Teachers Newsletter
The Blue Star Programme Teachers Newsletter will be updated at the start of every month throughout the school term, to keep you in the loop with what’s going on in the world of the Blue Star Programme! All participating schools will receive the newsletter as an email each month and it will also be accessible here online.
Dear Teachers,
We hope that you’re keeping well. Welcome to the March edition of the Blue Star newsletter!
This month’s newsletter is packed with exciting updates, including;
- Exciting information about the Element Quizzes that will be released this month!
- Details on where to find our brand new digital resource, ‘What Happens Next? European Elections 2024’.
- Inspiration from last year’s Europe Week celebrations to get your class planning for this Europe Week, taking place from the 4-9 May!
Element Quizzes 2024/2025
The Element Quizzes will be released on March 31st!
Each week, there will be two options of the element quiz available based on 1 of the 4 elements: History, Geography, Culture and Creativity, and Institutional.
There will be a Junior Version (Junior infants – 2nd class) and a Senior Version (3rd class – 6th class).
It is up to you, the teachers, to decide how to deliver the quizzes. The quizzes will be available to play online on Kahoot, the interactive platform.
They will also be available to download and print as a worksheet. You can participate in the quiz together as a class, or print a copy for each pupil to complete individually.
Remember, the answers to the quizzes will not be graded by us – it’s all about taking part, learning and having fun!
Therefore, you can decide whether you want to set the quizzes as a research assignment and allow pupils to use books/the internet to find the answers when completing them, or whether you would prefer it to be a test of the pupils’ knowledge.
All questions will have multiple choice answers – so pupils will have the opportunity to work the answers out as they go along. We hope it will be an enjoyable learning experience for everyone!
If you have any further questions about the Element Quizzes, you can contact our team at bluestar@europeanmovement.ie.
Brand New Digital Resource
Our new digital Resource, ‘The European Elections, What’s Happens Next?’ is now available in the Blue Star Corner.
Learn more about the importance of elections, the results, and the impact of the June 2024 European elections.
This PowerPoint is full of great information to inspire your pupils to learn more about democracy, the EU institutions, and our representatives!
There is an activity worksheet also available to use alongside the PowerPoint here.
Alongside our EU Member State Fact Files, this resource is a great reference point as you complete the Institutional elements of the Programme!
Head over to the Blue Star Corner and click on ‘EU Resources’ to check it out!
Europe Week is just around the Blue Star Corner...
This is your reminder that Europe Week will take place from the 4th – 9th of May 2025!
Europe Day is a great opportunity for the pupils and teachers to display all the Blue Star work and for the school to make a conscious effort to promote all things intercultural and European. The simple ideas for Europe Day often work the best!
Schools in the past have held European food fairs where pupils and the wider community can taste food from all over Europe, parades in the local community, photography or art exhibitions inspired by the work of famous European artists. It is a great idea to make an effort to present the Blue Star work to a wider audience or out in the community maybe the local library, County Council office or community centre.
For the last thirteen years, we have encouraged all schools to participate in the ‘Handshake for Europe,’ whereby all pupils and teachers shake hands with each other to recognise the solidarity that exists among European citizens and to celebrate the diversity that comes with being part of a strong and inclusive Union.
It’s also a great chance to invite your local representative for a VIP Visit to learn more about Europe Day and why it is important.
If you would like to share photos of your pupils’ work with us, you can do so by sending them bluestar@europeanmovement.ie or tagging us on X!
EU Learning Corner: Paper Hen
Looking for a new fun game to play with your pupils? Check out the EU Learning Corner and download the Paper Hen game!
This is a fun origami game that you can print and fold with your class!
The Paper Hen prompts your pupils to reflect on their knowledge of Europe, by asking questions like, ‘When you think of the European Union, what do you think of?’ or ‘Why do we celebrate Europe Day?’
Click here to find it on the EU Learning Corner now.
Irish and Languages
We are delighted to include the March update from Languages Connect and the Say Yes to Languages primary module, funded by the Department of Education.
Lá Fhéile Pádraig sona duit! To celebrate Seachtain na Gaeilge, we recently partnered with a teacher in a Gaelscoil to publish an article in InTouch magazine.
St Patrick’s Day is approaching, and with it the most iconic and well-known Irish celebration of language and culture. Music and dancing take centre stage, the Irish language shines, and cities are turned green.
Furthermore, this is a great opportunity to have an in-depth look at languages in a classroom setting: what words in Irish are similar in other European languages? Can you find ten? We’ll start you off: French matin is similar to maidin. Why not visit our resources page and explore our resources for the classroom as Gaeilge!
Contact Us
For more updates about the Programme, follow us on Twitter @BlueStarProg and please share your photos and work with us throughout the year!
If you need anything more, please get in touch with the Blue Star Programme Team via email at bluestar@europeanmovement.ie