Our Ocean – Our Future Ocean Canvases – Ocean Literacy Project
Over one hundred primary school students in Galway and County Galway created seven original pieces of artwork based on the theme of ‘Our Ocean – Our Future Ocean Literacy Art project’ with the aim to celebrate Ireland's incredible ocean wealth and raise awareness about our responsibility towards the ocean and its ecosystems.
The ‘Our Ocean – Our Future Ocean Literacy Art project’ involved the Explorers Education outreach team at Galway Atlantaquaria and was supported by the Marine Institute. The primary schools involved in the art project included:
- 4th Class, Gaelscoilmde híde, Oranmore, County Galway
- 6th Class, Scoil Róis, Rosary Lane, Taylor’s Hill, Galway
- 4th Class, Garrafrauns National School, Dunmore, County Galway
The “Our Ocean – Our Future” ocean literacy art project featured at the national Our Ocean Wealth Conference in 2016.
The project engaged with children and develop their ideas about the seven Ocean Literacy principles as well as how they view their relationship with the sea. The concept of how to generate action towards a creating healthy ocean and ultimately a healthy planet was also reflected in the children’s artwork.
Ocean Literacy and the Seven Ocean Principles:
Ocean literacy is an understanding of the ocean’s influence on you and your influence on the ocean. An ocean-literate person understands the fundamental concepts about the functioning ofthe ocean, can communicate about the ocean in a meaningful way, and is able to make informedand responsible decisions regarding the ocean and its resources.
The seven principles of Ocean Literacy include:
- Ocean Principle 1: THE EARTH HAS ONE BIG OCEAN WITH MANY FEATURES
- Ocean Principle 2: THE OCEAN AND LIFE IN THE OCEAN SHAPE THE FEATURES OF EARTH
- Ocean Principle 3: THE OCEAN IS A MAJOR INFLUENCE ON WEATHER AND CLIMATE
- Ocean Principle 4: THE OCEAN MADE EARTH HABITABLE
- Ocean Principle 5: THE OCEAN SUPPORTS A GREAT DIVERSITY OF LIFE AND ECOSYSTEMS
- Ocean Principle 6: THE OCEAN AND HUMANS ARE INEXTRICABLY INTERCONNECTED
- Ocean Principle 7: THE OCEAN IS LARGELY UNEXPLORED
The ‘Our Ocean – Our Future Ocean Literacy Art project’ resulted in seven paintings on display at the national Harnessing Our Ocean Wealth conference 2016, Titanic - Belfast, the Marine Institute and Galway Atlantaquaria.
At the conference a customised “Our Ocean – Our Future” bag and postcard with messages about the ocean from each class were given to the attendees. Over 200 marine scientists, researchers, industry, businesses and government officials from Ireland, Europe and the USA engaged with the students by writing and returning the postcards with a personalised message to each class about their artwork and our ocean.
OCEAN LITERACY AND ENGAGEMENT - EXPLORERS PLANNING GUIDE FOR PRIMARY SCHOOLS TEACHERS
