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ASSIGNMENT
Choose one of the options below and write 150 words in the discussion forum
- Using some of the identification tools and resources outlined in this module, identify some species of plants or animals in your own local environment and record them with the National Biodiversity Data Centre and then outline how you would get your class involved in citizen science projects
- Register your garden with the All Ireland Pollinator Plan and record your actions for pollinators, then outline how you would register your school and what actions you could take to help pollinators
- Outline how you would use some of the course resources to conduct a seasonal biodiversity project to run throughout the school year. What resources and recording sheets would you need? How often would you bring learning outdoors? How would you integrate other subject areas?
Please also comment on at least one other participant’s post.
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To support pollinators, I would register our school garden with the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan and begin recording our actions and progress through their recommended monitoring tools. As Green Team coordinator, I would first complete the registration process online and ensure we clearly map existing habitats within the school grounds. This would provide a baseline for planning improvements and tracking change over time.
To support pollinators in a practical way, we would implement a “No Mow May” initiative to allow wildflowers to grow and provide early nectar sources. The Green Team would also deliver a monthly wildlife watch presentation during assembly to raise awareness and share observations with the whole school community. Staff engagement would be developed through biodiversity CPD training to ensure consistent whole-school understanding. In addition, we would invite external professionals to lead nature walks with classes, helping pupils identify species and appreciate the importance of pollinators in our local environment.
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Hi, I really enjoyed reading your post. I like how you have planned actions that involve the whole school, not just the Green Team. Registering with the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan is a great idea, and I think the monthly wildlife presentations would help keep biodiversity on everyone’s agenda throughout the year. Inviting local experts to lead nature walks is another excellent way to make the learning more engaging and meaningful for pupils.
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In regard to pollinators, I would sign our school up to register our garden with All-Ireland Pollinator Plan and start recording our actions for pollinators.
As a school leader, after registering I will look at priority areas for our school new term for AP posts this coming year- becoming a green school is an initiative I would like to embark on. we have a lovely area that needs to be planned as we ar a new school with building works just finished this past Spring. This area would provide a blueprint to use for the project.
– by planting wild flowers,
– use of trees to support pollinators such as bees and support the local birds in the area,
– I would ask the team to view ways in which as a school community we can use this space for group and individual work projects
– CPD courses for teachers
– interest and collective knowledge of all staff, parent and external professional bodies
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I really like this idea. The combination of practical actions, such as No Mow May, with pupil leadership through the Green Team creates a genuine whole-school approach to biodiversity. Inviting local experts to lead nature walks is also a great way to deepen children’s understanding of pollinators and strengthen their connection with the natural environment.
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I would like to register our school with the All Ireland pollinator plan. I do think using an aerial map of the school and having images that clearly identify the biodiversity in our garden and showing the polinaotrs that might be found, have them clearly displayed so children can find these on their nature walks.
I like the idea of the no mow May. Having before and after investigations would be interesting. Recording the evidence and giving feedback would be interesting.
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I like how it combines practical actions, pupil leadership, staff involvement, and community expertise to create lasting impact. Registering with the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan and monitoring progress also gives pupils a meaningful way to see how small actions can contribute to protecting pollinators and enhancing biodiversity.
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Using Birr Castle’s Wild Connections resources, I’d run a phenology-based project tracking seasonal change. Each term, my first class children could use a simple picture recording sheet (tally boxes, draw-and-label) to log observations outdoors for 15–20 minutes weekly, with a longer nature walk each half-term.
**Autumn:** Minibeast Safari and Tree/Leaf Identification challenges; children tally minibeasts found and sketch changing leaf colours.
**Winter:** BirdWatch Ireland’s Garden Bird Survey; children complete a class bird-count sheet and discuss migration.
**Spring:** Flora Trail cards to spot 20 native plants; pond dipping recording sheets for young pond life.
**Summer:** All-Ireland Pollinator Plan FIT Count sheets and simple butterfly monitoring, uploading class sightings to the National Biodiversity Data Centre.
Integration: Maths (tallying, graphing counts), Literacy (nature diary sentences, oral recount), Art (observational drawing), and SESE (seasons, habitats), building a whole-school biodiversity calendar by June.
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I really enjoyed reading your idea! The seasonal structure and use of visual recording sheets would make this very engaging for young children. I work in an ASD unit, so I think this approach will come in very handy throughout the year. The clear routines, picture supports, repetition and hands-on nature activities could be really beneficial for helping the children engage and participate at their own level. I also love how you have linked the activities across different curriculum areas while keeping them practical and enjoyable. The idea of creating a whole-school biodiversity calendar is a lovely way to celebrate the children’s learning and observations.
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Hi CJ, I really enjoyed reading your post. I think the “No Mow May” idea would be a great way to support pollinators while also helping children learn about biodiversity. I also like the idea of sharing wildlife observations during assembly. This would help involve the whole school and encourage children to take more interest in nature.
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To register a garden with the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan, simply visit the National Biodiversity Data Centre’s online portal, “Actions for Pollinators.”. Firstly, create a school profile. Form a ‘Pollinator Team’ to include some teachers, students and perhaps your school caretaker. This may be your Green Flag Committee or a class interested in doing a nature project. Then draw a map of the school grounds and use this to identify areas where you can take action to help pollinators. Next, walk around the school grounds and look for areas that are already pollinator-friendly. These might be areas of longer grass with wildflowers; flower beds; areas where plants like dandelions and clover are allowed to grow; native trees; wild corners; native flowering hedgerows; the wild base of hedgerows; or bare ground for nesting solitary bees. Mark all of these areas on the map. You could put up signs to identify these areas and to help protect them in future years. Then, walk around the school grounds and see if there are areas that could be mown less frequently, liaise with caretaker to make this happen. It gives the dandelions a chance to bloom. We could encourage a piece of art to be formed from mowing only certain areas of the lawn. Next, check for hedgerows, flowering beds and native trees. This would add to nature walk experiences for the classes and coordinate with the Green schools campaign. The children could record what they find and report back to the other classes through assemblies. The children would also be encouraged to find a bee nesting site and drinking area to further encourage pollinators.
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I like how practical and achievable this plan is. Getting the whole school involved, from the Green Schools committee to the caretaker, would really help make it sustainable. I also like the idea of children recording their findings and sharing them at assemblies, as it gives them ownership of the project while raising awareness across the school.
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I really enjoyed reading your ideas. I like how you’ve outlined clear, practical steps that children can be actively involved in. Linking the project with Green Schools, assemblies, and nature walks is a great way to encourage whole-school participation while helping children develop a sense of responsibility for supporting local biodiversity
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A great response Mary. I really like how practical and achievable these ideas are. Getting pupils involved in mapping the school grounds and spotting pollinator-friendly areas is a great way to build ownership. I also love the idea of using assemblies to share findings and creating artwork through mowing patterns—it makes learning fun and meaningful.
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Mary this is a very comprehensive and detailed account of setting up the school grounds as a pollinator friendly zone. I agree that it really does need to have the backing of the whole school community and having the Caretaker involved is pivotal. We’ll all be advocating for an area for No Mow May!
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There are so many resources in this module that you could use to conduct a seasonal biodiversity project through the school year. I really loved the checklists provided by Carlow sports partnership, depending on the class level being thought these could be downloaded and used as they are or adapted to suit. I really like the idea of taking photos of flora and fauna in your locality and using this as a checklist for children. I loved the suggestion in one of the videos of making it a little competitive and giving points for items found and maybe putting in something that isn’t in the area also to encourage children not to just tick every box.I also loved the idea of giving each group a copy of wildflowers of ireland book and getting them to identify a flower and teach the other groups about them. I think these could all be used throughout the year. Taking the same nature walk during the different seasons also draws the children’s attention to the changes happening to trees etc
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Hi Yvonne,
I also really liked this idea. I think giving points for items found is a great way to make the activity a bit more competitive and they will actually really engage with the activity. Letting them know if you have added a few decoys would certainly help their critical thinking and observation skills.
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Registering a garden with the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan encourages people to support biodiversity by creating safe habitats for bees and other pollinating insects. To register a school, I would first visit the official pollinator plan website and complete the online registration form with details about the school grounds and planned pollinator-friendly actions. I would involve pupils in the process so they develop an understanding of the importance of protecting pollinators and caring for the environment.
There are many simple actions a school could take to help pollinators. These include planting wildflowers, allowing parts of the grass to grow longer, reducing pesticide use, and creating bug hotels or bee habitats. Pupils could also participate in gardening activities and observe pollinators as part of Science lessons. Displaying signs about pollinator-friendly areas around the school would help raise awareness and encourage the wider school community to become involved in protecting biodiversity.
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Hi Ruth
I love your ideas for increasing pollinators and increasing biodiversity. We are lucky enough to have planters for each class- in time I would like to see them being used seasonally to grown fruit and vegetables, and then have a number of pots around to grow pollinators and space these between the planters and in the outside space. We will also look at reusing items to create new ‘pots’ for pollinators such as old boots etc.
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You have listed some great ideas here to encourage biodiversity at school. I think the idea of planting wildflowers is lovely as well as the bug hotels. Allowing the children to take care of these areas gives them ownership and will make the children have a desire to support biodiversity in their future lives.
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Outline how you would use some of the course resources to conduct a seasonal biodiversity project to run throughout the school year. What resources and recording sheets would you need? How often would you bring learning outdoors? How would you integrate other subject areas?
I have the joint task of teaching first and second class and being the co-ordinator for our Green Schools. We will map the area and register it for the Pollinator programme.As part of this I would task the older children to make the meter squares for the school to use for the FIT count. This integrates with maths in a meaningful way.
With my class and the junior room, we would go out once a month with our magnifying glasses and paper and sketch what we see. This integrates with art, science and geography. Using pegs we can discuss the plants we have identified. A student or the teacher will take pictures of their flowers/plants and this can be presented at assembly. For ease, a blank copy could be used for infants and a project copy (half lined) for first and second class. Older classes could use the half full page blank/half full page lined copies to record their findings and write down any additional information they can find online or using the wildflower and tree identification books. I think using the copies will be an interesting assessment tool as the students can see their progression of their knowledge and their drawing abilities.
At least once a term I would task each class to pick an area of the garden to do the FIT count using the metre squares. This will be recorded on Pollinator website. Older classes may help with the younger classes to count using tallies or colour boxes etc.
I would encourage all staff to do the Biodiversity in School online course (perhaps as a Croke Park hour) and use the tools on the website to help with the identification of insects and tree types etc.
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Anna
Anna I love the use of the copy. With all the apps and website and google lens etc it such a lovely but highly affective way of giving children ownership of the world around them, go out , look around, draw what you see, learn the name and write something about it. And the lovely thing they have it as a reference all year! It is a strong memory from my own schooling!
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I really like the idea of using a copy, as this shows progression over time, and means the children have a record of what they have learned and can keep adding to their knowledge over time. Using the Croke Park hour to get other staff involved in the project is also a great idea, as it is hard to find free time with everything else going on!
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Hi Anna,
Giving the older children the task of making the squares is a great way of helping developing their sense of leadership and ownership of the project. Your various age appropriate ways of recording the findings have given me some great ideas to share with our staff when we return at the end of the summer.
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Hi Anna, I really like how you’ve integrated the Pollinator programme across the different subjects. The FIT counts are a great way to make mathematics practical, while the sketches and observations support science and art. I also love the idea of students recording their findings over time, as it allows them to see their learning and their progress. It sounds like a very engaging and practical approach for all age groups.
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Outline how you would use some of the course resources to conduct a seasonal biodiversity project to run throughout the school year. What resources and recording sheets would you need? How often would you bring learning outdoors? How would you integrate other subject areas?
Using the wide variety of resources and websites available on this module, it would be possible to conduct a comprehensive seasonal biodiversity project on a whole school basis. Beginning at the start of the school year, each class would complete some lessons on the meaning of biodiversity and develop an awareness of its importance. Following on from this, classes could create maps as shown in module 2, using online resources such as Google earth and Google maps. This would integrate well with the Geography skills of developing a sense of space and place as well as with orienteering and map making. Data in maths would also be involved as children gather information to create maps. Throughout the school year, different class groups could take on different aspects of enhancing biodiversity in the school area, such as recording bird species in the area or using the citizens science portal to record various species. Children could go on nature trails looking for various things, such as a wildflower walk in summer months or tree identification walks. There are plenty of resources on the curious minds website to help with this. As well as this, class groups could complete hands on projects throughout the year, such as building bird boxes or bug hotels, as well as enhancing areas for pollinators by introducing no mow May or planting wildflower seeds in the school grounds.
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Hi Katie, I really like your idea of conducting a comprehensive seasonal biodiversity project at a whole school level. It got me thinking about my own school and the fact it’s a new build. We’re effectively starting with a clean slate, wo we could establish permanent monitoring stations that allow the students to act as primary researchers. This would give them the opportunity to build a long-term baseline of data, effectively transforming our school grounds into a living laboratory that tracks environmental changes over time. It would be lovely to think that the current students could start a legacy of citizen science within the school.
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Hi Katie, your idea of using the whole school to implement a biodiversity project would have so much more imptact and would really create buzz and talk about your school grounds and how your school can progress in terms of biodiversity. Sometimes I find in my own school that a class will do a fantastic project or initiative, but it can be lost among the range of events and days in the school calendar. By raising it to a whole school level you can giving biodiversity the space it needs to make a bigger impact. I think I will also bring this to the attention of my own staff because as you say, there are plenty of resources that can really help get these initiatives off the ground. Thanks for the inspo!
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I’d run a year-long “Our School Biodiversity” project with a simple observe–record–reflect cycle each term.
Resources and recording sheets:
Field guides (Irish birds/insects/plants), ID apps (Seek/iNaturalist with consent), magnifiers, quadrat string, thermometers, rain gauge.
Recording sheets: monthly species log (date, weather, habitat, species, count, photo/sketch), habitat survey checklist (pollinator plants, deadwood, nesting sites), seasonal phenology chart (first buds/flowers/insects/birds), and an action log (what we changed and why).Outdoor frequency:
ortnightly mini-surveys (15–20 minutes) plus one longer seasonal audit each term. Quick “noticing walks” after weather events to capture change.
Integration:Science/Geography: habitats, food webs, local maps of sightings.
Maths: tally charts, bar/line graphs of species counts; averages and trends.English: nature journals, explanation texts, persuasive letters (e.g., to create a pollinator patch).
Art: sketching species, leaf rubbings; DT: building bug hotels/bird feeders from recycled materials.
SPHE/Ethics: stewardship, risk‑benefit discussions.
Digital: shared class spreadsheet, photo portfolio, and simple dashboards.
Culminate with a school exhibition comparing autumn–winter–spring–summer data and proposing one practical improvement for next year. -
As we’ve recently moved in to a brand new school we’ve an ideal opportunity to design biodiversity-friendly spaces from the ground up. Here are some actionable steps we could take:
1. Create Pollinator Corridors by setting aside areas of the school grounds to allow grass to grow long, or plant native wildflower meadows to provide essential food for bees and other insects.
2. Since pollinators need safe nesting sites, we can install “bee hotels” or create bare earth banks for solitary bees.
3. Plant native trees, shrubs, and flowers that support local wildlife.
4. Involve the students by conducting Flower-Insect Timed (FIT) counts to monitor the species visiting our school grounds, allowing them to contribute real data to the National Biodiversity Data Centre and becoming citizen scientists in the process.
5. Use this opportunity to label the new habitats which will help students learn about the lifecycle of pollinators and the importance of their conservation.-
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I think it’s fantastic that you’re starting with a blank canvas. It gives you such a great opportunity to design the school grounds with biodiversity in mind from the very beginning, rather than trying to adapt an existing space. I especially like the idea of involving the children in FIT counts and creating habitats they can monitor over time. It will be great for the children to see how the spaces develop and change as the years go by.
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Register your garden with the All Ireland Pollinator Plan and record your actions for pollinators, then outline how you would register your school and what actions you could take to help pollinators.
I will join the All-Ireland Pollinator plan when I return to school in September. I am part of the gardening committee in my school so it will assist me to do what I’m already doing. I hope to introduce an area of grass in the school as a wildflower garden. We already have an area that is not mowed but I hope to plant some seeds during the year.
We had a lady from Taisce last year to teach about biodiversity and I hope to welcome her back during the coming academic year.
I will plant some pollinator-friendly flower bulbs or trees with the gardening committee. Another plan I thought of through exploring the All ireland Pollinator website is to build a school bee hotel or leave patches of bare dirt along lawn edges for wild bees to nest in. We have an unused area that I could use for this.-
Hi Orla
It is great that registering with the All Ireland Pollinator Plan is such a good fit for what you are already doing in the school garden. Your no mow areas will become more diverse in time with new wildflowers popping up each year as long as the clippings are removed after cutting. If you plan to introduce seeds into the grass, make sure that they collected from local wildflower populations and do not buy commercial seed mixes labelled as wild flowers. Planting pollinator friendly bulbs and native flowering trees will really help as will (small) bee hotels and bee banks.
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Using some of the identification tools and resources outlined in this module identify some species of plants or animals in your own local environment and record them with the National Biodiversity Data Centre and then outline how you would get your class involved in citizen science projects.
I love the array of tools highlighted in this module. I have Zoe Devlin’s wild flower book but I decided to use the website to compare ease of use. I found it very easy and I think one I would use in school on the whiteboard. I have 2 other books to recommend which I get a lot of use of in school. A Beginner’s Guide to Irelands Wildflowers and A Beginner’s Guide to Irelands Seashore. Both by Sherkin Island Marine Station. They are a great size for field trips. They cover all the species in our area, so getting a book specific to your area makes things easier!
I found the following flowers and confirmed on the website, selfheal, common knapweed, musk mallow , and ox eye daisy. When I tried to input on the Biodiversity data centre they didn’t come up. Maybe it seems it is just certain wildflowers they are tracking, which I hadn’t realized. You would need to be very familiar with the process (which I wasn’t ) before doing in school. It’s a confusing enough site I think, I’ll have to study it more!
In terms of getting a class involved in citizen science I think with a younger class which I work with I may not use the data centre site initially.
I would do as a class project recording and displaying in class. The scientific approach of observe, wondering predicting, recording etc would be at the core.Recently from the Biodiversity In Schools website we bought a set of Outdoor Wildlife Signs, Bugs. (Expensive but well worth it). We have these attached to the yard perimeter. I would use these as a prompt. Do you think we have any of these in our garden area, which ones, how big are they in real life, how might we find them etc. I would proceed through the steps of planning, observing, evaluating and do a survey.
We have a number of sets of the bug catchers, and magnifying glasses etc. (Cork County library had a set of these on loan this year as well as a bat kit ! Others probably do also. You just booked it and then you had it for 2 weeks.)
I think after doing this type of activity once with a class both the adults and pupils get better and more confident in taking it on. You could move to other themes, flowers, jellyfish, birds etc. Citizen scientists evolving, you would then hope.-
Hi Hilda,
I would also agree that recording data online with the younger classes may not be very beneficial in terms of learning and that the curios minds framework for enquiry would be more prominent in their learning. I think focusing on what they see in front of them and scaffolding younger children to look at something and notice and describe what they see and think critically is much more valuable. Then perhaps as part of a conclusion of a lesson the teacher can upload the data together with the class on the interactive whiteboard.
