National Aquarium Ireland
  • Home
  • Information
  • Education
  • aquakids
  • News & Events
  • The Deep Ocean
  • Re opening Plan

Education
Our Educational Team have over 20 years experience in outdoor learning and virtual workshops. We are also happy to talk to schools about working with students in their own school environment . We are passionate about conservation, education and our ocean.
Picture
Virtual Tours
Ask about purchasing for home and school use, click above.
Virtual Aquarium.
 Did you know we have a new ‘Virtual Aquarium Tour’ available for schools?

Through 6 engaging episodes we investigate a range of themes from freshwater habitats to ocean connections and care. Each episode has a quiz to test the learners knowledge at the end. Free accompanying worksheets are available covering a range of cross curricular links, helping students build on
what they have learned.

For just €40 your class can have access to all 6 episodes for one month plus an online Q&A session with one of our Education Team. Email info@nationalaquarium.ie to rent the series for your class today.

Download our brochure

Watch the trailers

Virtual Aquarium
Click on the image to download our brochure.

 DOWNLOAD THE WORKSHEETS - English and Irish versions available

English worksheets
All worksheets for episodes.
Irish Worksheets
All worksheets for episodes.
Virtual Aquarium Episodes
Click here is you want individual worksheets for single episodes.
Online Learning
Our Education team have created some wonderful online classes for your to explore the ocean from your school.

Online Classes

 We can also meet your schools for an online workshop . These workshops can explore freshwater and marine topics including:
  • Biodiverity and Living Things
  • Ocean Conservation and Care
  • Ocean connections and Climate Change
  • Marine Litter
  • Fisheries and Food Production
Classes are carried out through zoom and slides can be used to carryout interactive activities and Q&A with students. 

For Explorers Education Programme Modules  for Primary Schools (funded by the Marine Institute) please see the Explorers Education Section below. 
Education Events
See what events are coming soon.
Due to current restrictions we can only meet people online at the moment. Check an eye on our social media and the aquakids page for lots of new fun activities and ideas to try from home #homeschool 
Education in the Aquarium
As Ireland’s largest Native Species Aquarium, we are the perfect location for school tours and workshops based around Ireland’s marine  and freshwater environments. Class options include biodiversity, sustainability, environmental awareness , care and ecology investigations.

We cater for students of all ages, with options available to pre-school, primary, secondary and third level educational needs. We are located on the seafront in Salthill, within easy access to parking, food service providers and habitats to explore.
 
Our Outdoor modules include 
  • Learning experiences where students can work in small groups 
  • Activities that will promote learning and exploration in a non-contact nature 
  • Activities that promote students creativity 
  • Problem solving during individual student tasks

​Aquarium Tours will be based on a one way route, with a separate entrance and exit point.
Groups will have a designated time slot with limited access to 
members of the public during these times. Teachers can also be provided with content to deliver a self lead tour,with activities provided to use in preparation and as follow up before and after their school visit. 
​

We are also a designated Discover Primary Science and Maths Centre, meaning a visit to us will help your school achieve its 'Award of Excellence’ under the DPSM programme.  All our staff are highly experienced in the delivery of education workshops and fieldwork, Garda vetted and trained in child protection, and have all completed the Failte Ireland Covid-19 Charter. 
Primary Level
Click for more INFO on our Primary School Programmes
Picture
Click for more INFO on our Secondary School Programmes
Picture
Contact us today, to find out how we can work with you and your students to engage and inspire. 
email education
Picture
Galway Atlantaquaria
Videos and worksheets
Galway Atlantaquaria Videos and Worksheets
​Join Dylan from Galway Atlantaquaria as he explorers the tides. View the shore at low and high tide and investigate how the gravitational forces of the sun and moon affect the water on our planet. Learn about how animals survive this harsh environment as you watch sand eels and green shore crabs burrow in the sand, and netted whelks immerse themselves as the tide goes out to protect themselves from their predators.  
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
For more education videos and worksheets to use at home or in your school visit our Aquakids Page 
School Programmes
Contact us in relation to our DPSM (Discover Primary Science & Maths) and Explorers Education Programme.
Discover Primary Science and Maths.
The Aquarium is delighted to be part of the DPSM programme and look forward to hearing from you soon!
Discover Primary Science and Maths
Our DPSM Workshops include a tour of the aquarium plus any of the following options:
  • ​Science Experiments: Bring Science to life in our Explorer's Laboratory. 
  • Animal Anatomy: Learn about the characteristics of living things and take part in a squid dissection. 
  • Seashore Safari: Take a trip to our local shore, Grattan Beach to learn about Galway's seashore life. 
  • Explorers Maths Workshop: Celebrate Maths with your students by carrying out an Explorers Maths workshop. 
  • Engineering Trial and Workshop: The workshop includes a guided tour of the aquarium, with an integrated engineering trail, designed in association with STEPS engineering and SFI Discover. 
Contact us today to talk about booking your visit.  And while your waiting check out lots of fantastic resources for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math's at the DPSM website STEM at Home 
​Seashore species and Ocean Literacy: Take a closer look
The Discover Primary Science and Maths (DPSM) programme at Science Foundation Ireland teamed up with Galway Atlantaquaria to explore seashore species, sustainability, and ocean conservation.

