Education Centre News
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2010 News
- Outreach Programme
- Discover Sensors Training Day
- Exciting Ways to Teach Nature & Science
- Environmental Summer & Halloween Camps for 7- 12 year olds
- Discover Primary Science information
2008 News
Environmental Summer Camps & Halloween Camps
Killarney National Park Education Centre has been running Environmental Summer Camps for 7 to 12 year olds since 2006.
The Summer Camps will run from Tuesday 29th June to Friday 2nd July, from Tuesday 13th July to Friday 16th July and from Tuesday August 3rd to Friday August 6th.
The Holloween Camps will run from Tuesday October 26th to Friday October 29th.
Each camp is four days long and runs from 9.30 in the morning to 3.00 in the afternoon each day.
The children who take part get to experience nature close up and learn about some of the plants animals of Killarney National Park. They will use mammal traps, pooters, nets and other equipment and explore the ecology of the park through many games and fun activities such as scavenger hunts, doing the “un-nature trail, the bat and moth game, treasure hunts, pond dipping, and planting trees.
The children also get to make a number of things to bring home such as bird nesting boxes, bat roosting boxes, wormeries, bug houses and other “crafty” items. More in our Activities for All section.
Please ring us on 064 6635960 for a booking form if interested in taking part.
Book your 2010 or 2011 activity now
Looking to get involved in 2010? Are you a group leader or teacher who would like to do an exciting eco-activity or course? Check out our activities secton and contact our friendly staff to discuss options as we now take early bookings for next year. For further information, call us on +353 64 6635960
Outreach Programme
All our staff at the Education Centre are outreach specailists under the Heritage in Schools Scheme and are available to come into your school with a presentation and/or days activities for you class or whole school.
Topics that could be covered during these days include :-
Irish Mammals, Irish Birds, Bats, Trees, Red Deer, Insects, Woodlands.
The days usually include an interactive powerpoint presentation, some games, may include out-door activities (ie tree-planting, insect hunting, mammal trapping) the use of microscopes and inspection of stuffed examples of mammals and birds.
For further information or bookings please contact the office on +353 64 6635960
Discover Sensors Training Day
Killarney National Park Education Centre has been selected by Discover Science & Engineering to take part in their Discover Sensors programme. Discover Sensors supports the use of sensor technology in hands-on scientific investigations by Junior Science students. The programme is designed to provide students with an experience of "real science", supporting the investigative approach promoted by the revised Junior Science syllabus.
Tom Bolger from Discover Sensors training staff from the Centre
As part of the initiative Killarney National Park Education Centre will be developing new ecology fieldwork courses for the Junior Certificate science students using sensors and data logging equipment. Discover Science & Engineering is managed by Forfás on behalf of the Office of Science and Technology at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment. For further information, visit www.discover-science.ie
Exciting Ways to Teach Nature & Science
This course is approved by the Department of Education.
"Exciting Ways to Teach Nature & Science" is primarily outdoor-based, and is intended to enlighten the participants as to the basics of ecology, to experiment with various nature activities and to explore a variety of habitats which can be used for nature study. On completing the course the participant should have a broad knowledge of the natural world and a wealth of stimulating ideas for nature study sessions for children.
The course is based entirely within Killarney National Park and is run by the Killarney National Park Education Centre, which specialises in outdoor nature study. Staff are experienced tutors and ecologists. Each day comprises a brief indoor workshop followed by an outdoor field visit - total course time 4 hours per day. Each day's activities are finished by 2.00pm, so you'll have plenty of free time to explore Killarney and its environs.
The course is non-residential, although Killarney, as one might expect, has a wealth of accommodation to suit all budgets! For information on accommodation it is suggested that you might contact the Killarney Tourist information Office on 064 6631633 or email info@corkkerrytourism.ie
Participants may be required to drive short distances to the locations of field sessions, so a car would be an advantage, but not essential as we can put you in touch with drivers with space. Registration takes place on the first day at Knockreer House but booking a place is essential as spaces are limited.
Environmental Summer & Halloween Camps
Killarney National Park Education Centre has been running Environmental Summer Camps for 7 to 12 year olds since 2006.
The Sum mer Camps will run from Tuesday 29th June to Friday 2nd July, from Tuesday 13th July to Friday 16th July and from Tuesday August 3rd to Friday August 6th.
The Holloween Camps will run from Tuesday October 26th to Friday October 29th.
Each camp is four days long and runs from 9.30 in the morning to 3.00 in the afternoon each day.
The children who take part get to experience nature close up and learn about some of the plants animals of Killarney National Park. They will use mammal traps, pooters, nets and other equipment and explore the ecology of the park through many games and fun activities such as scavenger hunts, doing the “un-nature trail, the bat and moth game, treasure hunts, pond dipping, and planting trees.
The children also get to make a number of things to bring home such as bird nesting boxes, bat roosting boxes, wormeries, bug houses and other “crafty” items. More in our Activities for All section.
Please ring us on 064 6635960 for a booking form if interested in taking part.
2010 Discover Primary Science Information
Award Applications are due, closing date 31st March 2009, click on the image above to go to the application form at www.primaryscience.ie
Details on the Discover Primary Science award are available in the Activities for Schools section. Book your class place for the 2010 school year now by calling us or emailing our centre.
2008 Bat-Box Workshops
In order to highlight the importance of Irish Bats and their conservation, and to mark European Year of the Bat, the centre ran a number of bat box workshops. These involved a slide-show/ talk about bats and their ecology, and then participants got their hammers and screwdrivers out to assemble their bat boxes. The wood was provided by Killarney National Park, and precut into the correct pieces for ease of construction. Some of the boxes were taken away to be erected in participants' gardens and the rest will be erected close to the Education Centre, where they can be monitored for bat activity. Boys Brigade, Tralee (1st Company) visited the centre and made their boxes on Dec. 1st.