Trí ábhar atá san Oideachas Sóisialta, Imshaoil agus Eolaíochta: Eolaíocht, Tíreolaíocht agus Stair. Múintear an trí ábhar seo do gach dalta ó rang na Naíonán Beaga go Rang a Sé i Scoil Gharbháin.
Bunaímid Gníomhaíochtaí Tíreolaíochta ar an imshaol áitiúil agus tá go leor deiseanna againn an t-imshaol a iniúchadh agus a imscrúdú sa cheantar ina bhfuilimid suite.
Tá baile Dhún Garbhán suite 3km ón scoil agus bíonn sé de nós againn iniúchadh a dhéanamh ar ghnéithe daonna trí thurasanna a dhéanamh go dtí an baile mór, ar bhus nó ar na rothair ar Rian Glas na nDéise. Tá an t-ádh linn, chomh maith, gnéithe suimiúla den imshaol nádúrtha a bheith i ngarthimpeallacht na scoile – abhainn, bá, trá, agus páirceanna ar fad de shiúl na gcos uainn. Is cuid an-tábhachtach den churaclam tíreolaíochta agus eolaíochta ag gach leibhéal ranga é feasacht agus cúram imshaoil. Agus is cúis mhór bhróid dúinn é i Scoil Gharbháin go bhfuil Brat Glas againn. Baineadh an Brat Glas amach ag leibhéal uile scoile trí cur chun cinn fadthréimhseacha a dhéanamh, le cabhair ón bpobal, ar chúram don timpeallacht.
Cuireann an Curaclam Eolaíochta ar chumas páistí eolas agus tuiscint ar idéanna eolaíocha a fhorbairt trí staidéar a dhéanamh ar nithe beo agus ar na timpeallachtaí ina maireann siad, ar fhuinneamh agus fhórsaí, ar ábhair agus ar phróisis athraithe. Tríd an gcuraclam eolaíochta bíonn deis ag na páistí breathnú, ceisteanna a chur, patrúin a thabhairt faoi deara, hipitéisí a cheapadh, pleananna a cheapadh, turgnaimh a dhéanamh, rudaí a dhearadh agus a dhéanamh, rudaí a thomhas, díospóireacht a dhéanamh, torthaí a scagadh agus a mheas agus ar an dóigh sin cur chuige eolaíoch a fhorbairt i leith réiteach fadhbanna. Ceiliúraimid Seachtain na hEolaíochta go bliantúil i Scoil Gharbháin, le himeachtaí agus turgnaimh eolaíochta do pháistí agus clanna na scoile ar an gclós ar maidin le linn na seachtaine. Bíonn deiseanna ag na páistí chomh maith freastal ar imeachtaí eagraithe ag Cumann Eolaíochta na hÉireann, áit go mbíonn scileanna agus eolas eolaíochta na bpáistí á bhforbairt i slí thaitneamhach, spraoiúil.
Cuireann an Curaclam Staire ar chumas páistí bunscileanna an staraí a fhorbairt trí eolas a chur ar dhaoine, ar imeachtaí agus ar ghluaiseachtaí san am atá imithe thart. Úsáideann an stair scileanna agus coincheapa a bhfuil baint acu le ham, seicheamh, agus cróineolaíocht, athrú agus leanúnachas, cúis agus iarmhairt, fianaise a úsáid, sintéisiú agus cur in iúl agus ionbhá.
Cuirimid fáilte roimh chainteoirí de chuid na háite teacht isteach chun scéalta a insint do na páistí faoin am atá thart. Is deis iontach é seo do na páistí éisteacht le cuimhní daoine níos sine faoin gceantar áitiúil agus ceisteanna a chur orthu. Téann na páistí ar cuairt ar an sean-fhoirgnimh scoile, an caisleán agus roinnt foirgneamh timpeall Dhún Garbhán a léiríonn leanúnachas agus athrú chun iad a fhiosrú agus feasacht orthu a bhunú.
Social, Environmental and Scientific Education (SESE) consists of three subjects: Science, Geography and History. These three subjects are taught at all class level, junior infants to sixth class in Scoil Gharbháin.
We base Geographical Education on our local environment and we have ample opportunities to investigate and study both natural and human environment in our immediate surroundings. Dungarvan town is situated less than 3km from the school and regular bus trips and cycle excursions to the town, via the Waterford Greenway, provide us with opportunities to investigate human environments. We are fortunate, also, to have a range of interesting elements from the natural environment on our door step, with Dungarvan bay, a number of beaches, rivers and fields all within walking distance. An important part of both the Geography and Science curriculum is environmental awareness and care. We take great pride in our Green Schools Flag, which we achieved through promoting long-term, whole-school action for the environment.
The Science curriculum enables the child to develop a knowledge and understanding of scientific ideas through the study of living things and the environments in which they live, energy and forces, materials and processes of change. Through the study of science at primary level children have the opportunity to observe, ask questions, discern patterns, hypothesise, plan, experiment, design, make, measure, discuss, analyse and evaluate results and so develop a scientific approach to problem-solving. National Science Week is celebrated in Scoil Gharbháin each year, with science experiments and activities planned each morning for the children and their families before the school bell. Trips to events organised by Science Foundation Ireland have also proved to be fantastic opportunities to promote and develop scientific skills and knowledge amongst our pupils.
The History curriculum supports children to develop basic skills of a historian through a knowledge and understanding of people, events and developments of the past. It includes a skills and concepts section entitled, “Working as an historian”, which describes the historical skills and concepts that children should develop as they encounter topics in history. Depending on the class level, these skills include developing an understanding of time and chronology, change and continuity, cause and effect, using evidence, synthesis and communication and empathy.
We welcome local guest speakers into the school to talk about and tell stories about their pasts and stories about our local region. This provides the children with a great opportunity to listen to and record memories of older people in the local and surrounding area, and develop communication skills such as questioning and a comprehension of the oral language. We also take trips to local historic sites and amenities, such as our old school building, Dungarvan Castle and other sites in the local area. The children are encouraged to actively explore and investigate various aspects of these sites as historians, and incorporate the skills of a historian learned in class.