[Shannon Wilson]

Hi Amy.

Welcome to the course.

You have taken a very balanced approach to using HOME in the classroom. The film’s imagery can be a powerful way to open pupils’ eyes to environmental change, but could be overwhelming, so selecting short, age-appropriate clips and pausing for discussion would make the experience much more manageable and impactful.

I particularly like your focus on moving from global images to local investigation. Exploring biodiversity in the school grounds, energy use, waste or transport would help pupils see that climate change is not just a distant issue, but something connected to everyday choices and the places they know.

Your emphasis on positive action is also very important. Allowing pupils to ask questions, investigate facts and suggest practical responses would help build understanding without creating unnecessary anxiety. It would also strengthen the Engineering Design Process by designing solutions.

Thanks for sharing, and hope you enjoy the rest of the modules.

[Shannon Wilson]

Hi John,

Thank you for sharing your response to HOME.

I agree that the film’s imagery is very powerful and could be a strong stimulus for discussion with older pupils. Your idea of focusing on one or two key themes, such as deforestation and climate change, is a very sensible approach. This would help pupils engage more deeply with the issues rather than trying to take in too much at once.

Group discussion would work well here, especially if pupils were asked to consider cause and effect: what human actions are shown, what impact they have, and who or what is affected. To extend the learning further, each group could research a positive response or solution linked to their theme, then suggest one practical action the school community could take. This would help pupils move from awareness towards hope and action.

Hope you enjoy the rest of the course.

[Shannon Wilson]

Hi Liam,

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

I really like how you have balanced the value of HOME with the need to use it carefully in a primary classroom. Short, selected clips would allow pupils to engage with the powerful imagery without being overwhelmed by the length or complexity of the full documentary.

Your point about returning to the basics first is very important. Ensuring pupils understand the difference between weather and climate, and building a class dictionary with visuals and simple definitions, would give them the language they need before moving into more challenging climate concepts. Creating a class dictionary also has great literacy, and art and design links.

I also like your emphasis on keeping the learning local and practical. Linking the topic to biodiversity in Mayo, energy use or waste reduction would help pupils see climate change as something connected to their own environment and everyday choices.

Thanks and hope you enjoy the course!

[Shannon Wilson]

Hi Sandra,

Thank you for sharing your research question for Module 5.

This is a very accessible and meaningful topic for pupils, as litter is something they can observe directly in their own school and local area. I like how you would begin with discussion before moving into a short walk, as this gives pupils a chance to connect their own experiences with the investigation.

Sorting litter into categories such as plastic, paper and food waste would create a strong Maths link through counting, comparing and chart-making. To strengthen the STEM element further, pupils could carry out the litter survey before and after an action, such as posters, a clean-up or a recycling campaign, and compare the results.

You could also extend the climate link by discussing how plastic waste, landfill and pollution affect habitats, waterways and wildlife.

Well done, and hope you enjoyed the course.

[Shannon Wilson]

Hi Kimberley,

Thank you for sharing your research question.

Food waste is a very strong topic for 4th Class because it links climate change to something pupils can see and measure in their own school. I like how your approach gives pupils responsibility for gathering real data across different classes or areas, using weighing scales, recording sheets and graphs to identify patterns.

The day-to-day comparison is especially useful, as pupils may begin to notice trends, such as certain meals creating more waste or particular days being better than others. This could lead to rich discussion about causes rather than just counting waste.

To strengthen the STEM and action element further, pupils could design and test one solution, such as a food waste awareness campaign or lunch preference survey, then repeat the audit afterwards to see whether their idea made a measurable difference.

Hope you enjoyed the course! Just a note, in order to complete the course, be sure to go back and comment on a post by another user in each of the forums.

[Shannon Wilson]

Hi Aideen,

Thank you for sharing your research question. I really like how you have chosen something pupils can observe directly every day. Framing the class as Climate Detectives would make the investigation playful and purposeful, while the use of symbols, pictures and colour codes would ensure that all children can participate, as you pointed out, regardless of writing ability.

Your idea of recording the weather at the same time each day is lovely, as it introduces pupils to fair testing, routine observation and simple data collection. Counting and comparing the symbols after a few weeks would also create a lovely early Maths link.

To strengthen the climate element, you could compare the class findings with what children expected for that season, or repeat the investigation later in the year. Making a windsock or rain gauge would also bring in a simple engineering design element without it being overly complicated for the young students.

Well done, and hope you enjoyed the course.

[Shannon Wilson]

Hi Geraldine,

This sounds like a really great way to use data in Maths while connecting it to pupils’ own school environment. I really like how you would combine online datasets with data gathered from the polytunnel, playground and pitch, as this would help pupils see that Maths is not just something in a textbook but a tool for investigating real-life questions.

The Climate Detectives link is very strong here. Giving pupils the role of detectives would make the learning purposeful and engaging, especially as they investigate patterns in temperature, rainfall, shade, plant growth or how quickly the pitch dries after rain. These are all very relevant questions that pupils could observe directly and then compare with wider Earth observation data.

Thanks for sharing, and hope you enjoy the course.

[Shannon Wilson]

Hi Sarah,

Welcome to the course and thank you for sharing such a rich and thoughtful reflection. I really like how you have connected Liston’s ideas with your learning from other courses, particularly the idea that engineering can act as the glue that brings the STEM disciplines together through open-ended, real-world challenges.

