[Shannon Wilson]

Hi Aileen,

What a lovely setting for this activity! Using a nearby beach to construct a sundial would make the learning very memorable for the children and would allow them to connect STEM learning with their local environment in a really tangible way.

The use of a compass to identify north would provide a nice link with geography, while marking the time and drawing hour lines would bring in practical maths skills. Decorating the sundial with shells would also allow for art integration and give the children a sense of ownership over the activity.

Thanks for sharing, and I hope you enjoy the course.

[Shannon Wilson]

Hi Karl,

This sounds like a very well-planned and practical approach to constructing a sundial. I really like that you would begin by bringing the children outside to explore the school grounds and identify the best location themselves. This would encourage agency, observation, prediction and hopefully discussion around sunlight, shadows and the impact of buildings or trees.

Asking the children to design and sketch their sundial before constructing it is a great way to include engineering design skills, while also encouraging planning, teamwork and problem-solving. The idea of marking shadows with chalk is great – not only would it help children to notice how shadows change throughout the day in a very hands-on way, but it would also be very visually engaging!

Thanks for sharing, and I hope you enjoy the course.

[Shannon Wilson]

Hi Valerie,

Welcome to the course. Constructing a sundial is a lovely choice and, as you have outlined, it provides lots of opportunities for meaningful STEM integration. I really like your idea of beginning with music as a prompt. This is great cross-curricular learning and would be an engaging way to open up discussion around time, routines and how we measure the passing of the day.

Your planned discussion around clocks, watches, Fitbits, laptops and phones is a great way to connect the activity to the children’s everyday experiences before introducing how people used the sun to track time in the past. This creates a nice link between science, history and geography.

Thanks for sharing, and I hope you enjoy the course.

[Shannon Wilson]

Hi Marese,

Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts on Liston’s paper. Your example of previously viewing a coding lesson as a STEM lesson on its own is a very relatable one, and I think many teachers would recognise that same challenge. However, as you have identified, we don’t need to overcomplicate things to make an effective STEM lesson. Well-structured, meaningful activities with a making element at their core can often provide rich STEM learning when they are used thoughtfully and connected to pupils’ own experiences.

I hope you enjoy the rest of the course.

[Shannon Wilson]

Hi Diarmaid,

I really like your elevator pitch for EO Browser. It is a very accessible way to explain the tool to a colleague who may not have used it before, and it immediately communicates its classroom potential.

Your ideas for using the software in class are very strong too. You could begin by choosing a topic that your class is particularly interested in exploring. As you mentioned, the software allows pupils to work with real satellite data while developing observation, comparison and critical thinking skills.

I particularly like your point about comparing images from different dates, as this would help pupils see environmental change over time in a very visual and meaningful way. It might also be useful to begin with a local example, such as looking at changes in land use, coastline or flooding in an area familiar to the pupils. This would allow them to connect the satellite imagery with their own real-world knowledge and experience.

Thank you for taking the time to share your ideas.

[Shannon Wilson]

Hi Gráinne,

Thank you for sharing your response to the Climate Reporters activity.

I really like your suggestion of using digital presentations or videos instead of written reports only. As you noted, this would support digital literacy while also giving pupils choice in how they communicate their findings. Peer review is another strong addition, as it encourages collaboration and helps pupils refine their work before sharing it with a wider audience, such as another class or on the school website.

Another step you could take would be to encourage the learners to consider the consequences of rising temperatures and suggest real-world solutions that they could implement in school. This would give them a sense of agency and would also help strengthen the Engineering Design Process, which Liston’s paper highlights as central to effective STEM learning.

Overall, this sounds like a very engaging way to help pupils move from researching climate change to understanding how it connects to their own school and community.

I hope you enjoy the rest of the course.

[Shannon Wilson]

Hi Sinead,

Investigating whether planting more wildflowers around the school increases the number of pollinators is a great Climate Detectives project, as it is local, observable and meaningful for pupils. It also links well with biodiversity, sustainability and climate action in a way that children can see developing over time.

I really like how you’ve given agency to the students by leading with discussion, curiosity and exploration. Involving them in choosing where to plant the wildflower patch is a great idea, as it gives them ownership of the project from the beginning. The regular observation and recording of data also gives them real opportunity to develop their scientific enquiry and maths skills.

Thank you for sharing and hope you enjoyed the course.

[Shannon Wilson]

Hi Heather,

Thank you for sharing such a practical and thoroughly developed research question. This feels like a really meaningful Climate Detectives project because it begins with something pupils can directly observe in their own environment, while also taking the learning beyond the classroom to become real world impact.

Your suggested follow-up actions are excellent too, and would all help students see how their research can lead to positive change. I particularly like the cross-curricular role-play and debate element, as this would encourage pupils to consider different viewpoints while developing critical thinking and communication skills. The plant investigation is also a lovely extension, as it connects air quality with biodiversity and practical greening of the school grounds.