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Hi Hilda
The Biodiversity Data Centre site does take a bit of getting used to as there is so much content on the site, that it can be difficult to navigate at first but once you get used to recording, it gets easier. There is a Spring Flowers tracker which has a small number of wildflower species found in spring but to record your wildflowers, trees or most plants, go to Submit a Sighting and then choose the Vascular Plants tab. Once you start typing, the names will come up. I agree that the actual recording is not something that would be done easily by junior classes, but third class up might get involved. For younger classes, you could record some of what the children observe and photograph on the Whiteboard as Rachel has suggested and then log in under View My Records and show them how their class records have been recorded. Recording the species in class by displaying photographs on the walls is a great idea. The wildlife signs from Biodiversity in Schools are a great prompt for going to look for bugs and a great way to check back on what they found and talk about what they didn’t find and why and how the habitat might be improved to encourage more species.
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Responding to bullet point 1
Using identification resources from the module, I recorded species in my local environment with the National Biodiversity Data Centre. A frequently observed species near our school is the grey heron, often seen flying overhead or near nearby water, indicating a suitable wetland habitat.
To involve my class in citizen science, I would introduce students to simple identification guides and observation techniques. Students could carry out a biodiversity walk around the school grounds, recording plants and animals they observe. In particular, we could focus on identifying and recording trees in the school grounds and surrounding areas as part of a citizen science project. Using age-appropriate tools and apps, students could upload their findings to the National Biodiversity Data Centre. This would encourage careful observation, data recording, and environmental awareness. Follow-up activities could include discussing habitats, biodiversity, and the importance of trees in supporting local ecosystems.
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Using the Leaf Identification Challenge tool from Nature at Your Doorstep, I have iedentified some species of plants in my own local environment, more specifically my back garden. I identified alder, beech, oak sycamore, ash, holly and field maple. The tool was clear and easy to use as it had visuals along with the names. I was also able to record these down on my sheet and research them with the National Biodiversity Data Centre. This was a well laid out and informative website where I could find out more information about each type of tree. I would get my class involved in citizen science projects by taking them on walks around the school grounds and local area to identify flora and fauna that are native to the area using scavenger hunt sheets that I saw during the module. The children would then brainstorm some threats to these living things such as littering, weather etc. The children would then break into groups and come up with an action project. They could use ICT to help them with this. The children then put their plans into action and observe and reflect on the differences they make.
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Hi Kaytlyn
Welcome to the course. It is great to hear your feedback on the Leaf Identification App. It is easy to use and the visuals are also great and a good idea to use it ourselves now so that when we use it in the classroom we are very familiar with it and encourage the learners to use it and keep their own records.
I like your idea to plan for a scavenger hunt initially and record the flora and fauna in their local area and identify it with the digital tools which can also be recorded with the National Biodiversity Data Centre to become more involved in citizen science. Pupils can also come up with their own projects as you have mentioned, based on their observations from the scavenger hunt or threats to the local area that they might have noticed. Thanks for sharing, I hope you enjoy the course.
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Hi Katelyn, I had been using google images for this, but was not always confident I was correct. This Nature at your doorstep tool feels much more reliable – while throwing things into an image search is always easy, the Lef identification app feels much more reliable, it would be a great tool for the children.
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In the past as Green school’s coordinator I have signed up to initiatives such as Super Valu’s Pollinator Programme, Apple Green Bio-diversity initiative and their has been a green response to it from the children and their families.
I also signed up to the All‑Ireland Pollinator Plan. It is very easy and only requires you to record easy actions, like leaving a “no mow” patch in May, planting pollinator‑friendly flowers such as lavender, sedum and heather, putting out a shallow water dish with stones, and avoiding pesticides. I also noted where I’ve created shelter, we have an insect hotel and long grass, and I keep track of when different flowers that bloom.
As a committee we created a school profile and mapped the grounds. We looked for sunny beds, grassy edges and unused corners. Then we choose simple actions, like planting a small wildflower strip, setting up herb planters, and marking a clear no‑spray policy. I link this to lessons by counting flower types, timing bee visits and keeping a tally chart. Classes help with “before and after” photos and a yearly audit. We share our progress online and through Green schools projects and celebrate becoming a Pollinator‑Friendly School.
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Hi Laura
Those sound like fantastic actions and it is great to hear that you have already signed up to the All Ireland Pollinator Plan and taken so many small actions for pollinators. This should provide great inspiration for other schools looking to start taking action for pollinators and for biodiversity.
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We were delighted to receive our Green Schools flag last year. We’re lucky to have extensive school grounds, including a discovery wild area, fruit trees, mature trees and plenty of hedging, so we already have a good foundation for supporting biodiversity. We haven’t signed up to the SuperValu Pollinator Programme or the Applegreen Biodiversity Initiative yet, but after reading your post they’re definitely something I’ll suggest to our Green Schools committee for the new school year. They seem like practical ways to build on what we’re already doing and to involve the whole school community even more.
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Throughout the school year, I would run a seasonal biodiversity project with my 5th class, encouraging pupils to observe how nature changes across the seasons. We would bring learning outdoors at least once every fortnight, using the school grounds and nearby green spaces to investigate plants, trees, insects and birds. I would use the Wildflower Walk Challenge and Minibeast Safari Challenge recording sheets from the course, along with identification guides from the Wildflowers of Ireland website and the National Biodiversity Data Centre. Pupils would keep individual nature journals where they record observations, sketches, photographs and weather conditions throughout the year.
The project would integrate many curriculum areas. In Science, pupils would investigate habitats, life cycles and biodiversity. In Geography, they would map habitats around the school. In Maths, they could collect and display data on the number of species observed each month using graphs and tables. In English, pupils could write nature reports, persuasive pieces about protecting biodiversity or create information leaflets. Art lessons could include observational drawings of flowers, leaves and insects, while Digital Learning could involve creating presentations or digital biodiversity maps. By revisiting the same locations throughout the year, pupils would develop observation skills, scientific inquiry and a greater appreciation of the natural environment in their local community.
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Hi Ciarán
I love your commitment to bringing learning outdoors once a fortnight and I’m sure you will really see the benefit in terms of student engagement and wellbeing. You have lots of ideas for using the outdoors and biodiversity across the curriculum and the use of nature journals to record what they observe will really foster an appreciation for the natural world and changes across the seasons and increase their STEM skills.
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Outline how you would use some of the course resources to conduct a seasonal biodiversity project to run throughout the school year. What resources and recording sheets would you need? How often would you bring learning outdoors? How would you integrate other subject areas?
I would like to look at trees for this seasonal biodiversity project. I think it would be a good start for this project as trees don’t move around and easy to observe over the year.
As a trigger, I would use the resource Explorify.uk and a clip from the “what’s going on” section .https://explorify.uk/en/activities/whats-going-on/seasons. It is a one minute video that observes a group of trees changing over the seasons. The children would talk about the changes that they have observed and talk about how trees change over the seasons.
Biodiversity projects allow for lots of opportunities for outdoor learning and integration with other subject areas. It allows for increased hands on learning, enjoyment and engagement, fresh air and exercise. There is no better way to observe how trees change than to use all their senses..touch the bark, hear the leaves rustle. It allows for integration with art..bark rubbings. It allows for the development of the skill of observation. The children can observe the leaves on the trees in the school environment. They observe the shape of their leaves and the colours they can see. Children would also use the leaf identification worksheet that we looked at in this module.
The children would have opportunities to record their findings throughout the year by using drawings and photographs -
I really like the idea of doing a seasonal biodiversity project with my class. While it might seem like a big commitment, there is plenty of opportunities for cross-curricular development and it would be really meaningful and engaging for the children. They will be active agents in their own learning, and it will encourage and develop many of the key competencies in the new Curriculum Framework…in fact, it could include them all!
We would go outside once a month to observe changes in trees and local flora around the school. To start with, I like the idea of using the Wildflower Walk and Tree Identifier from the Tree Council of Ireland website. I would also adapt The Curious Minds/ESERO Framework activity ‘Biodiversity Through the Seasons’ for my younger class. I think it is a great idea to have children become detectives/experts during this ‘Scavenger Hunt’ as they locate and identify their flower and/or tree outdoors and then tell the class about it, all contributing to their Oral Language development and Wellbeing. The children will be encouraged to look closely at the different plants, using the naked eye and magnifying glasses, touch the plants carefully (which is important for active citizenship) etc. We will take photos on iPads and record sketches which ties in with Art and Digital Learning. As the class return to the same locations regularly throughout the year, they will have the chance to look back on previous drawings and photos and discuss any changes observed in the local habitat. As mentioned in the slide, there are many benefits to outdoor learning, including that it’s hands on and active learning, it encourages physical movement, it is pleasurable and mindful as it engages the five senses, and it has the desired knock on effect of an increased attention span.
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Hi Riona
As you have said, taking learning outdoors once a month is a big time commitment but really pays off in terms of the learning. As well as covering most or all of the key competencies of the new curriculum, you can also use outdoor learning to cover aspects of not just the STEM curriculum but also SEE, Arts, Language and Wellbeing. I’m glad that you found the resources in this module useful and that you plan to use so manyt of them with your class.
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I would certainly register my school with the All Ireland Pollinator Plan. I suppose for this particular module I was wondering if my school would really be able to engage fully given we are an urban school with most of our green space taken up with modular. I have to say as I went through the slides and videos I was pleasantly surprised to realise that we have plenty even in our own little concrete jungle. I was thinking about the resources we have in school so plenty of equipment, magnifying glasses etc but equally as important while we don’t have a lot of green space we are only a short walk for the Castle Park in Kilkenny. I am very lucky to also have a post primary teacher (special school 4 to 18 years) who is an avid be keeper. I would hope to engage the post primary classes in a project in thir Woodwork class maybe making Bee Hotels etc which would align with learning outcomes in JC and Senior Cycle and also provide habitats for the primary school children to explore. I really liked the advice that you don’t need to be and expert let the children enquire and explore!
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Hi Mary
I am delighted to hear that you found the resources in this module helpful for your urban school and that it has given you ideas for improving and studying biodiversity in your school and also for bringing learning out to the Castle Park. I love the idea of involving the Post Primary students in making bee hotels for placing in the school ground and hopefully attracting more solitary bees for the primary children to observe.
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I really enjoyed reading your post. It’s great that you recognised how much biodiversity can still be found in an urban setting. Having Castle Park nearby is a fantastic resource, and involving the post-primary students in making bee hotels is a brilliant way to encourage collaboration across the school. I also liked the reminder that we don’t need to be experts ourselves—allowing children to ask questions and explore is such an important part of meaningful STEM and biodiversity learning.
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One idea I would like to develop throughout the school year is a seasonal biodiversity project based around our school grounds. As we are starting a school garden this year, it will be a great opportunity for the children to observe how plants, insects and birds change with the seasons. I would aim to bring the class outdoors once a week for short observation sessions, as the course emphasised that outdoor learning can be simple, regular and focused on observation.
I would use resources from the course such as the Wildflower Walk, Tree Identification and Minibeast Safari, along with identification guides and the Seek app to help pupils identify local species. The children would keep nature journals and use seasonal recording sheets, tally charts and photographs to record their findings. We could also complete a phenology calendar by noting changes such as first flowers, leaf buds and pollinator activity throughout the year.
This project would link naturally with Science, Maths, English, Geography and Art. I would also like the class to take part in a citizen science project by carrying out FIT Counts and submitting suitable records to the National Biodiversity Data Centre. I think this would help children develop a real appreciation for biodiversity while taking pride in our new school garden.
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Hi Pat
Congratulations on your new school garden. It is great to hear that you plan to incorporate studies on Biodiversity and to use some of the resources from this module from the start. It will be a great opportunity to see how the variety and number of species recorded in the garden varies from year to year as your garden becomes more established. Making some simple weather instruments and recording the weather along with other instruments would also tie in well with your phenology calendar. As well as integrating all the subjects you have mentioned, your plan would also incorporate many of the Key Competencies of the new primary curriculum.
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In my Senior Infant class in Galway, we explored our local environment using the “Biodiversity Ireland” identification posters. During a nature walk near the school, the children successfully identified the Seven-spot Ladybird and the Dandelion. I recorded these sightings directly with the National Biodiversity Data Centre’s online portal to contribute to our national wildlife mapping.
To get my 5 and 6-year-old students involved in citizen science, I would introduce the “Spring Alive” or a simple school grounds bio-blitz. We would use oversized, laminated picture checklists so the children can independently tick off common birds, like the Robin or Blackbird, and insects they spot. This hands-on approach simplifies data collection for Senior Infants, turning them into active “nature detectives.” It beautifully fosters early scientific inquiry, connects them directly to Galway’s local ecosystem, and builds a foundational respect for biodiversity.
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<p style=”text-align: left;”>We have a school garden with lots of different areas, such as wild hedgerows, outdoor beds, herb garden and poly tunnel. We don’t have a designated pollinator area, but have completed some pollinator-friendly actions, like planting native trees, putting in a flowerbed, or leaving dandelions.
Registering with the All Ireland Pollinator Plan would give the whole school a focus and we could collaboratively come up with a plan to help pollinators, such as leaving an area of grass unloved, or planting more pollinator friendly flowers. Mapping our garden and deciding on specific areas for this would make it very clear for both staff and children alike.</p>
Getting the various classes involved in making decisions and then taking surveys at the beginning of the process and periodically throughout the year would hopefully see an increase in biodiversity in our school and give children a good, hands on experience and give them ownership of the task, meaning they would have a meaningful learning experience.-
Hi Jessica
It’s great that you are considering registering your school with the All Ireland Pollinator Plan to build on the pollinator friendly actions you have already undertaken and encourage whole school engagement with pollinators and biodiversity in general through giving rhe children agency in surveying biodiversity and making decisions on how to improve areas of the school through actions like reduced mowing and pollinator friendly planting. Mapping the school and using the map to identify areas for future work would make the plans visible for all.
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<p class=”isSelectedEnd”>3. A seasonal biodiversity project would allow our students to explore and enjoy the beautiful grounds and woodlands around our school throughout the year. We would use resources such as nature walk activities, simple identification guides, sensory exploration tasks, photographs, and seasonal observation sheets. Students would record what they see using pictures, drawings, symbols, checklists, or short notes.</p>
<p class=”isSelectedEnd”>We would bring learning outdoors regularly, ideally once a week or every two weeks, with activities adapted to meet the needs of all students. We would observe changes in plants, trees, wildlife, and weather across the seasons.</p>
The project would link with other subjects by including Science through habitats and living things, Maths through counting and sorting, Art through nature drawings and photography, and English through discussion and vocabulary development. The project would support curiosity, wellbeing, and a stronger connection with the natural environment surrounding our school. -
Using the suspension bridge in Birr Castle Demesne as inspiration, I would plan a bridge-building challenge for my class. We would first look at pictures of different bridges and discuss what they are used for. Students would then work in small groups to build a bridge using materials such as cardboard, craft sticks, Lego or recycled materials.
Mathematics would be included throughout the activity. Students would count the materials they use, compare the lengths of their bridges using words like longer and shorter, and explore shapes used in the design. They could predict how many toy cars or blocks their bridge will hold before testing it. We would record the results using simple tally charts or pictograms.
In my special school setting, I would use visual supports, modelling and hands-on activities to ensure all students can participate at their own level. The challenge promotes problem-solving, teamwork and practical mathematical thinking.
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• Using some of the identification tools and resources outlined in this module, identify some species of plants or animals in your own local environment and record them with the National Biodiversity Data Centre and then outline how you would get your class involved in citizen science projects
I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it is to record on the National Biodiversity Data centre. I logged in and recorded a few animals and plants I have seen around my home in the last few days – living on a farm we have no shortage nearby, I recorded Common buzzards, rabbits, magpies, thrushes and yellowhammers, as well as several flowers from my wildflower patch. I was not certain of many of the names of the flowers, but was able to use a google image search to help me.
I love the idea of setting the children up as citizen scientists! They would be very excited to have a title like this. I would introduce the children first to the concept of citizen scientists, and show them the National Biodiversity Data Centre page, how it works, and some of the plants and animals I have recorded. I would use some of the excellent Birr castle resources to create reference charts, and take the children on a nature walk to play some wildlife and plant ‘bingo’. We could use our I pads to take pictures of any unfamiliar species, and use google images to identify them once we are back in the classroom. I would then set up a class account on the Data page and fill in all we had found as a class. I would then encourage the children to take the project home and introduce their families, and invite them to record things they find on their way to school, or on evening walks too, on a classroom chart, and we could set aside some time during ICT each week to record them onto our classroom account. I think children would feel a real sense of importance at recording their findings into a database such as this, and it would really inspire them as citizen scientists.-
Hi Carrie,
That sounds like a fantastic start to using the National Biodiversity Data Centre! I agree that giving the children the title of “citizen scientists” is an instant hook, from my own experience it is so exciting for them to feel that they are an important part of real world science – it gives real purpose and importance to their observations. Wildlife and plant bingo sounds like a very engaging way to begin, as it gamifies the experience.
Setting aside some ICT time to upload class records is a great way to involve technology and keep the project manageable and consistent. You could also encourage pupils to keep a simple nature journal or seasonal class chart to notice changes over time.
I hope you enjoy the rest of the course.
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Carrie I completely agree with you – as I was exploring the website and looking at the different animals spotted in my own lacal area I couldnt help but imaging how excted the kids would be the navigate this website and register their own findings. It could be a great lesson to bring the school ipads outside to the yard, sit and observe the different birds, butterflies, etc that we see, use the ipads to identify them and then register them on the National Biodiveristy Data centre webstie there and then! What a great lesson and a great way to empower kids to be an active citizen in their locality.
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I would use a seasonal biodiversity project to help pupils observe how the natural environment changes throughout the school year. Using resources from the course, such as biodiversity recording sheets, habitat surveys, tree and plant identification guides, weather charts and nature journals, pupils could collect and compare data each season.
I would aim to bring learning outdoors at least once a week, even if only for short observation sessions, with more detailed biodiversity investigations taking place once a month. Regular visits to the same areas of the school grounds would allow pupils to notice changes in plants, insects, birds and weather over time.
The project would integrate well across the curriculum. In Science, pupils would explore habitats and living things; in Maths, they could create tally charts and graphs from their findings; in English, they could keep nature journals and write reports or poems; in Geography, they could map habitats and study weather patterns; and in Visual Arts, they could produce observational drawings using natural materials. Digital technologies could also be incorporated through photography and digital presentations.
Overall, a seasonal biodiversity project would provide meaningful, hands-on learning while helping pupils develop observation skills, scientific enquiry and an appreciation for the biodiversity in their local environment.
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I would use the resources from this module to plan a seasonal biodiversity project that would run throughout the school year. Each month, the class would spend time outdoors observing changes in the school grounds, such as flowering plants, trees, insects and birds. Pupils would use simple identification guides and recording sheets to document their observations, take photographs and compare findings across the seasons. We could also contribute our records to the National Biodiversity Data Centre, helping pupils understand the value of citizen science. The project would integrate Science, Geography, Mathematics and English, with pupils creating graphs, maps, nature journals and reports based on their observations. Art could be incorporated through nature sketching, while SPHE would encourage discussions about caring for the environment. Regular outdoor learning, ideally every two to three weeks, would help pupils develop observation skills, curiosity and a deeper appreciation of biodiversity in their local area while making learning meaningful and enjoyable.
