Module 5 – The Past, Present and Future of Ireland’s Dark Skies

Stopping By Woods on A Snowy Evening by Robert Frost
Someone Came Knocking by Walter de la Mare
Star Light, Star Bright
Star light, star bright,
First star I see tonight,
I wish I may, I wish I might,
Have the wish I wish tonight.
Hey Diddle, Diddle, The Cat and the Fiddle

Stories
Stories of the Banshee at night
Oíche na Gaoithe Móire ar an 6ú/7ú lá de Mhí Eanáir –
Owl Moon by Jane Yolen – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oy5wxU4T1Ho
Owl Babies by Martin Waddell
Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown
Peace at Last By Jill Murphy
The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark by Jill Tomlinson
Mog on Fox Night by Judith Kerr
The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn
Fantastic Mr. Fox by Roald Dahl
Kitten’s First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes
Katies and the Starry Night by James Mayhew
How To Catch A Star by Oliver Jeffers

Songs
Mr. Golden Sun
When you Wish Upon a Star by Cliff Edwards
I See The Moon And The Moon Sees Me. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSGkJSHzjpU
A Spaceman Came Travelling by Chris De Burgh
Here Comes The Sun by The Beatles
You Saw The Whole Of The Moon by The Waterboys
Where The Stars Go Blue by Ryan Adams
Waiting for a star to fall by Boy Meets Girl

Stopping By Woods on A Snowy Evening by Robert Frost

Someone Came Knocking by Walter de la Mare

Star Light, Star Bright
Starlight, star bright,
First star I see tonight,
I wish I may, I wish I might,
Have the wish I wish tonight.

Hey Diddle, Diddle, The Cat and the Fiddle

Stories

Stories of the Banshee at night

Oíche na Gaoithe Móire ar an 6ú/7ú lá de Mhí Eanáir –

Owl Moon by Jane Yolen  – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oy5wxU4T1Ho

Owl Babies by Martin Waddell

Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown

Peace at Last By Jill Murphy

The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark by Jill Tomlinson

Mog on Fox Night by Judith Kerr

The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn

Fantastic Mr. Fox by Roald Dahl

Kitten’s First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes

Katie and the Starry Night by James Mayhew

How To Catch A Star by Oliver Jeffers

Songs

Mr. Golden Sun

When you Wish Upon a Star by Cliff Edwards

I See The Moon And The Moon Sees Me. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSGkJSHzjpU

A Spaceman Came Travelling by Chris De Burgh

Here Comes The Sun by The Beatles

You Saw The Whole Of The Moon by The Waterboys

Where The Stars Go Blue by Ryan Adams

Waiting for a star to fall by Boy Meets Girl

Consider how many Songs / Poems /Art can you think of to connect us with the Night:

Children can connect with the night sky through songs about the stars and the moon; through story and poetry; through art work such as designing constellations etc Here are just a few examples to choose from:

Songs:
Twinkle, Twinkle nursery rhyme
A sky Full of Stars by Coldplay
Counting Stars by One Republic
Rewrite the Stars – from the Greatest Showman
Dancing in the Moonlight by Toploader

Poems:
The Moon by Robert Louis Stevenson
The Star by Jane Taylor
Bed in Summer by Robert Louis
Silver by Walter de la Mare
Stars by Sara Teasdale

Art:
Starry Night by Van Gogh
Moonrise by Rockwell Kent
Starry Night Over the Rhône by Van Gogh
The Sleeping Gypsy by Henri Rousseau

Module 5:

The night sky provides a wonderful source of inspiration for Songs, Poems and Art, and I think it could be used very effectively across the curriculum. One example that interests me is President Michael D. Higgins’ poem “Stardust” mentioned in this assignment.  The poem could encourage children to think about the stars, the vastness of space and our place within the universe. I would begin by sharing the poem with the children and discussing what images and feelings it creates for them. We could then listen to music connected with the night sky, such as “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” for Junior classes or “A Sky Full of Stars” by Coldplay for middle and senior classes and compare the different moods created.

I think Van Gogh’s “The Starry Night” would be the strongest choice for my ESERO activity because you can connect Art with Science and the Night Sky. You could discuss what children notice about the stars and then investigate why stars appear to twinkle, how light pollution affects what we can see, and create their own night-sky artwork.For Art, the children could create their own night-sky pictures using paint, chalk pastels or mixed media. They could explore colour, light, shadow and patterns to represent stars, planets and constellations. I would also encourage children to write their own short poem about the night sky, using descriptive and imaginative language. This would provide a meaningful opportunity to integrate Science, English, Music and Visual Arts while developing children’s curiosity and sense of wonder about the universe.

I would aim this lesson at first or second class. I would keep this simple and hands-on. First, I’d ask questions such as What is a Dark Sky Place? Why are they special? What can we see in the sky on a clear night?
For the main design activity I would get the children to brainstorm some good materials for creating their own Dark Sky Place. Then, children could design their own dark sky place using a shoebox/. They would cut a hole for a “sky” window and use black paper with tiny pinholes to make stars. Inside, they could add small drawings or cut-outs of trees, animals, or a house to show their own imagined place.
As a class, we would talk about the rules of a dark sky place, like using warm, low lights only where needed, and turning off lights that aren’t in use.
Finally, children could present their shoebox to the class, explaining one rule they chose to protect the stars and the animals living there, like bats or owls.

My lesson would be for children in 4th class and I would organise ‘Design Your Own Dark Sky Place’ as a group activity. Students would work collaboratively in small groups and each group would be given a role, such as local residents, stargazers or town planners. They would have a class discussion, sharing what is important to their role and then work collaboratively to design a dark sky park.
Each group will then draw a map of their park. They would include areas such as walking trails, picnic tables, car parks, and quiet stargazing spaces. We would also speak about the types of lighting that would be used and where they would be placed in order to reduce light pollution while at the same time, keeping people safe.
At the end of the lesson, each group would stand in front of the class to present their designs and share their ideas. Overall, this activity would use teamwork and creativity to help students learn about light pollution, protecting nature around us and the importance of dark skies.

3 pieces of art

Vincent van Gogh – The Starry Night (1889): The classic, lots of learning from brushstroke to content.

Wenzel Hablik – Starry Sky, Attempt: Very imaginative, incorporates planets as well as stars.

Peter Doig – Milky Way: atmospheric painting captures the stillness and wonder of the night landscape beneath a star-filled sky.

Poems

Michael D. Higgins – Stardust

Sara Teasdale – Stars

Walter de la Mare – Silver

Songs

Coldplay – A Sky Full of Stars

David Bowie – Starman

Van Morrison – Moondance

Stories

Aesop’s Fable – The Stars and the Frog

The Star Child – Oscar Wilde

The Man in the Moon (Traditional Folktale)

1. Consider how many Songs / Poems /Art can you think of to connect us with the Night Sky?

The Night Sky is an ideal topic showing how all the STEAM elements can be integrated and a thematic approach implemented when teaching Science. Many of the songs, poems and art below are popular in Irish classrooms. I look forward to teaching Science in a more creative manner in the coming school year.
Poems
The Star( Twinkle Twinkle ) by Jane Taylor is a familiar Nursery Rhyme and is an ideal starting point for very young g learners. It is has the “wonder” question acting as a prompt for the Night Sky topic.
Phasing of the moon by Little Dazzy Donuts explains the waxing and the waning of the moon. It is available, with a visual and auditory representation on the website kidspoetryclub

Art
Starry Night by Vincent Van Gogh would be my go to here. I love this painting with its swirls and colours and pupils can easily look and respond to the painting as well as recreate their own version.
Wax resist starry night sky art,  is an easy lesson to implement. It also shows that wax and water do not mix.

Music

The Planets by Gustav Holst is a power piece of music. Pupils can listen to a section and then respond by drawing and creating Mars for example.

Follow that Star is a Christmas Concert which shows how the night sky was used by shepherds and wisemen to navigate their journey to baby Jesus.

2

Reading about the literary connections to the night sky in this module brought to mind a musical piece I came across last year based on the Boheh Stone in County Mayo, a neolithic monument from where on two evenings each year (early Spring/Autumn) , the setting sun seems to roll down the side of Croagh Patrick to the west. Lyrics that reference how people long ago ‘read the constellations high’ and witnessed the ‘rolling sun’ down the holy mountain help students to realize that people have been reading the stars for thousands of years.

Harnessing art such as music, painting and poetry that reference historical local sites such as this are a useful tool to engage and inspire children to investigate and research the stars much like those ‘men of stone and iron’ mentioned in the song, as well as promoting cross curricular integration with aspects of History, Geography and Arts featuring along with STEM.

One project I would enjoy implementing in my classroom is a school-wide initiative to collect local piseógs, traditions and stories connected to the night sky. This would provide an excellent opportunity to link Science, History, Geography, Gaeilge and Oral Language while also strengthening pupils’ appreciation of Irish cultural heritage.

I would begin by introducing pupils to the Dúchas Folklore Collection and exploring examples of stories about the Moon, stars, weather signs and local beliefs. Pupils could then interview parents, grandparents or older members of their community to gather stories, sayings and traditions associated with the night sky. This would encourage meaningful intergenerational learning and help preserve local folklore that may otherwise be forgotten.

Back in the classroom, pupils could compare the stories they collected with scientific explanations of celestial events, discussing how people in the past interpreted the night sky before modern astronomy. This would promote critical thinking while showing that science and folklore each have an important place in understanding our world.

As a final project, the class could create a “Night Sky Folklore Book” or digital presentation combining artwork, written stories, star maps and scientific facts. Displaying this during Science Week or inviting families to a storytelling evening would celebrate both our local heritage and pupils’ learning. As we have undertaken with similar piseóg projects previously in conjunction with folklore.ie. I believe this type of project fosters curiosity, strengthen home-school links and help children see the night sky as both a source of scientific discovery and cultural inspiration.

I would love to carry out a whole-school project based on collecting Piseógs, traditions and stories of the night from our local community. Inspired by the Dúchas Folklore Collection, the children would interview parents, grandparents and older neighbours to discover stories they remember about the Moon, stars, weather signs, fairies, Samhain, the Banshee or other traditions connected with the night.
As I teach in a primary school in County Waterford, I think this would be a wonderful opportunity to connect children with their own local heritage while also developing oral language, history, geography, science and literacy skills. The children could record their interviews, write up the stories, illustrate them and create a class “Night Sky Folklore Book” to share with families. We could also map where each story came from and compare similar traditions from different parts of Ireland.
Following this, we would discuss which stories are based on folklore and which can now be explained through science. For example, we could compare traditional beliefs about shooting stars, eclipses or the phases of the Moon with scientific explanations. This would encourage curiosity while helping children appreciate both our rich cultural traditions and our growing understanding of astronomy.
I also like how this project encourages children to speak with older generations. In today’s busy world, these conversations are becoming less common, yet they are an important way of preserving local history and traditions before they are lost. It would be a meaningful way to celebrate Ireland’s storytelling heritage while fostering an appreciation of the night sky and its importance in both the past and the present.

Describe how you could implement a version of “Design Your own Dark Sky place” in your school/classroom:

I would begin with talk and discussion – what are dark skies and explaining light pollution and how reducing unnecessary light helps us to see more stars.  We would also learn about star charts and how to use them.

After this I would organise an after school ‘Dark Sky’ event where we could all look at the night sky together.  I think learning outside the classroom makes lessons more interesting for children.  We would use our star charts to help identify constellations.

Back in the classroom the next day, we would discuss what everybody saw, talk about how light pollution reduced visibility, draw the constellations they spotted and create a display or write a short paragraph on their observations.

I think a project like this would be a fun way to learn as it gets children out of the classroom.  I don’t think many people take time any more to look at the night sky with busy lives etc.  A Dark Sky activity would help the children appreciate nature and understand why it is important to protect our night skies.  I think children would remember an experience like this more than reading about it in a textbook.

Here in Italy I immidiately think of Rodary, who wrote a lot of short novels on stars, planets and moon and we can go through the topic using his ideas, they could help children to create a cross-culturale project.

Even the famus ” To the mooon” of leopardi could be great, maybe it’s just beacuse I love it, and his “Canto notturno di un pastore errante dell’Asia” ( A night-time song by a wandering shepherd from Asia) is great and show chiodren how since ever the Human being as look up at the sky and stars and moon…

About how to avoid I am afradi that our little voice couldn’t have any success in a big city as ours, but we can try to write to the mayor pointing out, for example, that having streetlights that only come on when people pass by could also save energy from an economic point of view; perhaps the financial aspect might carry more weight than the environmental one, unfortunately.

As a teacher I even try to educate my pupils about the aspect of “Waiting” I know that Miln, and s Monza, next to it, is a never-sleeping city but we need to slow down, to go back to the aspect of waiting, to evaluate our needs, is everything so necessary and so immidiately, now now? Is there something that could wait ? What is more worthy than going to a supermarket during the night? Or even cinema and so on?

Consider how many Songs / Poems /Art can you think of to connect us with the Night Sky? 

When thinking about ways to connect children with the night sky, it is amazing to realise just how many songs, poems, stories, and works of art have been inspired by what people see when they look up at the stars.

Songs

• Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star
• Zoom, Zoom, Zoom, We’re Going to the Moon
• Mr Sun, Sun, Mr Golden Sun
• A Sky Full of Stars by Coldplay (selected lyrics/themes).
• Fly Me to the Moon by Frank Sinatra.

Poems

• The Moon by Robert Louis Stevenson.
• Silver by Walter de la Mare.
• Stardust by Michael D Higgins

Stories

• How to Catch a Star – Oliver Jeffers
• Papa, Please Get the Moon for Me – Eric Carle
• Goodnight Moon – Margaret Wise Brown
• Owl Babies by Martin Waddell

Art

• Starry Night by Vincent van Gogh
• Starry Night Over the Rhône by Vincent van Gogh

When I started thinking about this, I realised there are lots of opportunities to connect the theme of the night sky across different areas of the curriculum. I found a mix of Irish and international examples that could be used to support learning in Science while also integrating Music, English and Visual Arts.

Songs and Music:

Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star – a familiar nursery rhyme that introduces children to stars.
Star of the County Down – a well-known Irish folk song with references to stars.
Mo Ghrá Thú – an Irish traditional lullaby that mentions the Moon and stars.
Across the Universe by The Beatles – a good starting point for discussions about space.
Mr. Blue Sky by Electric Light Orchestra – useful for comparing the daytime and night sky.
Fly Me to the Moon by Frank Sinatra – a classic song that can introduce conversations about the Moon and space exploration.

Poems and Stories:

The Lake Isle of Innisfree by W.B. Yeats – evokes the beauty of evening and the night sky.
The Stolen Child by W.B. Yeats – includes imagery of moonlight and the natural world.
Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown – a favourite picture book for younger children.
The Owl and the Pussycat by Edward Lear – contains references to the Moon and stars.
Silver by Walter de la Mare – a beautiful poem describing a moonlit landscape.
The Man in the Moon (traditional nursery rhyme) – a fun way to introduce younger children to lunar folklore.

Art:

The Starry Night by Vincent van Gogh – ideal for linking Art and Science.
Nocturne in Black and Gold – The Falling Rocket by James McNeill Whistler – useful for discussing the colours and atmosphere of the night sky.
A Starry Night by Jack B. Yeats – an opportunity to explore an Irish artist’s interpretation of the night.
Children’s own night-sky paintings using pastels or watercolours after observing the Moon and stars.

