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Question: How has vegetation in our local area changed over the past 10 years, what might these changes tell us about the impact of climate change?
I would encourage pupils to participate by making the investigation relevant to their own local environment. This would be collaborative work. Next, I would begin by showing them satellite images or photographs of a familiar area and asking them what changes they notice. This could be followed by a discussion about weather, climate change, plants and habitats using questioning, videos, web research and mind maps to engage pupils and activate their prior knowledge.
Pupils could compare images from different years, look for patterns in vegetation and record their findings.
Finally, I would encourage pupils to share their findings with the wider school community and consider whether there is an action they could take locally explaining their methods of investigating a problem, sharing results and making a difference.I would explain to my colleague that the EO Browser is an online tool that allows pupils to explore the Earth using real satellite images. Instead of just looking at photographs of places, pupils can investigate how our planet is changing over time using data collected by satellites.
I would encourage my colleague to introduce EO Browser by putting an image of a familiar location, such as the pupils’ local area, on the interactive whiteboard. I would ask pupils what they can identify in the image and what they think a satellite can tell us that we cannot see from the ground.I would then demonstrate the basic process: search for a location, choose a satellite and date, check the cloud coverage, select an image and visualise it. The step-by-step guide shows that pupils can search by location, select a theme and satellite, choose a time range and then examine the available images.The film HOME by Yann Arthus-Bertrand is a powerful resource for introducing pupils to climate change and environmental issues. In my opinion, the aerial footage is particularly effective because it allows pupils to see the Earth from a different perspective and understand how human activities such as deforestation, industrialisation, intensive agriculture and urbanisation are affecting the planet.
I would not show the entire film in one sitting. Instead, I would select short clips that focus on particular themes, such as the growth of cities, deforestation, water, energy or the loss of biodiversity. Before showing a clip, I would give pupils a question to consider, such as “What changes to the planet can you see?” or “What role have humans played in creating this situation?” This would encourage active viewing rather than pupils simply watching passively.After each clip, I would allow pupils to discuss what they have seen and identify the key facts or messages.I would also encourage a class discussion with a focus of trying to balance the more worrying aspects of the film with examples of positive change and possible solutions.I agree that both activities provide excellent opportunities for children to develop scientific thinking in a practical and engaging way. I particularly like how you have linked Activity 1 to local weather reports to help children understand the difference between weather and climate.
I particularly like your idea of involving local farmers and family members. What a great addition to the childrens’ learning!
I also like the idea of encouraging children to use practical skills and to develop curiosity. Giving children an opportunity to discuss their findings also promotes communication and collaboration.
I also agree, I think it is important to be mindful of how some resources could affect younger children and to focus on hope and working towards making a difference.
Great idea linking Activity Three with biodiversity and habitats, this would encourage children to understand about how changes affect the environment and animals dependent on the environments.
I found Activity 3, ‘Climate Reporters’, to be an engaging way of helping pupils to understand climate change and how scientists may use data and climate models to make projections about the future. I particularly liked the use of the Paxi video on greenhouse gases as an introduction, I found this provides an accessible way for all pupils, but particularly younger pupils to develop an understanding of the greenhouse effect before exploring more complex ideas. The activity also encourages pupils to investigate different emissions scenarios and consider how these could affect future temperatures and precipitation.
I would use this activity with my class by first watching the Paxi video together and discussing what greenhouse gases are, where they come from and how they contribute to the greenhouse effect. This would provide opportunities for collaboration, communication and data analysis while also helping pupils understand how climate change could affect their local area.Reflecting on my own classroom practice, I can see that there are elements of STEM already present, particularly through problem-solving, inquiry, experimentation and the use of technology. Liston’s article has made me wonder whether all of these activities can genuinely be described as STEM. For example, using an app or an interactive whiteboard during a science lesson does not automatically make the lesson STEM.Similarly, completing a science experiment may involve inquiry and technology without requiring students to integrate the four STEM disciplines.
I particularly enjoyed the Weather and Climate activities, particularly Activity 2, ‘Weather Detectives’. I think this would be an engaging activity for children as they would have the opportunity to collect their own weather data, create graphs, identify patterns and draw conclusions based on their findings. Activity 1, ‘Is it Weather or Climate?’, would also be a useful introduction, allowing children to explore the difference between weather and climate through discussion, questioning and examples from everyday life.