[Shannon Wilson]

Hi Ciara,

I really like how you have considered your class foremost in this response, choosing to edit your use of the HOME video for the needs and accessibility of your class. Your emphasis on local examples is especially strong. Connecting climate change to the coastline, bogs, wildlife and the natural environment around the Gaeltacht would make the learning much more meaningful for pupils. It could also provide a lovely opportunity to build climate vocabulary as Gaeilge through discussion, posters or an environmental campaign.

I also like your focus on practical action, such as waste audits, planting native flowers and reducing food waste. These activities would help pupils feel informed, hopeful and capable of making a difference.

Hope you enjoy the rest of the course.

[Shannon Wilson]

Hi Grace,

I really like how you have considered the emotional impact of HOME and the other climate clips, particularly for Senior Infants. Your focus on introducing climate action in a positive, age-appropriate way is very important, as younger children need to feel hopeful and capable rather than overwhelmed.

I particularly loved your idea of a class Earth Care project. Your activities suggest practical, hands-on ways for pupils to understand that caring for the planet is something they can take part in every day. You could consider extending this further with pupils keeping a simple class Earth Care journal with drawings or photos of the small actions they take over time. This would link nicely with SPHE, Oral Language and Visual Arts, while helping your class see their progress.

Thank you and hope you enjoy the rest of the modules.

• This reply was modified 4 days, 16 hours ago by Shannon Wilson.

[Shannon Wilson]

Hi Emma,

Welcome to the course and thank you for sharing such a thoughtful and detailed reflection. I really like how you have drawn out the value of the mystery fingerprints lesson as both a STEM investigation and a rich opportunity for language development – as you mention, there are often strong links between STEM and literacy that can be further emphasised or focused on in class. Another great cross-curricular link I have found myself is between this fingerprinting activity and the history and art of printmaking.

Your focus on reflection is also very strong. The questions you have listed would really work to prompt and support pupils in thinking about the process of learning, not just the final outcome. I also appreciate your honesty around sometimes using science like a recipe book, and wanting to allow more time for exploration, wondering and investigation, which would be wonderful.

I hope you enjoy the rest of the modules.

[Shannon Wilson]

Hi Edel,

Welcome to the course, hope you are enjoying the content so far.

Thanks for sharing your approach to the helicopter propeller lesson, it sounds like a fantastic example of STEM in practice. Allowing pupils to research helicopters, examine toy models, create their own propellers, test them and then make improvements would give them real opportunities to work like engineers. The collaborative element is also very strong, as pupils can share ideas, compare results and learn from one another.

I especially like how you would include Maths and discussing fair testing. This fits really well with the framework for inquiry, and the new curriculum, and would make for a very active and meaningful STEM lesson.

[Shannon Wilson]

Hi Shane,

Welcome to the course. It’s great to see you using the Curious Minds framework for this activity. As you have illustrated it is a great tool for thinking through possible outcomes and directions.
I really like how you have framed the Rising Star project around dark-sky conservation, biodiversity, responsible lighting and pupil-led action, rather than focusing only on astronomy.

I particularly like the balance between science, biodiversity, engineering and community action. Designing safer, darker lighting prototypes would strongly support STEM skills, while the evidence portfolio would capture pupils’ questions, research, testing and reflections. The link to the Kenmare students’ Rising Star Award gives the project an inspiring local precedent. Thanks for sharing such a rich plan.

Hope you enjoy the rest of the course.

[Shannon Wilson]

Hi Lorna,

Welcome to the course. Thanks for sharing such a lovely activity for Naíonáin Bheaga. I really like how you would begin by asking the children to predict where they think the Sun will be before going outside to observe it safely from the same location, this is a very important step in the framework for inquiry.

Tracing a child’s shadow with chalk at different times of the day is a very concrete and visual way for young learners to notice changes in length and direction. It would also create lots of opportunity for discussion and language development, especially as you say, through phrases such as “Ard nó íseal sa spéir.”

The use of simple drawings to record the Sun’s position on a picture of the playground or school building is very suitable for this age group. This activity supports early observation, prediction and communication skills in a fun, hands-on way. Thanks for sharing.

[Shannon Wilson]

Hi Máirín,

Thank you for sharing your response to Activity 3. You have outlined a very clear and practical approach to introducing greenhouse gases, beginning with pupils’ prior knowledge before moving into focused viewing and discussion. I really like your idea of giving each group a specific question to listen out for during the Paxi video. This would help pupils stay actively engaged and give a purpose to their viewing.

Using the TEAL tool afterwards as part of a Climate Detectives task is a strong next step, as it allows pupils to explore future climate scenarios and report back using real data. To extend this further, pupils could use their findings to design a small school-based climate action, such as an energy-saving or active travel campaign.

Your point about having more resources, videos and worksheets available as Gaeilge is excellent and very important for supporting Irish-medium teaching.

Thanks and hope you enjoy the rest of the modules.

[Shannon Wilson]

Hi Patrick,

Welcome to the course.