I also found your reflection on AI very interesting. Using AI as an assistant to support questioning, prompting and further investigation, rather than as a tool that simply gives answers, could be a valuable way to develop digital literacy while still protecting pupil thinking and creativity.

The Dewey quote fits beautifully here. Learning through doing, movement, play and problem-solving really captures the spirit of effective STEM education.

Hope you enjoy the rest of the course.

[Shannon Wilson]

Hi Leah,

This sounds like a lovely creative project rooted in the natural and scientific heritage of Birr. A visit to Birr Castle would provide such a meaningful stimulus for pupils, as they could explore both the biodiversity of the grounds and the fascinating history of the Great Telescope.

I really like how you have included a range of creative responses. Recording or imitating natural sounds such as birdsong, water and wind would be a lovely way to encourage pupils to observe the environment closely! They could pair their soundscapes with their drawings to bring them to life. The drama and writing activities based on the Parsons family, astronomers or even the telescope itself would also help pupils connect imaginatively with local scientific history.

The school exhibition and performance would be a wonderful way to showcase pupils’ learning with the wider community. You could also strengthen the STEM link by including simple investigations on light, lenses, habitats or sound before pupils create their final pieces.

Thanks for sharing, and hope you enjoyed the course.

[Shannon Wilson]

Hi Jennifer,

Welcome to the course. This sounds like a lovely, clear and age-appropriate mapping lesson for younger pupils. I really like how you would begin with a simple discussion about what maps are used for and then connect this to places children already recognise, such as roads, houses, parks and rivers. Starting with the familiar would help pupils build confidence before moving into new mapping skills.

The pair work element is also great, as pupils can talk through their ideas while creating maps. Using symbols, a key and simple directions such as north, south, east and west would introduce important mapping language in a practical way.

I love the suggestion of mapping an imaginary town. You could even use a fiction book you have been reading for this, and get students to do a map of the town in the book. It sounds like a really fun and creative way of introducing maps.

Hope you enjoy the rest of the modules.

[Shannon Wilson]

Hi Patricia,

Welcome to the course. I really like how you would begin with familiar places such as the classroom, school grounds and local area, this will help the students understand maps through spaces they already know and can talk about confidently. The school walk is a great way to support observation skills and help pupils notice important landmarks, routes and features before representing them on a map. Demonstrating symbols, labels, colours and a key would also give pupils a clear structure before creating their own maps independently or in pairs.

There are also lots of lovely cross-curricular links here, with the history of maps or looking at maps aross different cultures. Maps can be great art and design projects. I also like how you would use directional language when pupils explain routes, as this links very naturally with Maths and Geography.

Hope you enjoy the rest of the course.

[Shannon Wilson]

Hi Fiona,

Welcome to the course. Thanks for sharing such a clear and practical approach to observing the Sun with your class. I really like that you would bring pupils outside at different points in the school day to observe and record how shadows change over time.

Marking a fixed X on the ground is a great idea, as it helps pupils return to the same position and make fair comparisons. Asking children to describe the Sun’s position using familiar landmarks, such as trees, the roof or the gate, would also make the activity very accessible.

I particularly like that pupils would record predictions before each observation and then compare these with what actually happened. Taking photographs and repeating the activity across different seasons would be a lovely extension, helping pupils notice wider patterns in sunlight and shadow throughout the year. Thanks for sharing, and hope you enjoy the rest of the modules.

[Shannon Wilson]

Hi Oonagh,

Welcome to the course.

I really like that you would begin with a 3D model of the Moon as a stimulus, as this would give young children something concrete and visual to respond to. The whole-class brainstorming activity is another great way to gather prior knowledge and hear children’s ideas before deciding what they would like to find out. I also like how you would use their questions to lead naturally into observing the Moon for themselves.

Going outside to observe the Moon in the morning would be very exciting for younger pupils, as as you say many may not realise it can be visible during the day. The home observation task with parents is a lovely way to extend the learning. Comparing drawings from school and home would make a lovely Moon display. You could even extend this further by creating air dry clay moons for the display if you wanted.

Thanks for sharing, and hope you enjoy the rest of the modules.

[Shannon Wilson]

Hi Maura,

Welcome to the course. Thanks for sharing your Moon observation plan. I really like how you would begin by linking the lesson to the recent eclipse, as this would make the learning feel current and exciting for pupils.

Your plan to use the Timeanddate Moonrise and Moonset calculator is very practical, as it would help you choose a morning when the Moon is visible during school hours. The Last Quarter phase is a good choice for this.

I also like how pupils would predict the Moon’s shape before observing, then sketch and record the date, time, weather and phase. Comparing their observations with diagrams and ESA resources would help deepen their understanding.

Thanks for sharing, and hope you enjoy the rest of the course.

[Shannon Wilson]

Hi Aoife,

Welcome to the course. I really like the idea of beginning with images or a short clip from the Apollo 11 Moon landing, as this would immediately capture pupils’ curiosity and create a lovely link with history and literacy through your Neil Armstrong comprehension work.

Your opening questions are a great way to elicit prior knowledge and encourage pupils to think about whether the Moon always looks the same. The Moon journal is also a lovely home-school link, giving children the chance to observe with a family member and record what they notice over time.

I like how pupils would draw, label and compare the Moon’s phases during October. To strengthen this further, you could also include a morning school observation around the Last Quarter Moon, as this is especially suitable for viewing during the school day.

Just a note, some formatting code seems to have copied over. To prevent this in future, you could try right clicking in the text box and selecting ‘paste as plain text’.

Thanks for sharing.

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