In this month of October 2024, a number of our Primary Six and Seven students were delighted to celebrate and promote International Geodiversity Day, and, in doing so, join with many others throughout our global family.
When we consider geodiversity, we realise, of course, that what we are referring to are all the parts of nature that are not living, yet are all around us, and in most things we use. Our trip to Johnson Central Library, Cavan to participate in ‘Rock Detectives’ workshop, enabled us to understand that geodiversity includes everything from rocks, minerals and fossils, to soils and spectacular landscapes, as shaped by earth’s processes, that have been occurring in Ireland for the past 1.8 billion years!
Indeed, geodiversity is often referred to as the basis for biodiversity. For, as we learned, while a region has no control over the level of geodiversity present, and it is not possible to increase an area’s geodiversity, it is certainly possible for us all to promote and protect it.
Our students were delighted to partake of and participate in the workshop, which was hosted and facilitated by Cuilcagh Lakelands UNESCO Global Geopark staff, staff of Cavan Library, and Creative Cavan staff, to all of whom we convey our sincere appreciation. Funding for this tremendous opportunity was provided by Creative Cavan and Cavan County Council through Creative Ireland Shared Island - Cruinniú na nÓg. Go raibh maith agat.
Having the opportunity to become ‘rock detectives’, we studied, measured and analysed real fossils from 340 million years ago, went on a fossil hunt and made our own fossils to take back to school! We also learned about the different types of rocks found in the Geopark, and the rocks that make up the earth’s structure. Additionally, we learned about and explored the processes which result in the erosion of rocks, using sugar cubes and rocks to show how it happens.
We hope you enjoy our video and thank our Primary Seven boys for compiling our photographs and footage into this presentation.
’Rock Detectives’ at work!