I would choose to implement a version of “Design Your Own Dark Sky Place” with my 5th/6th class in our rural primary school in the south of Ireland. The project would encourage pupils to think about how we can balance the needs of people with the protection of wildlife and our night skies.

We would begin by discussing what makes a good Dark Sky place and why reducing unnecessary light is important for biodiversity, energy conservation and our ability to observe the stars. The children would investigate examples of Dark Sky areas in Ireland before working in small groups to design their own Dark Sky space for our school or local community.

Each group would create a scaled plan showing features such as wildlife-friendly planting, seating areas, safe pathways and carefully positioned, downward-facing lighting where needed. They would explain the reasons for their design choices and consider how their space could be enjoyed by both people and local wildlife.

To extend the project, pupils could produce posters or digital presentations to promote their designs and encourage responsible outdoor lighting within the community. This activity integrates Science, Geography, Mathematics, Visual Arts and Digital Learning while developing creativity, collaboration and problem-solving skills. It also encourages children to think critically about how thoughtful design can help protect biodiversity and preserve our enjoyment of the night sky for future generations.

Consider how many Songs / Poems /Art can you think of to connect us with the Night Sky?

I am going to look at the above option. When I immediately think of this, the first thing that comes to mind is the Christmas carol “ It was on a Starry night”, this beautiful song captures the importance of the night’s sky that brings energy, life and brightness. Edvard Munch’s sensational “ Starry Night” also jumps out for me. Over the years, this creation has acted as a valued stimulus that gets a class going! Vincent Van Gogh’s Starry Night has also to be commended for the significant impact it has had on many of my art classes over the years. Now with my new knowledge since this course, I will most definitely integrate STEAM into the lesson a lot more readily. Coldplay’s “ A star full of stars” is also another great musical song that highlights the importance of natural lights in our beautiful sky!  Another great song for primary school students is “Fireflies”- while not directly connected to stars , it definitely creates a magical wonder about the night’s sky.

Finally I am going to include a movie, Pinocchio as it features the song “when you wish upon a star”. This reminds me of when I was a child and is certainly one I would recommend, again creating curiosity and wonder in the night’s sky.

<p class=”isselectedend”>The more I thought about this subject the I realised that Ireland has a rich cultural tradition that celebrates the beauty and mystery of the night sky through songs, poetry and art. Traditional songs such as The Parting Glass, The Star of the County Down and Raglan Road use stars, moonlight and the changing sky as symbols of hope, love and remembrance. Present day Irish musicians, including Enya, Clannad and Hozier, also draw inspiration from the night sky to create music that reflects Ireland’s landscapes and heritage. These are songs that kids in school today can easily relate to.</p>
<p class=”isselectedend”>Irish poets have long explored Sky themes in their work. W. B. Yeats, Patrick Kavanagh, Seamus Heaney and Eavan Boland use images of stars, moonlight and darkness throughout their work.. Their poetry encourages readers to appreciate the beauty of the natural world and our place within it.</p>
Irish artists have similarly been inspired by the sky. Jack B. Yeats captured the atmosphere of evening landscapes, while Harry Clarke incorporated stars and celestial imagery into his stained-glass masterpieces. These themes can easily be transferred into creative lessons for students. Together, Irish songs, poems and artworks demonstrate how the night sky has inspired creativity for generations.

Describe how you could implement a version of “Design Your own Dark Sky place” in your school/classroom.

I would engage the students by asking them ‘Where is the darkest place you have ever been?’ I would have students compare photos of dark skies (reserves and areas affected by light pollution). I have some images from a trip to Mount John’s Observatory in New Zealand which would be perfect. Students would discuss and record questions that they would like to investigate. Students would then walk around the school and complete an audit of all the lights in and around the school area. They would discuss whether they are essential or could be removed. Afterwards, students would take a walk around our local area and identify places that could become a dark sky area. In groups, students would then be asked to design their own dark sky map. This could be a poster or a 3d model with recycled materials. After students have completed their design, they would share with the class.

I have chosen to reflect on how I could implement a version of ‘Design Your Own Dark Sky Place’ in my classroom. As a First Class teacher in Dublin 24, I think this would be a great project for my pupils. Many children in my class live in built-up areas and may not have the opportunity to experience truly dark skies, so this project would encourage them to think about the importance of protecting the night sky and creating spaces that are friendly for both people and wildlife. We would begin by discussing what makes a good dark sky place and asking the children what they notice when they look at the sky at night. We could explore ideas such as reducing unnecessary lighting, using lights responsibly and creating safe spaces for nocturnal animals. The children could then work together to design their own ideal dark sky area through drawings or paintings. They could include stars, the moon, plants, animals and features that would help protect darkness.

Songs:
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
Star Light, Star Bright
Somewhere Over the Rainbow by Judy Garland
Star by Earth Wind and Fire
Walking on sunshine by Katrina and the Waves
You are my sunshine
Starman by David Bowie
Fly me to the moon Frank Sinatra
Space Oddity by David Bowie
A sky Full of Stars Coldplay
Rocketman By Elton John
Walking on the Moon by The Police
Here Comes the Sun by George Harrison
Across the Universe by The Beatles
Counting Stars by One Republic

Poems:
The Moon Robert Louis Stevenson
Somebody has to by Shel Silverstein
The Star by Jane Taylor

Famous Artwork:
The Starry Night by Vincent Van Gogh
Night Scenes by Claude Monet
Nocturne Paintings by James McNeill Whistler

Stories:
Our Solar System by Catherine D. Hughes
How to Catch a Star by Oliver Jeffers
Look Up! by Nathan Byron
There’s no place like Space by Tish Rabe
Professor Astro’s Cat by Chris Hadfield
The Moon by Hannah Pang

I enjoyed the artistic element to Module 5 on this course. Often as a student teacher I was looking for little nuggets that would compliment my lessons through the mediums of art, exercise, music and drama. I believe the following songs, poems and examples of art could be incorporated into my future lessons about the night sky.

These are the songs I have chosen:

1. “You’re a Sky Full of Stars” by Coldplay.

2. “Drops of Jupiter (Tell Me)” by Train.

3. Moon River Andy WIlliams

4. Another Star – Stevie Wonder

5. 63 Songs About the Sun and Sunshine.

6. Theme tune to TV show 3rd Rock from The Sun

7. Fly Me to the Moon” by Frank Sinatra.

8. Lucky Star” by Madonna.

9. 100 Best Songs With “Moon” in the Title

10. Video Killed the Radio Star – The Buggles

11. All of the stars – Ed Sheeran

I think that Visual Art opens a window into the Dark Sky world for teachers and particularly our students. The most popular art examples that I would incorporate into my teaching would be:

The Starry Night – Vincent van Gogh ·

Moonlight – Winslow Homer ·

Boulevard Montmartre; Night Effect –

Patricia Lemon’s Dark Skies

Finally, it’s always a wonderful way to engage students by exploring their literary nous and skills. Poetry can open so many doors into our Dark Skies.

These five poems are definitely worth considering:

A Night-Piece by William Wordsworth.

Sonnet 14 by William Shakespeare.

Ah Moon—and Star! …

Stars Over the Dordogne by Sylvia Plath.

The Starlight Night by Gerard Manley Hopkins.

Consider how many Songs / Poems /Art can you think of to connect us with the Night Sky?

I’d start by reading Robert Louis Stevenson’s poem The Moon. The imagery is simple but powerful. It also links naturally with Visual Arts, as the children could paint or draw their own moonlit landscapes after listening to the poem. It’s a lovely way to show how literature can inspire creativity while encouraging careful observation of the night sky.

Songs like A Sky Full of Stars by Coldplay or Fly Me to the Moon can spark conversations about how the night sky has inspired musicians for generations. Music helps create positive memories around learning and encourages children to see the night sky as something to enjoy rather than just study. Astronaut Chris Hadfield’s version of Space Oddity shows the impact that the view of space can have on a human who’s lucky enough to see it from that perspective.

I’d also introduce Aboriginal Australian art and storytelling, where the stars play an important role in culture and music. Learning about their perspective of the Milky Way, the Emu in the Sky would help children understand that people around the world have interpreted the same night sky in different ways for thousands of years. The children could compare these stories with Irish folklore, including Bealach na Bó Finne, our name for the Milky Way.

Bringing poetry, music, art and storytelling together reminds children that the night sky isn’t just something to learn about in science. It has inspired artists, writers and musicians across cultures for generations, and by protecting our dark skies, we’re helping to preserve that sense of natural creativity for future generations.

• This reply was modified 3 months ago by Richard Daly.

With my 5th class, I would introduce ‘Design Your Own Dark Sky Place’ as a practical group project. I would begin by asking the children what they know about the night sky and whether they can see many stars from their homes. We would discuss light pollution and how too much artificial light can affect our ability to see the stars and can also impact wildlife. I would then divide the class into small groups and ask each group to design a Dark Sky Place for our school or local area. The children could draw a map of their design, deciding where lighting could be reduced and where a safe stargazing area could be created. They could research constellations and planets and include these in their project. Each group could present their design to the class and as a group we would evaluate the projects. This would combine Science, Geography, Art and teamwork while encouraging the children to appreciate and protect our night sky.

Consider how many Songs / Poems /Art can you think of to connect us with the Night Sky
Art
Starry Night by Vincent Van Gogh
Starry Night over the Rhone by Vincent Van Gogh
Starry Night by Edvard Munch
Georgia O’Keeffe – Nightscape
Pablo Picasso – The Night Fishing at Antibes
Claude Monet – The Cliff Walk at Pourville

Songs/Poems
Nursery Rhymes: Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star
Star light, Star bright
Hey Diddle Diddle
The Owl and the Pussy-cat by Edward Lear
The Moon by Robert Louis Stevenson
Fly me to the Moon by Bart Howard
The wound at the side of the house by John O’Donohoe
Star man by David Bowie
Stardust by President Michael D Higgins
Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown

Stories
Children of Lir with the constellation Cygnus (the swan)
Owl Moon by Jane Yolen
How to catch a star by Oliver Jeffers
The Darkest Dark by Chris Hadfield
Papa, Please get the moon for me by Eric Carle
The Girl who drank the moon by Kelly Barnhill

There are many opportunities to connect songs, poems and art with the night sky in a fourth-class classroom. I would begin by introducing songs such as Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star and Fly Me to the Moon, encouraging pupils to listen carefully to the lyrics and discuss what they imagine when they hear them. We could explore poems about stars, the moon and space, focusing on rhyme, descriptive language and imagery. Pupils could then create their own short poems about what they might see if they looked up at the night sky.

Art would provide another creative way to explore the topic. We could look at famous paintings such as Vincent van Gogh’s The Starry Night and discuss the colours, movement and emotions created by the artist. Pupils could then create their own night-sky artwork using paint, chalk or pastels. This would allow them to combine science, creativity and imagination while developing an appreciation of the night sky.

Night is an excellent theme for integration and the changing world around us. I have used many of these examples in younger and older classes especially in the younger classes I have more experience with, to explore day and night and look forward to using them and other participants examples too. I also included books and gaeilge ideas too that I like.

• This reply was modified 2 months, 4 weeks ago by Eimear Kavanagh. Reason: Copied and pasted from my notepad but had lots of errors

Elizabeth, thank you for your detailed examples in each category. I will definitely be exploring the more unfamiliar ones to me and integrating in my lessons in the coming year .

Night is an excellent theme for integration and the changing world around us. I have used many of these examples in younger and older classes especially in the younger classes I have more experience with, to explore day and night and look forward to using them and other participants examples too. I also love to use books in younger and older classes to introduce a topic  and gaeilge ideas too that I like.

Art – The Starry Night, The Night Watch, Nighthawks, The Sleepy Gypsy, Nocturne in Black and Gold, Starry Night

Songs  –  A Hoot in the Night, You are my sunshine, Somewhere over the Rainbow, The Sound of Silence.
Poems – The Owl and the Pussycat, the Moon, Silver, Night, The Moon, Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening

Books- Goodnight Moon, Owl Babies, The Owl who was Afraid of the Dark, The Night Gardener, The Dark is Rising

Gaeilge- Oíche Mhaith, An Ghealach, Na Réaltaí, An Spéir san Oíche

The Night Sky is a lovely theme of work to explore with all class groups, from Junior Infants to 6th Class. There are lots of songs, poems/stories and art that can be used in the classroom when learning about the night sky.

Songs: Songs based on the night sky include Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, Zoom Zoom Zoom We’re Going to the Moon, Mr. Moon and When you Wish Upon a Star. These songs are fun, engaging and enjoyable for students to listen to.

Art: Starry Night by Van Gogh is a lovely piece of art work to explore with a class group as discussed in this module. The students could look at the painting and describe what they see referring to the colours, shapes and lines. The children could re-create their own Starry Night painting using a variety of materials- paint, crayon, oil pastels, etc.

Poems/Stories: Star Light star Bright is a lovely poem for classes to listen to and recite. How to Catch a Star is a beautiful story book, its’ very imaginative and a fun way to explore the night sky with a class. The students could also work together to write a night sky poem of their own as part of this theme of work.

This activity would be set in an urban area, it would be designed as an in-class role playing activity. children can research and put the resources together and then role play a visit to a dark sky Place.

The children can explore what kind of information would be useful and what can the visitors see.

The children can plan what they need to consider, light pollution, viewing sights, biodiversity at night information on astronomy and star hgazing tips. The children can be split into groups and some can gather photo’s or create drawings to create a collage and others can create a brochure for the visitors.

Other children can make an audio on the information about the night skies, light pollution and nocturnal animals and biodiversity, also   looking at space and showing pictures of some of the constellations.

Children can look at how they will advertise their dark sky place around the school and through drama play out the experience from the resources they have made. when confident they can take groups from other classes in to give them a presentation of their work.

Songs:

Twinkle twinkle
Fly me to the Moon
A Sky Full of Stars
Starman
Space Oddity
Rocket Man
Starry Starry Night (Don McClean linked to the Van Gogh painting)
Counting Stars
Rewrite the stars
When you wish upon a Star

Poems/Stories

The Owl and the Pussy-cat

If I was an Astronaut

The Darkest Dark by Christ Hadfield

Mae amongst the Stars

Art:

Starry Night by Van Gogh

Aboriginal Art

• This reply was modified 2 months, 4 weeks ago by Hilary Phayer.

I would do a “Design Your Own Dark Sky Place” project at school by getting the children to look at how lighting is used around the school and how it affects the night sky. We could start by talking about what light pollution is and why dark skies matter for wildlife, biodiversity, and being able to see the stars.

The children could then explore the school grounds in groups and spot where artificial lights are used, thinking about whether all of them are actually needed.

After that, they could design their own “Dark Sky School.” They could draw a map of the school and suggest changes like turning off unnecessary lights, using motion sensors, or making sure lights point downwards instead of up into the sky. They could also look into how nocturnal animals are affected by artificial light.

