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Hi Ornaith, I love the idea of monitoring the butterflies. I’ve done something similar and got an Insect Lore kit online. They send you a cup of tiny caterpillars in the post and all you need to watch them until they emerge as butterflies. I’ve done it with 3rd, 4th and 5th and the reaction has been really enthusiastic and positive. Once they’ve emerged, you can then release them around the school grounds.
<p data-start=”1079″ data-end=”1529″ data-is-last-node=”” data-is-only-node=””></p>Research question:
How do weather and conditions affect the amount and type of marine litter found on our local beach?I think marine litter would work really well for a Climate Detectives project with 5th class, particularly because it gives the children a real local problem to investigate. The ESA guide encourages pupils to identify environmental problems in their own locality and specifically suggests investigating issues affecting coastlines. It also encourages pupils to collect their own ground data, analyse it and then decide on an action based on their findings.
I’d start by getting the children to look at photographs of local beaches like Tramore and discuss where they think the litter comes from. They could then visit the beach, record and categorise the litter they find, while also recording the weather and tidal conditions. We could repeat this on a number of visits and look for patterns. The children could use their results to decide what they think is causing the problem.
The action would be particularly important. We could organise a beach clean, record what we remove and compare the results with our original findings. I like that this would give the children a chance to move from simply learning about an environmental problem to actually doing something about it. That fits very well with the Climate Detectives idea of investigating a local problem and then taking action.
I was also drawn in by the EO/Copernicus browser. I was really impressed too how Google Earth has improved its basic use of satellite imagery to a much higher resolution. Being able to use streetview to “jump into” areas of interest from satellite imagery is excellent also. I read that Google Earth is being optimised for web browsing in future too which helps us a lot. I found myself outside this weekend using the Sky Guide app to actually spot some of the satellites and it was really fascinating once my eyes had adjusted to the darkness.
I really liked the ‘Nose High Up in the Sky’ activities. I found them very practical and easy to see working with a 5th class. The activities give children a chance to work together, discuss what they are observing and apply what they have learned rather than just answering questions from a book.
I think this would work particularly well as a group activity at the end of a lesson. After teaching a topic, I could give each group one of the activities and let them work through it together. It would be a nice way of checking what the children have understood without making it feel like an assessment. It would also give me a chance to move around the room, listen to the discussions and see which children are confident with the ideas and which might need a bit more help.
I liked that the activities are straightforward and don’t need a huge amount of preparation or equipment. I would definitely use this resource with my class, particularly as a way of finishing a lesson and giving the children something practical to work on together.
I think the mention of integrating this material and message across the curriculum is really important. When this is done, all of the children can access the discussion and express their own learning and thoughts in their own best way. I think this is particularly important at the junior end of primary where children often express themselves through art for example.
I found HOME very powerful, particularly because of the way aerial footage is used to show how connected the different parts of the planet are. The film covers climate change, deforestation, water, agriculture, energy and biodiversity, but I thought its biggest strength was showing the scale of the changes humans have made to the planet. The other video clips give a different way of looking at climate change and would provide good starting points for discussion with a 5th class.
I would be careful about how I introduce some of these climate change facts to children. I don’t think the aim should be to frighten them or make them feel that the situation is hopeless. We have seen some very severe storms during Irish winters when the Atlantic is particularly active, so this could be a useful local connection when discussing weather and climate. Weather relates to the storm on a given day whereas the increased frequency and strength of storms over time relates to climate.
With my class, I’d concentrate on awareness and what we can actually do. We could look at energy use in school, transport, waste, biodiversity and ways of reducing our own impact. I’d use selected clips rather than the whole film and give the children time to discuss what they have seen and ask questions. The main message I’d want them to take away is that climate change is a serious issue and that there are positive things we can do as individuals and as a school.
I think you’re right to consider the tool to be challenging to use for younger classes. Personally I’d see that as part of a lesson that’s guided by the teacher and ideally done on the interactive whiteboard. I think there’s a lot of potential in using these advanced tools for learning at the senior end of primary but it is essential that the teacher adjusts for the level of ability and interest in the class. I think this would be a real challenge in 2nd.
I found Activity 3 to be a good follow-on from the earlier weather and climate activities. The Paxi video explained the greenhouse effect in a simple, child-friendly way without making it overly complicated. I also liked the future temperature prediction tool as it allowed the children to see how different greenhouse gas emission scenarios can influence future global temperatures. Seeing the changes visually makes the topic much easier to understand than simply reading about it.
I’d use this activity after the children had already explored the difference between weather and climate. It would lead naturally into discussions about climate change and what actions we can all take to reduce our impact on the environment. I could also link it with Geography, SPHE and Maths by discussing local environmental issues and interpreting the graphs produced by the prediction tool. I generally teach the area of weather v climate early in 5th class because it comes into so many other areas.
One improvement I’d suggest would be to include an Irish case study, showing how climate change may affect our own weather, wildlife or coastline. I also think a follow-up activity where pupils investigate practical ways their school could reduce its carbon footprint would help connect the science with everyday life. We could easily integrate this into the school’s Green Schools activities. Overall, I found the activity engaging, relevant and easy to use in the primary classroom.
