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This is a great research question as it is clear but allows for many different strains of research and brainstorming. It is a topic that is easily accessible to the pupils at a local level and thought provoking. It can be tied in to Green School as well as Curious Minds projects.
Our research question: What impact does our weather have on local tourism?
The children could research why and when tourists typically visit our town by contacting local heritage sites, the castle and tourist office. They can create a questionnaire for these sites to answer questions on changing trends in visitors over the past few years.
Class can discuss the weather that tourists typically enjoy and the range of activities available locally. They can also discuss unseasonable weather and activities tourists can enjoy locally that do not depend on weather or can be adapted. Discussion can be led towards recent weather events locally eg town park flood, river overflow, road damage following flooding, business damage etc. Class can discuss how these events may have impacted tourists at the time.
The class can then use picture prompts from local newspaper clippings that highlight unseasonable weather and elicit a discussion around changing weather. They can come up with their own newspaper headlines to match the pictures.
Pupils will move on to brainstorm ways to prevent further damage in key areas e.g town park flooding. Pupils in groups will present their ideas and suggestions to the class and these could be forwarded to our local council offices and to local politicians to really display the strong feelings of the class and school on the matter.
5 satellites that have passed over Ireland recently:
Observations and work they are engaged in:
I downloaded the app Satellite tracker by Star Walk for a 7 day free trial. It is only 99c a month so it is not a hefty subscription anyway! I loved having a look around and using the touch screen to move the world map, zoom in on satellites for a closer look etc. I could see how the pupils in a class would find it exciting on an iPad.
1. Resurs-DK no.1:
Is a Russian Earth observation satellite designed for high resolution imaging and data.
2. ALOS :
The Advanced Land Observing Satellite (ALOS), nicknamed “Daichi”, is a series of Japanese Earth observation satellites primarily focused on land monitoring and disaster response.
3. ADEOS II:
The ADEOS-II (Advanced Earth Observing Satellite-II), also known as Midori-II, was a Japanese Earth observation satellite designed to monitor global environmental changes, including those related to the water and energy cycles, and the carbon cycle.
4. Ajisai:
Ajisai, also known as the Experimental Geodetic Satellite (EGS), is a Japanese satellite whose primary mission is to precisely determine the positions of fiducial points on the Japanese islands. It does this by utilizing a network of laser ranging (SLR) stations around the world to track the satellite and its precisely known orbit. Ajisai is also used for satellite direction determination and photometric observations using mirrors on its surface.
5. Envisat:
Envisat, an Earth observation satellite developed by the European Space Agency (ESA), was designed to monitor and study the Earth’s land, oceans, atmosphere, and ice caps. It was equipped with 10 instruments that measured various parameters related to these areas, including radar, altimetry, and optical and infrared sensors. The satellite’s data was used to understand long-term environmental changes and the impact of climate change, as well as to support operational services for crisis response.
Definitely think the children would love and remember the excitement in this lesson! We track the ISS already so this app is brilliant for tracking that and also all these other satellites.
I definitely agree that it is a thought provoking video and one where the children will understand differences in our western world and luxuries afforded to them. It could certainly be overwhelming to some so as a teacher we can explain and answer questions as best we can and also just show the main sections of the film we need.
After watching the film Home, I would split the film in to sections to study with my class. I would play the first 10mins to elicit interest before moving on with lessons on the Earth’s atmosphere, greenhouse gases and the impact on our world. We would then research Greta Thunberg and her personal goals in relation to taking action in making a change. The film would be used throughout our block of learning about weather to further understand and educate as well as inspire the pupils.
I also think the carbon footprint questionnaire would be a great activity to complete with the children but also with parents to involve the wider school community. We could tie these questionnaires with our Green School links programme.
Cross curricular links could be explored through debates and poems in English and Drama, posters in Art, experiments in science, song or raps in Music etc. What would normally be a weeks topic would be stretched out to a longer more in depth teaching.
The idea of weather reporters is great and easily relatable to all pupils. Having an in depth study of weather using these tools provided would give them a better understanding. I like your idea of a podcast episode as the pupils have to combine their research to create the script for the podcast. A brilliant activity for the older classes.
The Paxi video is a brilliant but simple visual for pupils to understand and learn about the Earth and its protective atmosphere. It gives great tips on what we can do to help reduce impacts on this and links in brilliantly with our Green School programme. It highlighted the impact bigger companies and factories have also but ways they can reduce their carbon. It would be reassuring for children to learn that countries are working together to slow the damage.
I would use it in my class when learning about the weather and climate. It would be a great visual to show the effect global warming has on our world weather systems and the knock on effect and impact these weather events have on local communities. It would be good to focus on comparing temperatures – Activity 3 offers teachers a suitable activity to allow the children to be climate reporters which can also be linked to drama. In groups the children would examine past temperatures of certain decades and use this data and trends to help predict future temperatures in the next few decades.
That is a lovely and personal way for the children to study the weather and observe weather patterns. I would never have thought of linking weather to birthdays. It is also a way of referring back to the pupils study of the weather as the year progresses.
I would use both the the Nose High Up in the Sky and Weather vs Climate resources in my classroom supplement project work on the topic of Weather.
Following a block of lessons on weather, climate, its origin and importance we would then move in to a practical section of creating our own rain gauge, anemometer and project boards to display our results and findings. I would organise pupils to work in groups in class and encourage pupils to bring in items from home to reuse with our Green Flag status in mind. They would first design and label their measurements before creating.
We would choose a suitable position in the school that is accessible, visible to all and not overly sheltered to gain a true recording. We would create our measuring devices in a cross curricular link to Art, maths, English, science and geography. Later we could create a link to English and Drama by composing and enacting weather forecasts- we could use a green screen to link to ICT. We could overcome one challenge by benefitting from help from our caretaker to ensure our structures are solid and weather proof!
A beautiful art activity I have seen is to colour code the weather and record each days weather forecast with a simple strip of the corresponding colour. This creates a beautiful, colourful record of weather keeping and an easy activity all pupils can involve themselves in.