[Emma Mc Carthy]

Brian

I love your idea for writing. I too love the idea as using a cave explorer or  under ground creature as the stimulus. This would be incredibly captivating and though provoking for pupils. A very good idea to grab pupils attention. Thank you

[Emma Mc Carthy]

We are very lucky to have, right on our doorstep, the vibrant wind turbine farm at Monaincha, Roscrea. Having this local site so close to us provides so many opportunities for pupils to explore our natural and scientific heritage in a creative and meaningful way.

I would like to use the wind farm as a starting point for pupils to express what they see, hear and feel. I think it is important that pupils get the opportunity to experience their local environment first-hand and then have the freedom to respond to that experience in their own creative way.

Below are some of the ideas I would use to involve my pupils in art, music, drama and creative writing.
Art
Inspired by the portrayal of Mary Ward in Her Story, I would ask the pupils to draw themselves in the corner of a page. Following our trip to the wind farm, I would then ask them to draw what they experienced through their own eyes.

I would display photographs that we had taken during our visit on the whiteboard. These would act as a stimulus for the children and help them to remember the different things they saw and experienced. I would encourage them not just to draw the turbines, but also to think about the landscape, the boglands, the wildlife, the sky, the people and anything else that caught their attention.

I particularly like this activity because every child’s picture will be different, even though we all visited the same place. It gives pupils the opportunity to show what stood out to them personally.

When the artwork is finished, I would give the pupils time to look at and respond to each other’s work. We could discuss questions such as:

1. What do you think this pupil saw?
2. Did you see the same thing?
3. What aspects of their picture do you like?
4. Is there anything in their work that you find interesting?
5. Did their picture make you think about our visit differently?

Music
Having visited the wind turbines myself, I was always struck by the different whirls, hums and whooshing sounds they make. I think these sounds would provide a wonderful starting point for a music activity.

Using different percussion instruments and other items available in the classroom, I would encourage the pupils to work together to create a four-part percussion piece inspired by the sounds they experienced during our visit.

They could experiment with different instruments, rhythms, speeds and volumes to try to recreate the movement of the turbines. I would also encourage them to listen carefully to the other sounds around the wind farm, such as birdsong, the wind and sounds from the surrounding boglands, and include these in their composition.

I think it would be lovely to make a class recording of the finished piece and play it for other classes in the school. The pupils would have the opportunity to hear how their different sounds came together to create a piece of music inspired by a place in their own locality.

Drama
Hot seating is a strategy I really like as it encourages pupils to put themselves in someone else’s, or in this case something else’s, position.

I would use this activity to encourage the pupils to become a wind turbine. Taking turns, one pupil would sit in the hot seat and become the wind turbine while the other pupils ask questions.

I would encourage the children to personify the wind turbine and imagine what life might be like from its point of view. Questions could include:
1. Are you ever lonely?
2. What excites you?
3. Do you have any friends?
4. How do you feel when classes come to visit?
5. What can you see from where you are?
6. What do you think about the birds and wildlife around you?
7. What is your favourite thing about being a wind turbine?

I think pupils would really enjoy this activity, and it would also allow them to use what they have already learned about wind turbines in a fun and imaginative way.

Creative Writing
Having personified the wind turbine during our drama activity, I would use this as a great stimulus for creative writing.

I would ask pupils to write a 150-word diary entry entitled:

A Day in the Life of a Wind Turbine
By this stage, pupils would already have explored the STEM elements of how a wind turbine works. They would also have had the opportunity to imagine what it would be like to actually be a wind turbine through the hot-seating activity.

I think this would give them a really good starting point for their writing. They could imagine what the turbine sees, hears and feels throughout its day, as well as describing the people, birds, weather and landscape around it.

To add a little more fun, I would encourage each pupil to give their wind turbine a name and draw a picture of it. Their finished diary entries could then be read to a younger class, allowing the pupils to share their stories and creativity with others.

The wind farm is not just something they can see in the distance; it is part of our local landscape and provides a wonderful opportunity to connect science, nature and creativity.

[Emma Mc Carthy]

Lorraine

Love the idea of using your own personal photographs to introduce the lesson.  You are right it using your own photographs makes the lesson more real and relatable for the pupils and also stimulates interest in a real-life context. You have inspired me to use my own photographs more often. Thank you

[Emma Mc Carthy]

Module 4 – Making Wind Turbines

We are very lucky to have, on our doorstep in our locality, boglands with many wind turbines. These turbines provide a renewable source of energy, with the energy produced being sold to the national grid.

