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I like your research question as it is well suited to younger pupils. It encourages the pupils to observe, count, and record pollinators while developing their scientific enquiry skills as well as teaching them to become more aware of biodiversity. The pupils are encouraged to plant flowers and create bug hotels which teaches them that they can contribute in a positive way to their local environment. They are encouraged to be curious, to work together and to become more responsible for their own environment.
In the past school year, with the help of a very enthusiastic parent, there has been a lot of development with our school polytunnel. My question for this assignment, using the Climate Detectives Research Question Planner, is “How does our school polytunnel help reduce the environmental impact of growing fruit and vegetables compared with buying imported produce?”
The pupils could examine what crops we grow in our polytunnel, the temperature inside and outside the polytunnel could be recorded, the growth of the plants monitored and the effect of the weather on this growth examined. Pupils could also compare what we grow with what we buy in our local shops/supermarkets, explore where the produce comes from and examine the benefit of growing our own food. Pupils can explore food miles, sustainable food production, and carbon emissions and their effect on climate change by carrying out this work.
Seeking pupil input throughout the investigation, from the research question to gathering and examining the data collected, encourages good engagement. The pupils would contribute by asking questions, participating in discussion groups, problem-solving and base decisions made on the information and evidence they gather. In order to promote full participation I would encourage the pupils to work in small groups and to take on various roles such as gardener, researcher, recorder, photographer, and presenter.
The pupils could share their findings by presenting their work through a display, an oral presentation to the class or at our regular school assemblies. Digital photographs/videos could be uploaded to the school Seesaw platform for sharing with parents/guardians. We have a weekly school newsletter in which the pupils could share their work also to promote positive environmental action within the school community.
I was also very surprised at the number of satellites orbiting Earth. I found the whole module very fascinating. I agree that this would be a great activity which would engage the pupils, in senior classes in particular, and would link in very well with many different curricular areas.
There are many satellites orbiting the earth and the following five passed over Ireland in the last week. They are the International Space Station (ISS), Starlink-2162, Starlink-1493, Weihai-1 01, and METOP-B. They revolve around the Earth regularly passing over Ireland. They provide important data for forecasting the weather, observing the environment, for science, and communication.
Astronauts, on the International Space Station (ISS), carry out scientific experiments, test new technologies, and observe Earth.
Starlink-2162 and Starlink-1493 provide high-speed internet coverage, especially for remote or rural communities, ships, and aircraft.
The Weihai-1 01 satellite captures images of planet Earth. These are used for monitoring the environment, mapping and for agriculture.
The European weather satellite, METOP-B collects data used by meteorologists to forecast weather more accurately and to observe climate patterns.
The video clips included in Module 3 along with the movie Home introduce climate change and its effects on planet Earth in a very powerful way. Home shows how beautiful earth is but also shows how the climate is changing due to pollution, burning fossil fuels and deforestation. Other videos explain the greenhouse effect, glaciers meting and the rise in temperatures globally as well as the importance of monitoring all of these changes. They are a very useful resource to teach our pupils about climate change and our role in it.
Introducing such a big topic of climate change to the pupils requires piquing their curiosity. I would do this by asking about the weather (what have they noticed?) or if they understand why some animals are disappearing from the planet? I would engage the pupils with videos suited to their age and discuss the content. We would also engage with simple experiments to explore the greenhouse effect (using simple clear containers and thermometers) to help them understand the idea more easily.
In order to help the pupils understand their role in this I would also relate the subject to their own lives. We would do this by discussing what they do at home and in school e.g. recycling, saving energy, reducing waste, and protecting local biodiversity. In class I would encourage the pupils to work together in pairs/groups on projects, creating posters, engaging with hands on activities exploring how they contribute to improving the effects of climate change. I believe it is important for us as teachers to help our pupils to become more aware of our/their impact on the environment, instil a sense of responsibility and teach them about how we can all contribute to maintaining a future which is sustainable.This is a very powerful video. There is a real contrast between the wondrous beauty of the earth and the damage we as humans have done to the Earth’s resources. You put it very well when you talk about the impact of the visual as opposed to reading from a piece of text. Seeing the impact and effect of human behaviour is more powerful. Like you I had never come across this video before and I will be using it in the coming school year.
I agree Sean. This is a very powerful video. There is a real contrast between the wondrous beauty of the earth and the damage we as humans have done to the Earth’s resources. You put it very well when you talk about the impact of the visual as opposed to reading from a piece of text. Seeing the impact and effect of human behaviour is more powerful. Like you I had never come across this video before and I will be using it in the coming school year.
Like you Rachel, I thought the Pax video was good too. I would agree with you that it would need some pre-teaching as some of the content e.g. vocabulary may be difficult for younger age groups. And as you say, the TEAL tool would be more suited to older children. In our school we often pair older pupils with younger pupils for various activities and this could be a solution to this. There is great scope here for collaboration within class and across classes which develops skills such as teamwork, talk and discussion amongst peers, and problem-solving.
The activity, Climate Reporters, is a very useful learning experience for the pupils. It allows them to be journalists and requires them to engage in research, report their findings and to consider the effect of climate change on humans and the environment.
Climate Reporters supports integration of STEM across many curricular areas. The pupils engage with science as they develop an understanding of climate systems, patterns in the weather, and environmental change. Mathematics is included as they interpret graphs, contrast climate data, recognise trends, and support their findings using evidence. Using digital tools for research, analysing data, creating their presentations, or recording a news report integrates well with technology.
I think the activity is adaptable for different age groups which would be necessary with aspects of it. The Pax video is very good in terms of production for younger children. It would need some pre-teaching as some of the content e.g. vocabulary may be difficult for younger age groups. The TEAL tool would be more suited to older children but in our school we often pair older pupils with younger pupils for various activities and this could be a solution to this. There is great scope for collaboration within class and across classes which develops skills such as teamwork, talk and discussion amongst peers, and problem-solving.
This activity helps pupils to develop scientific understanding and the conviction to engage with one of the greatest global challenges we are currently facing. This is a real-life issue and it would be a great way to engage the pupils with the important subject of sustainability and climate change and the role they can play in it.
I agree Aidan that the Weather vs Climate resource is well suited to younger pupils. They are practical and engaging activities and the teacher notes are very helpful. You are right that older pupils would benefit from more open-ended investigations. Like you, I would like to try creating a school weather station. This would promote science, mathematics, engineering, and technology with the pupils learning to collect, analyse and interpret data in a real life context.
Having reviewed Liston (2018) STEM is not just an acronym. It is a joined methodology to learning that provides pupils with the necessary tools to tackle real-world tasks. Throughout our school we already incorporate aspects of STEM, but I believe we need to place a stronger focus on engineering design and real problem-solving. This will prepare our pupils for future study, work, and the real world.
The Nose Up High in the Sky and Weather vs Climate activities from the ESA resources ensure that pupils are provided with engaging and inquiry-based learning opportunities allowing them to develop a good grasp of atmospheric science. The Nose Up High in the Sky encourages pupils to observe and collect data and the Weather vs Climate activity helps them to differentiate between short-term weather patterns and long-term climate trends.
Setting up a weather station would be a worthwhile activity affording pupils the opportunity in realistic activities such as recording the temperature, levels of rainfall, direction of the wind and cloud cover over a given period of time. These learning activities of scientific investigation, gathering and examining data using technology, designing and/or maintaining apparatus and interpreting graphs and recognising patterns promote STEM skills.
I would extend this to the whole school encouraging the other teachers and classes to engage with similar activities. I would promote the use of a digital platform within the school to share their findings. School assemblies are another forum to allow the pupils to make oral presentations. This shared approach throughout the school would help to promote a shared responsibility for the environment.
I agree that this a great activity that allows the children to learn through play and hands on investigation. I like the way you ensure that all children can access the activity and the different ways you support this. The cross curricular links are, as you say, immense helping to develop all aspects of the children’s learning.
The Alien Rockets activity from this module promotes playfulness and hands-on learning while developing early mathematical and problem-solving skills. It encourages the young pupils to examine shapes, patterns, counting, and develops spatial awareness whilst engaging with the space-theme. This theme is a very useful way of capturing the attention and interest of the pupils while they are engaging with it.
Engagement with this activity allows the pupils to learn through play and ensures active participation. The pupils can work at their own level ensuring access for all to the curriculum. They are encouraged to talk and discuss, examine and investigate and working together to solve problems linking well with the maths curriculum. There are also opportunities for linkage with the literacy curriculum with the pupils developing their language answering questions, describing their rockets, and sharing ideas.
As a teacher I find that this activity highlighted that pupils learn best when they are engaged actively, are encouraged to use and develop their imagination and to become creative thinkers. In my opinion this is an activity that would be very successful in an infant classroom allowing the pupils to enjoy what they are learning in a child centred environment.
I like the Animals in the Cold activity too. I would like to try that experiment also. It is a fun and engaging way for the children to investigate how the animals adapt to cold conditions. There are great curricular links also with literacy and numeracy.
The activity Animals in the Cold is suitable for introducing children to scientific concepts through inquiry-based learning. It helps to develop their skills in observing, predicting, questioning and communicating as well as developing their natural curiosity about the world.
The children learn about how animals survive in cold environments. Using pictures and practical investigations, they explore the different adaptations such as fur, feathers and layers of fat to aid this survival. The lesson also affords the children opportunities to make predictions, test ideas and share their findings with the class group.
There are many opportunities for integrating with other curriculum areas are vast. The children can develop their language skills (discussion and storytelling), mathematical skills (sorting and classifying animals) and artistic skills (creating models or drawings of animals and their habitats). Learning about these animals in the real-world makes the learning more meaningful and relevant.
This activity also helps to support STEM-focused School Self-Evaluation (SSE). There are opportunities for inquiry-based learning throughout the school and pupil discussions, photographs of investigations, samples of work and teacher observations can provide evidence of this learning. Key STEM skills, including critical thinking, problem-solving and collaboration, can be developed when the children are asking questions, investigating solutions and sharing their results. Collaboration amongst staff and the sharing of activities along with following pupil engagement can support whole-school improvement and support STEM-focused School Self-Evaluation (SSE).