Looking forward to seeing you all at our open evening in the school on the 9th September. If you have any questions about AEN in St Mary's, please pop in and say hello!
Tuesday, 9 September 2025
Friday, 5 January 2024
Senior Cycle students are currently studying what many consider to be Shakespeare's finest play; Macbeth.
A stunning piece of drama that examines human psychology, it also looks at humanity's' deepest fears, ambitions and emotions.
Containing some brilliantly written characters the play asks to us to consider what drives human ambition and the role of fate in determining the future. Macbeth sees Shakespeare use his unique blend of language, symbolism and metaphor to create a gripping drama that cause us to reflect
Due to its huge world popularity, the play has attracted some of the most renowned actors on stage and screen.
An excellent study resource can be found here:
https://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/macbeth/
A good study of the play can be accessed here:
https://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/macbeth/video-summary/
An excellent summary of the play can be found here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDEyq48CwNw
You can enjoy watching some famous film interpretations of the play and can sample the trailers below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqHhKuCQmoY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zp70jXJFX9M
Thursday, 6 October 2022
Frankenstein!!
With Halloween fast approaching it's very appropriate that Fifth Years have begun their study of the very famous novel 'Frankenstein'!!
The novel tells the story of how a brilliant young scientist manages to create a 'monster' or new human being. However this creation sets in place a train of events that ultimately leads to tragedy.
The book has proved hugely popular around the world as being an excellent example of the Gothic genre.
What is equally fascinating is the life of its talented author Mary Shelley, who was only a teenager when she wrote what was to eventually become a best selling novel.
Below are resources to help you understand and appreciate the book and its themes. There is also a link to look at the unconventional and fascinating author Mary Shelley, and the influences behind her work.
https://www.sparknotes.com/lit/frankenstein/
https://www.cliffsnotes.com/literature/f/frankenstein/book-summary
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48w996th8pY
Saturday, 10 September 2022
Breaking News!!
Reading and analysing news through newspapers, magazines and social media is an invaluable and very useful way to improve literacy as well being more aware of what is going on around us in the modern world. Checking out different news sources also allows us to to avoid bias and lets us be more alert to what is accurately presented to us, especially when a medium such as social media generates so much content every day.
Why not check out the links below to improve your literacy, and your knowledge of topics discussed in CSPE and SPHE class.
https://breakingnewsenglish.com/
https://www.irishexaminer.com/
Remember, as we learn from History class, always look for more than one source to avoid bias or 'fake news'. Learn about 'fake news' here..
https://learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org/skills/reading/c1-reading/rise-fake-news
Tuesday, 28 September 2021
Money, Money Money!
Financial literacy is extremely important. Not just in school but also in daily life outside the school building.
When we go shopping, pay our bus fare, get some foreign currency to go on holidays, buy something online or open a bank account we need to be financially literate.
Being financially literate means to be able to understand money; whether it's notes or coins or in electronic or digital form.
Below are some great resources that can help us get to know money better. Enjoy!
https://ulsterbankroi.mymoneysense.com/home/
Wednesday, 22 September 2021
Geography in the News!
Geography is constantly in the news. If we turn on the tv or look at the news on our phones, we will see that everyday there is a news story about Geography. Can you think of any news stories recently that have geography in them?
Here's an example.... the recent volcanic eruption on the Canary Islands, which many of us know as a popular holiday destination.
Keep an eye out in the news for other stories with Geography in them...here's a useful link to help you.
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/pages/topic/latest-stories
Tuesday, 5 May 2020
Soils
"The soil is not a mass of dead debris, merely resulting from the physical and chemical weathering of rocks; it is a ....system which has resulted from the decomposition of plant and animal remains. It is teeming with life"
Soil, like air and water, is one of the world's most important natural resources. Because it lies beneath our feet and is often hidden by buildings and roads we may not often think about how much it affects our lives and how much we depend on it.
Soils form very slowly, maybe as little as 1 cm of thickness in 500 years, so we can't just replace them in our own lifetime. Many of our soils are becoming damaged and are at risk.
