Teaching and Education Resources

Find out about the current educational resources and projects for schools and other groups on this page. Other information is available in our publications and Interactive and downloadable pages. If we can help with anything ese or you would like more information you can get in touch on projects@solwayfirthpartnership.co.uk.

The Solway Sea Chest ~ A message in a bottle

Solway Firth Partnership are working with The Rotary Club of Dumfries Devorgilla  and Marine Conservation Society Scotland on a wide range of projects to bring environment issues to the attention of their local community. Schools, colleges and youth organisations in Dumfries and Galloway will be provided with a range of beach cleaning equipment and learning resources. The main learning resource will be The Solway Sea Chest with activities based on “A Message in a Bottle”

The Solway Sea Chest contains plastic materials found on beach cleans, as well as natural strandline finds together with suggestions for activities, fact sheets and teachers notes . These will promote engagement with and discussion of the issues surrounding pollution, marine litter and single use plastics. In addition, there will also be a range of useful books and information sheets with links to other on-line resources and videos. The lessons will link to the Scottish Curriculum for Excellence contributing to a range of Experiences and Outcomes. Likewise, it will cover the Eco-schools International Programme topics ‘Litter’ and ‘Marine’. The Sea Chest is designed to be used by Primary school  and early senior school age pupils will be the main focus of the project.

Teaching Resources for the Solway Sea Chest

• The following links will take you to the resources for the Message in a Bottle Solway Sea ChestMessage in a Bottle – Activities BookletVideosTeachers background notes

  Leverhulme Trust’s Waste Stories

  Sea Chest Contents

  Bottle template

  • You can get in touch with projects@solwayfirthpartnership.co.uk to ask for a Sea Chest or find out more.

• Other resources

• In addition, highlights of recent beach cleaning activities, including a map of potential sites to clean, before and after photos and up to date general information to help the local beach cleaning effort can be found here.
• We also have a range of beach cleaning resources available for schools to borrow. These include:
• litter pickers
• high vis vests
• first aid kits
• hoops to hold bags open
  So, if you would like to use any of this equipment please contact SFP at projects@solwayfirthpartnership.co.uk.

The Sea Chests are part of the Making the More of the Coast project. The Rotary Club of Dumfries Devorgilla and other Rotarians fund this project.

Rotary is one of the world’s largest and most successful global humanitarian service organisations, with 1.2 million members in over 200 countries. Rotarians regard themselves as people of action who are charged with making a difference in their local communities and further afield. The Rotary Club of Dumfries Devorgilla is particularly interested in projects surrounding the Marine environment in the Solway Firth Area. It is actively involved in beach cleaning activities and marine litter education programs in schools and colleges.