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For this activity, I would plan to start with the gravity tubes as they look like a really fun, hands-on way to introduce the idea of weight on different planets. I’d have the class make an Earth Tube and a Mars Tube, decorating them with drawings, colours and planet facts. While working on them, I’d guide a discussion around how gravity is different depending on the size of the planet. Using the ESERO “How much would you weigh on other celestial bodies?” resource, the children could work out their “weight” on Mars and compare it with Earth — I think they’d get a real kick out of this!
I’d also plan to bring the focus back to Earth by setting up a sundial in the school grounds. The children could observe and record shadow movements during the day and then compare their notes over a week. This would link well with the ESERO Day and Night in the World activity, helping them see how Earth’s rotation causes day and night. I’d also hope to use the ESA One Year on Earth resource later in the year to tie the learning into the seasons.
Even though I haven’t used these resources yet, I think this mix of creative making, outdoor observation and science inquiry would be a great way to engage the students, making big ideas like gravity, day/night and the seasons feel exciting and accessible.
Great post, Clare. It’s really encouraging to hear how your school is making sustainability work within the reality of a rural setting. The connection to local projects like Clean Coasts and the cycle route sounds like a great way to make learning meaningful for pupils.
In Kilrush, there are some great examples of sustainability that we can build on in the classroom. Places like the Vandeleur Walled Garden show how we can protect local plants and support pollinators. The Shannon Dolphin Centre is another brilliant resource—it gets people thinking about how our actions affect marine life and the wider environment. There’s also a good focus on local food with farmers’ markets and small businesses trying to cut down on packaging and waste.
To bring this into the classroom, I’d start by getting pupils to look at what’s happening around them—maybe do a walk around town, or invite someone in to talk about what they do. We could do simple projects like sorting waste, growing herbs, or making posters about local wildlife. It’s a great way to show that small actions make a difference and that sustainability isn’t just something that happens far away—it’s already happening right here.
Lovely post, Katriona. You explained the health benefits of seafood in a really clear and simple way. I really liked your focus on using stories and fun activities to help younger children connect with healthy eating and nature. Great ideas for building awareness from an early age.
Learning about the nutrition in seafood really made me think about how useful this could be in the classroom. Fish like salmon, mussels, and oysters are full of good stuff like protein, vitamin D, iron, and omega-3 – all really important for growing bodies and healthy brains. I didn’t realise just how much of a role seafood can play in a balanced diet.
This ties in really well with SPHE and the food pyramid. You could easily use it during lessons about healthy eating, or even bring it into science when talking about bones, muscles, or how our bodies work. I love the idea of the “Eye Spy in the Supermarket” activity too – a great way to get kids thinking about where their food comes from and how to make healthy choices.
It’s also a nice chance to talk about sustainability and local Irish food, which really adds meaning for the students.
Great post, Catriona. You summed up the strengths of the ARC lessons really well. I especially liked your point about real data and mapping tasks helping to build strong community connections.
The ARC online lessons are a brilliant way to bring real-world STEM into the classroom. The activities are hands-on, cross-curricular, and make topics like sustainability, marine science, and the Irish seafood industry meaningful for students. I really like how the lessons connect STEM to everyday life and Irish communities, especially the “Aquaculture in our Community” and “Careers in the Marine Sector” sections.
Using these resources aligns really well with the STEM Education Policy Statement, especially the focus on creative problem-solving, inquiry-based learning, and connecting STEM to the environment. From an SSE perspective, these lessons could support a whole-school focus on science or STEM. For example, a school might gather evidence on how students use STEM skills in real-life contexts, then implement a plan to increase opportunities like this across classes.
It would also be great to use ARC resources to help set up a school-wide marine project or even work toward a Blue Schools Award.
Great points, Katie. You explained the wider impact on local jobs and businesses really clearly. I also liked how you highlighted sustainability and the long-term benefits for coastal communities. Well said.
Aquaculture in Ireland mostly happens along the west coast, in places like bays, inlets, and fjords where the water is deep and sheltered. The climate there is mild and the sea conditions are just right for farming things like salmon, mussels, and oysters. It’s really about working with nature – using the land and sea in a way that suits them.
What stood out to me is how important these farms are to small coastal communities. In areas where farming the land isn’t really an option, aquaculture creates jobs and supports local families. It’s not just the farming jobs either – there’s work in transport, seafood processing, even tourism.
It also connects well to what we teach in class – geography, climate, science, and how people interact with the environment. I think it’s a great way to show students how where you live can shape what kind of work and life is possible.
You made some really good points about how aquaculture connects with subjects like science, geography, and English. Bringing in careers in marine biology and environmental science adds another layer. I also thought your point about its value for schools that are not near the coast was really important.
Learning about aquaculture and social license really made me think about how these topics could work well in the classroom. Aquaculture is something many children know little about, even though we live on an island and seafood is a big part of life in Ireland. The idea of farming fish, mussels, and oysters in the sea is new and interesting for many students. It links well with science, geography, and SPHE, and there are great hands-on tools like the Aquaculture Remote Classroom (ARC) to bring it to life.
Talking about social license is also really important. It helps children think about how communities can support or challenge what businesses do, and why it’s important to protect the environment. Students can learn to see both sides of an issue and become more aware of the world around them. Overall, this topic is a great way to spark curiosity and deeper thinking in class.
