[Shannon Wilson]

Hi Padraig,

Thank you for sharing your thoughts on Activity 3.

I agree that the Paxi video is very suitable for primary pupils, as it explains greenhouse gases in a clear and engaging way while introducing useful new vocabulary. You make a good point, however, that the solutions can feel somewhat simplified, so teacher guidance and follow-up discussion would be important.

Your observation that Activity 3 is pitched at a higher level than the previous activities is very valid. It does seem best suited to senior classes, particularly if pupils are using the TEAL tool and interpreting climate data. Beginning with vocabulary, a KWL discussion and a teacher demonstration would provide helpful scaffolding.

I also like your cross-curricular suggestions, especially linking with History, Geography and Maths through climate events, trend graphs and pupil-chosen visual representations.

I hope you enjoy the rest of the course.

[Shannon Wilson]

Hi Yvonne,

Welcome to the course, and thank you for sharing such a thoughtful reflection on Module 1.

I really like how you have responded to Liston’s idea of STEM as an integrated, real-world approach rather than four separate subject areas. Your description of a positive STEM classroom is very vivid, especially the idea of “productive and positive noise,” where children are sharing ideas, debating, collaborating and learning from one another. That kind of active engagement is often where the richest STEM learning happens.

You have also hit the nail on the head with your point about modelling roles. A question that is often raised by teachers is how best to encourage inquiry-based learning, and as you say, children need practice in these roles so that collaboration becomes meaningful rather than simply group work.

Your feedback on Activities 1 and 2 is very strong. Overall, your reflection captures the spirit of authentic STEM learning very well, with the teacher acting as a guide and the pupils taking an active role as curious investigators.

I hope you enjoy the rest of the modules.

[Shannon Wilson]

Hi Michaela,

Welcome to the course. This sounds like a really engaging and hands-on activity that prioritises inquiry-based learning. I really like how you would begin with a video of astronauts walking on the Moon, as this would immediately capture the children’s curiosity and encourage them to start asking questions. Testing the Earth Tube alongside another planet tube would then give them the opportunity to observe, compare and draw conclusions for themselves. This makes the learning much more meaningful than simply explaining the concept to them.

I also like the creative element of decorating the tubes to represent different planets, giving pupils ownership over the activity while allowing for art integration. Your reflection on Liston (2018) is very relevant here, as the activity encourages collaboration, curiosity, questioning and learning through doing.

Hope you enjoy the course.

[Shannon Wilson]

Hi Michelle,

Welcome to the course. Thanks for sharing such a thoughtful reflection on STEM learning. I really like your point that children learn best when they are actively involved in investigating, questioning and working things out for themselves. STEM definitely works best when it is focused on meaningful, connected learning experiences.

Your plan to observe and record the position of the Sun throughout the school day sounds very practical and engaging. Beginning with predictions is a great way to encourage curiosity and discussion before the children move outside to test their ideas. Using a metre stick in the same location each time will help make the investigation clear and fair.

I also like how you have included measuring, drawing, recording and using iPads to take photographs. This brings together science, maths and digital learning in a very natural way. Looking back over the observations at the end of the week would give children a valuable opportunity to identify patterns and develop their understanding of the Earth’s rotation. Thanks for sharing.

[Shannon Wilson]

Hi Sarah,

Welcome to the course.

This is a great hands-on activity for helping children observe how the Sun appears to move across the sky and how this affects the direction and length of shadows throughout the day. I really like how clear and structured your steps are, as this would make the investigation easy for children to follow.

I also like the way you have included discussion questions at the end. Asking children to identify the longest and shortest shadows, notice their direction, and suggest reasons for the changes encourages prediction, observation and scientific thinking. This activity would also provide nice opportunities for maths links through measuring, recording times and comparing shadow lengths.

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

[Shannon Wilson]

Hi Aine,

Welcome to the course. This is a really thoughtful and inclusive adaptation of the constellation activity for your ASD class. I really like how you have considered the needs of your learners by using short stories, picture cards and visual prompts rather than relying too heavily on verbal explanation.

The creative follow-up activity, where children paint or cut and stick their own Orion picture, is a lovely way to consolidate the learning through art. Displaying the work on a star wall would also celebrate each child’s response and create a shared classroom resource. Sending home a simple picture card is a great way to extend the learning and involve families.

Thanks for sharing and hope you enjoy the course.

[Shannon Wilson]

Hi Maria,

Welcome to the course.

“Night Sky Guardians” sounds like a lovely and age-appropriate way to frame this learning for your students.

I really like how you are linking the learning between home and school, as this will help pupils see that light pollution is something they can notice and respond to in their own environment. I particularly like the “nighttime detectives” idea, as it gives children a simple and practical action they can take at home by turning off unnecessary lights.

Creating a class digital book using Book Creator is a lovely way to include digital learning, creativity and advocation. Sharing the finished book with families would also help raise awareness across the wider school community, while showing the children how their voices matter. Thanks for sharing.

[Shannon Wilson]

Hi Caroline,

Welcome to the course. I really like your approach to this activity. Beginning with the Irish reader Réaltbhuíonta gives the activity a strong literacy link while also introducing pupils to the cultural and historical significance of constellations.

