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Cooling an area is becoming a big issue what with the temperatures being experienced in continental Europe these days. Andnow that we’re getting a bit of a summer, we can begin to empathise a bit more!
Using the planner, I’ll first test the draft question “Are sea levels rising and impacting upon Wexford coastal communities?” against the criteria.
Climate-related – Yes, rising sea levels are linked to climate change.
Focused on one issue – Focus on sea-level rise and its local impacts.
Feasible – Data can be collected from maps, tide records, local observations, and reports. Newspaper reports might be more accessible.
Not too readily answered – I envisage that it will not be that easy! The question pertains to a specific local impact rather than a simple fact, so it’s probably good.
Clear and concise – The question can be stated in one sentence so it’s probably okay.
Not too broad or too narrow – Focuses on a defined location but the Wexford coastline is long. Maybe could narrow that down a bit.
I’d encourage the children to look at some images like the one of Boston being inundated, and also some reports of Kelly’s Hotel in Rosslare losing parts of their buikdings to erosion and rising sea levels. The hotel manager was on tv about this and it would be good to watch that segment. We could also do a trip to the beach and look at nearby buildings, farms and homes. This will hopefully spark their interest and serve as an entry point into the question.Starlink is great for the more remote regions. I don’t think it’s great that so much power is in the hands of one man, though.
Passing over me at the moment are:
Starlink 34028
Starlink 5125
Starlink 34187
Starlink 32155
Starlink 35897These are all of Elon Musk’s satellites. They have proven useful in the Ukraine conflict especially when he denied access to Russia. because there is so much drone warfare, satellites play a huge part. GPS is vital for directing troops, artllery, missiles and drones. It’s a pity that they are being used in such a militaristic way but the defence of Ukraine is a good cause. Space is increasingly becoming a zone which the major countries and superpowers are trying to control. Satellites, space stations and moon colonies will all give greater control and power to countries on Earth, and will help with their military aims.
SpaceX, the company that made him a trillionaire, are launching the satellites, and he hopes to provide internet access to anywhere in the world. Musk has over 10,000 of these satellites in orbit. One wonders what will happen when they become obsolete. Space is becoming increasingly dangerous because of all the junk orbiting.HOME is really powerful. I have Yann’s coffee table book – the Earth from the Air, and it’s just as good. The beauty of our planet. Practical activities are important – we should all be doing them.
The video clips are powerful and undeniable (well you would think but these days anything is deniable if you have a thick enough neck). They are also profoundly depressing in some ways. Even the carbon footprint idea has been shown to be a ploy developed by big business to put responsibility back on individuals rather than the corporations who are capable of massive change in a way that individuals cannot.
It’s important to give hope. Otherwise it’s a “why bother – we’re screwed anyway, why not party like it’s the end of the world”. David Attenborough’s video clip in the last module is a perfect example. Highlight what we can do, the actions we can take, the politicians we can votre for.
So, it’s a balance of making sure the kids know how serious the situation is but that it’s not hopeless, and that we can still turn things around if we work together. This can be difficult with so many kids reporting anxiety issues.Yes, the Paxi video is very good. It’s lovely to have such a good resource at hand, and it explains things very well.
For activity 3 we’re going to look at exploring future climate scenarios and then writing a climate report for 2050 based on projected temperature data from the Copernicus Climate andEnergy Education Demonstrator.
First, I’ll ask the kids a few questions –
What is a greenhouse gas? How do human activities affect the climate? How do scientists predict future climate conditions?
The I’ll explain that scientists use observations from Earth and spaceas well as computer climate models to create different future climate scenarios.
The I’ll divide the class into small groups and give half the groups a low emissions scenario and half the groups a high emissions scenario Then, using the Copernicus education tool the kids will select a country or region and check out the record monthly mean temperatures and compare historical temperatures with projected temperatures
The the children will write a short weather forecast style report, talking about how in their region, the mean temperature for July 2050 was ____. Hopefully they’ll say that this was 2°C warmer than the historical average and that summers are expected to be warmer, which may will have a big impact on humans and nature alike, not to mention all our activities and way of life. They will use the worksheet to help and explore how might warmer temperatures affect daily life, whether birthdays or holidays will feel different, and most importantly, what people could do to reduce the impact of climate change. The children will then share their ideas with the class and I’ll write them on the whiteboard and have a vote on the best and most effective.Hi Barbara – yes it would be ideal for the Green Schools side of things. Lots of good learning there, and climate change is such an important thing.
