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ASSIGNMENT
Review the paper Unravelling STEM: Beyond the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (Liston 2018) and reflect on what STEM education looks like in your classroom.
Choose one of the following…
- Gravity/Weight – Assemble an Earth Tube and one other planet tube – decorate in a suitable manner.
- Construct a sundial in your immediate area or plan for your school grounds to see where a sundial could be placed
- Plan how your students could “observe and record the positions of the sun when rising and setting and at different times of the day”
- ESERO 30 Day and Night in the World
- One Year on Earth – Understanding the Seasons Resource (ESA)
Share a descriptor (150 words minimum) in this forum as a reply to this post on how you would engage your students with this activity.
Also, please respond to at least one other participant’s post in this forum.
UPDATE JULY 25: Since July 1st our facilitators have occasionally observed that course reflections may be generated with the assistance of AI tools. While AI can be a helpful support for drafting ideas or exploring different ways to express your thinking, it is essential that your forum posts reflect your own understanding and engagement with the course content. This is in line with the Department of Education and Youth’s Summer Course guidelines.
Before posting to the forum, we encourage you to take a moment to review your contributions and, if necessary, revise them to ensure they are appropriate and authentically your own. -
3. Plan how your students could “observe and record the positions of the sun when rising and setting and at different times of the day”
To observe and record the position of the Sun, we can do a fun and simple activity over a few days. First, we will choose a safe place outside with a clear view of the sky, like the school yard or your garden at home. Every day, we will look at the sky at three times – sunrise (early morning when school starts), midday (around lunchtime), and sunset (just before school ends). At each time, we’ll write down where the Sun is in the sky – is it low, high, to the east, or to the west? We can also draw what we see.
To help us remember and compare, we’ll use a chart to record the date, time, and what we observed. We could even take photos or draw pictures of where the Sun is in the sky and what shadows look like at those times. If we do this for a week, we’ll start to notice a pattern. The Sun always rises in the east and sets in the west, and it moves across the sky during the day. This activity helps us understand how the Sun’s position changes and how that affects light, heat, and shadows throughout the day. It’s like being a scientist with your own sky diary!
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I agree Emma, the use of a sky diary would be a lovely activity. Too often we rush through lessons and activities due to how busy we are in school-it would be lovely to take the time to complete this activity,also it is linked to mindfulness and wellbeing, it is an opportunity to allow our students to slow down, be present in their activity and hone their observation skills. It is also a non screen activity which is important as students often need planned digital detoxes as part of the school day as they can be over reliant on them.
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2. Construct a sundial in your immediate area or plan for your school grounds to see where a sundial could be placed
6th class
This lesson would generate great excitement in my classroom. There are so many teaching points in relation to sundials that it would integrate across a variety of subjects such as history, maths and geography.
I would begin by discussing the history of timekeeping and how ancient civilisations used sundials. Then I would explain the science behind sundials: the Earth’s rotation, the concept of shadows, and how they relate to time. I would show them images of different types of sundials and bring in one that I have at home.
We would discuss where would be the best location for the sundial. I would hope that they would select a large area in our school field which has no obstructions near it and has exposure to the sun. I would highlight the importance of finding true north using a compass for the sundial.
The pupils would then work in groups to discuss what materials we would need for the sundial. They need to be strong enough for the Irish weather. Once decided we would set to work constructing it and then positioning it. The pupils would mark the time at each hour using stones. It would be a great activity for the entire school to enjoy.
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This is a fantastic and engaging lesson idea with strong cross curricular links. Your integration of history, geography, and science provides rich learning opportunities, and involving students in each step, from research to design and construction, encourages ownership and teamwork. Discussing the science behind sundials and the Earth’s rotation makes the learning both practical and meaningful. Bringing in a real sundial is a lovely touch and will spark curiosity. Emphasising the importance of location and using a compass to find true north is also a great way to develop spatial awareness and geographic skills. Encouraging pupils to select durable materials for Irish weather adds a real-world problem-solving element. Using stones to mark the hours is simple but effective. It’s especially wonderful that you’re thinking about this as a whole-school activity. This will give pupils a great sense of pride in their work. Overall, it’s a well-rounded and memorable STEM learning experience.
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Hi Gráinne,
Welcome to the course and thank you for sharing your thoughts on the sun dial activity from this module.
I like how you plan to integrate it across other subject areas as it is an ideal opportunity to make meaningful connections and links with the sundial and aspects of history. It is also great how you plan to develop the sun dial but also encourage the whole school to benefit from it and learn from the sun dial that the 6th class will create. Also a fantastic opportunity for the children to be proud of their work as the whole school benefit from it.
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Gráinnes plan to construct a sundial with 6th class is so indepth and well thought through I feel I could do it too and that it would generate interest and excitement for sure.
I love how you’re weaving together history, science, and geography in such an active, hands-on way. Bringing in a sundial from home is a lovely personal touch that will really bring the concept to life for the pupils.
The emphasis on location and using a compass to find true north is a brilliant opportunity to develop spatial awareness and practical map skills. It’s also great that you’re encouraging group discussion around materials—thinking about durability in the Irish climate is such a realistic and important consideration.
Marking the hours with stones is a simple yet powerful visual element, and I can imagine the sense of ownership and pride the children will feel in seeing their sundial working day by day. It’s also wonderful that you’re thinking of how the whole school can benefit from the project—such a great way to promote collaboration and shared learning.
Thanks for sharing this—it’s really inspiring! Rachel
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This sounds like a brilliant and engaging activity! I love how you’ve integrated history and geography alongside the science. Involving students in choosing the location and materials makes it really hands-on and meaningful. The idea of marking the hours with stones is simple but effective and a great way to make it accessible for all.
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Hi Sarah
Welcome to the course and thank you for sharing your thoughts on Module One.
I like your idea to complete a sky diary with the class. Taking photos at the same spot each time will also give children the opportunity to compare photos and the location of the sun. I also like how you plan to explore the shadows across the day also. It is an ideal opportunity for the children to become involved in recreating the same pose across the day to track the changes.
I hope you enjoy the course.
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Construct a sundial in your immediate area or plan for your school grounds to see where a sundial could be placed:
My class would absolutely love this lesson. I would start by teaching the history of sundials, the Ancient Egyptians and the Maya in Mexico. We would research these civilisations and related peoples and find out if there were any old sundials found in Ireland, if so, where and what is the oldest.
We would follow up by using a torch indoors. Looking at how shadows can be cast, making some shadow puppets on the walls and changing direction of the light source to show the difference it makes with our hands.
Finally, we would go outside. I would draw a circle (I have the perfect place in mind where there is concrete and we can use chalk). We would make a centre point and using a compass (pre teach north and south and how compass works) find south. We would start by using a simple stick in a flower pot to make the first shadow line and write the time with chalk. We would check the times over the duration of the day and repeat the exercise the following day to compare the lines and times.
Any time the kids get to leave the classroom for an activity is a bonus. The love to be out and active!
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Hi Aoife,
Welcome to the course, I hope you enjoy it.
I really like how you plan to explore the sun dial in ancient civilisations initially for meaningful connections with the history of the sundial.
I think exploring shadows indoors initially will also develop their knowledge of the concept of shadows and then it can be explored with the sundial. Children do love to be out and active as you have mentioned and exploring how the shadows change on the sundial will really support their learning and get them outside. Thanks for sharing your ideas for this activity.
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It’s a great idea to introduce the concept of sundials to children by exploring ancient civilisations and the people who invented them.
I would like to explore this topic with the class I am going to have in the next academic year (4th) but I will have to simplify and differentiate it for their current level of ability.
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Aoife I think this is a lovely idea and I think it is great the way you would integrate different subjects like History as I always feel that children get greater learning opportunities if the content is addressed through different subject areas. From a practical level with time constraints etc integration of subjects is also very effective.
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I really like this approach especially how you tie in history with hands on science! My class would approach this in a very similar way.
I really like your idea of using a torch indoors first it’s such a fun, visual way to introduce shadow movement before heading outside. We have a sunny spot near our school garden that would be perfect for marking shadow lines with chalk too.
Like your students, mine are always excited for outdoor activities, and this project would definitely get them engaged and curious!
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Its amazing how far the potential of looking at sundials in class could bring. I agree that ancient civilisations is a great cross over as is time in Mathematics but the artistic elements of the shadow puppets and shadow ‘performances’ and silhouettes in Creative Arts wasn’t immediately apparent to me but I will definitely be availing of them as lovely crossovers too. Thank you
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Apologies, I think I posted this in the wrong reply box! Reposting here:
Construct a sundial in your immediate area or plan for your school grounds to see where a sundial could be placed:
My class would absolutely love this lesson. I would start by teaching the history of sundials, the Ancient Egyptians and the Maya in Mexico. We would research these civilisations and related peoples and find out if there were any old sundials found in Ireland, if so, where and what is the oldest.
