[Michelle Mannix]

Hi Megan

Welcome to the course. Thanks for your feedback on the different resources in this module.

I like how you are planning for a whole school approach to teaching the weather and recording the weather over a period of time in different classes. This would allow for multiple ways of recording the weather whether using pictures in the younger classes to symbols or words in the older classes. And as you have mentioned different types of graphs depending on the class level also.

Nose High Up in the Sky allows for the creation of anemometers and rain gauges and as you have said it would integrate well with maths and art in developing and making these weather instruments. I also like the integration with history in this activity as they explore weather proverbs or weather lore. You could also link with art to develop posters for these weather proverbs too.

Thanks for sharing, I hope you enjoy the course.

[Michelle Mannix]

Hi Ailish,

Welcome to the course. It is great to hear that you enjoyed the different activities in this module.

As you have said these activities support teaching and learning in the classroom. Weather or Climate helps the learners understanding about the difference between these concepts. Weather Detectives builds on this knowledge and asks the learners to record their own observations on the weather and record data such as the temperature. There is excellent links with maths to explore data, graphs and averages with real life data which is very engaging for pupils. My own class have really enjoyed this too.

Thanks for sharing, I hope you enjoy the course.

[Michelle Mannix]

Hi David

Welcome to the course and it is great to hear that you found the resources in this module very beneficial.

Activity 1 explores the concepts of weather and climate in an age appropriate way and as you have said the activity booklet helps to consolidate their learning too.

Activity 2 is great for hands on, playful learning experiences with lots of opportunity for cross curricular learning as you have mentioned. The collection of real life data is always great for the senior classes and they can represent this data using different charts and graphs. I like how you are planning for weather monitors and giving students responsibility over gathering the data and as you said put their learning on this topic into practice.

Thanks for sharing, I hope you enjoy the many resources across the modules in this course.

[Michelle Mannix]

Hi Mairead,

Welcome to the course. Thanks for sharing your ideas on lessons and resources from this module.

I like your idea of the Mystery Box as it would be very engaging for younger learners. It also allows for critical thinking suitable for younger learners as they explore the item and say when it is used. This is a lovely way to introduce the topic.

The Paxi video and Animals in the Night are also great to engage the younger learners and make connections between their own experience of the night time, understand the concept of day and night and also connections with the nature around them. Thanks for sharing, I hope you enjoy the course.

[Michelle Mannix]

Hi Michael

Welcome to the course. Thanks for sharing your plan to observe the sun across the day.

I like how you are planning to record the observations in the science journal and use the compass or landmarks around the school to guide them in their observations. You could consider using playground chalk to create a compass on the yard to also guide their observations and to identify patterns as you have mentioned.

This does allow for lots of skills development and scientific inquiry as you have said. Thanks for sharing, I hope you enjoy the course.

[Michelle Mannix]

Hi Caitriona

Welcome to the course and it is great to hear that you enjoyed learning about the scientific history of Birr Castle. Sometimes we can underestimate the local area and the history that surrounds it. I live near Doneraile, in Cork, and recently I went on the tour of Doneraile house and was fascinated by it, somewhere that i’ve been for many many years and didn’t know the history of the house itself.

This module encourages curiosity and develop problem solving through STEM. As you have said it starts with the local area, for real life connections and plan for investigations around this such as biodiversity or even looking at light investigations. Lots of opportunity for creativity and collaboration. Thanks for sharing, I hope you enjoy the course.

[Michelle Mannix]

Hi Ciara

Welcome to the course. Thanks for sharing your lesson on mapping skills in 5th class. I like how you are planning to explore different maps initially and allow for comparison with digital tools also. It would allow for lots of discussion and critical thinking.

I like how you are planning to explore different areas within the school grounds and consider biodiversity along with seating and play spaces in the grounds. This gives the learners the opportunity to create a physical map and then explore digital mapping features. As you have suggested lots of opportunities for critical thinking and skills development.

Many thanks for sharing, I hope you enjoy the course.

[Michelle Mannix]

Hi Sharon,

Welcome to the course and thanks for sharing your lesson on mapping activities.

I like how you are planning to explore the features of maps first such as title, symbols and the key, and explore this in relation to the classroom which the learners would be very familiar with. I like the progression of your lesson to include map of the school, 3D map and then to use Google Maps to compare with the maps they have created. Lots of opportunities for skills development and critical thinking. Thanks for sharing, I hope you enjoy the course.

