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Sligo pupils enjoy learning outdoors

Children and teachers from Taunagh N.S in Riverstown enjoyed a fun packed Green-Schools Day of Action with Imelda Ryan-Jones on 5th October. 

The School is working towards their Green Flag for the Water theme, and as part of the application process an Action Day is a necessary and fun participatory element. 

The delighted children spent the majority of their school day outside, learning more about trees, learning tips on developing road skills, learning about the negative impact of litter in our rivers & oceans, a reminder from previous Mindfulness learning with Imelda - about being in the present moment, and how all of this learning interconnects. 

Additionally they enjoyed going for a walk in their community and carrying out a litter pick whilst walking by the river, in the community park and throughout the village.  They also participated in positive actions to be part of the solution of promoting kindness towards our environment.






















                         The Greens-Schools Committee act out a story in the park to
                                  demonstrate negative impacts of litter in our rivers

As 5th October was National Tree Day Imelda presented each family with a tree to plant at home, that had self seeded along the water bank in her own garden, and talked about the importance of trees.  She also showed the children work from three local artists; Matt Jones Woodturner, Tom Callery Ceramics and Michael Wann Artist, who all get lots of inspiration from trees.

“It was a lovey surprise for the Committee” said teacher Sinead Reynolds “as Imelda had worked closely with us on the Agenda for the day, but the Green-Schools Committee weren’t expecting the art so it was definitely an added bonus.” 

The Green-Schools Committee children then shared a presentation on various different types of trees.  “The presentation was extremely educational for all the pupils” said Imelda “and also very entertaining, as lots of tree jokes were shared too.”  





























                    Sharing stories to remind us all to be kinder to our environment

Following this Imelda delivered a Road Skills Session that she had developed specifically for the Action Day and as part of Irish Road Safety Week 2017.  The road skills session helped prepare the children for their walk in the community. 

“Imelda developed five easy to remember roads skills tips for our Action Day” said Principal Linda McMahon “which she designed to help increase awareness of the importance of developing road skills as the children get older and also with a view to helping increase family active travel trips.  Our school will soon be working on the next Green-Schools theme which is all about sustainable and active travel, so Imelda’s session is a great first step.”  






























                                  Children enjoying art with leaf and bark rubbings

Imelda, a firm believer that the more parents go out walking and cycling with their children as they are growing up, the better children will  develop essential road skills said, “This will help ensure they travel safely as they journey through life. Some elements of my session deals with when they become drivers.  I ask them to notice if they feel good when a car or lorry slows down when passing them, when they are out walking with their parents.”

“Some say straight away, that they have noticed it makes them feel safer when the drivers slow down. So I ask them all to promise that when they get older and they are drivers themselves, that they will always remember to slow down and respect the pedestrians and cyclists who are also using the roads. This means their actions will be part of the solution towards making our roads safer for all.”























                            Children enjoying the puddles on their school walk

Following the road skills session the whole school went for a walk, along the river and into the community park.  In the park older pupils delivered a performance Freddie the Fish close to the river, that demonstrated the negative impact of litter and chemicals seeping into rivers.  Imelda had been in touch with the Green-Schools Committee prior to the Action Day, and the children had watched two videos; one of a shark whose stomach was opened up and found to be full of plastic bags, and another of people helping a turtle who had a straw stuck up its nose. 

“They are shocking videos, I cried myself when I watched the one about the turtle.” said Imelda “but it is important for the older children especially to see these videos to understand what can happen to the rubbish that people drop close to rivers, which often ends up flowing out into the ocean, or  rubbish left behind at the beach.”

“When we were all standing by the river and Imelda discussed an idea to reduce waste with all the boys and girls” said Linda “their response was unanimous, they all agreed to be part of the solution and that writing a letter was a great idea.”  The Green-Schools Committee then read out the letter they had already written, in preparation for the Action Day, to all the children as they stood in the sunshine by the river. “I was blown away, what a powerful letter.

"Although I had set the older children this task it was my first time to hear their well worded letter.  The whole experience was very moving, for everyone.”   Their letter asks Connacht Gold to please change the straws on the school milk cartons from plastic to a material that can be recycled and in particular paper straws as these decompose and therefore won’t end up in a turtle’s nose.






































        Letter and signatures to request the school milk comes with a recycleable straw

After reading the letter aloud everyone signed their names to the letter and following this the children walked from the Community Park to the Post Office, to buy a stamp to post this very important letter.

There was lots of excitement inside the Post Office, and Postmistress Iris Barlow and her colleague Betty were very happy and surprised to have so many smiley faces visit.  Junior Infant pupil Victoria Barlow was given the job of purchasing the stamp, much to her grandmother Iris’s delight. 

“We asked one of our Senior Infant pupils Aaron to post the letter to Aaron Forde of Connacht Gold” said teacher Rena Crummy “along with his older sister Shannon.  The children really engaged with this action, so hopefully they will get a response back soon and learn if their letter leads towards more positive decisions for our environment.”






















                                      Aaron signing the letter to Connacht Gold

The children then continued back to school, with older pupils collecting litter.  “Throughout our whole walk we interacted with lots of people who were also out walking” said Linda “and it was lovely for us all.  You could see the pleasure in lots of people’s faces when meeting and greeting the children throughout our walk.  We will have to do this more often.” 

Back at school an Alder tree, sent by the Tree Council of Ireland, was planted.  Photos were taken of all the children with their new baby trees under a much older and larger tree in the school grounds.  The afternoon continued with a leaf art session, to include leaf rubbings. 






















                   All together ready to cross carefully over to the village Post Office

More stories were shared by the Green-Schools Committee with the younger children, including The Story of Floppy, about the importance of protecting our water.  Children placed water saving Hippo devices in the toilet cisterns, to help save water, and water experiments were undertaken.  The Green-Schools Committee also delivered a presentation entitled the Nasty 9, and undertook a school quiz on water. 

“All in all the children had a fun filled action day, to support our Green-Schools work” said Linda “and actions undertaken have inspired us to think further outside the box to help our environment. 

The teachers and Committee are delighted at how well the days activities went, and we thank Imelda Ryan-Jones for her voluntary contribution to our very special day and we wish her all the best in her new role with VOICE Voice of Irish Concern for the Environment, as a Recycling Ambassador in County Sligo.”























                       Children ready to buy the stamp to post the important letter























                          Postmistress Iris Barlow delighted to have a visit from pupils

























                         Aaron posts the letter to Aaron Forde at Connacht Gold Milk























                                       Finn signing the letter to Connacht Gold






















                                                   Sophie helping collect litter























               Imelda Ryan-Jones with trees to give to each family in the school and work
                                                  by local artists inspired by trees