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A seasonal pollinator project is an engaging way to introduce primary pupils to biodiversity, sustainability and STEM through hands-on learning. The project can begin with pupils exploring the school grounds to identify flowers, insects and habitats that support pollinators throughout the year. As a class, pupils can discuss why bees, butterflies and other pollinators are important and investigate how the seasons affect their activity.
Each season, pupils can observe the school garden or a designated pollinator patch, recording the types of plants in bloom and the pollinators they spot. They can collect data, take photographs using tablets, and create simple charts or graphs to compare findings across the year. Pupils can also plant pollinator-friendly flowers, build bug hotels and make signs explaining how the area supports wildlife.The project links with Science, Geography, Mathematics and Digital Technologies while developing observation, data-handling and teamwork skills. It also supports the Green Schools programme and biodiversity initiatives by encouraging environmental responsibility. At the end of the year, pupils can present their findings through posters, digital presentations or a class display for the wider school community. This real-world project helps children understand seasonal change, appreciate nature and recognise the important role pollinators play in healthy ecosystems.
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I really liked your idea of focusing on pollinators throughout the year. It gives children a chance to see how nature changes with the seasons rather than just learning about it in one lesson. I also liked that you included practical activities like planting flowers and building bug hotels, as these are the kinds of experiences pupils really remember. Your point about presenting their findings to the wider school is a great way to celebrate their learning and encourage environmental awareness. Reading your post has given me a few ideas that I could adapt in my own school, particularly using photographs and simple graphs to track changes over time.
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- Outline how you would use some of the course resources to conduct a seasonal biodiversity project to run throughout the school year. What resources and recording sheets would you need? How often would you bring learning outdoors? How would you integrate other subject areas?
We have a wildflower area inside a roundabout at the entrance to our school. At the moment and in the lead up to the summer break it was really vibrant and in full bloom. I’m sure it is a great attraction to pollinators but unfortunately, we have never really observed or studied this ready made resource. So, for next year, maybe even when we return at the end of August, I will suggest that we begin a Pollinator Recording project. The Curious Minds Framework for Inquiry Investigation 5 is the perfect resource to help us get started with this. There is so much opportunity to integrate with various subjects such as art, geography and especially maths with the recording of our findings in various chart forms. I think that this project is a simple way to make children aware of the importance of our pollinators and is something which can be introduced to all grades from Infants to 6<sup>th</sup> Class. Making the children aware of the Citizen Scientist Biodiversity recording portal and how they can play their part in helping our biodiversity would also be a worthwhile aspect of this project.
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I would use the biodiversity resources from this course to develop a seasonal project that allows pupils to observe changes in the school environment throughout the year. Once a month, we would complete a nature walk around the school grounds, identifying plants, trees, insects and birds while recording seasonal changes. Pupils would use observation sheets, species identification guides, tally charts and simple recording templates to collect and organise their findings. Photographs and digital tools such as iPads could also be used to create a class biodiversity journal. Outdoor learning would take place at least once a month, with additional visits when exploring seasonal events such as autumn leaf fall or spring flowers. The project would integrate Science, Geography and Maths through observation, mapping and data handling, while English could be incorporated through report writing and nature journals. Art could also be included by sketching plants and wildlife, helping pupils develop a deeper appreciation of biodiversity and their local environment.
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Hi John
That sounds like a great seasonal Biodiversity project and I love that you plan to take the children outdoors at least once a month to keep track of seasonal changes. It is great that you have considered the need to go out more often at certain times of year when there is a lot happenign as this will give the children the opportunity to notice details such as which flowers bloom first in spring and which trees are first to lose their leaves in autumn which will really give them a sense of familiarity with their school grounds. I love the idea of using a iPads technologies to both photograph findings and create their nature journals and the addition of drawings and written descriptions will really help to flesh these out. You might also consider the addition of some creative writing pieces such as stories and poetry inspired by what they seeas well as the descriptive journal entries.
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I would register our school with the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan through the National Biodiversity Data Centre website and create a school profile to record the actions we are taking to support pollinators.
I would hope to involve our Green Schools Committee in planning and monitoring these actions so that pupils have ownership of the project. We could begin by surveying the school grounds to identify existing pollinator-friendly areas and decide where improvements could be made.
To help pollinators, we could allow a section of the school grounds to grow naturally during the flowering season, plant a native wildflower area, and avoid the use of pesticides where possible. We previously built a bee hotel using natural materials such as bamboo canes and hollow stems to provide nesting sites for solitary bees. This could be linked to Science, STE and Art lessons, allowing children to learn about biodiversity while designing and constructing the habitat. We could install signs explaining our pollinator-friendly areas and encourage pupils to observe and record the different insects they see throughout the year, helping to raise awareness of the importance of protecting pollinators within the whole school community.
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To conduct a seasonal biodiversity project in school all year round would involve making observations regularly, recording your findings and also supporting biodiversity. I would first select an area of the school/local area like the neighbourhood park which is beside our school and easy accessible, while also being full of flora and fauna. I would establish a routine with the students so that they know we are going there once a fortnight at a certain time. I would have students each have a nature journal in which at the start I would stick in checklists, mini beast hunts and flora scavenger hunts to gain interest. The mini beast hunt from Carlow Sports is a great starter for showing students an example of what to look for and how to record their date and where they saw it. This nature journal would also contain pages that students record what observations they saw each visit. Students can then draw pictures of their observations like for example how the trees look in December will be very different to May, so you can integrate art into it too. This would be a great inspiration point for a painting art lesson too in which students could get ideas from their journal. Students would also keep a record of how many of each flora/fauna they saw and this could then be made in to a graph. The data could then be interpreted in a maths lessons where students compare the levels of biodiversity in the area over the months. I feel like the students would love this and they would feel like little David Attenboroughs!
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Having a nature journal is such a great idea to record and collect all the information the class have gathered over the year by visiting this park. Great idea giving the journal a purpose beyond nature and integrating it with art too. Including data in maths is a great practical maths lesson that has signficance to the class.
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Participant
A seasonal biodiversity project would provide students with an opportunity to observe how the natural environment changes throughout the year while developing scientific inquiry skills, environmental awareness, and an appreciation of local biodiversity. The project would run across the entire school year, allowing students to make regular observations and identify patterns over time.
Using the course resources, I would establish a designated biodiversity study area within the school grounds, such as a garden, hedgerow, woodland area, or grassy space. Students would visit this location regularly to observe seasonal changes in plants, animals, insects, fungi, and weather conditions. The emphasis would be on careful observation, recording evidence, asking questions, and making comparisons across the seasons.
To support the project, I would use a range of resources, including species identification guides, tree and wildflower charts, bird and insect identification sheets, magnifying glasses, bug viewers, thermometers, rain gauges, measuring tapes, clipboards, digital cameras or tablets, and online citizen science platforms where appropriate. Digital tools such as Google Lens, iNaturalist, or the National Biodiversity Data Centre’s recording resources could help students identify species accurately and contribute to real biodiversity monitoring projects.
Students would use a variety of recording sheets throughout the year, including:
Seasonal observation journals.
Nature spotter checklists.
Plant and animal identification sheets.
Tree and leaf identification records.
Bird and insect tally charts.
Weather recording sheets.
Habitat survey templates.
Simple data tables and graphs to compare observations over time.
Reflection journals where students record questions, predictions, and new learning.
I would aim to bring learning outdoors at least once each fortnight, with additional visits during significant seasonal events such as autumn leaf fall, spring flowering, bird nesting, or insect emergence. Short, regular observations would help students notice gradual changes that might otherwise be overlooked and would reinforce the idea that scientific investigations often require long-term data collection.
The project would integrate naturally with a range of curriculum areas. In Science, students would investigate living things, habitats, life cycles, and environmental change through observation and inquiry. In Geography, they would explore local environments, land use, mapping, and human impacts on biodiversity. Mathematics would be incorporated through measuring, estimating, collecting data, creating tables and graphs, and identifying patterns and trends.
English lessons would include nature journaling, report writing, oral presentations, poetry, and descriptive writing inspired by seasonal observations. In Visual Arts, students could create botanical drawings, leaf prints, habitat models, and seasonal displays using natural materials. Digital Technologies would support photography, digital presentations, online species identification, and the creation of interactive maps or digital portfolios documenting the project.
The project could also incorporate Social, Environmental and Scientific Education (SESE) by encouraging discussions about sustainability, conservation, and caring for local habitats. Students might participate in school initiatives such as planting pollinator-friendly flowers, creating bug hotels, or monitoring bird feeders. These activities would help students develop a sense of environmental responsibility while applying their scientific learning in meaningful ways.
Assessment would be ongoing through observation, student journals, completed recording sheets, class discussions, digital portfolios, and presentations. Students would be encouraged to reflect on their findings, identify seasonal patterns, and explain how biodiversity changes throughout the year using evidence gathered during the project.
Overall, a seasonal biodiversity project provides an engaging and authentic context for STEM learning. By combining regular outdoor experiences with scientific investigation and cross-curricular learning, students develop curiosity, observation skills, data literacy, and a deeper understanding of the natural world. Running the project across the school year allows students to experience environmental change first-hand and fosters a lasting appreciation for biodiversity and sustainable stewardship of their local environment.
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<span class=”TextRun SCXW187419642 BCX4″ lang=”EN-GB” xml:lang=”EN-GB” data-contrast=”none”><span class=”NormalTextRun SCXW187419642 BCX4″>A seasonal biodiversity project would run throughout the school year, with </span><span class=”NormalTextRun SCXW187419642 BCX4″>children taking part </span><span class=”NormalTextRun SCXW187419642 BCX4″>in outdoor investigations every two weeks to </span><span class=”NormalTextRun SCXW187419642 BCX4″>observe</span><span class=”NormalTextRun SCXW187419642 BCX4″> and record changes in the school environment</span><span class=”NormalTextRun SCXW187419642 BCX4″>, focusing particulary on the school garden</span><span class=”NormalTextRun SCXW187419642 BCX4″>. Using Curious Minds course resources such as biodiversity identification guides, habitat survey templates, seasonal recording sheets, and nature journals, </span><span class=”NormalTextRun SCXW187419642 BCX4″>children </span><span class=”NormalTextRun SCXW187419642 BCX4″>would </span><span class=”NormalTextRun SCXW187419642 BCX4″>try and </span><span class=”NormalTextRun SCXW187419642 BCX4″>identify</span><span class=”NormalTextRun SCXW187419642 BCX4″> plants, birds, insects, and trees while collecting weather data and photographing habitats.</span> <span class=”NormalTextRun SCXW187419642 BCX4″>Recording sheets would include species checklists, habitat surveys, weather charts, tally sheets, and observation journals. The</span><span class=”NormalTextRun SCXW187419642 BCX4″> biodiversity</span><span class=”NormalTextRun SCXW187419642 BCX4″> project would integrate Science through </span><span class=”NormalTextRun SCXW187419642 BCX4″>the </span><span class=”NormalTextRun SCXW187419642 BCX4″>habitat studies, Geography through mapping, Mathematics through measuring and graphing data, English through report writing and reflective journals, Visual Arts through nature sketches, and Digital Technology through data handling and presentations.</span><span class=”NormalTextRun SCXW187419642 BCX4″> This type </span><span class=”NormalTextRun SCXW187419642 BCX4″>of project will </span><span class=”NormalTextRun SCXW187419642 BCX4″>encourage</span><span class=”NormalTextRun SCXW187419642 BCX4″>problem solving, critical thinking and exploration for the children. </span></span><span class=”EOP Selected SCXW187419642 BCX4″ data-ccp-props=”{"134233117":false,"134233118":false,"201341983":0,"335551550":1,"335551620":1,"335559685":0,"335559737":0,"335559738":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":279}”> </span>
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Outline how you would use some of the course resources to conduct a seasonal biodiversity project to run throughout the school year. What resources and recording sheets would you need? How often would you bring learning outdoors? How would you integrate other subject areas?
I think I would take the advice of the course and just get the children outside first. I would focus on types of trees and identifying trees. This could be a year round project as we can revisit the same park and use different tools based on the season. The tree council will be helpful to have keys for all seasons.
We could go out once per term as a minium. We could sketch the trees during each season to integrate art. We can investigate what seed disperal the trees use and write an information report on it to incorporarte english. We could measure the difference in space between trees and wonder if that benefits or hinders their growth.
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I would use the Bird Watch Ireland resources to run a seasonal biodiversity project across the school year. Over the last number of years we have had nesting starlings and swallows around our school buildings and then children have taken a huge interest in this, particularly the younger classes. Our school also bought a number of clear, window feeders so that the children can observe the birds from inside.
For the project the children would explore the school grounds each season to observe changes in birds, plants and insects. We would take part in activities such as bird spotting, identifying common species and recording seasonal changes. I would use Bird Watch Ireland identification guides, simple checklists and observation recording sheets. The children could also keep individual nature journals where they draw, label and write about what they discover. I would aim to bring the class outdoors at least once a week to help the children notice changes over time and develop observation skills. The project would link with science through living things and habitats, Geography by exploring the local environment, and Maths by creating tally charts, pictograms and graphs from the data collected. Literacy could be integrated through descriptive writing and oral language and the children could sketch/draw the different birds for Art lessons. -
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Option 3
I would use a seasonal biodiversity project to help my class observe how nature changes throughout the school year. We would go outdoors every two weeks to the same area of the school grounds to record what we notice. The children could use simple recording sheets to identify trees, wildflowers, birds and minibeasts, as well as a seasonal diary to record changes such as leaves appearing, flowers blooming or birds returning. I would also use identification guides and apps like Seek to help pupils identify species, while encouraging them to compare their findings with field guides before recording observations.
Throughout the year, pupils could upload suitable observations to the National Biodiversity Data Centre, helping them see that their work contributes to real citizen science. There is strong linkage to the curriculum in this project. In Maths, pupils could create graphs showing the number of species recorded each month. In English, they could write nature journals or descriptive pieces based on their observations. In Art, they could sketch plants, leaves and insects, while in Geography they could explore habitats and discuss why different species are found in different areas of the school grounds. I think bringing learning outdoors regularly would make lessons more engaging and help pupils develop a stronger appreciation for biodiversity in their own local environment.
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Hi Luke,
This sounds like a really lovely seasonal biodiversity project and a great way to help pupils become citizen scientists.
The use of recording sheets, seasonal diaries, field guides and apps like Seek are really interesting multi-disciplinary ways to help students develop their observation and identification skills. Linking suitable records to the National Biodiversity Data Centre is also a great way to show pupils that their work has value beyond the classroom, and that their actions can have real-world impact.
You have included lovely cross-curricular links too, especially with Maths graphs, English nature journals, Art sketches and Geography habitat work. You could also record weather conditions each time to explore how temperature or rainfall might affect what pupils observe.
Thanks for sharing, and hope you enjoy the rest of the modules.
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Using some of the identification tools and resources outlined in this module, identify some species of plants or animals in your own local environment and record them with the National Biodiversity Data Centre and then outline how you would get your class involved in citizen science projects
I would use a number of of the identification tools and resources outlined in this module with my class. I already used the tree identification sheet from Carlow County Council yesterday evening, and really enjoyed how it made be aware of my surroundings on my walk. I identified several common tree species in my local environment, including ash, sycamore and silver birch. During walks in local green spaces, I also used the Wildflower Walk resource to identify common wildflowers such as daisies, dandelions, buttercups and clovers and I recorded my observations through the National Biodiversity Data Centre. These resources provided a simple and accessible way to improve my species identification skills and develop a greater awareness of local biodiversity. I will definitely make use of them with my class next year. My students could use the identification sheets to investigate trees, plants, birds and insects around the school. They could then record their findings and take photographs for the National Biodiversity Data Centre. -
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Outline how you would use some of the course resources to conduct a seasonal biodiversity project to run throughout the school year. What resources and recording sheets would you need? How often would you bring learning outdoors? How would you integrate other subject areas?
This was a really practicle and worth while module with so many ideas and resources to conduct a sesonal biodiversity project that I feel would work from Juniors to 6th class and beyond. A whole school approach would be the ideal way for a project like this to succeed and thrive.
Spending more time outside ( which I love the idea of) would be my starting point giving students a great chance to observe local habitats for both animal and plant change on a weekly basis. The Birdwatch resources look really user friendly and maybe one class could take this on as their particular area of interest. The cross curricular opportunties are many and varied. Keeping records and tallys links in with Maths while drawing observations and writing reports links to art and literacy. Our own locality offers so many interesting and beautiful areas to explore. I am teaching in Birr, and Birr Castle is an amazing area to to explore and examine along with the 2 fabulous parks located even closer to our school.
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This module has highlighted the value of seasonal biodiversity projects in helping pupils develop a deeper appreciation of nature throughout the year. I would plan a year-long project where pupils regularly explore the school grounds to observe seasonal changes in plants, trees, insects and birds. We would complete a short outdoor investigation every two to three weeks, recording our observations using nature journals, identification guides and simple recording sheets. Photographs and digital tools could also be used to document changes over time. The information collected could be shared with the National Biodiversity Data Centre, giving pupils the opportunity to contribute to a real citizen science project. The project would integrate science, geography, maths and art by measuring plant growth, creating graphs, mapping habitats, sketching wildlife and writing reflective journal entries. I believe regular outdoor learning would strengthen pupils’ observation skills, curiosity and environmental awareness while helping them understand the importance of protecting biodiversity in their local community.
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I found the trail walk resources really effective and accessible for conducting seasonal biodiversity projects, particularly the tick sheets which can be amended to suit your local area and class group. The idea of adding in a competitive element of 2 points for correct identification or minus points for incorrect identification would work really well with my students as it would prevent them from ticking everything on the page. The tick sheets can be used to monitor the changes to the local flora and fauna as the seasons change throughout the year. This could be incorporated into our ‘well-being Wednesday’ nature walks already in place as the children could monitor and record what they are seeing at various stages of the year on their Ipads and have a digital record of progression and changes they are seeing. This would link perfectly with STEM and SPHE curriculum objectives and also incorporate elements of digital literacy.
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Outline how you would use some of the course resources to conduct a seasonal biodiversity project to run throughout the school year. What resources and recording sheets would you need? How often would you bring learning outdoors? How would you integrate other subject areas
To illustrate seasonal changes in plants a study of a tree in the local environment is a worthwhile seasonal biodiversity project. Our school has a sycamore tree in the back yard. A project that I have done with my class over the years is to photograph the tree in each season, starting with autumn in September and detail the changes the tree goes through. This lovely project shows through pictures how a sycamore tree changes throughout the seasons. The class will become familiar with phenology and how the seasons affect plants, animals and insects.
The Tree Council of Ireland have excellent resources that can be incorporated into the lesson. The leaf identification challenge is also a fun way for the class to identify what trees grow in the locality by collecting various leaves on a nature trail. I would also like to do the Bridwatch Ireland Garden Bird survey and see what birds are living in the local habitat.
There are so many benefits for the children when learning outdoors. Learning outdoors makes learning more engaging and relevant and It nurtures creativity. Learning about the local environment is best done outdoors.
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Hi Brid,
This is a lovely seasonal biodiversity project, and I really like the simplicity and consistency of focusing on one sycamore tree across the school year. Returning to the same tree each season would help pupils develop strong observation skills and begin to understand phenology in a very concrete way, noticing changes in leaves, seeds, buds, bark, insects and visiting birds.
