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God you’re right – Sligo is absolutely stunning Catherina! I was there for a short break about 2 years ago and couldn’t get over how spotlessly clean the towns were. What a beautiful part of the country to call home – lucky you!
Living in west Waterford, I see examples of sustainability in everyday life. Being a coastal community, there is a strong appreciation for protecting the sea and surrounding environment. Local beach clean-ups, responsible fishing and shellfish farming, and the growing move towards renewable offshore energy all show how people are working to care for the area while supporting local livelihoods. There is also a real sense of pride in preserving our natural surroundings for future generations.
Although I teach in an inland school, I think there are plenty of ways to help pupils explore sustainability in a way that connects with their own lives. We could research and explore our local woodland and river environments, looking at how they support wildlife and why clean water is so important. Our local Tidy Towns Committee already works closely with the school on community projects, including painting and decorating a wall on the school grounds and helping to develop our school garden. Building on these partnerships, pupils could also carry out litter surveys, investigate biodiversity around the school, and create campaigns to encourage recycling and reducing waste. I think experiences like these help children see that sustainability begins in their own community and that even small actions can make a real difference and can become a great sense of pride.
I really like the idea of the children designing a weekly dinner menu focusing on seafood. It’d be a great paired or group activity.
Growing up by the sea, fish was a regular part of our diet and we often ate it several times a week. At the time, I never really thought about the health benefits—it was simply normal for our family. Looking back now, I have a greater appreciation of how rich seafood is in protein, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins and minerals that support growth, brain development and overall wellbeing.
As a teacher, I think this topic could be explored in a practical and engaging way. It would fit well with SPHE, Science, IT skills, Maths, etc by looking at balanced diets, food labels and healthy eating. Children could research and compare the nutritional value of different foods, create healthy lunch ideas or investigate where seafood comes from and how it reaches our plates. Although my school isn’t actually on the coast, there is a local culture of angling so fishermen in the local river are a common sight and therefore inviting a local fisherman in to speak to the children should be feasible and engaging.
Being an island, seafood is obviously an important part of Ireland’s food culture. This course has so far encouraged me to make stronger links between healthy lifestyles, sustainable food production and the local environment so that learning feels relevant to the children.
Your idea for an ‘Overfishing Simulator’ is brilliant Deirdre! What a great way to engage older children and to integrate subject areas.
Exploring the ARC online lessons has given me lots of practical ideas that I could use in my own classroom. I liked that many of the activities encourage children to ask questions, engage in critical thinking, investigate real-life issues and work together to solve problems instead of simply learning facts. I think this approach would really engage primary pupils and help them develop curiosity about the world around them.
The lessons also fit well with the aims of the STEM Education Policy Statement by encouraging critical thinking, teamwork and hands-on learning across diffrent subject areas. Even though I teach in an inland school, many of the activities could be adapted by using the nearby river and woodland as a starting point for investigations into water quality, habitats and biodiversity.
From a whole-school perspective, I can see how these resources could support our School Self-Evaluation process by encouraging teachers to include more inquiry-based STEM activities across the curriculum. Sharing ideas and resources between staff would help build confidence and create more opportunities for children to develop problem-solving skills while learning about issues that are relevant to their own community.
Hi Catherina, I like the point you make about farm to fork produce. We’ve such amazing food in this country, it’s just a pity that imported and / or inferior quality items are often cheaper.
To be honest, before this, I never really stopped to think about why aquaculture farms are found in certain parts of coastal Ireland and not others. I knew they needed the sea obviously, but I didn’t appreciate how important sheltered bays, clean water and suitable environmental conditions are for producing healthy seafood.
Growing up on the coast, oyster farms and fishing boats were simply part of the landscape for me. Seeing them every day, it was easy to take them for granted. This module made me realise just how much they contribute to coastal communities. They provide employment, support local businesses and help keep many smaller coastal areas economically active throughout the year. It also reminded me that aquaculture is often a family tradition, with knowledge and skills being passed from one generation to the next.
