Explorers Education Programme launches We Love the Ocean facts and connections to inspire fun activities at home

The Marine Institute's Explorers Education Programme team are getting ready for the month of love, launching a series of fascinating facts about the ocean on its social media sites that will run throughout February.

The ocean is a world of mystery and beauty, and provides a wealth of opportunities. Often the stories we remember about the ocean are connected to people; their interaction with and love of marine animals and environment, their careers and leisure activities at sea, to the food they eat.

"Adding a personal touch to the 28 Explorers We Love the Ocean facts, the team around Ireland are sharing what they love to do and connecting these activities with some of the amazing facts about the ocean, explained Cushla Dromgool-Regan, Explorers Education and Communications manager, Camden Education Trust.

Like most people, some of the things that the Explorers team love to do include watching Netflix, climbing mountains, finding giants, and eating ice cream, to name just a few. Capturing the Explorers team's personal interests and activities, shared with the incredible facts about our ocean, is a great way for us to remember the important connections we have with the ocean. One of our favorite love our ocean connections' is from Paul in Waterford, who loves his 'cuppa tea'. His ocean fact highlights that the first surf board in Ireland was made by a 14 year old boy using old wardrobes, floorboards and TEA chests over 70 years ago. It just so happens that Paul loves surfing as well.

"Making personal connections and hearing stories about what we love to do at home and why we also love the ocean is a great way to help us all increase awareness of the ocean and inspire new conversations about why the ocean is important to us. With these fun facts, we hope to inspire parents, teachers and children to think more about how the ocean impacts their lives and how they impact the ocean – sometimes indirectly through their day-to-day activities at home and at school.

Throughout February, we would love to hear about these ocean love connections posted on our social media sites or shared with us by email #LovetheOcean," said Cushla Dromgool-Regan.

The Explorers We Love the Ocean facts and connections also provide amazing ideas for teachers and parents to link the ocean to subjects that are covered on the primary school curriculum. As part of the Explorers Education outreach programme, Rebecca from Sea Synergy in county Kerry is currently running Explorers online classes with children and parents learning about Whales and Dolphins. Sarah connects her love of milkshakes with the amazing fact that baby blue whales drink up to 200 litres of milk each day. Among the incredible facts about whales and dolphins, Rebecca's Whale and Dolphin online and blended learning classes provides children with the opportunity to cover science, geography, maths, English and a range of art activities, as well as supporting the UN sustainable goal 14 – life under water.

If you would like to see more of the Explorers Love the Ocean facts for ideas to develop activities at home or in class, follow us on Facebook: @ExplorersMarineEducation and Twitter @explorersedu.

Don't forget to share how what you love to do is connected to an ocean fact too and #LovetheOcean. The Explorers Education Programme also provides free educational resources that can be downloaded from its website at www.explorers.ie. These include short films, activity books and fun worksheets that parents and teachers can use at home. If you need further information about the Explorers Education Programme see our Explorers contacts page.

The Explorers Education Programme is funded by the Marine Institute, Ireland's state agency for marine research, technology development and innovation.

ENDS

Contact:
Explorers Education Programme:
Cushla Dromgool-Regan
Education Programme Manager & Communications Lead
(Marine Institute's Explorers Education Programme)
The Camden Education Trust
C/o Galway Education Centre
Cluain Mhuire, Wellpark, Galway
Mobile: + 353 (0) 87 9185519
Email: cushla.dromgoolregan@thecamdentrust.org
Website: www.explorers.ie