Ballagh National School Kilrooskey Co.Roscommon

Viking Workshop

11th December 2024/in School News /by Ballagh Ns

We discovered the amazing history of the Vikings in Ireland in our live virtual session with the National Museum of Archaeology, Dublin.

Museum Educator Matthew Lester shared videos and used objects from the Museum’s handling collection to shed light on this fascinating period in Irish history.

Short interactive videos on Archaeology and the Vikings were combined with a live presented introduction, Q&A, and virtual close-up inspection of museum handling objects such as raw materials, tools and weapons! We even got to share examples of our own Viking Ship 3-D models.

In our workshop we examined critically, and became familiar with, evidence we have which tells us about these people, especially using Archaeological evidence of these people within the National Museum of Ireland’s collection

Became familiar with some aspects of the lives of these peoples – origins, homelands and migrations, homes, settlements and urban developments, food and farming, clothes, work and technologies, tools and weapons, cultural or artistic achievements, language(s), myths and stories, leisure and pastimes

Discussed links these people had with Ireland or Europe, arrival, settlement and life of these people in Ireland, relationship of these people with other civilisations, long-term contribution of these people

We integrated our learning with the following Curriculum Links – SESE History

Working as an Historian
Time and Chronology / Using Evidence / Change and Continuity / Cause and Effect / Synthesis and Communications / Empathy

Early Peoples and Ancient Societies
Vikings / Early Christian Ireland

Stories from the lives of the people in the past / Myths and Legends

Continuity and Change Over Time
Communications / Literature, Arts, Crafts, and Culture

Science Workshop in Mercy College Roscommon

25th November 2024/in School News /by Ballagh Ns

The children in our senior room had an exciting opportunity to attend a full day of science workshops in the Mercy College Roscommon recently. They participated in hands-on experiments and learned from experienced teachers in a vibrant, interactive environment. It was a fantastic day of learning and fun, leaving the children inspired and eager to continue exploring the wonders of science.

Green Schools – Global Citizenship Marine Environment

13th November 2024/in School News /by Ballagh Ns

Our new Green Schools’ theme – Global Citizenship Marine Environment.

Our new theme invites schools to look at Global Citizenship in relation to the Marine Environment. Although there are five named oceans, they are all part of one large global ocean, to which we are all connected. The ocean is home to unique biodiversity, provides valuable food and resources and is also a major carbon sink. As an island, Ireland’s climate, history and culture has been hugely affected by the Atlantic Ocean. Did you know that Ireland’s maritime area is seven times the size of Ireland’s land mass? That’s a lot of ocean to protect, and that is exactly what we all need to do.

The marine environment is made up of many, diverse habitats, including cliffs, estuaries, mangroves, lagoons, the intertidal seashore, sand dunes, coral reefs, the open ocean and the deep sea. The main threats facing the marine environment include: marine litter, climate change, overfishing, invasive species, commercial shipping and offshore mining.

In this theme, we encourage our pupils to both learn about the wonders of the ocean and marine biodiversity and to take action to protect it – in particular, by reducing marine litter.

Marine litter is any man-made material that has ended up in the marine environment after being discarded (intentionally or accidentally) either on land or at sea. It is estimated that the litter found on beaches only represents about 15% of the total marine litter, with another 15% floating in the ocean and at least 70% to be found on the sea-bed.

Marine litter poses a serious threat to sea life. Animals like seabirds, fish, turtles and marine mammals, can become entangled in litter, and become injured, suffocate or drown. These animals may also confuse litter with food leading to starvation, illness and death. Once plastic enters the food chain in the ocean, it can have toxic effects impacting the health of larger animals, including dolphins, whales and humans.

We look forward to working on this theme and protecting our Marine environment.