It is important that we understand our soil and make sure it is there for future generations.
Soil is composed of a number of things. There are mineral particles from rocks that have been denuded by weathering over the years. There is also dead plant material. This is broken down into something called humus which we also find in soil. Micro-organisms break down the dead plant material or litter into humus. Humus holds soil particles together. There is also air in soil to allow the micro-organisms to breathe. Water is also present in soil. The mineral particles in soil are absorbed by water which in turn is absorbed by plants through their roots.
Brown soils are very fertile. Ireland is lucky to have a wide area of brown soils.
Soils form an almost complete skin over the earth, broken only by oceans and other water bodies and by mountains that have yet to develop a soil cover. When you walk through your garden or through fields and woods there is always this amazing carpet, called soil, beneath your feet. But how do soils form?
Firstly, the climate provides agents of weathering like frost, heat and temperature changes that break up rocks over time into mineral particles. Secondly, vegetation which dies is turned into humus by micro-organisms. Thirdly, people can have a major effect on soils. If we over cultivate soils they can loose all their water and minerals. This is what happens when desertification occurs. But people can help soil by allowing it to rest from crop growing or by replenishing it with fertilisers.
There are many different types of soil. some are very fertile and very good for growing crops. Other are not. Brown soils are the best. The other main soils in Ireland are Podzols, Gley and Peaty soils.
Peaty soils are found in bogs. They were made from decomposed plant remains over thousands of years. These soils are often dug out of the Earth as turf and are used as fuel such as peat briquettes or as garden compost.
A sample of peat from the west of Ireland
Soil, like air and water, is one of the world's most important natural resources. Because it lies beneath our feet and is often hidden by buildings and roads we may not often think about how much it affects our lives and how much we depend on it.
Soils form very slowly, maybe as little as 1 cm of thickness in 500 years, so we can't just replace them in our own lifetime. Many of our soils are becoming damaged and are at risk.
It is important that we understand our soil and make sure it is there for future generations.
Soil is composed of a number of things. There are mineral particles from rocks that have been denuded by weathering over the years. There is also dead plant material. This is broken down into something called humus which we also find in soil. Micro-organisms break down the dead plant material or litter into humus. Humus holds soil particles together. There is also air in soil to allow the micro-organisms to breathe. Water is also present in soil. The mineral particles in soil are absorbed by water which in turn is absorbed by plants through their roots.
Brown soils are very fertile. Ireland is lucky to have a wide area of brown soils.
Soils form an almost complete skin over the earth, broken only by oceans and other water bodies and by mountains that have yet to develop a soil cover. When you walk through your garden or through fields and woods there is always this amazing carpet, called soil, beneath your feet. But how do soils form?
Firstly, the climate provides agents of weathering like frost, heat and temperature changes that break up rocks over time into mineral particles. Secondly, vegetation which dies is turned into humus by micro-organisms. Thirdly, people can have a major effect on soils. If we over cultivate soils they can loose all their water and minerals. This is what happens when desertification occurs. But people can help soil by allowing it to rest from crop growing or by replenishing it with fertilisers.
There are many different types of soil. some are very fertile and very good for growing crops. Other are not. Brown soils are the best. The other main soils in Ireland are Podzols, Gley and Peaty soils.
While Brown soils are fertile because of the humus in them created by falling leaves, Podzols are different. They are not as fertile. They have less humus because they are in areas of coniferous trees where not as many leaves fall to create humus. Gley soils are in areas where drainage is poor and much of the nutrients or humus in the soil has been washed down to the bottom of the soil profile through a process called leaching.
Podzols are grey and not very fertile.
Peaty soils are found in bogs. They were made from decomposed plant remains over thousands of years. These soils are often dug out of the Earth as turf and are used as fuel such as peat briquettes or as garden compost.
A sample of peat from the west of Ireland
Check out to see how humus is formed here:
Below are some more resources to help study soils.
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