Is acmhainn oideachais é ‘Something Fishy’ atá curtha le chéile ag Iascach Intíre Éireann i gcomhar le hIonad Oideachais na Carraige Duibhe. Tá an Tionscadal dírithe ar ranganna a cúig agus a sé sa Bhunscoil. Déanann sé iniúchadh ar ghnéithe éagsúla de shaol na n-iasc, e.g. uisce, iasc, saolré bradán, stoic éisc, slatiascaireacht, caomhnú ár n-aibhneacha agus ár lochanna, agus iasc mar chuid den bhiashlabhra.
Is cuireadh é an tionscadal seo chun an seomra ranga a fhágáil beagnach ar thóir foghlama, spleodar, taitneamh agus spraoi. Aistríonn na ceachtanna intinn an pháiste go huiscí na hÉireann chun gnéithe Stair, Tíreolaíochta agus Eolaíochta an churaclaim a aimsiú.
Don Mhúinteoir tá an tsraith ceachtanna bunaithe ar an gCuraclam OSIE. Is clár comhtháite é a chuimsíonn go leor eispéiris teagaisc agus foghlama a eascraíonn as Snáitheanna agus Snáithaonaid na Tíreolaíochta, na Staire agus na hEolaíochta sa Churaclam nua. Cuimsítear nótaí don mhúinteoir agus tugann siad an t-eolas cúlra cuí agus na treoirlínte ar oibriú trí na ceachtanna. Tá na ceachtanna agus na nótaí srl. ar fáil i nGaeilge agus i mBéarla.
Don Dalta is cuireadh é an tionscadal chun an seomra ranga a fhágáil beagnach ar thóir foghlama, spleodar, sult agus spraoi. Aistríonn na ceachtanna intinn an pháiste go huiscí na hÉireann chun gnéithe Stair, Tíreolaíochta agus Eolaíochta an churaclaim a aimsiú. Agus ansin tá deis taithí a fháil ar na smaointe nua seo agus iad a cheistiú agus an fhoghlaim a threisiú le cluichí, tráth na gceist agus taispeántais éagsúla atá ar an suíomh Gréasáin speisialta, www.somethingfishy.ie
An suíomh gréasáin idirghníomhach seo, www.somethingfishy.ie a thacaíonn leis an tionscadal. San acmhainn ar líne seo tá an t-eolas go léir atá riachtanach don chlár, chomh maith le cluichí idirghníomhacha, tráth na gceist agus gníomhaíochtaí eile a chuideoidh leis na ceachtanna a foghlaimíodh sa rang a threisiú. Is é aidhm an chláir oideachas a chur ar leanaí faoi thábhacht na timpeallachta abhann le béim ar leith ar fhrith-thruailliú agus ar fhrithbhruscair agus ar shlatiascaireacht. Cuirtear na daltaí ar an eolas faoi speicis éagsúla éisc inár n-aibhneacha agus moltar dóibh conas is féidir linn oibriú le chéile chun cáilíocht uisce agus caomhnú iasc agus iascaireachta in Éirinn a chinntiú.
Cuid lárnach den tionscadal ar fad is ea cuairt na ndaltaí ar an abhainn, nó cuairt a thugann an Fhoireann Iascaigh ar an seomra ranga. Spreagann siad sábháilteacht agus feasacht agus míníonn siad an tábhacht a bhaineann le cáilíocht an uisce agus bealaí chun é a mheas agus a fheabhsú. Léiríonn siad an tábhacht a bhaineann le caomhnú agus cuireann siad an teachtaireacht in aghaidh truaillithe agus frithbhruscair chun cinn. Tógann siad ‘cic samplaí’ leis na páistí agus míníonn siad na torthaí. Léiríonn siad samplaí de bheatha éisc san abhainn trí ‘iascaireacht leictreach’. Tá an ghníomhaíocht seo an-spreagúil do na daltaí mar go bhfeiceann siad bradán, breac, eascann agus speicis eile gar dóibh agus ligtear dóibh teagmháil a dhéanamh leis na héisc a ghabhtar agus iad a mhothú.
Sheol Ionad Tacaíochta Oideachais Iarthar Chorcaí i gcomhar le hIascach Intíre Éireann agus Ionad Oideachais na Carraige Duibhe an Clár Something Fishy do scoileanna Iarthar Chorcaí i bhfómhar 2011.
***
‘Something Fishy’ is an education resource produced by Inland Fisheries Ireland in conjunction with Blackrock Education Centre. The Project is aimed at fifth and sixth classes in Primary School. It explores different aspects of fish life, e.g. water, fish, the life cycle of a salmon, fish stocks, angling, conservation of our rivers and lakes, and fish as part of the food chain.
This project is an invitation to virtually leave the classroom in pursuit of learning, excitement, enjoyment and fun. The lessons transport the child’s mind to the waters of Ireland to discover the History, Geography and Science elements of the curriculum.
For the Teacher the series of lessons is based on the SESE Curriculum. It is an integrated programme which includes many teaching and learning experiences emanating from the Strands and Strand Units of Geography, History and Science in the new Curriculum. Notes for the teacher are included and they give the relevant background information and guidelines on working through the lessons. The lessons and notes etc. are available in Irish and English.
For the Pupil the project is an invitation to virtually leave the classroom in pursuit of learning, excitement, enjoyment and fun. The lessons transport the child’s mind to the waters of Ireland to discover the History, Geography and Science elements of the curriculum. And then there is the opportunity to experience and question these new ideas and to reinforce the learning with various games, quizzes and demonstrations which are included in the special website, www.somethingfishy.ie.
This interactive website, www.somethingfishy.ie. supports the project. This online resource contains all the information required for the programme, as well as other interactive games, quizzes and activities which can help to reinforce the lessons learnt in class. The aim of the programme is to educate children about the importance of the river environment with special emphasis on anti-pollution and anti-litter and angling. The pupils are introduced to different fish species in our rivers and are advised on how we can work together to ensure water quality and conservation of fish and fishing in Ireland.
An integral part of the whole project is the visit by the pupils to the river, or a visit by the Fisheries Staff to the classroom. They encourage safety and awareness and explain the importance of water quality and ways of judging it and improving it. They demonstrate the importance of conservation and promote the anti-pollution and anti-litter message. They take ‘kick samples’ with the children and explain the findings. They show samples of fish life in the river by ‘electric fishing’. This activity is very exciting for the pupils as they see young salmon, trout, eels and other species up close and they are allowed to touch and feel the caught fish.
West Cork Education Support Centre in collaboration with Inland Fisheries Ireland and Blackrock Education Centre launched the Something Fishy Programme for West Cork schools in autumn 2011.
