[Carmel Wright]

Hi Annette,

Thanks for your post and reflections on the resources provided. Each presents a different angle, from the beauty of Home, to the passion of Greta’s words, and even Paxi with his accessible science, and they all provide a powerful starting point to exploring this topic.

As you mentioned, the selection may be determined by class age, and in some instances, snippets may be more suitable. In time-poor situations, the trailer may cover the broad message, allowing more time to get into project work.

It is important to present climate change as a problem that is both local and global, has a solution, and can be solved. Eco anxiety can overwhelm learners if they do not see any solutions, of which there are so many underway. RTE Ecolution podcast for kids has lots of local examples of action.

[Carmel Wright]

Hi Aine,

Thanks for your post. I am delighted to see that you found the resources in this section to be well organised and engaging.

Learners take great pride in their weather station equipment creations, and the coveted role of reading and recording the data. It’s a great opportunity to integrate some technology too, creating charts and PowerPoint presentations to present readings, and for learners to grow their problem-solving abilities as they reflect on how their station could be improved, if they were to do it again.

I also like how you mention the enjoyable aspect, for young learners, fun has a central role to play in holding their interest. This resource is a tried and tested way to engage learners in fun, accessible, hands-on STEM!

[Carmel Wright]

Hi Mary,

Thanks for your post and welcome to the course.

You have come up with a fitting plan for a project in your special school, making a sundial.

There is a lot of maths included in this activity, including angles and the use of protractors to ensure the gnomon is at the right angle to tell the time-it’s a great way to bring these aspects to life with its practical application.

I like your idea to build on this lesson with a look at light pollution and its impact in your urban setting. Best of luck with this activity in the coming academic year!

• This reply was modified 7 months ago by Carmel Wright.

[Carmel Wright]

Hi Susan,
Thanks for your post. You have created a wonderful plan that will ensure learners come along in their understanding of seasonal biodiversity on offer, with ample opportunities to become citizen scientists contributing to national surveys.

There is a wealth of resources online, including identification apps, and if you are lucky, there may even be a parent who will volunteer to give a talk on biodiversity. I find the swatches from Biodiversity Ireland very helpful, and Zoe Devlins book on wildflower identification is terrific too.

I like your idea to ensure observations are ongoing with a commitment to getting out every two weeks to see the changes underway-our native hedgerows always have something new to observe, if you pay attention! Tablets are a great way to capture these changes while making use of technology and can even become a slide show/video of changes, fortnightly by year-end.

[Carmel Wright]

Hi Mary,
Thanks for your post, this looks like a robust lesson plan for your 4th class learners . I like how you have included a prompt in the form of a question to begin to explore the topic.

There are many wonderful Apps that can support learners as they explore the night sky in addition toe the sky maps, such as Stellarium-a personal favourite!

You are right, this is a topic that really engages learners, and can also become a theme for other subjects, like art, creating images of the planets, etc.

[Carmel Wright]

Hi Alan,

Thanks for your post and welcome to the course. I am delighted to see that this course has inspired you to consider observing the Moon over time during school hours.

Observing the Moon is a wonderful activity that can bring together so many cross-curricular links and fuel learners with ideas for creative art and writing. It is calming and can be enriched by playing music related to the Moon, such as Clair de Lune, or made more active by getting learners to use chalk on the yard to create the Moon’s shape.

[Carmel Wright]

Hi Aoife,

Thanks for your post. Your plan sounds like a wonderful way to observe the Moon. For some learners, the idea of seeing the Moon during the daytime can be a learning, as it can be so strongly associated with night!

You are right that it is a lovely topic to focus on, it’s hard to miss in the sky, how we view it changes over time, and an observation chart to capture the changes works well too-it can be as simple as drawing the shape they see. It is a calm activity and also a movement break for everyone-it’s always so beneficial to get learners outdoors!

[Carmel Wright]

Hi Siobhan,

Many thanks for your post. I think you have a great plan for exploring light pollution with your learners. The night sky and all its beauty which is being lost due to often wholly unnecessary lighting practices. It may be helpful to use a KWL chart as this activity is carried out. For many, even the term “light pollution” will be a new concept. Learners will come along in their STEM skills by exploring the problem, observing its impact and the solutions available, of which there are many.

This could also lead to environmental activism on their part, sharing their learnings at home, presenting to other classes in school and throughout the locality to create the necessary changes that will benefit the community and its biodiversity.