The seasonal photographs would create a powerful visual record of change over time. You could also strengthen the STEM links by asking pupils to measure the tree’s trunk circumference, record temperature and rainfall on observation days, count leaf fall or seed dispersal, and graph changes across the year. Pupils could compare these findings with their photographs and discuss how weather and seasonal conditions affect the tree and surrounding wildlife.
The Tree Council leaf identification challenge and BirdWatch Ireland Garden Bird Survey would extend this beautifully, helping pupils connect their school tree to the wider local habitat.
Thanks for sharing, and I hope you enjoyed the course.
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Task 3:
I love the idea of this project now that I’m aware of the cost‑free resources available to schools.
To begin, I would focus on sparking curiosity through local walks, using big books in literacy, and showing recommended biodiversity videos. Introducing phenology works well for younger classes because seasonal change is so tangible and easy for them to observe.
Throughout the year, pupils could complete wildflower walk challenges using picture guides such as Irish Wildflowers and Wildflowers Ireland, and free scavenger hunts from CarlowSports.ie. The Tree Council of Ireland’s tree hunt and the Garden Bird Survey checklists would support ongoing recording. Apps like Seek and PictureThis can complement books. There would be many opportunities for peer and cross‑class collaboration. If financial resources were available, my school might invest in a trail‑cam, and it’s helpful that affordable options exist.
Learning Environments is one of the key principles in the redeveloped curriculum and much research highlights the benefits of getting outside for learnng. It is considered great practice for inclusive learning.
Outdoor learning would take place monthly, with noticing walks in between. Integration would include Maths data, Art sketching, Music soundscapes, and STEM design tasks like making bird feeders. Outdoor education supports inclusive learning and aligns strongly with the redeveloped curriculum.
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Hi Michelle,
Welcome To the course. I really like how you would begin by sparking curiosity through local walks, big books, videos and noticing activities, as this would help younger pupils connect with biodiversity in a very accessible way.
Introducing phenology is a lovely idea too, as seasonal change is something children can observe directly through things like leaves changing, flowers appearing, birds visiting and insects becoming more active. The range of free resources you mentioned, including wildflower guides, scavenger hunts, tree hunts etc. would make the project very manageable for schools while still giving pupils rich opportunities to record and compare what they notice.
I also like the balance between monthly outdoor learning and shorter noticing walks in between. Your cross-curricular links with Maths, Art, Music and STEM design tasks would help pupils respond in many different ways, which strongly supports inclusive learning.
Thanks for sharing and I hope you enjoy the rest of the modules.
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Outline how you would use some of the course resources to conduct a seasonal biodiversity project to run throughout the school year. What resources and recording sheets would you need? How often would you bring learning outdoors? How would you integrate other subject areas?
This module was very interesting. If I were planning a seasonal biodiversity project, I would aim to make it a regular part of the school year so that pupils could experience how the local environment changes over time. I would ensure this is implemented in our whole school plan. I think visiting the same outdoor space at least once a week would help children develop their observation skills and build a stronger connection with nature. I would also take advantage of significant seasonal changes, such as the arrival of spring flowers or autumn leaf fall, to encourage curiosity and discussion. It is important time is set aside for this each week, perhaps onna Friday afternoon as a nice activity for the children.
To support the project, I would use a range of course resources, including species identification guides, habitat checklists, nature journals, observation templates, and biodiversity recording sheets. I would encourage pupils to record weather conditions, plant and animal sightings, seasonal changes, and any questions or reflections they have after each visit. Simple equipment such as magnifying glasses, bug viewers, measuring tapes, thermometers, and iPads for photographs would help make investigations more engaging and allow pupils to compare their findings throughout the year.
I feel this project would provide many opportunities to link learning across the curriculum. In Science, pupils could investigate habitats, food chains, life cycles, and the importance of biodiversity. In Maths, they could collect data, create tally charts, graphs, and compare seasonal results. English could be integrated through nature journals, descriptive writing, poetry, and presentations based on their observations. Art activities could include sketching wildlife, leaf printing, and creating seasonal displays using natural materials. Geography could involve mapping habitats and exploring local environmental features
Overall, I believe that learning outdoors on a regular basis would make learning more meaningful and memorable. By giving pupils the opportunity to observe, record, and reflect on seasonal changes, I think they would develop a greater appreciation for biodiversity while building important scientific, literacy, numeracy, and communication skills. This type of learning is long lasting and much more effective than reading in a textbook and completing a series of prescribed questions
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Q. Outline how you would use some of the course resources to conduct a seasonal biodiversity project to run throughout the school year. What resources and recording sheets would you need? How often would you bring learning outdoors? How would you integrate other subject areas?
Response: Our whole-school seasonal biodiversity project will focus on birds. This project will enhance teaching and learning throughout the year while encouraging children to value and protect local wildlife, particularly during the winter months when food sources are limited.
At the beginning of the project, we would create an action plan outlining our goals, resources and seasonal activities. Resources from BirdWatch Ireland, along with bird identification guides, observation keys, binoculars, tablets and nature journals, would support children’s learning. Recording sheets would include bird identification checklists, seasonal observation logs, tally charts, weather records and simple field journals where children can record sightings through drawings, photographs and written observations.
Learning would be taken outdoors at least once a week to observe birds in the school grounds, monitor feeding stations and record seasonal changes. Regular observations would help children recognise patterns in bird behaviour and understand how biodiversity changes throughout the year.
The project would be integrated across a range of curriculum areas. In Science, children would investigate habitats, life cycles and adaptation. In Mathematics, they could collect and analyse data from bird counts using graphs and charts. In English, pupils could write nature diaries, reports and poetry inspired by their observations. Geography would involve mapping bird habitats around the school, while Art could include sketching birds and creating bird-themed displays. Through STEM, children could design and build bird feeders, bird baths or nest boxes using recycled materials, developing problem-solving and engineering skills.
Using an integrated, hands-on approach and making regular use of the outdoor environment will help children develop a deeper appreciation of biodiversity while fostering curiosity, responsibility and environmental stewardship.
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This is an excellent whole-school project that meaningfully integrates biodiversity across the curriculum. I particularly like the emphasis on regular outdoor observations and using real data to support learning in Maths and Science. Designing bird feeders and nest boxes is a fantastic STEM activity that also encourages pupils to become active stewards of their local environment. We got in a local carpenter last year who worked for a few weeks with 3rd – 6th Class to make bird boxes and bird tables. It was a really nice activity.
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I really enjoyed reading about your whole-school biodiversity project and think focusing on birds is a wonderful idea. It provides children with meaningful opportunities to connect with nature throughout the year while developing a sense of responsibility for their local environment. I particularly like how you have integrated the project across so many curriculum areas, making learning both purposeful and engaging. The combination of outdoor observations, data collection, STEM activities and creative tasks ensures pupils develop a wide range of skills. This project is an excellent example of inquiry-based, cross-curricular learning that will have a lasting impact on children’s environmental awareness and appreciation of biodiversity.
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I would love to register our school garden and our garden at home with the All Ireland Pollinator plan. It seems like a pretty straightforward process. If you visit ‘Actions for Pollinators’ you can create an account, locate your plot on the digital map, and log your specific conservation steps.
Once you have logged in you select “Manage my sites,” and zoom into your garden’s exact physical location on the map. You then need to ‘Draw Site’ so you click “Add Site” and draw a boundary line around your garden area. Select Type: Name your site and choose “Gardens” from the drop-down menu and then ‘Log Actions’. This is where you tick the boxes for the friendly actions you use, like reducing mowing or planting flowers.
We have already taken some steps to help pollinators such as planting a native hedge which provides shelter and berries for wildlife to forage in winter. We have a bug hotel too and a herb wheel which has lavender and rosemary etc. Great for our bees!
We do have an area that could a ‘no mow for May’ section so I will bring that to our staff! We have a gardening club for children who are interested in the garden and it would be great to get their ideas and input. Older children could do a little research and have ownership over the ideas we put in place.
I love the idea of our children being ‘citizen scientists’ and we have completed the birdwatch surveys for Birdwatch Ireland in the past. I also get the Irish Wildlife Trust junior magazine ‘Badger Club’ and it’s a lovely resource to have and supports lessons on Irish wildlife.
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Great ideas there Emer. I really love the idea of involving the children in the gardening club by looking for their ideas and involving them in the process. Sometimes we can all get a little distracted by other activities/deadlines in the school and having a group of pupils that are invested in it can help keep biodiversity on the agenda.
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I think like you mentioned we will look at setting up a no mow area too. There’s a handy little poster on the biodiversity website which gives ideas for each month of the year. I was surprised how many of these we were covering from the bird feeders to the bubs and the bug motel. It is nice to right, for a change !!
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I intend to register my school with the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan when I return in September. As we have recently been working towards achieving our Biodiversity Flag and have entered the Tidy Towns competition, this initiative is a natural next step and complements the work already taking place in our school. One of my main aims is to build on a wildflower area within the school grounds. We already have a section of grass that is left unmown and we have a well-being garden that has some bee friendly plants, but I would like to sow more native wildflower seeds to provide a richer habitat for bees and other pollinators.
Last year, we were fortunate to have a biodiversity educator from An Taisce visit the school to deliver workshops on biodiversity. The pupils thoroughly enjoyed the experience.
I also plan to work with the Green schools committee to plant more pollinator-friendly flowers, bulbs, and shrubs around the school. Another idea I would like to introduce is building a bee and bug hotel and creating small areas of bare soil where solitary bees can nest. We have an unused space in the school grounds that would be ideal for this. Registering with the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan will not only support local biodiversity but will also provide meaningful, hands-on learning opportunities for the children across a range of curriculum areas.
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I would run a seasonal biodiversity project across the whole school year. I would like to bring my class outside at least once every two weeks to observe changes in plants, trees, birds, insects, and weather. I would use simple course resources such as Minibeast Hunt , Wildflower Walk challenge, Leaf identification challenge, Seasonal recording sheets etc. The children could keep a nature journal to draw, write, and record what they find. We would also take photographs and compare our observations each season. The project would link with Science by studying living things and habitats. In Maths, pupils could count species, make charts, and compare results. In English, they could write descriptions, stories, and poems about nature. In Art, they could create leaf prints and nature collages. In Geography, they could explore local habitats and maps. This project would help pupils enjoy outdoor learning while developing observation, recording, and teamwork skills.
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Jonathan a seasonal biodiversity project is a great idea because it allows children to see how nature changes throughout the year. I like how you link it across different subjects and encourage children to observe, record and share their findings. Outdoor learning like this helps children develop curiosity and a greater respect for the environment.
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There are many excellent resources and ideas mentioned in this module although I think the one that appeals to me the most is a bird survey of our school garden. I would link it to a larger theme that involves the following activities
Construction of a bird feeder using the framework and lesson plan outlined in the module.
Identification of birds in our garden using identification keys, books etc I have an excellent resource that was included with a newspaper a couple of years ago and I regularly take out of this little book when making identification worksheets etc
We could then include a citizen science activity by either taking part in the birdwatch Ireland garden bird survey which takes place every winter or else we could record our sightings using the National Biodiversity Data centre website. (https://records.biodiversityireland.ie/) We could also look at some of the recorded data from other parts of the country to see if there were any different trends.
I love the idea of using trail cameras in the garden and I will be looking into investing in some of these. We will also use the class Ipads to take pictures of any birds we can spot in the garden. -
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I used tools like the Seek app, the Wildflowers of Ireland website, and the National Biodiversity Data Centre’s identification sheets to identify native local species, including a Robin, a Buff-tailed Bumblebee, and a Ribwort Plantain. I recorded these sightings directly through Ireland’s Citizen Science Portal to help track local wildlife. To bring citizen science into the classroom, I’d organize a “Wildflower Walk Challenge” where pupils place temporary markers by different plants, describe their features, and use identification keys to learn their names. We’d also conduct Flower-Insect Timed (FIT) counts in the school ground to monitor local pollinators
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In this module, I chose to use the identification tools and resources to identify some species of plants and animals in our local school environment, record them with the national biodiversity data centre and to outline how I would get my infant class involved in a citizen science project. I would start this task by using ‘the wild connections flora trail’ activity guide from Birr castle to try identify flora in the local school environment and the tree council of Ireland to identify local trees. I would then take inspiration from the Birr flora trial and create a school flora trail for the children to use both this year and in the future. By creating a scavenger hunt style activity the children generally become more enthusiastic about a topic and engage more readily. We could then record some of the species we found as part of a science citizen project.
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To develop children’s understanding of biodiversity, I would conduct a school biodiversity study with a particular focus on birds, following the Wonder, Explore, Plan, Make and Evaluate inquiry cycle. To spark curiosity, I would use Ireland’s Garden Birds and The Great Book of Irish Wildlife as a stimulus, encouraging children to identify common Irish bird species and discuss their habitats. During the Explore stage, pupils would participate in the Irish Garden Bird Survey, observing and recording birds visiting the school grounds. Linking with STEM, children would plan and make bird feeders, testing different designs to investigate which attract the greatest variety of birds. They would monitor bird visits over several weeks, collecting data to create bar charts and pictograms in Mathematics while discussing patterns and trends. To broaden the biodiversity focus, children would complete a Wildflower Walk in the nearby wildflower garden. Each child would adopt a wildflower, research it, and teach their peers, promoting ownership and collaborative learning. Finally, pupils would evaluate their findings, reflecting on how habitats, food sources and conservation support local biodiversity.
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I would use ‘Birds in our Garden’ as a seasonal biodiversity project and a starting point.
We would first observe birds in the school garden. Our scholl garden is just being set up at the moment but we are lucky enough be adjacent to an expansive piece of land. We would use the Birds of Ireland website as a stimulus. Create a checklist of birds in the school garden.
After that, the class could brainstorm ideas for the creation of bird feeders and determine the appropriate feed to use depending on size and materials.
I would organise the children into small groups.
Each group would design their respective feeders, decorate and present their feeder to the class. During this stage the children will assess the suitability of their feeders, e.g. using recycled materials, access to the feed for the birds etc.
We would place the feeders in the garden and monitor it throughout the day. Children from each group would be allocated a role within the group, they would check on the feeders daily to access the level of feed taken from the feeders, ensuring that the feeders are remaining intact etc.
This project could continue throughout the school year and could also encourage the children to create a similar feeder at home and monitor the number/ type of birds coming to their feeders. -
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At the beginning of the school year, I would introduce the project by identifying a small area of the school grounds, such as a garden, hedgerow, tree, or grassy area, which pupils would revisit throughout the year. This “study site” would become the focus of their investigations, enabling them to compare changes across autumn, winter, spring, and summer.To support the project, I would use a range of course resources, including biodiversity identification guides, seasonal observation charts, habitat survey sheets, weather recording templates, and nature journals. Pupils could use simple plant and animal identification keys to identify trees, flowers, insects, birds, and minibeasts. Digital resources such as GeoHive or Google Maps could also be used to locate the school and examine the surrounding environment before carrying out fieldwork. Recording sheets would include seasonal observation diaries, weather charts, plant growth records, bird and insect tally sheets, habitat checklists, and simple biodiversity surveys. Pupils would record the date, weather conditions, species observed, and any noticeable seasonal changes. Younger pupils could use picture-based recording sheets, while older pupils could include written observations, measurements, and labelled sketches.
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Hi Edel
Welcome to the course and thanks for your posts across the other modules.
I think focusing on a specific area within the school grounds would allow for more meaningful observations and allow for a number of investigations across the seasons as you have mentioned. I like how you are planning for seasonal observations charts to guide the learners and also allow for comparison and critical thinking. I also like how you have considered options for the younger learners also. Digital tools could support their learning too as you have mentioned in map work and you could also consider apps to identify leaves etc.
Thanks for sharing I hope you enjoy the course.
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This year, I would register our school garden with the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan and record our actions and progress through the monitoring tools which are recommended. I would hopefully liaise with our Green School coordinator, complete the registration process online and clearly map existing habitats within the school grounds. This would provide the bases of our planning improvements and tracking change over time.
I love the idea of No mow May and this would definitely support pollinators in a practical way and also allow wildflowers to grow and provide early nectar sources. The Green Schools committee could also deliver a monthly wildlife watch during assembly to raise awareness and to share with the entire school the observations. This would really give them a sense of awareness and the they are doing their bit to help pollinators in our school setting. The possibility of engaging the whole Staff would be developed through biodiversity CPD training to ensure consistent whole-school understanding. Inviting external professionals would also consolidate all the learning and understanding .
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As a 5th class teacher, I would use the course resources to develop a seasonal biodiversity project that runs throughout the school year, encouraging children to observe how habitats change over the seasons. At the beginning of the project, the class would map the school grounds and identify suitable areas for regular biodiversity surveys.
Once each month, we would take our learning outdoors to observe plants, insects, birds, and other wildlife. Children would use recording sheets, identification guides, magnifying glasses, and tablets or iPads to photograph and record their observations. They would keep individual nature journals to sketch, label, and reflect on what they discover, allowing them to track changes over time.
To integrate other curriculum areas, children would collect and analyse data in Maths, create digital presentations as part of our Digital Learning Plan, and produce detailed drawings in Visual Arts. In English, they could write reports or persuasive pieces about protecting biodiversity. Science and Geography would be developed through investigations into local habitats and ecosystems.
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I really like the idea of making this a year-long project because it gives children the chance to see how nature changes throughout the 4 seasons.
I think the use of nature journals is a great addition as it allows pupils to record their observations and reflect on what they discover. It is also great, Ciara, how you have linked the project across different subjects, as biodiversity can naturally fit into areas like Maths, Art and English.
This would be a lovely way to get children outdoors, encourage curiosity and help them develop a greater appreciation for the world around them.
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Outline how you would use some of the course resources to conduct a seasonal biodiversity project to run throughout the school year. What resources and recording sheets would you need? How often would you bring learning outdoors? How would you integrate other subject areas?
A seasonal biodiversity project I would love to develop is a child-friendly school pond, inspired by my own experience of creating a small garden pond. I was fascinated by how wildlife such as pond skaters, water boatmen, dragonflies, frogs and tadpoles naturally appeared over time. I purchased the Collins Nature Guide: Pond Life to identify species, and it sparked a real interest in observing biodiversity throughout the seasons. I would love to bring this same sense of wonder to the children in my school.
Using the course biodiversity resources, pupils would carry out seasonal observations throughout the school year using differentiated recording sheets suitable for all classes, from Junior Infants to Sixth Class. Resources such as species identification guides, biodiversity recording sheets and seasonal observation templates would help children monitor changes in pond life, plants and weather. Outdoor learning would take place at least once a month, with additional visits during spring when biodiversity is at its peak.
Each month would have a different focus. In autumn, children could identify pond plants, observe leaf fall and record weather changes. During winter, they could monitor water levels, compare seasonal conditions and look for signs of hibernation. Spring would focus on frogspawn, tadpoles, emerging insects and life cycles, while summer would involve identifying dragonflies, pond skaters and other invertebrates, carrying out pond dipping and comparing biodiversity data collected across the year.
The pond would also support cross-curricular learning. In Mathematics, pupils could collect, analyse and graph biodiversity data. English and Gaeilge lessons could include nature journals, procedural writing and new environmental vocabulary. In Visual Arts, children could create observational drawings and life-cycle studies, while Geography lessons could investigate habitats, mapping and the effects of seasonal weather on the pond ecosystem.-
Hi Sharon,
A pond would be a great biodiversity project for the school. I think during Science Week 2024 live show they created a pond for a school and it might be worth watching the live show for further inspiration for your school.
