Geography

Explorer geography lesson plans and activities relating to the marine are available in the following strands. Also see Explorer Teacher's Resources for presentations that can be used to support a number of the following lesson plans.

A selection of Explorer geography lesson plans are also available through Irish.  Please see the Gaeilege section of the website for more information:

Geography Icon. Junior Infants and Senior Infants 

Strand: Human Environments
Strand Unit: Living in the local community.
Keeping our Beaches Clean from Litter
The aim of the lesson plan is for children to identify the beach as a place where people can play and suggest ways that the beach could be kept clean and safe. 

Strand: Natural Environments
Strand Unit: The Local Natural Environment.
Observing Features of the Local Beach
The aim of the lesson plan is for children to become aware of, explore and discuss some aspects of natural environments, such as the seashore, in the immediate locality of the school.

 

Geography Icon. First Class and Second Class 

Strand: Natural Environments
Strand Unit: The Local Natural Environment.
Observing and Investigating Place Names near the Seashore
The aim of the lesson plan is for children to identify, explore and discuss aspects of some major natural features in the local environment including a seashore, estuary, bays, inlets, harbours and islands. 

Strand: Human Environments
Strand Unit: People Living and Working in the Local area
Learn about an Oceanographer that works in the Local Community
The aim of the lesson plan is for children investigate the work of people in a range of locations in the locality. The students will become familiar with the range of different work oceanographers do. 

 

Geography Icon. Third Class and Fourth Class

Strand: Human Environments
Strand Unit: People living and working in the local area and people living and working in a contrasting part of Ireland.
Exploring the Fishing Industry in Ireland
The aim of the lesson plan is for children to explore and investigate, especially through practical studies, a small number of the common marine related economic activities of people in the locality and in a contrasting part of Ireland.

Strand: Natural Environments
Strand Unit:
The Local Natural Environment
Visualising the Seashore Habitat
The aim of the lesson plan is for children to observe and explore ways in which features of the seashore habitat affect the lives of plants, animals and humans. 

 

Geography Icon. Fifth Class and Sixth Class 

 

Strand: Human Environments 
Strand Unit: Living in the local community.  
What would I do with my Local Seashore
The aim of the lesson plan is for children to identify the beach as a place where people can enjoy. Through project work students will create a postcard campaign to raise awareness and suggest ways that the beach could be kept clean and safe. 
*Note: The activities included in this lesson plan can be conducted over a course of study. 

Strand: Natural Environments
Strand Unit: The Local Natural Environment
Researching Coastal Erosion 
The aim of the lesson plan is for children to observe and develop a simple understanding of the links between erosion of coastline and the results it has on our beaches.

Strand: Natural Environments
Strand Unit: Rocks and Soils. The Local Natural Environment.
Geology and the Seashore – Make your own Fossil
The aim of the lesson plan is for children to examine sand and rocks from the local seashore and learn about the different types of seashores and their origins.  The students will also produce their own marine fossil, where they are to report on the species they have “discovered” using their geographical investigation and communication skills.

Strand: Natural Environments
Strand Unit: The Local Natural Environment. Seas of my country/ Ireland. 
Investigating Tides – Where Does All The Water Go?
The students will investigate and become familiar with tides as a natural feature in the local environment. They will seek to develop an understanding of what causes tides and why sea levels change between high and low tide.  The students will also explore the ways in which the tides affect the plants and animals on the seashore, as well as people’s local environment beside the sea.

Strand: Natural Environments
Strand Unit: The Local Natural Environment. Seas of my country/ Ireland. Physical Features of Europe and the world. 
The Real Map of Ireland – Ireland’s Marine Territory: Word Association and Pictures
The aim of the lesson plan is to develop children’s knowledge and understanding of the size of Ireland’s marine territory. Students will learn about their local marine environment, seas of Ireland as well as physical features under the sea by identifying key names and areas of Ireland’s marine territory through word and picture association.

Strand: Natural Environments 
Strand Unit: The local natural environment Seas of my country/ Ireland. 
What would I do with Ireland's Marine Territory
The aim of the lesson plan is for children to learn about the size of Ireland's marine territory and the map that is commonly known as 'The Real Map of Ireland'. The students will learn to identify Ireland's oceans and seas. They will also develop and understanding of the importance of working in the marine. 
*Note: The activities included in this lesson plan can be conducted over a course of study. 
*Also see teachers resources for the Ireland’s marine resource - What would you do with the Real Map of Ireland? presentation

Strand: Natural Environments
Strand Unit: Planet Earth in Space
Gravity and Tides and understanding how Tides affect me
The aim of the lesson plan is for children to learn about how the earth, moon and sun interact though gravity. The students will develop an understanding of what causes tides.  The students will also investigate the importance of tidal prediction and learn to read tide tables.
*Also see teachers resources for the Explaining the Tides to Children Presentation
 

Strand: Environmental Awareness and Care
Strand Unit: Caring for my locality. Environmental Awareness. Caring for the environment.
Organising a Beach Clean and Beach Clean Survey template
The children will conduct a beach clean to show the benefits of caring for their local environment and ocean, as well as becoming environmentally aware and active. The children will have developed a sense of place and space knowing learning about their local seashore.

Strand: Environmental Awareness and Care
Strand Unit: Caring for my locality. Environmental Awareness. Caring for the environment.
Seashore Safety and Conservation Code and quiz
Prior to going to the seashore, the children will create a poster to show their understanding of learning about safety on the seashore and the conservation code.  Through this they will learn to care for their local environment as well as becoming environmentally aware and active.The children will have developed a sense of place and space knowing learning about their local seashore.
*Also see teachers resources for the Planning a Trip to the Seashore Checklist

Strand: Environmental awareness and care
Strand Unit: Environmental awareness, Caring for the environment
Explorers Caring for Our Ocean Action Board
The aim of the lesson is for children to form a greater understanding of the ocean’s influence on them and their influence on the ocean.  The lesson aims to guide children with creating a strategy to help care for the marine environment as an individual as well as collectively at a local, national and global level. 
Explorers Caring for Our Ocean Action Board posters can also be downloaded from this link. 

*Note: The activities included in this lesson plan can be conducted over a course of study.