To make it more fun and creative, they could make posters, artwork, or poems about the night sky. They could then share their ideas with the rest of the school and maybe even help put some of their suggestions into action. This would help them see that even small changes locally can make a real difference to protecting dark skies and biodiversity

Songs, Poems and Art relating to the Night Sky

Art
Giotto di Bondone – Arena Chapel, The Ceiling Painting
Unknown Artist – Landscape with Clerks Studying Astronomy and Geometry
Lieve Verschuier – The Great Comet of 1680 Over Rotterdam
Unknown artist – Beyond Earth Unknown
Frederic Edwin Church – The Meteor of 1860
Vincent Van Gogh – Starry Night Over the Rhone
James Abbott McNeill Whistler – Nocturne in Black and Gold – The Falling Rocket
Edvard Munch – Starry Night
Camille Pissarro – The Boulevard Montmartre at Night
Georgia O’Keeffe – Starlight Night

Songs
A Skyful of stars by Cold Play
Fly me to the Moon by Frank Sinatra
Vincent (Starry starry night) by Don McLean
Across the Universe by The Beatles
Lucy in the sky with diamonds by The Beatles
Harvest Moon by Neil Young
Star Man by David Bowie
Space Oddity by David Bowie

Poems
The Song of Wandering Aengus by W.B. Yeats
Night by Joseph Campbell
The Moon by Seamus Heaney
The Star Factory by Eavan Boland
This Moment by Eavan Boland
Nocturne by Eavan Boland

There are lots of songs, poems and pieces of art that could be used to connect children with the night sky. Some examples that came to mind are Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star, Fly Me to the Moon and A Sky Full of Stars. For younger children, Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star would be an easy starting point, while older children could explore the meaning behind songs such as A Sky Full of Stars.
I would also use President Michael D. Higgins’ poem Stardust as an example of how the night sky can inspire poetry. The children could listen to or read the poem and talk about what images and feelings it creates for them.
For art, I would use Vincent van Gogh’s The Starry Night and allow the children to create their own night-sky artwork. They could use different colours, patterns and materials to show what the night sky means to them. I think using music, poetry and art would make learning about space more creative and enjoyable.

• This reply was modified 2 months, 4 weeks ago by Katriona Cummins.
• This reply was modified 2 months, 4 weeks ago by Katriona Cummins.

Songs, Poems and Art Connected to the Night Sky

There are lots of songs, poems and pieces of art that could be connected to the night sky.

A poem I would use is The Star by Jane Taylor, which is the poem behind Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.

There are also lots of songs that children might already know. Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star is an obvious one, but I would also include Starships by Nicki Minaj, which has the line “Starships were meant to fly”. Other songs that could be used are A Sky Full of Stars by Coldplay, Fly Me to the Moon by Frank Sinatra and Counting Stars by OneRepublic. The children could listen to some of these and discuss how stars, the moon and the night sky are used in the songs.

For art, I would use Vincent van Gogh’s The Starry Night. We could look at the colours, shapes and movement in the painting and then let the children create their own night-sky artwork.

I think using songs, poems and art would be a nice way to explore the night sky because it shows that space can inspire creativity and imagination as well as science.

Describe how you could implement a version of “Design Your own Dark Sky place” in your school/classroom?

I think this lesson is ideal for infants as it involves lots of role-play, drawing and groupwork. To begin, we would have a whole-class discussion on a few key topics. Firstly, we would discuss what dark skies are, what can we see on a clear dark night and why are they so special. Secondly, we would talk about light pollution and its impact on dark skies. And thirdly, we would talk about how we could have a positive impact on reduce light pollution to improve dark skies in our locality. From here, I would introduce drama and role-play. I would split the class into groups and each child in each group would have a role such as local resident, stargazer, conservation ranger and lighting planner. We would go for a walk around the school grounds and decide on an area we think would be best suitable to create our own dark sky place. Once back in class, the children can come up with ideas for creating such a place. The teacher can give prompts if needed such as; how do we ensure the area is safe for people but also reducing artificial lighting? how do we make the experience even better for stargazers? (benches/telescopes/foot trails etc.) and how do we not impact on local biodiversity? To support the children’s plan they can work together to design a map of the dark sky place and also brainstorm their ideas on the back of the page. At the end, each group can give a presentation of their work to the rest of the class. This gives an opportunity for other groups to share feedback and ask questions.

Children of all ages can learn about Irish traditions and folklore by talking to older people in their local community. Parents, grandparents and neighbours can be excellent sources of information because they may remember stories, songs, games, customs and celebrations from the past. As a class, the teacher and children could prepare questions before meeting with interviewees and ask about traditions they experienced at night time when they were young. The information could be collected by writing down the answers, important facts and interesting stories. Children could also record the names of the people they interviewed and when the information was collected. After gathering the information, the children would share their findings with a wider audience. They could use a camera to record short videos of the people telling their stories and explaining the night time traditions. These recordings could be shown to classmates, parents and the wider school community, helping to preserve and celebrate Ireland’s rich cultural heritage for future generations.

Straight away, the work of  W.B. Yeats  came to my mind, especially his poem “He Wishes for the Cloths of Heaven”. I think this poem would be a lovely starting point for a 5th class lesson on light pollution, as it gives the children a chance to think about the night sky in a creative way as well as scientifically.
 
I would begin by showing the children images of Ireland at night, including a light pollution map, and ask them what they notice. We could discuss why some areas are very bright while others are dark and what effect this might have on our ability to see stars. I would then introduce a few lines from Yeats’ poem and discuss the beautiful images he creates of the night sky. The children could talk about what they think the “cloths of heaven” might look like and why Yeats compares the night sky to something that can be woven.
The children could then explore the difference between a dark and light-polluted sky using  Stellarium. They could compare how many stars and constellations they can see in a dark location compared with a bright urban area. This would link nicely with the science focus on light and the maths focus on recording and displaying data.
 
For the creative part of the lesson, I would ask the children to design their own “cloths of heaven”. They could create a drawing, painting or collage showing what their ideal night sky would look like. They could include stars, constellations, the Moon and other features of the night sky. They could also write a short poem or descriptive paragraph to go with their artwork.
Finally, we could discuss how artificial light can make it harder to enjoy the night sky and how we could reduce light pollution. This would allow the children to connect Yeats’ poem with a real environmental issue in their own locality. We are not from Sligo but our landscape is similar in many ways!

Project on Piseogs, traditions and stories.

I did something similar myself growing up, our school principal asked us to gather all the superstitions that we could from our grandparents. It was a great way to connect with the local knowledge, hear of tales we had never heard before and it opened some curiosity about the matter.

I guess I would do this in a very similar manner: KWL on what the students know on the topic followed by what they would like to know and what they did learn about it. It will also encourage students to as more and more about the topic. The project might be best completed in small groups so that some students can learn from the others and even see if the stories from one person is identical to another. This could then be lined to a writing genre in Literacy where students can delve into their imagination and continue these old tales with some of their own new ideas. After all the stars, moon and the dark can be very helpful parts to setting a scene in story telling.

Design Your Own Dark Sky Place

As I mentioned in a previous forum entry, the village around our school ahs grown massively. With growing so quickly we are lacking resources which would be of real benefit to the village. I would link this with this design idea. I would pose the children with the objective of design a park area within our local village which with have the aim of being a dark sky place. To complete this task I would place the children in groups. Before beginning as a class we would discuss important elements of their design such as: location and accessibility, layout, safety concerns, biodiversity and wildlife concerns, light pollution. I would then allow the children work in their group to devise their own dark sky place for our village. The children will have to draw a map of their park incorporating where lights would go, perhaps viewing areas and habitat areas such as bug hotels.

Once complete each group present their proposal to the class as a whole. We will then collaboratively put a plan together of the best of all the childrens ideas and create one big class design incorporating light, biodiversity, safety and accessibility.

Module 5

I think the kids would really enjoy creating a collection of local piseógs and stories based on night. This could be a fantastic opportunity for students to interact with other family members, grandparents, neighbours and local groups.

We are so fortunate to have such a link with night and things associated with night. Festivals such as Samhain festival highlight this.

We could create a collection of these unique local gems and put it together. It could be a 6th class project that they could put together as a Junior Entrepreneur Project.

Students could have a collection of these interviews and make the whole project a real community activity. We could then extend the project and look at other national piseógs and stories that relate to the night and could even go further afield. It would really give the students an appreciation of our culture and folklore and create a memorable experience for the students.

The night sky has inspired people for thousands of years, and there are many wonderful ways to connect it with music, poetry and art. President Michael D. Higgins’ poem “Stardust” is a particularly interesting Irish example. It reminds us that the atoms in our bodies were created through the life and death of stars, connecting every person on Earth with the wider universe.

There are also many songs about the night sky. “A Sky Full of Stars” by Coldplay, “Space Oddity” by David Bowie, “Moondance” by Van Morrison, “Paint the Sky with Stars” by Enya and “The Big Sky” by Kate Bush could all inspire discussion and creativity.

Poetry gives us another way to look upwards. “The Starlight Night” by Gerard Manley Hopkins, “Silver” by Walter de la Mare, and “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” use words to create pictures of stars, darkness and moonlight.

Art makes the night sky especially powerful. Vincent van Gogh’s The Starry Night, with its swirling stars and bright moon, is probably the most famous example. Other artists have also used the moon, stars and darkness to create beautiful and imaginative scenes.

For a sixth-class STEM project, we could combine these ideas by observing the night sky, learning about stars and planets, and then creating our own songs, poems and artwork inspired by what we see.

<p style=”text-align: left;”>I really like the idea of doing thematic planning. It would be great to integrate the theme of night sky into many subjects, as I feel the children get more absorbed in a topic when it’s done like this.

For poetry I would do the poems:</p>
The Moon by Robert Louis Stevenson

Bed in Summer by Robert Louis Stevenson

The Night Sky by Val Harris

Queen of Night by Terry Webb Harshman

Picture books that would be good:

What if night? by Paul Bogard

Lights out by Marsha Diane Arnold

The night the stars went missing by Arthur J Gonzalez

Songs:

Vincent by Don McClean

Harvest Moon by Neil Young

A sky full of stars by Coldplay

Fly me to the moon by Frank Sinatra

Art:

Starry night by Van Gogh

Starry night over the Rhone by Van Gogh

Flight into Egypt by Adam Elsheimer

Starry Night Edvard Munch

Haystacks by Claude Monet

I think the theme could also extend into other subjects. Drama could be space related, PE could be the strand of dance, creating a dance for one of the space songs above. In Gaeilge, we could learn a poem or words related to the sky and space. In History, we could look at piseogs or ancient Irish traditions about the night sky and the moon. In maths we could look at weight or problems based on travel in space etc.

There are some great examples of references to the sky in the arts on this forum. I would like to focus on Starry Night by Van Gogh, and the connected song Vincent (Starry, Starry Night) by Don McClean.
The painting is so striking, with such wonderful swirls and loops. Children could examine the painting in small groups and pick out features. They could then use this as inspiration for their own painting of a night sky with a slight difference – perhaps the silhouette of iconic buildings from their own town in the foreground.
Before introducing the song I would explain a little about Van Gogh’s life to the children and how he was considered insane. We could then listen to the song and discuss its lyrics. Do they think Van Gogh have been treated in the same way in Ireland in 2026? Why/why not? What do they think the song writer is trying to say about Van Gogh’s life?

Consider how many Songs / Poems /Art can you think of to connect us with the Night Sky?

Songs:
Twinkle, Little Star

Midnight Sky

Starships

Talking to the moon

Stargazing

Star Light, Star Bright

Mr. Moon

Zoom, Zoom, Zoom, We’re Going to the Moon

Hey Diddle Diddle

Star Light, Star Bright

The Moon Shines Down

The Owl and the Pussycat

Fly Me to the Moon

What a Wonderful World

A Sky Full of Stars

Space Oddity

Walking on the Moon

Drops of Jupiter

Counting Stars

Starry, Starry Night

Moon River

The Sound of Silence

Poems:

<li style=”list-style-type: none;”>

The Moon – Robert Louis Stevenson

The Moon – Emily Dickinson

Silver – Walter de la Mare

The Owl and the Pussy-cat – Edward Lear

Night – William Blake

The Star – Jane Taylor

Stars – Sara Teasdale

The Stars – Robert Louis Stevenson

A Visit from St. Nicholas – Clement Clarke Moore

The Comet – Christina Rossetti

A Visit to the Moon – Emily Dickinson

The Moon – Valerie Bloom

Stars – Mary Oliver

The Moon Was But a Chin of Gold – Emily Dickinson

Art:

Vincent van Gogh – The Starry Night

Claude Monet – The Cliff Walk at Pourville / night scenes

Georgia O’Keeffe –Sky Above Clouds

Edvard Munch – The Starry Night

1. Describe how you could implement a version of “Design Your own Dark Sky place” in your school/classroom?

I would ask my 5th class pupils to investigate the lighting around our school, identifying areas that are brightly lit, and drawing it on a plan. We will then consider whether the lighting is necessary, and whether there is any unnecessary lighting. In groups, pupils could then come up with their own plan, drawing a map of the school grounds and showing changes such as using motion sensors, switching off unnecessary lights, using warmer and lower-intensity lighting, and directing lights downwards rather than towards the sky. Each group could present its design to the class, explaining how their ideas would protect biodiversity while keeping the school safe. We could then create a class Dark Sky Charter with practical actions the school community could adopt. This could link with Science, Geography, Art and SPHE.

Module 5 – Design Your Own Dark Sky Place

I could implement a “Design Your Own Dark Sky Place” project by encouraging pupils to investigate artificial light around the school and design a more wildlife-friendly and energy-efficient environment. First, I would take the class on a walk around the school grounds during the evening, where possible, or use photographs and observations of the school’s existing lighting. Pupils could identify areas that are brightly lit, areas that remain dark, and sources of unnecessary light. They could discuss how artificial light might affect nocturnal animals such as bats, moths, birds and other insects.

Next, pupils could work in small groups to create a map of the school grounds. They would mark existing lights and identify areas where lighting could be reduced, redirected or changed. They could research simple dark-sky principles, such as using lights only when needed, directing light downwards, reducing excessive brightness and avoiding unnecessary lighting.

Each group could then design its own “Dark Sky School” using a drawing, map or digital design. They could decide where lighting should be placed, where darker wildlife areas should be protected, and how the school could reduce light pollution while still keeping pupils and staff safe.

Finally, groups could present their designs to the class and explain how their ideas would benefit both people and local biodiversity. The class could then agree on practical actions that could be introduced in the school, such as switching off unnecessary lights, using timers or motion sensors, and protecting darker areas of the school grounds. This would allow pupils to apply their learning to a real local environmental issue and feel that they can make a positive difference.

I would implement a tailored version of “Design Your Own Dark Sky Place” with my 2nd class in an urban area in Dublin city. The project would promote creative ways of helping children understand the importance of protecting the night sky and reducing light pollution for wildlife.

I would begin by discussing what a dark sky place is and showing the children a video of one of the three recognised dark sky places in Ireland (of which two are on the West coast). This would lead the conversation to why there might not be any dark sky places on the east coast and the impact that lights from big cities such as Dublin might have on our dark sky place design. We would consider having lights that point downwards and creating safe areas where people and wildlife can experience darkness.

I would divide the children into small groups and provide each group with paper, colouring materials and simple building or craft materials. Their challenge would be to come up with a design for their own dark place which could be a park, school, village or imaginary space community. They would need areas for people to observe the stars, habitats for wildlife and suitable lighting that does not unnecessarily brighten the night sky.

After each group has come up with a plan, they would be challenged to build it in whatever way they see fit with Lego, cardboard, clay etc. This activity would combine science, creativity, teamwork and environmental awareness while allowing the children to apply their learning in a practical way.

There are so many ways that songs, poems and art can help us connect with the night sky. Music and poetry can encourage children to think about the stars, moon and darkness in a more imaginative and emotional way, rather than only learning about them scientifically. President Michael D. Higgins’ poem “Stardust” is a lovely example because it encourages us to think about our connection with the universe and our place within it.

Other examples that could be explored with children include songs such as “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” and “Fly Me to the Moon”. Art could also provide a great opportunity for children to express their own interpretation of the night sky. Artists such as Vincent van Gogh, particularly through The Starry Night, could inspire pupils to create their own night-sky artwork.