We would follow up by using a torch indoors. Looking at how shadows can be cast, making some shadow puppets on the walls and changing direction of the light source to show the difference it makes with our hands.
Finally, we would go outside. I would draw a circle (I have the perfect place in mind where there is concrete and we can use chalk). We would make a centre point and using a compass (pre teach north and south and how compass works) find south. We would start by using a simple stick in a flower pot to make the first shadow line and write the time with chalk. We would check the times over the duration of the day and repeat the exercise the following day to compare the lines and times.
Any time the kids get to leave the classroom for an activity is a bonus. The love to be out and active!
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I remember creating a sundial in school and can still recall the excitement it brought — I know my class would love it too. I’d start by pre-teaching the history of sundials and how they led to the clocks we use today, as well as introducing the concept of shadows using paper and a torch to model the sun’s movement.
In small groups, we’d head to the garden to build our own sundials, checking them at intervals throughout the day to estimate the time. Working in groups allows for comparison and encourages discussions around variables: Should the sundial be moved? Where should we stand when recording the time? Why might a sundial not always work? This activity would spark curiosity, develop observation skills, and support scientific thinking in a really hands-on and memorable way. I also love that this activity can be altered for younger classes or older, depending on discussion points- an activity that can be redone throughout the years!
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I really like this idea — it’s a great mix of science, history, and hands-on learning. The links to the Egyptians, Maya, and Irish sundials make it really meaningful. The shadow puppets and outdoor chalk activity are simple but effective ways to help the class understand the Sun’s movement. Definitely something I’d try with my own class.
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Task 1: Gravity/Weight – Assemble an Earth Tube and one other planet tube – decorate in a suitable manner.
I think that this activity would be great for the younger classes in the school. They would find great joy in this hands-on activity (plus I’m sure they would be more than happy to have to empty a Pringle tube at home for the lesson!).
The children could all choose different planets to represent on their tubes. They could revise the pull of gravity on each of the planets, with the data being displayed on the whiteboard. The teacher could then refer back to the pre-taught planets song – my personal favourite is this one from Drake and Josh:
They could be asked if the planets are in the correct order based on their weight. They could be asked to rearrange them in weight order, devising a new song in small groups to help remember the planets in weight order.
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The new song sounds like a great idea, Emma. I know my pupils would love the creative aspect of it (and the chance to show off their musical talents) and it would definitely help them to remember the planets. Lots of fun and good for cross-curricular integration as well – art, music and science. And as you say, getting rid of the last few crisps from a packet of Pringles so they could bring the empty tube to class the next day would be a far from onerous task!
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Plan how your students could “observe and record the positions of the sun when rising and setting and at different times of the day”.
For this activity, I would chose to build sundials with my students. It’s a simple, hands-on way to explore Earth’s rotation and how the sun moves across the sky during the day. We start by learning how sundials work, and then each student creates their own using cardboard, paper plates, and a straw or stick for the gnomon. We set them up in a sunny area of the school yard and mark the shadow’s position every hour. It’s amazing how quickly they start noticing patterns and asking questions for example ‘Why does the shadow move this way?’ ‘Why is it shorter at noon?’ etc.
This activity brings together science (Earth and space), math (measuring angles, telling time), and design (building and testing their sundials). It’s a great way for students to see how these areas overlap. It also gets them outside, observing and connecting with the natural world. And honestly, they love it, it’s the kind of learning that sticks with them.
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After reading Unravelling STEM: Beyond the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (Liston, 2018), I realised that STEM is more than just teaching the four subjects separately. It’s about linking them together and helping children solve real-life problems in fun and creative ways. The paper made me think about how important it is for students to explore, ask questions, and learn by doing — not just by listening.
In my fifth class, I try to make STEM lessons hands-on and exciting. For example, when we learned about gravity and weight, we built an Earth Tube and a Mars Tube. The children loved decorating the tubes and learning how gravity is different on other planets. They could see how much lighter things would be on Mars compared to Earth, which made the lesson really stick.
This activity showed how science (gravity), technology (building), engineering (designing), and maths (comparing weights) can all work together in one fun project. It helped the children understand big ideas in a simple way. Going forward, I’d like to bring in more topics like climate change and animals to make STEM learning even more connected to the world around them. -
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Plan how your students could “observe and record the positions of the sun when rising and setting and at different times of the day”.
I have done the observation part of this before but hadn’t worked out a way to keep a scientific/ written record. I just brought students out at different times of day and they described where the sun was and how the position had changed. Students took turns recording approximate sunrise and sunset times in groups as this happened outside of school time dependent on time of year and we used a website to check times. This helped to reinforce the idea of the different positions as students might have to go to a completely different room in the house to see the sun set versus rise. I had not actually thought about just recording sun position on a window of the classroom which would be very simple and effective. Unfortunately, at the moment the classroom I’m in only has one bank of outward facing windows and the view is onto a terrace. I think with the layout of our yard, and some building obstruction, a photographic record might be most useful. It would incorporate math as students would have to make sure that the photograph would be taken from exactly the same position and a tripod or table was at exactly the same height. We might have to take a photo in front yard and back. Or if possible, the phone or iPad could be left in position and take a photo on the hour. Then the sequence of photos could be shown on the IWB. The make a sundial activity would further reinforce the learning. I like the outside one that was made with the bamboo rod and stones. Everyone would be engaged and it’s hands on, which is always better. This would be a lovely activity to give for homework after students had made one in school. It would be a lovely art project.
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Hi Orla,
Thanks for your post and welcome to the course!
I am delighted to read that you have already carried out observations with your learners, and I can see you have reflected on ways to record this. It is a pity you have limited options in the classroom in terms of windows, but where there is a will, there is a way!
It could be interesting to present this as a challenge for your learners to solve before mentioning anything about cameras or tablets, and see what they would propose. There could be several ways to achieve this that could be compared, refined and reflected on.
The sundial is a terrific activity, with minimal materials required, making it very accessible but with a lot of learning potential.
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2. Construct a sundial in your immediate area or plan for your school grounds to see where a sundial could be placed.
We are lucky to have a sensory garden in our school with a nice paved courtyard which would be ideal for creating a communal sundial, especially as the classroom leads out to this area.
To start the lesson, it would be invaluable to show them examples of sundials to engage their attention, spark their imagination, and encourage discussion.
They could work collaboratively in groups using the engineering design process to create their prototype.
I would just have to ensure that this place gets enough sunlight throughout the day. The children could observe this, make notes, and decide on the optimal location. Using a compass, the orientation for the sundial could be ascertained.
As a follow-up activity, the children could make their own sundials using the resource 52 on esero.ie.
Introduction of terminology such as gnomon, etc.
To consolidate their learning, a whole-class discussion on the sundials and how we might improve them could be explored.
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Hi Denis,
Thanks for your post and welcome to the course.
I really like how your lesson plan gives the learners ownership of finding out whether or not the sensory garden is a suitable location for the sundial. By making every step a learner-led journey of discovery, they will be fully engaged and active throughout, in doing so, developing their STEM skills.
It’s great to add new terminology like gnomon to a STEM board/poster if possible. It’s a rarely used word, but it adds to their STEM vocabulary.
There are numerous benefits to class discussions on how to improve design, and learners may surprise you with their insightful answers. If time allows, it would be wonderful to try one improvement suggestion out.
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Having read “Unravelling STEM: Beyond the Acronym” (Liston, 2018), I was struck by how essential it is to approach STEM not just as four separate subjects but as an interconnected way of thinking. This perspective encouraged me to rethink how I approach science in the classroom, moving away from topic coverage and toward deeper, authentic investigations that encourage curiosity, critical thinking, and creativity. With that in mind, I plan to guide my students through an ongoing project to observe and record the sun’s position at different times of the day. We’ll begin by marking sunrise and sunset times on the board daily, then move outdoors to sketch where the sun is located during various periods (morning break, lunchtime, home time). We’ll track this over a week or two, using simple drawings or digital photos, before discussing patterns and changes. The activity naturally integrates science, maths, geography, and digital skills, exactly what STEM education should promote.
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Task 3
Infants:
To help my infant class observe and record the sun’s position, over several days, I would bring my class outside at two key times: morning, and midday. I would mark a safe observation spot and use a simple sun dial to show shadow changes.
Following this, I would use some storytelling: “Let’s follow Sunny the Sun on its journey!” I would ask the children to notice where Sunny is in the sky and how shadows change. I would then record positions using drawings on the whiteboard. The children would copy my drawing – a sun low on the left in the morning and high at noon,. They would then colour their drawings.
