Green-Schools Stay Home - Water

Green-Schools Stay Home – Water

Welcome to Green-Schools Stay Home – Water.

We’re really excited to show you some cool stuff you can do at home to keep helping the environment. In this page, we have put water-themed videos, quizzes, experiments, ideas and more activities that students can enjoy doing at home. We have split them into 13 weeks of activities altogether, with each week being full of activities, shares and ideas for students in the age categories of Junior Primary (Infants – 2nd class), Senior Primary (3rd – 6th class) and Secondary School (1st – 6th year). So hopefully there is one or two for all ages to engage with in each week. The activities will help students learn about water, one of our most fascinating and precious resources; and how we can help conserve and protect it. You can start doing them at anytime. Please tell us how you get on with any photos or videos or put them on social media with the hashtag #GreenSchoolsStayHome. Enjoy!

Week 1

Monday Activity – Litter and Waste Word-search

Monday Water Idea – Evaporation

Age Group: Primary Junior and Senior, Secondary (Junior Cycle)

Download Experiment

Tuesday Activity – Water Pollution Celery Experiment

Age Group: Primary Junior and Senior, Secondary (Junior Cycle)

Today’s water activity explores pollution in water and how it could get into food.

Click on the link below to find out what to do. Give it a go and let us know how you got on.

Download: Water Pollution Celery Experiment

Wednesday Water Watch

Age Group: Secondary

Today’s water clip is a story of bottled water. It looks at the use of bottled water in the US, the lifecycle of the water bottle and some environmentally friendly choices we can make. After you have watched it you can have fun answering the quiz below. Do it by yourself or with friends online.

Download: Quiz Sheet for Story of Bottled Water

Thursday Activity – Climate Change and Oceans Experiment

Age Group: Primary Junior and Senior, Secondary (Junior Cycle)

In this activity, we investigate how water absorbs heat, and the important role our #oceans play in slowing down the effects of #climatechange! We’d love to see your photos and videos of this one! Grab an adult and give it a go.

Download: Climate Change and Oceans Experiment

Friday Share – Water Competition Winners

Age Group: Secondary/All

We received lots of brilliant entries into our Secondary Schools Water Video Competition – it was our first time running a water video competition at Green-Schools and we were so excited to see what you came up with! The winners of the competition were the Green-Schools committee from Ballymakenny College in Drogheda, Co. Louth.

We loved their video because it showcased all the amazing climate actions they are taking in their school to help the environment – like installing water fountains to reduce plastic bottle waste, and harvesting rainwater to flush their toilets. We also loved that they involved their community, interviewing the Irish Coast Guard and carrying out a beach clean-up. Finally, it was clear that a lot of thought and creativity went into the filming and editing of this video, and it looks like they had a lot of fun making it too!

Their prize is a videography workshop at their school and €500 to go towards video equipment or their Green-Schools committee! You can check out Ballymakenny’s winning entry at the link below. Well done Ballymakenny Green-Schools Committee! 😊

Week 2

Monday Water Idea – Virtual Water

Age Group: Primary (Senior), Secondary

Today’s idea is to learn about virtual water and guess the virtual water content of everyday products in your home.

Download: Virtual Water Activity

Tuesday Activity – Plastic Jellyfish Experiment

Age Group: Primary Junior and Senior

Sea creatures, like turtles, often mistake plastic bags and wrapping as jellyfish that they can eat. Eating the plastic can cause them damage. Today’s activity shows how they can mistake plastic as jellyfish.

Download: Plastic Jellyfish Experiment

Earth Day Wednesday Water Watch – The Life Cycle of a T-Shirt

Age Group: Secondary

For Earth Day our Wednesday Water Watch is about the life cycle of a t-shirt across the world. It looks at how and where the average cotton t-shirt is made, and what the global social and environmental impact is of this process. Watch it here and have fun doing the quiz after.