What I got from the article is that its not about learning these subjects separately. It’s about using them together to solve real-world problems. It’s a rral practical thing. STEM helps children develop important skills such as creativity, critical thinking, problem-solving, communication, teamwork, and confidence with technology. These are really important skills, especially in Ireland’s tech-heavy climate at the moment, and they can can help the kids achieve in school and get jobs in the future, but also in everyday life – these skills are really transferable.
A good STEM activity encourages students to ask questions, explore ideas, design solutions, test them, and improve them. This is real science. It makes that connection between learning and real-life situations and helps children understand how knowledge can be used to make a real difference in the world – just thinking of Clarkson’s Farm! Engineering is a key part of STEM, as it brings science, technology, and mathematics together to create practical solutions. Any activities that we do should focus on designing and solving problems rather than simply using technology or studying one subject alone.Basically, STEM helps children to become innovative and who can work with other children to solve challenges and improve the world around them – hopefully!My focus is the use of Assessment for Learning (AfL) strategies to improve pupil engagement and understanding in reading this is what I might use for SSE.
Gathering evidence –
Literacy lesson plans created using Teach and Create.
Reading and writing resources differentiated with Copilot and the other agents to support differentiation.
Assessment data from Learning Accelerators, including reading fluency, comprehension, and engagement.
Samples of pupils’ written work collected throughout the year.
Teacher observations and reflective notes.
Feedback from pupils regarding their confidence and engagement in literacy activities.Then we’ll analyse and make judgements, focusing on strengths and challenges. Oral languiage always needs attention, and then the overall goal of helping the children to become independent learners.
Then use the above for targets and actions, and writing and sharing the improvement plan. We put it into action, with inservice for the teachers on how to use the CoPilot tools, and then monitor with the tools themselves – they make it easy to monitor attainment and improvements.
I used the Canva agent to create a school magazine that could be used by 6th class students. It took a few minutes to link up my Canva account with CoPilot. Then it got to work by giving me some sample templates. I chose one and then set about making some changes. At first I asked it to get details form our school website but that didn’t seem to be possible so I then started manually uploading a few details. The crest wasn’t the same when added so I think that it might be best to edit it in the Canva platform. It’s important for a teacher to check and supervise when using AI tools.
I’m not sure about the overall quality of the agent but it does provide some ideas and templates that van then be used by humans to make it nicer. Superficially, it’s okay but I prefer a bit more quality and finesse.
Learning accelerators and accessibility tools can help identify and reduce barriers – literacy difficulties, language needs,additional learning needs. Immersive Reader can be used to support students with dyslexia, EAL kids, or anyone who needs text-to-speech, translation, or visual supports.
The Reading Progress and Reading Coach can provide info on reading fluency, accuracy, and pace. These tools can also increase motivation through interactive, personalised learning. For differentiation, teachers can assign reading passages at different levels in Reading Progress and the Immersive Reader allows individual adjustments like font size, spacing, and language.These tools provide instant feedback, allowing pupils to work at their own pace.You could use this in SSE by collecting evidence on how many pupils experience literacy or access barriers and then use the tool data to inform targeted interventions and whether the accessibility features are consistently available and used.
World War Two – 6th Class
The lesson plan worked out really well. It’s important to create the resources that you will need for the lesson as well. It’s also very important to give the correct prompts – it’s all about the prompts, really. The better you can guide AI, the better results you will get. Let AI get to know you and your standards, likes, etc. I had to request specific definitions of vocabulary a few times before it would do it for me.
I loved Create – it created a fantastic poster based on the causes of WW2. I have attached it.
Causes of World War Two and Key Vocabulary for Year 7 History
Overview
Year: 7
Subject: History
Duration: 45 minutes
Standards
Strand three: The history of Europe and the wider world
Objectives
Students will identify and explain the principal causes of World War Two, focusing on European and global events.
Students will learn, define, and accurately use key vocabulary such as ‘appeasement’, ‘dictatorship’, ‘alliance’, ‘Treaty of Versailles’, ‘nationalism’, ‘propaganda’, and ‘anti-Semitism’ in discussion and writing.
Students will examine the impact of these causes on Europe and the wider world, sharing insights through digital tools.
Students will demonstrate understanding by matching key words to their definitions and incorporating them into their work.
Students will reflect on the importance of each cause and vocabulary term, drawing on information from digital resources and timeline activities.
Materials
Digital timeline tool (such as Padlet or TimelineJS) with clickable points for events, causes, and vocabulary definitions.
Cards with key vocabulary and definitions, including: ‘appeasement’ (giving in to demands to avoid conflict), ‘dictatorship’ (a government ruled by one person with total power), ‘alliance’ (an agreement between countries to support each other), ‘Treaty of Versailles’ (the peace treaty that ended World War One and imposed harsh penalties on Germany), ‘nationalism’ (strong pride in one’s country), ‘propaganda’ (information used to influence people’s opinions), and ‘anti-Semitism’ (hostility or prejudice against Jewish people).