The owners of the wind farms are always very keen to have school groups visit, giving pupils the opportunity to learn about how the turbines work and how they contribute to renewable energy.

The surrounding areas are also rich in biodiversity, as the turbines are located on boglands. This makes a visit a great opportunity for pupils to explore and learn about the local flora and fauna too.

Lesson Plan – Design and Make a Wind Turbine

Inspired by the local wind turbines, pupils will design and make their own working wind turbine. This is a fun, hands-on activity that allows pupils to explore renewable energy while developing their creativity and practical skills.

Equipment You Will Need
• Coloured card
• Scissors
• Glue
• Push pin
• Cardboard tube
• Sticky tack

Step 1
Get a piece of coloured card and a piece of patterned paper.
The coloured card can be any size. Try starting with a 10cm x 10cm square and then experiment by making the windmill bigger or smaller once you are comfortable with the process.

Step 2
Fold the square along both diagonals to make an X across the middle.
Make a cut from each corner approximately two-thirds of the way towards the middle. If you are using a 10cm x 10cm square, cut approximately 4cm in from each edge.

Step 3
Use a push pin to make a hole in the middle of the square. Use a cork mat or some sticky tack underneath to avoid making a mark on furniture.
Next, make a hole close to the edge in the right-hand corner of each section of the card.
To make each blade, place the push pin through the corner hole and bring it towards the middle of the square. Repeat this for each corner until all four blades have been formed.

Step 4
Finally, attach the windmill to the cardboard tube using the push pin.
Use a small amount of glue if it needs extra strengthening. Be careful not to glue the card to the tube, as this will prevent the windmill from spinning.

Conclusion – Student Reflection

Once the wind turbines are complete, encourage pupils to think about the activity and reflect on their experience.
• What went well?
• What would you do differently next time?
• Did you enjoy making your wind turbine?
• What was the most challenging part?
• What did you learn about wind energy?
• How do wind turbines help us to produce renewable energy?

[Emma Mc Carthy]

Caitriona

Lovely idea to count their findings of bugs in a desiganated area and chart on a bar chart in Maths. Also a lovely idea you had of sketching any observations and making a corresponding diary entry on that bugs life. Great simple ideas, My thanks

[Emma Mc Carthy]

Module 3

What an interesting page! I registered my garden and shaded in the area around what we have already done, as well as what we have pledged to do to increase pollinator activity in our garden. It was great to see that we are already doing some of the things recommended, but it also gave me lots of ideas for future actions.

Tips to Increase Pollinators

1 Don’t Mow It, Let It Grow** – My husband took part in No Mow May, which was a great way of allowing the grass and wildflowers to grow and provide food for pollinators.

2.Manage Hedgerows – We planted more cherry blossom trees last year, which will hopefully provide an additional food source for pollinators.

3 Plant Pollinator-Friendly Trees – We are planning to plant some apple trees, which will be a lovely addition to the garden and will also provide an important source of pollen and nectar.

4.Choose Nectar and Pollen-Rich Plants – This year we have planted window boxes with rosemary, which should provide a good source of nectar for pollinators.

5.Reduce Pesticide Use – We do not use chemicals on weeds. My son pulls them out instead!!

6.Leave Pathways Around a Meadow – My husband has only cut the grass around the perimeter of the meadow at the back of our house, leaving the main area to grow naturally.

Future Actions

There are a number of things I would like to do in the future:

1. Make a small bug hotel.

2. Run a FIT and tally the different pollinators we find within broad groups, such as bumblebees, butterflies and moths, wasps and beetles.

3. Purchase and plant apple trees.

4. When planting our summer bedding in the future, choose more nectar and pollen-rich plants.

School Actions

There are also lots of opportunities to bring this learning into school and raise awareness of the importance of pollinators across the whole school.

1. Increase awareness – Share links with teachers to the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan website and encourage them to explore the resources available.

2. Add our school to the sites list so that our school can become part of the wider pollinator-friendly community.

3. Invite guest speakers into the school to talk to pupils about the importance of pollinators and the role they play in our environment.

4. Encourage a No Mow May within the school grounds.

5. Set up small bug hotels around the school grounds.

6. Run a FIT – pupils could tally and record the pollinators they find, represent the results on a bar chart and interpret the data. The results could then be displayed in the school hall so that the whole school could see and understand what was discovered.