Introducing Stellarium on the interactive whiteboard first is a great way to model the process before pupils explore independently on tablets. Asking them to set the location and search for the Moon, planets, Polaris and selected constellations would encourage digital learning, observation skills and curiosity, as well as agency as they become their own dark sky detectives.

The follow-up activity of recreating The Plough using the Curious Minds lesson plan is a lovely hands-on way to consolidate their learning. I also like the homework element, as searching for constellations with a family member would help connect classroom learning with real-life observation. As you noted, this would be weather dependent, but it is a lovely way to involve families in the learning too. Thanks for sharing.

[Shannon Wilson]

Hi Kaytlyn,

Thanks for sharing such a rich selection of poems, songs and artworks connected to the night sky. I really like the range of examples you have included, especially beginning with such a recognisable Irish figure like Michael D. Higgins. Gerard Manley Hopkins’ “The Starlight Night” and Jane Taylor’s “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” could open up lovely discussions around how people have responded to the night sky in different ways, from wonder and comfort to imagination and curiosity, and how these works have stood the test of time.

The visual art examples, such as Van Gogh’s “The Starry Night” and Paul Klee’s “The Great Bear,” would also provide strong opportunities for art integration. Learners could create their own night-sky artworks inspired by constellations, mood, colour and movement. To extend this further, pupils could choose one poem, song or artwork and create a personal response through writing, drawing, music or storytelling.

I hope you enjoyed the course.

[Shannon Wilson]

Hi Irene,

Welcome to the course. You have identified a very rich local context for exploring nocturnal biodiversity, and are so lucky to have such rich examples of lakes, mountains, farmland and woodland nearby.

I really like your suggestions around reducing unnecessary lighting, using motion sensors, warm-coloured downward-facing lights, and preserving darker corridors near hedgerows and trees. These are practical actions that could be included in a school biodiversity plan and would help pupils see that they can have positive impact on their local neighbourhood.

To develop the plan further, you could include a clear student-led engineering design element, like letting the students lead in the design of the dark corridors or challenge them to come up with bat-friendly light solutions. The evening biodiversity surveys, bat walks, moth recording and wildlife camera projects sound especially engaging and would give pupils a chance to gather evidence and make recommendations for the school. Thanks for sharing.

[Shannon Wilson]

Hi Martin,

Welcome to the course. Thanks for sharing such a thoughtful and honest reflection on this activity. It sounds like a very practical and engaging way for children to observe how the position and length of shadows change throughout the day. Bringing the children outside regularly, asking them to stand in the same marked spot, and recording their observations through tables and diagrams provides a really clear structure for inquiry-based learning.

I particularly like how you have included prediction, discussion and observation throughout the activity, as this helps children to move beyond simply noticing changes and begin thinking about why those changes occur. Creating a display board with the results would also be a lovely way to consolidate the learning and allow the children to share their findings with others.

You have also raised very real challenges, especially around Irish weather, time management and helping children understand more abstract concepts such as the Earth’s rotation. Extending the activity over a longer period, when needed, is a sensible way to work around this. Thanks for sharing such a reflective response, and I hope you enjoy the rest of the course.

[Shannon Wilson]

Hi Charlotte,

Welcome to the course. This sounds like a lovely, playful way to introduce the children to shadows, light and the idea of a sundial. Beginning with a KWL chart is a great way to find out what the children already know and to encourage them to ask questions before beginning the investigation.

I really like how you are building on their existing interest in drawing in the yard and making hand shadows. Asking the children to draw around a small animal and then return later to see if it still fits within the shadow is a very clear and visual way to show how shadows change over time.

Thanks for sharing.

[Shannon Wilson]

Hi Aisling,

Thanks for sharing such a thoughtful approach to incorporating the needs of nocturnal species into your school biodiversity plan. It is a great idea to begin by helping students learn about native nocturnal Irish animals and how artificial light can impact their habitats, movement, feeding and breeding patterns.

Involving students in biodiversity monitoring is also a lovely way to promote ownership and inquiry-based learning. Comparing bright and dark areas of the school grounds could help learners clearly see why reducing light pollution matters. A whole-school approach involving staff, students and families would also help raise awareness beyond the classroom.

I hope you enjoy the rest of the course.

[Shannon Wilson]

Hi Niamh,

Welcome to the course.

Thanks for sharing such thoughtful ideas for exploring light pollution with your class. Your local area sounds like it would provide a very relevant and meaningful starting point, particularly with the football stadium floodlights nearby. This would help children to connect the concept of light pollution to their own lived environment.

The planetarium activity sounds like a very engaging way to visually demonstrate how artificial light can overpower starlight. Exploring lamps and torches before designing new streetlamp prototypes also allows for lovely inquiry-based STEM learning, with strong links to science, engineering and design. Thanks for sharing.

[Shannon Wilson]

Hi Siobhan,

Welcome to the course and thank you for taking the time to share your response. I really like your ideas of how to make the sundial activity more meaningful for your class. Linking the activity to the Montessori birthday walk is a lovely way to extend the learning and help children understand the relationship between the Earth and the Sun over the course of a year.

I also really like the cross-curricular connections you have made with art and history through silhouettes. As you suggested, this would allow the children to explore shadows creatively while also learning about how likenesses were captured before cameras became widely available.

I hope you enjoy the course.

[Author]

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