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Hi Dolores
Thank you for your response to module 1!
I’m really happy that you found the mix of aquaculture and social license a useful way to get students thinking about big topics like sustainability and community values. You’re correct, using digital tools like role-plays and videos really helps bring the subject to life. It’s great that students can look at real-world problems and think about different sides of the story. That method of learning can really imprint on them!
Aquaculture is such an important industry, especially for an island like ours. Helping students understand how seafood is produced, and why community support matters, can spark great conversations both in class and at home.
Bláthnaid
Hi Lisa,
Great to see you noted the additional jobs provided by aquaculture farms, beyond the site itself (factories, hospitality, couriers), providing additional opportunities in rural areas. A sector you mentioned which is often overlooked is tourism, aquaculture farms such as Kelly’s Oysters & Mungo Murphy’s Seaweed Co. provide amazing tours and tasting sessions in Co. Galway. Quite often the rural locations of these farms make them an attractive tourist destination, restaurants around the Island and abroad benefit from these sites.
Bláthnaid
Hi Lisa,
Great to see you noted the additional jobs provided by aquaculture farms, beyond the site itself (factories, hospitality, couriers), providing additional opportunities in rural areas. A sector you mentioned which is often overlooked is tourism, aquaculture farms such as Kelly’s Oysters & Mungo Murphy’s Seaweed Co. provide amazing tours and tasting sessions in Co. Galway. Quite often the rural locations of these farms make them an attractive tourist destination, restaurants around the Island and abroad benefit from these sites.
Bláthnaid
Hi Lisa,
Thank you for your reflective piece on module 4!
Omega 3 is a brilliant nutrient available in salmon, mackerel and sardines. Shellfish is a fantastic source of iron, and lastly seaweed is packed with iodine. As an island nation, we should be promoting the nutrients and minerals readily available in seafood.
As you mentioned, there exists a link between seafood, geography and sustainability, teaching students about the nutritional value of seafood can be a good introduction to other topics. As you said, there is hesitation in young people tasting shellfish, by encouraging them through nutrition based topics and activities, they may become braver!
Bláthnaid
Hi Caoimhe,
As Cliodhna also mentioned above, I think its brilliant that you recognised the link between students and their cultural heritage while learning about the nutrition of seafood. Intertwining the two are a brilliant approach to cross-curricular learning. As an island nation, Ireland has a rich history with using the sea to survive.
Engaging the class with the nutrition of seafood can be extremely beneficial, as you said encouraging healthier choices but also on a larger scale creating environmental awareness. Activities such as the meal plans you mentioned and even small-scale cooking demos if possible, are exciting ways to bring this topic to life!
Bláthnaid
Hi Caoimhe,
Great response to module 1!
I think you made some strong points around the value of integrating the topic of Aquaculture to your classroom, terming it a ‘gateway’ is brilliant. It links the students to topics like sustainability, environmental stewardship and community awareness.
Activities like debates & simulations are a great way to strengthen young people’s awareness of social license, learning the value of trust between organisations and communities. Other activities may include inviting a speaker from local governing agencies to the school or creating artistic classroom displays using aquaculture as a theme.
Introducing aquaculture in the classroom allows students to engage with a topic they may not have heard of, exploring new pathways for future studies.
Hi Mark,
Thank you for responding to module 5.
I found your response extremely interesting, learning about the work of Bord na Móna and their transition towards more sustainable practices. Inviting a guest speaker from this group could be a brilliant way of connecting the students further with their local community.
Kildare is a great location with multiple organisations promoting sustainability and biodiversity (Bird Watch Ireland hosts events in the Naas Library with fantastic guest speakers regularly). Other groups are also doing fantastic work on restoring the River Liffey which might be interesting to unpack with the class. Other simplistic activities for promoting sustainability can be centered around the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s), using recycled arts and crafts material.
Bláthnaid
Hi Kathleen
It’s fantastic to hear that your local area engages with promoting sustainability through the community hub and the tidy towns committee. I also love the concept of a community garden which also supports a circular economy and growing/buying produce locally!