7. Encourage the planting of pollinator-rich plants in our summer bedding areas.

8. Run a poetry competition with pollination and pollinators as the theme. This would be a lovely way to link the topic with literacy and allow the children to express what they have learned creatively.

There is so much potential here to develop this further. I really like the idea that the children could see the impact of their actions through the FIT, recording and displaying their own data. It would make the learning very real and would hopefully encourage them to become more aware of what they can do at home and in their own communities to help protect pollinators.

[Emma Mc Carthy]

Kevin

I like you idea of using map making in areas of interest that the children know well. I feel this is an important aspect as they have a better connection to the place and as children naturally love exploring they might know aspects of a palace other children or ourselves might not even know about. Great to use a familiar place as a starting base.

[Emma Mc Carthy]

Using Data Sets
It would be a fabulous resource to download on a class set of iPads. I was particularly struck by the data set of Garda Stations.
Lesson Plan
Exploring: Who keeps our local area safe? What resources have they?
Garda stations would be a great starting point. Have you ever visited a Garda station? Can you estimate the amount of Garda stations in our county?
As we live in a border area, it would be an idea to compare Garda stations in Laois, Offaly and Tipperary.

Main Body
Using the data set of Garda stations in our three local counties, I would get the pupils to chart this information on a bar chart.
A further chart could then be compiled using the data set of Garda stations 30 years ago.

Maths Exploration
Pupils would compare and contrast the amount of Garda stations 30 years ago and now.
These charts would be displayed, along with calculations showing the decline in the amount of Garda stations.

Literacy Links
Pupils would explore reasons why Garda stations had to close.
Extension ideas including:
Class Debate: Imagine you are a local politician campaigning to keep our local station open. What would your argument be?
Then imagine you are the government wanting to close our local Garda station. What would your argument be?
Letter Writing: Write a letter to our local politician appealing to save our local Garda station, giving reasons why it should remain open.
Guest Speaker: Invite a local Garda into the class to explain their daily work and the importance of the local Garda station.

SESE Links
History: Looking at our Garda station 50 years ago from online archives. Compare and contrast the changes and the features that remain the same.

There is so much more that could be explored, but the Garda station decline was just a data set that grabbed my attention

[Emma Mc Carthy]

Jack

I agree with your post on wanting to guide children step by step as we can be very goal orientated. The approach of the frame work allows more time for curiosity and creativity. I agree with your thoughts on this I too are guilty of this goal orientated approach instead of a more curious and creative problem-solving approach

[Emma Mc Carthy]

The lesson on the mystery fingerprints was a particularly effective real-life learning experience. The language associated not only with the different types of fingerprints, but also vocabulary such as culprit, provided excellent opportunities for language development. This is a lesson I would love to adapt and integrate with literacy, perhaps by using a clip from “The Cookie Culprit” to explore and apply this language in a different context.

The teacher delivering the fingerprint lesson also highlighted the importance of the reflective process. Reflection is key to both assessment of learning and assessment for learning, for both the pupils and the teacher. I believe this is a critical practice, and, as this module reminded us, “just one change can make a difference”.

Many science lessons do not incorporate design, real-world applications or the core ideas of engineering. In addition, the “T” in STEM education can sometimes present an obstacle to producing meaningful STEM experiences. I feel that this can also be a challenge in my own teaching of science. At times, I may be using science too much like a recipe book and not allowing enough time for proper:
• Exploration
• Wondering
• Investigation

The STEM pillars provide an excellent framework for my practice during the coming school year. I particularly like the idea of using a prompt to stimulate and elicit prior knowledge.

When concluding a lesson, I would like to use reflective language and questions such as:
• What did you like most about the design?
• What challenges did you encounter?
• What would be important to remember for next time?

I also want to strengthen the integration of STEM and literacy. New vocabulary explored during lessons will be displayed on our WOW Wall, giving pupils ongoing opportunities to revisit and use new words. I will provide scaffolding opportunities, with the teacher acting as a prompter to help pupils build on their understanding and use of vocabulary.

I also hope to integrate newly learned words into literacy activities. For example, the vocabulary from the fingerprint lesson could be revisited through a literacy piece using an extract from The Cookie Culprit.

