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I love the idea of having polytunnels at school. What an amazing opportunity for hands-on practical learning for nutrition and sustainability.
Sustainability is something our pupils can see all around them. As a busy fishing port, there is a growing focus on protecting fish stocks, reducing waste and making sure our marine environment is looked after for future generations. Local fishermen have to follow quotas and fishing seasons, while many seafood businesses are becoming more aware of reducing their environmental impact. There are also regular beach cleans organised by local groups, which help to keep our coastline clean while protecting marine wildlife.
As I’ll be teaching 3rd class next year, I think there are lots of ways to help children explore sustainability in a hands-on way. We could organise a beach clean and record the types of litter collected, then use the data to create bar charts in Maths. We could investigate how long different materials take to break down by burying items such as paper, cardboard and plastic and observing the changes over several weeks. The children could also carry out a “waste audit” in the classroom to see how much rubbish we produce in a week and come up with ideas to reduce, reuse and recycle more effectively.
I also like the idea of linking sustainability to our local marine environment. Pupils could learn about the journey of fish from sea to plate, discuss why fishing quotas are important and explore how aquaculture can provide food while protecting wild fish stocks. A visit to Killybegs Harbour or inviting someone from the local fishing industry into the classroom would make these lessons even more meaningful and show children how sustainability affects the community they live in.
This module reminded me that sustainability isn’t just a global issue, it starts in our own community. By giving children practical experiences and helping them investigate real-life problems, we can encourage them to care for their local environment and understand that even small actions can make a positive difference.I really enjoyed this module because it made me think about seafood in a different way. We are surrounded by the fishing industry, but I don’t think we always stop to think about how nutritious seafood is. I knew fish was healthy, but I learned much more about the benefits of eating different types of seafood, especially oily fish like salmon and mackerel, which are packed with omega-3, as well as white fish like cod, which is a great source of protein. It also made me realise how important it is to encourage healthy eating habits from a young age.
As I’ll be teaching 3rd class next year, I could see lots of ways to bring this topic into the classroom. We could compare different types of seafood and sort them by their nutritional benefits, create a healthy lunchbox that includes seafood, or use food labels to investigate the protein, fat and vitamin content of different foods. In Maths, pupils could carry out a class survey on their favourite seafood and present the results using bar charts or pictograms. In Science, we could investigate why our bodies need protein, vitamins and healthy fats, while in SPHE we could discuss the importance of making healthy food choices. The children could also design posters encouraging people to “Eat More Seafood” or create simple recipes using locally caught fish.
We could even invite a local fishmonger or someone from the fishing industry into the classroom to talk about the different types of fish landed in Killybegs and why seafood is such an important part of a healthy diet.
This module has given me lots of practical ideas that I could easily use in the classroom. I think children are much more interested when they can relate their learning to the world around them, and using examples from our own town is a great way to bring healthy eating and STEM to life.I really enjoyed looking through the ARC online lessons and resources. I like how they use real-life examples to teach STEM concepts, making lessons much more interesting and relevant for students. Instead of just reading about aquaculture or marine life, pupils get the chance to investigate, ask questions and think about real issues affecting Ireland’s coastline.
As I will be teaching 3rd class next year, I could see lots of practical ways to use these resources. We could investigate which materials would make the best fishing boat by designing and testing floating boats, explore buoyancy by seeing how much weight different boats can carry, or learn about water quality by testing samples from different sources. We could also build simple fish farms using recycled materials, create food chains based on marine life found around Donegal, or use maths skills to measure, record and graph the growth of shellfish or fish over time using sample data. These types of hands-on activities make STEM fun while encouraging teamwork, problem-solving and creativity.
Teaching in Killybegs makes these lessons even more meaningful. Many of our pupils have family members who work in fishing, seafood processing or other marine industries, so they can easily relate what they are learning to their own lives. It also provides a great opportunity to invite local people into the classroom or organise a visit to the harbour so pupils can see STEM in action.
The resources fit really well with the STEM Education Policy because they encourage curiosity, investigation and learning through doing. I also think they could support our school’s SSE process by helping teachers plan more hands-on STEM activities across different class levels. Using our local environment and community as a starting point for learning is something I think would really benefit our pupils and help them develop a lasting interest in STEM.I agree, there are endless opportunities for integration with so many subject areas and not just STEM.
This module helped me understand why aquaculture farms are concentrated in particular parts of Ireland rather than being spread evenly around the coast. The west and north-west coast, including Donegal, Mayo and Galway, provide sheltered bays, clean Atlantic waters and strong tidal flows, creating ideal conditions for farming Atlantic salmon. Shellfish farming is also common in these areas, with mussels grown in places such as Killary Harbour in Galway and oysters farmed in Galway Bay. On the south coast, areas such as Cork Harbour and Roaringwater Bay are well known for oyster farming, while Bantry Bay has a long history of mussel and salmon production.
It was interesting to learn how each location is chosen because of its unique natural conditions. Water depth, currents, temperature, salinity and protection from storms all influence which species can be successfully farmed. These conditions also help to maintain healthy stocks and produce high-quality seafood.
Teaching in Killybegs, I can clearly see the relevance of this topic. While Killybegs is best known for its fishing fleets, aquaculture is another important part of Ireland’s blue economy and provides employment in many coastal communities. Farms support not only those working directly in aquaculture but also transport companies, engineering firms, seafood processors and local businesses. Learning about the different locations around Ireland has given me a greater appreciation of how diverse the industry is and how each region contributes in its own way. I think sharing these examples with my students will help them understand that Ireland’s coastline is an incredibly valuable natural resource that supports both biodiversity and local livelihoods.
Teaching in a coastal town myself, the discussion around this is invaluable for making connections with home and the wider community. It also allows for intergenerational sharing of stories and traditions that may appear lost over time.
I really enjoyed revisiting the content supplied by the ARC, as my class had taken part in it a few years ago. It reminded me how engaging it is for students to hear directly from people working in the aquaculture industry and to see how science is applied in real life. I think resources like this are especially relevant for teaching in Killybegs, where many students have family members or connections to the fishing and aquaculture industries. I would love to see the ARC return to our school, as I know our students would really benefit from the opportunity to connect with experts and learn about an industry that is such an important part of our community.
Learning about aquaculture and the idea of Social License is important because it encourages students to think about balancing food production, environmental sustainability and the needs of local communities. It also gives them a better understanding of an industry that plays a significant role in our area. I could see myself using these resources in science or geography lessons to make learning more meaningful and to help students appreciate the opportunities and challenges within the marine sector.