I think combining music, poetry and art with science would make the topic much more engaging. It would allow children to explore the night sky through creativity, imagination and emotion, while also developing their understanding of our natural world.

Consider how many Songs / Poems /Art can you think of to connect us with the Night Sky? For example: Look up President Michael D Higgins’ “Stardust”

Songs
The Stars are Ours – The Coronas
Star Star – The Frames
Twinkle Twinkle
Sky Full of Stars – Coldplay

Poems
Hey Diddle Diddle
The Moon – Robert Louis Stevensen
The Moon – Eliza Lee Follen
Mr. Moon

Books
The Darkest Dark – Chris Hadfield
How to Catch a Star – Oliver Jeffers
Owl Babies – Martin Waddell
Lights Out! – Marsha Diane Arnold

The night sky has inspired people throughout history, providing a powerful source of creativity in songs, poems and art. Many artists have used stars, the moon and darkness to express feelings such as wonder, loneliness, love and hope.
In poetry, William Wordsworth’s “The Solitary Reaper” and “Ode: Intimations of Immortality” reflect on nature and the sense of something greater than ourselves. Percy Bysshe Shelley’s “To the Moon” directly addresses the moon and explores feelings of sadness and isolation. More recently, poets and writers have continued to use the night sky as a symbol of dreams, freedom and possibility.
Music also connects us strongly with the stars. Songs such as “Vincent (Starry, Starry Night)” by Don McLean, “A Sky Full of Stars” by Coldplay, and “Fly Me to the Moon”, famously performed by Frank Sinatra, use the sky and space to express emotion and imagination.
Art perhaps gives us the most immediate visual connection. Vincent van Gogh’s The Starry Night is one of the best-known examples, showing a swirling, energetic night sky filled with stars. Other artists have also painted moonlit landscapes and star-filled skies.
Together, these works remind us that the night sky is not simply something we observe; it is something that can make us feel connected to nature, to other people, and to the universe itself.

I would choose **“Design Your Own Dark Sky Place”**, as it would be a creative and practical project for the children.

I would introduce the idea of a “Dark Sky Place” by discussing what the night sky looks like and why it is important to protect areas from unnecessary artificial light. We would begin by looking at images of clear night skies and comparing them with images from areas affected by light pollution. The children could then explore the school grounds and identify sources of artificial light.

Working in groups, the children could design their own ideal “Dark Sky Place” within the school grounds. They could create drawings or models showing where lighting could be reduced and where darker areas could be created to support wildlife. They could also suggest practical ideas such as using motion sensors, turning off unnecessary lights and directing lights downwards.

The children would present their designs to the class and explain how their ideas could benefit wildlife and allow people to see more stars. This project would encourage creativity, teamwork and problem-solving while helping children understand the importance of protecting dark skies and our local environment.

Question 1 ; I would implement a version of “Design Your Own Dark Sky Place” as a practical STEM project within my multi-grade classroom, linking it directly to the children’s own school environment. I would begin by asking the children what they think makes a good place to observe the night sky and whether our school could be improved for both people and wildlife. We would first investigate our school grounds, identifying sources of artificial light and areas that are naturally darker.

Working in mixed-age groups, the children would then design their own “Dark Sky School”. Infants could draw their ideas and identify light and dark areas, while older pupils could create labelled plans, measure distances and consider how lighting could be changed. We could explore simple solutions such as switching off unnecessary lights, using downward-facing lighting and protecting darker areas for nocturnal wildlife.

This would provide a strong connection to the **Primary School Curriculum Framework**, particularly the emphasis on children as active, curious and creative learners. It would also support the **STEM curriculum** through science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Children would investigate a real environmental issue, collect and interpret data, design solutions, test ideas and work collaboratively.

I would finish by having each group present their “Dark Sky School” design and explain why their choices would benefit both the school community and local biodiversity. This would make the project purposeful and give the children a genuine opportunity to influence their school environment.

1. Describe how you could implement a version of “Design Your own Dark Sky place” in your school/classroom?
Step 1: Look at what a dark sky place is and look at examples of Kerry Dark Space and Mayo Dark Space.
Step 2: I would ask the children to look at their own sky at home on a clear night and identify whether they can see the stars. We talk about how built up areas you will be able to see less stars or no stars and how light pollution affects the viewing of the milky way.
Step 2:We would design our own dark place in our school. I would ask the children to come up with ways to ensure lighting doesn’t affect the wildlife living in the space. I would ask them to brainstorm different ways to or using alternatively lighting dimmed lights or orange lighting ect. We would take pictures of the space before and after.

Consider how many Songs / Poems /Art can you think of to connect us with the Night Sky?
Songs
Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star– the nursery rhyme
Fly Me to the Moon– Frank Sinatra
A Sky Full of Stars – Coldplay
Mr. Moon – the children’s song
Moon River – Henry Mancini / Johnny Mercer
Starman – David Bowie
Walking on the Moon – The Police
Starry, Starry Night – Don McLean
Poems
Stardust by Michael D. Higgins
The Moon by Robert Louis Stevenson
The Moon by Emily Dickinson
Silver by Walter de la Mare
The Star by Jane Taylor
A Visit from St. Nicholas by Clement Clarke Moore
When I Heard the Learn’d Astronomer by Walt Whitman- I think this poem in particular is very interesting because it portrays a direct, personal experience of nature which brings a deeper sense of wonder than academic analysis
‘In the mystical moist night-air, and from time to time,
Look’d up in perfect silence at the stars.’
Art
The Starry Night – Vincent van Gogh
Starry Night Over the Rhone – Vincent van Gogh
The Harvest Moon – Winslow Homer
Moonrise, Hernandez, New Mexico – Ansel Adams
The Great Wave off Kanagawa – Hokusai (this art piece would be useful for discussing the night sky and natural landscapes)
The Astronomer – Johannes Vermeer
The Milky Way – photography and astrophotography by artists such as Wally Pacholka

Children could listen to the song, read the poem, observe different art and discuss what the stars and night sky make them think or feel, and then create their own artwork or creative piece. This would provide a nice link and integration between different subjects- maths, science, art, literacy, while encouraging curiosity and a sense of wonder about space.

I really like the idea of a project to collect piseogs. traditions and stories of the night. This would be a lovely idea to involve parents, grandparents and possibly the local day care centre which we often link in with during the year for various occasions. I would firstly explore more common piseogs traditions and stories with the children and discuss these. We would then create a list of questions that they could ask when interviewing people. We would then focus on interview skills as part of an oral language lesson and how best to record answers. The children would then decide how they want to record these. They could be audio/video, written, illustrated etc. A collection could be made and shared with the local community. The children could also present their findings themselves which again would link to oral language and work could be done on presentations and public speaking. This would be a worthwhile project as a lot of these piseogs and stories are at risk of being lost unless they are recorded.

Songs/Music/Art connected to the night sky.
I like the idea of using songs, poems and artwork as a trigger to engage the children’s interest. Here are some examples I’ve come up with:
Songs/Music:
Vincent by Don McLean
Space Oddity – David Bowie (and Chris Hadfield version on ISS)
Rocket Man – Elton John
Galaxies – Owl City
Starman – David Bowie
The Big Sky – Kate Bush
A Sky full of Stars – Coldplay
Midnight Sky – Miley Cyrus
When you wish upon a star
Fly me to the moon – Frank Sinatra

Artwork:
Starry Night – Vincent Van Gogh
Starry Night over the Rhone – Vincent Van Gogh
Starry Night – Georgia O’Keeffe
The Starry Night – Edvard Munch (Might be a nice idea to compare all the Starry Night paintings)
Boulevard Montmartre – Camille Pissarro
Nocturne in Black and Gold – James McNeill Whistler
The Meteor of 1860 – Frederic Edwin Church

Poems/Rhymes:
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
The Moon by Robert Louis Stevenson
Silver by Walter de la Mare
Stars by Sara Teasdale
The Night Sky by Val Harris

Consider how many Songs / Poems /Art can you think of to connect us with the Night Sky? For example: Look up President Michael D Higgins’ “Stardust”

Songs:

• A Sky full of Stars
• Mr. Sandman
• Fly Me to the Moon
• Moon River
• Space Oddity
• The Whole of the Moon
• Rocket Man

Poems:

The Star – Jane Taylor

The Moon – Robert Louis Stevenson

Silver – Walter de la Mare

The Owl and the Pussy-cat – Edward Lear

The Star – Ann and Jane Taylor

Art:

• Van Gogh – The Starry Night: Look at how Vincent van Gogh used swirling lines, movement and colour to make the sky feel alive. Children could create their own night sky.
• Constellation pictures: Give children black/dark-blue paper and white or silver dots. They can invent their own constellations and give them names.
• Moon phases: Create a sequence showing new moon, crescent, half moon, gibbous, full moon, using paint, chalk or collage.
• Night-sky silhouettes: Paint a colourful sunset/night background and add black silhouettes of trees, houses, mountains or children looking upwards.
• Celtic spiral and the moon cycle: Create a large spiral beginning with the new moon in the centre and moving outward through the lunar cycle. This also gives you a lovely opportunity to discuss how Irish people observed the Sun, Moon, seasons and cycles of nature.

• This reply was modified 2 months, 3 weeks ago by Sophie Obrien.

Poetry
Stardust by Michael D Higgins
Irish skies by Winifred M Letts
The wnaderings of Oisin by WB yeats
The star by Jane Tayor
Check by James Stephens
Escape at bedtime by Robert Luis Stephenson

songs
the whole of the moon by the waterboys
when you wish upon a star by Harline and Washington
counting stars on republic
a sky full of stars cold play
yellow cold play
fireflies by owl city
walking on the moon the police

stories
Gaelic constellation names
the mikyway (an Bothar Mor)
How Coyote store the stars
the legend of the northen lights
the girl who made the milkyway
Balors evil eye and the sun
how the sun was made

Dark Sky: Irish Arts & Culture Resources

Poetry

Moya Cannon – Night
Moya Cannon’s Night is an especially strong choice for a Dark Sky project because it captures the experience of encountering a truly dark, star-filled sky. The poem can prompt children to consider how artificial light has changed what we see at night and what might be lost when the stars become invisible. A useful classroom question is: “What happens when we lose the darkness?”

Theo Dorgan – Skull of a Curlew
Theo Dorgan’s Skull of a Curlew provides a strong connection between the night sky, darkness and wildlife. It can be used to explore how the natural world depends on particular habitats and conditions, linking directly with the biodiversity element of the Dark Sky project. Children could consider how a nocturnal animal might experience a landscape differently from humans.

James Stephens – Blue Stars and Gold
James Stephens’ Blue Stars and Gold offers vivid imagery of stars and the night sky and provides an accessible introduction to poetic responses to the heavens. Children could use the poem as inspiration for creating their own descriptions of a dark Irish sky, focusing on imagery, colour, sound and feeling.

Michael Chambers – Beneath the Night Sky
Michael Chambers’ Beneath the Night Sky is particularly relevant because it was inspired by the Mayo Dark Sky Park and connects the night sky with Irish landscape, memory and mythology. It offers an excellent opportunity to show children that protecting darkness is not simply a scientific issue but something that has cultural and emotional value.

1. B. Yeats – The Song of Wandering Aengus
   Yeats’ The Song of Wandering Aengus provides a rich connection between Irish mythology, nature, twilight, stars and imagination. While it is not specifically about light pollution, it can help children explore how the night and natural landscape have inspired Irish writers and storytellers.

Art

Jack B. Yeats – The Sea and the Lighthouse
Jack B. Yeats’ The Sea and the Lighthouse is particularly useful for the Dark Sky project because it creates a visual contrast between natural darkness and a powerful artificial light source. Children could examine the painting and ask: “Is artificial light always helpful?” This opens discussion about the purpose of lighting, light spill and the balance between human needs and the natural environment.

George William Russell (Æ) – Mystical Figure in Winged Boat
George William Russell’s mystical imagery provides an opportunity to explore the Irish night sky through imagination, mythology and symbolism. Children can examine how darkness and stars are used to create a sense of mystery and wonder, then compare this with their own experience of the night sky.

James Arthur O’Connor – A Thunderstorm: The Frightened Wagoner
James Arthur O’Connor’s dramatic Irish landscape shows how natural light can transform a dark landscape. Lightning provides a useful contrast with artificial lighting and allows children to think about different sources of light in the natural world.

Frances McKenna – Night Sky Above Armagh
Frances McKenna’s work provides a contemporary Irish connection to the night sky. It can help children understand that the Irish landscape and night sky continue to inspire artists today and can provide a starting point for their own visual responses to darkness, stars and place.

Patrick McSweeney – The Grey Pool
Patrick McSweeney’s work can be used to explore darkness, reflection and the representation of light. Children could investigate how an artist creates the impression of light within a predominantly dark scene and then experiment with their own night-sky ar

Irish Songwriters and Songs

Karan Casey – I Thank My Lucky Stars
Karan Casey’s I Thank My Lucky Stars is a particularly useful choice because its imagery connects stars, moon, birds and the natural world. It provides a natural bridge between music, biodiversity and appreciation of the night sky. Children could listen for references to the natural world and consider what the song suggests is worth protecting.

Bap Kennedy – Moonlight Kiss
Bap Kennedy’s Moonlight Kiss uses moonlight as a central image and offers a more emotional and atmospheric response to the night. It could be used to explore how songwriters use the moon and darkness to create mood, feeling and imagery.

Inni-K – Night Sky
Inni-K’s Night Sky provides a contemporary Irish musical response to the night sky. It offers an opportunity for children to hear how a modern Irish songwriter uses the night as a source of inspiration and then create their own short musical or lyrical response.

Lisa O’Neill – Goodnight World
Lisa O’Neill’s Goodnight World can support discussion about night, nature and humanity’s relationship with the wider natural world. It provides a contemporary Irish perspective that could complement the scientific investigation into biodiversity and the impact of artificial light.

Joshua Burnside – Moon High
Joshua Burnside’s Moon High uses the moon and night as recurring sources of imagery and inspiration. It can be used with primary pupils to explore how the night sky can become a metaphorical as well as a literal subject in songwriting.

Option 3: For my Junior/Senior Infants class, I would create a simple project exploring Irish traditions, stories and folklore connected to the night. I would begin by asking the children what they know about nighttime and what they can see in the sky. We could discuss the Moon, stars and darkness and share any stories or traditions that children know from home.

As a class, we could explore some Irish traditions connected with the night, particularly Halloween/Samhain. We could learn about traditional Halloween customs, songs, rhymes or stories and compare these with how we celebrate Halloween today. I would invite children to talk to parents or grandparents about any night-time stories or traditions from their family and bring these back to school.

The children could then create drawings, paintings or simple class books based on the stories they have collected. This would provide opportunities for oral language, SESE, art and Aistear while helping children appreciate Ireland’s cultural heritage and our historical connection with the night sky.

1. Describe how you could implement a version of “Design Your own Dark Sky place” in your school/classroom?

It is paramount to encourage the children to discuss why it is important to reduce light pollution in our environment and ways that we can do it. We will look at various videos on this. We will then brainstorm what they think would be included in their own Dark Sky Place. I will show them one of my favourite paintings which is also Van Gogh’s painting “Starry Night” and ask them what details do they see in the painting e.g., the colours, textures etc. We will discuss how this painting shows how bright the stars are and how little light pollution there is involved in this painting and again why this is important.