[Carmel Wright]

Hi Hannah,

Thanks for your post. A biodiversity survey is a great way to explore what is on your doorstep, and as a follow-up, reflections can also include how the school can improve /further support biodiversity on their grounds.

Comparing surveys held in daylight and early evening is a great way to see how different species are active at different times, and this could also be an activity that learners conduct at home, engaging their family in this exploration of biodiversity and its changes from day to evening.

If you are lucky, there may also be a kind parent who works in the area of biodiversity and is willing to come in and provide a talk to expand learners’ knowledge about this topic.

[Carmel Wright]

Hi Eimear,

Thanks for your post and welcome to the course.

This looks like a wonderful plan to engage your 4th-class learners. Creating the weather station and recording results over time provides ample opportunity to learn about the concepts of weather versus climate. It is also great to consider how learners can take the next step and reflect on the design of the instruments they made, their positioning and timings of recording data. How could these be improved upon and enhanced? A mindset of continuous improvement will serve learners well in STEM and beyond.

[Carmel Wright]

Hi Fiona,

I couldn’t agree more! Home is an excellent resource and shows the extent of our impact in the most breathtaking array of visuals from around the world. Breaking the video into selected snippets is a great idea, as it may prove to be too much for one sitting.

With younger learners, it is important to be solution-focused rather than problem-focused, and to recognise some of the great work already underway to create positive change here in Ireland and beyond. Cross-circular links are a great idea to add depth to understanding and expression around this topic, and encourage further action throughout the local community. Learners could create posters, poems, or a play exploring the topic and its impacts, bringing together climate science facts and the arts to broadcast this important message.

[Carmel Wright]

HI Laura,
These are both really great starting point prompts. Some learners may prefer snippets rather than the entire Home film, depending on age and attention span. It certainly is hair-raising stuff. It is so important that the focus is on the positives at a primary level, the actions we can take, and the role individuals, businesses, NGO’s Governments and intergoverment agreements have in creating change, and change is underway-everywhere we look there are solar panels, wind turbines, cycle lanes, etc, creating a better future for us all..

The footprint quiz is a great way of making things like choice of heating, meat consumption and flights visible as carbon footprint contributors. It is not to create eco anxiety or a burden of responsibility, but to help us grow in awareness of current systems and how they can change. There are lots of positive stories in Ireland, and up-and-coming Gretas too!

[Carmel Wright]

Hi Lisa,

Thanks for your post and welcome to the course. The Curious Minds framework for Inquiry provides a thorough and comprehensive roadmap for success when conducting STEM in the classroom, and by checking any activity against the framework, it becomes readily apparent when gaps exist, such as taking the next step, and reflections. Each step plays a critical role in helping learners come along in their STEM skills. While we often think of the “action” or testing/making as critical, all steps are required to truly learn from the experience. For teachers, it is important to allocate some time for an activity in its entirety-a challenge as it is so easy for an activity to run over!

I love your ideas for cross-curricular links, incorporating drama and history, such as the story of the Earl of Rosse. STEM can certainly serve as a springboard for a theme that continues across various curriculum subjects.

[Carmel Wright]

Hi Patricia,

Thanks for your post and welcome to the course!

Your activity outline is well-suited to your future third-class learners, and I like how it has a simple prompt to open the activity and elicit prior knowledge from your group. It could lead to the development of a KWL chart to create a visual display to support learners during this activity. The mirror maze is a great way for learners to interact with reflecting light and gain hands-on experience of managing its path. It  can also be interesting as a follow-on activity to explore ways we use mirrors in our own lives, from rearview mirrors in cars to periscopes in submarines, etc.

Space Week falls in early October and is the perfect time to explore this theme and take advantage of all the activities and resources available!

[Carmel Wright]

Hi Shauna,
You have some great ideas for how to explore the seasons in a hands on, learner friendly and suitable way. Pitching according to the unique abilities of your learners will ensure a meaningful learning experience for your students.

To add to the tree activity, it may be interesting to take a photo next to an evergreen and a deciduous tree.

Tadpoles are a wonderful idea, and will certainly create great excitement and interest as they go through their different phases, which learners can observe and draw. Remember that to prevent disease spreading, it is important to return them to their original locality, or within a mile of their source.

The Paxi videos can also be an interesting addition to begin to explore how we move through the seasons.

I love your idea to include songs and poetry-it’s a great way to bring this topic to life!

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