It is great to have your own experience of creating a pond at home and how you want to bring the same sense of wonder to your own school. I like how you plan to support their investigations of the biodiversity in the pond and you are planning for differentiated recording sheets and identification guides to further engage and support the learners. It sounds like a great plan with different aspect of biodiversity to focus on across the different seasons too. Great ideas, thanks for sharing.
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Outline how you would use some of the course resources to conduct a seasonal biodiversity project to run throughout the school year. What resources and recording sheets would you need? How often would you bring learning outdoors? How would you integrate other subject areas?
Getting out and bringing the learning outdoors is something that I really want to incorporate more into my lessons as opposed to learning about our natural environment in the classroom.
Some of the resources I would like to use in future lessons would definitely be the idea of the wildflower identification, we have an abundance of wildflowers so it would be lovely to have them labelled and the children learning about them. I would love to also do the tree identification also. I think it would be amazing to have a camera where we could see any wildlife that visits the school during the night too. I think this would be a nice way to integrate narrative writing, where the children could write from the perspective of the animal that visits. The wildflowers could be a stimulus for an art lesson, where we could focus on sketching skills. -
I have just signed up my own personal garden to Actions for Pollinators and recorded the few thing I do at home to help pollinators. I am looking forward to bringing this to my school in September.
I will register my school online with Actions for Pollinators, with the username connected to our Green School Team. Alongside the team I will implement some new initiatives during the school year to improve our pollinators and I will work with the children on the Green Schools team to record our actions as a school on the Plan.
Initial Meeting – the Green Schools students and myself will register online and we will then draw out our own school area on the map. We will then brainstorm and note all the actions we currently take as a school and record them on the website. Our next step would be to choose targets and initiatives we could start this year to improve on ourselves. We will plan to meet every term to update our Pollinatior Actions on the website and assess our progress.
We already have a small windflower area to the back of our school but it has been neglected and could do with some improvements. We also have a large unused area that is mowed regularly – the children dont often use this area as it is not near any of the classrooms so we could potentially improve this area to focus on pollinators.
The school council could create and put up signs around the school to encourage students to use the paths, not walk in wind areas. We could create a no mow schedule for certain areas in the school in spring with our caretaker also. Finally, we have lots of spaces in which we could place flower pots with different pollinator friendly plants – a trip to our local garden centre for advice could be organised.
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Hi Sinead,
That sounds like a really practical and well-planned approach to supporting pollinators in your school. It is great that you have already registered your own garden, as this will give you confidence using the Actions for Pollinators website before introducing it to pupils in September.
I really like the idea of connecting the school account with the Green Schools Team, as this gives pupils real ownership and responsibility. Your ideas for improving the neglected wildflower area and introducing a no-mow schedule are great also. The unused mown area sounds like it could become a valuable habitat for pollinators. Signage, pollinator-friendly pots and advice from a local garden centre would all help involve the wider school community and build upon important skills for the students too.
Best of luck with it, and hope you enjoy the rest of the modules.
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Module 3 Birr Outline how you would use some of the course resources to conduct a seasonal biodiversity project to run throughout the school year. What resources and recording sheets would you need? How often would you bring learning outdoors? How would you integrate other subject areas?
Following on from our map making activity I would use this as groundwork for this lesson. That was an outdoor learning experience and a great introduction to the beautiful plants and wildlife we have in our beautiful Grove which is right across the road from the school. It’s a rich heritage at the school doorstep.
The Recording app is a great idea and it will give the children an accurate picture of what they have discovered. Other resources I would use would be the plant identification app. Both would help children identify the amazing biodiversity on their doorstep.
I know the Grove inside out at this stage so I would have a picture grid of some of the plants they will see and they can tick them off as they come across them. We would then true and write the name of the plants and trees they see. This would link nicely into literacy and writing.
Data recording is how I would link this with maths by using block charts to record how many of each plant they saw. This would be after much Oral language discussion and having built their own block charts as such using hands on blocks.
I love using Irish with the children and we could talk about some of the trees using third Irish names and using terms like ag dul are sirloin as we are heading off on our walk
Art work of course is what would really crown the cross curricular activity. Painting, creating their own mini grove on cardboard, even reproducing clay models and painting the clay wold be a really fun activity.
I love going outside with the children. We have school wellies which the children bring in and I have a supply from past years to make it an all year around learning experience for the children. I would go out at the very least once a week.
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I would register my school with the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan by completing the online registration and encouraging the whole school community to get involved. As part of the Green Schools Committee, pupils could help decide which pollinator-friendly actions to take and monitor our progress throughout the year.
We could create a wildflower area using native Irish flowers, plant pollinator-friendly shrubs and bulbs, and leave parts of the school grounds uncut to provide food and shelter for bees and other insects. Pupils could also build bee hotels, install bird and insect feeders, and create signs explaining the importance of these habitats. Learning could be integrated across the curriculum through nature walks, insect surveys, art activities and recording observations in science journals.
Families could be encouraged to support the initiative by planting pollinator-friendly flowers at home. Registering with the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan would help our school make a positive contribution to local biodiversity while fostering environmental awareness, responsibility and active citizenship among pupils.
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The registration of my school with the all Ireland pollinator plan would be a great initiative to set up in my school to support biodiversity in our local school community and area. As the co-ordinator for the school garden I would be able to complete this and I would get my garden committee to help spread the benefits and educate the other children about what we are doing and aiming for. A seasonal biodiversity project could be no mow May. Teachers should be provided with CPD to support this initiative and ensure it is successful. I would encourage teachers to explore what we have in our own school garden and discover the pollinators such as having a classroom walk and using identification tools to help the children learn about certain species. These activities could also be co-ordinated in line with our Green Schools committee. This could be integrated into maths in data analysis, art for drawing plants, science and geography.
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Emma, its a lovely idea to include the pupil’s families by encouraging them to plant flowers at home. Margaret like you I am in charge of the schools gardens. I like the no mow initiative.
A few years ago i had a beekeeper come in. He keeps bees locally. The children were fascinated and talked about it for months after. He brought in a sleeve of the hive with the queen marked. the children could see the eggs being laide and the honey comb.
He gave them each a jar of honey and some wild flower seeds to take home and plant. He told us that eating local honey can tame hay fever.
I was also lucky enough to get a beautiful bees wax candle.
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• Using some of the identification tools and resources outlined in this module, identify some species of plants or animals in your own local environment and record them with the National Biodiversity Data Centre and then outline how you would get your class involved in citizen science projects.
In May, we were very lucky to have two ladies from the Biodiversity Data Centre visit our school to record the plants in our school grounds. They also had a special focus on ladybirds. The children really enjoyed helping to find and identify different species. This was a great introduction to citizen science. We identified various trees, daisies, dandelions, ivy, robins, bumblebees etc, and the ladies recorded these sightings with the National Biodiversity Data Centre. It made us slow down and notice the wildlife around us.
I would like to build on this by taking my class on nature walks around our school and the Village. The children could use simple identification guides to name plants, birds and insects and record what they find with the National Biodiversity Data Centre. This would help them learn about local wildlife while also helping real scientists. It would also encourage teamwork, careful observation and respect for nature.-
I really like this idea, as it connects well with the opportunities available in our own local area. Taking my class on nature walks around Cong woods and the school grounds would allow pupils to explore the biodiversity that exists right on their doorstep. Using identification guides and recording their findings with the National Biodiversity Data Centre would give the children a real purpose for their observations and help them see that their contributions can support wider scientific research.
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<span style=”font-family: ‘Comic Sans MS’;”>Next year I have Junior Infants. Bees and butterflies are already topics I incorporate into my lesson plans for this age group. I have just registered our school for the All – Ireland Pollinator plan. Part of my AP post is outdoor spaces to this fits in nicely. </span>
<span style=”font-family: ‘Comic Sans MS’;”>I would love to involve my Junior Infant class by doing simple, hands-on activities to help pollinators but to introduce the topic I would first read them lots of stories about bees and butterflies and other insects. We would look at pictures and make lots of crafts during art class, we will sing songs</span>
<span style=”font-family: ‘Comic Sans MS’;”>In spring we will plant colourful, pollinator friendly wild flowers in a designated space just off the side of our yard. We will also leave a designated patch grass un-mowed during the spring/summer season for wildlife to enjoy. WE will water the plants during the year and then create an insect hotel. We might even leave a tray with stones and water in it so that the bees can drink water. </span>
<span style=”font-family: ‘Comic Sans MS’;”>During the school year we may go on “pollinator walks” counting and drawing all the insects we can see. We could also incorporate this into our maths data lesson. </span>
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I’ve Junior Infants too and this sounds like a lovely idea. To tie in with your polinator theme you could create bee cups with the senior and junior classes made out of clay to put around your flowers. If you google them, they will show you what they look like. They’re essentially just little dishes that safely collect rain water for the bees to drink out of. They are shallow so there is no worry of drowning. Think they would look cute in a garden!
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There are so many lovely ideas here for Infants. So many opportunities for integrating right across the curriculum – Music, Literacy, Visual Arts. Also for PE pupils could engage in a scavenger hunt where they could look for different colours or textures or even sounds (buzzing bees, chirping birds etc.)
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Our school has a greenhouse but we could do with more of a wildflower area, we have some nice garden space at the front of the school with lots of plants, flowers and trees and although it is well manicured, it provides a valuable opportunity for exploring biodiversity. During the warmer months, it becomes a colourful and lively space that supports a range of pollinators, yet it is a resource that we have not fully investigated. Next year, instead of doing the usual bug hunts, it would be a good idea to introduce a Pollinator Hunt, using the Curious Minds Framework for Inquiry Investigation 5 as a starting point. This would allow pupils to observe, record and analyse the different species found within the area, the ones that are most likely responsible for pollinating. The project could be linked across the curriculum through art, geography and mathematics. It would also encourage pupils to understand the importance of protecting pollinators as this is very relevant right now with the threat to Irish bees. These pollinators should be shown as contributors to society and by monitoring and recording them, we can also support local biodiversity.
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Hi Luke
I love the idea of refining your usual bug hunts into a pollinator hunt. I love the idea of investigating different insect species and learning abut which ones do most of the pollinating. you have said that the front garden area in your school is well manicured so I’m assuming that the flowers there are mostly planted garden flowers rather than wildflowers and that many of the trees are also non native. This would be a lovely opportunity to do a study of the different flowers and see which ones attract the highest numbers of bumbleebees, solitary bees, hoverflies and butterflies to get an idea of which ones are pollinator friendly. This data could be compared to the lists of pollinator friendly flowers from the All Ireland Pollinator Plan and help to inform future planting. If you could also establish no mow or reduced mowing areas in patches of the school grounds in the future this would allow native wild flowers to grow naturally providing more scope for investigation in future years, tracking when different wildflowers appear and noting which ones attract the most pollinators.
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I would register my school with the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan by creating an account on their website and completing the registration process as a pollinator-friendly school.
I would have a green school meeting with pupils and I would involve pupils by carrying out a biodiversity survey of the school grounds and identifying areas where we can support pollinators.
Actions we could take include planting native wildflowers, creating a small pollinator garden, allowing some grass areas to grow longer, planting pollinator-friendly bulbs. We could also build bug hotels to provide habitats for insects and create information signs to educate the school community. This could be a year long project and encourage a whole school involvement. Pupils could record changes by keeping a pollinator diary, taking photographs and observing different insects throughout the year. We could have monthly updates at our school assembly to inform other pupils on what is happening.
These activities would encourage pupils to understand the importance of biodiversity and develop a sense of responsibility for protecting local wildlife in their local area.
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To get my school signed up with the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan, I would start by making a profile for my school through the National Biodiversity Data Centre. Then I would get a team together that has pupils, teachers and management from within the school.
The team we created would look at the school grounds to see where we already have things that help pollinators. We would find places where we can do better. We could do things like planting wildflower patches, cutting the grass less often, planting flowers and trees that are local to the area and making homes for bees and other insects. My school could even put in some water for the insects to drink.
Pupils could help by watching the species of pollinators that come to our school and writing down what we see. We could also help take care of the garden and tell the rest of the school what we have learned during our monthly assembly.
Even if our school does not have a lot of space, we can still make a difference. We could use boxes on the windows or big planting pots.
The All-Ireland Pollinator Plan would help plants and animals, and it would also help pupils learn to care about nature and want to learn more about it. -
A seasonal biodiversity project would provide pupils with an opportunity to develop a deeper understanding of the natural world while building strong links across the curriculum. Throughout the school year, I would encourage pupils to regularly explore the school grounds and local environment, recording changes in plants, animals, weather and habitats across the seasons. Resources such as identification guides, biodiversity apps, observation journals and recording sheets would support pupils in documenting their findings.
I would aim to bring learning outdoors at least once every few weeks, allowing pupils to observe seasonal changes first-hand and develop their scientific enquiry skills. The project could integrate with Science through investigating habitats and life cycles, Geography through mapping local biodiversity, Maths through recording and analysing data, and English through writing reports and reflections. By engaging in practical activities, pupils would develop curiosity, teamwork and an appreciation for protecting local biodiversity.
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Outline how you would use some of the course resources to conduct a seasonal biodiversity project to run throughout the school year. What resources and recording sheets would you need? How often would you bring learning outdoors? How would you integrate other subject areas?
I think that a seasonal biodiversity project is a lovely way to help children connect with nature while watching it change throughout the year. In our school, we are lucky to have a mature hawthorn tree in the playground, so this would become the focus of our project. Starting in September, we would photograph the tree each season and chat about the changes we notice in its leaves, seeds, bark and the wildlife around it. This is normally something I do anyway with Junior Infants in their workbooks but this definitely makes it more memorable. It is a simple but meaningful way to introduce children to phenology and show how the seasons affect plants, insects and birds.
We would use a range of fun resources to support our learning, including the Tree Council of Ireland’s leaf identification challenge, BirdWatch Ireland’s Garden Bird Survey and the Irish Wildflowers guides. Magnifying glasses, clipboards, iPads and apps like Seek would make our outdoor investigations even more exciting. Each child would keep a simple nature journal where they could draw pictures, record observations and look back at how nature changed over the year.
I would aim to bring the class outdoors at least once a month, with shorter “noticing walks” whenever the opportunity arose. These regular visits would encourage children to slow down, observe carefully and become familiar with the wildlife in their own school grounds. We could even submit some of our findings to the National Biodiversity Data Centre so the children could become real citizen scientists.The project would link naturally with many other subjects. In Science, we would investigate habitats, plants and seasonal change. In Maths, we could count birds, tally insects and create simple graphs. English lessons would include nature stories, poetry and oral language, while Art would involve leaf printing, observational drawing and creating seasonal displays. STEM activities might include designing bird feeders or bug hotels for our school grounds.
This project would also fit perfectly with our Green Schools programme. The children could help create a pollinator-friendly area, plant native wildflowers, take part in No Mow May and monitor bird feeders during the winter months. By the end of the year, they would not only have learned about biodiversity but also developed a real sense of pride in caring for their local environment. I think projects like this help children realise that some of the most exciting science can be found just outside the classroom door.-
Hi Lorraine,
This is a really lovely seasonal biodiversity project, you are so lucky to have such a lovely hawthorn tree. Returning to the same tree throughout the year would give Junior Infants a very concrete and memorable way to notice seasonal change, from leaves and berries to insects, birds and changes in the bark.
All the ways of exploring the tree you have listed e.g. photographs, nature journals, magnifying glasses, clipboards and iPads, would really support close observation and give pupils different ways to record what they notice. I also like how you would include shorter noticing walks alongside the monthly outdoor sessions, as this would help make outdoor learning a regular and natural part of the school year.
The cross-curricular links you list are very strong. There are some fantastic stories around trees and their symbolism you could explore too, like the hawthorn linking to the fairies and the otherworld in Irish folklore. Linking it with Green Schools, No Mow May and citizen science would give the project even more purpose!
Thanks for sharing and I hope you enjoy the rest of the course.
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Outline how you would use some of the course resources to conduct a seasonal biodiversity project to run throughout the school year. What resources and recording sheets would you need? How often would you bring learning outdoors? How would you integrate other subject areas?
I would like to introduce this to my classes in the coming school year. I would begin by doing a nature walk at the start of the school year and making notes and taking pictures of different trees, any birds, insects or animals that we see. We could record our findings on the classroom notice board. We will do regular walks around noting any changes as the months and seasons progress. In my school there are lots of different trees that we observe every winter as they lose their leaves and the students patiently await the springtime where we see the leaves budding again. As part of our project we could study these trees in more detail using project copies to record facts and pictures of the trees during the different seasons. We could integrate this into many subject areas using the key words to learn in Irish as well as genre writing pieces in English. In Science pupils could learn about the different habitats and they would use their Maths skills by collecting and displaying data. Children could draw a map of the school ground identifying areas of interest that contain trees, insects, wildflowers etc. They could use the wildflower walk resource to identify common wildflowers and find out more about them. This is a brilliant way to help the children to connect with nature and for them to be aware of the different wildlife and trees that are in our school community.
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To begin I would register my school for the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan. As we are a small 4 teacher school I would speak with the principal, other teachers and our caretaker to ensure we were all on board and explain the benefits of joining. We could discuss the option of engaging the Green School Committee in this initiative as they could help organise pollinator-friendly activities and raise awareness throughout the school.
Once our school is registered, there are many actions we could take to help pollinators. We could plant native wildflowers in flower beds or create a small wildflower meadow to provide food for bees and butterflies. We could reduce mowing in certain areas of the school grounds so that wildflowers like daisies and clover have a chance to grow. We could avoid using harmful pesticides, as they can damage pollinating insects. Installing insect hotels and leaving small patches of bare soil would provide nesting places for solitary bees. Students could also make posters, organise various events and projects to encourage everyone to protect pollinators. By working together, our school could create a suitable environment for pollinators while helping students learn about the importance of biodiversity and protecting nature.-
Hi Jessica,
Welcome to the course.
I really like your emphasis on making this a whole school project, as having the whole school community on board would make the actions much easier to sustain.
Engaging the Green Schools Committee is a great idea too, as it gives pupils ownership and allows them to become ambassadors for pollinators across the school. the suggested actions you have listed are all very valuable not only just to pollinators but would make a real difference to biodiversity in the school grounds.
The poster campaigns, events and projects would also help raise awareness among other pupils and families. You could also include simple seasonal monitoring, where pupils observe which insects visit the wildflowers and record changes over time.
Thsnks for sharing and hope you enjoy the rest of the modules.
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To register my school in the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan, I would visit the Actions for Pollinators platform managed by the National Biodiversity Data Centre. There I would create a free account using your school email address. Throughout the year I would log the specific pollinator-friendly actions the school is taking part in. There is a very helpful A4 poster linked on the website which gives ideas on how to help pollinators on a month by month basis. Some of these are ideas we have already been working on such as the bug motel and bird feeders, while others such as creating solitary bee nests are something we will work towards. Two activities which would particularly suit my class are sowing a sensory garden; This would provide students with a chance to experience highly tactile, non-toxic, and fragrant herbs and flowers like lavender, mint, and rosemary. This in turn would obviously help our pollinator friends.
And secondly we could make seed Seed bombs by mixing clay, compost, and native flower seeds. Rolling the mud balls offers a highly tactile, proprioceptive activity. Then we could get the students to throw them into certain areas in the garden.