I would engage them with songs about the sun, and use a wall chart to place stickers for each observation time.
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Hi Rachael
Welcome to the course
I like how you plan to use story telling to introduce the topic and to support their learning through drawing tasks following their observations. You could consider taking photographs of specific landmarks and compare the sun’s position across the day to allow for critical thinking also.
Infant classes love to make and explore with shadows, you can also trace their shadows with outdoor chalk which mine have always loved. This would also allow them to compare the location of the sun and how the shadows have changed.
I like how you plan for lots of integration with the arts through art and music to support the learning. Thanks for sharing.
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Assignment 1
Project 2
Construct a sundial in the immediate area of the school or locality.
In reviewing the paper Unravelling STEM: Beyond the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (Liston 2018) and reflecting on what STEM education looks like in your classroom you can see where the argument for ensuring STEM means taking Engineering ,technology and Maths into Science lessons.
The Sundial is a ideal STEM lesson.
If you take STEM to this project.The Science lesson might be as follows
A discussion around the Hypothesis how do we tell time? Picture of ancient Eygpt dials ,ship dials and pictures of Newgrange.To engage the children to think about the sun and shadows.
The technology is the sundial build by the children.
Initially on a good sunny day the children will create their own shadows and mark them with chalk.Work in pairs.Repeat this over the course of the day and discuss.
The Engineering is the thinking ,design,materials and building of the type of sundial by the children.
The class have grown sunflowers so we will place our tallest sunflower on the south facing side of the school where a good shadow can be observed.Using stones and times on card will mark the movement of the shadows.
The maths of this lesson will be the recording of the time and the measuring of the shadows.
The accuracy of the markings can be checked against the class clock and by checking over a number of days.
There is lots of active fun and discussion in this STEM project.
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Hi Donal,
Thanks for your post and welcome to the course.
You have created a lovely plan for this sundial activity-I particularly like your idea to use a sunflower-that’s a new one on me! It could also give rise to lots of great questions and reflections after using it on what would work best over the long term, and the possible issues with using a growing plant for monitoring time.
You provide a couple of examples of how math is integrated into this lesson, such as recording time and measuring shadows. Depending on the age and ability of your class, it can also extend to measuring angles created—whether they remain equal between each hour. Acute or obtuse? On average, how accurate is the sundial versus the school clock? Etc.
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The Gravity/Weight – Earth Tube and Planet Tube activity is an integrated approach that is excellent for use in classrooms. The pupils explore the topic of gravity by comparing the weight of an object on Earth with its weight on another planet. They measure, calculate, and represent data, design and assemble the tubes, and decorate them with accurate features. This integrates Science, Maths, Engineering, Technology & Art. The task is hands-on, collaborative, and inquiry-based, allowing pupils to see the relationship between a planet’s gravity and weight using a visual, hands – on approach.
This kind of lesson makes STEM real for pupils as they’re using hands – on approaches to investigate facts, applying multiple skills at once, and building something they can see, touch, and explain to the class. It is an excellent method of changing abstract data into more meaningfullearning for the children and allows them to learn about difficult concepts of gravity and weight.
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Hi Derbhla,
Thanks for your post and welcome to the course.
I am delighted to see that you can see the value in this planet tube activity-like you say, it takes abstract data and makes it more meaningful for learners. It’s a great one to work on in teams or even as homework if time doesn’t allow.
It also incorporates an art aspect, and it works well to not only repurpose pringle tubes for this but also any other materials to decorate, making this activity accessible and sustainable as well.
It’s a wonderful addition to Space Week activities and can be extended in a variety of ways-learners can present these tubes to other classes to interact with/display, developing communication skills through peer learning opportunities.
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Module 1 Assignment: Making and Placing a Sundial
In this activity, students will make a sundial to tell time using the sun. Use a paper plate as the circle. Draw lines like a clock. In the middle, poke a pencil or stick straight up—this is called the gnomon. It makes the shadow.
To place the sundial, find a sunny, open spot in the schoolyard with no trees or buildings blocking the sun. Put the sundial flat on the ground. Use a compass to make sure the stick points north.
At different times of the day, check where the shadow falls. Mark the shadow’s place next to the correct hour. Over time, students will see how the sun moves and how the shadow tells the time. We could also research Newgrange and look at how during the Neolithic period they created a stone passageway aligning with the rising sun during the winter solstice. This shows that the people had a deep understanding of astronomy.
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I love this idea! It’s such a simple and fun way for children to explore the Sun and see how it moves across the sky. I really like the idea of using a chart to record observations and even drawing or taking photos—it makes it very hands-on and visual. Doing this over a week will definitely help children notice patterns and understand how the Sun rises in the east, sets in the west, and changes height during the day. I also think calling it a “sky diary” is a great way to make the activity feel exciting and like real science. This would be perfect for engaging students in observing and thinking about the world around them.
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Task 2. Construct a sundial in your immediate area or plan for your school grounds to see where a sundial could be placed.
I think constructing a sundial would be great fun for children of every age.
We would begin with a discussion about time and clocks. We would discuss how people from long ago measured time without watches/clocks, using hourglass and sundials. We would discuss what we know about shadows.
We would go outside into the school yard on a sunny day. Armed with our chalk, the children would get a friend to draw around their shoes and outline their shadow on the ground. They would write down the time above the shadow and the name of the child below the feet.
An hour later, we would return and standing with our feet in the same spot, have our shadow drawn again. We would repeat this over the course of the day, always writing the time above the shadow. At the end of the day, we will be able to see that the position and shape of our shadow changed as the position of the sun changed.
After this exercise we would discuss sundials and share what information we know about them. I would introduce the word ‘gnomon’ and explain it. We would discuss how we could make our own sundial, why is location important and what materials we would need. The steps outlined in the template 52 ‘The Sundial’ on Esero.ie are very clear and easy to follow and I would put these up on display, so the children can make their own paper/card sundials. Then we would head outside to enjoy using them!-
Hi Mona,
Welcome to the course and thanks for sharing your ideas on creating a sundial.
I like how you plan to explore the concept through the use of shadows initially, this will help the children to understand how the sun travels across the sky and the different sizes of shadows during the day. The children will then have greater knowledge of how the sun dial will work when it comes to creating their own. I also like how you plan to integrate the sundial with aspects of history. It is an ideal opportunity to make meaningful cross curricular links.
I hope you enjoy the course.
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Hi Mona, I really like how obvious you have made it for a reader to clearly see the integration of the SESE Subjects i.e. history – children becoming historians looking at the past and how these people measured time and what they used etc., I also like how you engaged the children into the lesson through prior knowledge on shadows. A really well thought out lesson for the children in your class.
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2. Construct a sundial in your immediate area or plan for your school grounds to see where a sundial could be placed
5th and 6th class
Our school would enjoy learning how to construct a simple sundial in a simple controlled setting. It would integrate lessons across a number of subject areas such as the history of sun dials. The geography of where they were placed in different parts of the world. To discuss Newgrange in Ireland how the suns placement at different times of the year was used to determine the seasons and crop-growing in ancient times.
We would then discuss using materials we have in school such as a paper plate, a pencil or straw, and a way to determine north like a compass. To then mark the centre of the plate, insert the pencil/straw through the centre, and decorate the plate with the numbers of a clock face. To then learn how to place the sundial in a sunny area, ensuring the “12” on the clock face points north. The shadow cast by the pencil/straw will indicate the time. It would be important for pupils to know where to place the sundial, ideally on a flat, sunny surface. The pupils would check the sundial at different times of the day to verify accuracy and get the best results.
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I really like how you’ve integrated history, geography, and science into your sundial activity. The connection to Newgrange is particularly powerful, linking an ancient Irish monument to modern-day scientific observation is such a great way to show children that STEM concepts have deep roots in our culture and history.
Using simple materials like a paper plate and pencil makes the activity really accessible and hands-on, and it’s a clever way to bring in spatial awareness and measurement. I also think the idea of checking the sundial at different times throughout the day is a great opportunity for data collection and discussion, perhaps even leading into a maths lesson on interpreting results or time intervals.
It’s a project that could easily stretch over several days and build anticipation as the children watch the sundial in action. A fantastic idea.
