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:

Materials (Science)

'Brigid 1500' Primary School Resource Pack

An initiative Kildare County Council, ‘Brigid 1500’ festival will engage communities with the story and heritage of St. Brigid, providing a connection with the past through events and programmes.  

The ‘Brigid 1500’ school programme includes videos on making crosses; Bridóg dolls; harvesting rushes/reeds; pollinators and legends of St. Brigid. There's also lots of pdf resources with tales, colouring sheets and more.

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

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:

Let's go Fishing!: Beth Murphy

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.

How to make a biodiversity map of your garden: Michele Castiaux

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.

Discovering the hidden world of moths: Albert Nolan

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.

Oak gall ink: Maura Brennan

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.

How to build an insect hotel: Kay Synott

Kay's tutorial, filmed in a woodland, demonstrates how to build an insect hotel with materials found at home and in a garden or woodland.

Suited to children from 2nd to 6th class

Beetles in my backyard: Nessa Darcy

Learn how to create a pitfall trap in your garden to catch live ground beetles and other invertebrates for a closer look.

Suited to children from 2nd to 6th class.

Making a 3D map of your walk: Úna Halpin

This tutorial encourages children to explore and record their local heritage by taking a walk locally and making a 3D map of what they have seen.

Suited to children of all ages.

Solitary bee hotels: Dale Treadwell

Dale and Nathan show us how to construct a solitary bee hotel from materials you'll find at home.

Suited to children of all ages.

Nettle cordage: Maura Brennan

Discover the natural resources growing near your own doorstep! Learn about sustainable plant fibres as we learn how to process nettles to make cordage.

The story of wool: Susanna Anker

Susanna demonstrates the story of wool from carding to spinning to dyeing and weaving.

Suitable for children from 1st to 6th class

All about potatoes: Roisín Cotter

Learning how to grow potatoes is a skill for life and a small step in increasing the sustainability of our everyday lives.

Suited to children from 3rd to 6th class.

Let's hunt for bugs!: Kay Synott

Kay's tutorial, filmed in a garden, shows where to find different invertebrates, how to safely trap and identify them using a pitfall trap.

Suited to children of all ages.

Making a sugar lure for moths: Albert Nolan

Moths are attracted by the scent of fermenting fruit. You can make up a sugary treat for moths. There are many different recipes and why mot experiment - Albert shares his receipe here.

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

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

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.

Eco Rangers - discover nature and biodiversity

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/.

Woodland Trust Nature Dectives

Get muddy and run wild!

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Discover a range of Nature Detectives activities for all ages from the Woodland Trust.

How to make a winter bird feeder

Making bird feeders is fun, cheap and very easy with help from Nature North West ..

The Frog Blog

The Frog Blog contains short and snappy science articles on a rich array of topics, from astronomy to zoology. It's created for science enthusiasts of all ages, so enjoy! 

The Buildings We Live In

An introduction into different types of buildings that are in the locality.

Things To do
1.    Go on a building ramble. Ask the children to look at the different types of houses that are in their neighbourhood. Do a mini survey of where they live and what kind of house/ apartment they live in.
2.    Download the Front Doors worksheet below and draw a picture of four different doors they see on their way to school.
3.    Tell the three Little Pigs Story and get the children to draw the three different types of houses.

Make A St. Brigid’s Cross

Saint Brigid is remembered for her spirituality, charity and compassion. Her feast day is on the 1st February, the first day of spring. It is customary on St Brigid’s Day to make a cross, known as a ‘St Brigid’s Cross’, out of rushes or reeds (other materials may be used if no rushes or reeds are available).

Once the cross is woven, it is blessed with holy water by a priest. It is then hung on the front doors of homes and left in place all year, to be burned and replaced with a newly-woven cross on the next St Brigid’s Day.

How to make a St. Brigid’s Cross
You will need:

  • bowl
  • 28 long reads or straws (if not available why not try pipe cleaners).

Instructions:

  • Position two straws to make a plus sign, putting the horizontal straw on the top. Fold the upper section of the vertical straw on top of its other half. Rotate the weave counter-clockwise 90 degrees. Repeat to fold the now-vertical straw.
  • Rotate 90 degrees counter-clockwise. Add another straw by placing it to the right of the folded vertical straw and beneath the folded horizontal straw. Fold it and rotate it again.
  • Keep repeating the process without letting the straws bunch up on top of each other. Rest the straws side by side.
  • Tie each arm 4 inches from the centre of the St. Brigid’s cross after all the straws have been added. Trim the ends of the straw.