We will then explore different groups of people such as local residents, star gazers, conservation rangers and light planners. I think this is a good idea to split the class into groups and take a specific group of people and make sketches and lists of what areas these groups may find important in their Dark Sky park or place. Each group must explore, plan, make and evaluate their ideas. I will then ask each group to present their specialised group, their diagrams and evaluate why they chose these elements that felt were important to these groups.

Describe how you could implement a version of “Design Your own Dark Sky place” in your school/classroom?

To start this topic, I would first plan a couple of lessons on light pollution. We would look at nocturnal species in the local area and how light pollution affects them. We would also consider light pollution from a human wellbeing standpoint, and how many people in built-up areas never see the true night sky.

Following this, I would show the children some example of Dark Sky Parks around the world, particularly the Dark Sky Park in Mayo. We would discuss why these places are special, what benefits they have for the environment, and what one would be able to see at night in such a park.

We would then study maps and aerial photographs of nearby countryside to determine a suitable area for a Dark Sky Park. I would then facilitate group discussions based on the following questions:

– How can we provide  artificial lighting to keep light pollution to an absolute minimum, while also allowing for safety to maintained within the park?

– What kind of information would be useful for visitors?

– Other than keeping light to a minimum, is there anything else you could include in the park to support wildlife? 

-What facilities should be provided e.g. viewing platforms, visitor information on astronomy, parking, toilets, and where would they be?

In groups, I would then instruct children to map their ideas for their Dark Sky Park, and create a persuasive brochure that both informs potential visitors to the benefits of these parks, and encourages them to visit. They could then present their finished projects to the rest of the class, or potentially the rest of the school.

I think that the ‘Design Your Own Dark Sky Place’ activity would be a great activity for my 4th class this year to engage them with the idea of protecting our night sky. I would begin by asking the children what they think a dark sky place is and whether they think we have enough darkness in our local area in Drogheda. We could discuss the different sources of artificial light that we see around us and how they can affect our view of the stars. I would then put the children into small groups and ask them to design their own dark sky area. They could create a plan of their ideal location and decide where they would place streetlights, buildings, trees and other features. They would also need to think about how the lighting could be designed to reduce unnecessary light pollution. I would then ask the children to create a model of their dark sky place using a variety of materials. Each group could present their design to the class and explain their choices. I think that this activity would encourage creativity and teamwork and help the children understand the importance of protecting dark skies.

Describe how you could implement a version of “Design Your own Dark Sky place” in your school/classroom?

I would use “Design Your Own Dark Sky Place” as a STEM project where 6th class pupils investigate light pollution and design a dark-sky-friendly area for the school.
1. Introduce:
We would discuss light pollution, its causes and its effects on humans, wildlife and our ability to observe the night sky. Pupils could compare images of urban and dark-sky areas.
2. Investigate:
In groups, pupils would carry out a light audit of the school grounds, recording different light sources and considering their purpose, brightness and direction. They could identify areas where lighting could be reduced.
3. Design:
Using a map of the school, pupils would design their own “Dark Sky School”. They could include downward-facing lights, timers, motion sensors and wildlife-friendly areas. They would need to balance safety, practical needs and biodiversity.
4. Present and evaluate:
Groups would present their designs, explaining how their choices would reduce light pollution. The class could evaluate the ideas and agree on realistic changes that could be shared with the Green Schools Committee or school management.

The night sky is a great theme because you can approach it through music, visual art, poetry, storytelling, and science. Here are some ideas:

Music:

• “Here Comes the Moon” – George Harrison — describing the moon through music.
• “Space Oddity” – David Bowie — storytelling and imagining an astronaut’s experience.
• “Starman” – David Bowie — imaginative writing about visitors from space.

Art:

1. Paint their own night-sky landscape.
2. Create a Van Gogh-inspired starry sky.
3. Design their own constellation and give it a story.
4. Make moon phases using paint, chalk, or collage.
5. Create a picture showing what they imagine is happening on the Moon.

Poetry:

• an acrostic poem using STARS or MOON
• a five-senses poem about nighttime
• a poem from the Moon’s perspective
• a poem about seeing their first shooting star
• a poem describing a constellation without naming it
• a shape poem in the form of a moon or star
• a poem beginning, “When everyone else is asleep…”

I would base this project around the idea that people have always created stories and traditions connected with darkness, night-time and things they could not easily explain. I looked through the Dúchas Schools’ Collection for examples from Co. Limerick and found some great starting points. In Ballingarry, for example, one account describes the Banshee as sounding like a dog crying and says she was heard when someone from an old family was about to die. In Athea, there is a story about Jack-o’-Lantern leading people astray on dark nights, while another describes the Banshee crying near a house before a death. There are also piseógs from Cappamore involving rotten eggs being hidden in manure on May Eve, apparently to bring harm to another household. I remember my grand-uncle telling me stories about the fairies leading him astray . I cannot remember off the top of my head, but I would research these stories too and add them to the project.

I would use a few of these short examples as a stimulus and then ask the children to become folklore collectors themselves. They could interview grandparents, parents or older neighbours and collect stories, sayings or beliefs connected with darkness, ghosts, fairies, strange lights or places people avoided at night.

I would then compare this with Aboriginal Australian traditions connected with the night sky. Rather than always joining bright stars like dots to make constellations, some Aboriginal traditions identify shapes in the dark spaces of the Milky Way, such as the Emu in the Sky. The children could explore how different cultures have looked at the same night sky and created very different stories from what they saw. I spent some time in Australia and I have nice photos and star maps etc from when I was there.

We could also discuss figures such as the Irish Bogeyman and the Kurdaitcha from Arrernte tradition, while being careful not to suggest that they are the same. The broad reason for the project would be: Why do people everywhere create stories about darkness and the unknown?

2. Consider how many Songs / Poems /Art can you think of to connect us with the Night Sky? For example: Look up President Michael D Higgins’ “Stardust”

Songs
Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star
Star Light, Star Bright
You Are My Sunshine
Moon River
A Sky Full of Stars – Coldplay

Poems
The Star – Jane Taylor
The Moon – Robert Louis Stevenson
The Moon – Emily Dickinson
Silver – Walter de la Mare
The Night Sky – various children’s poetry collections

Art
The Starry Night – Vincent van Gogh
The Starry Night Over the Rhône – Vincent van Gogh
The Moon-Woman Cuts the Circle – Joan Miró
Starry Night – Wassily Kandinsky
Nocturne in Black and Gold – James McNeill Whistler

These songs, poems and artworks provide accessible ways for 3rd class pupils to explore stars, the Moon, darkness, imagination and the beauty of the night sky.

I would introduce the idea of a “Dark Sky Place” by asking the children what they can see in the night sky from their homes and whether they think they would see more stars if there was less artificial light. We could discuss light pollution and how excessive artificial light can affect our view of the stars as well as nocturnal wildlife.

As a class, we could explore the school grounds and create a simple map showing sources of artificial light, such as security lights, streetlights and lights from nearby buildings. Children could identify areas that might be suitable for a small “Dark Sky Zone” and explain their choices.

Working in groups, the children could design their own ideal dark-sky section of the school. They could draw a plan showing where lights should be placed, where lights could be reduced or switched off, and where trees, hedges or wildlife areas could be protected. They could consider how lighting could still be used safely, while directing it downwards and only using it when necessary.

The children could then present their designs to the class and vote on the ideas that would be most practical for the school. As a final project, the class could create a “Dark Sky School” poster or model and develop simple recommendations for reducing unnecessary light pollution.

DarkSky has some good educational resources and activities that could support this type of classroom investigation

I would implement a version of “Design Your Own Dark Sky Place” in my school by encouraging pupils to explore how artificial light affects people, animals and the surrounding environment.

We could begin by discussing what the night sky looks like in our local area and identifying sources of light pollution around the school, such as streetlights, security lights and classroom lighting. Pupils could then work in groups to design their own ideal “Dark Sky School”, considering where lighting is necessary and where it could be reduced or switched off.

As part of the project, pupils could create maps or drawings of the school grounds, showing areas that should remain darker to support nocturnal wildlife. They could research animals such as bats, moths and owls and consider how artificial light can affect their behaviour. We could also explore practical solutions, such as motion-sensor lights, closing blinds at night and using softer, downward-facing lighting. This project would combine Science, Geography, Art and SPHE while helping pupils understand the importance of protecting our night skies and local biodiversity.

There are many songs, poems and pieces of art that could be used to help Fifth Class connect with the night sky. Michael D. Higgins’ poem “Stardust” would be a good starting point, as it gives children an opportunity to think about the stars and our place in the universe. I would read the poem with the class and discuss the images and feelings it creates.
There are also many songs that children may already know, such as “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star”, “A Sky Full of Stars” by Coldplay and “Fly Me to the Moon”. These could be used to explore how different people have imagined and described the night sky.
For art, I would show the children famous paintings such as Vincent van Gogh’s “The Starry Night”. We could discuss the colours, shapes and movement in the painting before creating our own night-sky artwork. The children could use paint, pastels or chalk to create their own versions of a starry sky.
I think these activities would work particularly well with Fifth Class because they allow children to use their imagination while also learning about the night sky. They could combine science with music, poetry and visual art, making the topic more enjoyable and memorable.

One thing I really took from this module is the richness of the night sky across song, poetry, art, folklore and storytelling. It is amazing to think about how, throughout history, people have looked up at the stars and tried to make sense of what they see, turning that sense of wonder into music, stories, paintings and poems. From Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star, Frank Sinatra’s Fly Me to the Moon, The Frames’ Star, Star to Van Gogh’s The Starry Night, Gerard Manley Hopkins’s “The Starlight Night and Bealach na Bó Finne and lots, lots more, the night sky has clearly captured imagination across the arts and across generations and cultures.
Michael D. Higgins’ poem Stardust is fantastic and one I hadn’t dissected previously. The line “It is of stardust we are” beautifully captures the idea that we are not separate from the universe but actually part of it. He describes us as “moulded by vapours and fragments / From the making and breaking of galaxies”, which gives children a really powerful way of thinking about their connection to space. I also love the idea that “Our wonder invites us to make a journey” – something that perfectly sums up what poetry, art, music and storytelling can do. I envision being able to use this poem as a wonderful stimulus to literacy, SESE, and Visual Arts and an integrated unit of work.

Consider how many Songs / Poems /Art can you think of to connect us with the Night Sky? For example: Look up President Michael D Higgins’ “Stardust”

There are endless opportunities to connect the Arts with the Night Sky and a lovely way to integrate a thematic approach across a number of subjects.

Just some of the examples I would use are:

Art

• The Starry Night – Vincent Van Gogh
• Café Terrace at Night – Vincent Van Gogh
• Edvard  Munch – The Starry Night
• The Nightingale’s Song – Joan Miró

These paintings would allow for discussion around the methods they may have used, what they were thinking when they decided to paint the night sky; why paint it? Vincent Van Gogh and Edvard Munch’s work give great opportunity for comparison while the introduction of Joan Miró’s work allows for contrast.

Poetry

• Michael D. Higgins -Stardust
• WB. Yeats – The Sorrow of Love
• Gerard Manley Hopkins – The Starlight Night
• Robert Frost – Stars
• Robert Frost – Fireflies in the Garden 
• Whitman – When I Heard the Learn’d Astronomer
• Emily Dickinson – The Moon was but a Chin of Gold
• Sara Teasdale – The Falling Star
• John Keats – Bright Star

This range of poetry includes both male and female voices and it also has poetry from the 1800s, 1900, and 2000s allowing for some comparison between styles.

Songs

• Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
• When you Wish Upon A Star
• Sky Full of Stars – Coldplay
• The Big Sky – Kate Bush
• Fly Me to the Moon – Bart Howard
• Starman – David Bowie
• Clair De Lune – Debussy
• Timbres, espace, mouvement (“The Starry Night”) – Henri Dutilleux
• Star Wars soundtrack

These songs start from a simple nursery rhyme all the way to epic soundtracks. The fact that the moon and stars are inspiration for so many pieces of work across such a expansive timeframe prompts students to look at how significant the Night Sky has always been. As mentioned above this list also allows for comparison and contrast between modern and classical.

• This reply was modified 2 months, 2 weeks ago by Amy Newman.

Describe how you could implement a version of “Design Your own Dark Sky place” in your school/classroom?

Building on the previous modules, I would implement “Design Your Own Dark Sky Place” as a practical, pupil-led project based around our own school grounds. As we are in Co. Mayo, the children can make a strong connection between their local area and the importance of protecting our naturally dark skies.

I would begin with a trigger or provocation, reminding the children of our previous investigations into light pollution and biodiversity. I would ask: “If we could redesign our school to become a Dark Sky Place, what would we change?” We would revisit what we have learned about the effects of artificial light on people, wildlife and our ability to see the night sky.

Working in small groups, the children would carry out a light pollution audit of the school grounds. They could identify where artificial lights are located, what they are used for, whether they are necessary and whether they shine upwards or into areas where light is not needed. They could also consider areas of the school grounds that could support biodiversity.

The children would then become “Dark Sky Designers”. Each group would create a plan or model of their ideal Dark Sky school. They could consider using downward-facing or shielded lights, motion sensors, timers and warmer, less intrusive lighting, while also identifying areas where lighting could simply be reduced or switched off. They could include wildflower areas, trees, hedges or other habitats that support local biodiversity.

Each group would present their design to the class and explain how it would reduce light pollution while maintaining safety and allowing the school community to use the grounds. We could compare the different designs and agree on some realistic changes that could be implemented in our own school.
Finally, I would encourage the children to create a “Dark Sky Action Plan” for the school. This could include simple actions such as switching off unnecessary lights, ensuring outdoor lighting is only used when required and raising awareness among pupils and families.

This project would bring together the learning from the previous modules. The children would use science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics to investigate a real issue, design solutions and take action. Most importantly, they would see that they can play an active role in protecting Mayo’s dark skies and the biodiversity that depends on them.

The Night Sky has been a great influence to artists for centuries. The Moon, the stars and the planets have inspired a lot of musicians to write great songs. Here is a list of a few that could serve as a pre-lesson warm-up on the Night Sky in your classroom.

– A Sky Full of Stars, by Coldplay. This is lively uplifting song from the well-known band about feeling inspired and illuminated by the glowing Night Sky.

– Fly Me to the Moon, by Frank Sinatra. This is a well-known song by the famous singer about how he is mesmerized by the moon in the Night Sky and how he would like to go playing among the stars.

– Vincent, by Don McLean. This song often called by its opening line, Starr, starry night, is written as a tribute to Vincent Van Gogh and his painting, Starry Night. There are so many images and adjectives in the song, you could ask your class to write down or remember which one’s stick out to them.

These songs and so many more can serve as a great introduction to a lesson on the Night Sky and how it is an inspiration to people and can be to the children as well.

Prepare a project to collect Piseógs, Traditions and Stories of the Night
I think it would be lovely for the older children – 5th and 6th class to do a project and record local traditions, folklore and stories connected with the night. My school is in the West of Ireland and there is a very rich culture of storytelling here. I remember when I was a child, my Nanny warming the teapot and throwing the water out the back door. She always did this with a warning- S’agaibh muintir na hoích’! This was to warn the fairies (muintir na hoích’). I wish I had some interest in her tales and pisreógaí and had the wisdom to write them down. I think this would be a great chance for the children to speak to their grandparents and even great grandparents and gather their stories. They could gather stories about fairies, púcaí, banshees, the moon, stars, animals, Halloween traditions, night-time journeys or beliefs about particular places in their area. They could also ask neighbours and other members of the local community. The children could either record the conversations or write them down. We could create a class book and it would be lovely to display the stories for visitors to school to see.