Download: Quiz Sheet for The Life Cycle of a T-Shirt

Thursday Activity – Taste Test Hidden Pollutant Experiment

Age Group: Primary Junior and Senior, Secondary (Junior Cycle)

Litter is easy to spot but what about the #pollution we can’t see? This fun experiment demonstrates how our rivers and lakes can contain chemical pollutants that aren’t always visible to the naked eye! Litter is easy to spot but what about the pollution we can’t see?

Download: Taste Test Hidden Pollutants Experiment

Friday Share – Gort Community School Video

Age Group: Secondary/All

Gort Community School has shared a video with Green-Schools showing their fantastic work on the Green-Schools Water Ambassador programme this year 2020. Check their video out here:

Week 3

Monday Water Idea – Shower Time Challenge

Age Group: Primary and Secondary

Our Monday idea is to try the Shower Time Challenge. This is where you learn the amount of water used in showers, guess your own shower length and time it, to reveal your water use. Do you think your guess will come close? Who will be the water saving champion in your house?

Download: Shower Time Challenge

Tuesday Activity – Water Filter Experiment

Age Group: Primary Junior and Senior, Secondary

How do we ensure the water coming into our taps is clean? Well, one stage of cleaning our water is called filtration. Today’s experiment shows how this works.

Download: Water Filter Experiment

Wednesday Water Watch – Cloud to Glass

Age Group: Primary Junior

Today’s Wednesday Water Watch is about the journey of a water drop to our taps. It looks at how water evaporates to form clouds, travels back down to the ground as rain, and supports all plant and animal life; but before it reaches our taps it has to be cleaned! After watching it you can have fun doing the quiz.

Download: Quiz Sheet for Cloud to Glass

Thursday Activity – Sink The Boat Experiment

Age Group: Primary and Secondary

Why do some objects sink while others float? In this experiment we investigate sinking and floating by building our own tin-foil boats. How much will your boat be able to carry? 😉

Download: Sink The Boat Experiment

Friday Share – Presentation on Plastic and the Ocean

Age Group: Secondary/All

A Green-Schools water ambassador in St. Louis, Dundalk, created a presentation all about plastic and the ocean to raise awareness in her school community. It investigates the process involved in making plastic, how it affects our oceans and what we can do to help. .

Download: The Plastic and Ocean Presentation

Week 4

Monday Water Idea – Take a Break

Age Group: Primary and Secondary

t’s a bank holiday so we thought it might be a good time to take a break from our water activities and have a fresh start again tomorrow!

Tuesday Activity – Water Filter Experiment

Age Group: Primary Junior and Senior, Secondary

Flushing wipes down the toilet can clog up pipes, treatment plants and the environment. Find out how this happens with our wipe experiment.

Download: Wipe Experiment

Wednesday Water Watch The Story of Water – Conservation

Age Group: Senior Primary and Secondary

Today’s Wednesday Water Watch is a chapter from ‘The Story of Water’ on Conservation. It looks at the issues our water faces, how we use water and concludes with what we can do to help. Watch it here and then have fun doing the quiz on the link below.

Download: Quiz Sheet for The Story of Water Conservation

Thursday Activity – Water Xylophone

Age Group: Junior and Senior Primary

Did you know that sound travels 4 times faster through water than through air? In this experiment we make our own water xylophone and see what kind of different sounds we can make!

Download: How to Make a Water Xylophone

Friday Share – St.Mary’s Water Ambassador’s

Age Group: Secondary/All

Students from St Mary’s Special School in Cork have been outstanding participants in the Green-Schools Water Ambassador programme over the past two years. Just look at their Green-Schools web page with all the water actions they’ve done, along with an amazing Climate Emergency rap.

In this video, we hear about what Aine, Omon, and Patrycja have learned and enjoyed from their experience!

St Mary’s Special School

Week 5

Monday Water Idea – Eco Car Wash Challenge

Age Group: Primary and Secondary

Has your car been under aerial attack from local birds? If so, try out an eco car wash to fight back! Click the link to learn more and carry out the challenge!

Download: Eco Car Wash Challenge

Tuesday Activity – Rain Gauge Experiment

Age Group: Primary Junior and Senior, Secondary

How do we know that if there has been more rain this year than last year?

