Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
To engage the lesson I would ask the children. What might we see in the night sky? and Do we see the same stars/planets every night? These questions will hook the class and make them inquisitive about the night sky.
I would use Stellarium to explore the night sky over Dublin. I would begin by asking pupils what they know about stars and constellations and whether they have ever recognised any patterns in the night sky. Using Stellarium, I would set the location to Dublin and display the night sky at 9:00 p.m. Pupils would identify the Moon, The Plough (Ursa Major), Polaris (the North Star) and any visible planets. They would work in pairs to record their observations and discuss how The Plough can be used to locate Polaris.
I would allow the kids to look at the other constellations and have some free time to explore the Stellarium app moving around the room to hear their observations. Each pair will then choose their own constellation and using Stellarium, they will identify when the constellation is visible, sketch its shape, and locate it in the night sky. Pupils will then research one interesting fact or myth associated with their constellation and record their findings on a worksheet. Finally, each pair will present their constellation to the class, explaining how they identified it, when it can be seen, and one interesting fact they discovered. As an extension, pupils can challenge another pair to locate their constellation in Stellarium, encouraging collaboration, observation, and the development of scientific enquiry skills.
There is also a perfect oppurtunity here to link the lesson on the plough mentioned in the previous module- where kids make their own model of the plough. https://www.sfi.ie/site-files/primary-science/media/pdfs/col/dpsm_class_activity_the_plough.pdfHi Anne, this is a brilliant idea to use the Worldwide Telescope in the classroom. I love how you have incorporated the Planet Hunt. I think children will find this very engaging
Wow, Síofra I love this idea for engaging the kids using the odd one out activity. I think this is really engaging and offers kids ample opportunity to share their opinions. I think questioning kids on telling the time in the past is also a brilliant idea linking History getting children to really think about and question.
In September I will have 5th class and I think the ESERO Day and Night in the World activity is a brilliant classroom resource. To engage the children I would begin by asking an interesting question such as, “If we called someone in Australia right now, what would they be doing?” This would encourage pupils to think about how different countries experience day and night at different times. I would then use a globe and a torch to demonstrate how the Earth’s rotation causes day and night. Pupils would observe which side of the Earth is lit and which side is in darkness, helping them to visualise the concept. I thought the video with PAXI explaining Day and Night brilliant and children could watch this and discuss.
Next, pupils would work collaboratively in small groups to complete the ESERO worksheet. Looking at all the children in the world and Day and Night. Throughout the lesson, I would encourage active participation through questioning, discussion, and peer learning. I also really like how the vocab nocturnal and diurnal are introduced- reports could be completed on these in another lesson
To conclude, pupils would share their findings with the class and complete a short exit ticket explaining what causes day and night. This would allow me to assess their understanding while giving pupils the opportunity to reflect on their learning. This hands-on, inquiry-based approach promotes curiosity, collaboration, and a deeper understanding of Earth’s rotation and its effect on day and night.
Taking inspiration from all the modules of this course, describe how you would plan a class project to study the scientific and natural heritage of your local area. Consider what aspects of your heritage you would include, which activities would be suitable for your class group or school, the scale and timeline of your project and how you would get all pupils engaged.
My school is located in Ballyfermot, Dublin. There are a number of different aspects that could be looked at in the area
Natural Heritage: Flora and fauna: Study of local parks like Markievicz Park and the Phoenix Park border. Children could complete tree walk using Parks of Dublin resource they could work on sketching and mapping trees and other plants. Tree identification apps and swatches.
Biodiversity: Urban wildlife and native vs. non-native species. Children could do a factfile on animals that could be found in the area.
Engineering and industry: Historical rail connections and canal systems. Children could explore bridges in the area such as Anna Livia bridge.
Environmental science: Air quality, pollution studies, climate change awareness.
Local Knowledge: Interviews with older residents about how the land use and green spaces have changed.
As well as fieldwork children could also engage in classroom-based research such as mapping out the natural features of Ballyfermot. Researching past land use and changes (Geography and History link). Creating posters, infographics, or 3D models.The project could take place over the course of 5/6 weeks.
Week 1 Introduction, brainstorming, and dividing students into small research teams
2 Field trips and local walks (weather permitting)
3 Data collection and initial analysis
4/5 Research and project work (in-class and at home)
5/6 Present findings in class group.
Pupils would be engaged in a number of ways: a variety of roles (researcher, artist, presenter, writer, photographer) for each child to receive. Mixed ability group work to allow collaboration and peer learning. Practical tasks for students who prefer hands-on learning. Students will be allowed to choose aspects of Ballyfermot they are most curious about.Hi Veronica this is a fantastic idea. I also teach in Dublin and it is fantastic that we have access to Europes biggest city park. I visit Phoenix Park at least once a year with my class and I think it is a great idea to link the park with Biodiversity allowing children to engage in meaninful learning outdoors!
Hi Helen, I love how you have made this lesson age appropriate for the younger classes. Getting them to take pictures using the iPad is a fantastic idea integrating technology into the lesson!
Topic: Local Bridges
Engage
Prompt- Pictures of different Bridges around the world.