I hope you enjoyed the course.

[Shannon Wilson]

Hi Rachel,

Thank you for sharing such a thoughtful response to the “Home” video. I think you make a very important point about age-appropriateness, particularly for younger classes. Climate change is an essential topic, but it needs to be introduced in a way that is sensitive, hopeful and manageable.

Your connection to Greta Thunberg’s TED Talks is very relevant. She is a recognisable young voice for many students, and her message can help children see that young people can have a role in creating change. Linking this to Green Schools work is a great way to bring the learning back to something tangible, with practical action within the school community.

[Shannon Wilson]

Hi Mona,

Welcome to the course.

Thank you for sharing such a thoughtful reflection around Liston’s paper, and how it has prompted you to think about adapting your approach to teaching STEM in the classroom. The idea of engineering as the “glue” is a helpful way of thinking about how pupils can use science, maths and technology together to solve problems in creative and practical ways.

I agree with your point about Activity 1 being a gentle and accessible introduction to the difference between weather and climate. Using children’s birthdays is a clever starting point, as it makes the learning personal and immediately engaging. The video links are also useful supports, particularly for helping pupils grasp the distinction between short-term weather and longer-term climate patterns.

I hope that you continue to enjoy the course.

[Shannon Wilson]

Hi Anne,

Thank you for sharing such a thoughtful response to Activity 3.

Your point about pupils becoming “Climate Reporters” gives them an active role and helps them understand that climate projections are not just abstract numbers, but can relate to their own lives, school and local area. I also like how you have built in group work, as this encourages collaboration, communication and problem-solving around a real-world issue.

Using Book Creator to record their ideas and conclusions is a lovely way to integrate digital technology into the activity. Sharing their work at assembly and on the school website would also give the pupils a real audience, which can make the learning feel more meaningful and empowering.

It sounds like a very engaging way to help pupils move from understanding the science to thinking about local action and solutions.

[Shannon Wilson]

Hi Dolores,

Welcome to the course, and thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts on Module 1.

It is great to see that the key messages from Liston’s paper resonated with you, particularly the idea that STEM should be understood as an integrated approach rather than as separate subject areas. Your classroom example of designing and testing bridges using recycled materials captures this very well, as it naturally brings together the Engineering Design Process with science, maths and technology.

I also like how this activity encourages the development of important skills such as creativity, problem-solving and collaboration, all of which Liston highlights as central to meaningful STEM experiences.

I hope you continue to find the rest of the course helpful in sparking further ideas for STEM learning in your classroom.

[Shannon Wilson]

Hi Karen,

Thanks for sharing your response to “Home”. Your suggested approach of pausing after each section is very effective. Asking the class to explore what they have seen through sensory descriptions and how it made them feel gives them space to process both the facts and the emotions that can arise when learning about climate change. This is especially important with younger pupils, as the topic can feel overwhelming if it is introduced too heavily.

Your use of familiar examples, such as hotter summers or heavier rain, is also very engaging. It helps the children connect climate change to their own lived experience without making it too abstract. Bringing in stories, images of animals and plants, and simple discussion allows pupils to build empathy as well as understanding. I think this is a great way to introduce climate facts while still leaving children with a sense that caring for the planet is possible.

[Shannon Wilson]

Hi Irene,

I really like how you have adapted the Climate Detectives idea for infants in such an age-appropriate and accessible way. Trees are a lovely starting point because, as you say, they are part of children’s everyday environment.

I think your lesson gives children a very clear understanding of the many ways trees help us. The language you use, such as describing trees as “hotels for animals” or roots as “big straws,” is very effective for younger children and heps make quite complex climate ideas concrete and memorable.

The art activity is also a great way to consolidate the lesson through cross-curricular learning. You could also extend this by bringing the class outside to observe a real tree and ask questions such as: What animals might live here? How does it feel under the tree? What would our yard be like without it? This would help them participate as young climate detectives in a very hands-on way.

[Shannon Wilson]

Hi Nikita,

Welcome to the course and thanks for sharing your thoughts on the resources in module one.

I love the connection you have made here between the Engineering Design Process and Leonardo da Vinci’s drawings and inventions. He is such a rich example of someone who did not separate science, art, imagination and problem-solving, but allowed them to feed into one another. That feels very relevant to authentic STEM learning, especially when we want children to see themselves as creative thinkers, designers and problem-solvers rather than simply learners of facts.

Your point about collaboration is really important too. Giving children opportunities to discuss, test, adapt and refine their ideas mirrors the kind of thinking that happens in real-world science and engineering. In a climate and science context this could be especially relevant, as many of the challenges children are learning about require imaginative, collective solutions.

I hope you continue to enjoy the course.

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