The Ty Class, together with Ms Colum and Ms Simpsoncarried out an investigationinto the different tyoes of fungusgrowing on the school grounds. In total, the group found 9 different species and were able to identify 6.
TYs had an excellent workshop in willow weaving this week delivered by Helena Golden. The group made bird feeders, and Christmas decorations. An interesting art-form and a new skill for the group.
On Wednesday 1st September Ms. Colum and the TY class visited the local Community Garden in Ballinamore. Students had the opportunity to see many vegetables such as beetroot, potatoes, cabbage, courgette, carrots and also many fruits such as raspberries, pears, strawberries, apples, rhubarb and blackcurrants being grown. In one polytunnel that students visited, grapes and a fig tree were growing. Students learned about growing in polytunnels, raised beds and the importance of companion gardening. Students learned about how pests are controlled and the importance of being sustainable. Kay Maguire and Darren Warren provided students with plenty of very useful information on the history of the Community garden to the day to day running of keep the community garden sustainable
Green-fingered TY students planted red onions, peas, bread beans and beetroot in the poly-tunnel as they began their individual mini-gardens.
Ms Colum brought the TY class to Ballinamore Community Garden. Kay Maguire and Eamon Smith showed the students the polytunnels. Students got to look at plants such as nasturtiums, strawberry plants, borage, kale among many other plants. Companion planting is carried out at the garden and students saw many examples of companion planting.
Fifth Year Agri Science students carrying out soil investigations to find particles in the soil, soil texture and soil mineral matter. Students worked with clay loam soil and a peat soil.
Students in Ms Colum’s Science Class carved pumpkins last week and noticed a couple of days later that furry white and black growths had begun growing inside the pumpkins. As, scientists, the first year students looked a bit closer at the growths under the microscope where they could identify parts of the fungus such as stolons, sporangiophores and spores. As students want to be as sustainable as possible, the pumpkins were fed to the birds in our wildlife area at the back of the school.
Third year students took part in the “Love Where You Live” competition run by Leitrim County Council. The students were Highly Commended on their excellent work by well known biologist and environmentalist Eanna Ni Lamhna.
TY Ag Science students learned about the relevance of the pumpkin in modern Irish agriculture and then used their creative skills to carve out the pumpkins. The pumpkin pulp was then sent to the Home Economics class and used for soup, while the seeds were roasted.
For National tree day, TY students planted an oak tree on the school grounds with Kay Maguire and Eamon Smith from Ballinamore Tidy Towns.