Interactive whiteboard or projector for displaying the timeline, images, and video clips.
Worksheet for group activities and assessment, including matching tasks and short answer questions.
Access to reliable websites or textbooks for further reading, glossaries, and historical stories.
Definitions of Key Vocabulary
‘Appeasement’: The policy of giving in to demands to avoid conflict, often used to describe Britain and France’s approach to Germany before the war.
‘Dictatorship’: A government ruled by a single person with absolute power, such as Hitler in Germany or Mussolini in Italy.
‘Alliance’: An agreement between countries to cooperate and support one another, which influenced the formation of groups like the Axis and Allies.
‘Treaty of Versailles’: The peace treaty that officially ended World War One and imposed harsh penalties on Germany, contributing to later tensions.
‘Nationalism’: Strong pride in and loyalty to one’s country, often leading to aggressive policies and expansion.
‘Propaganda’: Information, often biased or misleading, used to influence public opinion and encourage support for political ideas.
‘Anti-Semitism’: Hostility or prejudice against Jewish people, which was a key factor in Nazi ideology and policy.
Lesson Outline:
1. Introduction to World War Two and Key Words (10 minutes)
Begin by describing Europe in the 1930s, highlighting the aftermath of World War One and the effects of the Treaty of Versailles on various countries.
Introduce key vocabulary, providing clear definitions and explaining their significance in the context of World War Two.
Allow students to match vocabulary terms to their definitions using the digital timeline, showing how each term relates to historical events.
Display images and maps on the board to help students connect vocabulary with real events and places.
Encourage students to use each key word in a sentence about the causes of World War Two, supporting both historical understanding and language skills.
2. Political and Economic Causes of World War Two (15 minutes)
Discuss how leaders such as Hitler and Mussolini rose to power in Germany and Italy, using the timeline to highlight events that contributed to instability in Europe.
Explain the economic difficulties faced by countries after World War One, such as the Great Depression, and how these led to widespread anger and the rise of extreme political ideas.
Clarify the meaning of ‘appeasement’, showing how Britain and France tried to avoid conflict with Germany, and use the timeline to identify key moments.
Guide students through a timeline activity where they arrange events in chronological order and identify which events triggered others, using the digital tool.
Examine how alliances and treaties changed international relationships, using maps and the timeline to illustrate these shifts.
3. Social and Ideological Factors Leading to War (10 minutes)
Explore how ideas such as nationalism and propaganda influenced public support for aggressive actions in Germany and Italy, using the timeline to show examples.
Define and discuss racism and anti-Semitism, explaining how these beliefs were promoted by leaders and led to harmful consequences, referring to timeline events.
Facilitate a group discussion about how social tensions and ideologies contributed to the outbreak of war, encouraging correct use of key vocabulary.
Present short videos or excerpts from historical stories on the timeline to help students understand daily life in Europe before the war.
Invite students to consider how these social factors affected ordinary people, using stories from the timeline and incorporating key vocabulary in their responses.
4. Assessment and Reflection (10 minutes)
Distribute worksheets for students to match key vocabulary to their definitions and answer questions about the main causes of World War Two, using the timeline for reference.
Have students work in pairs or groups to review their answers, encouraging use of the timeline and key vocabulary.
Lead a class discussion to summarise the main causes and their impacts, asking students to share insights gained from the timeline and activities.
Ask students to write a brief reflection on which cause they believe was most important and why, using the timeline and vocabulary terms.
Collect worksheets and reflections to assess understanding and provide feedback, ensuring students have grasped the key vocabulary.AI can support teaching by helping to personalise learning, save teacher time, and enhance feedback. For example, AI can generate differentiated resources, provide instant feedback on pupils’ work, and suggest lesson ideas or explanations for different ability levels. This allows us to focus more on interaction and deeper learning.
One benefit – AI can improve efficiency by reducing workload (e.g. planning, correcting, creating resources).
One limitation – AI can produce inaccurate or superficial information, so it needs careful checking and cant replace professional judgement.
I will ensure pupils remain the thinkers by – Using AI as a support tool, not a shortcut (e.g. for prompts, not final answers) – Designing tasks that require reasoning, discussion, and justification rather than just clumps of information – Encouraging pupils to critically evaluate AI stuff rather than accept it blindly – Setting clear expectations that learning comes from their own thinking and effort, not by relying on AI to do it all without any effort from them.
6th Class – History – World War II cloze test