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As I am a Junior Infant teacher the last 5 years, I was very drawn to the activity on understanding the seasons as I have noticed through the years some children find it difficult to understand fully the order and changes that happen within the year when it is associated with the weather/time/change etc., By reading through the ESA booklet within the last slide, I would engage students in my class with this activity by discussing daily the various changes we can see in our immediate environment throughout the different months/year i.e. trees, plants, animals, weather etc., As a class we would create a display for each season as they arise and children will add to it often e.g. life cycle of a tree/animal during that season etc., This will incorporate the subject of visual arts. We would also incorporate story time into our lessons about each season e.g. autumn stories/stories about animals hibernating etc., Simple everyday language will be used as they are young children e.g. when the earth is tilted towards the sun, it is summer etc., I will incorporate the 5 senses into our lessons when we take part in various nature walks around the school looking at small changes e.g. buds growing on the trees etc., It will be very much based on the class at hand whether or not we can go further with our discussions or tasks etc., I like to work on various themes in my classroom so all subjects will be incorporated as best as we can whether that is song & dance or drama etc.,
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Hi Rachel,
I love this idea for infants. Story is such an effective tool for teaching. The five senses nature walk through the school is such a good idea and so active that the children will be so engaged. I like how the children are adding things to the season display, I could definitely see this working in the classroom and can imagine the children bringing in things to add to it each season. The opportunity for integration here is great especially when you think of the time constraints we have in the infant classroom!
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Hi Rachel.
Welcome to the course and thanks for sharing your thoughts on the lovely activities for the infants. I think if you could use your immediate environment such as trees to record the seasonal changes, it would be more concrete for the pupils in the class and they could make more meaningful connections between the seasons and themselves. Taking photos every month or so would also provide for digital record and allow the children to make regular comparisons from week to week or month to month.
I also like how you plan to explore seasonal changes in a variety of ways to support the thematic planning. Stories, songs and activities in the class will support their learning across the seasons in a busy infant classroom.
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I response to question 5 – One year on Earth- Understanding the seasons
Trigger- Pictures of the seasons displayed on the board- Discuss.
Wondering- When it is summer in Ireland is it summer everywhere else in the world? Christmas in Ireland- weather, colours, clothes vs Christmas Australia- weather, colours, clothes. Why is it different? Why do you think summer in North/ winter in South and vice versa?
Exploring- Using video of day night and seasons to show children how the seasons work. Question children to assess understanding. Introduce vocabulary such as equator, axis, meridians, Northern and Southern Hemisphere. Ensure children understand that everyday Earth rotates on its own axis= 1 Day and that one year = one full rotation around sun. (Use modals to illustrate this) Carry out experiment with children, putting them into groups. Each group will Use model of Earth (polystyrene ball) and sun (torch). They will pick a point on Earth and mark it with cocktail stick, then complete rotations around sun, while Earth is tilted on access.
Discuss findings as a group. Use video Paxi- Day, night and the seasons to consolidate information.
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This approach engages children in both visual and hands-on learning, helping them grasp abstract concepts like Earth’s tilt, rotation, and orbit. Comparing seasons and holidays in different hemispheres (e.g., Ireland vs. Australia) encourages curiosity and critical thinking. Using videos and vocabulary like “equator” and “axis” will really support understanding. The polystyrene ball and torch activity is a brilliant way to bring the science to life. The inclusion of the Paxi video is a great way to reinforce learning in a fun and accessible way
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Gravity/Weight – Assemble an Earth Tube and one other planet tube – decorate in a suitable manner.
I have 4th class next year (after quite a few years in the junior phase) so I’m basing my lesson on this year group and hopefully hitting the curriculum objectives. To engage the students at the beginning I think I would probably kick off with a few questions to get them thinking and to hook their curiosity e.g.
“What would it feel like to jump on the Moon?”
“Do you think crisps would be heavier or lighter on Jupiter?”I would have a discussion with them about gravity and e.g. “Gravity is the force that pulls things down.”, “Earth has gravity, and so do other planets – but not all the same!” and “Big planets like Jupiter pull harder. Small ones like Mercury pull less.” I would use child friendly videos, cartoons and diagrams to help with this and to engage the children further.
I would then facilitate a hands-on investigation allowing them to; hold and compare the crisp tubes labelled with different planets, guess which one feels heaviest or lightest, use a scale to weigh them, record their guesses and actual measurements in a simple table.
I would follow this up with higher order questions to allow them to apply some of what they’ve learned e.g; “Why does the Jupiter tube feel heavier?”, “What would it feel like to walk there?”, “Why do things weigh less on the Moon?” This could lead into some writing or project work.
I would also try to link with other areas in the curriculum to enhance learning further e.g. measurement and data in maths, report writing in literacy, visual arts – constructing models of planets/moon/sun etc, we could also learn more about the individual planets in geography.
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Hi Monica,
Welcome to the course and thank you for sharing your ideas to explore the weight on different planets. I hope you will find lots of ideas in this course for your transition to 4th class next year.
It is important to use lots of visuals and videos to explore the concept of gravity and the difference of gravity depending on the size of the planet. By creating a variety of different planets the pupils can explore the weight on different planets through hands on exploration. It could also lead to some lovely project work on the different planets as you have mentioned. This is an ideal activity to link with Space Week from 4th to 10th October 2025.
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Hi Monica, This sounds like such a fun and engaging way to introduce gravity and weight, especially for 4th Class and I agree with Michelle that visuals would really help. For me, starting with curiosity and using really relatable, playful questions to get them thinking is great and a central tenet of Inquiry-based Learning. The crisp tubes are a great way to make something abstract feel real and hands-on. I did something similar with my own class where we used balloons filled with different materials to represent the weight of objects on different planets. It was a tangible way to explore and feel the “Moon” balloon being so much lighter than the earth for example. Space works really well for cross curricular integration, the possibilities (like space) are endless.
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After reading Liston (2018), what really stood out to me was the idea that STEM isn’t just about ticking boxes for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths—it’s about making learning connected, meaningful, and fun for kids. I definitely try to keep that in mind in my own classroom.
One simple but effective activity I’d love to try is getting the class to observe and record the position of the sun throughout the school day. We could go outside at different times (maybe morning, lunchtime and afternoon), mark where the sun is, and trace our shadows with chalk. Over a few days, we’d start to see patterns and changes—and it would naturally lead into great discussions around time, light, and the Earth’s movement.
We could take photos on the tablets, make a simple slideshow or digital book, and even turn the shadow data into bar charts in Maths. It’s a really nice way to link SESE, Maths and Digital Learning in a hands-on way. I think the kids would really enjoy it, and it would spark loads of questions, which is what good STEM is all about.
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Hi Nicole,
Welcome to the course and thanks for sharing your thoughts on Liston’s paper. I agree that it is important to ensure you have meaningful connections and learning opportunities to enhance STEM.
I love tracing shadows with the children in the yard to track the movement of the sun and the change in shadows. It is an ideal opportunity for younger learners and also to reinforce the movement of the sun in different seasons for older classes. I think photos would be great to encourage a digital aspect and to allow for comparisons in more detail also.
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Yes I agree too that after reading Liston (2018), it brought to my attention that STEM isn’t just about covering material for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths—it’s about making learning connected, meaningful, and fun for kids. This is definitely food for thought for me when planning my lessons next year.
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Hi nicole, I completely agree with your comment. Liston’s (2018) point about STEM being meaningful and connected really stood out to me too. Your shadow-tracking idea is a brilliant way to bring that to life in the classroom. It’s simple, but rich in learning — linking Science, SESE, Maths, and Digital Learning in a way that’s active and fun. Kids love being outside and using chalk or tablets, and it’s great how this activity could naturally lead to questions and deeper thinking. I think it’s a perfect example of how STEM can be engaging without being overly complicated. I’d love to try it too!
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3. Plan how your students could “observe and record the positions of the sun when rising and setting and at different times of the day”
Firstly we will choose several times to observe the Sun daily (e.g., 09:30 AM, 12 PM, 2:45 PM) specific to our school day.
At each time we will mark the direction of the Sun using our compass and estimate its height (altitude) in the sky. I’ve looked into this and people advise using your fist. By using your fist at arm’s length, one fist = approx. 10° of altitude.
We will also note shadows: Observe the direction and length of shadows from a fixed object like a stick or building. From my classroom we can see a shed at the end of the yard so we will use this. We will then record the date, time, direction, altitude estimate, and shadow information/descriptions.By doing this regularly (even weekly) across seasons we will begin to understand how the Sun’s path changes with the seasons. We can observe how days get longer or shorter and also see how solar noon (highest point) shifts slightly.
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Hi Catherine,
Welcome to the course and thanks for sharing your thoughts on the activity in this module.
It is a great idea to use specific times from the school day as a focus to explore the movement of the sun and to use the shed that the children probably see everyday but not necessarily look at the shadows. I think this would be a great focal point for observation and can easily be observed from the classroom. I also like how you plan to do this across the seasons to explore the movement of the sun during seasonal changes.