How do we measure how much rain has fallen?

We can use a rain gauge.

And you can build your own by downloading the instructions below.

Download: Rain Gauge Experiment

Wednesday Water Watch The Story of Water – Treatment Process

Age Group: Senior Primary and Secondary

Do you know what happens to your drinking water before it reaches your tap? Check out this weeks Wednesdays Water Watch video on the Drinking Water Treatment Process and carry out the fun quiz to learn more!

Download: Quiz Sheet for The Story of Water Treatment Process

Thursday Activity – Kingfisher Fact Sheet

Age Group: Junior and Senior Primary

Have you ever seen a Kingfisher? Today we learn about one of our most beautiful river birds! Click the link for our Kingfisher fact & activity sheet!

Download: The Kingfisher Fact Sheet

Friday Share – Interactive Water Activity

Age Group: Primary

Green- Schools would like to share our interactive PDF for primary schools looking to learn about water. It investigates the journey of a water drop, water conservation, climate change and water people.

Download: The Interactive Water Activity

Week 6

Monday Water Idea – Water Creature Art

Age Group: Primary and Secondary

Our Monday idea this week is to learn about some interesting creatures that live in our seas and rivers and become inspired to make your own water creature using household materials.

Download: Water Creature Art Activity

Tuesday Activity – Rainbow in a Glass Experiment

Age Group: Primary and Junior Secondary

Today we explore density in water by making a rainbow in a glass with this easy experiment, click below to find out how!

Download: Rainbow in a Glass Experiment

Wednesday Water Watch From Drain to Sea

Age Group: Senior Primary and Secondary

Do you know what happens to our wastewater? From Drain to Sea is a short video that looks at the various stages our wastewater goes through before it can be released back to rivers and sea. After watching have fun doing the quiz below.

Download: Quiz Sheet for From Drain to Sea

Thursday Activity – Otter Fact Sheet

Age Group: Primary and Junior Secondary

Today we learn about the Eurasian otter. Otters depend on our freshwater habitats for their livelihood. Find out more in our fact-sheet below!

Download: The Otter Fact Sheet

Friday Share – What Being A Water Ambassador Means To Us

Age Group: Secondary

Two students, Aisling and Alison, from Manor House school share what being a Green-Schools Water Ambassador means to them. They talk about their training, sites visited, people they met, what they learned and the actions they took back at school. Read more here: Water Ambassador Blog Piece

Clean Costs

Week 7

Monday Water Idea – Mini Walk for Water

Age Group: Primary and Secondary

We all need to wash our hands regularly with Covid19 but what if you need to walk a long distance for clean water like in some countries? Our Monday idea this week is to learn, take action and raise awareness of this through a mini walk for water.

Download: Mini Walk For Water Activity

Tuesday Activity – Make It Rain Experiment

Age Group: Primary and Junior Secondary

Do you know how rain is made? Today’s experiment shows you how to make it rain in your house!

Download: Make it Rain Experiment

Wednesday Water Watch Frog Life Cycle

Age Group: Primary

This weeks Wednesday Water Watch looks at the lifecycle of a frog. Watch the video and have fun doing the quiz below.

Download: Quiz Sheet for Frog Life Cycle

Thursday Activity – Lamprey Fact Sheet

Age Group: Primary and Junior Secondary

Weird and wonderful! The lamprey is an ancient, parasitic fish living the quiet life in our rivers…check out our fact sheet to discover more!

Download: The Lamprey Fact Sheet

Friday Share – Interactive PDF on Water Activities

Age Group: Secondary

Green- Schools would like to share our interactive PDF for secondary schools looking to learn about water. It investigates the water cycle, water conservation, climate change and water people.

Download: Interactive Pdf on Water Topics

Week 8

Bank Holiday Monday!

As it’s a bank holiday Monday we’ve moved our Water Idea to Tuesday and we suggest you take a well deserved break from activities today!

Tuesday Water Idea – Make a Mayfly

Age Group: Primary and Secondary

The mayfly is an important freshwater species, learn more about them and make one of your own to decorate your home or give as a gift.

