Teach your pupils how to build a giant nest, create a butterfly garden or make their own family tree!
The resources provided here have been submitted by Heritage Experts, teachers or prepared by other educational organisations. The resources are both fun and educational and are designed to inspire and develop an appreciation and curiosity about Ireland’s wonderful natural and cultural heritage.
Resources can be searched for under the following categories:
A resource for primary schools - supporting the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan for a sustainable future.
Read moreRead lessIn March 2025, the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan released a redesigned suite of lesson plans in collaboration with Laois County Council. These lesson plans are suitable for junior infants to 6th class and include a range of hands-on activities to help embed pollinator conservation in the classroom.
A series of instruction guides on how to explore our built, natural and cultural heritage through Lego. These instructions were designed by Heritage in Schools Specialist and Lego brick artist Jessica Farrell.
Read moreRead lessBuilt heritage - buildings, monuments and structures
Cultural heritage - customs, music, traditions, crafts and skills
Natural heritage - wildlife and habitats in water and on land
Puffin Rock celebrates Ireland's magnificent natural environment and features themes of climate change, belonging, resilience, and friendship. Through adventures, big and small - the characters
highlight the importance of protecting nature and wildlife.
The story connects Ireland to faraway lands through the underlying narrative of changing climatic conditions and habitat loss across the globe. As creatures relocate to Puffin Rock, they uncover connections across species and habitats.
The relationships and artwork create an implicit emphasis on the wonder and value of each living form.
This book was produced in partnership by the Heritage Council and Cartoon Saloon, inspired by the engagement from the touring exhibition “Puffin Rock Habitats”.
LIFE IP Wild Atlantic Nature works with landowners and local communities to conserve and improve the quality of blanket bogs and associated habitats in the northwest of Ireland. The Heritage Council is one of several partners in the project and was tasked with the action to develop, and pilot test a schools’ programme in 2022.
Read moreRead lessThe aim would be to promote local awareness of the LIFE IP Wild Atlantic Nature project amongst schools and involve children in assessing a local blanket bog habitat using a scorecard. The hands-on, practical involvement would introduce children to the project and their local blanket bogs and build enthusiasm for blanket bogs generally - an enthusiasm which, it was hoped, they would share with their families, friends, and neighbours. The suite of resources were developed by the Irish Peatland Conservation Council and Aengus Kennedy (NatureNorthWest) with input from the project partners.
To find out more about the LIFE IP Wild Atlantic Nature project visit https://www.wildatlanticnature...
An introduction to Irish hedgerows and their benefits with lesson plans and resources for primary schools developed by Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council.
Irish hedgerows stretch for an incredible 689,000km up and down the roads and fields of Ireland. This is the equivalent of wrapping around the earth 17 times!
The hedgerow toolkit includes lesson plans with information on curriculum links and integration, learning activities, objectives and outcomes along with resources such as a classroom wall poster and hedgerow plants identification sheet.
A 20 minute video filmed in July and August, 2022 highlighting the rich culture and heritage of the travelling community in Co. Wexford.
Traditional singer, researcher, folklore collector and Heritage in Schools Specialist Rachel Uí Fhaoláin (Ceol Mo Chroí) and Digital Storyteller/Filmmaker John Ó Faoláin (Traditional Archive Channel) worked with the travelling community in Co. Wexford in association with Ferns Diocesan Youth Service (FDYS) and the Heritage Council.
Participating children engaged in hands-on learning with the two artists and very open discussions around further opportunities for the travelling community in areas of filming, sound, lighting, traditional song, storytelling, performance, recording/archiving etc.
The learning outcomes included the development of important digital skills while exploring the importance of sharing and archiving the songs, language, customs & traditions which are passed onto the children from the older members of their families down through the generations.
The project was funded by the Heritage Council through the Heritage in Schools Summer Programme for 2022.
A new free resource developed with support from Creative Ireland and Westmeath County Council called Seed Journeys. It includes illustrated stories and activity ideas for primary school children for connecting with nature through the lens of seeds, in English and Irish.
Before people in Ireland starting writing in manuscripts made of vellum they wrote on other materials, primarily stone, in a writing system called ogham. Our earliest ogham inscriptions on stone are dated on linguistic grounds to between the 4th and the 7th century AD. Over 400 known examples of ogham stones and fragments of various shapes and sizes have survived, each with their own unique biography or story.
Read moreRead lessThe ogham publication by Dr Nora White is part of the Heritage Council Our Ancient Landscapes series and follows on from the 2020 publication on prehistoric rock art. This latest publication features high quality colour illustrations from Ken Williams, the National Monuments Service, the National Museum of Ireland, the Discovery Programme and Dr Nora White.
Dr Nora White was Principal Investigator on the Ogham in 3D project (https://ogham.celt.dias.ie). She is currently a Postdoctoral researcher on the Irish Research Council/UK Arts and Humanities Research Council funded OG(H)AM project in the Department of Early Irish at Maynooth University. She has been a member of the Heritage Council’s Heritage in Schools panel since 2018 and has been leading the Knockboy church, Co Waterford, Adopt a Monument conservation project.
Gairdín Mháire na mBláth is the latest offering from leading author-illustrator Tatyana Feeney. Beautifully illustrated, this book tells the heartwarming story of Máire na mBláth who, on noticing one day that there are no flowers planted in her local school, decides to share her gardening skills with the pupils. Between them, they plant a beautiful garden at the school.
