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I agree Laoise that sustainability is a huge focus in Donegal and I also like how you have made some links to the locality to help make what the children are learning more relevant and meaningful for them. We have plenty of beaches here in Donegal and this would be a great topic to use them for hands on learning.
In my local area there are various different groups and committees working towards making our town more sustainable. These include but are not limited to the local Tidy Towns Committee, town council, local business owners and individuals making an extra effort. Some sustainability measures I have seen in my locality include reduced price of a cup of coffee or tea if it is in a reusable cup, a reduction in the availability of single use plastic or paper shopping bags and an increase in the options for reusable bags in shops.
In my school we are also making efforts towards becoming more sustainable and encouraging the children to do the same. This year we have engaged with the deposit return scheme for plastic bottles and cans and as a whole school we made an effort to collect what we could rather than these going to waste. This was coordinated by our shool “green team’ which included children from senior classes and some members of staff. We also completed art projects which were based on sustainability and the children learned more about the competition called “ Junk Kouture” which is open to secondary school children where they create outfits for a catwalk using recycled materials.
I like the integration opportunities you have talked about here. Using the food labels then for Math is making the information the children are learning more relevant to them and their life as they can see it in many different aspects of the curriculum.
Understanding the nutritional benefits of food is something children already learn about in schools, however, this module has shown the importance of specifically exploring and learning about the nutritional benefits of seafood. This is important as seafood has so many health benefits that if children are aware of these from an early age and as they grow up they will be more equipped to make healthy eating choices. I like the Seafood Nutrition Handbook because as a teacher I would use it to ensure that I am not misinforming the children and it would also help consolidate their learning.
Recognising the food labels and logos is something that I think children should be introduced to at an early age even if they are not the ones buying the food for the household they very often are in the shops with their parents and if they are aware of what the labels look like they might catch their eye. This could become automatic then as they grow up and influence their food choices.
I agree with the points you made here Kevin. The cross curricular opportunities are endless across a range of different subjects. It would be beneficial for a school to look at this through the SSE process and implement the lessons from the ARC into school planning.
The ARC’s provides a great opportunity to get students engaging with the Aquaculture industry and finding out more of what it is, the nutrition of seafood, aquaculture and the community and sustainability within this. The lessons on the ARC’s online platform are an excellent springboard for enquiry based learning. They provide opportunities to further develop key skills such as critical thinking, collaboration, communication and helps children see the uses of these skills in the working world. The lesson based on the nutritional benefits of the seafood produced in aquaculture farms around Ireland could be integrated into wellbeing and the importance of eating well which is an important aspect of the curriculum in Irish primary schools. The ARC lessons also provide a great opportunity for engaging in SSE and improving the quality of teaching and learning in STEM in our school. It will raise awareness of aquaculture and the video’s provide a stimulus to get children curious about Aquaculture.
I agree with you Michaela, a wide variety of employment opportunities are key in rural and coastal areas and the placement of aquamarine farms in these areas contributes to these jobs and the variety available here!
The location of aquaculture farms is important as in this module we learned that different areas in Ireland are suitable for different types of agriculture. This is similar in terms of aquaculture. Locating different aqua farms along different parts of our beautiful coastline has a positive impact on life in Ireland in many ways. Local fresh produce means people know exactly what they are getting. Each aquaculture farm creates employment opportunities for that area and surrounding areas. These jobs range from skilled to unskilled positions and help people further or begin their career in the industry. Not only do these farms create employment directly in the marine industry but they also create jobs indirectly in shipping companies, transport companies, equipment manufacturers and much more. Having jobs such as these in rural and costal areas helps to keep these communities vibrant, active and alive. This is food for thought that has been highlighted in this module.
Aquaculture is important for children in primary school to be aware of, especially where my school is located. We are in a coastal town and not far from Greencastle, Co. Donegal. Therefore, the children in my school should be given the information and understanding of aquaculture and the possibilities of a career in the industry as this may be something they would be interested in but otherwise unaware of. It is also a way of making marine life more relatable and accessible for students.
It is important for students to understand social license also as this directly impacts them and others now and in the future. It enables them to have the knowledge to be responsible citizens and contribute to the growth and improvement of the aqaumarine industry.
The ARC is a fantastic resource and gives the students the information they need but in such an interactive and immersive way.