Download: Make a Mayfly

Wednesday Water Watch The Story of Water (Chapter: Wastewater)

Age Group: Senior Primary and Secondary

This weeks Wednesday Water Watch is a chapter from ‘The Story of Water’ on Wastewater. It discusses the facts that raw sewage is released into the water around Ireland’s coastline and the impacts it has on our lives and the environment. Watch the video and test your knowledge with the quiz below.

Download: Quiz Sheet for Waste Water Video

Thursday Activity – Heron Fact Sheet

Age Group: Primary and Secondary

Check out our fact sheet to find out more about one of Ireland’s most distinctive birds – the Grey Heron!

Download: The Heron Fact Sheet

Friday Share – Water Ambassador Mind Map and Stickers

Age Group: Primary and Secondary

One of our Green-Schools Water Ambassadors, Anna, has shared her water mind map and water drop stickers with us. Why not learn about water with her mind map and cut her stickers out and stick them where it will remind people to save water.

We have had fantastic water ambassadors this year and the work from our schools working on the water theme has been amazing. Look out next week for our sponsor Irish Water’s congratulatory video for all those who worked hard for water this year.

Week 9

Stay Home Water Week 9 – Conserve Water Week!

With all the dry weather recently and the higher demand on water we need to conserve water more than ever. We need to ensure that water is available for everyone for essential water use such as hand-washing. To help you can do simple actions like stopping the use of power-washers at home; using a watering can rather than a hose in the garden; or taking showers over baths. To help further we have decided to have all our activities for this week about saving water. Enjoy doing the activities and please pass on the lessons you learn to your family and friends. Let us know how you get on and use the hashtag #ConserveWater if sharing on social media.

Monday Save Water Idea – Eco Car Wash Challenge

Age Group: Primary and Secondary

Has your car been under aerial attack from local birds? If so, try out an eco car wash to fight back! Learn more about car washes and how to carry out eco car wash to complete the challenge!

Download: Eco Car Wash Challenge

Tuesday Save Water Idea – Shower Time Challenge

Age Group: Primary and Secondary

Try the Shower Time Challenge. This is where you learn the amount of water used in showers, guess your own shower length and time it, to reveal your water use. Do you think your guess will come close? Who will be the water saving champion in your house?

Download: Shower Time Challenge

Wednesday Save Water Watch The Story of Water – Conservation

Age Group: Senior Primary and Secondary

This weeks Wednesday Water Watch is a chapter from ‘The Story of Water’ on Conservation linking in with our Water Saving Week. It looks at the issues our water faces, how we use water and concludes with what we can do to help. Watch the video and test your water conservation knowledge below.

Download: Quiz Sheet for The Story of Water Conservation

Thursday Activity – Pot, Sow and Water

Age Group: Primary and Secondary

Learn about plants, their importance and how to look after them while still saving water! Also, carry out the create your own pot, sow and water activity

Download: Plant, Sow and Water Activity

Friday Share – Irish Water Conservation Tips

Age Group: Primary and Secondary

This Friday we want to share some useful water saving tips we found on the Irish Water website along with a quick and easy to remember video.

Visit their website here: https://www.water.ie/conserve/

and watch the video below.

www.water.ie

Week 10

Monday Water Idea – Eco Friendly Cleaning Product

Age Group: Primary and Secondary

Why not try and make your own cleaner, saving a trip to shops, saving money and helping the environment!

Download: Make Your Own Eco-Cleaner Activity

Tuesday Activity – Ghost Hand Experiment

Age Group: Primary

Do some spooky science with this easy ghost hand experiment!

Download: Ghost Hand Experiment

Wednesday Water Watch The Riptide Movement Plastic Oceans Web Series – Episode 1

Age Group: Senior Primary and Secondary

This week’s Wednesday Water Watch is Episode 1 from The Riptide Movement’s Plastic Oceans web series. The band journeys across the country investigating the issue of marine plastic and discussing its impacts on us and the environment and various solutions to these problems. Watch the video and carry out the related quiz below.