I hope you enjoy this course.
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This year I will be teaching 3rd and 4th class and I know they will love this activity. I will focus on assignment 3 to observe the Sun’s position at sunrise, midday, and sunset over a few days to learn how it moves across the sky. Firstly, we will choose an area where we can see the sky every day at the same times: sunrise, noon, and sunset. We will observe at each time and write down key facts such as what time it is. Which direction the Sun is (East? West?). Where in the sky the Sun is (draw or mark it). Any cool details (like clouds or weather).We will aim to do every day at the same times for about 3-5 days. Hopefully the weather is clear and we will assess if the sun’s position changes. After a few days, talk about what’s different and what is the same.
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Hi Mairead
Welcome to the course and thanks for your comments on the activity in this module. I am glad that your own class will love this activity. It is a really practical task to explore the movement of the sun. I like how you plan to explore it over a number of days and compare the results, and planning for issues such as cloud cover on these days. Taking photographs at the exact same time each day could also support the pupils as they try to identify any changes or what has stayed the same.
I hope you enjoy the course.
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Construct a sundial in your immediate area or plan for your school grounds to see where a sundial could be placed.
3rd Class
I think this lesson provides a great opportunity for active learning and I could really see the children being engaged in the lesson. It definitely would be fun and interesting as it is so hands on.
I think I would begin by getting the children’s previous related knowledge about sun dials. It allows a great opportunity to talk about different ancient civilisations, I would probably explore the ancient Egyptians here as part of the 3rd class curriculum. I would also talk about the concept of time here and how years ago people didn’t have phones, watches or clocks to help them tell time.I think the use of ict so maybe a video/ PowerPoint presentation would be a very effective tool here to help explain sun dials and how they relate to time. The visual use of this would mean children could look at pictures of actual sun dials and ones from different cultures, etc.
I would get the children to think-pair-share where we could construct a sun dial in the school. I’m sure there would be great excitement here as the would love the opportunity to get to do something outside! I would guide the children to select an area that has plenty of sunshine and we would also explore finding the north using a compass. I think using paper plates and pencils would be a great idea cos each child could make their own. They would be able to mark their own clocks with numbers and discuss the importance of ensuring 12 is facing north. I will explain that the shadow from the pencil will tell the time. I think this would be a nice activity as the children would be able to bring it home also and see it work in the evening after school.
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3. Plan how your students could “observe and record the positions of the sun when rising and setting and at different times of the day”
Ask the children questions about the position of the sun in the sky throughout the day. Discuss the idea of shadows and how they change with the sun’s position. Take time on a sunny day to look at the position of our shadows on the yard at various times throughout the day. Introduce the idea that the sun appears to move across the sky throughout the day. Emphasise this idea by taking an Ipad photo of the sun from the same position at one hour intervals throughout the day. Each time ask the children to predict where the sun will be next time they come out. Discuss the relationship between the sun’s position and what time of day it is. Make a display and also a short movie using the photos taken throughout the day and show how the sun moved. Connect observations made to the concept of the Earth rotating.
In the following days I would use an art lesson for the children to create their own pictures and models of the sun moving across the sky and display these in class.
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Hi Emma
I love the idea of the photos of the sun. Of course you will need to remind the children of the dangers of looking directly at the sun when taking photos of it but I think you should be able to manage to photograph the position of the sun. Adding a prediction element is also a nice idea. Making a display and a movie and then using these to create pictures and models of the position of the sun is a great way to deepen their understanding.
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I have 2nd and 3rd class next year, and I think making sundials would be a great way to explore the sun and shadows through active, hands-on learning. It links nicely with the SESE strand Energy and Forces, while also integrating with the Time strand in maths and the History strand Continuity and Change.
I’d start by chatting with the class about how people used to tell time before clocks and phones. We’d link this to ancient civilisations, especially the Egyptians, and explore how they relied on the sun to track time. I’d use a short video or PowerPoint to show real sundials and how they worked in different cultures.
After that, we’d head outside to investigate where in the school yard would be best for a sundial. We’d use a compass to find north and talk about the importance of sunlight. Each child would then make their own sundial using a paper plate and pencil. They’d number their plate like a clock and position it correctly to track the shadow.
This activity would help the children understand how time was measured in the past, reinforce maths skills, and give them a chance to learn through creativity and discovery.
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Gravity/Weight – Assemble an Earth Tube and one other planet tube – decorate in a suitable manner.
I feel that this activity would be a brilliant way to help pupils grasp the concept of gravity and weight in a hands-on, visual way. To start, I would introduce the idea of gravity by discussing how it’s different on other planets due to their size and mass. We would talk about how our weight changes depending on the gravitational pull of each planet, while our mass remains the same.
For the Earth Tube, pupils could work together to decorate it with familiar Earth elements—landscapes, clouds, oceans, and maybe even images of people or animals to personalise it. For the second tube, we might choose a planet like Jupiter or Mars. If we picked Mars, for example, we could decorate it in red and orange tones, adding craters and dust storms.
Inside each tube, I’d include small objects representing people or items to demonstrate how their “weight” would differ on each planet. This would create a strong visual and interactive link to the science, sparking curiosity and great discussion.
The samples in the video in module 1 was lovely and seeing children involved and excited was encouraging
Rachel
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Hi Rachel,
Welcome to the course, I hope you enjoy it.Thanks for your feedback on the video in this module. They can reflect the learning opportunities and enjoyment of the pupils that we can often miss out on noticing ourselves when teaching.
The Earth tube and planet tube is a fascinating activity for the pupils and I really like how you plan to decorate them with elements from the different planets. This will support the pupils creativity while also learning about the weight on different planets. As you have mentioned they do provide a very visual activity and meaningful link with science and also geography.
Thanks for sharing your ideas for the earth tube.
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Descriptor: Observing and Recording the Position of the Sun – 1st & 2nd Class
To engage my 1st and 2nd class pupils in observing and recording the position of the sun, I would plan a simple, hands-on science and geography integration project over the course of a few days. We would begin with a discussion about the sun—its importance, safety when observing it, and how its position changes throughout the day.
As a class, we would use our school yard to choose a consistent observation spot. At three set times each day (e.g., 9:00am, 12:00pm, and 2:00pm), small groups of pupils would go outside to observe the sun’s position using shadows cast by a fixed object like a yardstick or flagpole. They would take photos using iPads and draw diagrams showing the direction and length of the shadow.
We would use Book Creator to compile our findings, including photos, pupil drawings, and short audio descriptions about what they observed. By the end of the week, pupils would compare the photos and shadow positions to identify patterns—e.g., “the sun is low in the sky in the morning” or “shadows are shortest at midday.” This activity supports scientific skills like observation and recording, and promotes digital learning through meaningful technology use.
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Hi Alison,
Welcome to the course, I hope you enjoy it.
Thanks for sharing your ideas on exploring the movement of the sun with an infant class. I really like how you plan to develop their use of digital learning to document their learning and allow the children to make their own comparisons as they make their observations at different times of the day. As you have mentioned there are lots of opportunities for skills development in this activity across multiple areas of the curriculum.
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Hi Alison, I really like your idea of taking pictures with the iPads and allowing the children to present their findings using BookCreator. It is something I have been meaning to try! I also like the way you have set-times to bring the children outside so they can easily spot a pattern in their findings.
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3. Plan how your students could “observe and record the positions of the sun when rising and setting and at different times of the day”
I teach eleven-year-old students in Dublin. They could observe and record the Sun’s position by choosing an open space in the school yard—ideally where tall buildings or trees don’t block the view of the east and west (which is more difficult than you’d think). They can use google maps or a compass to note east, north, south and west directions. Each morning, students can photograph the rising sun when it meets the horizon and mark the position of the rising and setting Sun using chalk on the ground, or note landmarks (e.g. “Sun rose to the left of the old laundrette chimney”). During the day, they can record the Sun’s height and direction at regular intervals, like 8.30am, 11am, and 2pm, using shadow sticks and measuring/ perhaps sketching with chalk shadow lengths/ shapes. Keeping a daily log over a few weeks will show the changes in the position of the Sun. If trees block views, students can rotate observation spots or collaborate with another class in a nearby school with better visibility to compare findings. The use of I.T. could also be helpful and we could tune into live cameras on our eastern coast, for example Seapoint to see the position of the sun in the morning. This activity would be nice to do in winter as the children may be at school at sunrise. Alternatively the students could do this as a home project and could take photos to show the varying locations of the sun’s position. Within the classroom we could also mark the shadows angles during the day.
