Explorers Marine Education Programme visits Lifetime Lab in Cork

Over 900 hundred primary school students got to experience the wonders of Irish marine at Lifetime Lab, Cork recently (2nd – 13th March 2014), where they participated in the Explorers Education Programme workshops. The pupils learned about marine animals and plants living in Irish waters. They also took part in water experiments involving water pressure, the power of the sea, making submarine's and periscopes, as well as learning about the Real Map of Ireland - showing Ireland's marine territory and resources.

Mervyn Horgan, Manager of Lifetime Lab said "We are delighted to partner with the Marine Institute for the Explorers series of workshops, as we are always looking for new and innovative ways of engaging students in science education. Raising the awareness of marine science to Cork classrooms can only bring long term benefits".

"We perceive the Lifetime Lab as an extra classroom for every school in the city and county, a science nursery for institutions whose high level graduates ensure that Cork has a well educated and highly skilled workforce long into the future," he further added.

"The Explorers Programme focuses on Ireland's two greatest resources – our young people and our vast marine territory. Inspiring students' interest in marine through the Explorers programme, teachers are able to easily include marine themed lessons based on the Irish curriculum already taught in national schools," said Cushla Dromgool-Regan, of the Marine Institute.

"Ireland is on its journey of realising the benefits of a thriving marine sector, and by engaging students interest in marine at a young age, we hope it will encourage them to consider some of the exciting wide range of careers in the marine - especially through some of Ireland's modern marine research centres around the country."

The Explorers Education Programme brings the excitement of the sea into the classroom and has already been successfully rolled out to some twelve schools in the greater Dublin and Wicklow area as well as reaching ninety primary schools in the West of Ireland in Mayo, Galway, Clare and Sligo during the 2014/15 school year. The Cork project is a collaborative effort between the Marine Institute, Galway Atlantaquaria and Lifetime Lab.

Further information and lesson plans are available at website at www.explorers.ie. For information about Explorer workshops contact Lifetime Lab 021 4941500 or www.lifetimelab.ie

ENDS

Contact:
Cushla Dromgool-Regan
Communications
Phone: 091 387 200
Email: cushla.dromgoolregan@marine.ie