Describe how you could implement a version of ‘Design Your own Dark Sky place’ in your school/classroom?

I would start by asking the children what they think makes a good place for looking at the night sky and whether they notice much light pollution around where they live. We could then work in groups, with each group taking on a different stakeholder role, such as local residents, visiting stargazers or conservation rangers.

The children could then design their own dark sky place, making a map showing viewing areas, access points and places where wildlife could be protected. They could also create a simple brochure for visitors with information about the area and some stargazing tips.

I like this idea as the children would be learning about light pollution and biodiversity while also getting to be creative. They could finish by presenting their ideas to the class and deciding if their dark sky place would actually work and be sustainable.

Consider how many songs / poems / Art you can think of to connect us with the night sky.

The night sky has been inspiring people for a very long time. There are many songs, poems, stories and works of art about the moon, stars and space.
Within the primary school context there are many examples that spring to mind that the children know i.e. Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star, Hey Diddle Diddle and Star Light, Star Bright, which mentions the moon, and You Are My Sunshine, which connects light with happiness.

Poems also help children think about the night sky, a favourite of mine within the infant classes is ‘Humpty Dumpty went to the Moon’. Robert Louis Stevenson’s ‘The Moon’ describes the moon in a simple and memorable way.
In terms of songs the first that springs to mind is Coldplay’s ‘A Sky full of Stars’. Our sixth class pupils did a rendition of this as Gaeilge for Seachtain na Gaeilge which went down a real treat. Sinatra’s ‘Fly me to the Moon’ is another which I love.

Art is another way of exploring the night sky. Vincent van Gogh’s famous painting, although mentioned within this module, ‘The Starry Night’ shows a bright, swirling night sky. Lots of Aboriginal art shows the starts and their constellations too.
The night sky is a great topic for primary school because it connects science, art, music, poetry and imagination. Looking at the stars can make us feel curious and excited. It reminds us that there is a huge world beyond our own and that there is always something new to discover.

When I think about the night sky, I realise how many songs, poems and works of art could be used to engage children. Some examples include:

Songs:

Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star
A Sky Full of Stars – Coldplay
Fly Me to the Moon – Frank Sinatra
Moon River – Audrey Hepburn
Walking on the Moon – The Police
Bad Moon Rising – Creedence Clearwater Revival
Man on the Moon – R.E.M.
Mr. Blue Sky – Electric Light Orchestra

Poems:

The Star – Jane Taylor
Silver – Walter de la Mare
The Moon – Robert Louis Stevenson
The Moon – Emily Dickinson
The Moon – Sara Teasdale
A Visit from St. Nicholas – Clement Clarke Moore
The Moon and the Yew Tree – Sylvia Plath

Art:

The Starry Night – Vincent van Gogh
Starry Night Over the Rhône – Vincent van Gogh
The Night Watch – Rembrandt
The Harvest Moon – George Inness
Moonrise, Hernandez, New Mexico – Ansel Adams
The Moon-Woman Cuts the Circle – Jackson Pollock
The Great Wave off Kanagawa – Hokusai

I think these could provide an excellent starting point for discussion and creative activities. Pupils could choose a song, poem or artwork and explore how the night sky is represented. They could then create their own poem, artwork or song inspired by the Moon and stars. This would allow children to explore the topic creatively while developing their imagination and curiosity.

The following are the ones I could think of that connect us to the night sky- songs were the most extensive category!

Songs
Star Star by the Frames
A Sky Full of Stars- by Coldplay
Colaiste Lurgan’s version of a Sky Full of Stars is also worth a look! We had a class that learned a short section of this for a school performance before.
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
Vincent (Starry Starry Night) by Don McLean
Space Oddity by David Bowie
Rocket Man by Elton John

Poems
The Starlight Night by Gerard Manley Hopkins
Bright Star by John Keats
I Saw the Land in the Evening by Emily Dickinson
Stars by Emily Bronte

Art
Starry Night by Vincent Van Gogh. I know it was featured in the module but definitely the most famous one I could think of. When I had 4th class previously we created a giant mural version of this- the kids loved it!
Starry Night by Edvard Munch
Starlight Night by Georgia O’Keeffe

Design your own sky dark place

I would introduce the idea of a Dark Sky place through simple discussion. We could talk about what the children can see in the night sky and explain that too much artificial light can make it harder to see stars. As a Gaelscoil, we could learn some simple Gaeilge words such as réaltaí for stars, an ghealach for the moon and an spéir for the sky.

The children could then work in small groups to design their own Dark Sky place for the school. They could draw where they would put lights, trees and areas for wildlife. They could also think of ways to reduce bright lights so we can see more stars.

If possible, we could have an evening visit to the school grounds with parents to look at the stars. Back in the classroom, the children could draw what they saw and create a display using their drawings and new Gaeilge vocabulary.

This would be a fun, practical activity that combines science, Gaeilge and art while helping children understand the importance of protecting our night sky.

Design your own dark sky place.

To begin this project as a class we would have a lot of discussion on what makes a good dark sky place. We would focus on light pollution and the need for less unnecessary light or shield lighting. We would talk about the need to protect biodiversity and discuss what type of space would be suitable to star gaze and look up at the night sky.

The  children would then be divided up into groups each with a particular role to discuss such as ‘Rangers’, ‘Stargazers’, ‘Local residents’ and ‘Light Planners’. Together in their groups they will work collaboratively to come up with a plan for consideration of a suitable area for a dark sky sight taking into account light pollution, biodiversity at night, access, stargazing tips and considerations.

They will draw a plan/map to include all of the above with the necessity of protecting the night sky and nocturnal wildlife. They will present their plans to the class on their groups. The class can give feedback to each group using 2 stars and 1 wish which is a great way to self evaluate and reflect on each others work.

Design Your Own Dark Sky Place
I would begin by asking the children what they know about the night sky and whether they can see many stars, make out any constellations from their homes. We would discuss the concept of light pollution and the negative impact artificial light can have on our ability to see the stars and how it can impact wildlife. I would then divide the class into small groups and ask each group to design a Dark Sky Place for our school or local area. I would allow them to use the school grounds as the starting point.
As a class, we could carry out a school light audit. The children could identify sources of artificial light around the school, record when and where lights are used, and consider whether they are necessary. Using resources such as Stellarium and light-pollution maps, the pupils could compare the night sky from a dark location with a more light-polluted area. (Comparing our rural location to a more urbanised location)
Working in groups, pupils would then design/brainstorm their own ‘Dark Sky School’. The children would create a plan or model of their ideal Dark Sky school. They could consider using downward-facing or shielded lights, motion sensors, timers and warmer, less intrusive lighting, while also identifying areas where lighting could simply be reduced or switched off. They could include wildflower areas, trees, hedges or other habitats that support local biodiversity.

Below is a list of creative ways that I feel Junior Infants could explore the topic of the Moon.

Songs:
Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star
Zoom, Zoom, Zoom, We’re Going to the Moon
Five Little Men in a Flying Saucer
Hey Diddle Diddle

Poems and rhymes:
Star Light, Star Bright
Five Little Stars

Storybooks:
Whatever Next! by Jill Murphy
Papa, Please Get the Moon for Me by Eric Carle
How to Catch a Star by Oliver Jeffers
The Way Back Home by Oliver Jeffers
Owl Moon by Jane Yolen
The Smeds and the Smoos by Julia Donaldson

Art activities:
Create a night-sky painting using black or dark blue paper and white/yellow paint for stars.
Use paint splatter to create a starry sky.
Create Moon collages using different textures and shades of grey.
Create a collaborative class mural of the night sky, including stars, the Moon, planets and rockets.
Use chalk pastels on black paper to create a “what I see in the night sky” picture.

As our school has a very diverse population, with children from over 80 different nationalities, I think there is a wonderful opportunity to explore the many songs, poems and pieces of art that connect us with the night sky. The children could work on a project where they research an example from their own culture and share it with the class. This could help us discover how different cultures have interpreted the Moon, stars and night sky through music, poetry and art.

There are many examples that could be explored. In Ireland, the children could look at President Michael D. Higgins’ “Stardust”. Other possibilities include “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star”, “Fly Me to the Moon”, and “Moon River”. In poetry, children could explore “The Moon” by Robert Louis Stevenson or Japanese haiku about the Moon and stars. Art could include Vincent van Gogh’s The Starry Night, as well as traditional artwork and star stories from different cultures.

This could become a very interesting class project, with each child contributing something from their own cultural background. It would demonstrate how the night sky has inspired people all over the world and would celebrate the diversity within our school.

There are so many songs, poems and works of art that connect us to the night sky, but for me, the most meaningful ones are those that bring back memories and connect to the people I love.

“Blue Moon” immediately makes me think of my 2 boys. They are obsessed with Manchester City, and as it’s their theme song, I don’t think I could ever look at a blue moon without thinking of them!

Van Gogh’s The Starry Night is another personal favourite. I always do Starry Night as an art lesson, and I love seeing how everyone creates their own version of that swirling, magical sky. I’d pair it with “Vincent (Starry, Starry Night)” by Don McLean.

Every night before bed, my kids and I sing a song by Lisa O’ Neill called “Goodnight world.” We do end the song by adding our own verse to wish Nanny and Grandad and their cousins goodnight!! It’s very beautiful. Below are the lyrics:

Settle your head pet
Send your bones to sleep
Every moment that we rest
Brings a moment’s peace
You not be missing nothing
The sunshine sleeping too
The stars are lining up, love
To watch your dreams with you
And if you make a wish on one
Before you go to sleep
You might meet that very star
Out there in them dreams
Goodnight stars
Goodnight sky
Goodnight moon and sunshine
Everyone I love lies under you tonight
Goodnight trees
Goodnight bees
Goodnight rivers and valleys
Goodnight big old bold world
Goodnight world, goodnight

The night sky is something we all share, but these forms of art make it feel wonderfully personal.

Module 5: Consider how many Songs / Poems /Art can you think of to connect us with the Night Sky?

The night sky has inspired countless songs, poems and works of art throughout history. Its beauty is universal and creates a sense of connection between people. When we look up at the stars, we may simply admire their beauty, but we can also find inspiration, comfort, guidance and a sense of wonder. For some, the night sky can even feel like a connection to loved ones who are no longer with us.

From childhood, the night sky becomes part of our lives through lullabies such          as Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star and star-themed mobiles above our beds. Music continues to use the night sky as a symbol of dreams and possibility, from Reach for the Stars to the beautiful Moon River. Others include A Sky Full of Stars by Coldplay, “Fly Me to the Moon” by Frank Sinatra and “Rocket Man” by Elton John.

Poetry also captures the magic of the night. Wordsworth’s I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud uses imagery of stars to create a sense of wonder, while Edward Lear’s The Owl and the Pussy-Cat celebrates the joy of dancing “by the light of the moon.”

Art has also been strongly influenced by the night sky. Vincent van Gogh’s The Starry Night is one of the most recognisable examples, with its swirling, vibrant sky expressing both beauty and emotion. “The Great Wave off Kanagawa”by Hokusai this could lead to discussion about the sky, natural forces and perspective.

These could provide great cross-curricular opportunities, allowing children to write their own space poems, create night-sky artwork, listen to space-themed music and explore how different artists and writers have been inspired by the stars, Moon and planets.

I would do the “Design your own dark sky place” activity with 5th Class.

Engage: I would show the class a picture or short video of a dark sky and a brightly lit city. I would ask “How does light affect what we can see in the night sky?”

Investigation: The pupils could ask questions aboutlight pollution and make predictions about which areas of our school would have the most light at night. They could investigate the school grounds, observe different lights and record their findings. afterwards they could analyse their results and discuss their findings.

Taking the next step: The pupils would use what they learned to design their own dark sky area in the school. They could draw/map out their ideas, such as using lights that point downwards or switching unnecessary lights off. They could then present their ideas and discuss how we could make the school better for people, biodiversity and the night sky.

3. School project

For this project, I would explore Piseógs, Traditions and Stories of the Night through the History strand of Feasts and Festivals, linking the project with celebrations throughout the school year.

We could begin with Samhain, exploring the importance of darkness, fire and light in Irish traditions, including bonfires, lanterns and beliefs associated with the longer winter nights. At Christmas, we could investigate the Irish tradition of placing a candle or light in the window, traditionally associated with welcoming Mary and Joseph and offering hospitality to travellers. We could also explore the German legend of Martin Luther and the first candle-lit Christmas tree, providing another interesting connection between Christmas traditions, light and the night sky.

The children could also collect Irish folklore associated with darkness and night-time, particularly stories of the púca, fairy forts and the Other Crowd. We could explore why so many of these stories take place after dark and consider how the darkness of the Irish countryside may have influenced the stories people told.

An important element would be collecting local oral history. Children could interview grandparents, older relatives or members of the community about piseógs, stories and traditions they remember, particularly those connected with night-time, darkness and seasonal celebrations. These could be collected into a class book, display or digital presentation.

The project could also be broadened to look at festivals and traditions involving light and darkness in other countries and cultures. Overall, this would provide a meaningful cross-curricular way of exploring the night while encouraging children to collect and preserve local traditions and stories that might otherwise be lost.

Consider how many songs/poems/art can you think of to connect us with the Night Sky?

Art:

1. ‘Flight Into Egypt’ – a beautifully moving piece which tells the story of the Holy Family running from King Herod. There is so much scope here for discussion as part of religion but also science and space. You can see constellations made out, the Milky Way. Discussion can open up to how these travellers used the night sky to guide them on their journey.
2. ‘Fishermen at Sea’ – this picture depicts so much darkness except for the moonlight which appears to be guiding the sailors. While the painting is aimed at physical pollution from volcanic eruption, it is an opportunity to discuss light pollution with children and how lighting has changed over the decades.
3. ‘Night Sea’ by Klimt. This picture shows the night sky in all its glory without any pollution from other light sources. It offers the children a chance to see what the night sky could be like if we didn’t rely so much on electric lighting, as well as the importance of dark sky spaces.

Starry Night – Van Gogh

Starman – David Bowie

Music:

1. Starry Night – Don McLean. This can be easily linked to Van Gogh’s painting – the children can explore a whole themed project on the night skies using just these as introductory stimuli.
2. ‘The Planets Suite’ – Holst. A whole host of beautiful music relating to the night skies that be studied, taken apart, performed and enjoyed over a period of time on the classroom with links to science, history, art and literacy.
3. A Sky Full of Stars – Coldplay. A fun, energetic song children can learn and perform.

The Great Beyond – REM

Galileo – Declan O Rourke

Jupiter – Earth, Wind and Fire

Harvest Moon – Neil Young

Poems:

1. Untitled (My Father Played the Melodeon) – Patrick Kavanagh. This is a beautiful poem for older students where the night sky sets the scene and is woven throughout the story. It mentions Cassiopeia, the horizon, morning stars (Venus?) which open up lots of discussion.
2.  What Astronomers Know (Or Think) – Phillip Waddell. This is a more light hearted poem the gives lots of information while questioning the universe and mildly poking fun at what we think we are certain of about it.

I would introduce the idea of a “Design Your Own Dark Sky Place” to my Senior Infant class by first talking about what we can see in the night sky and why it can sometimes be difficult to see stars. We would discuss light pollution and how too much artificial light can affect people, animals and our view of the sky.
I would then show the children pictures of different outdoor areas and ask them to identify where there is too much or too little light. Working in small groups, the children could design their own dark sky area using paper, cardboard and recycled materials. They could include houses, trees, roads and streetlights, while thinking carefully about where lights should be placed.
The children could use torches to test their designs and see how they could reduce unwanted light. Each group could explain their design to the class and discuss why they made certain choices. This would make the activity practical, creative and enjoyable while helping children understand the importance of protecting dark skies.

