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The film Home and the other video clips in this module serve as a powerful reminder of how the Earth has changed. The strong visual presentation highlights how much the resources and the environment has been depleted through pollution, deforestation and climate change. I found it particularly thought invoking how it is taking us so long to make the necessary changes to help conserve our planet. In order to introduce this topic in the classroom I would think that ensuring that whatever resources are used are age appropriate. Video clips and class discussions will be used by me together with hands on activities and enquiry-based projects. I will also incorporate presentations and posters to invoke active participation and problem solving whereby the pupils would plan how we as a school community can help the environment through practical steps like managing waste, recycling, saving energy and resources etc. I would also extend this to our wider school community and discuss examples of how environmental conservation is evident through such initiatives like solar farms, wind turbines etc.
The Climate Resources is a very engaging resource and interactive which is very suited to primary school learning and an excellent way to introduce children to the issue of climate change and its correlation with green house gases. The Pax video is very age appropriate for primary school children. Children are encouraged to think and reflect on their actions which effect emissions and global temperatures through the temperature prediction tool and allows them to feel a sense of active citizenship in their future and the future of the environment and world they live in. This activity would be particularly useful in my classroom and incorporated into multi curricular lessons while simultaneously fostering critic thinking, problem solving and collaboration through group work. I would also like to have the children design their own artwork or posters depicting their ideas on environmental action which can help limit greenhouse emissions. As regards improvements I think worksheets might be a good way to reinforce learning while also serving as a good assessment tool.
I really enjoyed reading your post and agree that STEM in the classroom as a hands on and collaborative practice is engaging and informative for the pupils which allows them take responsibility for their own learning and sense of achievement.
On reviewing the Unravelling STEM article, it reinforced how STEM education can and should be integrated in the primary school through inquiry based, hands-on activities and real life examples and problems as opposed to teaching as separate subject areas. I find in the classroom that STEM is more engaging for the pupils when they are active learners, contributing, experimenting, collaborating and sharing knowledge. They get a sense of ownership and achievement.
Activities from the ‘Is it Weather or Climate’ resource are particularly useful and age appropriate. I like the idea of reinforcing the difference between weather and climate through hand on real life examples and discussion as I find this is an area where children can regularly find challenging to distinguish, especially in the Junior classes. . I will use these activities in the classroom as a useful aid in linking science, maths and geography. I really like the idea of keeping a weather journal or diary over a period of time. I would include a definition section in the journal and use online tools to enable the children explore weather forecasts etc.
