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I also found the imagery in the film HOME to be compelling. I love the idea of basing lessons for my class around this film and look forward to showing my class the video in segment.
I really loved the film, Home, it is a very powerful and thought-provoking way of showing the impact that human activity is having on our planet. I found the aerial photography particularly effective because it shows the beauty and variety of Earth while also highlighting the damage caused by pollution, deforestation, overpopulation and the overuse of natural resources. The film makes climate change feel less like an abstract scientific issue and more like something that affects real places, people and ecosystems. The other video clips in the module also help to explain climate change in different ways and make the topic more accessible and engaging.
I would introduce these climate change facts to my pupils through short video clips, discussion and questioning rather than presenting too many facts at once. I would encourage pupils to identify what they noticed in the videos and discuss how human choices can affect the environment. I would also use local examples that pupils can relate to, such as recycling, energy use, transport and extreme weather. This would help them understand that climate change is a global issue, but that individual and community actions can make a positive difference. I would aim to create a balanced discussion that encourages curiosity, responsibility and hope rather than fear. I would love to watch the film Home with them, but feel that it would have to be broken into segments, as the full video is too long to hold their attention.I like the idea of linking the activity to the children’s own environment and everyday lives. I think the more we can bring our teaching and learning closer to our own environment the more benefit it is to children.
I found Activity 3 useful because it combines a short Paxi video about greenhouse gases with an interactive tool that allows students to explore how future temperatures could change. The video is a good introduction to the topic because it presents the idea of greenhouse gases in a simple and engaging way. The temperature prediction tool gives students an opportunity to apply what they have learned and see how changes in greenhouse gas emissions can affect the climate. I think this combination of watching, learning and experimenting would help make the topic more meaningful for students.
I could use this activity with my class as part of a lesson on climate change. I would begin by asking students what they already know about greenhouse gases and climate change. After watching the Paxi video, I would discuss the main ideas with the class and check their understanding. Students could then work in pairs using the temperature prediction tool and record their observations.
One improvement would be to include more information about the different greenhouse gases and their sources. A follow-up activity comparing possible solutions, such as renewable energy, reducing transport emissions and protecting forests, would also help students understand how human actions can influence future climate outcomes. Overall, Activity 3 is an engaging and useful resource that encourages students to think critically about climate change and their role in addressing it.I agree that these resources are both practical and engaging. I feel that children would enjoy these activities and that they would have a lot of discussion and opportuinities to make their case for explaining the difference between weather and climate
Liston (2018) highlights that STEM education should go beyond simply teaching Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics separately. It should encourage creativity, problem-solving, critical thinking, communication and collaboration. I feel this is reflected in my classroom, where pupils learn best through practical, hands-on activities and opportunities to investigate real-world problems.
Activities 1 and 2 from the Weather and Climate resource were engaging ways to develop these skills. “Is it Weather or Climate?” helps pupils understand that weather describes short-term conditions, while climate refers to patterns over a much longer period. “Weather Detectives” encourages pupils to observe, measure and record weather conditions, developing their observation, prediction and data-handling skills. I particularly liked the practical nature of the activities, as pupils become active participants rather than passive learners. These activities also provide opportunities for discussion, teamwork and cross-curricular learning. Overall, they demonstrate how meaningful STEM education can connect classroom learning with the pupils’ everyday experiences and the world around them.
That sounds like a lovely project, I would love to have a resource like that near our school. The children will really benefit from and enjoy doing a lesson like that with so much learning and creativity.