Read moreRead lessIn this short video Éanna Ní Lamhna talks about bees, flowers, pollination and this book from the beautiful Vandeleur Walled Gardens in Kilrush.
Specially devised animations to introduce children to The Book of Kells and The Long Room in a simple and fun way.
Read moreRead lessMulti-user friendly children’s animations packed full of adventure and colourful characters. Seagull Seagull and The Very Long Room are designed to be enjoyed by everyone, including deaf audiences and audiences with low vision.
These animations were produced with funding from The Heritage Council.
Visit The Book of Kells to access these and other resources.
A practical guide for teachers and other education practitioners who wish to bring nature, native habitats and biodiversity into the school grounds. The book aims to help with the planning, design, creation and use of an organic school garden with and for students.
Read moreRead lessIt demonstrates the huge possibilities of designing and developing the school grounds into a highly stimulating and interactive educational resource, with organic food production and biodiversity as its central themes.
The book has unlimited cross-curricular potential. It particularly ties in with Social, Environmental and Scientific Education (SESE), Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE), Wellbeing, Art, Languages, History and Maths.
It sets out practical projects on growing local food, creating biodiversity and native habitats in the school grounds, and encourages healthy eating, nature-based activities and getting students active.
Available to order from the following sites:
Discover the Irishwoman who helped invent the first general purpose computer and tracked missiles during WWII, and learn how to become a computer programmer yourself. Jam-packed with ‘unplugged’ quizzes, puzzles and activities for children 8+.
Read moreRead lessEPIC - the Irish Emigration Museum has developed a series of virtual educational experiences, from downloadable history-at-home packs to online workshops/lectures and informative videos. Look, learn, and create together with fun, engaging programmes for students of all ages.
See more at: https://epicchq.com/education/..
Unearth the world of Irish Antarctic explorer Ernest Shackleton, concoct your own Arctic snowstorm and uncover the Irishwoman who became Britain’s first female commercial pilot. Includes puzzles, quizzes and games for children 8+.
Read moreRead lessEPIC - the Irish Emigration Museum has developed a series of virtual educational experiences, from downloadable history-at-home packs to online workshops/lectures and informative videos. Look, learn, and create together with fun, engaging programmes for students of all ages.
See more at: https://epicchq.com/education/...
Discover some of Ireland’s quirkiest Easter traditions, explore the world of Easter Rising leader Roger Casement and learn how to draw up your own Proclamation. Includes puzzles, quizzes and games for children 8+.
Read moreRead lessEPIC - the Irish Emigration Museum has developed a series of virtual educational experiences, from downloadable history-at-home packs to online workshops/lectures and informative videos. Look, learn, and create together with fun, engaging programmes for students of all ages.
See more at: https://epicchq.com/education/...
Discover the fascinating world of genealogy, its history & how it’s used today. Discover how your budding genealogy detectives can put together your family tree with the help of the family. Includes puzzles, quizzes & games for children 8+.
Read moreRead lessEPIC - the Irish Emigration Museum has developed a series of virtual educational experiences, from downloadable history-at-home packs to online workshops/lectures and informative videos. Look, learn, and create together with fun, engaging programmes for students of all ages.
See more at: https://epicchq.com/education/...
Discover the conditions and circumstances that led to The Great Famine of 1845 – 1852, and caused the death of 1 million people and another 1.5 million to leave Ireland. Includes puzzles, quizzes and games for children 8+.
Read moreRead lessEPIC - the Irish Emigration Museum has developed a series of virtual educational experiences, from downloadable history-at-home packs to online workshops/lectures and informative videos. Look, learn, and create together with fun, engaging programmes for students of all ages.
See more at: https://epicchq.com/education/...
A self-guided walking tour of Viking Dublin aimed at 8-12 year olds with activities, riddles and games.
Read moreRead lessIt is a natural fit with the SESE History curriculum as it covers many of the strands from Early Peoples and Ancient Societies, to Story, to Life, society, work, and culture in the past, and Continuity and Change over time. It engages children with assessing evidence, understanding chronology, and expanding communication skills under the Working as a Historian skills and concept development.
This project is a collaboration between academics from Dublin, Cambridge, Nottingham and London, with the assistance of Dublinia, the National Museum, Dublin City Council and the School of Irish Archaeology.
An introduction to the ancient world of weaving and basket making including step-by-step instruction from Beth on how to weave a fish from willow or materials you might have at home.
A step by step tutorial showing you how to draw a biodiversity/habitat map of your garden so that you can record where different garden species are located.
Suited to children from 3rd to 6th classes.
An introduction to wild garlic as a native Irish herb that has been eaten in Ireland for thousands of year with a recipe for a delicious pesto.
Suited to children from 3rd to 6th class
This tutorial links a common wild plant, Charlock or Praiseach Bhuí to the Great Famine.
Suited to children from 4th to 6th class.
This tutorial will help students to discover and understand the hidden world of moths and their importance in maintaining a healthy environment.
Suited to children of all ages.
In this tutorial Maura demonstrates how oak gall ink is made and includes a simplified recipe which can be made from household vinegar.
Suited to children from 2nd to 6th classes.
Listen to Ruth’s Riddle poem about a heritage site in Co. Clare. Ruth will guide you to explore a place in your own area and write your own riddle.
Suited to children from 3rd to 6th classes.
