Our work with schools since 1994 has put HWDT at the forefront of marine environmental education on the west coast of Scotland. We deliver our education programme in three main locations: on our yacht Silurian, on the beach and in schools. We have developed a range of teaching resources and online activities just for kids that compliment our school visits.
Outdoor learning onboard Silurian
Silurian is HWDT’s research vessel, which is also used for education purposes as a floating classroom. Students are actively engaged in exploring the boat, learning about cetacean research, and investigating the local marine life. We have found these learning experiences to be very powerful for students.
The boat regularly travels to visit anchorages close to the participating schools and so students board the boat in their local area. Many of the schools which we have worked with are located in remote island communities and so Silurian not only provides an exciting learning environment but also a practical means to provide relevant learning opportunities for isolated and coastal communities.
Our education and boat staff take all the necessary safety precautions so that school trips to Silurian are relaxing and safe. Workshops are designed for individual groups in order to cater for different age ranges and abilities as well as covering specific topics if requested. Thorough communication between school staff and our education team prior to visits ensures that trips are well planned and effective.
Feedback from teachers
Below is some feedback that we have received from teachers about their experiences of outdoor learning onboard Silurian:
"The visit extended the children’s knowledge of their local environment"
- Keills Primary, Isle of Islay
"The touch tank was excellent"
- Bunessan Primary, Isle of Mull
"All the activities were great with a variety to suit all learning styles"
- Iona Primary
"The visit exceeded expectations – well planned and retained the interest of students for 2 hours – not easy!"
- Lismore Primary, Isle of Lismore
"The knowledge given has been beneficial and students will remember it as their lives are influenced by the sea"
- Islay High School, Isle of Islay
These unique school trips are not to be missed. Contact the Education Officer at HWDT for bookings.
Outdoor learning on the beach
We also provide on-beach workshops at a primary level where students learn about the beach environment and coastal life through exploration. Activities such as sea shell bingo, scavenger hunts, beach sculpture and educational games are all examples of the types of work which children enjoy participating in at these events. Beach workshops can be held at your local beach or your school could visit us on Mull.
Many schools and community groups over the years have taken part in beach cleans organised by HWDT to improve the environment by removing beach litter. These events are a great way for young people to take action to improve their beach environment for the community and wildlife, develop a sense of environmental responsibility, experience success and achievement, be active outside and have fun. Contact the Education Officer at HWDT if you would like to get involved.
Classroom based learning
Our education team has a range of exciting lessons and workshops which we can bring to your school.
Our Education Officer is an outdoor learning specialist and a qualified teacher with plenty of experience who will cover a topic designed to tie into your schemes of work.
We communicate with the classroom teacher well before a visit to establish what topics could be covered, the age and ability of the children, facilities available and other details of the visit. Sometimes we make only a single visit to a single class but also often visit a whole school and work with a range of classes or make a series of visits in order to complete a topic or activity. Here is an excerpt from an article which was published in our member’s magazine which reveals some activities of a ‘typical’ primary school visit.
Visits to high schools have varied in terms of content in response to the requests of teachers. For example, we have given general presentations and lessons on HWDT and cetaceans, taught specific topics such as ‘our influence on the marine environment’ to science and geography students, hosted lunchtime stalls, discussed data in maths lessons, and worked with eco-committees. Our workshops can be used to achieve Eco-Schools Scotland objectives. The possibilities are endless, so please contact the Education Officer if you would like to book into our schedule.
Feedback from students
Below is some feedback that we have received from students from Campbeltown Grammar School about their experiences of classroom based learning:
"I found the information very interesting and I especially liked hearing the noises"
- S1 student
"I liked the fact that they got all the class involved"
- S4 student
"It was excellent I liked the whole thing. It could not be better"
- S1 student
"I didn’t know there were so many different species in Scotland"
- S3 student
"Most presentations we have I don’t feel I get anything from, I don’t learn anything. From this talk I actually feel like I learned something"
- S3 student