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Hi Katie,
I really like your approach to making the research fun and meaningful for the pupils. Giving them specific roles like litter detective is a great way to build teamwork and keep everyone engaged. I also think involving the whole school and parents in sharing the findings will definitely help the children see the bigger impact of their work. Celebrating effort over perfection is so important it helps create a positive and encouraging learning environment.
My research question is: How does urban heat affect the growth of plants and biodiversity in our local area?
To encourage pupils to get involved, I would start by introducing the idea of urban heat islands explaining how cities and towns can become warmer than the countryside because of buildings, roads and less green space. I would relate this to the pupils’ own experience by asking them to think about how their school or neighbourhood feels on hot days compared to parks or rural areas. This helps make the topic relevant and interesting right away.
Next, I would guide the pupils in collecting data. We could use simple tools like thermometers to measure temperature in different places around the school or local area. We could also access online weather data from nearby stations to get a bigger picture. Alongside this, pupils would observe and record the types of plants they see, noting which ones look healthy or struggling in hotter spots. Taking photos and notes would help them see changes clearly.
Working in small groups, pupils would discuss their findings and think about what urban heat means for plants and animals living nearby. This group work would develop their critical thinking and encourage them to ask questions like “Why are some plants doing better than others?” and “What can we do to help?”
To wrap up the project, I would have pupils present what they’ve learned to the class or create posters or short videos. This would give them a chance to share their ideas and feel proud of their work. Throughout the process, I would emphasize how even small actions, like planting more trees or saving water, can make a difference in reducing the heat effect and protecting biodiversity.
Overall, this approach combines hands-on science with real-world connections, teamwork, and creativity, which I believe will motivate pupils to take an active interest in climate issues right in their own community.Hi Rachel,
It’s really cool to see how many different satellites pass over Ireland and how varied their missions are from the ISS and Starlink internet network to Ireland’s own CubeSat, EIRSAT-1. I like how you pointed out the practical uses, like Sentinel-2 tracking vegetation and NOAA satellites monitoring weather and ozone levels. It really shows how satellites are helping us understand and protect our planet. I agree that using satellite tracking apps in class would be a great way to get pupils interested in science and tech while building digital skills. It makes learning more hands-on and connects classroom topics to real-world science.
2: The EO Browser is a free, easy-to-access online tool provided by the European Space Agency that gives users the ability to view and analyse real satellite images of Earth. It uses data from satellites like Sentinel-2 to show changes in the environment over time, including things like changes in forests, water bodies, cities and farmland. This makes it possible to observe how natural areas and human activities affect the planet, both locally and globally. The tool includes historical images too, so you can compare how a place looked years ago with how it looks now, which is really useful for understanding climate change and environmental issues in a visual way.
In the classroom, I would use the EO Browser to support lessons in science and geography by helping students explore real data about our planet. They could investigate topics like deforestation, urban expansion, or the effects of droughts by comparing satellite images from different dates. This would encourage them to develop skills in data interpretation, critical thinking, and scientific inquiry. Students could work in groups to research and prepare reports or presentations based on what they find, making learning more hands-on and engaging. Overall, EO Browser is a fantastic tool for connecting abstract environmental concepts to real-world evidence, helping pupils better understand and appreciate the impact of climate change and human activity on the Earth.
Hi Nicola,
I really like your idea of showing Home in shorter sections and using it to encourage open discussions. It’s so important to balance the serious issues with hope and action, especially for younger children. Breaking it down like that would help make the big topics more understandable and less overwhelming.
I also agree that involving pupils in research projects like water conservation or endangered species would give them a chance to explore solutions and feel empowered. Using Greta Thunberg’s talk is a great way to show kids that young people really can make a difference. Seeing someone their own age speak so passionately is inspiring and can motivate them to get involved themselves.
The film HOME really shows how beautiful our planet is while also pointing out the serious damage humans have caused to the environment. The aerial shots are incredible and make you think about how much we rely on Earth’s ecosystems, but the film also makes it clear that our actions are having a big impact. The other videos in this module help explain important climate facts in simple ways, which I think would really help pupils understand what’s happening around them.
If I were using these videos with my class, I’d start by showing clips from HOME to grab their attention and help them connect emotionally with the planet’s situation. After watching, I’d have a class chat where they can share their thoughts and feelings. Then we could do activities like measuring our own carbon footprints or looking at ways to make the school more eco-friendly. I want the kids to feel like they can make a difference, even with small actions.Hi Andrew,
I really like your idea of giving pupils a reporting template to help guide their presentations. That would definitely make the task feel more manageable, especially for kids who aren’t as confident. I also think getting them to share their reports with other classes or parents is a brilliant way to give their work a real sense of purpose. Thanks for the inspiration I’ll be borrowing a few of these ideas!I think Activity 3 is a really engaging way to introduce children to climate change and greenhouse gases. The Paxi video is ideal for younger pupils as it explains a tricky concept clearly and keeps them interested with the animations and accessible language. I’d definitely use it as a way into the topic before having a whole-class chat to unpack what we’ve learned together.
To help consolidate the learning, I would ask the children to draw everyday actions we can take to help the environment, like turning off lights, walking instead of driving or recycling. These could be combined into a class display or poster to give a visual sense of our collective responsibility and show that small changes add up.
For older learners, I’d use the temperature prediction tool to explore how emissions affect future climate scenarios. We could compare outcomes, discuss the differences and present findings in groups either as posters, news bulletins or slide shows. This would give them the chance to work with real data, think critically and explain ideas to others, all while building digital and collaborative skills. I’d love to expand this into a cross-curricular project in the future.
One small improvement might be including a suggestion for a follow-up storybook or video that builds emotional engagement, especially for the younger pupils.Hi Katie
I really enjoyed reading your post. I think setting up a school weather station is such a brilliant way to bring these concepts to life for pupils and the idea of involving the wider school community is something I’d love to try as well. It’s a great way to show pupils that their learning has purpose beyond the classroom.
I also liked how you connected the activities to digital skills and climate zones, it’s a smart way to expand the learning beyond just recording data. Using online tools to explore climate predictions would definitely spark curiosity and lead to some great class discussions. Thanks for sharing such practical ideas/
Having read Unravelling STEM by Liston (2018), I found it encouraged me to think more critically about what real STEM education looks like. It’s not just about ticking off the science, technology, engineering and maths boxes, but about finding meaningful ways to connect these areas through hands-on, inquiry-based learning.
Looking at Activities 1 and 2, I can already see how well they could work in a classroom. The first activity, where pupils compare weather on past birthdays, is a simple but effective way to tackle misconceptions about the difference between weather and climate. I think children would really enjoy this personal connection and it would spark great class discussion.
Activity 2, Weather Detectives, would be a lovely way to bring scientific investigation into the everyday. I can imagine pupils being very engaged in deciding where to place thermometers and thinking about fairness in testing.
To build on this, I would love to lead a whole-school inquiry project around weather and climate. Pupils across different classes could collect weather data, share findings on a class blog and collaborate on climate-themed projects. This would promote shared learning, curiosity and a stronger understanding of environmental science across the school community.