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Hi Ellen,
I really like the idea of using landmarks like the chimney to track sunrise.. it makes the task more concrete, especially for kids who find compass directions tricky.The suggestion to use webcams like Seapoint is also really practical, especially in winter or for pupils who might not have a clear view at home. I hadn’t thought about linking up with another school to compare observations. That’s a great way to add some collaboration and variety.
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I teach third and fourth class. I would at first try to grab their interest with a question. Get them talking, discussing the question- How did ancient civilizations tell the time? With no clocks or watches?. I would take students outside to observe their shadow and see if we can predict where it would be at morning, break time, lunchtime, evening etc.. Then investigating what we could use to measure shadows, this hands-on outdoor discovery learning. Bring in Digital technology where children can record their findings. Probe with questions, what does the data tell us, what patterns can you see?.
Another project could be :If you wanted to build a house with maximum light, where would you situate it, where would you place the windows. This is very practical. It aligns with Dr. Liston’s report emphasizing critical thinking, active learning, fostering problem-solving and real-life situations. The paper highlights the importance of observation and practical application in STEM activities
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I love projects with a purpose. The children are more likely to be engaged and create greater connections and learning links. The house activity would be fantastic because after they can move on to discuss where in the school would our classroom be best situated to ensure we get the most amount of light. Real life learning at its finest.
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Hi Tanya, I really like the idea of posing the children with a task that requires them to be critical thinkers ‘where would you build the house and position the windows for maximum light?’. We have started our outdoor classroom and garden this year and hope to add a small greenhouse next year so this is something we could definitely explore when planning for its location.
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Task 2: Construct a sundial in your immediate area or plan for your school grounds to see where a sundial could be placed.
Senior Infants
The children would be very excited about this and lots of different aspects of the curriculum could be incorporated into this. We would begin this topic by looking at Time in Maths, focusing on the different ways we can measure time. As part of SESE (History) we could look at how people long ago used the sun to measure time, focusing on sundials. For Science we would focus on Shadows, using torches in class to create our own shadows. All of this could then be brought together to create our own individual sundials. As part of Art we would decorate our own paper plates. We could create a simple structure using tinfoil and stick these to the paper plates. We’d label where we will record the time on this – morning, sostime, lunchtime. We would then take these outside and place our sundials on a flat sunny spot and mark where the shadows fall at the certain times. We will discuss why the shadow has moved? The children could take these home at the weekend to investigate longer periods of the day. We could have lots of discussions on our findings, e.g. what did we notice about the shadows, what do you think when the sun goes down, etc. A further investigation could be going around the school to find a good location if we were to get a sundial for our school. Storytime could be a lovely thing to do at the end of the day. Books like ‘My Shadow’ by Robert Louis Stevenson could be used.
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2. Construct a sundial in your immediate area or plan for your school grounds to see where a sundial could be placed
Senior end of the school. This idea would be a fantastic cross curricular activity to do with the children. We would begin by having circle time and discussing Time – what helps us to tell the time? We would then start off with how ancient civilisations used sundials and the importance they played in their lives. We would look at different examples of sundials on the interactive board. We would have a recap of shadows and have a few minutes showing how we can make shadows using a torch. For the main activity we would create our own simple sundials by using paper plates and sticking a pencil on it using tape. We’d bring these outside and mark where the shadows fall at particular times of the day. I would question the children throughout activities to further their knowledge. We would do this a number of times throughout the day and discuss our findings. The next activity would be to find the correct location for a sundial on our school grounds. We would get out and survey the school grounds and use a compass to find North to mark on the ground. We will do a sketch in our copies of the location and reasons behind this location. We could construct a temporary (weather dependent) sundial using cardboard bases and a stick as the gnomon before making the final decision. This topic can incorporate lots of different areas of the curriculum and gives the children lots of opportunities to show their learning.
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Hi Rachel,
Welcome to the course. I hope you enjoy it.
Sundials allow for lots of cross curricular learning opportunities as you have mentioned. Exploring the ancient civilisations and how they used sundials would add to their learning and creating their own sundial. I also like how you are giving the children the responsibility of locating the ideal location for the sundial. This will allow for critical thinking and trial and error as they explore the different locations. Thanks for sharing your ideas for creating a sundial.
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Number 3
To help students observe and record the sun’s positions, begin by introducing basic concepts about the sun’s movement and its importance. Provide students with simple tools such as compasses, protractors, and notebooks. Start with a classroom discussion on how the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, and how its position changes throughout the day and seasons.
Organize outdoor activities where students can observe the sun’s position at different times—morning, noon, and late afternoon. Encourage them to note the direction of the shadow cast by a stick or a fixed object, recording the shadow’s length and direction. Have students record these observations in their notebooks, creating a chart over several days.
Engage students in activities such as creating a sun compass or a sundial to understand the sun’s movement practically. Incorporate discussions and reflections on their observations, fostering critical thinking about the earth’s rotation and the changing position of the sun. This hands-on approach makes learning interactive and insightful.
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2. Construct a sundial in your immediate area or plan for your school grounds to see where a sundial could be placed
Senior Class
This would tie in really nicely with monastic settlements and sundials used e.g. in Clonmacnoise. We would discuss how the monks used sundials to tell the time back then by looking at how the sun moves across the sky and shadows change throughout the day. After this, we’d go outside to the yard and work in small groups to place a stick in the ground and use chalk to mark where the shadow falls every hour. This would help students see how time and shadow are connected.
Once we have learnt about sundials and how they work, we could discuss where in our outdoor classroom would be best to place a sundial to tell the time while learning outside. We’d walk around the outdoor classroom area to find a spot that gets the most sunlight. Students would use clipboards to draw simple maps and mark sunny and shady areas. Using compasses, we’d find which direction is north so they can understand how the sundial needs to be positioned. Each group would share their ideas and reasons for the best location. Together, we’d choose the best spot to place a sundial.
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Review and Reflection:
In Unravelling STEM: Beyond the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (Liston, 2018), the author critiques the compartmentalized view of STEM and urges educators to approach it as an integrated, inquiry-based experience that reflects real-world problem-solving. Liston emphasizes the value of fostering curiosity and critical thinking, allowing students to explore concepts across disciplines rather than isolating them. The paper highlights the importance of context, collaboration, and creativity in making STEM meaningful and accessible to all learners.
In my classroom, STEM education aligns with Liston’s integrated approach. I aim to build a learning environment where questioning, exploring, designing, and reflecting happen naturally across subject areas. Students engage in hands-on investigations, collaborative projects, and real-life problem-solving activities that encourage them to think like scientists and engineers.
Descriptor: Observing and Recording the Sun’s Position
To engage students in understanding the sun’s movement and its effect on time and seasons, I would guide them through a project to observe and record the positions of the sun when rising and setting and at different times of the day over a two-week period. This activity would combine elements of science (solar movement), mathematics (time and angle estimation), and geography (cardinal directions and seasonal change).
Students would begin by learning how to use compasses and create observation journals. We’d select observation points around the school grounds and mark sunrise and sunset directions with chalk or markers. Throughout the day, at scheduled times (morning, midday, afternoon), students would sketch the sun’s position, note shadows, and reflect on changes. They would use simple protractors or shadow sticks to estimate angles and distances.
We would compile the data into a shared classroom chart or digital timeline. Students would then analyze patterns, compare data from different days, and discuss how Earth’s tilt and rotation influences what they observe.
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A chose a simple, sensory-based lesson on day and night for infants my infant , using ideas inspired by ESERO’s “Day and Night in the World” activities and through sensory play, storytelling and visual sorting.
Lesson: Day and Night for Infants
I usually break this down into a few mini lessons and there is lots of opportunity for extension.
Focus:
The Sun lights up the Earth during the day, and when the Sun is not in the sky, it is night.
Learning Goals:
• Understand what happens during the day and night.
• Begin to notice differences: light vs dark, awake vs asleep, animals in day/night.
• Use movement, song, and creative play to explore the topic1. Story & Discussion
I will Read a short book or poem like:
• “Can’t You Sleep, Little Bear?” by Martin Waddell- this is a great story to prompt the discussion about light and dark.Asking:
• When do you wake up?
• What do we see in the sky during the day?
• What do we see at night?
The children are always eager to share what they do on the morning and at bedtime, showing their strong existing knowledge around routines
Key words: sun, moon, stars, morning, evening, dark, light, sleep, awake.2. Day & Night Movement Game
• “When I say ‘Day’, stretch up like the Sun ”
• “When I say ‘Night’, curl up like you’re sleeping ”
Mix it up: whisper, sing, go fast/slow.Great for body memory!
3. Day/Night Sorting Activity
🧺 Materials: printed images of:
• Day activities: brushing teeth, going to school, sun, breakfast, birds
• Night activities: stars, pajamas, sleeping, moon, bat, owlChildren sort them into a “Day” or “Night” basket or poster.
