What is Follow the Fleet?
The Follow the Fleet site is about ships, the sea and Irelands historic relationship with the sea.
The sea is a very important and valuable part of our natural environment. It has featured in the evolution of our society, and a huge influence on our history. We have been invaded from the sea and many Irish seafarers have contributed to geographical exploration. Whole communities have relied on the sea for their livlihoods.
Nowadays of course we have learned to appreciate the complex environment that is the sea. The Marine Institute deploys the most advanced research facilities to explore and map our coastal waters.
REGISTER
The tracking section of the site is only accessible to registered members. Registering is easy and will only take you a few minutes. Click here to register now.
SESE
This site offers much information that will assist in the teaching of the SESE curriculum. Your students can learn about:
- Different types of ships
- The parts of a ship
- Equipment and instruments used on ships
- The crew and the work they do
- The cargo that ships carry
- The interesting ports that ships visit
- The influence of the weather and how weather is described
- Our relationship with the sea through history - early days of Celtic mythology, the voyages of the famous monks, historical developments with sea trade, political constraints on Irish merchants, the impact of the Famine.
- Famous Irish seafarers.
This comprehensive range of topics can be mixed and matched to suit almost any teaching requirement.
Using the technology on the site your students can find out where any of the featured ships are located. This exercise alone offers broad scope for geographical insights.
OVERVIEW
Click here for an overview which shows, for each section of the site:
- Summary of content.
- Suggested relationships with SESE curriculum. Follow the Fleet content can be used to enhance and supplement your teaching in these areas.
- The on-screen exercises available on the FTF site.
LESSON PLANS
Some specific lesson plans are available here:
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Geography
This lesson helps the student to measure cloud cover using oktas and to identify different types of cloud, i.e. cumulus, cirrus and stratus. It incorporates some historyby finding out about Luke Howard who is credited with naming the clouds. It includes use of the FTF website. |
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Geography
This lesson focuses on the research ships that are part of the fleet. It looks at the locations, functions of the ships etc. and the use of weather buoys in forming weather forecasts that are essential for the entire fleet. Students are encouraged to read the captains’ reports from the research ships.
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Science
This lesson deals with the use of the compass and motors in ships. It also incorporates some history where the students use the FTF website to identify a timeline of when a motor was introduced and look at inventors of the gyrocompass. It also requires them to identify the different abbreviations used throughout such as MV, RV, SV etc. |
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Geography
This lesson deals with the E-ship 1. It identifies this ship as a cargo ship and explores the cargo (wind turbines) that it is transporting. This lesson as requested is based on the article State of the Art Ship docks in Ireland.
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History
This focuses around the article Ship's pass presented to the nation. This lesson explores what a ship's pass was used for and explores the history of the pass in this particular article. Students will be asked to create a timeline and identify different locations on their maps relevant to the ship’s journey.
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Maths/History
This lesson incorporates a range of strands/strand units from the maths curriculum i.e. subtraction/decimals, percentages, fractions, data, time etc. The calculations involved relate to statistics about the Famine, providing a strong cross-curricula link with History. It is suitable for 6th class, maybe a good 5th. |
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Science/Geography
Strands: Environments / Natural Environments
Strand units: People living and working in the local area / Weather |
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Geography
Strand: Human Environments
Strand unit: People living and working in a contrasting part of Ireland – Transport and Communication
Science
Strand: Energy and Forces/ Environmental awareness and Care
Strand unit: Forces/ Science and the Environment |
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Geography
Strand: Natural Environment
Strand unit: Weather
History
Strand: Story
Strand unit: Story from the Lives of People in the Past |
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History
Strand: Story
Strand unit: Stories from the lives of people in the past |
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Science
Strand: Energy and Forces
Strand unit: Heat
Geography
Strand: Natural Environments
Strand units: Lands, rivers and seas/Weather |
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Science
Strand: Energy and Forces
Strand unit: Forces |
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Geography
Strand: Human Environment
Strand unit: People living and working in the local area/People living and working in a contrasting part of Ireland |
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