I really like how you describe STEM in your classroom, in particular how it is ok to not have all the answers and to encourage ownership by the pupils themselves of what they are investigating. That links very well with Liston’s view of STEM as an integrated, inquiry-based approach rather than a set of separate subjects.

Your ideas for extending Activities 1 and 2 are strong too. Linking weather and climate to recent local events, such as flooding, would make the learning more meaningful for pupils. Setting up a school weather station would also give pupils an authentic way to collect data over time, spot patterns and develop their skills in observation, measuring, recording and analysis.

hope you enjoy the rest of the modules.

[Shannon Wilson]

Hi Caitriona,

This sounds like a really rich and imaginative project based on Lough Gur. It is a wonderful local site to explore with pupils, as you pointed it, it brings together so many different aspects of curriculum like landscape, archaeology, history, storytelling and creativity in such a meaningful way.

The creative responses you have suggested are lovely too. Drawings, paintings, mixed media landscapes and prehistoric-inspired symbols would give pupils lots of ways to respond. A collaborative mural showing Lough Gur in the past and present would be a beautiful way to bring together their observations, imagination and learning, while also supporting discussion about change over time.

Hope you enjoyed the course:

[Shannon Wilson]

Hi Orla,

Thanks for sharing. I like that you are using a bridge from the local village as the starting point. Linking the activity to a familiar structure would help pupils see engineering as something connected to their own community and everyday lives.

You have outlined a clear process, and the focus on safety, sharing materials and working collaboratively is also very important, especially for group-based STEM tasks.

There are some lovely opportunities here to build in further investigation too. Pupils could test different materials for strength, flexibility or stability before choosing what to use, or carry out a simple fair test to see which bridge can hold the most weight. Presenting their designs and reflecting on improvements would really support problem-solving, communication and engineering thinking.

Hope you enjoy the course.

[Shannon Wilson]

Hi Eimear,

Welcome to the course and thanks for sharing your response. Minibeast hunts are such an engaging way to bring young children outdoors and help them begin to notice the living things in their own school environment. This could be coupled with any number of great picture books on the topic, and I really like how you would use visual resources from Carlow Sports and Wildway Adventures, as these would give pupils clear prompts and help them identify what they are looking for. Magnifying glasses and pooters would also make the investigation feel very hands-on and exciting, while supporting close observation.

The whole-class visual data graph would be a lovely Maths link and very suitable for younger classes. You could also extend this by asking pupils to predict which minibeasts they might find before each seasonal hunt.

Hope you enjoy the rest of the course!

[Shannon Wilson]

Hi Mairead,

Thanks for sharing your Moon observation plan for 1st Class. I really like that you would begin by sparking interest with your question about whether the students think that the Moon can be seen during the day. We are lucky that we have an eclipse next week, so looking to what is happening to do with the moon in news and media can sometimes also be a helpful spark!

I also like that you would ask the children to observe the Moon’s shape and position, then record this through drawings and simple vocabulary, as this would make the activity very accessible. Your follow-up ideas of sharing drawings, reading a Moon story or creating Moon phase artwork are lovely. This would help consolidate the learning through discussion, literacy and art.

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

[Shannon Wilson]

Hi Aoife,

Welcome to the course and thanks for sharing your response to the activity. I really like the idea of beginning with images of ancient sundials without naming them, as this would spark curiosity and encourage pupils to think like historians and scientists.

Your links with geography, PE and Gaeilge through directions are excellent, and using a compass to find north would give pupils a practical way to connect classroom learning with the school environment. The use of latitude and a protractor would also add a strong maths element for older pupils.

It is lovely that this builds on the children’s previous work with shadows and gives them a natural progression into designing their own sundials. Hope you enjoy the rest of the course.

[Shannon Wilson]

Hi Rohana,

Welcome to the course. I really like that you would begin by asking pupils what they already know about stars and whether they have ever imagined pictures or patterns in the night sky. This is a lovely way to spark curiosity and discussion.

Introducing key vocabulary such as The Plough, The North Star, Orion and constellations would help pupils develop the language needed to describe what they are learning. You could have a new words chart to help with retaining these words over the weeks. Using videos from SciShow Kids or Nat Geo Kids is a great way to support the more visual learners in the classroom!

The art activity sounds very creative and hands-on, and would be great to progress your students fine motor skills. Presenting their constellations to peers would also support communication and confidence. Thanks for sharing and hope you enjoy the rest of the course.

[Shannon Wilson]

Hi David,

Thank you for sharing your response to Module 1.

You have identified some very practical ways to use Activities 1 and 2 with your class. I really like your point about a simple weather station, as this would allow pupils to observe daily changes for themselves and begin to understand the difference between short-term weather and longer-term climate patterns. Your links to Maths, Science, ICT, Drama and Art are strong too. Weekly weather reports or digital presentations would give pupils a real audience for their findings, while also developing communication and teamwork skills.

It would be great to hear a little more about your reflection on Liston’s paper too, particularly how these activities support integrated STEM learning through inquiry, problem-solving, collaboration and real-world investigation.

Hope you enjoy the rest of the course!

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