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I would plan a seasonal biodiversity project that encourages pupils to observe and record changes in local plants and wildlife throughout the school year. Using the Wild Connections resources, identification keys, nature guides, and citizen science platforms, pupils would monitor flowering plants, insects, birds, and trees, recording observations on seasonal recording sheets and simple data tables. We would bring learning outdoors at least fortnightly to collect evidence, compare findings, and discuss changes linked to weather and climate. The project would integrate Science, Geography, Maths, and Digital Technologies through data collection, mapping, graphing, and analysing trends. Literacy would be developed through nature journals, oral presentations, and report writing, while Art could include observational drawing. Participation in citizen science projects would give pupils a real-world purpose for their work, promoting environmental awareness, inquiry skills, wellbeing, and a strong connection with their local environment.
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I think the integration of art into the seasonal biodiversity project is a great idea. It could become a whole school initiative to encourage observation without the constraints of reading or writing. Also by keeping a journal that could be passed on from class to class, the children could see the rise and fall in certain seasonal visitors over the course of their time in school.
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To conduct a seasonal biodiversity project to run throughout the school year, I think we would use lots of the resources outlined in this module to firstly identify what flora, fauna, trees, minibeasts and animals we have within our school garden and field.
Using some of the templates to identify such as those provided by the Tree Council of Ireland, Seek app, minibeasts searches, the wildflower walk challenge and Wild Connections the children could create a list of all that is within our school grounds. Having this information allows for us to follow the natural seasons and how they change and affect each of the plants, flowers, animals, minibeasts and trees. Having completed this profile over a 12 month period, I have no doubt that the children would be full of ideas about what needs to be added to improve our biodiversity. Is one plant dominant? Is one creature dominant? Does something need more support? is our selection touching off as many items as would be suggested to live in a grassland habitat. The wonderings will lead to the children making suggestions to improve our biodiversity and broaden the spectrum of living things in our grassland habitat. -
I really like the idea of a FIT count to initiate a lesson on biodiversity in an area. Initially i would ask if the children know of some insects that are commonly seen in Ireland and start a class discussion on this (potentially including stories of caterpillars, ticks, and bees that would impact on their daily lives over the summer). I would begin with introducing the idea of observing and monitoring a set square area and noting what is seen on a particular day. This can be reviewed in the classroom and some insects that were not recognised could be investigated. With each day there would be more knowledge and exposure to the biodiversity in the area. Based on this observation, a further discussion could be posed regarding the native vs non native insects (with reference to the butterfly from caterpillar kits that can be bought online). I would like for this to encourage children to plant native wildflowers- looking at websites like pollinators.ie and birdwatchingireland.ie to discover appropriate plants and environments for insects, birds and other wildlife. This could be monitored as well seasonally and amending according to the needs of the wildlife- i.e. native wildflowers in the summer while butterflies are abundant and encouraging berry growing bushes in the winter to help the birds like robins. The results could be kept on google docs that could be seen and accessed throughout the year and passed on to the next class to continue to monitor seasonally. Integration with language (poetry/dánta), maths (data collection), geography (mapping), and STEM (building bird boxes/bug hotels).
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There are lots of resources and websites in this module that you could use to conduct a seasonal biodiversity project throughout the school year. Beginning at the start of the school year, each class would complete some lessons on the meaning of biodiversity and develop an awareness of its importance. I really loved the checklists provided by Carlow sports partnership, depending on the class level being thought these could be downloaded and used as they are or adapted to suit. I really like the idea of taking photos of flora and fauna in your locality and using this as a checklist for children. Following on from this, classes could create maps as shown in module 2, using online resources such as Google earth and Google maps. This would integrate well with the geography skills of developing a sense of space and place as well as with orienteering and map making. I loved the suggestion in one of the videos of making it a little competitive and giving points for items found and maybe putting in something that isn’t in the area also to encourage children not to just tick every box.
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Hi Orla, I really like the idea of making the biodiversity project something that continues throughout the school year. The checklists and mapping activities would be a great way to get the children outside and involved and I think adding a bit of friendly competition would make it even more engaging.
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There were some great resources in the course that gave me ideas of conducting seasonal biodiversity projects that can be run throughout the school year. I think any school striving for a Green flag or to have some environmental aspect as part of their SSE could use the resources here. As I am teaching junior and senior infants this year I think my class would really enjoy carrying out minibeast hunts. The resources provided from Carlow Sports and Wildway Adventures would be absolutely perfect. They are brilliant visual resources and allow the children to see what they are searching for. I would use equipment such as magnifying glasses and pooters to allow the children to see what they are looking for. The checklist from Carlow sports would be perfect for the younger classes. I would bring the learning outdoors and carry out this task once a season. A way I would integrate other subjects is data collection in maths. I would create a whole class visual data graph of the minibeasts we have seen and compare them each season.
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Hi Eimear,
Welcome to the course and thanks for sharing your response. Minibeast hunts are such an engaging way to bring young children outdoors and help them begin to notice the living things in their own school environment. This could be coupled with any number of great picture books on the topic, and I really like how you would use visual resources from Carlow Sports and Wildway Adventures, as these would give pupils clear prompts and help them identify what they are looking for. Magnifying glasses and pooters would also make the investigation feel very hands-on and exciting, while supporting close observation.
The whole-class visual data graph would be a lovely Maths link and very suitable for younger classes. You could also extend this by asking pupils to predict which minibeasts they might find before each seasonal hunt.
Hope you enjoy the rest of the course!
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I would use the resources from this module to carry out a biodiversity project over the course of the school year. Every few weeks, the class could spend time outside looking for different plants, insects and birds in the school grounds. The children could record what they find using simple worksheets and take photographs to compare how the area changes from season to season. Identification guides and online resources would help them learn the names of the different species.
This project could fit into several subjects. In Science, pupils would explore living things and habitats. In Maths, they could count their findings and present the information in charts. They could also draw what they observe in Art and write short reports or nature diaries in English. I think this would be an enjoyable way to bring learning outdoors and help children become more aware of the wildlife around them. I t would also encourage curiosity, observation and respect for the natural environment.
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Register your garden with the All Ireland Pollinator Group and record your actions for pollinators, then outline how you would register your school and what actions you could take to help pollinators.
We at Rathcor N.S., in the Cooley Peninsula are already registered with the All Ireland Pollinator Group and it is a group that we are very passionate about as we are currently going in to our second year in Sept on the wonderful journey of the Green School, Biodiversity flag.
Our Actions for pollinators are: During the month of May we take part in ‘No Mow May’ and we encourage them right across the Community and school families. We promote this via posters in school and via email and on our school website http://www.rathcorschool.com, under the Biodiversity section of the Green School tab. Don’t Mow, let it Grow, which creates a natural wildflower meadow. We plant pollen rich native species, we provide safe nesting spots, we have bird boxes, bat boxes, log and bug hotels. We eliminate chemical pesticide use. We record this throughout the year. And we will be compared our results this school year coming with the previous years recordings.
We also download posters and identification guides to build on our existing knowledge and communicate this to the students and staff.
We as a staff will learn how to carry out a FIT count to record pollinators, this will be very useful and I am grateful to have learned about this.
Other actions, some members of the staff will take part in the Upcoming webinar on August 19<sup>th</sup>: The All-Ireland Pollinator Plan.
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I would use the resources from this course to develop a seasonal biodiversity project that would run throughout the school year. At the beginning of the year, pupils would learn about biodiversity and pollinators and we would map the school grounds, identifying existing habitats such as hedgerows, trees, flower beds, long grass and wild areas. We could also register the school garden with the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan and record the actions we take to support pollinators.
I would aim to bring learning outdoors regularly, ideally once or twice a month, so that children could observe how the school environment changes throughout the seasons. We could repeat the same nature walk at different times of the year and record changes in trees, wildflowers, birds, insects and other wildlife. Resources such as the Carlow Sports Partnership biodiversity checklists could be used or adapted for different class levels. Photographs of local plants and animals could also be turned into simple identification sheets or biodiversity challenges. Older pupils could use identification books such as Wildflowers of Ireland and share what they discover with other groups.
Recording sheets would include seasonal wildlife checklists, nature-walk observation sheets, maps, species identification sheets and simple tables for recording the number and type of species found. Pupils could take photographs and keep a biodiversity diary or portfolio to show changes throughout the year. Findings could also be shared through monthly Green Team presentations at assemblies.
The project would provide many opportunities for cross-curricular learning. Geography could include mapping, habitats and developing a sense of place, while Maths could involve collecting, displaying and comparing biodiversity data. Science would involve identifying plants and animals and exploring seasonal change and habitats. English could be incorporated through nature diaries, reports and presentations, while Art could include nature-inspired artwork or even creating patterns through selective mowing.
Practical projects could include bird boxes, bug hotels, planting pollinator-friendly flowers and allowing areas of grass to grow longer. Initiatives such as “No Mow May” could encourage dandelions and other wildflowers to bloom. Overall, the project would allow children to observe, record and actively improve biodiversity in their own school environment while integrating learning across a range of subject areas.
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- Register your garden with the All Ireland Pollinator Plan and record your actions for pollinators, then outline how you would register your school and what actions you could take to help pollinators
I registered the the garden with the All Ireland Pollinator Plan and wasn’t surprised to see that I am doing lots already. We have areas that are good for pollinators. mow less (although we could probably mow even less), have a wildflower meadow and leave some areas undisturbed. The real motivation will be to engage with the website with my young children which will be a great project. I do like the garden bird resources too and the video from Laois Co. Council.
I would be very happy to register my school. I think looking at the map at all the areas registered as part of the All Ireland Pollinator Plan is very interesting. I think it would be a great project for a Green Schools Committee to engage with too. Whole school measures could include organising for the grass to be mowed less. For a class, they could identify areas of good pollinator, short flowers for short and/or long meadows and identify and develop areas that could be left alone. I really enjoyed the resources on the website and plan to use the Bumble bee identification course next year.
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I agree with you Jack, I was pleasantly surprised to see that our school already hits many of the elements of the All Ireland Pollinator Plan. Our Green School committee have been instrumental in this having planned a Wildflower/Nurture Garden in the last term, which will hopefully start in the coming year.
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Module 3
What an interesting page! I registered my garden and shaded in the area around what we have already done, as well as what we have pledged to do to increase pollinator activity in our garden. It was great to see that we are already doing some of the things recommended, but it also gave me lots of ideas for future actions.
Tips to Increase Pollinators
1 Don’t Mow It, Let It Grow** – My husband took part in No Mow May, which was a great way of allowing the grass and wildflowers to grow and provide food for pollinators.
2.Manage Hedgerows – We planted more cherry blossom trees last year, which will hopefully provide an additional food source for pollinators.
3 Plant Pollinator-Friendly Trees – We are planning to plant some apple trees, which will be a lovely addition to the garden and will also provide an important source of pollen and nectar.
4.Choose Nectar and Pollen-Rich Plants – This year we have planted window boxes with rosemary, which should provide a good source of nectar for pollinators.
5.Reduce Pesticide Use – We do not use chemicals on weeds. My son pulls them out instead!!
6.Leave Pathways Around a Meadow – My husband has only cut the grass around the perimeter of the meadow at the back of our house, leaving the main area to grow naturally.
Future Actions
There are a number of things I would like to do in the future:
1. Make a small bug hotel.
2. Run a FIT and tally the different pollinators we find within broad groups, such as bumblebees, butterflies and moths, wasps and beetles.
3. Purchase and plant apple trees.
4. When planting our summer bedding in the future, choose more nectar and pollen-rich plants.
School Actions
There are also lots of opportunities to bring this learning into school and raise awareness of the importance of pollinators across the whole school.
1. Increase awareness – Share links with teachers to the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan website and encourage them to explore the resources available.
2. Add our school to the sites list so that our school can become part of the wider pollinator-friendly community.
3. Invite guest speakers into the school to talk to pupils about the importance of pollinators and the role they play in our environment.
4. Encourage a No Mow May within the school grounds.
5. Set up small bug hotels around the school grounds.
6. Run a FIT – pupils could tally and record the pollinators they find, represent the results on a bar chart and interpret the data. The results could then be displayed in the school hall so that the whole school could see and understand what was discovered.
7. Encourage the planting of pollinator-rich plants in our summer bedding areas.
8. Run a poetry competition with pollination and pollinators as the theme. This would be a lovely way to link the topic with literacy and allow the children to express what they have learned creatively.
There is so much potential here to develop this further. I really like the idea that the children could see the impact of their actions through the FIT, recording and displaying their own data. It would make the learning very real and would hopefully encourage them to become more aware of what they can do at home and in their own communities to help protect pollinators.
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In our school we take part in different Green School projects like SuperValu’s Pollinator Programme, the Apple Green Biodiversity Initiative, Green School Litter and Waste, Energy, and Water Flags, and there has been a very positive response from the children and their families. I also signed up to the All‑Ireland Pollinator Plan. It is very easy and only asks you to record simple actions, like leaving a “no mow” patch in May no mow patch, planting pollinator‑friendly flowers such as lavender, sedum and heather pollinator flowers, putting out a shallow water dish with stones, and avoiding pesticides. I also note where I have created shelter; we have an insect hotel and long grass, and I keep track of when different flowers bloom.
As a committee we created a school profile and mapped the grounds. We looked for sunny beds, grassy edges and unused corners. Then we chose simple actions, like planting a small wildflower strip, setting up herb planters, and marking a clear no‑spray policy. I link this to lessons by counting flower types, timing bee visits and keeping a tally chart. Classes help with “before and after” photos and a yearly audit. We share our progress online and through Green School projects and celebrate becoming a Pollinator‑Friendly School.
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I plan to register my school with the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan when I return to school in September. As I am already part of the gardening committee, I think this would fit really well with the work we are already doing. We could start by looking at our school grounds and identifying areas that could be improved for pollinators. I would like to find a suitable area to create a small wildflower garden and plant some pollinator-friendly seeds, bulbs or trees with the gardening committee. Another idea I found on the Pollinator Plan website was leaving a small area of bare soil for solitary bees to nest. We could also look at making a school bee hotel. I would like to involve the children in planting, observing and recording the insects they find. We could also explore inviting someone from An Taisce to work with the children on biodiversity. I think this would tie in really well with our Green-Schools work and give the children a practical way to learn about biodiversity and protecting pollinators.
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The All-Ireland Pollinator Plan was something that sparked my interest also Siobhan, and I’m also hoping to sign up my school in the new school year. The website has some great ideas that would certainly support our schools application for our next Green Flag and makes learning about the local local flora and fauna interesting for the children, while also bringing learning out of the classroom and encouraging children to become active and responsible citizens.
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Seasonal Biodiversity Project
As our school is working on its Green Flag for Biodiversity, putting a plan in place to support learning throughout the school year would greatly benefit all students.
I would begin the project in Term 1 (September / October) by exploring the biodiversity already present in the school grounds. Pupils could work in groups to carry out a simple biodiversity audit, recording birds, insects, plants and other wildlife they observe. BirdWatch Ireland resources could support our birdwatching, while the Merlin Bird ID app could help pupils identify birds by sight or sound. The Seek app could similarly be used to identify plants, insects and other organisms. Pupils would keep individual or class biodiversity journals and use seasonal recording sheets to document what they see.
I would aim for outdoor learning to take place at least once every two weeks or two monthly (weather depending), with additional short observation walks when there are interesting seasonal changes. In Autumn, pupils could investigate leaves, seeds and migrating birds; during Winter, focus on garden birds and weather; in Spring, observe flowering plants, insects and nesting birds; and in Summer, investigate pollinators and plant growth.
As part of the project, pupils could design and create bird feeders and monitor which species visit them. We could also develop a Pollinator Plan, using resources from the National Biodiversity Data Centre, identifying ways to make the school grounds more pollinator-friendly – building on the work undertaken by the Green School and local conservation group in planting wildflowers, erecting bird boxes and choosing ‘bee and butterfly friendly’ plants for our school garden.
The project would provide opportunities to integrate many subject areas. In Science, pupils could study habitats, food chains, plants and animals. Linkage and integration in maths could involve counting and graphing species observed, while Geography could focus on mapping habitats around the school. English could involve biodiversity journals, reports and presentations, while Art could include nature drawings and observational sketches. Digital learning would be incorporated through the Seek and Merlin apps and pupils could present their findings using digital tools.
At the end of the year, pupils could compare their seasonal records and create a school biodiversity report or display, highlighting changes they observed and actions they took to improve biodiversity.-
I really like the idea of making this a year-long project, as it would give the children a chance to see how biodiversity changes with the seasons. I also think using apps like Seek and Merlin would make outdoor learning more intersting and engaging for the pupils. The links with maths, science, geography and art would also make it easy to include biodiversity across different subjects.
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Register your garden with the All Ireland Pollinator Plan and record your actions for pollinators, then outline how you would register your school and what actions you could take to help pollinators
Firstly we would involve the Green School Team in registering for the All Ireland pollinator portal on the website by creating an account. We will then map the school by identifying the boundaries of the school grounds. We will then explore the website to find the best actions to take.
Our actions will have 2 focuses:
-New learning for the children – we will use the 16 page school guide to support our children to identify actions.
-New learning for the children- we will encourage our fantastic caretaker ad cleaners to attend online webinars about taking care of biodiversity on school grounds.We will then log on our actions. I was shocked to learn that wildlife seeds are actually not a help but I will be spreading that message throughout our school community!
Actions to help pollinators:
No mow May with signs to spread the word among our school community.
Planting – increase planting of spring flowers, vegetables, strawberries and perennial flowers across the school grounds.
Share our learning in school assemblies, with the Board of Management and with the wider school community and encourage our other local schools to collaborate with us also. -
I would register my sensory garden with the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan by adding it to the Actions for Pollinators online map and recording the actions I have taken to help pollinators. In the sensory garden, I could plant native, pollinator-friendly flowers with different colours, scents and textures. I could also allow some grass to grow longer, avoid using pesticides and provide areas where insects can shelter and nest. To register my school, I would discuss the plan with the principal and teachers, identify suitable areas around the school and add the school to the Pollinator Plan. The school could create a pollinator-friendly sensory garden, plant native flowers, reduce mowing and avoid harmful chemicals. Students could observe and record bees, butterflies and hoverflies and take part in a Flower-Insect Timed Count. Signs could also be added to explain why pollinators are important. These actions would make the school more attractive, educational and supportive of biodiversity and help protect important pollinating insects.
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For a seasonal biodiversity project, I would make it a year-long project where the children can see how the school environment changes through the seasons. I would use some of the course resources such as biodiversity surveys, identification sheets and simple recording sheets. The children could record the plants, insects, birds and other wildlife they find. I would bring the class outdoors at least once a month, with extra visits during spring when there is lots of new growth and wildlife to spot. We could take photos and make drawings of what we find and keep these in a class biodiversity folder. The children could use magnifying glasses, clipboards, pencils and simple identification guides. I would also encourage them to record the weather and changes they notice. This project could link into lots of other subjects. We could use maths to count and compare what we find, art for drawings and nature collages, and English for writing about our observations. It would be a nice way to learn outdoors and notice how nature changes during the year.