‘Ocean Literacy’ simply means understanding how the oceans influence us, as humans, and how we impact the oceans. Oceans cover two thirds of the planet and contain over 200,000 unique marine species with more yet to be discovered. Each of these species are important within their own habitats and have special adaptations to survive.

Oceans provide us with oxygen (produced by phytoplankton and algae) to breathe, they absorb carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere, and they contain many habitats such as coral reefs, mangroves, mudflats, and rocky shores. We use oceans to transport goods, generate renewable energy and to source food.
​
In this DPSM STEM Series episode, Anna introduces us to some of the common species found on Irish shorelines, Padraic looks at sustainable seafood and the team offer some helpful tips on how you can protect the oceans. 
Picture
The Explorers Education Programme engages with primary school children, teachers and the education network, creating marine leaders and ocean champions in Ireland.  It is funded by the Marine Institute, Ireland’s state agency for marine research and development, and Galway Atlantaquaria are delighted to be part of the Explorers Team since it was launched in 2006. ​
Picture
Explorers Launch (2006). Photo include Cushla Dromgool Regan, Neil Campbell, Bernard Kirk, Brendan Smith, John Joyce and Leo Hallisey.
The aquariums Outreach Officer Padraic Creedon delivers the programme to schools in Co. Galway each year. Schools taking part can apply for one of the following exciting interactive modules:

  • • Explorers Saltwater Aquarium in your classroom or online 
  • • Explorers Marine Project, can also be acrried out as an online module
  • • Explorers Seashore Safari, outdoor module, with prep and content available through zoom online if needed
  • • Explorers Marine Workshop

One school who worked with us online this year was Clontusket National School, Co. Galway. Students from Ms Murray class continued their Explorers Aquarium Module while learning from home. To complete their module, Padraic visited the students through Microsoft Teams on behalf of the Explorers Programme. Check out the clip below to see how Padraic's online class was carried out
Picture
​We have also been working alongside our friends in the Explorers Team to provide content and support to parents while we stay at home. You will find Ocean School Plans, activity ideas and lots of marine resources on the Explorers Website and on the Explorers Facebook Page for your Ocean Home School #ExplorersAtHome

​If you are interested in taking part in next year's (2020-2021) Explorers Education Programme, either through online school modules or fieldwork on the shore contact padraic@nationalaquarium.ie , check out our video below for more information. 
Picture

Secondary School Modules

Our Secondary School Modules include:  
  • Field Studies Modules including Grassland and Seashore Ecology Investigations.
  • Animal anatomy workshop based around a squid dissection.
  • Engineering Workshops based on designing  flood defences and investigating coastal erosion.
  • Maths Workshop  Explore the maths trail around the Aquarium.
  • Sustainability Workshop based on fisheries and sustainable food production.
  • Marine Litter Workshop based on materials and environmental awareness and care, and responsible personal choices.
                      -Option to include a beach clean on our local shore available to schools. 
Aquarium YouTube
We have an ocean of videos on life under water and more, have a look!
 Have you seen the incredible videos on the Galway Atlantaquaria YouTube Channel? With over 50 videos to view, you can watch animals in the aquarium and on the shore, and clips also recorded from the Digital Ocean in Galway Bay. Check it out today to bring the Ocean into your Home.

We Would Love to Have You Visit Soon!


Hours

Mon to Fri
​10am-5pm
​Sat to Sun  
10am - 6pm
Last admission 45 minutes before closing every day.

Telephone

091 585 100

Email

info@nationalaquarium.ie
  • Home
  • Information
  • Education
  • aquakids
  • News & Events
  • The Deep Ocean
  • Re opening Plan