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Research Question: How does rainfall affect the amount of surface water collected in different areas around our school?
Ideally I’d get the children to identify a climate issue themselves, through brainstorming, collaboration and class discussion. The planning template is very useful tool in helping them focus their question.
I’d encouage pupils to brainstorm questions about flooding, rainfall etc.
A hands on approach of collecting evidence could be used, such as measuring rainfall & observing where water collects around the school. Anything that requires getting the children out and about and lets them become active in their learning is a great way of encouraging them to get involved.
To analyse our findings the children could use ICT to create graphs and maps.
We could look at the data gathered to draw conclusions and see what patterns have we found.
Pupils could then present their findings, integrating the project with art to create posters or displays would be a popular way of further encouraging the students to share their findingsI think the idea of having a deposit return scheme in the school is very clever. It’s something I think that could be successfully implemented in my own school, you’d definitely have buy in from the pupils and students, it’s practical and a great way of getting the pupils interested in recycling.
I think it makes sense to link your question to your own or your students local context. If we relate it back to something that affects them or may affect them it makes the investigation more meaningful and allows for lots of meaningful learning to take place.
The 5 satellites that have passed Ireland recently and observations and works they are engaged in are as follows;
1 – Sentinel 1 Uses radar to look at the land and sea. It can help to spot floods, changes in the ground and boats at sea.
2 – Sentinel 1D Uses radar too. Helps scientists watch Ireland’s coastlin, farms, rivers and seas.
3 – Landsat 8 Takes pictures and measures heat. Helps scientists see how Ireland’s land and water change over time.
4 – Landsat 9 Takes pictures and measures heat. Helps us study bogs, plants, farms, rivers and the coastline.
5 International Space Station ISS – Space laboratory where scientific research and Space experiments are carried out.
Hi Alison, my class are also fascinated by all things space, it’s certainly a topic that generates a great deal of curiosity, questioning and sparks meaningful discussions. I agree with you that The Nose High up in the Sky is a great STEM resource and will definitely help to foster the children’s interest even more in this area.
I found the video HOME to be very thought provoking. I think it would be a good resource and certainly feel using clips or short sections of the video with a class would be an excellent way of introducing children to climate change because it shows through striking aerial images how peolpe are changing our planet e.g. farms being cut down, fossil fuels being used, cities growing etc. Using certain clips to spark discussion and critical thinking amongst students would be a very beneficial resource, thiscvideo in conjunction with the PAXI clips would be a good way of raising questions with students. Making links to their own environments would also be important to make the learning even more meaningful and impactful.
I think you’re right to use short clips so as not to overwhelm the students. I find climate fatigue can be a serious challenge when I’m teaching this topic as students can often feel overwhelmed or worried. A gentle introduction is good and I like the way you link it to the children’s own lives making the lessons more meaningful.
I found the Paxi video on greenhouse gases an effective, engaging video that introduced a complex topic in a very child friendly, age appropriate manner. This video in conjunction with the TEAL tool could be used to great effect in any classroom.
If I were to use them with my own class I would start of with establishing the children’s prior knowledge through the use of a KWL chart, I’d allow time for discussuon and then record their responses. Before playing the video I’d divide the class into small groups and ask each group to listen out for focused questions e.g. What are greenhouse gases? Some actions that can reduce greenhouse gases? etc. I’d get each group to report back. Each group could then use the TEAL tool as climate detectives to explore future climate sceanarios and report back their findings.
The video is a great springboard would love if more resources, videos and worksheets were available as Gaeilge.
I also think the Paxi video explained a complex concept in a very clear and child friendly way. It was engaging, used visual animation and helped simplify the topic.
The paper Unravelling STEM looks at STEM as a whole and not as separate subjects. It reinforces the idea of children using their knowledge from all four areas to solve real-life problems in an active and hands on way. In my own teaching I see the value of integrating subjects and try to do this as much as possible. A child centered, hands on approach that allows children to be curious, that makes connections to their lives and experiences is something I would encourage.
Activity 1 would be a great introduction to the topic of ‘Weather or Climate.’ It challenges common misconceptions, allows for a great deal of class discussion and offers pupils the chance to think critically while making all important links to local weather and the pupils experiences.
Activity 2 Weather Detectives develops scientific enquiry, observational skills and data handling. There is great scope to extend these lessons and encourage class projects over a number of weeks/months. Lots of opportunities for child led learning.
Hi Catriona, I was really taken with keeping a weather journal too. As you said it’s a very simple idea that could easily be incorporated into the school day, younger children could draw what they see, older children could use ICT to create graphs etc. It’s very child centered, child are using their own environment, lots of opportunities for discussions re. weather patterns, seasonal changes etc.
Hi Niamh, I couldn’t agree more about the throwaway habits of adults and children alike. There is always a new fad be it water bottles, designer shoes or jackets etc. As a nation we are much more materialistic but these trends are often short lived and then we are pressured to buy the next shiny new object. It’s so important to teach about sustainability and how trends can influence us to buy things we don’t necessarily need.
In Tallaght were I am currently teaching, we can already see some of the effects of climate change happening. There have been more days of heavy rain, leading to local flooding in areas like the Dodder Valley and Sean Walsh Park. Summers are getting hotter, and the weather is becoming more unusual and harder to predict. These changes affect our everyday lives, from how we get to school to how wildlife and plants grow in our parks and green spaces.
In my class to help students understand what’s happening locally, I would start with simple activities – like keeping weather diaries, watching RTÉ weather reports, or walking around nearby parks to look for signs of change in nature. I would also use digital tools like Google Earth and climate maps to explore how sea levels and temperatures are rising, and what that means for places like Tallaght and Dublin.
As a class, we would take the following three positive actions to help our environment:
· Organise “Walk or Cycle to School” days to help cut down on car pollution.
· Launch a waste-free lunch campaign with posters to encourage less plastic and rubbish.
· Plant native wildflowers and pollinator-friendly plants in pots or beds. We have a small garden space and invite parents and/or grandparents in to help us manage it, therefore there’s buy in from the children.
ASSIGNMENT 4
The intercultural drop-in centre, Tallaght is an organisation that was established in 2003 that works with refugees in my community. The centre is a first point of contact for migrants and refugees. It offers a meeting point, it delivers English language classes and helps connect migrants and refugees to local services.
In our school we are fortunate to have a home school liaison officer. This role is instrumental in reaching out to new and indeed existing families and offering them support. They provide support through Home Visits, Parent classes/courses, Transition Programmes and they also offer information on other family supports available locally. The atmosphere in the school is one that fosters inclusivity and kindness. Teachers make a huge effort to support other customs and traditions. This year a parent from Romania came to class to talk about Romania and her experiences of moving to Ireland. The children were so interested and loved coming up with questions for her and hearing all about her journey.
It’s lovely to hear of a child thriving after overcoming such unimaginable trauma. Thanks for sharing that story Orla, it’s very powerful and I hope the boy and his brother continue to receive every kindness and support. Well done to them and to everyone who has supported and helped them along the way.