Teaching resources

Visit to ship and drone simulators – key stage 2

During the afternoons of 8 and 9 July 2019, the Maritime SuperSkills team together with interns – Lorna, Mollie and Faz from Primary Education welcomed Year 5 pupils from All Saints Catholic Primary School in Bootle to Liverpool John Moores University.

The purpose of the visit was to raise awareness of the maritime sector and the job opportunities the sector offers, through fun activities with our ship and drone simulators.

The Primary Education interns, Lorna, Mollie and Faz gave an overview of the maritime industry within the Liverpool City Region and introduced the children to some of the job roles within this broad sector.

The pupils were given an opportunity to gain hands-on experience of ship and drone simulators, robots and virtual reality technology, all used within the sector. The children demonstrated excellent team work, and quicky developed the skills required to operate the simulators.

Vicky Carlin, Deputy Head of the school said: ‘Visiting the ship simulators at the university allowed the children to see how the goods arrive and depart in the docks and to learn about the training opportunities for maritime careers. They were also able to learn about how drones are being used increasingly in the maritime industry and what opportunities there are for studying such technology. We have been thrilled with the impact working with LJMU and the Maritime team has had on our curriculum and on the young people we serve. It has certainly planted seeds in their minds for future careers. Thank you so much for involving us’.

Sea to Store Challenge – key stage 2

Liverpool John Moores University has developed an innovative STEM challenge day for key stage 2 children with a maritime theme. The ‘Sea to store’ challenge day aims to raise awareness of the sector through tracking the activities involved in providing goods for sale from around the world. Through the creation of working models, the children replicate the actions of floating, loading, moving and hoisting goods, examining the science behind these actions along the way. The day was delivered and supported by LJMU Primary Education students, and feedback from all involved was fantastic!

Read the activity presentation (opens in a new tab)

Read the activity overview (opens in a new tab)

Watch the lifting activity (opens in a new tab) 

Watch the moving activity (opens in a new tab)

Why Shipping Matters – An Introduction for Schools

‘Why Shipping Matters: An Introduction for Schools’ programme was created to provide an insight into shipping for primary school aged children, specifically those in Key Stage 2. The programme has been designed with a dual purpose: firstly to begin to build an interest in our shipping industry at an early age and to grow their understanding of its impact on the UK, and the region these young people live in.

The programme has been carefully developed in consultation with classroom teachers to ensure that it provides real world learning experiences directly linked to the National Curriculum in English, Science, History, Maths, Art, PE and Geography. There are 6 lessons that make up the core of the programme, with a further 4 lessons as an extension to the programme, culminating in an optional trip to one of the recommended locations. Each lesson lasts approximately 60 minutes and they are designed to be taught in sequence over one full school day or as one lesson per week across a term. A number of topics are covered by each lesson including:

• Trade and commodities
• Import and Export: Global Trade
• Vessels and their cargoes they carry
• Navigation and technology
• Letter to a Ship and other creative writing
• London as a Maritime Port/ The history of maritime Sussex/ etc based on region

Pupils have the opportunity to participate in activities and experiments which will teach them about imports and exports, how vessels float, different forms of navigation, life on board a ship and the unique maritime history of their local region or port. As part of their English lesson, they write a letter to a captain, and every pupil receives a personal postcard back from “Captain James”.

A different approach

The team behind this programme examined why take up of other school targeted initiatives can be challenging, and developed this programme to have a different approach. We took existing curriculum topics that will already be scheduled into a teacher’s lesson schedule (for example, learning about magnets), and ‘marinises’ that lesson so the lesson on magnets now includes the construction of a compass, and explicit teaching about how compasses allow vessels to navigate around the world. A PE lesson uses a semaphore game, a maths lesson looks at the values of commodities, an art lesson has pupils creating a collage of a vessel or seascape, and so on.

The other significant change in approach is that all the materials are provided, including worksheets, PowerPoint, lesson plans and teaching materials to support teachers in the delivery of the content, so it is easy for them to incorporate this into their teaching schedule without any pre-briefings or training.

Regional element

The history element of the programme highlights local history through a maritime lens. For London schools, the lesson has six figures from different stages of history talk about how they lived and worked alongside the River Thames, from the roman soldier to the modern shipbroker. This month the Port of Shoreham are providing the location for the filming of the Sussex version, which includes a 13^th century ship builder, a Celtic sailor, a smuggler, a soldier, fisherwoman, and modern day fork lift truck driver. The programme roll out will extend to Liverpool, Humber and the North East over the coming months.

