ENERGY and FORCES
Planes, magnets, currents and gravity are all examined and explored. We find out how things move and what makes them tick. We make torches, electricity games, magnetised cars and give windpower to wolves in storybooks.
We make things float and fly and try to beat gravity. We will keep trying!
Engineering
All science topics we cover lend themselves to observing, designing and making. The children plan-generally as part of a group- and create models and prototypes. From lego and bricks and onwards they build simple free- standing structures, bridges, skyscrapers and machines with moving parts. They now use technology and coding in their designing.
Every year we mark Engineers week with activities and displays throughout the school and invite an engineer to come and speak to the children.
Environmental Awareness and Care
Schools, homes, villages, towns, cities, lawns, mountains, rivers and seas we strive to protect our world from our doorstep to our universe. We learn about global warming and all the simple things we can do to help to save our planet.
Representatives from K.W.D. and S.E.A.I. come to advise us. Through our involvement in Green Schools we have a huge awareness of our task.
We have done detailed projects to highlight and consider solutions to protecting planet Earth. We were invited to present our projects on Global Citizenship and one entitled’ Go Bananas!’( which explored the damage that banana skins can cause to our environment and how to reuse them) at The Mansion House in Dublin.’ Go Bananas ‘was also showcased at the R.D.S. Science exhibition.
We are in a beautiful part of the world. The landscape, even from our classroom window in Firies, is one to be treasured!
Living Things
Every year we set vegetables in our school garden. We harvest them and make soup and chips. We plant pumpkins to harvest at Halloween. We have a beautiful tree garden which has a great variety of native species. We get to see the trees all year round and can see seasons changing right outside our door!
We visit the local farm and Muckross farm and investigate the river habitat when we go to Wetlands and Knockreer house.
We do lots of experiments to learn about the human body and how it works.
Discover Primary Maths, Science and Engineering
Firies National School has been awarded 8 plaques for science excellence in the ‘Discover Primary Maths, Science and Engineering ’programme. A huge enthusiasm for science and engineering has been generated right throughout the school. All classes are involved and evidence is submitted to show that activities/experiments have been carried out in all strands of the science curriculum. Evidence is also given that children have taken part in engineering activities and that maths has been an integral part of our science activities. The children also showcase their science work by hosting a science exhibition or displaying at another fair.
Along with hosting very successful science exhibitions, we have showcased our STEM projects at many Science Shows. Our projects have been exhibited at The R.D.S. Science Fair, the Science Lab in Cork, The Young Environmental awards at The Mansion House, The Eco Den in Cork, Science Blast in Mary Immaculate College Limerick and the Primary Science Fair in University College Limerick. The presentations have resulted in confident, mature scientists in Firies National School.
Our school has achieved an SFI Discover Science and Maths Award for the 2018/2019 academic year. This is a fantastic achievement! Congratulations to all of our children who have excelled in STEM during the year. Our children have been highly commended for their engagement with STEM in the following areas; Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths and STEM Showcase. Great credit is due to all the staff for their commitment and dedication to these pertinent areas.
The Discover Primary Science and Maths Programme (DPSM) is part of Science Foundation Ireland's Education and Public Engagement Programme, which aims to increase interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) among students, teachers and members of the public.