Hosted by OSOS , contributed by richard.harte on 23 May 2023
This ecological project focussed on children comparing and contrasting waterways in Mayo Ireland
and Mallorca Spain
Children used technology to support student learning and support the curriculum.
Children studies the local River habitat Trimogue and Water beach Habitats in Mallorca Spain.
It is a fun way to help children to learn about the natural environment and about themselves. They
used technology iPads (from LfE funding) to develop a wide variety of skills including questioning,
observing, recording, analysing, and presenting data in I Books and presenting findings to own
school and Llsoeta school Mallorca. It also helped improve the children’s physical and mental health
working in the outdoors and engaging with the natural world.
Children conducted investigations on River habitats and visited beach habitats along the coast of Co
Mayo. It helped refugee and Ukrainian children develop confidence and self esteem and the outdoor
habitats provided a hands-on learning experiences in river/beach and natural environments with
water. It is learner centred and child led with close curriculum links to SESE curriculum.
This project helped to build confidence and resilience, improved physical and emotional; well being
and developed social personal and communication skills. Children had opportunity to work in teams
and groups and present work collaboratively.
It helped build empathy with the natural world, improved language acquisition skills and ability to
access and manage data and information from the internet recording and naming animals and plants
they found. It helped improve the children’s ability to manage risks, increased motivation and
concentration and enhanced numeracy and literacy skills.
Our classes included Maryna, A Ukrainian teacher living in our community, and she told us These
classes brought benefits to mental and physical health and physical wellbeing of displace children
and helped with cultural integration. The current biodiversity crisis/climate change crises this project
was a great addition to our primary education.
These water habitats link to SPHE Science Geography History PE English and Art curriculum.
Find us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/KinaffeNS/
Feel
Guidelines
Ireland has seen a long-term trend of decline in the number of high-status (Q5 and Q4-5) river sites in
recent decades. Of monitored river sites, 19% had high status in the 2017-2019 assessment period
compared to 31.6% in the 1987-1990. The trend of decline had been noted up to 2018 (See EPA Water
Quality Report 2019), however small improvements are noted in the 2017-2019 assessment period.
This assessment has shown a welcome increase of 58 sites classified as high quality (Q4-5 and Q5),
though only two were in the Q5 category (highest quality) bringing the total number to 22.
EPA – WATER QUALITY IN 2019 An Indicators Report
As a result of the decline, the protection of high status waters was highlighted as one of the main
priorities of the River Basin Management Plan for Ireland 2018-2021. The Plan places particular
emphasis on the protection and, where possible, looks to provide the framework for restoration to
high-status of some water bodies, where deterioration has occurred since the beginning of the first
river basin management planning cycle in 2007 – 2009. The Plan outlined several Principal Actions
related to high status rivers and lakes including the setting up of the Blue Dot Catchments Programme
to be developed and coordinated by a Blue Dot Steering Group.
Description
Ireland has seen a long-term trend of decline in the number of high-status (Q5 and Q4-5) river sites in
recent decades. Of monitored river sites, 19% had high status in the 2017-2019 assessment period
compared to 31.6% in the 1987-1990. The trend of decline had been noted up to 2018 (See EPA Water
Quality Report 2019), however small improvements are noted in the 2017-2019 assessment period.
This assessment has shown a welcome increase of 58 sites classified as high quality (Q4-5 and Q5),
though only two were in the Q5 category (highest quality) bringing the total number to 22.
EPA – WATER QUALITY IN 2019 An Indicators Report
As a result of the decline, the protection of high status waters was highlighted as one of the main
priorities of the River Basin Management Plan for Ireland 2018-2021. The Plan places particular
emphasis on the protection and, where possible, looks to provide the framework for restoration to
high-status of some water bodies, where deterioration has occurred since the beginning of the first
river basin management planning cycle in 2007 – 2009. The Plan outlined several Principal Actions
related to high status rivers and lakes including the setting up of the Blue Dot Catchments Programme
to be developed and coordinated by a Blue Dot Steering Group.
The Blue Dot Catchments Programme is a collaborative programme being delivered by a range of
agencies as a means of focusing attention and resources towards the protection and restoration of our
high status objective waters. The programme also endeavours to raise awareness amongst land
managers and state bodies on the sensitivity of these waters. The work of the Blue Dot Catchments
Programme is delivered by the Blue Dot Steering Group which was set up in late 2018 and had its first
meeting in January 2019
Imagine
Guidelines
Children took river and coastal walks, used plant and animal identification charts and Ipads, pond
dipping, water temperature investigations, learning safe use of tools, nature arts and crafts,
storytelling sensory meditation, and free child led play.
A local man that grew up in the community alongside the river told the children stories about the
past, fishing and playing in the river in olden days. He also told the children that the water was
carried in buckets each day, to the primary school which had no running water, to enable teachers
make tea.
We used these stories to try and think of a way we could design a trail where people could follow the rivers and learn local stories about the different landmarks along the river. Students began to use Google maps to mark places of interest that they had heard stories about.
Description
Children took river and coastal walks, used plant and animal identification charts and Ipads, pond
dipping, water temperature investigations, learning safe use of tools, nature arts and crafts,
storytelling sensory meditation, and free child led play.
A local man that grew up in the community alongside the river told the children stories about the
past, fishing and playing in the river in olden days. He also told the children that the water was
carried in buckets each day, to the primary school which had no running water, to enable teachers
make tea.
We used these stories to try and think of a way we could design a trail where people could follow the rivers and learn local stories about the different landmarks along the river. Students began to use Google maps to mark places of interest that they had heard stories about.
Create
Guidelines
The trails were then completed by Kinaffe students using iPads. Children used Ipad and translated the Kinaffe Trail with google translate.
When describing various landmarks, the children converted the descriptions into both Spanish and Ukranian.
As part of the learning, we created worksheets to ask children what we had learned during our trips.
Description
The trails were then completed by Kinaffe students using iPads. Children used Ipad and translated the Kinaffe Trail with google translate.
When describing various landmarks, the children converted the descriptions into both Spanish and Ukranian.
As part of the learning, we created worksheets to ask children what we had learned during our trips.
Share
Guidelines
We shared our work with the local community, as did the school in Mallorca. There presentation of their part in the project can be seen in this PDF. ACHIEVEMENTS Project.pdf
Hope you enjoyed our project, see you soon!
Description
We shared our work with the local community, as did the school in Mallorca. There presentation of their part in the project can be seen in this PDF. ACHIEVEMENTS Project.pdf
Hope you enjoyed our project, see you soon!
