Teachers' Resources | Heritage in Schools

Teachers' Resources

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:

Energy and forces (Science)

LIFE IP Wild Atlantic Nature - Blanket bog school programme resources

Natural environments (Geography), Environmental awareness and care (Geography/Science), Living things (Science), Energy and forces (Science), Materials (Science) Science, Geography

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. 

The 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...

Hedgerow Toolkit for Schools

Natural environments (Geography), Environmental awareness and care (Geography/Science), Living things (Science), Energy and forces (Science) Science, Geography

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.

Seed Journeys

Environmental awareness and care (Geography/Science), Living things (Science), Energy and forces (Science), Materials (Science) Science

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. 

The Year Round Organic School Garden: A guide to designing, creating and using an organic school garden

Natural environments (Geography), Environmental awareness and care (Geography/Science), Living things (Science), Energy and forces (Science), Materials (Science) Science, Geography

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.

It 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:

A story to tell: Chris Thompson

Natural environments (Geography), Story (History), Continuity and change over time (History), Environmental awareness and care (Geography/Science), Living things (Science), Energy and forces (Science) Science, History, Geography

Children are encouraged to examine the heritage significance of their immediate environment through familiar local landscape features.

Suited to children from 2nd to 4th class.

The example of an old tree is used in this tutorial. The activity encourages children to consider questions about past, present and future through personification and the creation of an unusual pictorial poem at the same time. The activity can be applied to other local features, a road, an old building etc.

Gardening for Biodiversity

Natural environments (Geography), Environmental awareness and care (Geography/Science), Living things (Science), Energy and forces (Science) Science, Geography

A booklet to assist everyone to help wildlife in their gardens. The brainchild of Juanita Browne, the booklet was produced by Laois County Council with the assistance of Local Authority Heritage Officers across Ireland, with support from the National Parks and Wildlife Service and the Heritage Council.

Taking a very practical approach, the book details projects to help wildlife of all kinds under a range of headings, with tasks suitable for everyone from the total beginner to the more ambitious DIY enthusiast. With clear instructions and step-by-step drawings by illustrator Barry Reynolds, the guide offers the gardener lots of options to help our biodiversity.

A colouring book for children using the beautiful garden wildlife illustrations by Barry Reynolds has also been produced.

Protecting Farmland Pollinators: newsletter for farming kids (April 2020)

Environmental awareness and care (Geography/Science), Living things (Science), Energy and forces (Science) Science

A pollinator newsletter for children on Protecting Farmland Pollinators. Learn about Pollinator Science, History and Geography with games, puzzles, art and competitions.

Protecting Farmland Pollinators is a European Innovation Partnership (EIP) project funded by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) under the Rural Development Programme 2014-2020. The project is coordinated by the National Biodiversity Data Centre. The National Biodiversity Data Centre is an initiative of the Heritage Council.


Nature in the Park - a self-guided handbook for primary school teachers to facilitate the use of local parks as outdoor classrooms

Natural environments (Geography), Environmental awareness and care (Geography/Science), Living things (Science), Energy and forces (Science), Materials (Science) Science, Geography

A self-guided handbook for primary school teachers to facilitate the use of local parks as outdoor classrooms. Published by Dublin City Council and an action of the Dublin City Biodiversity Action Plan 2015-2020

Wild things at School by Éanna Ní Lamhna

Natural environments (Geography), Environmental awareness and care (Geography/Science), Living things (Science), Energy and forces (Science), Materials (Science) Science

Counties Laois, Meath and Monaghan came together with Éanna Ní Lamhna to develop this book and series of worksheets for Primary School teachers called Wild Things at School as a joint project under the County Heritage Plan Scheme.

The Heritage Council co-funded the publications however it does not have hard copies of the publication.

Explorers planning guide for primary school teachers: ocean literacy and engagement

Natural environments (Geography), Environmental awareness and care (Geography/Science), Living things (Science), Energy and forces (Science) Science, Geography

A planning guide from the Marine Institute for primary school teachers on ocean literacy and engagement - oceans facts, evaluation tools and ideas for the classroom.

The Explorers Education Programme™ aims to build on Ireland’s marine and maritime heritage by increasing awareness of the value, opportunities and social benefits of our ocean wealth and identity. This ocean literacy and engagement guide provides ocean facts, evaluation tools and ideas for the classroom.

https://oar.marine.ie/handle/1...

Eco Rangers - discover nature and biodiversity

Natural environments (Geography), Human environments (Geography), Environmental awareness and care (Geography/Science), Living things (Science), Energy and forces (Science), Materials (Science) Science, Geography

It’s time to get out of the classroom with the Eco Ranger’s school programme and use active learning with your pupils to discover, learn and connect with nature. Once you’ve registered for Eco Ranger’s offline and have received your confirmation, you can go ahead and register here on the website https://www.ecorangers.ie/.

Nature and biodiversity is something that Bord na Móna is investing in as part of our day to day work. This is why Bord na Móna created Eco Rangers- Guardians of the Land an initiative for schools that gets children outdoors and connecting with nature and learning about the importance of protecting it. See more at https://www.ecorangers.ie/.

Water Explorer

Natural environments (Geography), Environmental awareness and care (Geography/Science), Living things (Science), Energy and forces (Science) Science

What is Water Explorer?
Water Explorer is a fun, inspiring and educational programme that empowers thousands of students across the world to lead joint action on water issues for their schools and communities. Water Explorer is fully funded and supported in 11 countries and is free to all schools and groups taking part. Top Water Explorer teams could earn the chance to represent their country at the Water Explorer International celebration event in London. 