[Michelle Mannix]

Hi Edel

Welcome to the course and thanks for your posts across the other modules.

I think focusing on a specific area within the school grounds would allow for more meaningful observations and allow for a number of investigations across the seasons as you have mentioned. I like how you are planning for seasonal observations charts to guide the learners and also allow for comparison and critical thinking. I also like how you have considered options for the younger learners also. Digital tools could support their learning too as you have mentioned in map work and you could also consider apps to identify leaves etc.

Thanks for sharing I hope you enjoy the course.

[Michelle Mannix]

Hi Laura

Welcome to the course. Thanks for sharing your own experience of light pollution in Killester. Light pollution is becoming a problem as our cities grow outwards as you have said.

For the learners in your class it is great to focus on artificial light in the school community first. The learners would need some prior knowledge of light pollution and the concept of artificial light prior to their own investigations.

You could also consider a photo of the night sky in their local area and compare it to a photo of a night sky in a rural area or from the dark sky reserve. This would allow the learners to engage in critical thinking as they compare the two photos and understand the artificial light and the impact it can have.

I like how you are planning to incorporate an engineering task into this topic where the learners come up with practical solutions to reduce light pollution. This would incorporate some digital tools also. Thanks for sharing, I hope you enjoy the course.

[Michelle Mannix]

Hi Laura,

The local area is always the best resource for learning about plants, animals, birds, insects and the biodiversity of the local environment. So i like how you are planning to explore the local area as biodiversity detectives and record their observations in multiple ways. You could consider including images of nocturnal animals on the tally chart which might lead to discussion why they didn’t find them during their investigation. This might lead to discussion on nocturnal animals and insects and light pollution.

I agree that we should ensure a stronger connection between our learners and the local environment and encourage the learners to take small actions to protect it.

[Michelle Mannix]

Hi Serena

Welcome to the course. I like how you are planning to use picture books, I wasn’t familiar with the Oliver Jeffers one, but it sounds great to peak their interest as you have said.

How amazing to have a new school building and what a resource for the learners to make their own maps. I like how you plan to do a plan of the school first and use Beebots to move around the map, what a fantastic use of digital tools for this age group. Then the learners will create 3D maps of the classroom using multiple resources. You could also focus on the areas that are important to the learners within the school for 3D maps.

Great ideas for map making in the junior end, thanks for sharing. I hope you enjoy the other modules in this course.

[Michelle Mannix]

Hi Aoife

Thanks for sharing your approaches when working in the junior school. While outdoor learning provides for hands on activities, sometimes we can think it is a junior end approach and forget the value for all classes. I really like the journey sticks and nature mandalas, they sound like a lovely learning experience.

I think it is important for the junior classes to focus on an area familiar to them, something they see every day but to focus on their observations of the world around them in more detail and then to build on the observations to create the maps as you have mentioned, allowing for multiple ways to present their learning. Such a lovely idea, thanks for sharing.

[Michelle Mannix]

Hi Alannah

Welcome to the course. I like how you are planning to build on the resources and content from module 1 in your lesson. It is important to use the prior knowledge and make connections with the Paxi video which will also help the learners’ understanding. I like how you plan to pause the video to allow for discussion on key points and keep the learners engaged also.

The Teal Tool is a great resource and as you have mentioned it would allow for discussions on the rising temperatures using the data. You could consider using this on the smart board as a demonstration for the class also. As you have said you could use the tool to compare it with the current weather records, especially given the heat wave this summer, which allows for discussion and critical thinking on the data scientists use.

I also like how you are planning for collaboration among the school community on the positive actions they can take to care for the environment. Thanks for sharing, I hope you enjoy the other modules in the course.

[Michelle Mannix]

Hi Fiona

Welcome to the course. It is great to hear that you found the resources practical and that they gave the learners the opportunity for skills development. I like how you are focusing on talk and discussion for the learners from Lison’s paper to allow for critical thinking and to give them ownership of their learning rather than waiting for answers.

I really like how you are planning for a whole school approach with this topic and to use displays and school social media to raise awareness of climate change. You could also consider focusing on the positive actions the learners could do in school and at home and sharing this on social media too.

Thanks for sharing, I hope you enjoy the other modules in this course.

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