[Michelle Mannix]

Hi Michelle

This resource is very engaging for all learners and as you have said it allows for collaboration and critical thinking. The integrated approach of this resource is great to make connections between different areas of the curriculum which can make learning more meaningful for the learners.

Thanks for sharing your feedback on this resource.

[Michelle Mannix]

Hi Eithne

Welcome to the course. Thanks for your feedback on the activity Planets Vs Stars using the framework for inquiry. I can see how this could be easily differentiated to suit the learners in your junior class. It would allow for lots of discussion on planets and stars and exploring space. I can see how this would work in your multi grade classroom also.

Stellarium is a lovely resource for the classroom and it is engaging for all learners, while some may look at the moon and the stars others may explore the planets or it may help them for their own observations at home.

As you have mentioned, the activities in this module allow for lots of curricular integration and are hand on which would be suitable and easily adapted for the different class levels. I hope you enjoy the other activities and resources across the other modules in this course.

[Michelle Mannix]

Hi Claire,
Welcome to the course and thanks for sharing your comprehensive plan for exploring bridges across all levels of the school. I like how you have planned for building toys and materials in the younger classes to incorporate digital tools in the older classes.

I also like how you have consider exploring different maths concepts with the different classes also and how this can be developed from class to class so this whole project could be repeated again in a few years. I can see how this would foster everything you have outlined mathematical thinking, engineering skills and collaboration too. Such a fantastic idea, thanks for sharing, I hope you enjoy the course.

[Michelle Mannix]

Hi Freda,

Welcome to the course. Thanks for sharing your own reflection on Liston’s paper. The pen analogy is great and I was reminded of the many pens that my own class dismantled during the year!

It was a great idea to collaborate with third class to study the weather last year. This would have been so beneficial for all the learners involved. I can see how you might build on the success of this in creating a weather station for the school this year.

It is great to hear your thoughts on the ESA resources in this module. I hope you enjoy the other activities and resources in the other modules.

[Michelle Mannix]

Hi Karolina

Well done on completing the course I hope you enjoyed it. Again, thanks for sharing your perspectives of all the different activities and resources in this course and how you would use them in your specific setting. Incorporating Lámh signs is a fabulous idea and so inclusive, something we could all consider.

[Michelle Mannix]

Hi Caitriona

It is great to hear you found this task interesting, we often think of the larger items in space and not the smaller satellites and the amount of them that pass over every day.

This might be a nice idea during Space Week and have different groups track satellites at the same time every day and for others to guess what the role of the satellite is.

[Michelle Mannix]

Hi Mark

Thanks for your feedback on the resource Nose Up High in the Sky. As a senior classes teacher I agree that it is very well structured and engaging. My class have enjoyed making the weather instruments and collecting their own data. Something I want to build on next school year with more connections to satellites as you have mentioned.

[Michelle Mannix]

Hi Ashton,

Welcome to the course. Thanks for sharing your reflection on your own STEM work in school in light of Liston’s article. This module offers us the chance to reflect on what is working well and how we can develop STEM in our own teaching and learning. As you have mentioned, a starting point could be integrating the STEM areas together while also looking at making connections to real-life examples or projects. This would give a focus and allow for meaningful connections between curricular areas and to allow for problem solving, creativity and collaboration among the learners as you have mentioned.

I hope you enjoy the other modules in this course.

[Michelle Mannix]

Hi Owen

Welcome to the course, it is great to hear your feedback on this module along with the resources in this module.

As you have mentioned, STEM is beginning to focus on cross curricular learning and this can be seen in the new curriculum framework with SEE and STEM allowing for inquiry based and project based learning. And yes, we can all be guilty of looking for tasks in a very tight timetable and monthly plan and not looking at a bigger concept or project. Something we can all reflect on and look at how we can make changes in the new school year.

Thanks for sharing, I hope you enjoy the course.

[Michelle Mannix]

Hi Bernie

Welcome to the course. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the Paxi video and how you could use it in your own class.

I agree that for any class level, there needs to be some vocabulary explicitly taught prior to watching the video to help engage the learners. It is great that you can then use the knowledge from the video and apply it to real life situations such as Green Schools. You could link the greenhouse gases and rising temperatures when the learners are in and out of the polytunnel as it would allow for connections from their experiences.

The Teal Tool is a fantastic resource but as you have mentioned, your class level would probably need to work with older pupils in order for them to engage with it but it will give them some knowledge and understanding of the concept too.

Thanks for sharing, I hope you enjoy the course.

[Michelle Mannix]

Hi Orla,

Welcome to the course. Thanks for sharing your moon observation plan. It is important to challenge their thinking that the moon is only out at night time prior to their observations. I like how you will encourage the learners to justify their thinking too, allowing for critical thinking and discussion.

It is great to have an idea of dates ready now for observations as the school year can become hectic. I think Stellarium would be a great starting point to show the students where the moon might be in the sky and also lead to the discussion of the shape and phases of the moon.

Thanks for sharing, I hope you enjoy the course.

[Michelle Mannix]

Hi Louise,

Welcome to the course and thanks for sharing your biodiversity plan with your infant classes.

I like how you plan to use playful learning approaches to raise awareness of biodiversity in the school grounds and also light pollution and the impact on nocturnal animals. The playful approach would be very engaging but could also lead to guided discussion by the teacher and critical thinking by the learners. While exploring the concept of the sleepy hedgehog initially they can then transfer their learning when looking at the street lights around the school.

I like how you plan to get the learners engaged in turning off lights with the stickers. It is important for all learners to recognise the action they can take themselves. Many thanks for sharing, I hope you enjoy the course.

[Michelle Mannix]

Hi Orla.

Welcome to the course. Thanks for sharing your feedback on the resources and activities in this module. The tasks are engaging and active and as you have mentioned allow the learners to have ownership of the tasks.

There are many ways to integrate other curricular areas with these activities which can make it more engaging for pupils as they explore the concepts across multiple lessons and it also allows for skills development along with collaboration and teamwork as you have mentioned.

I hope you enjoy the other activities and resources across the other modules of this course.

[Michelle Mannix]

Hi Claire

Welcome to the course. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the Paxi video. I agree that in order for the learners to engage fully with the video they would need to have certain specific vocabulary and this may need to be explored prior to watching the video in an oral language lesson.

The Teal Tool does allow for lots of work with and analysis of real life data which is very engaging for learners in the senior classes. I would recommend exploring the tool with the class as a demonstration initially to allow for questions and to explore how to read and understand the climate graphs. I really like your activity to create a weather report for 2050 based on the data. This is creative and would allow for lots of critical thinking. Thanks for sharing, I hope you enjoy the course.

[Michelle Mannix]

Hi Matt,

Welcome to the course. Thanks for your feedback and lesson outline when using the resources in this module. The Paxi video explores the concept of greenhouse gases in a very age-appropriate and engaging way.

The Teal Tool is a great resource for the senior pupils to explore data and using their own skills to analyse the data. As you have mentioned this may need to be differentiated to suit the needs of your class. As with every task, we need to consider the different levels and offer different ways to present tasks to pupils with multiple ways for them to engage and show their learning too. The Teal Tool could be used as a demonstration task initially to allow for all learners to become familiar with finding data and using this data in presentations or in reports as you have mentioned.

Thanks for sharing, I hope you enjoy the course.

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