Download: Quiz Sheet for Riptide Movement’s Plastic Oceans

Thursday Activity – Learn About Salmon

Age Group: Primary and Secondary

This week we learn about the Atlantic Salmon – find out about the lifecycle of this amazing fish and how they spend their lives migrating between freshwater and the ocean!

Download: The Salmon Fact Sheet

Friday Share – Irish Water Congratulations Video

Age Group: Primary and Secondary

It has been a fantastic year for achievements by schools working on getting their Water Flags this year. More than a half billion litres of water was saved this year! Watch this congratulations message from our sponsors Irish Water

Week 11

With the primary schools finishing we won’t be having Stay Home Water activities every week from now on. However, we will have a full week of video watching from the 13th of July. So put that in your diary. We’ll also be putting up some extra activities through out the summer. While in August we’ll be putting out some of our best Stay Home activities translated in Irish for two weeks. So don’t miss that. Throughout the summer you can also go back on activities you might have missed to keep you entertained at home. To mark the last week of the term we have an exciting photo competition on water conservation. Please see below.

Monday Water Idea – Water Conservation Photo Competition

Age Group: Primary and Secondary

Today we’re launching an exciting photo competition week!

We want school students to do water conservation and the parents to share photos of them on Twitter and/or Instagram.

The best 5 will win waterproof cameras. 💦📷

Click here to find out all about the photo competition

Tuesday Activity – Create a Caddisfly Case

Age Group: Primary & Secondary

Learn about the fascinating caddisfly and try your hand at creating your very own caddisfly and unique case!

Download: Create a Caddisfly Case

Wednesday Water Watch Video of the Caddisfly

Age Group: Primary and Secondary

‘Sticky. Stretchy. Waterproof. The Amazing Underwater Tape of the Caddisfly’ is part of the ‘Deep Look’ short video series created by KQED San Francisco and presented by PBS Digital Studios. It investigates the underwater life of the caddisfly and how they make their cases. Watch the fascinating video and carry out the related quiz below.

Download: Quiz Sheet for Caddisfly Video

Thursday Activity – Make an Underwater Viewer

Age Group: Primary and Junior Secondary

Summer’s here! Find out how to make your own Underwater Viewer from an up-cycled plastic bottle 🙂

Download: The Underwater Viewer Activity

Friday Share – Waterford County and City Council’s ‘Take 3 for the Sea’ teachers handbooks

Age Group: Primary and Secondary

This week we are sharing Waterford County and City Councils teachers handbooks that relate to the ‘Take 3 for the Sea’ campaign that encourages people to take three pieces of plastic litter with them when they leave the beach, waterway or… anywhere!

Week 12

Monday Water Watch – Our Water from Cloud to Glass

Age Group: Junior Primary

Today’s Water Watch is about the journey of a water drop to our taps. It looks at how water evaporates to form clouds, travels back down to the ground as rain and supports all plant and animal life but before it reaches our taps it has to be cleaned! After watching have fun doing the quiz here:

Download: Quiz for From Cloud to Glass

Tuesday Water Watch The Water Treatment Process

Age Group: Senior Primary and Secondary

Do you know what happens to your drinking water before it reaches your tap? Check out today’s Water Watch video on the Drinking Water Treatment Process and carry out the fun quiz to learn more!

Download: Quiz Sheet for Drinking Water Treatment Process

Wednesday Water Watch Save Water to Help the Earth

Age Group: Primary

Do you want to learn some handy water saving tips to save water and energy? If so, check out the videos and test your knowledge by doing the fun quizzes here!

Thursday Water Watch Green-Schools 7 Steps for Water in Action

Age Group: Primary

Are you interested in learning about what you can do at your school when you are on the Green-Schools water theme? If so, check out this short video on the Green-Schools 7 Steps for Water in Action and test yourself with the quiz!

