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Discover Science Centres Visit
Discover Science Centres Visit: Organic Centre, Co. Leitrim
In our latest video children from St. Clare's Primary School, Manorhamilton visit Organic Centre, Co. Leitrim, for a DPSM workshop.
The children find out about new beginnings and new growth, the theme of their Discover Centre visit. Watch as the children see frogspawn, go on a tree identification walk, calculate the height of trees and learn about compost.
To find out more visit http://www.theorganiccentre.ie
Discover Science Centres News
Discover Centres News Round-up
Below you'll find the latest news from our Discover Centres. You can also sign up directly with your local centres for regular updates by visiting their page on the DPSM website.
Click on a province below to find out what's going on near you.
Munster | Leinster | Connacht | Ulster
MUNSTER
CIT Blackrock Castle Observatory, Cork
For teachers of 3rd class and up: TARA telescope workshops. During 2015, the International Year of Light, explore lenses and telescopes in our hands on TARA workshop. This workshop lasts 2 hours and has a maximum capacity of 30 students.
School tours that count towards your DPSM Award
Visit Cosmos at the Castle and save the planet! CIT Blackrock Castle Observatory is home to the Comet Chaser, a unique interactive cinema game that highlights ESA’s Rosetta Mission. Can you control Philae and land on a comet? The Comet Chaser is included in all visits. Follow the amazing science from Rosetta all of this year as the mission continues. New for 2015: Visit our giant comet in the courtyard! Our comet is accurately modelled from the real Comet 67 P, but scaled down so it fits in the castle courtyard. It’s still bigger than most people.
Contact
Email: info@bco.ie
Phone: 021 435 7917
Web: http://www.bco.ie
Dingle Oceanworld Aquarium, Kerry
Discovery Primary Science & Maths Primary, Learning at Oceanworld Aquarium 2015
A typical visit lasts two hours and the cost per student is €7.50
Interactive Guided tour - 1 hour
Classroom Experiments - 1 hour
We believe the best way to learn is to see and do – that’s why we offer a range of tours and hands on activities to suit all age groups. If you're interested in bringing your group to Oceanworld, read on to find out more!
We aim to turn science into a memorable and engaging experience.
The experiments range from making slime, global warming balloon explosions and squid dissections. We are able to cater for all ages and abilities and we can tailor our activities to suit your requirements, such as with role playing and puppet show creation for younger classes.
New for 2015 at Dingle Oceanworld Aquarium!
Here at Dingle Oceanworld we are venturing away from water for the first time by installing a brand new creepy crawly section. Our new section will have a collection of all shapes and forms from tarantulas, scorpions to the slower moving African snail.
To book or for more information please contact us on 066 9152111 or by email to marabeo@iol.ie.
Lismore Heritage Centre, Waterford
Easter Camp at Lismore Heritage Centre 2015
Easter Camp will be bouncing back to Lismore Heritage Centre this April.
Camp will be held from Tuesday the 7th to Thursday 9th of April from 10am to 2pm each day. Easter camp is the perfect way for children to pass their Easter holidays with lots of crafts, mystery solving and games.
Happy campers can come along for one day for €15 or since each day is totally different they can come for all four for €40. They will need to bring along a drink, healthy packed lunch and old clothes for getting up to all sorts of mischief!!
Spaces at camp are strictly limited so early booking is advised to avoid any disappointment call Aoife on 058-54975 or email AMcCabe@lismoreheritage.ie to book your place!
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LEINSTER
Castlecomer Discovery Park, Kilkenny
School tour fun and excitement at Castlecomer Discovery Park
Castlecomer Discovery Park are now taking bookings for School Tours so be sure to book yours soon! We have a range of action-packed education and recreation activities to make your School Tour the best one yet!
How about taking on our Tree-Top Adventure Activities (ages 7+), try your hand at Boating (5th-6th class only) or race your way through one of our Orienteering Trails?
Include some fun, inclusive education activities on your visit: Water Ecology, Woodland Invertebrate Collection, Nature Trail with Scavenger Hunt, Footprints in Coal Interactive Exhibition and a Maths & Numeracy Trail and Geology & the Rock Cycle workshop (latter two unavailable May-June).
Exciting student-centred activities take place in our extensive 80 acre woodland, by the lakes and river and also indoors in our dedicated education rooms.
For more information visit http://www.discoverypark.ie/education-tours or to book your fun-filled day contact us by email: educationofficer@discoverypark.ie or Tel: 056-4440707.
ECO UNESCO, Dublin
ECO-UNESCO offers a range of DPSM workshops to children from Junior Infants to Sixth class. Topics include climate, energy and water, and learning can include outdoor trails and nature experiences right here in Dublin! Take your pick from five different themes: Junior Eco-Action Environmental workshop; Junior Urban Ecology Days; Junior Biodiversity Trail; Junior Eco-Watchers Environmental workshop and Junior Sustainability. Indoor workshops can be delivered in the ECO UNESCO headquarters; our famous Greenhouse on St Andrews Street, or directly in Primary schools. Outdoor workshops take in Dublin’s famous City parks and greenspaces, and can be expanded to include Dublin Museum trips as part of the day. Learning is age appropriate and interactive, enquiries and bookings to youth@ecounesco.ie. We hope to see you soon!
Global Action Plan (GAP), Dublin
Global Action Plan (GAP) Ireland are delighted to offer a new outdoor Garden Biodiversity workshop for primary schools, based in our local community garden in Ballymun.