We model language like ‘This happens during the day…..’4. Make a Day/Night Picture : this offers insight into individual interpretations and supported expressive language and fine motor skills
Fold a paper in half:
• On one side: “Day” — draw the Sun, kids playing, birds.
• On the other side: “Night” — moon, stars, bed, sleeping animals.5. Sing a Song – to recap on learning in rhythm and rhyme
Sing to the tune of “Twinkle Twinkle”:Daytime, daytime, see the sun,
Shining bright for everyone.
When it sets, the sky turns night,
Stars and moon give softer light.
Day and night, they come and go,
Round and round the Earth does show.Lots of further Extension Ideas:
• Shadow play: use a torch in a dark corner and explore light and dark.
• Nocturnal animal toy sorting.
• Add day/night roles to playtime (e.g. wake-up routine, bedtime routine). -
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The activity I would chose would be option 3 where my 5th class students would observe and record the positions of the sun when rising and setting and at different times of the day. I would make this activity a part of our daily routine for a specified period of time (a week or longer if engagement is high). The children will be given the task of choosing an outdoor spot in the school environment with a clear view of the sky. During the specified period of time the children will note where the Sun rises and sets each day using simple drawings or notes in their science copies. The children can use a compass or compass app on a digital technology to note directions. We will vary the time of day where we complete this activity so they can observe and discuss differences. As an added activity we will use a stick in the ground to track shadows at these times to help visualize the Sun’s movement. To finish the lesson we will engage in a discussion on patterns observed, such as how the Sun rises in the east, moves across the sky, and sets in the west.
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Having 4th class this year, I was drawn to the Earth tube investigative activity. I would certainly include all of our planets in our investigation, as the children could work collaboratively in teams to complete this task. It integrates extremely well with arts in terms of decorating the tubes.
It demonstrates clearly the relationship between mass and weight and this could be highlighted when filling the tubes. Using sand as the contents would be useful as the children could not only feel the difference in weight, but also visually see the difference between say the filling of Earth and Jupiter, for example. As well as this, fun memory games could be incorporated, as the children would have to order them from heaviest to lightest, or even try to identify which planet contains the heaviest mass.-
I feel this would work well for fourth class as it promotes active learning and observation skills in a meaningful way. This activity encourages students to connect directly with the natural world and develop an understanding of the Sun’s movement. It fits well with the science curriculum and integrates digital technology through the use of compass tools. The routine element supports consistency and deeper engagement, while varying observation times allows for comparison and pattern recognition. Including shadow tracking adds a visual and hands on dimension to the learning, reinforcing key concepts. It also helps the children’s understanding of the Sun’s path across the sky.
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3. Plan how your students could “observe and record the positions of the sun when rising and setting and at different times of the day”
For this lesson I would first of all find out the students prior knowledge in this area. They might be aware of landmarks in the direction of the sun rise or sunset. They might be able to say the sun is in their eyes on the way to and from school. Or they might know the directions and be able to point towards East and West
As once as this has been established, we can go about exploring the matter more scientifically. To do this I would suggest to the class that we make a map of the school and check where the sun is in relation to the school at different times of the day.
We could measure once in the morning, again at midday and one last time before going home. This would give us three points to draw information from.
Students can then observe this over a number of days to see if their original result matches. There might also be days with heavy clouds which could raise some conversations about what to do on days when we can’t see the sun.
With this observation we can then come together and discuss our findings. Did the sun always rise and set in the same direction? Did the time of day have an impact on where the sun was? Will this always be the case? We can then look at what happens over a longer period of time and find out the effect seasons have on the rising and setting of the sun.
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One year on Earth- Understanding the seasons Resource
Lesson idea for 3rd/4th class
To help children understand the seasons using this resource, I would make use of satellite images. I would show the children near space views of Earth in different seasons. We would look at how the vegetation changes during seasons.
Then I would make use of a globe so the children could see why seasons happen. Inserting a skewer into the globe, or any sphere and using a torch to simulate the sun, rotating the earth around a fixed ‘sun’ point.
I think using hands on activities like these make it easier for the children to understand and also make the lessons more enjoyable for them.
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Hi Aoife
Welcome to the course and thanks for sharing your lesson idea. The satellite images would allow for lots of discussion and critical thinking as to what season it could be. There are lots of opportunities to compare the photographs also and compare the vegetation as you have mentioned.
The hands on activity you have outlined is a good demo of the sun rotating the earth and would also give the children a good understanding of the changing seasons. As you have said the hands on activities make it easier for children to understand these concepts.
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3. Plan how your students could “observe and record the positions of the sun when rising and setting and at different times of the day”
Objective:
Students will learn how to observe, describe, and record the Sun’s position when it rises, sets, and moves across the sky during the day.1. Morning Observation – Sunrise
Go outside early in the morning.
Look to see where the Sun comes up (usually in the East).
Write down or draw what you see.
Example: “The Sun is low in the sky and feels cool. It rose near the tree on the left side.”
2. Midday Observation – Noon
Go outside again around 12 PM.
Observe the Sun’s position. Is it high up in the sky? Is your shadow short?
Record what you see and how it feels.
Example: “The Sun is straight above me. My shadow is very short.”
3. Evening Observation – Sunset
Go outside before the Sun goes down.
Watch where it sets (usually in the West).
Draw or describe the scene.
Example: “The Sun is near the horizon and everything looks orange.”The children can record there answers and identify the common results they find, and discuss if the results were the same as their predictions before we began the activity.
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#2 – Creating the Sundial
I like the idea of constructing a sundial in the school grounds. I have previously taught history lessons on clocks and how they’ve changed over time. We created sundials out of paper plates and straws and the children had never heard of sundials previously. I think creating a school based sundial would be a good idea to teach the whole school informally and make them aware of what it is. Different groups could make their own versions of it too and go into as much or as little detail depending on readiness and age of group.
With a middle class such as 2nd Class, I would go about it in such a way where I would show the children images of watches, alarm clocks, candles, sundials and sand timers. I would then say – What do all of these have in common and get the children to state their guesses and reasoning. I would then say today we are going to focus on one in particular and learn a bit about it. Get the children to come up with reasons why they might have been used and give me the advantages and disadvantages of sundials.
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Construct a sundial in your immediate area or plan for your school grounds to see where a sundial could be placed
This would provide for an engaging and activity based follow up learning experience for the children having learned about how time was recorded in ancient times. There is so much scope for integration with other areas of the curriculum. This lesson would work across all class levels and could be tailored according to age and ability level. A section of the outside space would be partitioned off and the children, working in small groups, following modelling first by teacher, would prop up a stick as shown in the video and take turns on the hour throughout the school day to mark the shadow formed by the stick with a stone. Another member of the group could draw the line formed by the stick connecting the stick and the rock. Comparisons could be made between the groups and forming opinions and problem solving over what works well or how the investigation could be improved would generate discussion and critical thinking. Although this activity is heavily weather dependent, I think that it would be very enjoyable for the children and generate fun and discussion.
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Construct a sundial in your immediate area or plan for your school grounds to see where a sundial could be placed
First Class
Children will explore time and how it is told. They will learn about where time came from originally and how it was told before clocks and watches. A discussion about how the sun moves across the sky and how shadows change during the day to help them understand and visualise how a sundial might work.
Discussions about sundials and how they work (i.e optimal location).
Children will explore the school grounds looking for a place where they feel would be the best location for a sun dial. Going out for short periods of the day over multiple periods to track shadows and taking photos on iPads and use chalk to mark the shadows and time.
If children are happy with their location, they can then create a sundial to record the time. Children can then move around and compare, contrast and reflect with their peers. This will create discussion about observation and promote further inquiry.
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After looking at the paper ‘Unravelling STEM: Beyond the acronym of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, Liston argues that STEM education is not just about teaching four separate disciplines (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). Instead, she emphasizes an integrated approach that involves creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, and problem-solving. I planned this lesson based on this trying to include each approach.
Objective
Students will observe and record the position of the sun at different times of the day, including sunrise and sunset, to understand how the sun’s position changes.Materials Needed
Compass or compass app (to find directions: East, West, South, North)
Pre-made observation chart
Clipboards or notebooks
Pencils, crayons or markers
Camera or tablet
Shadows tracking stickFirst I would introduce key vocabulary and concepts
Sunrise (East), Sunset (West)
Direction (North, South, East, West)
Shadow, Position, Sky
Practice using a compass or app to find directions.
Show a time-lapse video of the sun moving across the sky.
We would then set up an observation area on the school grounds
Choose a safe, open location where the sun is visible most of the day. Mark key directions (East, West) using string, chalk, or signs.