As someone teaching in an inland school, I think it’s important that children understand these connections. Many of my pupils are familiar with the River Blackwater but have little experience of the coast. Comparing the two environments would help them see how healthy waterways, whether rivers or the sea, support wildlife, food production and the communities that depend on them.
Getting speakers / educators in from the ARC is a great idea, or even just local fishermen – I don’t know why I didn’t think of that!
Having grown up by the sea, fishing for crab and mackerel, I have seen first-hand how important healthy marine ecosystems are. There is also a large oyster farm in my local area, which provides a real-life example of sustainable aquaculture and its role in the local economy. Although the school where I teach is inland, our pupils have a strong connection to water through a large river, which flows through the village. The recent fish loss in this river provides a meaningful way to discuss water quality, biodiversity, pollution and the shared responsibility we all have in protecting our natural environment.
Learning about aquaculture and social licence has given me a better understanding of how these topics could be used in the classroom. Before this module, I didn’t really think much about aquaculture beyond fish farming. I now realise there is a lot more to it, including how it supports local jobs, food production and the environment. I also learned that social licence is about making sure local communities are listened to and involved when decisions are made.
I would use this topic as part of SESE through inquiry-based learning. Middle and older children could investigate where seafood comes from, compare wild fishing and aquaculture, map local waterways, etc and it could also be linked with literacy, art, STEM and sensory-based activities for younger pupils.
I really like the idea of having a variety of lamps and torches at school for the children to play and explore with – simple, engaging and effective!
Detail how light pollution is impacting your local area and how you would engage your learners to explore this:
Living in the south-east, I’ve definitely become more aware of light pollution over the last few years. Although I’m lucky to live in a fairly rural area where we can still see a good number of stars on a clear night, there has been a noticeable increase in artificial light. One example is the floodlights from our local GAA pitch and walking track. They are fantastic facilities for the community, but they do make a big difference to how dark the night sky is when they’re in use. It has made me think about how easily we can lose sight of the stars without even realising it.
I think this topic would really capture children’s interest because most of them have noticed the moon or a bright star at some stage, even if they haven’t thought much about the night sky before. I’d start by getting the class talking about what they can see from their own homes at night and whether everyone sees the same number of stars. We could use dark sky maps, compare photographs of different locations and carry out a simple survey of the lights around our school and local area.
I’d also love to involve families by encouraging the children to spend a few minutes outside one evening looking at the sky and recording what they can see. Back in school, we could compare our observations, create simple graphs and discuss why some places are darker than others. We could also learn about nocturnal animals and how too much artificial light affects their habitats and behaviour.
This module has really made me appreciate the value of dark skies. Before completing it, I hadn’t fully considered how much artificial lighting can affect wildlife, energy use and even our enjoyment of the night sky. It’s something I’ll definitely bring into my teaching, as I think it’s a simple but meaningful way to help children become more aware of the world around them and the small changes we can all make to protect it.
Oh I didn’t even think about integrating it with the Nativity – it seems so obvious now! I love your idea to link it to Aboriginal Sky Star art too, that’s something I could see the kids really embracing.
2. Consider how many Songs / Poems /Art can you think of to connect us with the Night Sky?
I would begin by reading an extract from President Michael D. Higgins’ poem Stardust, which reminds us that we are all connected to the universe. We could then explore other examples before creating our own artwork or simple poems about the night sky. Bringing together poetry, music, art and science helps make learning more meaningful and integrated. It encourages children to look up, ask questions and develop a sense of wonder about the universe while expressing their own ideas creatively.
Depending on the class and ability levels of the pupils, some resources I could use include:
Stardust – Michael D. Higgins
Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star
Mr Moon
Hey Diddle Diddle
Star Light, Star Bright
The Owl and the Pussy-Cat – Edward Lear
The Starry Night – Vincent van Gogh
Moon and Stars collage artI could also incorporate the following classroom art activities:
Northern Lights silhouette paintings
Constellation dot-to-dot or chalk pastel night sky art