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It is a great idea to get local experts in to speak to the class. Children are often excited to hear from people who are experts in their fields. Their enthusiasm for their area can really motivate them to get involved and increase their interest in learning more.
It is very important for children to be aware of the meaning of sustainability in addition to the efforts that are being made in their local community. We often talk about what is happening at a national or international level and sometimes we can forget to focus on what is happening around us or how we can be more sustainable in our own lives through everyday decisions. In the town I work in, there are quite a few areas that have been allocated for specific plants/wildflowers that target pollination. The children could spend more time examining the types of plants being used and perhaps volunteer to be part of the process the following year, if help is needed. They could also be encouraged to create similar areas at home. The area has been improving its cycle lanes over the last few years. The children have been encouraged use more sustainable transport options. Activities that encourage safe cycling and specific bike to school days are often really useful in encouraging bike use. Solar panels are also something that the children have become more familiar with over time. Our school has installed a number of panels and it would be very beneficial for the children to really look at how they are working in the school itself.
I agree that it is a good opportunity for children to share their knowledge /raise awareness with parents, even with something as simple as a label. Change happens so quickly now that it can be difficult to keep up with everything! It is also important to get the children to start looking at labels, and it is often something they enjoy as it’s a hands on activity.
The lesson on the Nutrition of Seafood has been very informative. The initial focus on the food pyramid allows for a good introduction to lessons using something that is most likely already familiar to the children. Moving through the pyramid from the bottom to the top with a focus on seafood allows the children to really see what benefits there are to eating seafood and the various nutrients it provides. This information can be very useful when taking a thematic approach especially in the area of conservation and how important it is to have access to this type of food while also managing it in a sustainable way. The Eye Spy Supermarket Activity is also very useful in providing a real life context in which the children can look closely and gather information. It is also good to familiarise the children with the idea of labels and certification to help them make good choices.
I also think that the Blue Schools Award is something that I will look into more. My school is located close to the sea, so it would be great to have an extra focus on something that is so accessible!
The online lessons developed for the ARC are excellent resources for helping children to develop a good understanding of aquaculture and the opportunities it presents in Ireland. The presentations by Áine are very informative and the use of Professor O’Mara helps to engage the children further. As STEM focuses on igniting the learner’s curiosity, the videos are an excellent tool for doing so. The pacing of the videos allows time for the children to complete the quizzes but also to think about what they have learned so far and what questions that has raised. They could work in small groups to discuss the videos in addition to thinking about further areas that they may wish to explore. They also allow an opportunity to take a cross curricular approach, with the example of the story of Fionn and the salmon being a great example. The way in which the last two videos brings all the information together really reinforces the development of STEM skills which are important for living and working in today’s world. My school is located close to the sea and these lessons really highlight the importance of being aware of what is around you. I will do some extra research to find out if there are facilities close by with the hope of visiting, if possible. The children really gain from field trips.
SSE allows an excellent opportunity to see where the school stands in relation to the aims of STEM. As it is so broad, the first initial step of gathering the information gives an excellent opportunity to look at the current working of the school and can help identify where additional resources or emphasis is needed.
It has been interesting to learn more about aquaculture farms in Ireland and the main species that they deal with. It is clear to see that the farms are mostly located in coastal areas that have the best conditions for production in addition to some of the facilities necessary. As mentioned, many of these areas are restricted in what they can produce due to poor soil and boggy areas etc. As such, it can be difficult to find employment for those living locally. Aquaculture, however, appears to provide lots of opportunities for people to remain in an area and use the local resources they have. Employment may be available from initial production to final sale of the actual produce, in addition to other areas that involve tourism, food trails etc. The support of BIM, offering a variety of training in commercial diving, seafood processing and management development to name but a few, is essential in helping support the sector as well as providing opportunities for career development and specialised skills. All of this feeds back into the local communities to help provide sustainable livelihoods and thriving communities.
It has been very interesting learning about the background to aquaculture in Ireland. I think the information given would be very useful in helping children to understand the difference between agriculture and aquaculture in addition to its importance to the Irish economy. It is also important to understand where foods originate from. I think that the Social License Projects are excellent. Any methods that draw attention to an industry in a positive and interactive way are essential in assisting in its future development and encouraging young people to find out more about it. The ARC programme will really appeal to student in the way that it is presented. The novelty factor creates an immediate interest and I will register our school for it. The Taste the Atlantic programme really works well with the Wild Atlantic Way and will help to remind children about the physical geography of the country. The video on the Young Chef Ambassadors highlights some positive role models for younger children and they can understand more clearly how it goes from ‘(fish) farm to plate’.