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The movie Home clearly illustrates the impact of human activity on Earth’s ecosystems for example deforestation, pollution, climate change, biodiversity loss, and more. It helps students understand the urgency of these issues and their relevance to our daily lives. It has many uses in the primary classroom. I think it would be really useful to show short clips of this movie to my fifth-class students next year. I think it is visually really appealing to students and raises issues that affect everyone globally. I really liked that they gave real life examples. It lends itself to lots of ways to integrate across all curriculum areas. I really liked that it helps students develop an understanding of sustainability and the importance of protecting natural resources. It is hugely informative and an excellent resource to use in the senior classes. I look forward to using it in my classroom next year.
The Paxi video is a wonderful educational resource that effectively introduces young students to complex scientific topics in a fun, accessible way. The video immediately captures the attention of children, making the content both relatable and enjoyable. I feel the video is particularly effective for visual and auditory learners.
It simplifies scientific concepts—such as weather, climate, or the greenhouse effect—without diluting their meaning. The clear explanations, paired with visual demonstrations, help children grasp the main ideas and retain information more easily.
It also encourages curiosity and critical thinking among children and provides great opportunity for class discussion. It naturally prompts questions and can easily serve as a conversation starter
It also provides strong opportunities for cross-curricular integration. For example, after watching the video, students could explore related topics in geography (e.g., climate zones), science (e.g., water cycle), or even art and writing (e.g., designing posters to promote environmental awareness). I look forward to using this with my class of fifth class pupils next year.
I completely agree with your insights Diarmuid. The video really is an excellent resource, especially for visual learners, as you mentioned. It breaks down complex ideas into manageable, clear explanations and opens up so many opportunities for rich discussion and questioning.
The use of TEAL as a predictive tool is a brilliant way to help children make meaningful connections between data and real-world consequences. It’s imoortant for them to see how actions today can shape the future of our planet. I love your idea of having groups explore the impacts of rising temperatures on local, national, and international levels—it encourages global thinking while keeping the learning grounded in their own lives.
Your suggestion of peer feedback and a follow-up action project is also excellent. That kind of active engagement not only deepens understanding but also empowers children to feel they can make a difference.
THE ESA activities Nose High in the Sky and Weather versus Climate provide wonderful oppourtuniteis for teaching children about weather. Setting up a local weather station in the school would greatly enhance the children’s learning experience of weather and help build a broader understanding of how scientist use tools to measure and predict the weather. We are so lucky in our school to have a very small garden where you could set up a basic weather station. I think the children would really enjoy collecting the data and it could involve a whole school approach. In our school we also have a green team and student council that could help monitor the weather and report back to all the clases. I think the children would really get on board with this. It could also be used as a opportunity to monitor weather by checking in with the local weather stations to compare data. There is many opportunities for hands on learning in science and maths here.
What a lovely and thoughtful idea, Sinéad, to ask grandparents about weather proverbs. Weather is such a central topic in Irish life—something we all love to talk about, whether it’s rain, sunshine, or that rare fine spell. It’s woven into our daily conversations, our humour, our stories, and even our identity. Ireland’s ever-changing skies have inspired countless sayings and traditions, many of which have been passed down through generations.
Asking older generations about the weather is not only a charming way to engage with them, but also a meaningful way to explore our cultural heritage. These proverbs and stories are full of wisdom, often rooted in close observation of nature and the changing seasons. They offer a glimpse into how people in the past lived more closely with the land, relied on signs from the sky, and used language to make sense of the world around them.
I’m sure grandparents would be delighted to share their memories—stories of storms that lasted for days, long winters with heavy snow, or the excitement of a sunny spell in summer. I remember my own grandparents talking about big snowfalls and how they would bring the whole village to a standstill.
