[Michelle Mannix]

Hi Patricia

Welcome to the course, thanks for sharing your lesson idea on map making.

I agree that it is best to explore familiar areas first such as the classroom as you have mentioned. This allows the learners to apply skills such as developing the use of symbols or keys and cardinal points for direction.

I also like how you plan to develop these skills on paper initially before the digital tools. The learners could then apply what they know about symbols etc to the digital maps. As you have said it is a great opportunity to mix the graphicacy skills of geography with digital skills and creativity in one lesson.

[Michelle Mannix]

Hi Sarah

Welcome to the course. I actually covered the phases of the moon with my own 5th & 6th class last year and I think it is a great topic for the senior class pupils. They can learn about the phases of the moon and apply this learning through the observations. I also got my class to create their own 3D model to explore the phases of the moon and what they created was amazing. As you have said these activities allow for a calm, hands on way to connect science, creativity and the wonder of the natural world. Thanks for sharing.

[Michelle Mannix]

Hi Helena

Welcome to the course. What a great resource of a sundial to have in the local area of your school and it would be a fantastic opportunity to develop the learners knowledge about the sundial and make meaningful links to their own local area.

I also really like how you can use the local sundial as a resource for local history through interviewing the older members of the local community. It would strengthen the knowledge and connections of learning for those in your class.

Thanks for sharing the lovely ideas in this post, I hope you enjoy the course.

[Michelle Mannix]

Hi Susie

Welcome to the course. Stellarium is a great resource to explore the night sky. I like how you plan to observe the moon. I saw in Module 1 that you have an infants class and Stellarium could help to show the pupils how the moon changes. You could also consider linking with the calendar of the moon to allow for observation of the moon during the day and allow the pupils to make connections with what they have seen and learned about the moon on Stellarium and observing the moon themselves. It will also help to address the misconception that the moon is only out at night.

[Michelle Mannix]

Hi Ann.

It is fascinating to hear about the biodiversity on the island where your school is situated. While I teach in rural area, it is forest and hedgerow habitats we can explore and we are too far from the coast to explore marine life.

It is an ideal opportunity for your school to explore the light pollution on marine animals and how they use moonlight for navigation and how to support this by reducing light pollution. The local knowledge will also support the learning about the changes in the area and also establish links with local history.

[Michelle Mannix]

Hi Siobhan

Welcome to the course, thanks for sharing your thoughts on the Paxi video and it is great to hear how you think it will spark interesting discussions in your class. The video is engaging and informative and as you have said presents the information in simple terms for pupils to understand.

The TEAL tool would allow for lots of collaborative work but also give the pupils the opportunity to share their learning and then compare their results with others to support critical thinking. It also encourages pupils to reflect on the changes they can make in school, at home or in the local community and as you have said encourages the pupils to see themselves as active participants in tackling climate change.

[Michelle Mannix]

Hi Laura

Welcome to the course. It is great to hear that the Paxi video from this module would work well in your classroom. The video presents the information in an engaging and informative way and as you have said it is accessible to the pupils in your class and it would act as a good stimulus too.

The TEAL tool allows for integration with maths but also allows for the pupils to engage with the topic of averages in a meaningful and purposeful way. It is important to develop connections to real-life scenarios in STEM and the TEAL tool would allow for this. As you have mentioned allowing the pupils choice over the location and area would also allow for critical thinking and inquiry based learning. Thanks for sharing.

[Michelle Mannix]

Hi Una

Welcome to the course and it is great to hear that the resources from this module would work well in your classroom.

The activity allows for lots of discussion on the weather, whether it is on their birthday or maybe the weather if they were on holidays in a different country. This is a great opportunity to explore the concept of weather initially before exploring the concept of weather. With pupils of different nationalities it is a great opportunity to link with weather and climate in their country if they are willing to share as you have mentioned.

I also like how you are planning to predict the temperature before checking it, this will allow for consolidation of learning and skills. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Michelle Mannix]

Hi Robert

Welcome to the course, thanks for sharing your thoughts on the planet tube activity.

I like how you plan to explore all 8 planets with your class in groups. This will give each group the opportunity to research and decorate their tube to represent their planet.

I also like how you plan to leave it as an interactive display in the classroom following the lesson so pupils can engage with it informally and this could also allow for more critical thinking outside of the lesson.

[Michelle Mannix]

Hi Niall,

Welcome to the course. Thanks for sharing your lesson idea. Starting with class discussion will allow you to elicit prior knowledge from the pupils and also allow you to address any misconceptions they may have.

I like how you plan to incorporate technology such as using tables to show the results of their observations time vs shadow length for example. This will also give the pupils the opportunity to use data and technology in a meaningful and purposeful way. It is important that the pupils are encouraged to reflect on their work also, have you considered the reflective questions you could ask?

 

[Michelle Mannix]

Hi Clodagh

Welcome to the course. I like your idea of creating a Sun Journey Wall to allow the pupils to document and share their learning for this topic. Using landmarks such as those you have suggested – goals, trees etc it will give the pupils a familiar starting point and I think that taking photographs will allow the pupils to compare the location of the sun and allow for critical thinking and discussion. Thanks for sharing, I hope you enjoy the course.

[Michelle Mannix]

Hi Leanne

This looks like a very practical project for the learners in your school. As you have said you can begin with data collection allowing the learners responsibility of gathering the data. Then promote events in the school to reduce carbon footprint.

There is also an investigation from Green Schools that you could consider to further support the data in your project to conduct an Air Quality Survey https://greenschoolsireland.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/GS-Air-Quality-Survey.pdf

This could also be conducted at the beginning and during the Walk to School Challenge.

[Michelle Mannix]

Hi Sarah

I agree that we should choose the relevant scenes from Home that are suitable for the learners in our class. At times there can be a high level of anxiety among learners relating to Climate Change and it is important to address climate change in the classroom in a positive manner and as you have mentioned to give the learners an insight as to how they can help the environment and acknowledge the changes they can make in their school, at home and in their wider community.

[Michelle Mannix]

Hi Fiona

Welcome to the course and thanks for sharing your plan to observe the planets in the night time sky. You have planned for lots of discrete teaching prior to observing such as the ecliptic and supporting them in locating the planets in the night time sky.

Your plan outlines pupils working in groups, is this to facilitate pupils living in close proximity to each other to help with observations at home or to plan for the observations for the pupils in the class? I do agree that the pupils should do their observations with their family and record in a journal. You could also consider more collaboration with parents to support the learning at home and ensure parents are aware of the activity and have resources such as star charts so that they can get involved too as they may not have access to the binoculars or telescopes at home.

I agree that this approach of observing the night sky will allow for student autonomy and taking responsibility for their own learning.

[Michelle Mannix]

Hi Gareth

Welcome to the course and thanks for sharing your thoughts on this activity. It is unfortunate that it may not work effectively due to the light pollution in your area. It is also important to raise awareness of this light pollution to your pupils as you have mentioned. This will also be explore in more detail in Module 3.

Stellarium is a fantastic resource, I used it with my own class last year and many pupils went online at home to further explore the resource and help with their own observations of the night sky. It takes practice as you have mentioned so worthwhile to explore it at home yourself first.

I agree that it is important to plan and collaborate with parents when exploring the night sky and setting tasks for home such as observing the night sky and identifying planets to ensure everyone is familiar with the task and parents can get involved with their children. I hope you enjoy the other modules in this course.

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