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These are great ideas about creating a food pyramid or tasting sessions. Hands on learning will really help children remember and appreciate the knowledge and experiences from this topic.
In our school, we think carefully about how our everyday choices can make a difference for the environment. We try to live more sustainably by saving water, reducing energy use, and cutting down on food waste. To conserve water, we make sure taps are turned off properly and we use rainwater butts to collect rain. This stored rainwater is then used to water the flowers around the school and to keep our school garden growing strong. This means we don’t have to rely on fresh tap water as much.
We also focus on creating healthy soil. All of our fruit peels, vegetable scraps, and garden clippings are put into our compost bins. Over time, this turns into rich compost which we use to feed the plants in our garden. Sometimes we also collect seaweed, which adds even more nutrients to the soil. In the classrooms, we start by planting seeds in small pots or trays. We look after them carefully until they are strong enough to be moved outside into the garden. There, we water, weed, and care for them as they grow. When harvest time comes, we pick the vegetables and herbs, and sometimes we even use them in the school kitchen for cooking.
Irish seafood is a valuable part of our national food heritage and an excellent source of nutrition. Rich in protein, vitamins, minerals, and essential omega-3 fatty acids, seafood supports brain function, heart health, and overall wellbeing. For growing children, the nutrients found in fish such as salmon, mackerel, cod, and shellfish are especially important for concentration, energy, and healthy development. Reflecting on its classroom potential, seafood can serve not only as a topic in health and nutrition education but also as a springboard for interdisciplinary learning. Teaching children about the nutritional benefits of Irish seafood encourages them to think critically about food choices, sustainability, and the link between diet and performance. In particular, students at 6th class level are beginning to make more independent decisions about what they eat and are often interested in sports, performance, and wellbeing. Framing the study of seafood nutrition through a project-based approach makes it meaningful and relevant.
Each year I get my class to create a meal plan for an athlete (e.g., a runner, swimmer, or the school’s Gaelic football team) that includes Irish seafood dishes. They must explain how each meal contributes to performance—for example, salmon for omega-3s to aid recovery, mussels for iron to reduce fatigue, or cod for lean protein to build muscle.
I can incorporate inquiry-based learning and real-world problem-solving into my teaching in ways that align closely with the STEM Education Policy Statement. For example, using the biodiversity modules, students could investigate local coastal habitats in Co. Clare, observing and recording plant and animal species, analysing data, and making connections between science, geography, and mathematics. Mapping and data-collection activities can be linked to coastal surveys, allowing pupils to develop digital literacy while interpreting real-world information about shoreline features, erosion, and human impact. Engineering design tasks could involve designing small-scale sustainable structures or solutions to protect local habitats, encouraging creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving skills.
Additionally, students could engage with the local community in North Clare by conducting interviews to learn about how aquaculture has supported the economy, local employment, and environmental sustainability. This provides opportunities to develop communication, research, and data-interpretation skills while connecting STEM learning to real-world impacts.
At a whole-school level, these coastal- and community-based projects can feed into the SSE process by providing concrete evidence of STEM engagement, cross-curricular integration, and development of key skills such as teamwork, critical thinking, and environmental stewardship. We could track participation, outcomes, and pupil reflections from these outdoor, classroom, and community-based activities to inform school-wide goals, such as enhancing outdoor STEM learning, embedding sustainability, and increasing digital and scientific literacy. By embedding these ARC-inspired, location-specific activities, STEM education becomes a meaningful, hands-on part of teaching and learning at our school, reflecting both the SSE framework and national STEM policy priorities.
It is so evident that the industry has provided a means for communities to remain alive, schools to stay open and young people build a life in the West of Ireland when so many others have had to leave over the years.
Aquaculture is now a familiar feature along Ireland’s Atlantic seaboard, and the coast of Clare is a strong example of how such activity supports muintir na háite. The location of fish and shellfish farms is guided by sláinte an fharraige – they are placed in sheltered bays and estuaries where tides are strong, waters are clean, and marine life can thrive. In Clare, areas along the Shannon Estuary and the rugged Atlantic coastline provide ideal conditions for mussels, oysters, and salmon.
For coastal communities, aquaculture offers genuine socio-economic value. In a county where farming and fishing have long shaped everyday life, aquaculture provides an additional and steady source of income. Small, family-run farms along the Clare coast provide direct employment on the water, while also supporting jobs in processing, transport, and local markets. The growth of oyster farming has also linked naturally with tourism, as visitors are keen to sample fresh seafood and experience the story of coastal food culture along the Wild Atlantic Way.
Beyond employment, aquaculture reinforces community identity. It connects modern enterprise with traidisiúin mharathat stretch back generations. By anchoring jobs locally and promoting sustainable food production, aquaculture helps ensure that coastal communities remain vibrant, resilient, and proud of their deep bond with the Atlantic.
Great suggestions to bring them on a field trip to further develop their learning on this. The Burren Smokehouse is a incredible success story in North Clare.
It is great how these topics can inspire children to look and appreciate what is on their doorstep in a whole new light and perhaps even consider a path in this direction.
I consider BIM’s ARC project an excellent teaching resource and I’m especially excited by how they showcase aquaculture in Ireland—particularly oysters, which are close to my heart as I grew up on the coast of North Clare. What I love most is how the ARC literally brings the sea to the classroom through a fun, immersive experience—group tasks, problem-solving and virtual field trips—so children build real understanding before they ever set foot on a pier. Then, when they visit the coast, they can recognise farm structures, talk confidently about how oysters and other seafood are grown, and appreciate the sustainable, innovative industry on their doorstep that supports local communities.
I love the idea of focusing on you local history and even letting the children take a journey of discovery to educate their parents and friends about the rich heritage in their area that may be forgotten.
For a creative project based around our local natural and scientific heritage, I would design a cross-curricular drama and creative writing project for 5th and 6th class pupils, focused on the River Shannon as it flows through the University of Limerick and the surrounding historic area.
We would begin with a walking tour along the riverbanks, observing the Living Bridge, the Plassey House, and the old mill buildings nearby. Pupils would keep a nature journal, recording sights, sounds, and emotions as they walk along the water’s edge, noticing wildlife like swans, herons, ducks, and the rustling of leaves in the canopy above.
Back in class, pupils would use their notes to develop monologues or short plays, imagining the voices of people from the past — a mill worker, a boatman, a university student, or even the River Shannon itself. These would explore themes like change over time, nature, memory, and science.
In art class, they could create mixed-media collages of the river landscape, and in music, we might compose soundscapes using natural sounds and simple instruments to capture the feel of the river.
This project would deepen their appreciation of Limerick’s heritage while developing creative expression and storytelling skills rooted in a real, local setting.