I love the idea of pairing the younger and older children together for STEM activities. It’s something we do organically with reading and maths trails etc but I think your suggestion for extending that into STEM is excellent. In my experience, with large class numbers, it can be difficult to ensure every child is fully engaged. By pairing them as leaders or buddies, it adds another really positive dimension and motivation to concentrate to their learning.
Dr. Maeve Liston’s paper gives a really positive, innovative approach to STEM. I liked the idea that STEM isn’t about teaching Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths as separate subjects, but giving children opportunities to solve real problems by bringing these areas together. I already use plenty of practical investigations, but the paper encouraged me to think more about making stronger links across the curriculum.
I enjoyed both Weather and Climate activities. The first activity clearly explained the difference between weather and climate, while the Weather Detectives activity encouraged children to observe, record and discuss their own findings. I could see my class really enjoying collecting weather data over several weeks and then presenting it using graphs in Maths.
One improvement I’d suggest would be adding a digital element. The children could compare their observations with the relevant Met Éireann forecast for that day or coming day and discuss any differences. An extension activity where pupils predict the next day’s weather before checking the official forecast would also encourage more critical thinking. Use of websites that provide very easy to use graphic charts such as Ventusky is another option. Overall, I found the activities practical, engaging and easy to use in the primary classroom.
Starry Night has definitely caught my attention here. It’s interesting to see that paintings from centuries past that are inspired by the night sky are so vibrant. The reason for this has to be the lack of light pollution. If I look into the sky outside my house, I’m sure the view is not as breathtaking as it would have been in that exact location hundreds of years ago. Maybe those artists didn’t realise they’d be the one of the last generations that would truly be able to appreciate the sky in its natural state.
Consider how many Songs / Poems /Art can you think of to connect us with the Night Sky?
I’d start by reading Robert Louis Stevenson’s poem The Moon. The imagery is simple but powerful. It also links naturally with Visual Arts, as the children could paint or draw their own moonlit landscapes after listening to the poem. It’s a lovely way to show how literature can inspire creativity while encouraging careful observation of the night sky.
Songs like A Sky Full of Stars by Coldplay or Fly Me to the Moon can spark conversations about how the night sky has inspired musicians for generations. Music helps create positive memories around learning and encourages children to see the night sky as something to enjoy rather than just study. Astronaut Chris Hadfield’s version of Space Oddity shows the impact that the view of space can have on a human who’s lucky enough to see it from that perspective.
I’d also introduce Aboriginal Australian art and storytelling, where the stars play an important role in culture and music. Learning about their perspective of the Milky Way, the Emu in the Sky would help children understand that people around the world have interpreted the same night sky in different ways for thousands of years. The children could compare these stories with Irish folklore, including Bealach na Bó Finne, our name for the Milky Way.
Bringing poetry, music, art and storytelling together reminds children that the night sky isn’t just something to learn about in science. It has inspired artists, writers and musicians across cultures for generations, and by protecting our dark skies, we’re helping to preserve that sense of natural creativity for future generations.
The idea of the foxes waiting until it’s darker to come out in urban environments is really interesting and something I’ve noticed more of in recent years. I’ve wondered if it happens when streets are quieter or whether it is triggered by the nighttime light environment. I think it’s a really good example of using the events and trends in animal behaviour outside the classroom as a stimulus inside the classroom. Biodiversity learning becomes much more real for the children in those circumstances.
I think children learn best about biodiversity when they can get outside and explore it for themselves. Around our school we have the River Suir, the People’s Park and plenty of green spaces that are ideal for spotting birds, insects and plants. I’d start with a simple biodiversity survey where the children record what they find using photographs, sketches and tally charts. We could compare different habitats and discuss why some areas support more wildlife than others.
I’d then introduce the idea that biodiversity doesn’t stop when the sun goes down. Many animals, including bats, moths and hedgehogs, depend on darkness to feed and move around safely. Looking at light pollution helps children understand that artificial lighting doesn’t just affect our view of the stars; it can also disrupt local wildlife by changing natural behaviours. The module gave some great ideas for exploring nocturnal species and linking them to school biodiversity work, which I think would really engage pupils.
The children could investigate areas around the school that are brightly lit and compare them with darker spaces nearby. We could then discuss simple changes, such as directing lights downwards or only using them when needed, and how small actions can make a real difference for local wildlife as well as protecting our dark skies.
I recall last year a child telling the class that giant beetles were banging against her window late at night. This turned into an investigation in class where we found out together that it was may bugs that have an attraction to artificial light.
Tracey I think you’ve mentioned something important that we might miss in the classroom and that’s the actual design of street lighting. It’s a good time to talk about this where I live as in the city there’s a light replacement scheme that’s hopefully going to completely change how the public lighting appears. The modern lights do seem to be much more targeted and it has caused some consternation at first as people perceived them as less bright meaning less effective. I think people will get used to them once the lived experience is safety and effectiveness of the new designs.