really liked the “Is it Weather or Climate?” activity because weather and climate can be confusing for children, but it gives them a simple way to understand the difference. Living in rural Mayo, weather is something we talk about all the time – almost as much as football! It would be easy to make this really relevant to the children by using examples from our own local weather and asking them what they think the weather will be like each day.
The ‘Weather Detectives’ activity would also be great fun. I could see the children getting really into recording the weather, making predictions and checking if they were right. I would possibly set up a class weather station and have the children collect data over a few weeks. They could then create graphs and look for patterns.
I think these activities are a great example of how STEM can be made practical and relevant. The children are learning Science and Maths, but they are also developing communication, teamwork, observation and problem-solving skills without necessarily realising it.