I would implement a “Design Your Own Dark Sky Place” project by allowing students to investigate how lighting affects our school environment and the night sky. I would begin by discussing light pollution and asking students what they notice about the sky around the school and their homes. We could take a short walk around the school grounds to identify different sources of artificial light and consider whether they are necessary.

Students could then work in small groups to design their own ideal “Dark Sky” area within the school grounds. They would create a map showing where lighting should be placed, considering safety, wildlife and reducing unnecessary light. They could use cardboard, recycled materials or digital tools to create a model of their design. Students could also experiment with torches and different materials to investigate how light can be directed downwards and reduce glare.

Finally, each group could present their design to the class and explain their choices. This activity would develop creativity, teamwork, problem-solving and environmental awareness, while showing students how small changes can help protect biodiversity and our view of the night sky.

• This reply was modified 2 months, 2 weeks ago by Cian O Sullivan.

Consider how many Songs / Poems /Art can you think of to connect us with the Night Sky?

Suitable for Junior/Senior Infants

Songs:

Twinkle, twinkle little star.

Zoom, zoom, we’re going to the moon.

Catch a falling star. (This was one of my favourite songs as a child).

Five little stars.

One little, two little, three little planets.

Five little men in a flying saucer. (This was my own Junior Infants class’ favourite song this year.

The Planets go spinning round and round.

Star light, Star bright.

The Henry Girls – Wonderful, Magical Sky/Aurora – There is a really lovely video on You Tube to accompany this song with images of the Aurora Borealis in the night sky in Donegal and also the night sky in Cork.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNWBcVicjOI

Own songs: The children could create their own little songs about the night sky using the tunes to songs they are already familiar with, like Twinkle, twinkle little star. They could also do this for poems and rhymes too.

Poems:

Jump in the rocket.

Twinkle, twinkle little star.

It’s a blast.

Hey Diddle diddle.

The Stars.

Star light, star bright.

Rocket by Jack Prelutsky.

Own Poems and Rhymes: As with the songs, the children could make up their own little poems and rhymes too. I have done this with my Junior Infant class as a whole class group and they really love it.

Art:

Starry Starry Night – Vincent Van Gogh. This is a really lovely way to integrate art with learning about the night sky. The children could use paint to try and replicate it or black card and coloured chalk.

Night Sky Diorama – The children could do this little project as a paired activity with a senior class. They could paint the inside of a shoe box to replicate the night sky and then make stars and the moon from clay, paint them and then stick them into/hang them in the diorama.

Create a night sky print using fruit/vegetables to print the moon and the stars. Paint a dark sky background and then use cut out fruit and/or vegetables to create a night sky painting.

Create a replica of the moon and different planets and stars of different sizes using clay and clay tools and paint a dark background in a cardboard box cut in half. Place the moon, planets and stars into the box to resemble a night sky. This is also a project that could be a lovely one for paired work between Infants and a Senior class.

The option I chose to write about is “Prepare a school project to collect Piseógs/Traditions/Stories of the Night.”
As a trigger I would show the class different images depicting traditions or piseógs and ask the class that they think they represent. To engage the students further I would ask them to work in groups to see if they can think of any other traditions or stories that are linked to the night. Many of the students may not be familiar with piseógs so I would then share with them some that are linked to night. These would include sunset restrictions (staying indoors until sunrise), the witching hour of May eve (peak time for piseógs to be cast) and stealing the dew (taking it from other successful farms to transfer their prosperity).
Once children know what traditions and piseógs are I would then assign each group with these and stories to research further to create a list as part of the project. As a follow up and considering there are so many different nationalities in the school I would ask children to research stories, tradition and the equivalent of piseógs in other countries to further increase an archive.

1. Consider how many Songs / Poems /Art can you think of to connect us with the Night Sky? For example: Look up President Michael D Higgins’ “Stardust”

Songs
Starman – David Bowie (Stunning version recorded by Chris Hadfield recorded on the International Space Station)
A Sky Full of Stars – Coldplay
Counting Stars – OneRepublic
Rewrite the Stars – Zac Efron & Zendaya (The Greatest Showman)
Stargazing – Myles Smith
Stargazing – Kygo ft. Justin Jesso
City of Stars – Ryan Gosling & Emma Stone (La La Land)
Shining Star – Earth, Wind & Fire
Like a Star – Corinne Bailey Rae
Dancing in the Moonlight – Toploader
Night Changes – One Direction

Poems

The Moon – Robert Louis Stevenson
I See the Moon – Nursery Rhyme
Silver – Walter de la Mare

Stories

Lighthouse Keeper series of picture books
How to Catch a Star

Art

Starry Night by Van Gogh; this painting lends itself to so much exploration. I have used it with 6^th class as a group Art work, I divided the class into 3 groups and each group painted one third of the Starry Night painting on large sections and then we brought all 3 sections together and displayed it in the classroom. It was stunning and the class loved the collaborative approach.

The theme of the Night Sky makes a lovely sensory circle-time for children with severe to profound learning needs. I keep the songs repetitive, the poems very short, and use a “my turn / your turn” structure so every child has an opportunity to participate.
Songs for the Night Sky include some of our favourites
• “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” – use a light-up star and pass it around.
• “Mr Moon” – use a tactile Moon or soft ball.
• “Zoom, Zoom, Zoom, We’re Going to the Moon” – excellent for movement.
• “Five Little Men in a Flying Saucer” – great for counting and turn-taking.
• “The Moon Is Round” – use a circular tactile object and explore its shape.
• “Star Light, Star Bright” – gentle sensory song for calming.
• “You Are My Sunshine” – useful as a contrast between day and night.
Rhymes- The Little Star and Hello Moon used as choices with switches / picture cards
Use the predictable sequence → Song → Sensory object → Star song →
For each turn, offer the child a simple choice: Hold the star, hold the moon, turn on the light. The adult can model: “My turn… star!”, “your turn… star!” This gives children opportunities to practise anticipation, attention, communication, choice-making, shared enjoyment and social interaction while exploring the wonderful theme of the night sky.
We would continue this theme by completing any of the following art projects
• Van Gogh’s The Starry Night –swirling movements with blue/black paint and fabrics.
• Starry-night sensory tray – black fabric, glow stars/moons, soft cotton “clouds”.
• Night-sky painting – sponge painting with dark colours and star stamps.
• Moon printing – use circular sponges or playdough to make craters.
• Constellation pictures – children connect large tactile stars with string.
• Glow-in-the-dark star bottle – shake, watch and pass around.
• Night-sky collage – foil stars, fabric, textured paper and cotton wool.

For this activity, I would explore the idea of creating our own Dark Sky Place within the school grounds. I think this would be a good way of bringing together what the children have learned about light pollution, biodiversity and the importance of protecting our night skies.

To introduce the activity, I could read The Darkest Dark by Chris Hadfield with the children. I think this would be a lovely starting point for talking about darkness and how we experience the night sky. We could discuss what the children notice when they look outside at night, what they can see in the sky and whether it is easier to see stars in some places than others. We could also use some of the resources from Dark Sky Ireland to look at examples of light pollution and compare good and poor outdoor lighting.

I would then ask the children to think about the different sources of artificial light around our own school, such as outdoor lights, streetlights, security lights and lights coming from classroom windows. We could take a walk around the school grounds and create a simple map showing where these lights are located. The children could discuss which lights are necessary for safety and whether there are any that could be changed or used differently.

Working in small groups, the children could then design their own dark sky friendly version of our school. They could suggest ideas such as using downward-facing lights, motion sensors, switching off unnecessary lights and creating darker areas for wildlife. They could present their ideas through drawings, posters or by making a simple model. Wild Things at School could also be used to help the children explore some of the wildlife in our school environment and consider how artificial light might affect nocturnal species.

I would also use ESERO Ireland resources to develop the children’s understanding of the night sky. Stellarium could be used on the interactive whiteboard to explore stars and constellations and show the children what a darker night sky can reveal. We could also look at Globe at Night, which would introduce the children to the idea of citizen science and how people around the world can help to measure light pollution by observing the night sky.

Through this activity, I would want the children to understand that we still need lighting for safety, but that we can think carefully about how, where and when we use it. I would hope they would develop a greater awareness of how reducing unnecessary light can benefit nocturnal animals, support biodiversity and allow us to enjoy the night sky more clearly. Most importantly, I would like them to see that small changes within their own school and homes can make a positive difference.

I would implement the “Design Your Own Dark Sky Place” activity with my 5th class as a group project. I would begin by showing the children images of dark sky parks, including Mayo Dark Sky Park, and discussing what makes these places special. We would explore why dark skies are important for stargazing, biodiversity and protecting our natural environment.

I would then divide the class into stakeholder groups such as conservation rangers, visiting stargazers, local residents and lighting planners/designers. Each group would discuss what they would need or want from a Dark Sky Place before sharing their ideas with the class. This role-play would encourage the children to consider different viewpoints and work cooperatively.

The children would then design their own Dark Sky Place. They would consider light pollution, suitable viewing areas, access, nocturnal wildlife, astronomy and safety. Groups could create a map or collage of their site and design a visitor brochure containing information about wildlife, stargazing, safety and dark-sky-friendly lighting.

To finish, each group would present their design and explain the decisions they made. As a class, we would evaluate whether the plans are realistic and whether they would have a positive impact on the environment. This would be an engaging cross-curricular project incorporating Science, Geography, English, Art and SPHE while developing the children’s communication, problem-solving and teamwork skills.

• This reply was modified 2 months, 2 weeks ago by Robbie Szpara.

There are some great links on the forum to songs, poems and artwork connected to the night sky, and I took inspiration from these as I think my 5th Class would really enjoy exploring them! For example, I would use A Sky Full of Stars by Coldplay as it is a song I think the children would know and enjoy. I would also introduce Fly Me to the Moon by Frank Sinatra and explore poems such as The Star by Jane Taylor and Silver by Walter de la Mare. In Visual Arts, I would use Vincent van Gogh’s The Starry Night to encourage discussion about how artists represent the night sky. Following this, I would ask the children to create their own night-sky artwork and write a short poem to accompany it. This would provide an opportunity for the children to express their own ideas and feelings about the night while making connections between science, music, poetry and art.

I would implement a version of Design Your Own Dark Sky Place as a small group project towards the end of a unit on space, light and biodiversity. I particularly like this activity because it brings together a lot of different areas of learning and gives the children a problem that does not necessarily have one correct solution.

I would begin by revisiting what we had learned about light pollution and its effects on both our view of the night sky and nocturnal wildlife. I would then give the children the challenge of designing their own ideal Dark Sky Place. In groups, they would need to consider the different people who might use or be affected by the area, such as local residents, stargazers and conservation groups.

The children could create a map or model of their Dark Sky Place, deciding where lighting should be located, what type of facilities visitors might need and how areas for wildlife could be protected. They could also create a short brochure or digital presentation advertising their finished design.

I think the most valuable part would be having each group present and justify their decisions. This would encourage the children to apply what they had learned throughout the topic while developing creativity, collaboration and problem-solving skills. It would also provide opportunities to integrate science with geography, maths, art and digital learning.

I would implement a Design Your Own Dark Sky Place project by asking the children to imagine how our school could reduce unnecessary light pollution while still remaining safe and practical. We would begin by discussing what dark skies are and why darkness is important for people, wildlife and observing the stars. We could use some of the videos and resources from this course to introduce the topic.
The children could walk around the school grounds and identify areas where artificial lighting is used. In groups, they could create a map of the school and decide where lighting could be reduced, redirected or changed. They could consider ideas such as using motion sensors, timers, lower-level lighting and ensuring that lights point downwards rather than into the sky. We would meet with the Green School’s committee and coordinator to see what changes we could implement.
Each group could then design its own “Dark Sky School” plan, using drawings, labels and explanations to show their ideas. They could present their designs to the class and discuss which suggestions would be most realistic. This would give the children an opportunity to apply their learning to a real-life situation while developing problem-solving, teamwork and environmental awareness.

• This reply was modified 2 months, 2 weeks ago by Claire McMahon.

Irish stories and mythology hold a great connection to the night sky. The older generations especially, would have listened to stories about the Púca and the Banshee. From my own family, I would have heard great stories about travellers encountering strange things in the dark evenings in winter. My students could engage with this cultural aspect of the dark sky by asking their grandparents and parents if they have stories about Halloween. How people have experienced and written about the dark sky is an important element of our understanding of the night sky. Irish poetry is full of encounters with the moon, the stars, the darkness, the night, the landscape and the unseen. One of our great Irish writers W. B. Yeats’ poem “The Stolen Child” allows students to explore a nocturnal, mythic Ireland. Both Seamus Heaney’s and Patrick Kavanagh’s poems connect readers to ordinary rural landscapes and describe experiencing them under the veil of darkness. Another beautiful and engaging story is “The Children of Lir” which connects us to the constellation of Cygnus the Swan. One can draw on a wealth of traditional and contemporary songs to explore the night sky. Altan’s “Soilse na Nollag” paints a picture of lights piercing through the darkness of the winter evenings in rural Donegal. A beautiful song “Paint the Sky with Stars” by Enya, creates a magical picture of the night sky as depicted in the following lyrics- “Place a name upon the night, One to set your heart alight, And to make the darkness bright, Paint the sky with stars”.

Stopping By Woods on A Snowy Evening by Robert Frost

Someone Came Knocking by Walter de la Mare

Star Light, Star Bright
Starlight, star bright,
First star I see tonight,
I wish I may, I wish I might,
Have the wish I wish tonight.

Hey Diddle, Diddle, The Cat and the Fiddle

Stories

Stories of the Banshee at night

Oíche na Gaoithe Móire ar an 6ú/7ú lá de Mhí Eanáir –

Owl Moon by Jane Yolen – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oy5wxU4T1Ho

Owl Babies by Martin Waddell

Fantastic Mr Fox – Roald Dahl

Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown

Peace at Last By Jill Murphy

The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark by Jill Tomlinson

Mog on Fox Night by Judith Kerr

The Kissing Hand

Kitten’s First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes

Katie and the Starry Night by James Mayhew

How To Catch A Star by Oliver Jeffers

Songs

Mr Sun

Waiting for a star to fall by Boy Meets Girl

When you Wish Upon a Star by Cliff Edwards

I See The Moon And The Moon Sees Me. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSGkJSHzjpU

A Spaceman Came Travelling by Chris De Burgh

Here Comes The Sun by The Beatles

You Saw The Whole Of The Moon by The Waterboys

Where The Stars Go Blue by Ryan Adams

Hi,
I would start by reading Flashlight by Lizi Boyd. We would talk about the dark and ask the children what makes a place feel dark and safe.

I would then ask the children to design their own dark place. They could work in small groups and use cardboard boxes, black paper, blankets and other materials to make a small space. They could decide where they would like to have their dark place in the classroom.

When the spaces are finished, we could turn off some of the lights and let the children explore them. We could use a small torch to see what happens when we add a little light. I would ask simple questions such as “What can you see?” and “What happens when we add light?”

I think this would be a fun activity for Senior Infants. It would allow the children to work together, use their imaginations and learn about light and darkness through play.

Thanks,
Michelle

Consider how many Songs / Poems /Art can you think of to connect us with the Night Sky? For example: Look up President Michael D Higgins’ “Stardust”

I am going to try and suggest some ideas that hopefully have not been mentioned!