Starter Question:
Have you ever walked or driven across a bridge and thought about how it stays up?
Visual Aid: Show photos of the Anna Livia Bridge (Chapelizod) and the Killeen Road Canal Bridge (Ballyfermot). Discuss how they look different from modern bridges.I wonder:
I wonder why the arches are curved, not flat?
I wonder what materials were used 200 years ago to build these bridges?
I wonder how engineers knew the bridges would be strong enough?Invite children to share any bridges they’ve seen or crossed.
Investigate
Focus Question:
How does the shape of a bridge affect how strong it is?
Activity: Design, Build & Test a Bridge
Materials:
Card, paper, masking tape
Blocks/books for supports
String, weights (e.g. coins, marbles)
Rulers, scissors
straws and other junk art materialsSteps:
Examine shapes: Show drawings of arch bridges, beam bridges, and truss designs.
Design Challenge: In pairs, students plan a model bridge (spanning 30 cm) that must hold weight in the middle.
Build Prototypes: Test 2 types — one flat bridge, one arch-based.
Test for strength: Place weights gradually on each bridge. Record how many items it holds before collapsing.
Compare results: Which design held more? Why?Reflect:
What did you notice about arch bridges?
Which shapes were strongest and why?
What would you change if building again?Hi Adrian, I have just had a look at that resource there. It is fantastic and easy to incorporate into class, its very achievable to teach one plant and animal a term and I think that it is important for children to engage in our surrounding wildlife. I will definitely share this resource with my colleagues in the coming year to be implemented! Thanks for sharing!
Outline how you would use some of the course resources to conduct a seasonal biodiversity project to run throughout the school year. What resources and recording sheets would you need? How often would you bring learning outdoors? How would you integrate other subject areas?
Every autumn I explore the theme of trees, we look at vocabulary such as native, non-native, deciduous, evergreen. We do some learning in the classroom regarding tree identifcation looking at leaves, bark and fruits of the various trees. then we do a walk around our local bark and children collect leaves and work on identifying the trees using a simple identifying sheet like the one by Carlowsports.ie. Learning will be linked to other curricular areas such as Art-tree art, History-Irish folklore around trees, English-tree poetry.
This year I am looking forward to extending this across the other 3 seasons. I think it is a fantastic idea looking at the changes throughout the seasons and looking at other aspects based o the seasons. This would include:
In Winter completing a Bird Survey using the resources from Bird watch Ireland.
Spring: Completing a wildflower walk using the resource from Carlowsports. Looking at the different uses for wildflowers and their importance. This could also be linked with planting and looking at the lifecycle of a plant.
Summer: Looking at Biodiversity as a whole and the importance of our plants and trees. Food chains could be explored here.
I would ensure that children get outside to explore these topics for at least one lesson per term as this enables them to be active and explorative learners.I love the resources from The National Tree Council and will definitely use them this year. I have also ordered some of the swatches from Biodiversity Ireland to help children identify trees and shrubs easily for older children.
Hi Noreen,
I love your idea of mapping your trip to the park on whiteboards, I too teach in an urban school but also frequent the local park. I will definitely try this out in the coming year in my classroom and create a classmap when we come back
Wondering- A prompt for this lesson could be a picture of a map. Children will be asked what is a map? What kinds of things can maps show? What is purpose of maps. Children can engage in Think Pair Share a class Brainstorm can be completed.
Exploring- Children can explore different types of maps -OS Maps, tourist maps and look at different settings on Google Maps.
Introduce the idea of map layers (physical, environmental, man-made, sounds, biodiversity)Making:
In groups, pupils map different variables using base maps: Children can all be given the same base map and will mark out their assigned variable on a polypocket. Variables could include:
Trees / natural vegetation
Vegetation up to 2m height
Locations of different types of birds
Biodiversity sightings (birds, insects, plants)Children can then display their maps and discuss their findings.
A follow up lesson could be done on Digital mapping where children compare their maps to maps on the likes of Geohive and Irelands Biodiversity Maps- layers can be explored (e.g., land use, tree cover, habitats, protected areas)and questions could be asked comparing to their own Maps.What features are shown digitally that we didn’t notice?
Do our maps match satellite views?
Use Google Maps Street View:
Take a virtual walk around mapped areas to verify and discuss changes.Hi Kate,
I love the idea of linking the STEM topic to your theme of the Month. I think this also helps us as teachers to make learning integrated, connected and relevant for children.
Having reviewed the article by Maeve Liston, I now view STEM education not simply as a grouping of four subjects—Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics—but as a way of teaching that is relevant and can be linked to other subjects.
She says that true STEM education moves beyond content coverage and instead promotes critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving. This means prioritising inquiry-based learning, where pupils are encouraged to ask questions, test ideas, and engage with open-ended tasks. I love the Curious Minds lesson layout which will help me design lessons that encourage these various elements and sections like the Engage, Investigate and Taking the next step allow lessons to be clear and focused. This will allow students to see the connections between subjects and apply their knowledge in meaningful ways.
STEM in the classroom should also be inclusive and engaging to all learners. A combination of methodologies such as hands-on exploration, visual thinking, storytelling, or group problem-solving should be incorporated.