The pack contains a series of six activities, all of which have been designed to demonstrate how the rocks and landscapes in this region formed. It will allow teachers to explore some of the amazing rocks and landscapes from the comfort of their own classroom as well as providing suggestions of where to see some of the best examples in the Mourne Gullion Strangford UNESCO Global Geopark.
This pack is aimed at NI Key Stage 2 pupils and fits in with the World Around Us element of the CCEA Primary Curriculum. However, it can also be used for Key Stage 3 Geography and adapted for Key Stage 1. The pack is also relevant for the Social Environmental and Scientific Education (SESE) element of the RoI primary curriculum at 3rd to 6th class level.
Whilst all of the activities can be used on their own, for a much broader introduction to Earth Science in the Primary Curriculum a complete resource has been prepared by Earth Science Ireland, in conjunction with the Geological Survey of Northern Ireland. These have been endorsed by the Council for Curriculum Examination and Assessment (CCEA) and can be found at ccea.org.uk/learning-resources/earth-science-lessons
All of the activities have been designed to be delivered as a demonstration to a class. Some activities will be suitable for small groups of pupils to carry out with supervision. However, this will depend on a number of factors including but not limited to age, ability and maturity so suitability is at the teachers’ discretion. An appropriate risk assessment should always be carried out before any activity.