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I would run a seasonal biodiversity project using the school grounds as an outdoor classroom. At the beginning of the year, I would introduce the children to the different plants, trees, insects and birds found around the school. The children could record what they see in each season. I would provide recording sheets, pencils, clipboards, magnifying glasses, identification charts and tablets or cameras for the children to photograph their findings. Children could record the date, weather, species observed and any changes they notice. I have 4th class this year so I think a seasonal biodiversity project could link with a range of other curricular areas. In maths the children could record the number of different species found and use their data to create tables, bar charts and graphs. They could also write short reports about their findings. In SESE, they could investigate habitats and food chains and create maps showing biodiversity around the school. I also think the children could extend their learning through project work by researching biodiversity loss, climate change and ways to protect local habitats. Resources from this module such as the garden butterfly monitoring resource and the bird watch garden bird survey would be useful for children to monitor wildlife in the area.
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I really like the idea of using the school grounds as an outdoor classroom. The Garden Butterfly Monitoring resource would be a great addition, as it would allow the children to observe butterflies throughout the seasons and notice changes in the wildlife around them. The BirdWatch Ireland Garden Bird Survey would also fit well with the project, giving the children opportunities to observe and record the different birds they see.
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Follow the step- by- step guide to CREATE A POLLINATOR PLAN FOR YOUR SCHOOL:
Form a ‘Pollinator Team’: the Green School committee, teachers, students and the school caretaker. Visit their website http://www.pollinators.ie to learn more about bees and other insect pollinators.
Map your school grounds: identifying all the existing wild corners, flower beds, mowed areas, playing fields, and hedgerows.
Draw up your School Pollinator Plan, with a new school map showing your ‘Pollinator sites’ – e.g. areas where you want to reduce mowing, locations where you want to provide nesting sites, and areas where you want to create a wildflower meadow or plant pollinator-friendly bulbs.
In autumn you can collect pollinator friendly wildflower seeds from the local area and grow it in pots over the winter to add to the longer grass areas in spring.
Trees are a very important source of food for pollinators in spring, if possible plant some native trees such as Willow, Hawthorn and Blackthorn.
Put up signs at places you are protecting for pollinators.
Log your actions on the mapping system, Actions for Pollinators
Enjoy the new buzz around your school!-
Hi Grace,
Welcome to the course. Thank you for sharing a really clear and practical approach to creating a School Pollinator Plan. I like how you have broken the process into manageable steps, beginning with forming a Pollinator Team that includes pupils, teachers, the Green Schools committee and the caretaker. Having the whole school community involved would make the plan much more sustainable.
Mapping the school grounds is a great starting point, as it helps pupils identify what is already there and where improvements could be made. I also like the idea of logging actions on the Actions for Pollinators mapping system, as this shows pupils that their work contributes to a wider national effort, and empowers them as citizen scientists.
Hope you enjoy the rest of the course.
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Register your garden with the All Ireland Pollinator Plan and record your actions for pollinators, then outline how you would register your school and what actions you could take to help pollinators
I would register my garden with the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan by adding it to the Actions for Pollinators map. I would record actions such as mowing less often, allowing wildflowers to grow, protecting hedgerows, avoiding pesticides and providing nesting spaces. I would collect seeds from local wildflower populations rather than buying commercial seed mixes. Planting pollinator-friendly bulbs and native flowering trees would provide valuable food sources, while small bee hotels and bee banks would create safe nesting habitats.
To register my school, I would identify areas for improvement and develop a School Pollinator Plan before adding the school to the Actions for Pollinators map. Actions could include reducing cutting, allowing grass and wildflowers to grow, planting native flowers, protecting hedgerows, providing nesting habitats and avoid using pesticides. Pupils could then carry out insect surveys, identify pollinators and learn about their importance. These actions would increase biodiversity and create a healthier environment for bees, butterflies and other pollinators.
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I would run a “Biodiversity Through the Seasons” project with my First Class class. We would go outdoors once a week to observe what is changing in our school grounds. In autumn, we could collect and identify leaves and look for birds and minibeasts. In winter, we could observe trees and birds. In spring and summer, we could look for wildflowers, butterflies and bees. </span>We would use the Wild Connections activities from the course, including wildflower walks, mini-beast hunts and seasonal recording. We could also use Wildflowers of Ireland to help identify plants. As the year progresses, we could use the National Biodiversity Data Centre to record some of our findings as part of citizen science. In spring and summer, we could use the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan resources for schools and complete a simple FIT Count, counting insects visiting flowers for 10 minutes. We would keep a simple class nature diary, drawing pictures and recording dates and observations. We could link the project with Maths by counting and graphing our findings, art through nature drawings, and English through writing and speaking about our discoveries.
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I found many of the tools and resources during this module incredibly useful. One of the most important things I took away from it was the fact that it’s ok if I don’t know or can’t identify some species of plants or animals or insects for the children. This is one of the reasons why I would be slow to take the children outdoors but this module has inceased my confidence in the area. The use of many of the items outlined in the module- the wildflowers of Ireland, the image guide in the wild connections flora trail, the tree council of Ireland, birdwatch Ireland and the minibeast challenges are all invaluable resources in identifying all the amazing flora and fauna in my locality. I would really enjoy getting my class involved in citizens science projects. We would take a walk along the trail to a local river and see what species of plants and animals we find along the way. Making sure of the identification of something is very important so I would encourge the children to ask others to verify what they have found. On the website the children would enjoy looking at what species are recorded the most in their locality and also across the country. It is also a great way to incorporate IT into the lesson as the children will have to take photos and upload them onto the website in order to verify their findings.
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I really like your point that we don’t need to know the answer to everything before taking children outdoors. I agree that the resources from this module can give teachers much more confidence when identifying local species. The citizen science project sounds like a great way to encourage children to investigate their local environment while also developing their ICT and observation skills. I also like the idea of involving others to verify their findings, as this encourages collaboration and curiosity.
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I would develop a year-long seasonal biodiversity project to investigate how biodiversity changes from autumn to summer. Pupils could explore the school grounds and identify plants, trees, insects, birds and other wildlife. I would use biodiversity identification guides, photographs, simple observation equipment and magnifying glasses. Pupils would keep individual biodiversity journals and use recording sheets to record the date, location, species observed, weather conditions and seasonal changes.
Learning outdoors would take place at least once every two weeks, with additional sessions during key seasonal changes. Findings could be photographed and displayed as a class biodiversity calendar. The project could integrate Science through habitats, classification and data collection; Maths through counting, measuring and graphing results; Geography through mapping the school grounds; English through observation writing; Art through nature drawings; and Digital Learning through photographs and presentations. This would allow pupils to develop scientific skills while building a stronger connection with their local environment. -
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I really like the idea of carrying out a seasonal biodiversity project to run throughout the school year. My school is located close to the Phoenix Park and it is a perfect place to go for walks and observe the changes in seasons. I would hope to bring a class on four walks throughout the school year during autumn, winter, spring and summer. We would walk the same route and note the changes we see from one season to the next focusing on the plants and animals we see. We have a lovely school garden and this is a perfect way for children to observe and experience the changes in seasons. The minibeast activity included in this module would be fun and engaging for children to complete in the garden.
I would ensure to carry out work before each walk using the many excellent resources in this module and design a simple recording sheet for the children to note their findings. When exploring spring I would use the Garden Scavanger Hunt Challenge Resource as a guide. I would create my own recording sheet for children to make it more suitable for a junior class. Robby the Christmas Robyn is a lovely resource to use when exploring biodiversity in winter.
A project like this could be integrated with many curriculum subjects including art, music, history and geography. I always like to use picture books when exploring seasons with a class group. Creating an art classroom display based on seasons and the plants and animals we see in these seasons is always fun and engaging for children to take part in.
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Hi Katie,
This sounds like a lovely seasonal biodiversity project, and the Phoenix Park would be a wonderful local environment for pupils to observe changes across the year. I really like the idea of walking the same route across the seasons, as this would help children compare what they notice from one season to the next in a very concrete way.
I also like how you would prepare pupils before each walk using resources from the module and adapt recording sheets to suit younger children. The links with picture books, art displays, music, history and geography are lovely too. You could also create a simple class seasonal chart to record plants, animals, weather and changes over time.
Hope you enjoy the rest of the modules.
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Hi Katie, you are so lucky to have the Phoenix Park on your doorstep! I am in a similar position, as my school is located close to Birr Castle. I also think it is a great idea to take my pupils on nature walks throughout the four seasons and record the different flora and fauna we discover. It would be a great way for the children to observe how biodiversity changes throughout the year.
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I would use a variety of the course resources to carry out a seasonal biodiversity project throughout the school year. At the beginning of each season, I would bring the pupils outdoors for a Wildflower Walk in the exact same location. Using recording sheets, the children could identify and record the wildflowers they find. At the end of the school year, we could compare the findings from each season and discuss why some plants are only visible at certain times of the year.
In autumn, I would focus on tree identification. The children could collect fallen leaves and create leaf rubbings as a way of recording the different trees found. I would also use the Tree Council of Ireland website to identify the trees. A minibeast hunt would also be a popular activity using magnifying glasses to observe insects and the National Biodiversity Data Centre to help with identification.
These activities would be repeated throughout the four seasons, allowing pupils to observe changes in local flora and fauna. I would aim to bring learning outdoors at least once a month. The project could also integrate Literacy through writing reports, Maths through counting and recording species, and Art through drawing and representing the species discovered.
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I would use the course resources to establish a seasonal biodiversity project that runs throughout the school year. At the beginning of each season, I would bring the children outdoors to explore the school grounds and observe changes in plants, insects, birds and weather. I would use resources such as identification guides, magnifying glasses, bug viewers, tablets or cameras, and simple biodiversity recording sheets to record what we find. Children could draw or photograph species and record the date, location and season.
I would aim to bring learning outdoors at least once every two weeks, with additional opportunities during significant seasonal changes. The project could be developed through different subject areas. In Science, children could investigate habitats and seasonal change; in Maths, they could count and graph the species observed; in English and Gaeilge, they could develop vocabulary and write or discuss observations. Art could be incorporated through nature drawings, seasonal artwork and observational sketches, making the project engaging and cross-curricular. -
Last year, my class adopted a tree in our local park and observed the tree as the seasons progressed through the school year. I would expand on that project to conduct a biodiversity study of the park. Many resources mentioned in the module would be useful.
The Tree Council of Ireland tree identification site has a beautiful list of native trees and shrubs, which gives teachers the information they need and is easy for students to access. We could watch the video from Engage with Nature with Dr Paddy Madden as he outlines why diversity in hedgerows is important and what to look for. Armed with this information, we could conduct a survey of the park, collecting data of how many species, how many of each species, leaf shapes and so on.
Flowers, insect life and bird life can also be observed and recorded. The Carlow Sports Partnership Wildflower Walk identification sheet would be very useful. Wildflowers of Ireland website, which has a handy identification tool organised by colour, would be a great tool for Senior Infants to use to research the flowers they find.
They would enjoy the Flower Insect Timed Test, which can be carried out each time we visit. They will see how seasons affect insects. At this age, it‘s so important to let them observe and experience their world.Integration with other subjects would include creating graphs with the data collected, counting trees, leaves, flowers, insects. We would also use the visit as inspiration for art, decorating our news with drawings from our visit, and creating information sheets with colourful images of the flora and fauna we observed. Working together as a class, we would decide how to present our project about the local park. Brochures, posters, and booklets are some ideas we could select. Showing the children the Biodiversity Ireland posters and swatches could inspire them to create something similar. It could be incorporated into map making skills also, adding drawings of our findings to a map of the park.
I think the children would really enjoy this project and would learn a lot about their locality and nature.
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Outline how you would use some of the course resources to conduct a seasonal biodiversity project to run throughout the school year. What resources and recording sheets would you need? How often would you bring learning outdoors? How would you integrate other subject areas?
There are many resources in this course which would form the basis of a seasonal biodiversity project. The tree identification, minibeast safari challenge, minibeast hunt and scavenger hunt challenge really provide a basis for children to base their project on. I love the idea of taking a picture of different aspects of the environment. This would really provide a visual image of trees and plants in each season and allow the children to compare as the year progresses. I bring learning outdoors quite regularly so this could be done each fortnight to allow children to see changes and spot things that they may have missed. Other subjects such as English, Maths, SPHE and Art are integrated through recording, counting, shapes, measures, communication, teamwork, drawing and nature/season based art projects.
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I would develop a year-long project around the question, “How does biodiversity in our school change throughout the year?” The children would investigate three areas: our hedgerow, polytunnel and pitch/playground. The aim would be to build an understanding of the plants, insects, birds and other wildlife that share our school environment and how these change with the seasons.
Children would make regular observations and build a record of the biodiversity they find. They could photograph species, record flowering plants, count pollinators and birds, and note temperature and weather conditions. Simple identification guides, clipboards, magnifying glasses, thermometers and tablets would support the investigation.
I would aim to take the children outdoors at least twice a month, with additional visits when needed depending on the season and what is happening in our environment. By the end of the year, they would have created their own picture of how biodiversity changes across our school and could consider what we might do to protect and improve it. Altering this each year as such to make the project more beneficial for all.
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For this, I would first register our school with the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan. I would gather all stakeholders and encourage all members to take part in the initiative. I would liaise with the Green schools team and coordinator. At the start of the process, I would walk around the school grounds and identify areas that have are an area of appeal for pollinators and areas that are particularly biodiverse. I would map these existing habitats that are within the school grounds on a map that would be available to all members of the school community.
I would then contact parents and agree with all stakeholders on a number of ways to support pollination. This may mean new areas of planting, letting other areas go wild or have a no mow May. A monthly newsletter could be developed by project leaders or green schools committee. Class groups could record what native species of flowers and trees they see and give updates on progress throughout the year. We could get external visitors to our school or provide CPD for staff in the area as well. Finally one idea I saw on this module would be to label the different plants/flowers/trees around the school grounds to educate the students on what is in the area.
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Hi Eanna,
This sounds like a really practical and well-considered approach to creating a school pollinator plan. I really like how you would begin by registering with the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan and involving the Green Schools team, coordinator, parents, staff and wider school community. Having all stakeholders involved from the beginning would really help to make the initiative sustainable.
Mapping the existing habitats and biodiverse areas around the school grounds is a great starting point, as it allows pupils to see what is already supporting pollinators and where improvements could be made. Involving the students in this process would have a lot of great learning for them and increase their curiosity and interest. From there, getting them to come up with the actions such as new planting, wild areas and No Mow May would give pupils meaningful ways to take part.
The monthly newsletter is a lovely idea too, especially if pupils are leading it and sharing updates on native flowers, trees and insects observed throughout the year. Labelling plants, flowers and trees around the grounds would also turn the school into a living classroom for biodiversity learning. There is lots of opportunity for historical and cross-curricular activities here, such as creating botanical illustrations and looking up the history of native versus non-native species.
Thanks and hope you enjoy the rest of the course.
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I would register the school garden with the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan by completing the online registration process and recording the actions taken to support pollinators. This would provide an opportunity for the whole school community to become involved in protecting biodiversity. I think the Green School Committe, and School Garden Committee could be imperative to this plan.
To register the school, I would visit the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan website and complete the relevant registration form with details about the school grounds and the actions planned. Some simple actions could include planting native wildflowers, allowing areas of grass to grow longer – no mow May, planting pollinator-friendly flowers and avoiding the use of pesticides. The school could also create bee hotels, insect habitats and sheltered areas where pollinators can feed and nest. These are a great source of interet especially for the younger children.
Pupils could be involved in planting, maintaining the garden and observing and recording different pollinators. These activities could be linked to Science lessons, helping pupils understand biodiversity and the importance of protecting pollinators.-
I really like the idea of involving both the Green Schools and School Garden Committees, as this would make it a whole-school initiative. The bee hotels and insect habitats would be particularly engaging for younger pupils. It would also provide great opportunities for ongoing observation and recording during Science lessons.
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I would conduct a seasonal biodiversity projectthroughout the school year, using the school grounds and local area to observe how plants and animals change across the seasons. Pupils could visit the same outdoor area regularly to record birds, insects, trees, flowers and signs of seasonal change. We could use identification resources from the course, such as biodiversity identification guides and online recording toolss.
I would create simple recording sheets where pupils could note the date, weather, species observed and any changes since their previous visit. We could also take photographs to create a digital record. I would aim to bring the class outdoors at least once a month, with additional observations when significant seasonal changes occur. The project could integrate Science with Maths by creating graphs of species recorded, English through nature journals and report writing, Geography through mapping habitats, and Art through observational drawings of plants and animals. -
To register our school with the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan, we would first visit the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan website and register the school as a pollinator-friendly place. We would record the actions already taking place and identify areas where improvements could be made. At our school we began plans for a wildflower garden which is combined as a nurture and sensory garden in the last term of this year. Although only designed on paper this year, it was a plan that was made up by the pupils, led by the Green School Committee, with the help of one teacher and one SNA. Then plan is to create a larger wildflower area by reducing grass cutting and planting native, pollinator-friendly flowers. We also plant a tree each year. The plan for the garden includes shrubs and flowering herbs that provide food for bees and other insects throughout the year; along with bug hotels and seating areas made out of old trees, which can be used as an outdoor classroom/reading area. Another action would be to avoid using pesticides and herbicides, which can harm pollinators. Students will monitor and record the different bees, butterflies and other insects they see. These activities would improve biodiversity, provide important habitats and help our school contribute to protecting Ireland’s pollinators. We have also arranged to have a visit from a parent who has bee hives and makes natural products using nectar.
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This module was very interesting and has given me lots of ideas for developing a seasonal biodiversity project within our school. I would like this to become a regular part of the school year and be included in our whole-school plan. Pupils could revisit the same outdoor spaces throughout the seasons, observing changes in trees, wildflowers, birds, insects and habitats. We could map the school grounds using GeoHive and identify areas such as hedgerows, trees, flowerbeds, long grass and wild spaces.
Children could use nature journals, biodiversity checklists, observation sheets and identification guides to record their findings. Simple equipment such as magnifying glasses, bug viewers, thermometers and iPads would make these investigations engaging. We could also register the school garden with the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan and introduce projects such as bug hotels, bird boxes and pollinator-friendly planting.
The project would provide excellent cross-curricular opportunities. Science could explore habitats and biodiversity, Maths could involve collecting and comparing data, while English and Art could include nature diaries, poetry, sketching and seasonal displays. Regular outdoor learning would make learning meaningful and encourage children to develop a lasting appreciation of their local environment.
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Hi Dervla,
Welcome to the course and it is great to hear your feedback on this module. It is great that you are considering a seasonal biodiversity project and including it in the whole school plan.
I like the idea of journals for the learners to record their work and using spotters guides. You could also consider asking the older learners to create spotters guides for the younger classes too. Registering with the AllIreland Pollinator plan would also give more meaning to the school garden for the learners.
As you have said there are lots of cross curricular opportunities. Many thanks for sharing, I hope you enjoy the course.
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Using the Boyne Bridge in Drogheda as inspiration, I would plan a class challenge where children work in small groups to design and build their own bridge. I would start by looking at photos of the bridge and discussing what it is used for, how it is built and what features they notice. If possible, I would bring the children to see the bridge or explore it virtually so they can get a better idea of its structure.
The children would then be given a challenge to design a bridge that can cross a certain distance and hold a specific weight. They could first draw and label their ideas before choosing materials such as lollypop sticks, cardboard, paper, string and other materials.
Maths could be included naturally throughout the activity. Children could measure the length and height of their bridges, estimate distances, explore shapes, angles and symmetry, and compare their measurements. Depending on the class level, my 6th class pupils would be able to also look at scale, perimeter and area.
