[Roisin McKevitt]

This sounds brilliant – I love how you have included all aspects of your locality when thinking about this project.

[Roisin McKevitt]

I would plan a class project to study the scientific and natural heritage of our local area by focusing on the Park, which has lots of biodiversity opportunities, equally the local river ( the river Fane would provide lots of links to the local heritage). Over a six-week period, pupils would explore local flora and fauna through field trips, nature walks, and pond-dipping activities. They would document their findings in nature journals, take photographs, and collect non-living samples for classroom analysis. We would research how the park/ river have changed over time, linking science with history and geography. In class, students would conduct simple experiments on water quality and soil types; this is quite big topic locally at the moment, so would link in quite nicely. Creative writing sessions would allow them to write nature-inspired poetry and stories, while art lessons would focus on drawing local wildlife. The project would culminate in a community showcase, where students present their work through posters, models, and performances.

[Roisin McKevitt]

Hi Helen,

This looks like a great idea, using a bridge that is local to your school. It would be such a great opporunity to take in some local history aswell.

 

 

[Roisin McKevitt]

I have actually done a lesson similar to this in the past, inspired by the Mary McAleese Bridge in Drogheda. The children absolutely loved it and it was so interesting to hear their thoughts behind their constructions.

This time, I would organise a “Bridge Building Challenge” for our class or whole school. Pupils would work in teams to design and build model bridges ( it would be an idea to show them lots of bridges in Ireland and let them decide on what they would like to do). This would give them some ownership over the challenge. I would encourage  using recyclable materials such as cardboard, string, and lollipop sticks. The aim would be to create a strong and stable structure that can hold weight.

To integrate Maths, students would measure the length, height, and width of their bridges, record the weight they can support, and calculate averages. They would use shape knowledge to decide on the most stable base (e.g., triangles vs. squares) and discuss symmetry and balance. Older pupils could explore scale and ratios by comparing their models to the real Mary McAleese Bridge.

This cross-curricular activity encourages problem-solving, teamwork, creativity, and real-life application of maths concepts in an engaging, hands-on way, as encouraged by the active learning focus of the module

[Roisin McKevitt]

This is amazing- I never heard of the prize that your school has won, but would be keen to look into it further as we have great biodiversity at our school but have never entered anything.

[Roisin McKevitt]

Using the tools and resources from this module, I identified three local species in my area: the common daisy, a seven-spot ladybird, and a silver birch tree. We are very lucky in the school and area we are as there are lots of options for us.

I used the Seek app and the Wildflowers of Ireland website to help identify them. I then recorded these sightings on the National Biodiversity Data Centre website.

To get my class involved in citizen science, I would plan a “Wildflower Walk” and a “Minibeast Safari” using the downloadable activity sheets. Each child could use simple tools like magnifying glasses and ID keys to observe, describe, and identify species. We would mark findings with small flags, discuss each discovery, and record them online together. I’d also introduce apps like “Seek” to make identification fun and educational. This hands-on learning helps students connect with nature, understand biodiversity, and take pride in contributing to real scientific data collection. It’s also a great way to support wellbeing and outdoor learning.

[Roisin McKevitt]

I agree here, quite often we take for granted that the children have an understanding of what a map actually is. Using this as a starting point, not only gets in the key vocabulary, but also gives us the understanding of where their knowledge is at.

[Roisin McKevitt]

Before I started with the map skills, I would try to assess where the children’s knowledge was at by playing a game, focusing on mapping concepts such as symbols, keys, scale, and orientation. This would give me a good starting point.

Using online tools like Google Maps or Ordnance Survey Ireland (OSI) maps, students can explore digital representations of their local area. Taking examples of maps outside into the local area and trying to read them to find places would be a good practical way to get the children familiar with using them.

In the classroom, we would practice sketching simple maps starting with the school grounds. In the past, I have got the children to  walk around the school with clipboards, noting key landmarks like classrooms, exits, the yard, and trees, and then draw scaled versions using grid paper.

For the local area, we might take a short walk to observe features like roads, buildings, parks, and signage. Following this, the children would collaborate to create group maps, incorporating symbols and a legend.

[Roisin McKevitt]

Veronica,

I completely agree that there is such a value on real-world problems and it does make a difference to the children; I found in my own class, they were much more engaged when the investigation was real life problems

[Roisin McKevitt]

In my 6th Class classroom, STEM was always something I found difficult to get into the classroom as an enriched lesson, rather than something that was rushed. Over the last number of years, I have ensured that STEM is hands-on, inquiry-based, and integrated across subjects ( this meant that it was easier for me to dedicate more time to it).

I focus on making STEM relevant and engaging by connecting learning to real-world problems. For example, in the past, the children might design and build simple machines, investigate how mirrors and lenses work, or use coding to solve a challenge. Collaboration and creativity are central, with an emphasis on thinking critically and experimenting, not just finding the “right” answer; I found that this took quite some time to teach the children.

We explore the links between science and technology in everyday life, and I encourage the children  to ask questions and test ideas. STEM becomes less about four separate subjects and more about developing skills for understanding and shaping the world around them.

[Author]

Posts