Primary
FSC residential fieldwork courses at primary level help you to achieve the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment requirements by providing opportunities for students to:
- realise their potential as a unique individual
- develop as a social being through living and co-operating with others and so contribute to the good of society
- Prepare for further education and lifelong learning
FSC Derrygonnelly can design a course to meet the specific curriculum areas that you wish to cover. To find out more or to discuss a course tailored to meet your needs please contact FSC Derrygonnelly (link to DG page).
Below is a list of primary curriculum strands that can be covered during a visit to FSC Derrygonnelly.
- Social, environmental and scientific education.
- Geography
- Mathematics
- Visual Arts
- English
- Physical Education
- Social, personal and health education
- Information and Communication Technologies
Social, environmental and scientific education.
Sciences
- Living things: Human life, Plants / animal life
- Environmental awareness and care: Environmental awareness, Science and the environment, caring for the environment.
The curriculum asks for students to work through practical investigation. To investigate and explore their physical and natural surroundings. This should be through the fundamental skills of enquiry that include: observing, asking questions, suggesting explanations, predicting outcomes and planning investigations to test ideas. All of these are central to any FSC courses.
Geography
- Human environments
- Natural Environments
- Environmental awareness
Skills to be fostered include A sense of place and space, Maps globes and other graphical skills and Geographical Investigation skills.
FSC courses provide opportunities as is required in the curriculum for the development and application of scientific investigative skills in geography especially in the study of local environments. Promote reading, use and construction of maps through units of work on natural, human and environmental themes. Provides for thesystematic development of graphical skills: use of graphs, charts, globes, atlases, photographs and electronic images.
Mathematics
- Number
- Algebra
- Shape and space
- Measures
- Data
The development of the skills of estimation and problem solving should be fostered through hands on experience and real - life experiences. Real life is always best dealt with outside the familiar confine of the classroom.
It is hoped that this emphasis will make mathematics more relevant and meaningful to students so that they can learn to enjoy their mathematical experiences.
Visual Arts
- Drawing
- Paint and colour
- Clay
- Construction
- Fabric and fibre
The vital starting points for arts activities in the FSC will be observation, imagination, and the students own experience.
English
This curriculum is structured to offer students a total language experience in which oral language, reading and writing are fully integrated.
Physical Education
Of the six themes in this curriculum the centres are best suited to offering opportunities in the Outdoor and adventure activities. The outdoor and adventure activities is an exciting aspect of the curriculum. In particular enjoyment of water based activities is promoted. The curriculum stresses the importance of play in the development of competence in the water.
The physical education curriculum provides a framework for encouraging students to pursue healthy life styles and to develop positive attitudes towards physical activity.
Social, personal and health education
The SPFE curriculum fosters in students respect for their own dignity and that of others. SPFE has a moral and spiritual dimension. SPHE encourages active participation in a wide range of activities so that students become responsible for their own learning. Importantly also that they are able to apply what they have learned in a variety of situations to their own lives.
- The residential experience is a key way of developing SPFE. Students are put in a new environment and expected to a degree to be responsible for their own actions. The FSC experience can help develop the following themes of SPHE.
Confidence and responsibility. Working in teams students are required to take an active part in the work, trust fellow team mates and this helps to develop and build self esteem. - Social skills as they live for extended periods of time with their class mates. They cannot rely on parents but on themselves and their friends.
Information and Communication Technologies
Information and communication technologies provide schools with a powerful and highly motivating resource which can enhance learning in all areas of the curriculum. Computers are highly graphic and interactive. Students enjoy learning with computers so motivation is high. Both centres can offer full integration of other subjects with ICT.
