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Hi Rachael,
I really like the emphasis on making sustainability part of everyday classroom routines rather than treating it as a separate topic. The practical examples, such as reusing materials in Aistear, caring for plants and encouraging waste-free lunches are all age-appropriate ways of helping young children develop positive habits. I also agree that giving children responsibility for simple tasks, like saving energy and recycling, helps them see that their actions can make a difference.
Sustainability is embedded in many aspects of my local community. Residents, schools and community groups promote recycling, composting and reducing single-use plastics. As a Green School, we have effective recycling systems, minimise food waste, use reusable aluminium water bottles and maintain leaf compost bins that produce nutrient-rich soil. These initiatives help children develop environmental awareness and responsible consumption.
We also support biodiversity through protected wildflower areas for pollinators and vegetable beds that pupils care for throughout the year. Next year, I plan to involve my class in crop rotation and growing a wider variety of vegetables and herbs, further developing their understanding of sustainable food production.
Having achieved our Green Schools Energy Global Citizenship flag, we are committed to energy efficiency through the use of solar panels and reducing energy consumption. We encourage pupils to bring these practices home and could further engage them by monitoring and graphing the school’s energy use to identify areas for improvement.
Our proximity to Dublin Bay also provides opportunities to explore its marine sustainability. As part of our next Green Schools Marine Environment Global Citizenship flag, we plan to participate in beach clean-ups and visit the conservation centre on Bull Island, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, to deepen pupils’ understanding of biodiversity and coastal conservation.
I agree that the understanding of specific benefits of individual vitamins and minerals is important to teach. I have made the assumption before that children may already know this but in fact they had not had a deeper understanding past the concept of vitamins are good and necessary for a healthy body. There is such as craze at the moment with people taking added supplements often without true knowledge on how the same nutrients could be obtained from natural food products, of both those that contain the vitamins and minerals and the complementary ones that help our bodies absorb them better.
Exploring the nutrition of seafood in this module highlights its important role in supporting healthy diets and lifestyles. With the provision of important macronutrients such as high- quality protein healthy fats, and micronutrients such as vital minerals and exceptional sources of vitamins, consumption of fish contributes greatly to our growth, brain development and overall wellbeing.
In the classroom this topic offers opportunities for an integrated STEM approach through investigation of the food pyramid and the nutritional content of seafood. The children could examine and compare food labels and create graphs and charts on its data. The activity of getting them to reflect on their own consumption makes it relevant to them in a real world context. It encourages discussion and critical thinking on the topics of healthy diets, responsible food choices and the impact of food production on our environment. It strengthens ties with their global citizenship and how their choices effect their own wellbeing as well as that of the wider world.Hi Brónagh,
I had not heard of the ARC classroom before taking part in this course. It’s such an impressive setup and I’m not surprised to hear the children thoroughly enjoyed the experience. I hope to be successful in getting a visit to our school.
I also have such a grá for the Aran Islands, visiting every summer, what a privilege is must be to be from there.
The ARC lessons and resources certainly provide engaging and meaningful opportunities to enhance STEM teaching. There is plenty within these lessons to spark curiosity among the students, promoting inquiry based learning and further research. They reflect the current integrated approach to learning, connecting a range of subjects; from the Salmon of Knowledge in history, geographical mapping and weather conditions, scientific elements of nutrition and lab testing, measuring in maths, environmental awareness of the sustainability of fishing and so on. There are many concepts in the videos, such as sustainability and responsible food choice that lend themselves to debate, where pupils can exercise their critical thinking skills and discuss real world issues. As our school works towards achieving the Marine Environment Green Schools flag next year, these resources provide a meaningful platform to explore the global citizenship aspects of aquaculture and our relationship with the marine environment.
There is plenty of opportunity to include the visual arts, music and drama. There is great scope for group projects on some of these concepts which would promote communication and collaboration, digital skills and hands-on investigative learning. Extending these concepts to involve other relevant, real-world contexts, I would draw on the children’s recent visit to the fishing port of Howth, strengthening links with the industry, and the boat trip to Ireland’s eye, discussing the biodiversity and history of the island.In terms of addressing STEM education as part of the SSE process, we would begin by reviewing our current practice by gathering evidence on the learning experiences of the children, identifying the strengths as well as areas of improvement. As a DEIS band 1 school, I believe we have a greater responsibility to encourage more learners in these disadvantaged areas to engage with STEM, in the efforts to meet the Government’s vision outlined in the STEM Education Policy Statement. In our school we have long appreciated the emphasis in ‘process over product’ since assessment results have rarely reflected their true learning experiences.
Once the evidence is gathered we need to discuss and analyse our findings as a whole school to devise a plan how to better our teaching practices and the student’s learning experiences, before writing the improvement plan and implementing it. Once the plan is in action we monitor it’s efficacy over time with feedback from teachers and students alike, to review its impact on their learning and to modify where necessary.Hi Orla,
I also learnt a lot in this module about the benefits of the Irish coastline’s geographical features, such as fjords, that makes it such an ideal location for aquaculture. I never thought about the obstruction to agriculture mountainous areas would place. These areas are fortunate to have such geographical features and climate conditions to facilitate aquaculture, and compensate by providing alternative employment opportunities.<p class=”p1″>Aquaculture farms in Ireland are mainly found along the western and southern coasts, where the sheltered waters and clean marine environment provide suitable conditions for species such as salmon, mussels, and oysters. Reflecting on the farms locations, it is clear that they are closely linked to the coastal communities that surround them. Many of these areas have a long history of relying on the sea for work, food, and local traditions.</p>
<p class=”p1″>Aquaculture can bring important social and economic benefits to these communities by creating jobs and supporting local businesses such as transport companies, seafood processors, and suppliers. It can also provide new opportunities for people living in rural coastal areas and help prevent the decline of small communities by offering more employment options. At the same time, it is important that aquaculture is developed responsibly to protect the marine environment and activities that depend on the coast.</p>I agree that aquaculture provides so many meaningful cross-curricular opportunities, particularly through SESE, English and Maths. I also like your idea of using a classroom hydroponics or mini-pond setup, as hands-on learning helps children make stronger connections with the topic. Your point about helping pupils understand where their seafood comes from and the jobs and communities it supports really resonated with me. Living in a coastal community, I think it is important that children develop an appreciation of their local marine environment and understand the role aquaculture plays in supporting both sustainable food production and local livelihoods.
I live and work in a DEIS school on the east coast, where we regularly visit the beach and the fishing port of Howth. These experiences make the content of this course very relevant to our pupils, as they can relate their learning to places they know and visit. Our school is also working towards achieving the Marine Environment Global Citizenship Green Schools flag this year, so the BIM resources will be valuable in supporting teachers across class levels to explore our local marine environment and aquaculture.
My prospective class took part in the SeaKeepers Project this year, so I feel these lessons will build naturally on the knowledge and interest they have already developed. While agriculture is well represented in the primary curriculum, I believe there is much greater scope to educate children about aquaculture, particularly in coastal communities. I also think it is important to introduce the concept of social licence so that pupils understand how community trust, environmental responsibility, and sustainable practices all contribute to the success of the aquaculture industry.