Donegal teacher and TV presenter Micheál Ó Ciaraidh has gone back to his former primary school for an udderly-brilliant new series.
The Letterkenny man recently partnered up with the National Dairy Council and the Department of Agriculture to make homeschooling videos to help children and parents during Covid-19.
The Moo Crew programme was developed in consultation with primary teachers to create a fun and engaging way for children to learn the benefits of a healthy, balanced diet and the importance of exercise. Parents can access all the videos on www.moocrew.ie/homeschooling
Micheál worked with videographer Ciaran O’Donnell to churn the videos out quickly, with time constraints and social distancing protocol creating a new challenge for the two-man crew.
“It was a challenge, but I’m proud of what we achieved and I hope that it proves to be of benefit and enjoyment to the students, and to the aid of teachers who are currently working remotely,” Micheál said.
“I want to take this opportunity especially to thank Padraig Cannon, principal from Scoil Cholmcille Letterkenny who could not have been more helpful in accommodating the filming, and to the staff who have probably no idea (until now) that I was using their well-presented classrooms as my set.”
The series includes 15 episodes in English and as Gaeilge with accompanying activities. All lesson plans are available at three levels, (Infant, Junior and Senior).
Through the lesson plans ‘Extension activities’ and ‘Bring It Home’ section, pupils will have the opportunity to learn about the Food Pyramid, healthy eating, the importance of partaking in regular physical exercise, dental hygiene, dairy and the environment, and the story of milk ‘from grass to your glass’
The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed TD, welcomed the video suite, saying: “I very much appreciate this positive initiative by the National Dairy Council while our schools remain closed. In this way, our School Children can still learn about the valuable role dairy consumption plays in their diet and its support in their general health.”
The School Milk Scheme is managed by The National Dairy Council and funded by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine with the financial support of the European Union.
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