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Hi Marie
Welcome to the course.
I agree that the Paxi video is an effective approach to introducing the concept of climate change and greenhouse gases to our pupils. I also agree that the TEAL tool would be very engaging for pupils, I hope to explore this with my own class this year, and it would be a great tool to support critical thinking among the pupils. Pupils could compare their own local area with another area in the world that they are familiar with to further enhance their critical thinking and the use of the TEAL tool. As you have mentioned the activity would ensure climate change is explored in an accessible way in the classroom.
Hi Nicola
Welcome to the course. I agree that exploring the pupils’ own prior knowledge is important to address any misconceptions and also to establish what the pupils know about the concepts or topic.
The TEAL tool is a fantastic learning resource and I agree it is more suited to a senior class level. Pupils would enjoy exploring the results for their own local area and could also compare it to another area they are familiar with. I also like how you plan to explore this further with the pupils using slides or other presentation methods. You could consider encouraging the pupils to reflect on actions they could take to support the environment and reduce Greenhouse gases.
Hi Denis
Welcome to the course. I agree that exploring relatable scenarios such as remembering the weather on their birthday will further explore the concept of weather and also demonstrate the difference between weather and climate.
Weather Detectives also allows for lots of enquiry based learning and exploration. Allowing the pupils to record the weather using instruments gives them ownership of their learning and as you have mentioned the pupils can record their own data and use this data to enhance maths skills. There are lots of opportunities to explore weather across multiple curricular areas.
Hi Edel.
Welcome to the course. I think the lesson to explore weather on your birthday is a great opportunity for discussion on the different types of weather and as you have mentioned even though pupils’ birthdays are in the same month, it could be very different weather for each day. This will also help to address the difference concepts of weather and climate.
If the pupils can record their own data of the daily temperature it gives them real ownership of their learning. As you have mentioned it will also allow for skills development and the collection of their own data which can then be explored in maths to create trend graphs etc. My own class have loved recording the temperature, then using this data and exploring other weather instruments.
Hi Rachel
Welcome to the course.
Exploring the moon is a great topic but particularly for our younger pupils and I think they will find it fascinating as they observe the moon in the morning time as they may only associate the moon with the night time. A moon observation log is a great idea to record the pupils’ observations and allow them to share their own thoughts on the changes in the moon to explore the concept of the phases of the moon. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Denis
Welcome to the course and thanks for sharing your own experience of light pollution in the area around your school.
Exploring Dark Skies with the pupils initially will engage the pupils and raise awareness of light pollution through comparing their local area with the dark sky reserves. The ESO resources would also support their learning as you have mentioned.
Exploring the local area in the night time and drawing or observing the street lights is also a nice idea to raise awareness among the pupils and encourage them to take action such as writing letters to local politicians as you have mentioned. Pupils can also raise awareness of light pollution at home and encourage others to take action too. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Aisling
Thanks for sharing this comprehensive list. I like how you have included the Aboriginal Star Maps and their sky stories. I remember visiting the Outback in Australia and being fascinated by the lovely stores from the Aboriginals. I even bought calendars at the time with images of their artwork. Something, I will look into again this year with my class.
Hi Orlaigh
Welcome to the course. I like your idea to explore biodiversity in the local area through a light v night mini projects. Engaging the pupils to explore their own local area and make their own observations will give them ownership of their learning. I also like how you plan to explore this across many curricular areas. This will allow for meaningful connections with their learning and how the pupils can be active themselves in reducing light pollution. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Sharon
Welcome to the course, I agree that observing the sun could be explored across the school year to allow for seasonal changes and this would be especially engaging for the senior pupils. Giving the pupils in the class specific jobs to record their observations each week will give the pupils real ownership of their learning and encourage collaboration as the whole class will reflect on the results. I also like how you plan to teach about the seasons to enhance their knowledge and understanding. Thanks for sharing, I hope you enjoy the course.
Hi Jane
Welcome to the course and thanks for sharing your lesson plan for sundials. To fully explore the concept of the sun’s movement and the changes of shadows, it is important to explore this on a sunny day but I like how you have planned for indoor activities. Creating the sundial allows for creative extension as you have mentioned, however, it could also be more central to the lesson to ensure the pupils are making connections with the knowledge and concepts of sundials. I like how you plan to explore connections in History to further develop the pupils’ knowledge.
Hi Linda
Welcome to the course.
I like how you plan to explore the sun dial and how it was used in an open ended manner initially, this will lead the pupils to come to their own conclusions of the link with time as you have mentioned. I think it is important to explore the shadows on the lining paper outdoors if possible to ensure the shadow moves and the pupils can make the link between the movement of the sun and the movement of the shadow. It is also a good opportunity to integrate with Maths as you have mentioned fractions and also exploring the cardinal points. Thanks for sharing, I hope you enjoy the course.
Hi Damien
Welcome to the course and thanks for sharing the example of building a shelter for a toy animal in your class. As you have mentioned it is important to explore all areas of STEM in a meaningful way to ensure it is engaging for the pupils. Through building this shelter the pupils will be engaged and will have lots of opportunities to build skills such as team work and collaboration but also design and make skills. I also agree that it is important for pupils to explore many options so there is not one right answer.
Hi Niamh,
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the activities in the resource Nose High Up in the Sky. In my own class they loved to explore the different images and what they look like from the ISS. I also found a live stream from the ISS during Space Week last year and from watching it the class predicted where the ISS could be and what continent it was passing over. They were fascinated. This is a link to track the ISS on a map as the live stream isn’t working this evening. https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Human_and_Robotic_Exploration/International_Space_Station/Where_is_the_International_Space_Station
Hi Niamh,
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the activities in the resource Nose High Up in the Sky. In my own class they loved to explore the different images and what they look like from the ISS. I also found a live stream from the ISS during Space Week last year and from watching it the class predicted where the ISS could be and what continent it was passing over. They were fascinated. This is a link to track the ISS on a map as the live stream isn’t working this evening. https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Human_and_Robotic_Exploration/International_Space_Station/Where_is_the_International_Space_Station
Hi Isobel
The documentary Home is very visually appealing and it would great to watch aspects of this in your own class. However, as you have mentioned it depends on your own class and I agree that you should introduce the climate change facts gradually and sensitively with a view to showing pupils what they can do and empowering them to make changes in their own local area such as recycling and reducing energy use as you have mentioned.
