[Shannon Wilson]

Hi Naomi,

Thank you for sharing such a thoughtful reflection. It is great to hear how well the hands-on nature of STEM works in your autism class, especially when lessons are linked to real-life experiences that are meaningful for the pupils. Your point about autonomy is very important too, as giving pupils opportunities to make choices, test ideas and follow their own interests can make learning much more engaging and accessible.

STEM also seems like a very strong fit for differentiation in your setting, as pupils can respond in different ways through building, drawing, talking, testing, recording or using digital tools – and as you mentioned it is great for peer learning!

I hope you enjoy the rest of the modules.

[Shannon Wilson]

Hi Laura,

Welcome to the course.

I really like that you would begin by gathering the children’s prior knowledge before introducing resources such as the Five Principles for Responsible Outdoor Lighting and the Kelvin colour temperature scale. This would give pupils a strong foundation before they begin their own research, and could open up opportunity for predictions about the repercussions of light pollution which they could then test.

The investigation work using Chromebooks, along with home observations carried out with a parent, would help children connect classroom learning to their own locality. Researching the effects of light pollution on people, wildlife, energy use and the night sky also gives the project a strong STEM focus.

I especially like the idea of pupils presenting their findings to the local County Council, as this gives their work a real-world purpose and encourages active citizenship. Thanks for sharing.

[Shannon Wilson]

Hi Evelyn,

Welcome to the course.

I really like how you would explain EO Browser to a colleague as a way of seeing real-life changes. Your examples of deforestation, flooding, climate change and urban development show its potential to make environmental learning much more visual and engaging for pupils.

Linking this with outdoor activities in the school grounds is a great idea, as it helps strengthen their observational skills while giving them some agency in data collection.

I hope you enjoyed the course.

[Shannon Wilson]

Hi Robyn,

Thank you for sharing your reflection on Module 1.

I appreciate your honesty in saying that STEM lessons have sometimes felt difficult to engage with in the past. I think Liston’s paper is helpful in showing that STEM does not need to be treated as something separate or overly complicated, but can be integrated naturally through inquiry, problem-solving and real-world classroom activities.

It is great to hear that you found Activity 1 useful. The distinction between weather and climate can be tricky for children to grasp, so having a clear, straightforward starting point is very valuable. The videos and links also seem like strong supports for introducing the topic in an engaging way. It would be interesting to think about how you might build on this resource further, perhaps by linking it to weather observations in your own school, simple data recording, or a class weather chart over time.

[Shannon Wilson]

Hi Paula,

Welcome to the course.

I really like how you have highlighted the “Climate Reporters” role as a way of giving pupils a clear purpose. Asking them to research, interpret data and report their findings makes the learning active and meaningful.

Your links to STEM are very strong, particularly the way pupils can use science to explore climate systems, maths to interpret graphs and trends, and technology to research or create presentations and news reports. There is also great potential here to strengthen the engineering design element by asking pupils to use their findings to design, test and improve a practical school-based solution, such as a campaign to reduce energy use, improve recycling, or create more shaded/green areas.

Hope you enjoy the rest of the course.

[Shannon Wilson]

Hi Allessandra,

Welcome to the course.

Thanks for sharing such a thoughtful reflection on the resources. I really like that you have considered the importance of balancing serious environmental issues with hope and positive action. The Ireland’s Climate Action Plan video would help pupils see that collective change is possible, while age-appropriate extracts from Greta Thunberg’s speech could encourage them to think about their own role in protecting the planet.

Your suggested follow-up activities, such as a recycling audit, planting for biodiversity and creating posters, would help pupils connect climate change to practical actions at home and in school, and see that they can make a difference. This is a lovely way to build environmental awareness and a sense of responsibility.

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

[Shannon Wilson]

Hi Claire,

Welcome to the course.

Your idea to combine a hands-on Sun–Earth model with real satellite imagery and data from the Climate from Space app would make for a very intereting investigation. I also like how you would ask pupils to compare digital data with observations from the school or local community. This supports inquiry-based learning and helps children see how science, geography, technology and environmental awareness can work together.

To strengthen this further, pupils could begin by making predictions about why seasons happen, including common misconceptions such as whether summer is caused by the Earth being closer to the Sun. They could then revisit these ideas after using the model and satellite data to reflect on how their understanding has changed.

Thanks for sharing, and hope you enjoy the course.

[Shannon Wilson]

Hi Fionnuala,

Welcome to the course. Thanks for sharing your reflection.

I really like that you would begin by asking children to share their own ideas about where the Sun rises and sets before carrying out observations. This would encourage prediction, discussion and curiosity from the beginning.

