We had a wonderful afternoon on Saturday the 29th of September in Castlerock Northern Ireland with the kids participating the Art & Environment Marine Biology workshop. We were joined at low tide by Marine Biologist David Erwin and Maxime Siseret from the Causeway Coast and Glens Heritage Trust.
kids explore with Marine Biologist David Erwin at low tide on Castlerock Beach Northern Ireland during the Art & Environment class Saturday |
kids with biologist David Erwin on Castlerock beach during Saturday's art & environment workshop |
After an introductory chat about ocean life and familiarization with mollusks and other marine life frequently found in the nearby rock pools the kids were given digital cameras and launched into a scavenger hunt armed with laminated photo sheets of life forms and geological features of the North Coast beaches.
Marine Biologist David Erwin exploring with children from the Art & Environment workshop on the Castlerock Beach, Northern Ireland |
Using digital cameras in a beach scavenger hunt on Castlerock beach during the kids art & environment days 2012 |
David Erwin and artist McCall Gilfillan ( yes, me) kept the kids observation skills in high gear as they explored the rock pools and exposed intertidal zones on the west end of the strand. After making a circle through the dune system back towards Castlerock’s Main Street we looked together at our goal sheets to see how many of the 20 items we had documented.
kids with artwork based on environment exploration on Castlerock beach Northern Ireland
Then back to Christchurch Hall for snacks and a fantastic session of artistic interpretation using brilliantly coloured tissue and 1ft x 4ft sheets of laminated card to create big brilliant landscapes of intertidal zones and the lifeforms within them.
Many many thanks to all the kids, parents, David Erwin, Maxime Siseret and Causeway Coast and Glens Heritage Trust who have sponsored this workshop series.