Our expert facilitators will guide children through a range of age-appropriate, engaging games and activities that will introduce children to the wonderful biodiversity in the garden. This curriculum-linked experiential workshop will provide a fun, hands-on introduction to biodiversity in the garden, with an emphasis on exploration, questioning and discovery, in line with the national primary school SESE curriculum.
During the workshop, students will be given a guided tour of the garden interspersed with plant identification games and mathematics activities that will reinforce content and scientific enquiry. Students will also get to participate in some hands on planting, and will learn about the importance of invertebrates and how to identify them and then set about on an enquiry-based bug hunt!
The workshop is 2 hours long, suitable for 2nd – 5th class students and runs from April – October.
For more information, or to make a booking, please contact GAP's Education Officer, Dr. Sophie Nicol, at sophie@globalactionplan.ie or phone 01 891 6798.
The Rediscovery Centre, Dublin
Let's Talk Science Festival, 21st - 24th May
The Rediscovery Centre and Global Action Plan are delighted to announce that Lets Talk Science, a new science festival, will be taking place from 21st to 24th May 2015 in Ballymun, Dublin.
This exciting free festival will be a unique opportunity to have fun and explore science, technology, engineering and maths for all ages from 2 to 102. The fantastic programme of events includes free interactive workshops, demonstrations, games and challenges, talks, presentations, exhibition stands, career talks and guided walks. From learning how to engineer the perfect bubble, exploring the biodiversity of a garden, to the science of water and how electricity works, this festival is fun for the whole family.
Come along to the Let’s Talk Science Festival and explore, experiment and enjoy!
Biodiversity, water, circuits, fashion, technology, engineering, maths, furniture, bike mechanics, the human body, space - See where Science will take you!
The Lets Talk Science Festival is a collaborative project between the Rediscovery Centre and Global Action Plan, funded by Science Foundation Ireland and supported by Dublin City Council.
For more information please contact us:
Global Action Plan: info@globalactionplan.ie
The Rediscovery Centre: info@rediscoverycentre.ie
#BallymunScienceFestival
Wexford Wildfowl Reserve
2015 sees the centres 30th anniversary year. Wexford Wildfowl Reserve (NPWS, DoAHG) has received its 2015 staff allocation and we are very pleased to be in a position to welcome back both Andrew Butler & John Kinsella as Education Guide Officers. Andrew will kick off first starting about March 5th or so with John joining later in June. Andrew will hopefully be in a position to send the call out to regional schools & organisations once our programme is finalised but we look forward to our DPSM programme.
We hope you can all drop in if in town at all…and don’t forget to keep up-to-date with all on Facebook.
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CONNACHT
Brigit's Garden, Galway
Brigit’s Garden in Roscahill, Co. Galway offers innovative DPSM programmes for infants to 6th class.
- Exploring Nature and Celtic Heritage – hands-on, age-appropriate activities relating to the seasons, mini-beasts, trees, rocks and fossils, and habitat explorations; also the Celtic seasonal festivals. Visits end with an interactive musical parade in the Celtic Gardens.
- New for 2015: Nature’s Power - Renewable Energy in Action - an exciting, hands-on experience for 3rd - 6th class. Children engage with onsite installations and interactive activities with solar, hydro, wind and biomass; learn about generating their own energy with hand-cranks and pumps; and understand insulation, energy conservation, the carbon cycle & climate change.
The all-weather, 3 hour programmes are facilitated by experienced guides and cost just €9.50 per child.
Brigit’s Garden also provides free ‘Schools Energy Workshops’ in schools for children and CPD ‘Exploring our Energy’ workshops for teachers in association with SEAI.
See http://www.brigitsgarden.ie to book contact 091 550905 or email info@brigitsgarden.ie.
Galway Atlantaquaria
Visit Galway Atlantaquaria this spring/summer to discover and explore.
- Fifty eight exhibits including 170 species ranging from sharks to trout, spider crabs to rays, octopus to pike.
- A real 60ft Fin Whale Skeleton.
- A chance to take part in fish feeding; including our ravenous trout and finger nibbling mullet.
- The opportunity to touch/hold a starfish and a spider crab.
For a longer visit to the aquarium add one of the following options to your tour to create a Discover Primary Science and Maths workshop:
- Animal anatomy class with squid dissection (approx 50 min)*
- Explorer the Seashore on Grattan Beach (approx 1 hour 50 min)*
- Engineering at the aquarium and exploring flood defences (approx 50 min)*
Also available at the aquarium or in the surrounding Salthill area:
- Indoor area for lunch *
- Free bus parking along Salthill Prom
- Lighthouse Gift Shop (group specials available)
- Children’s playground at Toft park
- Numerous food outlets to choose from including Salt and Pepper and Supermacs.
* Subject to availability
Prices start from €5 per student. For more information contact reception on (091) 585100 or email info@nationalaquarium.ie.
ULSTER
Armagh Planetarium
A visit to Armagh Planetarium gives you the unique opportunity to see the stars in the daytime. Take a trip through the Cosmos in our Digital Theatre past the planet Jupiter, through the rings of Saturn and beyond. Explore the exhibition area, see models of the International Space Station and the Hubble Space Telescope and even touch real meteorites as old as the Earth. Also get hands-on in our interactive workshop ‘Cosmic Collisions’ or even blast off your own rocket! School programmes can be tailored to suit any age of audience. For further information contact Armagh Planetarium on 0044 2837 523689 or info@armaghplanet.com.
Fly the Cosmos at Armagh Planetarium http://www.armaghplanet.com.
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