Global Citizenship – Marine Environment is a maintenance theme that enables pupils to discover how work on the Green-Schools programme has positively influenced environments worldwide while focusing on oceans and seas.
We are currently in year 1 of a 2 year process. Pupils are busy discovering the importance the marine environment plays in all our lives and learning about ways they can help to protect it.
They are enjoying learning about the wonders of the ocean and marine biodiversity and how to take action to protect it – in particular, by reducing marine litter. We are hoping to reduce plastic waste, and raise awareness about the importance of the ocean!
Senior Infants and Rang 4&5 are taking part in ‘The Seakeeper Project’. Seakeepers is an initiative of the Green School Environment theme. It aims to increase students knowledge of and appreciation for native marine biodiversity in Ireland.
The Green School committee are working hard to encourage the school to become plastic free by September 2025.
Rang 1-6 have taken part in ‘ Clean Coasts Workshops’ which focused on how we can protect our coastlines.
Rang 4&5 spent a fantastic afternoon down at the Bride with Daire Ó hUallacháin who helped them to test the local water quality as part of our Green School initiative. They are now well versed in good and bad water quality indicators. They also learned about local river wildlife.
Each class has spent a number of weeks learning about Marine Environment e.g. native Irish sea life, The Water Cycle, our local rivers the Shanowen, the River Bride and the Blackwater and the dangers of plastics/pollution to sea creatures. This has been an integral unit of work in school and has encompassed many subject areas e.g. science, geography, art, English, music etc. A culmination of this all this hard work was our Green School Action Day – Marine Environment April 2025.
Green School Action Day – Marine Environment April 2025
This day was a huge success and we were very lucky to have had the sun shining down on us too. Every class spent the morning litter picking around the school, the village, Fr Ferris Field, the Abbey, Shanowen and the Bride. Our main focus was to stop litter getting into the rivers and ultimately the sea! We also wanted to create an awareness of litter and pollution.
On the day every class presented their project work about Marine life and the environment to the rest of the school. Our creative pupils dressed up as pirates/mermaids/sea creatures and their beautiful artwork was on display for everyone to see. They watched videos from the Green School website about Marine life and the environment.
The day was a great success thanks to the hard work of all involved. Maith sibh a pháistí!!!
