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Acitivity 3: I enjoyed activity 3 and I think it would work very well in the classroom. Instantly I was very impressed with the child friendly approach to the topic with the use of clear visuals and simple language. The alien introducing the topic also made it exciting and would capture the children’s attention. I would ensure the children have a good understanding of climate and weather by completing activity 1 and 2 prior to the lesson to assist their understanding of the topic. Children often have heard the phrase ‘climate change’ but do not understand what it is, exploring its meaning using relatable examples will enable the children to relate it to their lives. The TEAL Tool for predicting future temperatures is particularly useful as it introduces pupils to real scientific data while developing their digital literacy and critical-thinking skills. However significant time would be required to ensure they understand how to use the tool and how to interpret the data. This tool could stimulate a discussion about the future; how will the map change, why do they think that. In groups the children could discuss a climate action project, with focus on what we can do ourselves as sometimes the focus on the bigger picture can be overwhelming. One improvement would be identifying how climate change is affecting Ireland and our local area so children can see it in their lives as sometimes it can be an abstract concept when they can’t identify it in their own lives.
Hi Ciara,
I really like the idea of presenting the weather in 20 years time with espically presenting both scenarios, good and bad. The children would really enjoy the freedom to use their imagination to explore the topic, its linking in with oral language and drama. It also gives the children more opportunities to use the lanugae in context to deepen their understanding of the terms.
The article Unravelling STEM: Beyond the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, by Dr. Maeve Liston, was certainly thought-provoking. It encouraged me to consider the idea that STEM is not always fully integrated into our lessons. Although Science and Mathematics are commonly taught as separate subjects, Engineering and Technology can sometimes be overlooked. These subjects can, however, provide valuable opportunities for practical learning and can be incorporated into the classroom even within an already busy curriculum. This is also seen in the new curriculum framework in which the teacher provides the learning experience, but the children lead the inquiry in question by deciding how they will approach and solve problems. This supports their critical thinking skills and gives them a deeper understanding of the maths/science concepts.
Activity 1: I thought this was a useful activity for introducing the difference between weather and climate, particularly as children can sometimes use these terms interchangeably. I would start by asking the children to describe what the weather is like on the day of the lesson and record some of their observations, they could also draw what the weather is like and discuss what is their favourite type of weather and why. I would then introduce the meanings of both weather and climate, using images showing different locations, seasons and weather conditions to support their understanding. The children could then work with a partner to decide whether a selection of statements relate to weather or climate. I would encourage them to discuss their answers and explain how they reached their decisions. This would give me an opportunity to check their understanding and address any misconceptions that arise. As a follow-on activity, I would ask the children to write a few statements of their own, which could then be shared with the class for everyone to decide whether they describe weather or climate.
Activity 2: I really like the inquiry-based approach to this activity and as it is hands on it would enable the children to take ownership of their learning and make it more meaningful. It would be a challenge to ensure the temperature is taken at the same time everyday due to the busy nature of the classroom. The numeracy skills required to graph the data and calculate the average would have to be taught prior to the experiment, depending on the class level this would impact the time of year this could be carried out.
Hi Gillian,
I really like your idea for the whole school approach by creating a weather station. Creating differnt weather stations would make the lesson a lot more meaningful and it would be a great idea to compare results and investiagte if there is a pattern between temperature and rain ect. It would be alot of work for one class group so it is very achievable with the whole school appproach. Infant class teachers could also use the data and adapt it by using images and early numernacy skills to teach about weather/seasons ect.