Having nearby beaches is a great advantage for your school in promoting sustainability at sea, overcoming issues like beach litter through litter picking & beach cleans. Using online resources such as the ‘Explore your Shore’ programme is a great way of involving the students in citizen science and educating them on their local biodiversity.
Bláthnaid
Hi Kathleen,
Thank you for your response to module 2.
You made the valid point that aquaculture farms are extremely valuable to remote areas, such as Mulroy Bay Donegal. A fantastic example of a rural, rugged area which is limited in terms of infrastructure and agricultural space, where multiple aquaculture farms are thriving (including a seaweed farm). Aquaculture provides job opportunities both directly (on-site) and in-directly (further along the chain i.e. hospitality staff serving farmed seafood). Connecting these remote locations to a wider network of industry and opportunities.
Bláthnaid
Hi Niamh,
Thank you for your response to Module 4!
It’s great that you are open to seafood as a classroom topic, there are so many brilliant ways to introduce this topic to your students, I especially liked the “superfoods for superheroes” art project, another activity is creating a comic strip/story board linked to the salmon of knowledge story; this can then be used to touch on the nutritional value of salmon/fish.
Simple cooking demos are a brilliant idea! trying something new like oysters & mussels would certainly excite the students. Cooking demos will also give your school a chance to explore seafood labels; understanding different labels and understanding where/how the food is sourced can link to nutrition and sustainability.
Bláthnaid
Hi Niamh,
Thank you for your reflective piece!
You made some strong points, especially that educating students on the social license concept helps them understand the wider connection between the public’s trust and different organisations; how to make responsible, respectful decisions.
It’s brilliant that you mentioned our animated graphics aimed at younger students & the Young Chef Ambassador project which supports an older age group. The ARC (Aquaculture Remote Classroom) aims to promote seafood and aquaculture around Ireland, and as you said; to encourage people to give seafood a chance! Using structured & engaging content can help us achieve this goal.
Bláthnaid
Hi Niamh,
Great reflective piece! Kildare is a fantastic region for sustainability initiatives and environmental organisations.
I thought the pollinator friendly gardens was a great idea, this can be a large-scale, long term project or even a small sized corner of the school yard, it works on both levels! Creating posters of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) using recycled material is a great way of introducing this topic to the students.
Sustainability can be linked to the classroom through a variety of activities!
Bláthnaid
Hi Stephen,
Great response to module 4!
Exactly, seafood is a great source of protein, young people are often unaware of the benefits seafood has in their lifestyle. Beyond protein, seafood contains an array of vitamins & minerals supporting the eyes, brain, skin and heart health.
Using graphics such as the food pyramid can explain the necessary steps to achieving a balanced diet, other graphics which can contribute to health conscious decisions are food labels. Explaining the meaning and colors behind different seafood labels (organic/farmed/fished) can be used as a playful ‘homework’ activity, allowing the students to understand the different labels they see in the supermarket.
Bláthnaid
Hi Cathriona,
Thank you for your response to module 3, I am delighted you found the materials and resources beneficial. I find that characters like Professor O Mara (professor of the sea) are great for keeping the younger students engaged on the ARC. Small things like the mussels/muscles reference are fantastic for amusing the students while also keeping them interested in the topic.
The salmon of knowledge is a fantastic story which resonates with students; connecting them to Irish folklore while also linking the content to expanding their knowledge on the nutritional value of seafood. Of course, the quiz is a brilliant activity, small prizes (we use educational species posters) can be very beneficial, positively linking a day on the ARC to their knowledge of seafood & aquaculture.
Bláthnaid
Hi Cathriona,
I’m glad you like the resources introduced in this first module, the content of the ARC is aimed at keeping aquaculture interesting and informative for young people.
I totally agree that seafood is not given the attention it deserves in Ireland! As an island nation, we should be proud of the high quality seafood products produced on our shores. The ARC introduces students to concept of aquaculture, taught in a method they won’t forget (using exciting activities after each lesson). Hopefully encouraging them to give seafood a chance and as you said; discuss it at home.
Bláthnaid