Scientific focus
1. How do plants grow?
Time: January
Practical study of plants grown in class from seed, bulb & leaf cuttings.
Observation & recording of root, shoot, bud & flower as they appear.
Identification of the needs of a plant for survival : air, water, light, (soil)

2. How do plants adapt to their environment?
Time: January
A Comparative study – Cactus plants V water loving plants.
Construction of a dessert garden with real cactus plants 
in the classroom.
Field  trip: Guided visit  to waterfall & lake in Glendalough National Park to observe water loving plants (& animals) in their natural habitat.
Construction of a classroom water garden with real aquatic plants

3. Where do the plants for our public parks come from?
Time: February 28
Visit to The People’s Park Dun Laoghaire with technical advisor Jonathan Long. 
Meeting with the gardeners. 
Observation of the machines & tools used in park maintenance. Visit to the plant nursery. Participation in planting some of the flowers for the park.

4. What birds live in our local park?
Time : to be confirmed
Visit to The People’s Park Dun Laoghaire with Faith Wilson of Bird Watch Ireland

Construction
1. Construction of a dessert garden in classroom (Jan)
2. Construction of a water garden in classroom (Jan)
3. Construction of a small outdoor school garden from waste ground ( March – June)

Field trips & visits
Visit to Glendalough National Park & Education Centre – Educational guide Ann Fitzpatrick, forestry service. Focus on flora & fauna around the lakes & waterfall.
Visit to The People’s Park Dunlaoghaire – Technical advisor  Jonathan Long, Dunlaoghaire county council. -–meeting with gardeners, observing of nursery, machines & tools, participating in public planting

Art & Creative Activity: 
? Drawings of images of public parks (Dec)
? Drawings of children’s dream gardens (Jan)
? Construction of collective garden in various media with help of Marianne Mc Connell & Victor Grennan ( Dun laoghaire Institute of Art, Design & Technology) February