Regionalising an element within the programme for our coastal communities increases the engagement with pupils and their local schools, and also builds links between those participating schools and their local ports, maritime museums, etc. In the Port of Shoreham for example, they will invite all participating schools to visit the port and meet the harbourmaster as part of the programme.

Read our brochure leaflet (opens in a new tab)

See our unit overview (opens in a new tab)

Become a Mini Mariner with Port Academy Liverpool

The Port Academy Liverpool Library runs various events aimed at primary schools. All the library team have enhanced DBS accreditation and our activities are fully risk assessed. We also provide transport for schools to and from our events.

Why not drop anchor and join our expert team for a fun and enriching voyage of discovery themed around all things maritime.

We can deliver sessions that compliment your own classroom activities covering topics such as shipping to transatlantic trade and slavery. We can also supply resources around a number of maritime topics as well as support pupils in their own research. Mini Mariners and their teachers are also able to access our handling collections to support the learning experience.

To discuss your visit and how we can support you please contact:

Francesca Garner, Head of Learning Resources on 0151 353 4455

Suitable for Key Stage 2 pupils (Year 3-6, ages 7-11) and classes of up to 30 pupils per session.

Sunrise to Sunset
A Day in the Life of Cruise Liverpool

For those who wish to learn more about the opportunities available in the world of work and education, Port Academy Liverpool provides an innovative menu of School Liaison activities designed to inform, motivate and help candidates in making their post-16, or post Sixth Form, choices.

Our School Liaison Programme includes:

• Presentations specific to the growth areas of Port Operations and Logistics (supported by Peel Ports)
• Multi-subject taster days in college
• Subject specific taster days in college
• Exciting events and competitions
• Work experience
• PSHE support
• Age specific in-school presentations

All of our events, tasters and presentations are free and can provide a valuable source of information for your leaving-age pupils.

For more information regarding how we can support both your staff and your pupils contact us: marketing@hughbaird.ac.uk

There is lots to do that will excite and engage younger learners interested in the maritime sector. Here are just a small sample of visits on offer:

‘The Danny’

Liverpool is lucky to be home to the last remaining operational steam tugboat and passenger tender in the UK. The Danny was originally built on Merseyside in 1903, and restored to peak condition earlier this year, following a 12 year campaign by volunteers to save her.

Now moored opposite the Merseyside Maritime Museum, she is a wonderful, living part of our maritime history, offering children the opportunity to experience both a working vessel and a luxurious saloon, styled upon the Art Deco lounges of the great liners.

The Danny team are very proud to have the support of the Port Academy and look forward to working with students, schools and communities, providing another experience for those engaged with the Academy.

If you are interested in finding out more, getting involved or visiting the vessel, please contact learning@danieladamson.co.uk.

Visit the Danny’s website (opens in a new tab) and find out about the KS2 workshops and about planning a class visit to The Danny.

Kathleen and May

The beautifully restored Kathleen and May Schooner (opens in a new tab) is the only remaining three-masted wooden schooner and resides in Liverpool’s historic Albert Dock. Launched in 1900 and restored in 2000, it is truly a unique vessel. Ideal for group visits the Kathleen and May can accommodate groups of 20 or more with coach drop off and meet facilities nearby. For further details email kathleenandmay1900@gmail.com

Merseyside Maritime Museum

Submerge yourself in Liverpool’s historic seafaring past at the Merseyside Maritime Museum located in the world-famous Albert Dock. The museum contains a variety of objects associated with the social and commercial history of the port of Liverpool. Highlights include ship models (opens in a new tab), maritime paintings (opens in a new tab), colourful posters from the golden age of liners and even some full sized vessels. There is also the major current exhibition Titanic and Liverpool: the untold story (opens in a new tab), which tells the story of Liverpool's links to the ill-fated liner. The Museum also houses the International Slavery Museum (opens in a new tab) (on the third floor) as well as the Border Force's national museum: Seized! The Border and Customs uncovered (opens in a new tab) (in the basement).

Merseyside Maritime Museum offers a wide range of activities, sessions and resources for education and community groups of all ages. If you are planning a group visit please ring the booking team on 0151 478 4788