To conclude, I will use the following approaches to adjust and develop my practice:
1. Use the STEM pillars as a framework for planning rather than prescribing learning.
2. Allow ample time for exploration, wondering and investigation.
3. Make simple and meaningful connections with mathematics, for example, using rainbow spinners to apply the language of circles, radius and diameter.
4. Develop and use a WOW Wall to display and reinforce new vocabulary.
5. Integrate new vocabulary into literacy activities, for example, using the language of fingerprints alongside a passage from The Cookie Culprit

[Emma Mc Carthy]

Hi Frances,

 

You have a great collection there. I really like the idea of giving children a chance to note any ideas on whiteboard and making predictions prior to listening. A nice idea! It enhances that idea of guided discovery in learning.

[Emma Mc Carthy]

Consider how Songs/Poems/Art can connect us with the Night Sky. Here is a sample of some.

Poems:
1. “Stardust” by President Michael D. Higgins – A reflective piece on the cosmos and our place within it.
2. “When I Heard the Learn’d Astronomer” by Walt Whitman – Whitman contrasts scientific understanding with the awe of simply gazing at the stars.
3. “The Starry Night” by Anne Sexton – Inspired by Van Gogh’s painting, it explores the painter’s vision and the beauty of the night sky.
4. “Bright Star” by John Keats – A sonnet where Keats expresses a wish to be as steadfast as a star.
5. “Choose Something Like a Star” by Robert Frost- A poem encouraging contemplation and calm, like the distant stars.

Songs:
1. “Vincent (Starry, Starry Night)” by Don McLean – A tribute to Vincent van Gogh and his famous painting, “The Starry Night”.
2. “Space Oddity” by David Bowie – A haunting song about an astronaut, Major Tom, floating in space.
3. “Across the Universe” by The Beatles – Reflects on the infinite and cosmic with a sense of wonder.
4. “A Sky Full of Stars” by Coldplay – Celebrates the beauty of the night sky and love.
5. “Starman” by David Bowie – Tells the story of a star being who brings a message of hope to Earth.

Art:
1. “The Starry Night” by Vincent van Gogh – Perhaps the most famous painting inspired by the night sky, depicting a swirling, dreamlike night.
2. “Starry Night Over the Rhône” by Vincent van Gough – Another stunning portrayal of the night sky by van Gogh.
3. “A Black Hole Colliding with Another Black Hole” by Samuel Araya – A modern take on the cosmic theme.
4. “The Great Wave off Kanagawa” by Hokusai – While primarily about the sea, the night sky in the background plays a crucial role in the composition.
5. “Starry Night and the Astronauts” by Alma Thomas – A vibrant piece inspired by space exploration and the night sky.

This is a collection of Songs/ Ar/ Poetry that connect us with the Night Sky and I do believe that children would enjoy studying some of above.

[Emma Mc Carthy]

Hi Conor,

I really like the idea of the insect Hunt. I’m moving back to the Junior end of the school next year and I think the children would really enjoy this as it is a hands on approach and really engages them in the whole area of Biodiversity in their local area.

[Emma Mc Carthy]

Engaging learners and the possible impact of Light Pollution on Biodiversity

The following are activities that I believe would engage learners in the area of Light Pollution and the impact on Biodiversity:

1)Doing Field Trips and Outdoor activities:
Biodiversity Walks, Nocturnal Wildlife Surveys, Community Science Projects)
2)Classroom Activities and Projects:
Assigning Students with research projects on local species and their habitats, Biodiversity Diaries- encouraging students to keep a diary of the species they observe in their local area. Light Pollution Experiments-set up light experiments to measure light in different area and times. Children could than compare their findings.
3) Collaborative Projects and Community Involvement:
School Gardens and Habitats- Create or enhance school gardens with native plants to attract local wildlife
Community awareness campaigns- Develop campaigns to educate locals about dark skies and impact of Light Pollution on biodiversity
4) Creative ideas in Classroom:
-Art and Literature: Integrating Biodiversity and Light Pollution into art, poetry and storytelling projects
-STEM activities
-Drama and Role-play: Creating different scenarios on Biodiversity/ Light Pollution

By doing these hand on activities, I strongly believe that they would enhance a child’s understanding on Biodiversity and Light Pollution.

[Emma Mc Carthy]

Hi Laura, I totally agree with your comment above. I was shocked to see how heavily polluted my area is too. You would think that the countryside would be that bit less than the city!

Yes, totally agree that it would be interesting to show a group of young learners and get them to discuss what they could do in their local area.

[Author]

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