As small children love animals,the family boxes of animals followed by the mammal baskets are some of the first exercises the children will learn when they come to school. Earlier in the term,shortly after the new school year began and because the children have such a natural love and respect for animals,I decided that perhaps each child might like to choose a native Irish mammal and do a project on it.This was greeted with great enthusiasm and slowly but surely everyone produced a beautiful project,It was a great start to the year!  Each child learned how to tell the group about their animal whilst the other children listened. They also discovered how to admire each others work!And so very quickly bare walls were festooned with the childrens and their families amazing work!!The fox from Umi and also Michael,both very different but lovely!The Red Deer from both Saorla and Jake,very different and so interesting. Anna,having been at school last year couldn’t wait for a project and was first in with a fantastic Dolphin project!Siennes Red Squirrel was so cute as was Iseults  little Rabbit.Wren told us all about our smallest Mammal,the Pygmy Shrew. We learned about Badger from Harry and Hedgehog from David,Irish hare from  Killian ,the Grey Seal from Ella , Bats from Edan (with her own drawings) and our shy little otters from Oscar and Tom!