Education Centre, Glendalough: Secondary Schools Programme
One of the main aims of our Education Programme is to make students more aware of our natural environment and the conservation issues it faces. To this end, we offer fieldwork sessions to secondary schools. All our leaving cert Ecology and Geography studies comply with the requirements of the curriculum. Please note, that leaving cert. geography studies are only offered during the months of Nov—Feb, leaving us free to concentrate on ecology studies during the warmer months. Please read the practicalities on How To Book when trying to plan your day.
Junior Cert. Geography Hike
Age Group: 1st, 2nd & 3rd Years
Time of the Year: Any
A gentle hike around Glendalough exploring the following themes:
- Human influence on the valley
- Glacial features
- River features
Man in the Valley
Age Group: 1st, 2nd, 3rd & Transition Years
Time of the Year: Any
Suitable for both Junior Cert. and Transition Year students, this day involves two walks around Glendalough (before & after lunch) exploring how Man has shaped the landscape. Topics examined include:
- The National Park
- Tourism
- Planted woodlands
- Commercial forestry
- The Monastic City
- Hill walking & erosion
- Feral goats
- Mining
- Settlement & Farming
- Hydro-electric power
Conservation Day
Age Group: Any
Time of the Year: Any
This day has been designed for many age groups, but would be ideal for Transition Year. The day involves examining and discussing the conservation issues facing the National Park. The format of the day is as follows:
- A treasure hunt featuring conservation issues
- A hike up onto the hills overlooking Glendalough with a National Park Guide discussing conservation problems in the area
- A debate. Teams must argue why their assigned group should be allowed to carry out their chosen activity in the National Park.
Transition Challenge
Age Group: Transition Year
Time of the Year: Any
Designed to give Transition year students a flavour of several disciplines, this challenge involves the students being divided into teams and competing against each other in the following areas:
- A treasure hunt featuring challenging puzzles to stimulate the brain cells
- Bird watching - who can identify the 5 birds using keys and binoculars?
- Orienteering - navigate a route using only a compass bearing and pacing
- Clinometer challenge
- Blindfold challenge
- A nature quiz
TY Leave No Trace
Age Group: Transition Year
Time of the Year: Any
An outdoor ethics programme designed to promote responsible outdoor recreation. Unlike the old countryside code, it does not consist of rules but appeals to peoples sense of right & wrong. The challenge involves the students being divided up into teams & competing against each other in the following areas:
- Treasure Hunt
- Plan ahead & prepare; Be considerate of others; Respect farm animals & wildlife; Travel & camp on durable surfaces; Leave what you find; Dispose of waste properly; Minimise the effects of fire.
- Quiz
Junior Cert. Woodland Ecology
Age Group: 1st, 2nd & 3rd Years
Time of the Year: March to October only
Why should only Leaving Cert students benefit from ecology fieldwork? This study involves:
- Examining habitats in general
- Studying a woodland in more detail
- Examining leaf litter & soil
- Surveying vegetation using the DAFOR scale
- A line transect
- Invertebrate sampling
- Finding mammal & bird tracks & signs
- Exploring food chains
- Conservation & National Park issues
Leaving Cert. River Study
Age Group: 5th & 6th Years
Time of the Year: November to February only
Whilst designed to suit the fieldwork requirement of the leaving certificate, teachers should be aware that we have an upland river with erosional features, rather than a lowland river with classic depositional features. This study on the Lugduff Brook in Glendalough involves a comparison of the upper and lower course. It involves:
- Examining river features & areas of deposition
- Measuring the river gradient
- Measuring the cross section
- Calculating the river velocity
- Calculating the discharge
- Analysing the bedload
Leaving Cert. Glaciation Study
Age Group: 5th & 6th Years
Time of the Year: November to February only
Glendalough is an upland area, and the glacial features here are therefore erosional rather than depositional. The study involves:
- Examining the geology of Glendalough
- Examining glacial features on the map and in the field
- Studying a hanging valley and calculating the speed of fluvial erosion since the Ice Age
- Calculating the weight of an erratic and the minimum distance travelled
- Exploring an alluvial fan
- Examining erosion since the Ice Age
- Examining how the Ice Age has affected Man’s use of the area
- Measuring the angle of slope of the U shaped valley
- Exploring tourism & National Park issues
Transition Year Biodiversity Study
Age Group: Transition Year
Time of the Year: March to October only
Ecology for Transition Year students, this study involves comparing the diversity of life in two habitats. At each habitat the students will examine the following:
- Soil pH & temperature
- A frequency vegetation survey
- Mammal & bird signs
- Invertebrates
- Conservation and National Park issues
Leaving Cert. Woodland Ecology
Age Group: 5th & 6th Years
Time of the Year: March to October only
Designed to suit the fieldwork requirement of the leaving certificate, this study in the woods of Glendalough involves:
- Mapping the study site
- Keying out 5 plant species
- A vegetation survey - both a frequency survey and a percentage cover survey.
- Sampling for invertebrates
- Keying out 5 invertebrate species
- Examining invertebrate lifestyles
- Examining mammal & bird tracks & signs
- Exploring competition & adaptation
- Recording climatic, edaphic, abiotic & biotic factors affecting the site
- Discussing food webs.
- Conservation & National Park issues
Leaving Cert. Bog Ecology
Age Group: 5th & 6th Years
Time of the Year: March to October only
This study takes place on the Wicklow Gap, a short bus ride from the Education Centre. The study involves:
- Mapping the study site
- Keying out 5 plant species
- A vegetation survey - both a frequency survey and a percentage cover survey along a belt transect
- Exploring competition & adaptation
- Sampling for invertebrates
- Keying out 5 invertebrate species
- Examining invertebrate lifestyles
- Examining vertebrate tracks & signs
- Recording climatic, edaphic, abiotic & biotic factors affecting the site
- Discussing food webs.
- Conservation & National Park issues