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Using the Climate Detectives research question planner, I created this question for my incoming 3rd class in Dublin:
“Is the weather in our school area getting wetter or warmer, and how might this be changing the plants and animals we see around us?”This question links closely to the SESE curriculum and gives pupils a real-world focus they can explore in a hands-on way.
To get them involved, I would start with a nature walk around the school grounds or nearby green spaces. Pupils would look for signs of the seasons, observe plants and insects, and share what they’ve noticed changing—like seeing more slugs or earlier flowers.To connect with their love of sport, we could track how different weather affects when and where we can play sports, like if rain cancels football or the yard is too wet for P.E. We’d also talk about how changing weather might affect sports pitches and training in the future for local teams around Dublin.
We would then record local weather data, keep a class weather and sport journal, and share our findings through posters or a short presentation. This encourages teamwork, curiosity, and climate awareness—while linking learning to something they already care about.
I looked at the Heaven’s Above satellite tracking website and found the following five satellites that passed over Ireland recently.
1. International Space Station (ISS)
The ISS is a big space lab where astronauts from around the world live and do science experiments. It often looks like a bright star moving across the sky.
2. Starlink Satellites
These look like a line of tiny stars zooming overhead. They help provide internet to people all over the world, especially in places that don’t have good internet.
3. NOAA 15
NOAA 15 is a weather satellite. It sends information about weather and temperature back to Earth. It helps scientists learn more about what’s happening in our skies.
4. EIRSAT 1
This is Ireland’s first satellite. It was built by students in University College Dublin. It is testing space technology and collecting data about space radiation.
5. Galileo Satellites
These satellites help us with maps and directions. They are part of a GPS system that helps people know exactly where they are in Europe, including in Ireland.The film HOME is a beautiful and powerful way to show how people and nature are connected. It uses amazing aerial pictures to explain big problems like climate change, deforestation, and loss of animals. The other videos in this module help explain these ideas in simple ways that children can understand.
To introduce these facts to the students in my class, I would start with a KWL chart. First, we list what we know about the planet and climate, then what we want to learn. After watching the videos, we fill in what we learned. This helps pupils organise their thinking.
After that, I would do an art activity called a “Planet Poster,” where pupils draw or paint what they love about the Earth and ways to protect it, like trees, animals, or clean rivers. This would help the children connect with nature and understand their role in caring for the planet.
Activity 3 – Climate Reporters is a well-structured and engaging way to introduce students to the concept of climate change, its causes, and its impact over a prolonged period of time. The Paxi video on greenhouse gases is a strong visual introduction, especially for younger classes, presenting complex information in a clear and age-appropriate way. It successfully grabs pupils’ attention and opens the door for deeper discussion about human impact on the environment.
Using the temperature prediction tool brings a data-focused element to the activity, allowing students to envisage how emissions scenarios influence future global temperatures. It encourages inquiry, data analysis, and critical thinking. I would use this in senior classes (5th or 6th) as part of a cross-curricular SESE and maths project, having students interpret and analyse graphs and create their own climate reports and presentations.
One improvement could be to include a printable data table or worksheet to help pupils organise their predictions and reflections. Additionally, linking this activity with local climate data or Irish weather events could make it more relatable. Incorporating a writing component—such as letters to the future or newspaper articles—would also help extend learning and develop communication skills.
After reviewing Liston (2018), I have developed a deeper appreciation of STEM as more than the sum of its parts. It is not simply teaching Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics in isolation, but creating meaningful, integrated learning experiences where pupils develop problem-solving, collaboration, and critical thinking skills. In my classroom, I aim to foster curiosity through real-world inquiry and hands-on activities that connect learning across subjects.
The ESA resources ‘Nose Up High in the Sky’ and ‘Weather vs Climate’ are excellent tools for engaging students in understanding the atmosphere and climate systems. I would use these to present the idea of weather observation and to start a school-based weather station project. Pupils could collect daily data on rainfall, temperature, wind, and cloud cover using both manual instruments and digital apps, fostering skills in science (investigation and observation), technology (using tools for measurement and data logging), engineering (designing simple instruments), and maths (analysing and interpreting data).
To lead collective practice, I would organise a school-wide “Climate Detectives” initiative, encouraging classes to share findings, display data publicly, and communicate their learning through presentations and digital media, promoting collaboration and climate awareness across the school. We could organise this at school assembly.
Nice use of the local river Shannon. I could use the River Dodder which is beside my school in Dublin for this lesson. Thanks for the idea!