Your plan to observe the Sun at different times of the school day and record findings through drawings, notes or photographs is a very practical way to support inquiry-based learning. Using a compass would also help develop pupils’ understanding of direction and link nicely with geography and maths.

You have also made a very realistic point about the Irish weather. Spreading the activity over a longer period, or using photographs and online resources on cloudy days, is a sensible way to keep the learning going.

Hope you enjoy the rest of the modules.

[Shannon Wilson]

Hi Ciara,

Thanks for sharing. This sounds like a wonderful project that prioritises inquiry-based and cross-curricular learning.

Introducing the Dúchas Schools’ Folklore Collection is a lovely way to connect the project to Irish history and show your pupils that children play an important role in preserving local stories and customs. Interviewing older family members would also create lovely home-school links. I especially like the idea of a night folklore exhibition where pupils can choose how to present their findings. This would be a wonderful way to give your class agency in the final shape of the project, while also celebrating oral history, creativity and local heritage.

Hope that you enjoyed the course.

[Shannon Wilson]

Hi Louisa,

Welcome to the course.

I love the idea of using something the children will be familiar with – a saucepan – as the hook to get them interested in the lesson. It’s such an accessible and playful way to introduce the constellation!

The 3D model activity is a great hands-on, visual, and tactile way to help children understand that the stars may appear close together from Earth, but are actually at very different distances in space. Your suggestion to mix the class groups is also great for peer-learning opportunities.

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

[Shannon Wilson]

Hi Elizabeth,

Welcome to the course.

Thanks for sharing such a clear plan for observing the Moon with your class. I really like how you would have the children record the date, time and weather conditions each time they observe. This encourages careful scientific observation and helps pupils understand that conditions can affect what we are able to see in the sky. The suggestion of using binoculars or a small telescope would make the activity even more engaging.

Hope you enjoy the rest of the modules!

[Shannon Wilson]

Hi Jennifer,

Welcome to the course. It’s great to see your suggestion using picture books to spark curiosity and engage younger pupils.

Your discussion around why the moon appears to change shape is also very important, as it will help the students move from observation towards understanding. Explaining that the moon reflects sunlight rather than producing its own light is a key concept that could lead into further experiments on reflection and refraction in the classroom, such as using mirrors.

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

[Shannon Wilson]

Hi Anne,

Welcome to the course, and thank you for sharing.

This is such a beautiful and creative response to the theme, and you have outlined some lovely opportunities to develop STEM links here too. For example, pupils could listen to Nightride and Sunrise while discussing the rotation of the Earth and why we experience night and day, and Polaris could link very naturally to navigation, compass directions and why the North Star appears almost fixed in the sky.

I also love the possibility of creating a simple “sound map” of the night sky, where pitch, rhythm or volume represents star brightness, distance or movement. This would make a wonderful project combining music, movement, visual art, astronomy and scientific observation.

Well done, and I hope you enjoyed the course.

[Shannon Wilson]

Hi Mikey,

Welcome to the course. Your project idea is a tangible and meaningful way to connect science with local heritage, family knowledge and Irish folklore. I really like the idea of pupils collecting piseógs, traditions and stories about the Moon, stars and night sky from relatives. It gives great value to the children’s own family experiences and helps them see that knowledge can come from many different places.

Using the Dúchas Schools’ Collection as a comparison is a fantastic addition, as pupils could explore similarities and differences between their own local stories and traditions recorded in other parts of Ireland. I also like how you would gently open up discussion around tradition and scientific explanation, rather than dismissing either one.

As an extension, pupils could record the phases of the Moon over the same period as their folklore collecting, linking their family stories with real observations of the night sky. The illustrated class book or display would then be a beautiful way to bring everything together and celebrate science, storytelling and Irish culture.

Hope you enjoyed the course, and thanks for your contributions.

[Shannon Wilson]

Hi Lorna,

Welcome! It’s great to read that Liston’s paper resonated with you, thank you for sharing such a strong reflection on STEM teaching in your classroom. It’s a great idea to get the students to observe their local environment and choose objects around them to investigate. You can easily involve some cross-curricular elements here by having them sketch, write stories about, look at the history of, or describe their objects as Gaeilge, etc.

Your boat investigation is a great classroom example because it clearly includes all four areas of STEM in a purposeful way. The use of counters adds a lovely fair-test element too. It sounds like a very engaging lesson where pupils can learn through trial, error and improvement, which is so central to STEM thinking.

I hope you enjoy the rest of the course.

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