Art from American Artist Rockwell Kent is a fantastic starting point to get students thinking about Dawn, Dusk and the night sky.

Other Artworks I would use are
Van Gogh – Cafe terrace at night
Picasso – Night fishing at Antibes
Monet – San Giorgio at Dusk

Poems
I would take samples of William Wordsworth’s poems Lines composed above Westminster Bridge and compare and contrast with Daffodils or excerpts from Tintern Abbey, the former describing the poet looking over the dark grey London sky compared to the beauty of the rural landscape depicted in the other two.
Songs

Stories by Shaun Tan cleverly depict the night sky and provide great talking points for shadows and perspective

For songs I would probably choose some child friendly songs off Smashing Pumpkins ‘Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness’ double album, Disc 1 ‘Dawn to Dusk’ and Disc 2 is ‘Twilight to Starlight’, lots of songs that would be great for provoking discussion around the night sky.

3. Prepare a school project to collect Piseógs/Traditions/Stories of the Night.

I think this is a lovely way of linking history with the night sky by using Irish folklore as a bridge to the night sky.

I would love to do a project about old piseógs and traditions about the night to get my pupils researching about local history. I would first use an example of a piseóg where “People would not throw water out at night without shouting a warning for the faeries to stand clear.” I would get my pupils to discuss why people in the past might do this and what did it mean. I would then engage the pupils in some think pair share work where they could discuss their prior knowledge of any piseógs and traditions about the night that they are familiar with from talking to their parents/grandparents or from any books or movies that they have engaged with.

Next I would split the class into groups and use dúchas.ie as a resource to search piseogs about the night. There is a dark piseóg about Dolly Murphy the dressmaker which illustrates the nastier side of piseóg which I could draw the attention of some groups to if they were struggling. I would then encourage the class to explore the topic further with their families and neighbours and to bring back some local folklore to the class. This could then be presented to the whole school during assembly.

After the pupils had gathered these stories we could consolidate the theme by discussing Newgrange and the different Stone Age tombs and sites that use the sun and the sky so richly to light up their chambers.

This summer we went to the Netherlands and spent a day in Amsterdam and included a trip to The Van Gogh Museum – my two girls were only dying to see ‘Starry night’ – It wasn’t there – its in New York! We were gutted!!!!! Had to content ourselves with sunflowers instead! So i was delighted to see it included in this Module!

Some songs with the theme of Night Sky are as follows:
Moon River – from Breakfast at Tiffany’s
Fly me to the Moon – Frank Sinatra
Starlight by Taylor Swift
All the Stars by Ed Sheehan
A sky full of stars by Cold Play
NightSwimming by R.E.M
Vincent by Don McLean

Some poems with the theme of the Night Sky are as follows:

Silver by Walter de la Mare
The Moon by Emily Dickinson
Night by William Blake
Bright Star by John Keats
The Starlight Night by Gerard Manley Hopkins

I love to read the Walter de la Mere poem out to a class and then ask them to suggest a name for it – as a nice little art idea I would then ask them to create a picture based upon the poem.
I have also used Moon River as a Tin whistle tune – its a fine one as its nice and slow so very suitable for beginners.

There are so many songs, poems and works of art that we have seen or heard about since we were very young that connect us with the night sky.
Some of the first nursery rhymes that we learned such as Twinkle Twinkle, Hey Diddle Diddle and Star Light, Star Bright have direct links to the night sky and depict the wonder and intrigue that the night sky stirs in us. There are also so many songs that were inspired by space, stars and the night sky such as Fly me to the Moon by Frank Sinatra, Rocket Man by Elton John and Star Man by David Bowie. Maya Angelou’s poem A Barve and Startling Truth, Silver by Walter de la Mare and The Moon by Emily Dickinson were all inspired by the night sky. Famous art works such as Starry Night and Starry Night over the Rhone (which captures Ursa Major) by van Gogh, The Sun by Edvard Munch, The Creation of Sun, Moon and Planets by Michelangelo in the Sistine Chapel, Dog Barking at Moon by Joan Miró and Infinity Mirror Rooms by Yayoi Kusama are all intriguing works that would be wonderful to explore with a class. Museum of the Moon by Luke Jerram would be amazing to experience also!

When you think about all the art, songs and poems that were inspired by the night sky, it is quite amazing. As humans, we have long been enthralled by the mystery and beauty of the night sky. You can see a selection of them listed here:

Songs
Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star
You Are My Sunshine
A Sky Full of Stars
Fly Me to the Moon
Mr. Moon
Moon Moon Moon
Rocket Man
Starlight, Star Bright
When You Wish Upon a Star
The Moon
Star Light, Star Bright

Poems
Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star — Jane Taylor
The Star — Robert Louis Stevenson
The Moon — Robert Louis Stevenson
The Moon — Emily Dickinson
Silver — Walter de la Mare
The Moon — Christina Rossetti
The Moon — Sara Coleridge
The Moon — Edward Lear
Stars — Sara Teasdale
A Lady Who Thought She Was a Cat — William Brighty Rands

Art
The Starry Night — Vincent van Gogh
Starry Night Over the Rhône — Vincent van Gogh
The Evening Star — Henri-Edmond Cross
Starry Night — Edvard Munch
Two Men Contemplating the Moon — Caspar David Friedrich
Night Sky IV — Georgia O’Keeffe
The Night — Paul Klee
The Coming Storm — Winslow Homer
The Night — Joan Miró

There are so many Songs / Poems /Art when we think about it that connect us with the Night Sky
Songs:
Starry starry night
Moon shadow
Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star– esp for infants
A Sky Full of Stars(Coldplay)
Counting Stars(OneRepublic) .
Fly Me to the Moon
When You Wish Upon a Star
Space Oddity(David Bowie)
Rocket Man(Elton John)
Reach for the Stars (S Club 7)
Yellow (Coldplay)
Moon River
The Whole of the Moon (The Waterboys)

Poems
Yeat’s poem He Wishes for the Cloths of Heaven
Twinkle twinkle little star
I really enjoyed the poem by John O Donohue about the moths diverted by the street light
Also I did not know of Michael D’s poem, it is of Stardust we are…, lovely imagery
Love some of the poems suggested here also eg Stopping by the woods on a snowy evening

Art
Work on painting the Van Gogh Starry Night picture,
Making the constellation with tin foil
Constructing a light box, or a night sky within a Diorama box
Making a papier-mâché version of the solar system and asteroid belt and hang it from the ceiling in class

If I was to create a school project to collect piseógs/ stories and traditions or the night I would start by inviting a guest speaker in to share some stories with the children. I hope that this would be a good starting point and a way to get their interest.
I would begin the project in October and tie it in to Halloween as a lot of Halloween traditions are based at night time. The children could explore the origins of the carved pumpkin and celebration of Samhain in Irish history. I would then explore night traditions and stories from other countries.
The children would then be given a project to collect piseógs, stories and traditions from family members or neighbors. We are lucky to have children from many countries in our class so I would hope that we would gather some different and interesting stories to do with the night sky.
The children will be able to present what they find as a story, art maybe a fact file about a tradition they have learnt about. These will be displayed in the hall on the run up to Halloween for the rest of the school to look at and some of the class can present their findings at the end of term assembly.
I think that this project would be very engaging for my class. It can be tied in to many subjects including History, literacy, art and music.

Children could begin by exploring a selection of pieces from Bailiúchán an Scol, considering the types of stories, traditions and experiences that were collected and learning about how the collection was created. The teacher could discuss how stories were traditionally passed from one generation to another and how collections such as Bailiúchán an Scol have helped to preserve Ireland’s cultural heritage.

Following this introduction, children could be encouraged to become oral historians themselves by going home and interviewing a family member, neighbour or older member of their community about stories, memories or beliefs connected to the night sky. They could ask questions about stars, the moon, constellations, folklore, traditional beliefs, or experiences of looking at the night sky. With permission, children could record or carefully write down the stories they hear. Back in school, they could redraft the stories in their own handwriting and display them around the classroom, creating a class collection of local night-sky stories. This would help children to make a meaningful connection between their own family histories and Ireland’s wider cultural heritage.

Music could also be incorporated into the theme. Each child could choose a song that has a connection to the night sky, stars, the moon or darkness. The class could create a shared playlist, with each child explaining why they selected their song. One song could then be played at an appropriate time during the school day over a number of weeks, allowing the children to share music that has personal or cultural significance to them. This could also provide opportunities to explore how the night sky has inspired musicians and songwriters.

The theme could be extended into language lessons through the exploration of poetry in both English and Irish. Children could read and discuss poems that refer to stars, the moon, darkness, night-time or the wider universe. They could identify imagery, descriptive language, rhyme and metaphor and consider how poets use language to create a particular mood or atmosphere. Children could then be encouraged to write their own short poems inspired by their observations of the night sky.

Art lessons could draw inspiration from Vincent van Gogh’s The Starry Night. Children could explore the painting and discuss how Van Gogh used colour, movement, line and texture to represent the night sky. Rather than simply reproducing the artwork, pupils could use it as inspiration to create their own interpretations of the night sky. They could experiment with different artistic techniques to represent stars, the moon, clouds and movement in the sky, while considering how colour can be used to communicate mood and emotion.

This cross-curricular approach would allow the study of the night sky to extend beyond science and into history, local heritage, Gaeilge, English, music and visual arts. It would encourage children to see the night sky not only as a scientific subject but also as something that has inspired stories, traditions, music, poetry and art across generations. Most importantly, it would give children an opportunity to connect classroom learning with their own families, communities and cultural heritage.

I would choose Option 2 – Songs, poems and art connected to the night sky. I think music and poetry would be a lovely way to get children interested in the night sky in a different way.

We could start by listening to a few songs about stars, the moon and the night, such as Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star or A Sky Full of Stars. We could also look at President Michael D. Higgins’ poem “Stardust” and talk about the images and feelings it creates.

The children could then work in groups to find their own songs or poems about the night sky and share them with the class. They could also create their own short poem, song or piece of artwork inspired by the stars or moon.

I think this would be a fun way to connect STEM with music, English and art. It would also give the children a chance to be creative while thinking about the night sky in a more personal way.

1. Prepare a school project to collect Piseógs/Traditions/Stories of the Night. For Example: Dúchas Folklore Commission

I would introduce the project by explaining the importance of keeping Ireland’s old stories alive and showing pupils examples from the Schools’ Collection on the Dúchas website. I would explain that the original Schools’ Collection was created by schoolchildren who collected folklore, stories and traditions from people in their communities. Pupils could explore examples of piseóga, stories and local beliefs on Dúchas before beginning their own investigation. For example, I found one story in Schools’ Collection that was written by a teacher, Dáithí Ó Ceanntabhail from Limerick. He wrote how one evening he saw a barn owl flying towards the rectory with a rat in its claws. The owl flew very close to him and he couldn’t believe how quiet it was.

For homework, I would get the pupils to interview a parent, grandparent, older family member or another member of the community about Stories of the Night. They could collect piseóga, ghost stories, traditions or memories associated with nighttime. Pupils could video record the interviews and then write their main findings. We could compare the different stories collected and identify similarities, differences and common themes.

Module 5: Consider how many Songs / Poems /Art can you think of to connect us with the Night.

There are a huge variety and range of songs, poems and art pieces that we could explore to connect us with the night in primary school.
Starting off in the younger classes there are nursery rhymes like Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star and Star Light, Star Bright. Then for the older classes there are songs like Coldplay’s A Sky Full of Stars which has lots of imagery and metaphors. The children would be familiar with this song and understand it well. There is also Thin Lizzy Dancing in the Moonlight to explore an Irish connection. Starman by David Bowie is another one I would have covered with classes that focuses on space. The Whole of the Moon by the Waterboys has links to the sky and lots of imagery.
There are also lovely poems which explore the night and darkness such as The Owl and the Pussycat by Edward Lear. Then for the older classes there is He Wishes for the Cloths of Heaven by W.B Yeats which is a great Irish connection. This has strong connections to darkness and heaven.
For art the most obvious one and one that I would have covered various times before would be Starry Night by Vincent Van Gogh. The children could also draw different nocturnal animals like bats and hedgehogs or create a contrasting art piece of darkness in the countryside and the artificial light we see in the town and city. This would be a great way to highlight the range of light in our locality. You could also create a collage of the different moon phases.

Design a Dark Sky Park

I would have previously done work on Dark Skies using the frameworks on Light Pollution and The Past, Present and Future of Dark Skies. I would use elements from the lesson plan “Design Your Own Dark Sky Park” from Curious Minds (formerly Discover Primary Science and Maths).

Trigger questions:

• Why are dark sky parks special?
• What can we see in the sky on a clear night? – Use Stellarium as a resource.

Wondering

• Who would visit a Dark Sky Place?
• Who would benefit from a Dark Sky Place? – Make a list of people/animals.
• What kind of animals live in a Dark Sky Park? (Module 4 – diurnal/nocturnal animals)
• How can we assess the quality of a dark sky park? (Module 3)
• What kind of lighting could be dark-sky-friendly? (Module 3)

Then show the children a *map of Ireland at night and ask them to identify another area in Ireland that would be suitable for a Dark Sky Park. We would compare it to the other dark sky parks in Mayo and Kerry. Once the area is selected, use lightpollutionmap.info to zoom in on the area and pinpoint a location.

*(Ref: Photo of Ireland at night taken in 2010 by ESA astronaut Paolo Nespoli – https://www.skyatnightmagazine.com/space-missions/astronaut-paolo-nespolis-earth-images-from-the-iss)

Explore
Identify the interested parties and examine the design from their point of view.

• Planners
• Visitors
• Conservation Rangers
• Local residents
• Wildlife
• Scientists – experts on astronomy/zoology

Divide the class into groups and assign a role to each, considering their needs, interests, and concerns. Once all this information has been compiled, move onto the next step of designing the park. Assign different tasks to each group.

Make

• Create a map of a dark sky park to identify and display good viewing areas for dark sky observations.
• Create information sheets on the nocturnal wildlife species present in the Dark Sky Park.
• Design a visitors’ brochure highlighting the best things to see in the night sky from your dark sky park.
• Write an equipment list required for stargazing.
• Write information to help local residents improve their lighting.

Once complete, each group will present to the class.

For my 3rd Class,  I would develop a  project called “Stories of the Night”, inviting children to explore stories, legends, traditions and beliefs about night time from different cultures around the world. The project would provide an opportunity to celebrate the diverse backgrounds represented within the classroom while exploring a theme that is familiar and fascinating to all.

I would begin by asking the students what they think about when they hear the word “night”. They might suggest the Moon, stars, dreams, animals, darkness, Halloween or bedtime stories. We could then discuss how people in different cultures may have developed stories and traditions to explain or make sense of the night.

Each child could be invited to bring a story, legend, tradition or piece of folklore connected to their family or cultural background. For example, children could ask parents, grandparents or relatives to share a nighttime story that has been passed down through their family. Children who do not have a family story could choose a story from another country or culture that interests them. This would ensure that everyone can participate.

The class could create a large “Night Around the World” map, placing each story on the country or region where it originated. Groups could then present their stories to the class through storytelling, drawings, puppets, drama or short performances. This would develop oral language, listening and presentation skills while encouraging children to appreciate different perspectives.

As a final class project, the class could create a “Stories of the Night” book or exhibition, containing illustrations, short retellings and information about the cultural origins of each story. Families could be invited into the school to share stories or listen to the children’s presentations. This could also be done as a podcast and shared with the school community.