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Research Question
How have water levels at the pier on the River Shannon changed over the last 30 years due to climate change?
As our school is very close to the River Shannon, I would like to make it personal to the students to foster interest and a high level of engagement, I would initiate this by starting with an open discussion about the river and the uses of it to our town.
The investigation will involve observation and measurement of current water levels and noting weather conditions. We will have to dig into the historical records, interview older members of our community and look at photos, news articles to make a comparison. The pupils will graph weekly water levels and compare to any available in historical records to see if there is any notable pattern/difference. We will explore how climate change can lead to more rainfall, higher river levels and increased flooding. Once we have completed the investigation, we will present our findings to the wider school community.
That’s a great research question Diarmuid! I think it’s really meaningful that your pupils have witnessed flooding themselves, it makes the topic so much more relevant and engaging for them as it adds a real sense of purpose to the investigation. Great idea to choose something so current with the effects of climate change becoming more visible.
Having looked at the Nose Up High in the Sky ESA resource, I’m very impressed with it. It is very engaging and hands on for the children. The worksheets are clear, well-structured and very child-friendly, which makes it easy for students to follow the activities.
One of the things I particularly like about this resource is how well it integrates with the subjects Science, Geography and Maths. I could definitely see myself using it when teaching about weather and climate with my 3rd class in the coming school year.Of the three activities, I particularly liked Activity 2 Sensing the Weather as it encourages students to actively observe and describe weather elements like wind, rain and temperature, using their own senses. I also really enjoyed activity 3 Building a Weather Station, which I think is a fantastic hands on activity that the students will love to participate in. They will enjoy learning through making but also it links strongly with Maths through measuring and gathering data. Overall, I think this is a brilliant resource.
That’s a really interesting app to use and completely new to me. I agree that tracking satellites in real-time makes space feel much more real and accessible. Definitely something students would find engaging.
The film HOME is a powerful documentary that highlights the beauty of our planet while clearly showing the serious impacts of human activity on Earth. I feel this video is definitely more suited to senior classes. Younger students would definitely be overwhelmed by it.
Some of the other video clips in the module, like the Paxi animation on the greenhouse effect, are excellent for younger pupils. They explain the idea in a very child friendly way and are perfect for introducing climate change without overwhelming them.
To introduce these topics in the classroom, I would begin with the lighter, animated videos like Paxi to build understanding and initiate discussion. Then with older pupils in a senior class, I would use short selected clips from HOME to spark the discussion further.
I agree that showing Greta Thunberg’s TED Talk and COP25 speech would be really worthwhile to show to the students. Her ability to speak so passionately as a young person advocating for change on a global stage makes the issue feel more relatable to them.
The Paxi video explaining greenhouse gases and the greenhouse effect is an excellent resource for primary school age students. It is very child friendly due to the animation and language used throughout.
Children can clearly see how gases like carbon dioxide trap heat and contribute to global warming. I would use this video at the start of the lesson to introduce the concept of global warming and as a stimulus to spark class discussion.
The TEAL tool is a fantastic resource to support children’s understanding of how our climate is changing. It clearly shows that our present actions will influence climate change in the future. Using this tool in class will help raise awareness of the impact we each have on the environment and it will help encourage pupils to think about the positive changes they can make to reduce their own carbon footprint.
That’s a great idea Carmel. A Climate Awareness Day would be a brilliant way to bring all the learning together. It would be a fantastic opportunity for the class to present their weather station findings and reports to the rest of the school and raise awareness within the whole school community. Also a great opportunity for the Green School committee to get involved and voice to the school community about their initiatives saving electricity, reducing litter, walk/cycle and so on.
I really enjoyed this resource and love the simplicity to it but yet effectiveness. Both activities are engaging and very child friendly.
Activity 1 – Is it Weather or Climate? This resource is very easy to use and very accessible. The worksheet is straightforward helps students grasp the difference and understand that weather is short term and climate refers to long term patterns. I would start this lesson with a discussion about the weather we have had that week in the classroom and then build from that to contrast it with the long term climate we experience here in Ireland.
Activity 2 – Weather Detectives is a great activity where students will record daily temperatures, record these on a graph, calculate the average and compare their results with their peers. To use this activity I would set up a weather station. The children will be divided into groups and each group will take turns recording the weather and collating the data. Using the information gathered we will compare it to the official average for Munster.
