[Pat Waldron]

Agree with you about the proverbs and have used them in lessons before. As a follow on we looked at the unusual behaviours of animals/birds before weather events and they really enjoyed this too.

[Pat Waldron]

Great choice as flooding is one of the easiest affects of climate change to see both locally and internationally. How often have they appeared on our TV screens? The fact that it impacts directly on childrens lives in your class really brings home the need for change.

[Pat Waldron]

What is coastal erosion, why is it happening, how is it affecting us in Mayo and what can we do to help?.

A local beach, Bertra Strand has been greatly affected. Class could brainstorm the beaches that children know and invite visitors in to talk about what Bertra was like when they were a child and discuss the changes that have happened.We could find pictures of Bertra from years ago and then visit the beach. Do you see any changes? Why are there rock walls ? Are they making a difference in protecting the coast and are they long term solutions? We could read about how storms and rising sea levels are connected to climate change. The children need to understand how climate change affects our coastlines and help us find better ways to protect our beautiful beaches and cliffs. Older classes could gather historical data on coastal erosion rates from geological surveys and satellite imagery, collect information on weather patterns, sea levels, and storm frequency from meteorological data and use GIS tools to map changes in the coastline over time. They could then assess the potential future impact on coastal erosion and infrastructure if we don’t act now and come up with their own solutions.

[Pat Waldron]

Is it ever too early to start teaching the children this topic? Dont have to show them the whole video but I think it would be great if young children went home talking about what they saw and might even influence parents?

[Pat Waldron]

Here are five satellites I found that have passed over Ireland using N2YO tracker

International Space Station (ISS): The ISS, a space station in low Earth orbit, conducts scientific research across a variety of disciplines including biology, physics, astronomy, and meteorology. It provides a unique environment for scientific experiments and technological developments that benefit humanity.

Starlink Satellites: Part of SpaceX’s Starlink project, these satellites provide global broadband internet services. They are frequently visible over Ireland as they adjust their orbits after being launched in groups​

NOAA-20 (JPSS-1): This weather satellite operated by NOAA provides critical data for weather forecasting, environmental monitoring, and climate research. It carries instruments to measure atmospheric, terrestrial, and oceanic conditions​​.

Sentinel-2: Part of the European Space Agency’s Copernicus program, Sentinel-2 satellites deliver high-resolution optical imagery for land monitoring. This includes agricultural practices, forestry, soil and water cover management, and emergency services

Landsat 8: A joint mission between NASA and the U.S. Geological Survey, Landsat 8 captures high-resolution images of Earth’s surface. It is used for environmental monitoring, including tracking changes in forests, water quality, and urban development​​.

[Pat Waldron]

I like Elanor’s idea of a capsule. TY students/student teachers who are past pupils often come back to the school. Imagine the fun in opening a capsule with their predictions from 3rd/4th class and seeing if changes occurred or not. Other topics could also be included

[Pat Waldron]

‘Home’is a fairly powerful film and I would start by explaining that it shows beautiful and important places on Earth, how humans are affecting these places and how we need to change and take care of it. The film is a bit long for one viewing and I would break it up into short segments that clearly illustrate climate change impacts, such as melting glaciers, deforestation, and changes in wildlife habitats. We could preview each segment and explain the important concepts and reflect on what we learned. how they feel about climate change, and what actions they can take to help the environment. Emphasize the importance of caring for our planet and inspire them to make positive changes in their daily lives. “Home” is a visual and emotional tool that can effectively teach children about the importance of protecting our environment and the impacts of climate change. There is loads of scope for integration with subjects like art, science,English,geography etc

I liked the footprint calculator although I was unfortunately well over the world average and slightly above the UK average. Food for thought and the children could do it at home with their parents and see their results.

[Pat Waldron]

Not quite a car engine but the closest we got to STEM in our primary school days was the big box of LEGO at back of class which students kept adding to from their homes when possible. We made some great cars, boats, bridges etc with it. Old ideas can still work well.

 

[Pat Waldron]

I worked in Dublin when smog was big issue and covid style masks were worn and when you blew your nose the tissue was black. I often start my lesson on greenhouse gases with this story and ask children to explain why this was happening and how we tried to rectify it. We then look at youtubes of cities in China today where the smog is so thick the sun is barely visible and why its happening. Now I have this activity to help students understand how greenhouse gases affect global temperatures. The Paxi video clearly and simply explains how these gases trap heat in the Earth’s atmosphere causing the rise the temperatures. After the video, students can use the prediction tool to see how different levels of greenhouse gas emissions might change future temperatures.

It’s important that children understand that we can change the process back and identify how they are doing it in their daily lives.

Maybe an interactive quiz of some sort or a kahoot might improve the childrens experience as they love them.

I found Activity 3 to be engaging and educational for students. It combines visual learning with interactive data analysis, making complex concepts easier to understand.

[Pat Waldron]

Dr.Liston’s paper explains that STEM education should be more than just teaching science, technology, engineering, and math separately. Instead, these subjects should be combined to solve real-world problems. It emphasizes the importance of interactive, student-centered learning that connects STEM to their everyday life.

I found the resources in Module 1 great, especially the videos. The ESA resource “Nose Up High in the Sky,” activities provided great flexibility and could be adapted for all classes and I anticipate these resources will significantly enhance my 5th class students’ understanding of weather and climate in the coming school year. It also brings us back to pre technology times and encourages us to use nature and our senses to predict weather and how easy it can be to set up a weather station with a homemade wind anemometer and rain gauge using simple resources.

Building and using a weather station would allow students to collect and analyze weather data. It involves science (observing and collecting data), technology (using sensors), engineering (building the station), and maths (analyzing data).

We could have great fun comparing RTEs weather forecast with what happens in our own weather station the next day! Was the wind, temperature and rainfall as they predicted?

To lead the school, I would organize projects where my students share their findings with other classes. This would help create a school-wide interest in learning about weather and climate, making everyone more aware and knowledgeable about these topics

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