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Research Question- How effective is the bottle return scheme?
This is something that I have discussed with people and does it actually prove beneficial to the environment. At times I have particularly annoyed by this as it can prove unsightly and unhygienic on entry to shops with leaking machines and throws of dirty bottles/cans waiting to be returned. I believe there should be a better system for the return or some alternative method of recycling. On visiting larger towns and cities I regularly witness people rummaging through bins for bottles. I have researched the data and it states that it has boosted recycling and has driven overall container returns from around 49 to 90 percent.
I would like to carry out an investigation locally with the children to get their opinions and people who work in the shops, recycling centres and local councils. I would firstly gather data in the school to gauge how many of the school community avail of the scheme. I would incorporate this into a home work activity to gather insight from home/community. As a class activity we would investigate the figures around the scheme and then the possible downfalls of it. I would prepare questionnaires for shop keepers to get their opinions/ideas and also speak to the local council on the issue. Following on from this we would analyse the data and draw our conclusion on it. We share it through posters and a power point presentation.
It may be a research question that would lead to a lot of answer based on opinions about scheme but it is something I am very interested in carrying out as it is a topic I discussed with my previous class on several occasions.
I think this could be a very interesting research questions as it is very topical at present and there is a lot information and figures out there to investigate supplied by farming groups/organisations.
These sound like interesting satellites to check out, I find very interesting about all the activities going on in our skies that we never see.
1. Starlink 34682- Norad ID- 64854 Second generation satellites in smaller from factor
2. Starlink 31506 – Norad ID 59259 Second generation satellites in smaller form factor. Falcon 9 vehicle
3. NASA ID 832 – 3D Winds- Single satellite of the 3D winds programme monitoring atmospheric dynamics- wind profile
4. NASA ID 454- Advanced composition explorer- Main mission is solar physics and space weather
5. ISRO ID 469- Aditya 1 – Single flight unit and it is observing the solar corona
These are the satellites I found, it took a few tries to get used to the trackers, Im sure it would be a fun activities for kids in the senior classes to carry out.
Before watching any videos in this module, I will hold a discussion on the weather we have encountered in our are and look into the effects it has had locally. I will focus on wild fires that have taken place around the Tipperary, how the the drought has an effect on the farming community and water restrictions that may have taken place. Changing climate/weather has left a clear impact on our landscape this year, we have gone from a long wet spell to an unprecedented period of drought. I feel it will be interesting to hear the views of the children and what have seen in their lives over the summer holidays. This will present a nice lead into the film home to clearly show the children where the earth has come from, what has taken place through the years which has led us to a dangerous point in time. The film shows the effects of human expansion and our lack of awareness at times to what could potentially happen to our future generations. I would also like show Irelands Climate re use action plan to give an idea what needs to be achieved going forward and how everyone can help to get there.
Yes I think it would be way too demanding to watch the film as a whole too, I would also possibly break it up into small sections and re watch over time during wet day lunch break and so on to help reinforce the message.
Before completing activity 3 with any group, I believe a lot of work needs to be completed on the greenhouse effect with the children. This is a very abstract concept for the kids and I wouldn’t launch without watching the paxi video and SEAI greenhouse effect. Children could then explore how humans locally are contributing to the climate and the effects that has. The Teal Tool is an excellent resource and very insightful but I think it is suited to the older class groups. Using the technology and recording could prove difficult for some kids but would be a very stimulating activity for higher achievers. In our school we have access to ipads so I would get the kids to work in small groups to carry out their investigations and record their findings. As a follow up activity I would possibly complete it as a whole group setting to compare findings. I would put them in mixed ability groups to enable to learn and work together.
I agree Amanda, differentiation is key as this can be a challenging concept for children to grasp. It is important that they can access it easily and enjoy the activities.
I think this could be a very good year to explore the topic of weather/climate particularly due to the hot summer and extreme temperatures we have recently experienced. It would provide an excellent to explore activity 1 and illicit what language and information the children have encountered over the summer holidays. I would like to create a journal of events possibly of the weather during the summer and continue during the year, I will encourage the children to keep this journal through their school years and help to draw conclusions on climate, it may be possible for them to compare the weather over the years and draw their own conclusions on climate in their own view.
Through activity 2 I would like for the children to measure temperatures in the school through the use of a weather station. Now that we live in a time where lots of homes and buildings have thermostats along with our vehicles. I will ask the kids to observe and record temperatures if they see them. I will design a work sheet for the children to do this, some of these could be added to their weather journals.
Christine I like the idea of donating school uniforms once the kids are finished, I think my old school uniform remained in my wardrobe for a long time after I finished school which is a great policy to have. Clothes collection days are also a good way to raise funds and help have clothes reused or donated to less well off people.
In our school community there is a big emphasis put on working towards a sustainable environment. We are actively involved in the green flag programme. A new committee is created each year to carry out activities and inform the school community of what needs to be carried out throughout the school. Bin, light, door and window monitors ensured waste is recycled properly and energy waste is kept to minimum. Once a term there is WOW day (walk on wednesday) where students and staff meet at location to walk to school. This creates a feel good factor among the whole community. Teachers carpool where possible, I feel this effective as the kids are interested to know why some teachers travel together and it sets a good standard for them. In recent years the school had a new bike shed installed to encourage the use of bikes,. At the start of the year the kids are provided with a reusable water bottle to help reduce plastic waste. In the local area there is a wind farm and planning has been granted for a new solar farm. It is positive to see this and as far as I’m aware our school is to receive a grant for the provision of solar panels. This all shows a positive attitude locally to help achieve sustainability.
I would like to carry out an investigation with the kids on the origin of their lunches and some of the items that we buy in our supermarkets. It would be interesting to see where they have come from and are part of origin green, fair trade products. I would like to assess are we buying food from sustainable sources. I think this would form the basis for an interesting lesson for both kids and teachers alike.
Nutritionists visiting sports clubs is a very good idea and it has become a really big part of sport across all levels in recent years. This may also be an idea for one to visit the Senior classes in order to promote healthy eating as they head into their teenage years where is vital for kids to maintain healthy diets. It is important to keep raising awareness of healthy eating and the benefits of eating seafood, at a time where we have so much access to fast food and less healthier options.
Understanding the nutrition provided by seafood could form the basis of many lessons in the classroom. I think it is essential to promote this excellent food across ages to encourage healthy eating and raise awareness amongst children about how beneficial fish and seafood can be for their growing bodies. Going through the module really opened my eyes to the quality of vitamins, minerals, omega 3 and healthy fats that can be gained from eating seafood. I would like to make a lesson based around PE possibly to demonstrate how fish can be so good for your body for sporting activities and how it could be incorporated into their diets if they have aspirations with their sports. It may be a good idea to ask in a local sports star to explain the areas of their diet that includes seafood. The nutrition of seafood could also form the basis of a report writing activity to investigate and write about different types of fish and what they can do for your diet. The salmon of knowledge would be a good way to encourage younger kids to eat fish, it might be a fun way to grab their attention by referring to it as the brain food.