Finally, the children could test their bridges, record how much weight they held and talk about what worked well and what they would change.
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I would run a seasonal biodiversity project, noting how biodiversity changes throughout the seasons, using the local park as an outdoor classroom. The students will observe and record seasonal changes through notes, sketches and taking pictures.
Once a week, the class would visit the local park, identifying trees, leaves and insects.
The identification books and keys and magnifying glasses provided from this module would be crucial, as students identify the different types of plants, trees and wildlife seen throughout the park. The class iPads could also be used to take pictures of observations. All notes, sketches and photographs would be recorded and placed into a Biodiversity Booklet, which the students will be creating at the end of the project, where the students document wildlife seen, how often it was seen, weather conditions when seen and some fun facts regarding the species, as well as a picture and a sketch. -
Register your garden with the All Ireland Pollinator Plan and record your actions for pollinators, then outline how you would register your school and what actions you could take to help pollinators: I’d register my garden on the Actions for Pollinators website . Sign up for a free account, zoom in and draw around the garden, then log the actual things I’ve done already, such as cutting the grass less often so flowers can grow (No Mow May at home), planting stuff that bees actually like and that flowers across the seasons, leaving a bit of bare soil or sticking up a simple bee hotel, and not spraying with pesticides.
I’d do the exact same for the school. Map the school grounds on the same site and record the actions there. Leave some of the grass longer (especially over summer with Pitches for Pollinators), plant a small wildflower patch or border, put in a few more bug hotels or log piles, stop spraying herbicides, and get the students involved using the Junior Pollinator Plan resources. -
Using the identification tools from this module, I would explore the biodiversity around my local area and record some of the species I find using the National Biodiversity Data Centre. I could begin by investigating familiar habitats such as the school grounds, local park or hedgerows. Using the Biodiversity Data Centre’s online resources and identification guides, I could identify plants such as dandelions, daisies and clover, as well as insects such as bees, butterflies and ladybirds. I would record observations, take photographs and note where and when each species was found.
I would then introduce citizen science to my class by explaining that ordinary people can help scientists by collecting and sharing information about the natural world. The children could work in small groups to explore the school grounds and identify different plants, insects and birds. They could use simple identification guides or suitable digital tools to support their investigations.
Each group could record their findings, including the species, location and date, and contribute suitable observations to the National Biodiversity Data Centre. We could display our results in the classroom and create simple charts showing the different species discovered. This would develop observation, digital literacy, teamwork and scientific skills while helping pupils appreciate and protect local biodiversity.
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Registering a garden with the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan is a great way to encourage biodiversity and provide bees and other insects with food, shelter and suitable habitats. To register oyr school, I would access the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan website and fill in the registration details, outlining the school’s grounds and the steps being taken to support pollinators. I would encourage pupils to get involved so they can learn about the role pollinators play in our environment.
We can make a positive difference through a range of simple changes. For example, we could plant native flowers and herbs, create wildflower areas, leave some grass uncut and avoid unnecessary pesticides. Bug hotels and other small habitats could also provide shelter for insects. Children could help maintain planting areas and keep a record of the different bees, butterflies and other pollinators they see. Information signs could also be placed around the school to encourage staff, pupils and families to protect pollinators and biodiversity.
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I really like your idea of getting the whole school involved in supporting pollinators. I think registering the school with the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan would be a great starting point, as it would give the children a real sense of purpose and show them that even small changes can make a difference. I especially like the idea of leaving some areas of grass uncut and creating wildflower spaces, as these would be easy changes to make around the school grounds. Building bug hotels could also be a fun hands-on activity that the children could get involved in. Keeping a record of the different bees, butterflies and insects they spot would be a great way to link this with Science and Maths. I also think the information signs are a lovely idea, as they could help spread awareness beyond the classroom. It would be great to see the children taking ownership of the project and helping to make the school grounds more pollinator-friendly.
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I would make the biodiversity project something the children can build on throughout the year, rather than doing it as a once-off activity. We could pick a small area in the school grounds and visit it regularly to see what changes. The children could use the course resources, such as wildlife identification guides, biodiversity checklists and seasonal recording sheets, to keep track of what they find. They could record the type and number of species, weather conditions and any noticeable changes.
I would try to get outside at least once or twice a month, with more frequent visits when the seasons are changing. The children could take photos or make sketches to add to a class biodiversity journal. There would also be lots of opportunities to link the project with other subjects. Maths could be used for counting and creating graphs, while Art could involve drawing plants and animals. In English, children could write observations, stories or poems based on what they see. This would make the project practical, enjoyable and meaningful.
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Seasonal Biodiversity Project
I would use our school garden as the basis for a seasonal biodiversity project running throughout the school year. The aim would be for the children to observe, record and investigate how the plants, animals and conditions within the garden change across the seasons. A key concept introduced in this module is phenology, the timing of seasonal events in nature, which would provide a useful focus for the project and an important addition to our STEM vocabulary.
I would bring the children outdoors approximately once a month to make consistent observations. Each observation would be recorded so that the children could compare changes across the year. They could record what is growing, what stage the plants are at and what they look like. They could also record the weather conditions on the day, perhaps through a drawing, and investigate the condition of the soil by considering its dampness, temperature and texture. The children could also record any insects or birds they observe and where they are found.
The recording sheet could therefore provide a consistent structure while still allowing children to demonstrate their observations in different ways. Photographs, drawings, words. clay and simple data could all be used. I feel this is particularly important in a primary classroom as children should have different ways to demonstrate their learning rather than being reliant solely on written recording.
The project would also build directly on the mapping work from Module 2. Children could map where particular plants, insects or birds are found within the garden and create layers showing different observations. This would be particularly useful for visual learners as it would allow them to see their learning represented spatially. Over time, the maps could also provide a visual record of how the biodiversity of the garden changes throughout the seasons. The children could begin to ask questions such as “Why are they in this specific spot?” and compare the conditions in that location with other areas of the garden as well as looking at if the ‘spot’ changes with the season and investigate why that may be.
Identification resources from the module could support these observations. The children could use iPads and apps such as Seek and PictureThis, while also checking identifications against other sources such as Wild Flowers of Ireland by Zoe Devlin. This would provide an opportunity to reinforce the importance of checking information rather than accepting an identification simply because it has been provided by an app. The repetition of observing and identifying the same types of plants or birds throughout the year should also help to build children’s knowledge and recognition.
Once the school garden is established, children could try to identify one bird/insect each month and record their observations. Over time, they could consider when particular birds/insects are present and when they are not, and begin to investigate the conditions or resources they might require. This could develop into a more focused investigation of a particular bird or insect based on the children’s own observations and questions.
The project would provide opportunities to integrate other subject areas. Literacy could be developed through the children’s STEM notebooks, including their own dictionary of new vocabulary such as phenology, as well as through recording observations and researching species. Mathematics could be incorporated through recording and comparing observations and representing information through charts or graphs. Technology would be used through iPads, identification tools and digital recording, while mapping would provide a strong geographical element. Music could also be incorporated through the creation of a soundtrack or score inspired by the sounds of the birds and the school garden, such as wind, rain and birdsong.
The project would also allow the children to consider how seasonal conditions may affect what grows and the biodiversity they observe. They could reflect on unusual conditions, such as hotter summers or wetter winters, and consider whether these appear to have influenced what is growing or the amount that grows. Rather than simply giving children the answers, these observations could provide opportunities for them to generate their own questions and investigate the reasons behind the patterns they notice.
By returning to the garden regularly, the children would build a record of change rather than experiencing biodiversity as a single outdoor lesson. The project would move from observation and recording, to comparison and questioning, and potentially to more focused investigation. Combining written records, drawings, photographs, maps and data would allow children to demonstrate their learning in different ways while developing their understanding of the living environment around them.-
What a very detailed plan of action here, Sarah. I love how you have a plan to bring the class out and look at the changes each month. I also agree with your take that not everything should be solely recorded on paper and that you can use anything from photos, to clay to drawings to keep track of changes. If such a project could be maintained by even 1 specific class e.g. every 3<sup>rd</sup> class each school year, what a wonderful timeline of information would be recorded.
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<span style=”font-weight: 400;”>Outline how you would use some of the course resources to conduct a seasonal biodiversity project to run throughout the school year. What resources and recording sheets would you need? How often would you bring learning outdoors? How would you integrate other subject areas?</span>
<span style=”font-weight: 400;”>I would sign my class up for the Citizen Science Portal and I would focus on recording plant and animal life in the local area with a focus on the different seasons and the variety of plant and animal life that can be seen in each season. I would use one of the school iPads to download the app and as often as we could manage, go on nature walks with it, but also with some of the bird and butterfly and plant checklists and information sheets referenced in this module. I would incorporate Maths by getting the children to collect data and display it in different forms, pie charts, bar charts etc. I would integrate Art in so many different ways. The children can create 3D constructions using natural materials, only once they’ve been identified for the portal. I would maybe focus on the lifecycle of the butterfly and try to find some caterpillars and chrysalises to monitor and watch in spring and summer. </span>
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Hi Louise,
This sounds like a really engaging seasonal biodiversity project, and I like how you would focus on recording plant and animal life across the different seasons. The methods you have listed would give pupils a good range of tools to support their outdoor observations.
The seasonal nature walks would help children notice how biodiversity changes throughout the year, and the Maths link is very strong. Collecting data and representing it through bar charts, pie charts or pictograms would show pupils how Maths can be used to make sense of real observations.
I also really like the creative possibilities you have included, especially using natural materials for 3D constructions and exploring the lifecycle of the butterfly in spring and summer. Monitoring caterpillars and chrysalises would be a lovely way to build curiosity and encourage careful observation over time. Hope you enjoy the rest of the course.
Just a small note: it looks like some formatting code copied into your post. It can help to paste as plain text by right clicking in the text box.
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I would like to develop a seasonal biodiversity project throughout the school year, using our school grounds as an outdoor classroom. In my Autism Class, I would keep the activities practical, sensory and adaptable to the different needs and abilities of the children. I would use resources such as the Wildflower Walk, Tree Identification and Minibeast Safari recording sheets, along with simple identification guides. Children could use iPads to take photographs and record what they find, with visuals and symbols used where appropriate.
I would aim to bring learning outdoors at least once or twice a month, revisiting the same areas so the children can observe changes across the seasons. We could record the plants, insects and birds we see, as well as weather and seasonal changes. This could link with Maths through counting and simple graphs, English through discussion and nature journals, Art through drawing and photography, and Geography through creating maps of the school grounds. I would also love to develop this further through our STEM Club, giving children more opportunities to collect and compare biodiversity data throughout the year.
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Hi Ciara,
This sounds like a really thoughtful and inclusive seasonal biodiversity project. I really like how you would use the school grounds as an outdoor classroom while keeping the activities practical, sensory and adaptable for the needs of your Autism Class.
The use of Wildflower Walk, Tree Identification and Minibeast Safari recording sheets would give pupils a clear structure, while iPads, photographs, visuals and symbols would support different ways of observing and recording. Revisiting the same areas once or twice a month is a great idea, as it would help pupils notice seasonal changes in a familiar and predictable setting.
Your cross-curricular links are very strong too. Developing the project through STEM Club would be a lovely extension, giving pupils more time to collect, compare and share biodiversity data across the year, as well as a lovely opportunity for peer-to-peer learning.
Thanks for sharing, and hope you enjoy the course!
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I would register my garden with the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan by visiting the Pollinators website and pledging my garden. I would record the actions I take to help pollinators, such as mowing less, planting pollinator-friendly flowers, avoiding pesticides, protecting hedges and leaving areas of bare soil for nesting. I could also record sightings of bees, butterflies and other pollinators.
To register my school, I would use the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan resources and involve students and teachers. First, we could survey the school grounds and identify areas that could support pollinators. We could create wildflower areas, plant native flowers, reduce mowing, protect trees and hedgerows, avoid pesticides and provide nesting habitats. We could also create signs and information boards to educate students about pollinators. Students could regularly observe and record different pollinators they find in the school grounds. These actions would make the school more environmentally friendly and provide valuable habitats for pollinators.-
I really like the idea of getting the children involved in recording the pollinators they find. I think this would make the learning much more meaningful and help them recognise the wildlife right around them. The signs and information boards are a great idea too, as they could get the whole school thinking about how we can support pollinators.
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I would run a seasonal biodiversity project with my 3rd class throughout the school year. The children would go outdoors once or twice a month to observe plants, trees, insects and birds in the school grounds. They could use simple recording sheets and nature journals to draw what they see and record the weather.
I would use resources from the National Biodiversity Data Centre to help the children identify different plants and animals. We could also use simple identification guides and photographs.
The project could link with many subjects. In Science, we could learn about habitats, plants and animals. In Maths, the children could count the different species they find and create simple graphs. In English, they could write short reports about their findings. In Art, they could draw flowers, leaves and insects.
By visiting the same areas during each season, the children could see how nature changes throughout the year. This would make learning practical and help them develop a greater interest in their local environment
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Registering the school with the All Ireland Pollinator Plan on the National Biodiversity Data Centre Online Portal is the first step towards protecting our pollinators. I think first and foremost it is very important for the children to appreciate why an action plan to protect pollinators is being undertaken. Why do we need to protect them? Let’s learn about their important role. The children could complete some groupwork and projects on Bee/Dandelions, etc. and present them to peers and/or on a whole school basis. We could invite in guest speakers with specialized experience and knowledge to ignite further interest as we as a whole school community begin to identify and care for our local pollinators.
Establishing a pollinator team to drive our action plan is essential, although I am mindful to ensure these roles of responsibility do no limit or restrict other children in their involvement. Ensuring the children selected on the team identify as communicators for their class is essential. Our team members could include parents and our caretaker too as the children learn that good communication with adults in charge of school maintenance is central to this project as we look at for example mowing lawns less frequently and the harmful effects of pesticides.
Creating a map of the school grounds and identifying existing areas and areas we could develop to help pollinators is a priority. The actual creating of the map could be a task for the senior classes but it is essential that each class contributes their concerns and ideas. This map will be a work in progress, a baseline for tracking change over time and for planning for improvements.
Some elements of our action plan include but are not limited to:
Children creating and placing signs in areas selected for protection,
Monitoring these areas closely and recording what they observe,
Identifying areas of grass which could be less frequently mown,
“No Mow May” initiative,
Restrict the use of pesticides,
Plant seeds collected from local wild flower populations and lant native wild flowering trees and pollinator friendly bulbs.
I feel that allocating a time segment for our action plan to protect pollinators at our monthly whole school is essential. The children on the “team” could collect input from their classes to share at this gathering and it would be a great way to monitor progress.
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I love your ideas Amy, I agree that registering the school with the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan is an excellent first step. I like the idea of inviting guest speakers, as their knowlege and enthusiasm would help the children understand the area more. I love the idea of a pollinator team, it would be useful to help organise activities, while making sure all pupils have opportunities to contribute.
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I would use a variety of the course resources to carry out a seasonal biodiversity project throughout the school year. At the beginning of each season I would bring the class out for a nature walk. The children would use the same template of a record sheet to record what they observe on their walk, such as what flowers they see and what colours are the trees. The children could use resources such as magnifying glasses, bug viewers or tablets with identification guides. Time could be spent at the end of the school year to compare the found information and children could work in groups to observe the changes seen and discuss possible reasons for the changes.
I would aim to bring the learning outdoors at least once a month. By repeating the same activities at the start of every season pupils are able to observe changes in the local flora and fauna. The project could also be developed across different subject areas. For example, visual art could be incorporated through nature drawings and literacy through report writing.
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Outline how you would use some of the course resources to conduct a seasonal biodiversity project to run throughout the school year. What resources and recording sheets would you need? How often would you bring learning outdoors? How would you integrate other subject areas?
Our school is very lucky to have the Abbeyleix Bog on our doorstep, I would use the bog as our main environmental resource for a biodiversity project throughout our school year. I would bring the children out along the boardwalk each season to observe how the plants, insects and birds change throughout the year. I would encourage the children to look for plants such as heather, bog cotton, sundew and gorse, insects such as butterflies, bees and all types of birds. I would use resources mentioned in this module from the Wild Connections Project at Birr Castle Demesne, the National Biodiversity Data Centre and the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan. I would encourage the children to use identification books, simple identification keys like the beautiful resource from carlowsports,ie, magnifying glasses and tablets or cameras. The bog also has a fabulous interactive resource on the entering the amentiy that students could also avail of. For each visit, students could complete a seasonal recording sheet including the date, weather, species observed, amount seen and a drawing or photograph. We could also use pollinator and weather recording sheets and compare our results between seasons. The project could link with Maths through counting and graphs, English through writng observations, Art through nature drawings, Science and Geography through learning about habitats, seasons and biodiversity.
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An interesting idea to register our garden on the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan. I was not familiar with this prior to the module. I am fortunate to have a somewhat large garden, which is unusual for houses these days. One thing I can do is find and plant some seed bombs in a section of our garden and avoid cutting a section of the grass containing these. Similarly, in a larger area of our school, we could do something like this in our front garden. Our caretaker and principal previously allowed the grass to grow long but had mowed a path through it to make somewhat of a maze. Having the maze made it look purposeful to have long grass growing and not for the space to look like it has been abandoned and uncared for! We can redo something similar now but have seed bombs scattered in the new maze for this year. Then we can register the school and find out what other schools are doing.
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Register your garden with the All Ireland Pollinator Plan and record your actions for pollinators, then outline how you would register your school and what actions you would take to help pollinators:
After registering for the All Ireland Pollinator Plan, I was delighted to see how many actions are already happening in my garden to support pollinators! It was very affirming! There are also areas that we can improve on such as using potentially harmful wildflower seed mixes (which I previously thought were a wonderful garden addition!)
For school:
Firstly, we would register our school grounds on the website. Once this is through, we can then go onto add in our actions.
Pollinators.ie has a wonderful set of resources including a clearly-laid out booklet of lesson plans which each class or year group could follow for the year.
A team like the Green Schools Committee could be set up to create the whole school pollinator plan, with the help of the posters and resources provided.
One simple action would be to reduce mowing – something I’m sure our diligent caretaker would appreciate! This would hugely benefit our pollinators with the growth of natural flowers. We are lucky to have green areas where daisies and dandelions grow freely so maintenance and care of this would be essential.
We have previously planted sunflowers so perhaps we can link with Tidy Towns to plant seeds – we have a wonderful local group that kindly and frequently provide us with pollinator/friendly seeds to plant. This would make it cost effective too! We are also very lucky to have lots of small green spaces that we can capitalise on.
Finally, the children would take it in turns (e.g. by class group?) to check on and record the progress throughout the year. A whole school notice board would be a great way of presenting this through pictures, drawing and written reports!
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I would like to develop a seasonal biodiversity project with my Junior Infants, using our school grounds as an outdoor classroom throughout the year. We could go outside once a week for a short “nature hunt”, using simple picture-based recording sheets to help the children notice changes in plants, trees, insects, birds and the weather. We could take photographs and add these to a class biodiversity journal so that we can look back and compare the different seasons.
I would keep the activities very hands-on and manageable for young children. In Maths, we could count and sort what we find and make simple graphs. In English, the children could learn new vocabulary, talk about their discoveries and create simple nature sentences. Art could involve observational drawings, while SESE could focus on seasonal change, habitats and living things. I think the repetition of returning to the same outdoor spaces throughout the year would be particularly valuable, as the children would begin to notice changes for themselves.
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