Download: Quiz Sheet for 7 Steps for Water Action

Friday Water Watch From Drain to Sea

Download: Quiz Sheet for From Drain to Sea

Week 13

Bheartaíomar Gaeilge a chur ar roinnt dár ngníomhaíochtaí uisce “Fan sa Bhaile”. Anois is féidir le do chuid leanaí spraoi a bhaint as na gníomhaíochtaí oideachasúla seo i nGaeilge, gníomhaíochtaí a mhúinfidh gach rud faoin uisce dóibh – cé chomh luachmhar is atá sé agus cén chaoi ar féidir linn uile ár gcion féin a dhéanamh le hé a shábháil. Beidh gníomhaíocht nua againn gach lá le linn Seachtain na Gaeilge 2021. Seo an chéad cheann:

Gníomhaíocht an Luain 1/3/21: – Gníomhaíocht ar an nGalú

Aoisghrúpa molta: Bunscoil agus Meánscoil

Fáilte chuig gníomhaíochtaí uisce #FanSaBhaile le Clár na Scoileanna Glasa! An raibh a fhios agat go bhfuil níos mó uisce stóráilte in atmaisféar an Domhain ná mar atá stóráilte sna haibhneacha uile le chéile?! Cliceáil ar an nasc le tabhairt faoi ghníomhaíocht ar an ngalú.

Cliceáil anseo leis an ngníomhaíocht a íoslódáil

Gníomhaíocht na Máirt 2/3/21: – Dúshlán an Chithfholctha

Aoisghrúpa molta: Bunscoil agus Meánscoil

Is é Dúshlán an Chithfholctha smaoineamh an lae inniu. Foghlaimeoidh tú faoin méid uisce a úsáidtear le haghaidh cithfholcthaí, tabharfaidh tú buille faoi thuairim faoin méid ama a chaitheann tú sa chithfholcadán agus cuirfidh tú am ort féin lena fháil amach cé mhéad uisce a úsáideann tú féin. Cé chomh gar is a bheidh do bhuille faoi thuairim, meas tú? Cé a shábhálfaidh an méid is mó uisce i do theachsa? Cliceáil anseo le glacadh leis an dúshlán.

Cliceáil anseo leis an ngníomhaíocht a íoslódáil

Gníomhaíocht na Céadaoin 3/2/21: Níochán Cairr Éiceabhách

Aoisghrúpa molta: Bunscoil agus Meánscoil

An bhfuil ionsaí ón aer á dhéanamh ag éin ar do charr? Má tá, bain triail as Níochán Cairr Éiceabhách leis an bhfód a sheasamh ina n-aghaidh! Cliceáil ar an nasc le tuilleadh a fhoghlaim agus le glacadh leis an dúshlán!

Cliceáil anseo leis an ngníomhaíocht a íoslódáil

Gníomhaíocht an Déardaoin 4/3/21: – Siúl ar Thóir an Uisce

Aoisghrúpa molta: Bunscoil agus Meánscoil

Ní mór dúinn ar fad ár lámha a ní go rialta anois go bhfuil Covid-19 ag dul thart, ach céard faoi na daoine i dtíortha áirithe a chaithfidh siúl i bhfad chun teacht ar uisce glan? Inniu táimid chun tuilleadh a fhoghlaim faoi sin, rud éigin a dhéanamh agus feasacht air a fheabhsú trí dhul ag siúl ar thóir an uisce.

Cliceáil anseo leis an ngníomhaíocht a íoslódáil

Gníomhaíocht na hAoine 5/3/21 – Do Phlanda Féin a Chur

Aoisghrúpa molta: Bunscoil agus Meánscoil

Foghlaim faoi phlandaí, an tábhacht a bhaineann leo agus cén chaoi ar féidir aire a thabhairt dóibh agus uisce a shábháil ag an am céanna! Beidh deis agat do phlanda féin a chur chomh maith!

Cloígh i gcónaí leis na treoirlínte sábháilteachta Covid-19 ó FSS agus gníomhaíochtaí de chuid Chlár na Scoileanna Glasa á ndéanamh agat.

Cliceáil anseo leis an ngníomhaíocht a íoslódáil

Bonus Water Activity

Age Group: Primary and Secondary

Learn about the fascinating Water Bat and have a go at creating your very own flying water bat!

You can download the activity in pdf formats below: