The STEMreach, sustained engagement programme for Transition Years was created by Calmast STEM Engagement Centre at SETU to connect and integrate communities, academia and industry. Sustainability: Our Future, Your Story was first developed and trialled in April/May 2021, with over 420 Transition Year students from ten schools across the South East region.
The updated module explores sustainability and biodiversity using the medium of digital storytelling. The programme aims to create environmental awareness and will empower students to think creatively and critically about the world around them. Throughout the module, students will work together to create a fun and engaging lesson for primary pupils showcasing what they have learnt during the programme. In addition, students will develop a short TikTok style video to communicate a message about sustainability to their wider community.
Download: STEMReach Sustainability Overview Brief
Week 1 – Introduction and Overview
Download Week 1 Teacher Guide PDF Here
Welcome to the first week of STEMreach ‘Sustainability: Our Future, Your Story’ module for Transition Year students. Over the coming weeks, participants will explore sustainability and climate action using the mediums of digital storytelling and peer learning. This session will introduce students to the module, giving a general overview of the programme over the next six weeks. Students will take part in two group activities designed to open their perceptions of what sustainability means to them. Creating meaningful conversations around sustainability and the earth’s natural resources. Each weekly session will culminate with a task designed to underpin ideas and concepts which have been raised and highlighted throughout the program. For this week’s task students will calculate their ecological footprint. Supplementary activities have also been included if more class time is available.
Week 2: Engineering and Renewable Solutions
Download Week 2 Teacher Guide Here
Welcome to the second week of STEMreach Sustainability module for Transition Year students. This week participants will be introduced to the concepts of the engineering cycle, design thinking and the circular economy, where creativity and critical thinking work together to find new sustainable solutions.
This weeks tasks focus on the concept of the Engineering Design Cycle and our specially curated Happy Planet Game.
Week 3 – Sustainability and Me
Download Week 3 Teacher Guide Here
This week students will focus on the topic ‘Sustainability and Me’. They will hear from Irish sustainability advocates Taz and Geraldine of The UseLess Project, discussing food waste, the effects of this waste on our planet and seasonality. Throughout the session they provide helpful hints, tips and changes we can all make to help us live a more sustainable lifestyle, reflecting on ourselves, the communities around us and the importance of making positive changes however big or small.
Week 4: Digital Storytelling
Download Week 4 Teacher Guide Here
Welcome to the fourth week of STEMReach ‘Sustainability; Our Future, Your Story’ module for Transition Year students. This week we will focus on the topic of ‘Digital Storytelling’. The session includes helpful hints and tips for video recording and playful suggestions to get the creative mind flowing.
Students will hear from artist Ben Dolan who talks us through the in’s and out’s of creating a storyboard and the purpose behind them. During the session, participants will create a storyboard to use as a visual aid and starting point for the task of the week, which will focus on creating a short call to action video aimed at the community of their choice. The session will begin with an optional Story Dice activity, if limited class time is available, we recommend students and teachers focus primarily on the storyboard and video.
Week 5: Peer Learning & Lesson Design
Download Week 5 Teacher Guide Here
Welcome to the penultimate week of STEMreach ‘Sustainability; Our Future, Your Story’ module for Transition Year Students.
This week Transition Year students will focus on the design and implementation of a short lesson and activity aimed at younger pupils, relating to something they have learned throughout the module. By undertaking a peer learning session at the end of the module, it places the success and responsibility of the activity in the hands of TY students, as they must ensure the younger pupils have a positive learning experience.
Throughout the module we have touched on many different topics including how we can live a more sustainable life, renewable solutions and design thinking, as well as digital and communication skills.
As teachers, you are experts in the area of lesson design and implementation, be sure to share your knowledge with your students and support them throughout the process.
Post Survey Link
Please scan the QR code or click here for the Transition Year student post survey link
STEMreach
STEMreach is a major STEM (science, technology, engineering, maths) initiative by Calmast. The initiative was developed to provide sustained engagement through partnership in the South-East in Ireland. STEMreach connects higher education, industry, governmental and non-governmental bodies with primary and post-primary schools and wider society and is designed to benefit educational attainment, economy and culture in the region. STEMreach is an effective way of engaging learners with all areas of STEM.
Programme Partners & Sponsors
