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In my local area, there has been an increased focus on sustainability. The local park has been transformed to included a natural playground, planting of more native trees, planting of wild flower seeds to promote biodiversity. This is a park that the children have visited on many occasions as part of a nature walk. Within the school, there is a school garden where vegetables as grown. Part of the fencing is made from exdcess wood left over from cutting down parts of the trees surrounding the school that had grown too large. The children play a big part of this garden and take a role of responsibility in maintaining it. It is a great opportunity to teach through doing.
One area where I would further develop this with my students is to introduce the planting of wild flowers in a section of the garden. It would be a chance to show children how to support the local environment and supporting the bees.Hi Vera, I think that is a great point about involving sustainability in everyday life. by showcasing little practices that can be included in your practice can enable them to become habit. I also think that it is so important that students are educated about nutrition. It is something that will benefit them throughout their lives.
Seafood is an excellent source of nutrition. Personally, I have began to regularly introduce seafood into my own diet more in the past couple of years. It is a great source of protein. It is an amazing source of vitamins. I was not aware that mussels were a high source of iron. I was not fully aware of all the benefits of salmon. In teaching children about healthy eating, I think that it would be very beneficial to place a focus on seafood when teaching about healthy eating. I have found that children can sometimes be a bit squeamish about fish in their eating habits. Using the salmon of knowledge and teaching about how salmon aids brain development and eye sight could encourage children to be more willing to try it. Teaching in the junior classes, I would utilise the story to engage the children in dicussion around how fish is good for us. We could also complete a survey of who has seafood in their diet already.
Hi Verda, I think that is a very good point. I really liked the supermarket spy as well. It is something that I have only become aware of myself in the last year or two. Very interesting to see where your food is coming from and would be a great skill to develop with the children.
I found these resources to be very interesting and engaging. In line with STEM Education Policy Statement, the resources highlight some key factors in how to engage in stem activities-active learning, collaboration, real world learning and focused thinking. While some of the content may be beyond the class level that I am teaching this year (Junior Infants) I can see it being useful in informing my own knowledge. This will enable me to plan my lessons and discussion with the children with more understanding. It will also allow me to identify possible opportunities to share information with the class when relevant opportunities arise. I think the activities highlight a good example of how to progress a topic through beginning general and honing in on more specific areas as the student’s base knowledge is developed. In School Self Evaluation, we are looking at how we can integrate subjects more. These resources line up well across history, geography and science. In picking a focus, I know my school have wanted to focus on more hands on learning. STEM is an excellent area that allows for the introduction of this in a way that feels natural through exploration of new topics.
Hi Orla, I agree. I think it would be fairly simple to transfer some of these activities to the younger classes. There is a wealth of information there so it makes it easier to pick and choose what works for your class. There is good progression through different topics moving from what is aquaculture to interlinking with nutrition and aquacultures role in the local commubity.
I was not aware that aquaculture was present mainly in the western coast. As part of learning and teaching about Ireland, I think that this would be something that would be very important to include in lessons. Many people are aware of Ireland as an agricultural stronghold but I think that it is important to have an awareness of other industries that benefit smaller communities. These could easily slot into Geography lessons about landscape features. For examples glaciers etc could be linked to Killary Fjord. Tides is also something that the children will more than likely have experienced in their everyday lives and I could create lessons to build on this knowledge. Having come from an agricultural background, I am aware of the factors that limit/benefit farming productivity. It was very interesting to view this in relation to aquaculture and get an introduction to the correct language. I was previously unaware of the products of aquaculture that were farmed and produced in Ireland.
Hi Jessica,
I agree with your points. I also did not realise about the role that aquaculture can play in a local community. Prior to this course, I was not aware of the business market that was available in these communities. I think it would be important to teach about the role this business can play in the community. It is also important to teach the connection between what is in the supermarket and what we produce here in Ireland.
I think that the resources included in this module provide an opportunity for real world immersive learning for the pupils. Linking learning to the students own lives and what they already know allow for children to really engage in learning. Being based in Dublin, I would draw on the history of the ports and fishing. Integrating social license into learning is very important as the children need to be made aware of all our roles in conservation etc. I think many children may not be aware of fishing practices outside of maybe fishing with a relative. I also think there is a great opportunity for new learning. The children are often taught about the role of a traditional farm. This could be built on with teaching about salmon farming etc. Learning the life cycle of a salmon could also provide more context for the children about the farming process and can also be linked with the salmon of knowledge.
Hi Naomi, that all sounds great. I really like the idea of leaning into a theme and exploring from different sides and through different subject lenses. The geography linking with small fishing villages of the past is a great idea.
Rocket Launch-Mouse Rockets
I would begin the lesson by asking the children “What is the difference between cars and rockets”. Following this discussion, I would engage the children in discussing how does the rocket go up. We would watch some videos of different rockets launching and analyse how they are similar. I would also ask why do the children think the rockets are shaped the way that they are.
We would then move to the rocket experiment. Being first with the rocket mouse template, I would allow the children a few minutes free play with their rockets to explore. We would then gather to discuss their findings. I would then challenge them to use different implements (a ball of paper, a small cardboard box) and see what happens. The children would make their predictions first.
We would then gather to discuss whether these worked better or worse and why. I will also allow the children to trial their own suggestions or make changes to the mouse templates. We will talk about how the point helps the mouse rocket to move through the air. We will also talk about the force needed to move it higher.
Hi Niamh, Sounds like a lovely lesson. Allows for analysis in a way that feels natural rather than forced. Allowing them to make their own rockets and analysis of a fair test will really engage the children
Where do you live?
I would introduce the topic by reading the children “A place called home” by Kate Baker. This book looks at styles of homes throughout the world and why the way a home is built reflects its location. While reading the book, I will engage the children in prediction and discussion around the homes and their locations. We will also look at the houses visible from the school window and analyse why they were built this way.
Following this would be a sorting activity where the children will work together to match the home to the correct location. They will be asked to provide reasoning for their selections.
The children will then be given a location and a description of that location. They will be invited to create a house to match the location. The children will choose the medium through which they represent their house (through drawing, lego, cut and stick etc.). They will then present their house to the class if they want to.
Hi Aoife, love the idea of the toys frozen in ice to allow the children to explore melting and whaat things have an effect on ice. It is a great opportunity for active exploration.
I would use the aliens as a follow on lesson from learning about planets.
I would begin by playing the alien drawing game. This is where I call out instructions (the alien has three eyes, the alien has four hands, the alien is small etc). At the end, the children hold up their aliens and we look to see do they look like each other.
We will then review what we know about each planet. I would explain that the children are going to design an alien for each planet. I would divide the class up into groups and supply a fact sheet oon each planet-information like temperatures, landscape, liquids on the planet etc). The groups would then design their alien to match the planet through drawing. They will create a fact sheet about their alien with 5 facts, I will assist with writing etc where needed.
The children will present their aliens to the class and advise why their alien is suited to the particular planet.
Linking in with art could be creating the alien through clay.
