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I agree. This is a great resource with lots of scope for extension. You could use the diffusion tubes or digital sensors to compare pollutants on different day of the week and link it to initiatives like bike week and Walk on Wednesday.
The film Home was very enjoyable to watch. The imagery was amazing and really made you consider the role of each human in the fight against climate change. For me the common theme that shone through was the interconnectedness of the human race. The choices of one affect others and will do for years to come. If I was using this in a classroom setting I would use it to spark interest in climate change. I would encourage the students to brainstorm their thoughts afterwards. We could then choose a particular focus to delve deeper into. We could also use some of the imagery as the basis for art projects. I would also use the film as a way to explore the topic through drama. Persuasive writing could be another way to explore the topic. I really enjoyed Greta Thunbergs Ted Talk. I felt her way of explaining that her voice was powerful despite her age was a good lesson to provide the students with.
I think students would love this question. They would be very excited by the hands on investigative apporach!
Research Question:
Can a WALK ON WEDNESDAY initiative reduce the air pollution in our community?
To begin this investigation I would encourage the students to complete surveys within the school to ascertain how the students travel to school each day. We would investigate the emissions level of each vehicle that is used. I would also conduct an air quality test to examine the levels of pollutants in the air or if not possible anaylse local authorities air pollution documents. I would then encourage the students to investigate countries that have lower air pollution and investigate how they travel to school and work. I would then help the students or organise a campaign encouraging students to Walk on Wednesdays. On these days we would measure the emissions of each vehicle that is used and compare it to the previous data. Air pollution could be measured again on a Wednesday and compared with original data. This Walk on Wednesday scheme could then be upgraded to a ‘Walk Week’ or Walk Fortnight to encourage students to continue.
It really is a great app. I think students would really enjoy using it to track live passings. Following the ISS for a weekly or monthly could be a good activity to see how its location changes and the different data it receives.
I downloaded the Satellite Tracker. Here are some of the satellites that have passed Ireland recently. I found it really interesting to see what the mission of the satellites are.
Saocom 1-B -The SAOCOM-1 mission is composed of two satellites (SAOCOM-1A and -1B) launched consecutively. The overall objective of SAOCOM is to provide an effective Earth observation and disaster monitoring capability.
ISIS 1- ISIS 1 and 2 (“International Satellites for Ionospheric Studies”) were the third and fourth in a series of Canadian satellites launched to study the ionosphere over one complete solar cycle.
COSMOS 1933 – Cosmos 1933 was a Soviet ELINT (Electronic and Signals Intelligence) satellite launched from the Plesetsk cosmodrome.
COSMOS 1500 The Cosmos 1500 spacecraft was a precursor to the operational Russian Okean (“Ocean”) series of oceanographic remote sensing missions. The Cosmos 1500 tested a new sensors and methods of data collection and processing,
SKYMED 1 – The COSMO-SkyMed objectives are to provide global Earth observation that can be repeated several times a day in all-weather conditions. The imagery obtained can be applied to both military and civil needs, providing defence and security assurance in Italy and other countries, seismic hazard analysis, environmental disaster monitoring and agricultural mapping.
I agree that David Attenborough’s narration would really engage students too. I also like the idea of the fingerprint lesson and would be eager to use it next year. Encouraging the students to think about the small things they are doing on a personal, family and school level is also a great way to focus on change.
I found this module very interesting. This lesson would be ideal to use with a 4th/5th class setting I think. To begin I would do some brainstorming, maybe using the KWL method to elicit prior knowledge and to see what questions they have about climate change. I would perhaps include some definitions or make a glossary for the children before watching the Paxi video, to make sure they have a deep understanding while watching. After watching we would return to the KWL chart to see if we can answer any questions we may have had. I would then introduce the TEAL tool on the interactive whiteboard. I would show them how to manipulate the tool to see different predictions. Afterwards I would allow the students to use the tool on their Ipads. I would then ask the students to find specific predictions to show their competency using the tool. As an extension activity we could complete a kahoot quiz based on their new knowledge. Otherwise we could discuss the limitations of the TEAL tool and discuss other factors that we may have to allow for when predicting climate change.
This has inspired me to investigate lego spike and the weave project mentioned above. Both sound like worthwile projects with a good STEM base. I also agree that talking about the weather is so natural here in Ireland, so it makes sense to study the weather in detail and make real life connections through maths and science while also opening up the conversation of climate change to our future leaders.
Dr Liston’s article was an interesting read. “ The foundation of STEM education lies in engineering and of the four letters in the acronym, the “E” is the least understood and utilised.” I found this resonated with me and caused me to reflect on my current practices. As a junior infants teacher most of our STEM activities are linked to Aistear time and perhaps at times could have had a clearer design and real world application.
Both activities provided huge opportunities for student engagement and learning. The videos provided that outlined the difference between climate and weather would definitely be a hit with older classes. The weather detective lesson would also be an opportunity to get the whole school involved. Perhaps different classes monitoring for different periods of the year and using different weather equipment as age appropriate. The hands on element of the lessons are a huge bonus and would definitely build excitement within the school. Perhaps a notice board displaying results and findings would be useful too.