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Sustainability is practiced in many ways in my local village and town. As I live in a rural area, the local farms participate in sustainability projects including Kepaks sustainability platforms which look at reducing carbon emissions through better grassland management and water recycling. The local public swimming pool recently retrofitted their facility to lower carbon footprints and heating costs. The local village is part of Uisce Éireann’s Small Towns and Villages Growth Programme, which safeguards wastewater compliance and protects the local river environment. The village also has a very active tidy towns committee which hold regular community clean-ups. Along with bottle banks, clothes banks and the deposit return scheme banks, sustainability is highly encouraged in the local area.
In my own school, sustainability is highlighted in various ways. Every year, the Green Schools Committee encourage the pupils to get involved in protecting our environment. They organise a bike week, inviting families to cycle to school, there are battery recycling boxes in some of the classrooms, all wrappers and lunch leftovers are taken home as well as a school garden and vegetable patch.These ideas are inspired by regular sustainability surveys answered by the school pupils.Kayleigh has made a very good point here that small changes can make a big impact on our community’s environment.
I really like this idea of comparing nutritional profiles of different seafood, a great task for the senior classes.
Seafood offers numerous health benefits, providing essential nutrients. For example, shellfish like oysters are an excellent source of easily absorbed iron, comparable to red meat. Omega-3 fatty acids support heart and brain health and reduce inflammation. Vitamin D and calcium are crucial for maintaining healthy bones and teeth. Salmon is a wonderful source of these nutrients.
Engaging activities in subjects like SPHE, Irish, English and Geography can help teach seafood nutrition. In SPHE, pupils can explore and discuss seafood on the food pyramid. In an English and/ or Irish lesson, the pupils could discover unique seafood recipes and create their own. Geography lessons could focus on Irish seafood farming. Infant classes could explore seafood nutrition through imaginative play, creating a seafood restaurant. In Art, pupils could design and create menus, look at the packaging of seafood and try and develop it further, designing their own packaging. The topic of seafood nutrition really can be taught in so many fun and enjoyable ways in the classroom.The ARC online lessons are a valuable classroom resource for exploring aquaculture, its impact on communities and its role in sustainable living. I would use these lessons to engage pupils in critical and creative thinking, analysis, discussion, experimentation, problem-solving and design and making. I would also connect the topic with arts subjects such as music and visual art, helping pupils develop STEM skills in practical and engaging ways.
The theme of aquaculture could also support the SSE process through a whole-school approach. This might involve collaboration across class levels, with senior pupils leading activities for junior classes, teachers planning together, and the school engaging parents and the wider community.I agree that this would link very well with the SESE subjects. There is so much you could explore on the topic of aquaculture in Ireland, and its impact on the community.
Aquaculture farms are located along Ireland’s coastline, in bays, inlets and along the shoreline. This is particularly true in the west but some farms are also found in the east. The cooler summer water and warmer winter water, thanks to the Gulf Stream and North Atlantic drift, make these locations ideal for fishing. Consequently, the placement of fisheries and harbours around Ireland significantly contributes to the economic well-being of coastal communities. Beyond the jobs created in the fisheries, it benefits restaurants, coffee shops, grocery stores, service stations, hotels and the accommodation sector. The positive impact on these communities is far-reaching, affecting people’s livelihoods and fostering a sense of community where everyone contributes.
I agree with Eimear that this topic can be explored in various ways and through different subjects. There is so much integration that can take place in classroom lessons based on the marine and seafood industry and I liked the many examples that Eimear has given.
As a country surrounded by water, aquaculture plays a significant role in Ireland’s communitites as well as its economy and therefore is a relevant topic in any classroom. Learning about the common fish and sea creatures in Irish shores and how our seafood is farmed is fascinating and allows for discussion on how it impacts many Irish households and businesses. The tools provided in this module provide a lot of information as well as resources for the students. The ARC project provides such information in a very fun and engaging way, taking the students beyond the classroom and allowing them to explore Irish aquaculture in a different and unique setting. It is no surprise to see that there is a huge demand for this in schools. It is also great that other social lisence projects such as ‘Taste the Atlantic’ and ‘Young Chef Ambassador Programme’ promote the marine and seafood industry and encourage young people to participate and be involved.
This is a lovely lesson Gráinne, and some really nice ideas to explain how shadows are formed. It is very interactive and fun!
If teaching a lesson on planets, firstly I would hand out pictures of the planets(not labelled) on each desk and ask the children to look at them and discuss the differences and similarities between them in their groups. I would then encourage the class to guess what they will be learning about in this lesson. Next, each group will be given out the names of the planets and will be asked to match them to each picture. I will read out some facts/clues about the planets size/ colour/etc and the children will try and match the names to the correct planet. For some of the planets, the children will be given a reading task, where they must read the clues with their group to find and match it to the correct planet. After this, each group of children will be asked to pick out their favourite planet and why they find that planet the most interesting. (Recalling some facts they have learned) To conclude the lesson, the class will listen and sing along to ‘The Planet Song’.
Hi Maria, I have also come across some lovely videos with Chris Hadfield explaining life as an astronaut in Space. The children really enjoyed watching these videos and listening to the interesting facts that Chris shares in his videos about Space.
My name is Eimear. I will be teaching Second Class next year.
A fact about Space that I find interesting is that one day on Venus is longer than one year on Earth.
I would introduce a lesson on Magnetism by showing the class some everyday examples of magnets, e.g. fridge magnets, whiteboard eraser, etc. I would question the class on what these objects have in common. I would then ask the children to investigate using specific magnets (‘North’ and ‘South’ labelled) whether or not they are attracted to other similar magnets. This will lead to the learning of key words. (Attract and repel, north and south)
The class will continue their investigations on magnetism by finding out what their magnets are attracted to around the classroom, making predictions and recording results. A class discussion would follow so that the children can share their findings and listen to others.