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That’s a great idea getting involved with the local committees! Really shows the children the importance of community spirit!
The last couple of years our school have linked up with local committees such as the tidy towns to help promote sustainability and protecting our local environment. Last years initiative was to design a poster to help protect hedgerows for bees. The eventual winner had their poster on display beside the hedgerows where people walking, cycling or diving by would see. The local men’s shed group also got involved and helped start up a school garden. They worked along side the children in deciding what to plant and grow. The agreement was to start off with a section of wildflowers. It was lovely to see the interactions and collaboration between both.
Seafood is an excellent source of high-quality protein, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins such as D and B12, and essential minerals including iodine and selenium. These nutrients in turn support brain development, heart health, and overall wellbeing. I personally think this is invaluable knowledge for children especially at a young age. We live in a time of convenience and the target audience is children. An opportunity for the classroom would be to bring in food labels and learn how to read them properly to try and gain abetter understand of the food we consume. The children could then discuss the nutritional value of different types of seafood and food in general. This could be then put into graphs and the children could then present their findings to other classes.
The online lessons and resources provide ample opportunities to explore how aquaculture can be used in a meaningful way in conjunction with STEM learning. I personally like teaching real life examples and I know the children really enjoy this way of learning too so I enjoyed how the lessons connected science with real life examples. I thought the comparison between aquaculture with agriculture and exploring the life cycles of mussels, oysters and salmon was very interesting. These topics allow for so much meaningful engagement and participation.
I thought the lesson on seafood nutrition also encouraged health and wellbeing which I think is of the utmost importance for children today. I think these resources could support the STEM Education Policy Statement by encouraging problem-solving, inquiry based learning and collaboration. With regards to the SSE process, schools could use these STEM topics to create opportunities to develop these skills while increasing engagement with science and technology across the whole school.
Your post gave me a great insight into the jobs created. Something I hadn’t really thought about before
My biggest takeaway from learning about aquaculture has been the sectors that rely heavily on it. It provides job opportunities for many people. This includes people working on farms, trawlers, processing, transport, tourism and hospitality. It is a vital cog in supporting local businesses, especially those in coastal regions. It also keeps coastal communities active because without it there would be very little opportunities. Galway for example thrives on tourism and is also famous for its fresh sea food so it is vital the links between coastal regions remain strong in order for everything to run efficiently.
It is important for children to learn about aquaculture because it helps them understand where food comes from. It shows the start and finish point and that it’s a chain that needs to operate in tandem. It also encourages them think about the importance of supporting locally sourced produce and local vendors.
I work in a school where children thrive on new learning material such as Aquaculture. It really highlights the importance of being a global citizen and respecting our environment which in turn can be brought into the local community by the children through their families. As an inland school it’s a topic we wouldn’t be discussing on a daily basis but as I mentioned the children love new learning opportunities so this would provide ample learning. I also believe it provides the children with a clearer understanding of the importance of Aquaculture and how we should all appreciate it more.
The obvious signs of climate change at a local level would have to be the inconsistent weather during the year especially during seasons that would usually have predicatable weather patterns. We are seeing warmer Winters compared to the past. We are also seeing hotter summers with record breaking temperatures becoming an annual event. This may all seem great and we all enjoy warmer weather but there is a knock on effect involving the agriculture sector which is a key driving force for the Irish Economy. The inconsistent and changing weather is making growing crops and raising livestock more problematic. Excessive rainfall during the year along with storms is affecting crop production also. This is putting a strain on the agriculture sector which in turn puts on a strain on the livelihood of farmers. Some actions that could be done at school level could be ensuring that a Green Schools Committee is in place and that they put initiatives in place that promotes the importance of recycling. The school could also set up a return schemes in the school that could promote the importance of returning plastic bottles and cans. The money could then go towards new equipment in the school for extra curricular activities. Children could undertake upcycling projects. They could involve the local community to get involved by dontating old products that the children could in turn upcycle.
The Local Authority Team in Co Longford was set up to help international protection applicants and refugees become settled into their new communities. They provide a direct contact for new arrivals, helping them with any problems they might have when dealing with public services. They provide information on services like childcare and healthcare. They also aim to improve their ability to live independently, job training, education, and apprenticeships. Schools coudl organise a multi cultural day that welcomes and celebrates all nationalities in the local community. This would provide an opportunity to make everyone in the community feel welcome to the area.