What do Water Explorers achieve? Water Explorer supports 8 -14 year olds on a student-led mission to rescue our waterful world. Water Explorers are supported to:

  • Complete water-based challenges on key water issues
  • Collaborate with other students across the world
  • Hold community water festivals and win points and prizes
  • Develop a range of transferable knowledge and skills

What impact will Water Explorer have? By the end of the two-year programme (Sep 2016), the programme will have resulted in the following (among other) benefits:

  • 1,400 Water Explorer teams
  • 9,000 Water Explorers trained
  • 90,000 students with increased water awareness
  • 475,000 students and community members engaged
  • 240,000 m3 water saved = 95 Olympic swimming pools

The Sun!

Natural environments (Geography), Living things (Science), Energy and forces (Science) Science

It’s big and round and keeps us warm, but find out what else the sun can do!

Things To do
1.    Tell the time?
You will need:

  • A bowl, a straight stick, some small pebbles, rocks, watch or clock

Directions:

  • Find a sunny spot in the grass and put the stick in the ground (make sure it is straight).
  • Throughout the day, place a rock for each hour indicating where the shadow falls at that time.
  • Now your sundial is ready to use. When you want to tell the time, just look for the shadow

2.    Download and printout the Sundial Worksheet below on card and make a sun dial.
You will need:

  • Cardboard, scissors and sellotape.

Directions:

  • Cut out the dial plate and the gnomon.
  • Cut a slit in the dial plate along the dotted line.
  • Score alone the dotted lies on the gnomon. Fold along these lines. Slide the folded gnomon into the slit in the dial plate and stick the gnomon flaps to the bottom of the dial plate with sellotape.
  • Take the sundial to a sunny place and place it in a north-south direction.
  • The gnomon should cast a shadow and you will be able to tell the time (Don’t forget to calculate in daylight savings time where appropriate).

The 1947 Flood, Kilkenny

Natural environments (Geography), Human environments (Geography), Story (History), Local studies (History), Life, society, work and culture in the past (History), Environmental awareness and care (Geography/Science), Energy and forces (Science) Science, History, Geography

Content of the study
Children should learn about:
1.    The cause and effect of the flood.
2.    The River Nore and how it has changed from the time of the flood.
3.    The story of the flood as told in the Kilkenny People.
4.    Memories of people about the 1947 flood.

Skills and concepts development
Children should be able to:
1.    Time and Chronology:

  • Describe events as before/after/ later/earlier
  • Use a simple timeline

2.    Change and continuity:

  • Identify features that have remained the same, for example the houses and the bridges near the river
  • Identify how the River Nore has changed

3.    Cause and effect:

  • Examine the reasons for the flood and the effect it had on Kilkenny City

4.    Using evidence:

  • Photographs of the river today
  • Photographs of the flood
  • Edited version of articles in the Kilkenny People

5.    Synthesis and Communication:

  • Communicate an awareness of the story of the flood and stories associated with it, in a variety of different ways such as drama and art.

5.    Empathy:

  • Imagine and discuss what it was like to be rescued in a boat on the evening of the flood.
  • Imagine and discuss what it was like to have your home destroyed by floodwater.

Methodologies

  • Among the methods which may be used are:
  • A story lesson based on the accounts from the Kilkenny People
  • Examining a photograph taken of the flood
  • Listening to personal memories of the flood (oral evidence)
  • Integration with other subjects: the river (Geography)

Assessment

  • Teacher observation
  • Outcomes of pupil-pupil and teacher-pupil discussion
  • Teacher-designed tasks
  • Work cards designed to help children examine the evidence

Eureka! The Big Bang Query

Environmental awareness and care (Geography/Science), Living things (Science), Energy and forces (Science), Materials (Science) Science

Comedy and science collide as host, Neil Delamere puts team captains, PJ Gallagher and Dr Aoibhinn Ní Shúilleabháin and their teams of comedians and science personalities through their paces, in this original science-comedy quiz.

Each show sees host Neil Delamere risk life and limb to celebrate the greatest ‘Eureka Moments’ of our time – he channels 4 million volts of electricity and shoots lightning out of his fingertips (and a couple of other places while he’s at it), he creates an earthquake in Westmeath, undergoes astronaut training in a human centrifuge and goes freediving in a freezing quarry – all in the name of science.

Eureka! The Big Bang Query was made with the support of Science Foundation Ireland and the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland.

A Guide for Schools on Climate Action UNESCO

Guideline, Natural environments (Geography), Human environments (Geography), Environmental awareness and care (Geography/Science), Energy and forces (Science) Science, Geography, Research and Policy

Does your school want to help create a healthier, fairer, more environmentally sustainable society? Do you want to empower children and young people to do the same? Do you want to make your school more climate-friendly? If so, this guide is for you!

The guide is organised in four parts. Part 1 explains why you and your school should take on a whole-school approach to climate action. Part 2 outlines how your school can plan, put into practice, and evaluate your own strategies and visions for reducing climate change. Part 3 provides six guidelines that suggest how to concretely include climate action in your school governance, teaching and learning, campus and facility management, and partnerships with the community. The guidelines are accompanied by examples showing how schools around the world are taking action. At the end of the guide, in Part 4, you will find a table to help you monitor action in the thematic areas along the six guidelines.