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My school is also located very near to Birr Castle Dolores, looking forward to teaching the students more about the scientific and engineering features there this year. Thanks for sharing ideas.
My school is based in rural Co. Offaly with an abundance of local natural and historical amenities, the Slieve Bloom Mountains, Lough Boora Parklands and Birr Castle to name but a few. I would focus on Lough Boora Parklands as a learning stimulus and begin by showing pupils photos and videos of the parklands- sculptures, wildlife, bogland landscapes. (Children are very familiar with the parklands but may not have ever looked around with intention) Discuss Lough Boora’s history, from ancient Mesolithic settlements to its transformation from industrial peatland to the biodiversity haven we see today. Ask the children “What might it feel like to live here 5,000 years ago? What stories could the land tell?” We would then go on a field trip to Lough Boora. Pupils could bring small sketchpads to capture shapes of sculptures, colours of wildflowers or animals, make leaf rubbings etc. In small groups we could create “freeze frame” scenes the children imagine from the park’s past such as a hunter returning or workers in the bog. Pupils could also write down words, lines, and images sparked by what they see, hear, and smell which they could use back in class to write poems or a short story inspired by the park’s landscape or wildlife. Back in class we could use digital media to create projects on the parklands.
My school is right beside a small river crossed by a stone bridge. I would start by taking the children on a walk to the bridge with the intention of observing it with new eyes in terms of span, materials used to construct, shape. Back in the classroom I would show the children example of different types of bridges from all around the world, leading to talk and discussion in the ‘wondering’ phase of the lesson. Using materials such as paper, books and a coin children would work in small groups to investigate the design of different bridges and how effective they are. We would then move on to the planning and building of a bridge given a set of criteria, using materials like lollipop sticks, string, books, cardboard, masking tape and any simple classroom supplies. Maths talk would be encouraged throughout the lesson-measuring, estimating, recording data, explaining etc. Once they have finished building their bridges the children would be given an opportunity to evaluate their work and present it to the class.
Thanks for some great inspiration Lora. I like how you have a different focus for the three terms. My students would absolutely love collecting berries to make blackberry jam!
I have registered my garden on the All Ireland Pollinator Plan and recorded the actions I have taken to promote pollination in our garden. My future plans include a no-mow area of the garden and to plant more pollinator friendly plants that bloom right into the Autumn months. Our school is already registered on the site. In the past few years we have taken steps to promote biodiversity such as the building of a bug hotel, the planting of over 300 native trees on the school grounds, bird feeders, bird boxes, raised beds etc. The children love actively exploring the outdoor space and hedgerows, identifying the different plants, trees and animals species they find. We have a beautiful stone wall on one boundary line which is a wonderful example of a living habitat and one which the younger children love exploring. We would love to focus more on the planting of pollinator friendly plants in beds and to sow wildflowers in an area instead of mowing. We have plans to build an outdoor classroom in the near future which will be great to bring outdoor, nature-based learning to life.
To conduct a lesson on map making with younger classes I would begin with a short discussion to elicit the children’s prior knowledge and make connections-“What is a map? Where have you seen a map before? I would then show some real-life examples: a treasure map, a Google Map, a map of Ireland, etc. The next step would be to introduce some key vocabulary: map, legend, compass, symbol, scale, etc. I would then display a simple map in hard copy or display on white board and point out the map elements.
To make use of an online tool such as Geohive I would again use the whiteboard, explaining that it’s an online map of Ireland. Together we would experiment with zooming in/out, switching layers, then moving on to locating our school/village/town, county, river, mountain etc.
To extend the lesson we would move on to creating a map of our classroom using a template containing a compass rose. As a whole class activity, we would begin by identifying key objects such as desks, windows, chair, teacher’s desk. Add symbols and a simple legend. To conclude the lesson children can share and discuss their work in pairs/small group and whole class.
I have thoroughly enjoyed this module and reaffirming the principles of STEM Education contained in the department’s STEM Education policy statement. I think Stem education has really become an important part of my classroom these past few years. However, as with all subjects, it’s an area I know I still have a lot more to learn! I certainly have more work to do in terms of the cross-curricular integrated approach I take to STEM, particularly focusing on the maths skills used in investigating, designing and problem solving. I loved the hands on approach to the many lessons explored in this module and how they were active and relevant to the children’s own experiences. STEM Education provides fantastic opportunities to develop critical thinking skills, teamwork and applying real life skills in the classroom.
I have used the Curious Minds website in the past and hope to make even more use of it this year, I think it’s a great resource which ties in very well with the STEM Education policy.
I really like the ESERO Framework for Inquiry, I like it’s layout and feel it would keep me accountable in my approach to STEM! I will certainly be making use of the framework this coming year. Overall, I really enjoyed this module and the skills and content explored.