Global Perspectives and Local Landscapes · 6th Year

Active learning ideas

The Last Ice Age in Ireland

Active learning works well for this topic because students need to visualize the scale and movement of ice sheets, which are difficult to grasp from static images. Hands-on activities create memorable experiences that link abstract processes like erosion and deposition to real landscapes in Ireland.

• NCCA Curriculum Specifications
• NCCA: Primary - Natural Environments
• NCCA: Primary - Local Studies

• 30–50 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Experiential Learning
• 35 min · Pairs

Mapping Activity: Tracing Ice Sheets

Provide outline maps of Ireland; students shade ice-covered areas using evidence cards on drumlins and fjords. Pairs label modern features and draw arrows for ice flow directions. Groups share maps in a gallery walk to compare interpretations.

Explain how massive ice sheets formed and moved across Ireland.

Facilitation Tip

For the Mapping Activity, provide students with a blank map of Ireland and colored pencils to mark areas of thick ice, thin ice, and ice-free zones based on elevation and topography.

What to look for

Provide students with a list of glacial landforms (e.g., drumlin, esker, U-shaped valley, erratic). Ask them to select two and write one sentence describing how each was formed by glacial ice and one sentence about where in Ireland they might find it.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Self-Management
• Social Awareness

Activity 02

• Experiential Learning
• 45 min · Small Groups

Model Building: Glacier Erosion Stations

Set up stations with ice blocks on sand trays: one for abrasion, one for plucking with tools. Small groups rotate, measure erosion over 10 minutes per station, and record changes with photos or sketches. Discuss results as a class.

Analyze the evidence of glacial activity visible in the Irish landscape today.

Facilitation Tip

During Glacier Erosion Stations, circulate between groups to ask guiding questions about how ice speed affects erosion, rather than giving answers directly.

What to look for

Display a series of images of Irish landscapes. Ask students to identify which features are likely glacial in origin and briefly explain their reasoning, looking for correct identification of landforms and accurate explanations of glacial processes.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Self-Management
• Social Awareness

Activity 03

• Experiential Learning
• 50 min · Pairs

Field Sketch: Local Landform Hunt

On a schoolyard or nearby site walk, students in pairs identify potential glacial features like rounded hills or striations. Sketch and annotate with evidence notes. Back in class, compile into a shared digital map.

Predict how future climate changes might impact glacial features.

Facilitation Tip

For the Local Landform Hunt, remind students to record not just the landform but also its size and shape, as these details reveal how glaciers interacted with the rock.

What to look for

Pose the question: 'If global temperatures continue to rise, how might the glacial landforms we see in Ireland today be affected?' Facilitate a class discussion where students use their knowledge of ice, erosion, and deposition to predict changes to features like eskers or moraines.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Self-Management
• Social Awareness

Activity 04

• Experiential Learning
• 30 min · Whole Class

Debate Prep: Climate Predictions

Whole class brainstorms future impacts on Irish glacial sites from warming. Divide into teams to research one feature, prepare arguments, and debate proposed protections. Vote on best ideas.

Explain how massive ice sheets formed and moved across Ireland.

Facilitation Tip

During the Climate Predictions debate prep, assign roles (e.g., farmer, geologist, conservationist) to ensure all perspectives are explored before the full class discussion.

What to look for

Provide students with a list of glacial landforms (e.g., drumlin, esker, U-shaped valley, erratic). Ask them to select two and write one sentence describing how each was formed by glacial ice and one sentence about where in Ireland they might find it.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Self-Management
• Social Awareness

A few notes on teaching this unit

Experienced teachers approach this topic by starting with students’ local environment to build relevance, then expanding to regional and national scales. Avoid over-relying on textbook images, as they often misrepresent the dynamic nature of glaciers. Research shows that combining tactile models with field observations creates the strongest understanding of glacial processes and their lasting impact.

By the end of these activities, students will confidently explain how thick ice shaped Irish landforms through erosion and deposition. They will also identify glacial features in maps and local environments, connecting past ice movements to present-day geography.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During the Mapping Activity, watch for students who assume ice sheets covered all of Ireland evenly like a thin blanket.

  Ask students to compare their maps with elevation data, pointing out how thicker ice (over 1 km) filled valleys while peaks remained ice-free, using the color-coded key as evidence.

• During the Field Sketch activity, watch for students who think the ice age ended instantly and left no ongoing changes.

  Direct students to sketch modern weathering features like cracked rocks or small landslides on their landforms, then discuss how these processes began during the ice age’s retreat.

• During Glacier Erosion Stations, watch for students who believe glaciers only drop materials without changing the land beneath them.

  Have students rotate to the erosion tray, where they will see ice dragging sand (abrasion) and lifting pebbles (plucking), then relate these actions to the smooth U-shaped valleys in their local area.

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Methods used in this brief

• Experiential Learning