Workshops for Schools

Green-School Officers run workshops for schools throughout Ireland on the topic of sustainable energy and climate change.  We are offering a programme of  workshops for primary and post primary pupils and teachers.

Teachers can also avail of SEAI’s teaching resources, hard copy and online at Schools | Community Energy | SEAI

These workshops are directly linked to the curricula and are great way to inform and involve pupils and teachers in ways to save energy, take climate action and will help schools to achieve the Green Flag award. Workshops are delivered free of charge and involve inquiry-based learning through experiments, videos, games and talks. Schools can choose from the following:

Primary School Workshops

Post Primary Workshops

Junior: senior infants to 2nd classes Junior Cycle
Senior: 3rd to 6th classes Transition Year
Teacher CPD Teacher CPD

Book a Workshop

Junior Primary Workshop

‘Guzzler’ the puppet can help the children learn about energy awareness.  This workshop is approximately 40 minutes long and is aimed at senior infants and 1st class although it may also suit junior infants and 2nd class.  We can run up to three workshops during the school day.

The children are introduced to Guzzler the puppet who loves to waste energy. Through a series of games and activities they learn about where our energy comes from, the importance of saving energy and the various ways in which they can save energy.

The workshop covers several strands of the science curriculum such as living things, energy and forces and environmental awareness and care.

Senior Primary Workshop

The senior primary workshop is aimed at pupils from 3rd to 6th class but can also be suitable for 2nd class.  It is approximately one hour and we can run up to three workshops during the school day. In advance of the workshop, the school will be sent a selection of posters to promote saving energy.  The workshop is in three parts: a class discussion on energy after watching a short video, experiments and Guzzler’s Energy Challenge Game.

The workshop covers several strands of the science curriculum such as energy and forces and environmental awareness and care.

Junior Cycle Workshops

Workshops are available for Junior Cycle students and are relevant to a range of subjects: Science, Home Economics, Geography, CSPE and Business where the topic of sustainable energy features.  Workshops are approximately one hour and 20 minutes and are  designed to fit into a double class period.  We can run up to two workshops during the school day.

All  workshops aim to actively involve students in the learning process and students are encouraged to think critically about climate change, the ways we generate and use energy and the environmental impacts of our energy use.

Transition Year Workshop

The TY workshop engages students on the topic of climate change and sustainability.  It addresses the causes and global impacts of climate change and renewable and non-renewable technologies.  The workshop is approximately 1 hour 20 minutes in duration and is designed to fit into a double class period. The workshop is mainly discussion based using video clips, maps, pictures, games and activities to help students evaluate how our everyday activities and actions such as the burning of fossil fuels for heat and electricity in our homes can have a global environmental impact.  It introduces the concept of sustainable development and encourages the students to think critically about global issues and their solutions.

The workshop is aimed at Transition Year students but can be adapted for younger students.  It is not specifically a science workshop but covers aspects of many different curriculum areas such as Junior Cert Science, Environmental and Social Studies (ESS), Civic, Social and Political Education (CSPE) and aspects of Junior Cert and Leaving Cert Geography

Teacher CPD Workshops

Primary Teacher CPD Workshops

The primary CPD workshops introduce teachers to SEAI’s resources which have been developed by DCU St Pat’s College. The workshop takes place after school at a time to suit teachers and can count towards Croke Park hours, subject to school management approval in accordance with DES Circulars. The focus throughout SEAI’s primary resources is on inquiry-based education with a strong emphasis on working scientifically and designing and making skills.

The workshop is particularly relevant for schools doing their Green Flag for Energy. Ideally schools should have a minimum of 10 teachers and a maximum of 20 to participate in the training.  Smaller schools can join together, and larger schools can be split into two groups, junior primary and senior primary

Junior Cycle Teacher CPD workshops

  • Workshop 1: Based on the JC Science specification this workshop focuses on the following learning outcomes:
    • PW 7 – Design, build and test a device that transforms energy from one form to another to perform a function; describe the energy changes and ways of improving efficiency
    • PW6 –Explain energy conservation and analyse processes in terms of energy changes and dissipation
    • NoS 10 – Appreciate the role of science in society; and its personal, social and global importance; and how society influences scientific research.
  • Workshop 2: This workshop incorporates the following learning outcomes:
    • Science EaS7: Illustrate how earth processes and human factors influence the Earth’s climate, evaluate effects of climate change and initiatives that attempt to address those effects
    • Science CW10: Evaluate how humans contribute to sustainability through the extraction, use, disposal, and recycling of materials
    • Home Economics 2.7: Identify how individuals, families and households can contribute to sustainable and responsible living
    • Home Economics: 1.15 Investigate the impact of their food choices from an ecological and ethical perspective
    • Geography: 2.6 Examine the causes and implications of climate change
    • Maths: U.7 make sense of a given problem, and if necessary, mathematise a situation

Workshops are 90 minutes and can take place in school, face to face or online.  We also run these workshops via many Education Centres and ISTA branches.

Workshops are available to all teachers, student teachers, and Professional Master of Education, as it is aligned with the specification and provides plenty of ideas for teaching these concepts in the classroom.