<p class=”isSelectedEnd”>I would plan a class project exploring the scientific and natural heritage of Wexford and Rosslare, combining science, geography, history and outdoor learning. The project would include the coastline, beaches, dunes, wildlife, marine life, weather and local engineering and scientific heritage. The class could investigate coastal habitats, identify plants and birds, measure wind speed and temperature, and study how waves and erosion change the coastline. Pupils could also research important local people, lighthouses, Rosslare Harbour and the development of transport and maritime technology.</p>
<p class=”isSelectedEnd”>I would plan the project over four to six weeks. It would begin with classroom research and discussions, followed by outdoor fieldwork in Rosslare and the surrounding area. Pupils could collect observations, photographs and measurements and record their findings in science journals. Groups could then create posters, models, digital presentations or a class exhibition.</p>
To involve every pupil, I would provide different roles such as researcher, photographer, recorder, scientist and presenter. This would allow pupils with different interests and abilities to contribute. The project would finish with a Wexford Scientific Heritage Exhibition for parents and the school community.I love your plan for this lesson Aoife. I have used videos of a suspension bridge that was built a few years ago in New Ross, as inspiration for design and make for bridges in my classes, both junior and senior level. I am always fascinated that some children try to copy the design of bridges they know or have been shown, while others want to create something new and exciting and spend a lot of time working out the mathematics and science behind weight and load bearing and the overall look of their bridges.
A local example of engineering heritage in Wexford is the Wexford Arts Centre, which was originally built as Wexford Market House in 1775–1776. The building has a strong engineering design, including its granite structure, symmetrical layout, large openings and high roof. It has also been adapted over time, showing how engineers can improve historic buildings while protecting their heritage. Recent renovation work included a new accessible entrance, lift, gallery and workshop spaces, while retaining important features of the original building.
I would use the Arts Centre as inspiration for a classroom or outdoor design project by creating a miniature sustainable community building. Students could study the building’s shape and structure before designing their own model using recycled materials. They could include features such as solar panels, natural lighting, wheelchair access and rainwater collection. This would connect local engineering heritage with modern sustainable design and show how old buildings can inspire new ideas.
I agree with you Jack, I was pleasantly surprised to see that our school already hits many of the elements of the All Ireland Pollinator Plan. Our Green School committee have been instrumental in this having planned a Wildflower/Nurture Garden in the last term, which will hopefully start in the coming year.
To register our school with the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan, we would first visit the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan website and register the school as a pollinator-friendly place. We would record the actions already taking place and identify areas where improvements could be made. At our school we began plans for a wildflower garden which is combined as a nurture and sensory garden in the last term of this year. Although only designed on paper this year, it was a plan that was made up by the pupils, led by the Green School Committee, with the help of one teacher and one SNA. Then plan is to create a larger wildflower area by reducing grass cutting and planting native, pollinator-friendly flowers. We also plant a tree each year. The plan for the garden includes shrubs and flowering herbs that provide food for bees and other insects throughout the year; along with bug hotels and seating areas made out of old trees, which can be used as an outdoor classroom/reading area. Another action would be to avoid using pesticides and herbicides, which can harm pollinators. Students will monitor and record the different bees, butterflies and other insects they see. These activities would improve biodiversity, provide important habitats and help our school contribute to protecting Ireland’s pollinators. We have also arranged to have a visit from a parent who has bee hives and makes natural products using nectar.
I love the development of this lesson and taking the children through the steps of discussion, discovery and using Google maps. This lesson would be very engaging and interesting for students.
I would use Johnstown Castle, Wexford, and the nearby Teagasc research facilities as a local scientific heritage site. Online tools such as Teagasc soil maps, GeoHive, Met Éireann weather data, and biodiversity databases can provide information about soil types, land use, weather, plants and animals in the area. This information could be used to create an interdisciplinary local studies project. In Science, pupils could investigate soil composition, plant growth, biodiversity and the impact of weather on the environment. In Geography, they could examine maps, land use, drainage and how the landscape has changed over time. Mathematics could be incorporated by collecting and graphing rainfall, temperature or soil data. In History, pupils could investigate the development of Johnstown Castle and the history of agricultural research at Teagasc. English and Art could involve recording observations, writing reports and creating maps or nature journals. This would make local learning practical, relevant and connected to the community.
I agree, using less textbooks and more hands on lessons about the world around us and in particular lessons that apply to the local environment are much more beneficial for children in the long-term than reading about something that really holds no great interest or value to them because it is just printed in a book and not experienced by the children.