Place a stick in the ground to track shadows.
Over the wee we would have daily observations
Students observe the sun’s position 3 times per day (example: 9 AM, 12 PM, 2.15 PM). Optional: Sunrise and sunset observations can be done at home.Each time the students would record the suns:
Time
Direction of the sun
Sketch of sun’s position in the sky
Length and direction of shadow from the stick
Weather conditions
Where the sun rises (direction, visible landmarks)
Where the sun sets
Use a simple drawing or label a photoReflection and Class Discussion
Compare all the data collected
Look for patterns (e.g., the sun moves from East to West)
Discuss how the shadow changes
Create a simple class chart or poster summarizing findings -
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I teach in a small rural two-teacher school with 20 pupils. We have started work on our outdoor classroom and school garden. We hope to add a small greenhouse to the garden area next year. This will provide a real-world task of choosing the best location for our greenhouse to maximise sunlight.
I would focus on exploring sundials and their use throughout history with the students.
I plan to provide the children with resources such as paper plates marked with times of 3 hour intervals with a pencil in the middle. We can then go out at various intervals throughout the day and check the sundials placed in various locations around the school garden to check which area gets the most sunlight and at what times. We can record our findings using our school iPads. We can mark out the area for the new greenhouse once we have concluded our investigations.-
The outdoor classroom sounds like a brilliant idea with lots of potential for learning. Using sundials to figure out the best spot for the greenhouse is a great hands-on activity and having the children record their findings on iPads will really help keep them engaged. In a multigrade setting, I’m sure there will be lots of opportunities for peer learning as well! It would be lovely to create a simple weather station in the outdoor classroom. The children could take daily measurements of temperature, wind, rainfall, and sunlight using easy-to-use tools like a rain gauge and thermometer. This would give them ongoing, hands-on data to record and discuss, helping develop observation skills and connect science with their everyday environment. It could also tie in nicely with lessons on seasons and weather patterns.
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Constructing a sundial:
I would choose our school garden to construct a sundial, its level and it receives the most sunlight. We would begin by picking a spot to on the ground where the children’s body casts a shadow, mark this as the central spot, so that they know to come back and stand in this same spot each time.
From this position, place a ruler on the ground in the same direction in which the shadow is created from the child’s body. Use chalk to draw a straight line from the centre spot, going outwards along the line of their shadow. Make a note of the time at the end of the line.
On the next hour, stand in the centre spot again and use the ruler and chalk to draw a second line, making a note of the new time.
Repeat these steps every hour until the children have recorded a shape for at least 4 times in one hour intervals. The sun dial will show how far the sun has travelled during each hour.
Ask the children:
How far is the shadow moving each hour ? What direction is the shadow moving in? Would this be the same in every country in the world? Where do you think your shadow will be in 9 hours time? Why does the shadow move? What is causing it to change position? Will your shadow return to its original position? Can you explain why? -
One Year on Earth – Understanding the Seasons resource (ESA) – Teaching the seasons is such a big part of the junior classes SESE curriculum. I sometimes find that the workbooks can feel a bit out of reach for the children, especially in Senior Infants and First Class. I really believe that tangible, hands-on experiences are key when teaching about the seasons and the changes that happen throughout the year. Some of the ideas I’m planning to use next year include having a daily weather chart that the children update themselves and taking a photo of the tree outside our classroom once a month. These photos will form a digital log of their learning. We’ll create a wall display with a season table where we add anything relating to the current season and take nature walks around our school grounds. I also like the idea of having tadpoles in the classroom to watch as they grow, and planting seasonal plants like daffodils or sunflowers to see real growth linked to the seasons. To make it even more engaging, I plan to have a class teddy who we dress according to the season, which the children would really enjoy. I also think looking at weather reports on News2Day can help connect what we learn in class to the wider world. In addition, incorporating seasonal songs and poetry will help bring the topic to life in a fun way eg. A PE warm up ‘Autumn Animal Scramble’
I think that mixing these hands-on activities with discussion and observation would really help the children grasp the concept of seasons in a way that feels real and meaningful to them.
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Hi Shauna,
You have some great ideas for how to explore the seasons in a hands on, learner friendly and suitable way. Pitching according to the unique abilities of your learners will ensure a meaningful learning experience for your students.To add to the tree activity, it may be interesting to take a photo next to an evergreen and a deciduous tree.
Tadpoles are a wonderful idea, and will certainly create great excitement and interest as they go through their different phases, which learners can observe and draw. Remember that to prevent disease spreading, it is important to return them to their original locality, or within a mile of their source.
The Paxi videos can also be an interesting addition to begin to explore how we move through the seasons.
I love your idea to include songs and poetry-it’s a great way to bring this topic to life!
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To teach the lesson about sundials to my 4th class, I might introduce the lesson with some opening questions, like “How did people tell time before clocks and watches?”
We are lucky enough to have a beautiful working sundial in school our sensory garden which they could look at and compare to pictures of ancient examples in Egypt etc.
We could then move into the yard to create out own sundials.I would explain the movement of the sun across the sky, and experiment with creating shadows, looking at how they change position with the sun.
We could schedule the lesson at noon when shadows are shortest. Then, with their own paper plate, each student could poke a hole in the centre and use a straw as the gnomon. Using a compass to identify north and marks it as 12 noon, they could then use markings around the plate to denote times as shown by where the shadows are.
They could then compare and contrast their sundials, noting any limitations of their designs
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Students will observe and record the Sun’s position during sunrise, midday, and sunset over several days. They will use a fixed outdoor location, a compass to identify directions, and observation journals to note the Sun’s position in the sky. At each time of day, students will sketch or describe the Sun’s location (e.g., low on the horizon, overhead) and note the direction. Shadow lengths and directions may also be recorded using a stick or object as a gnomon. If direct observation of sunrise and sunset is not possible during school hours, students can complete these at home with adult supervision or use photographs and online tools to supplement. Over time, students will compare their data to identify patterns in the Sun’s apparent movement. The activity encourages understanding of Earth’s rotation and helps students develop observation, recording, and analysis skills. Findings can be shared in class through charts or group discussions.
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3. Plan how your students could “observe and record the positions of the sun when rising and setting and at different times of the day”
Having read Liston’s Unravelling STEM I now see STEM as a framework for helping students ask questions, make sense of the world, and collaborate meaningfully across disciplines.
One way I plan to embrace this approach is by having students observe and record the position of the sun when rising and setting, and at different times of the day. This activity combines science (astronomy, Earth’s rotation), math (measuring angles, tracking time), and technology (using tablets or apps for recording data).
We’ll begin with guided observations: students will go outside at three set times (morning, midday, late afternoon) to record the sun’s position using shadows, compasses, and informal sketches. Over a week or more, students will plot patterns, predict future positions, and connect their findings to why the sun “moves” across the sky.
This leads naturally to understanding Earth’s rotation and supports discussions around timekeeping, shadows, and even how ancient civilizations used the sun for navigation and calendars. Students will culminate their inquiry by designing a simple sundial and proposing ideal locations around our school for installation, blending STEM with environmental awareness and design thinking.
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I realised that STEM shouldn’t just be about putting four subjects together. It’s more about helping children think like problem solvers, asking questions and learning by doing.
In my own classroom, I try to make lessons feel real and hands-on, not just reading from a book or learning facts.For this task, I picked Option 3. Planning how students could observe and record the sun’s position at different times of the day. I’d start by talking about the sun and how it moves across the sky. Then we’d head outside three times during the day, maybe 9am, lunchtime around 11am and again about 2pm. The children would draw where the sun is and also look at shadows pointing out how long they are and which direction they’re pointing.
Each child would keep a little Sun Book where they can draw and write down what they see. At the end of the week, we’d talk about any patterns they noticed. I’d also have a big class chart so we can compare all the days together. I think this is a great way for them to see how science and maths connect to their own world in a simple way.
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The Sun Book is a fantastic way to engage children in learning about the sun while developing their observation and recording skills. I really like how it makes the activity enjoyable and hands-on for pupils. I will definitely consider using this idea in our school, as it encourages active participation and helps make learning memorable.
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To see the effects of natural light and shadow in our school environment, we could make a simple sundial .The sundial would help the students observe how the Sun’s position changes throughout the day, encouraging awareness of natural timekeeping and the importance of light in our daily lives. Using concrete materials and a project based approach would be very beneficial to our students as we are a special school
We could collaborate with the Woodwork teacher and use flat board marked with hourly intervals and a fixed vertical stick in the centre. This hands-on activity not only connected with the STEM curriculum (particularly in maths and science), but also helped children understand Earth’s rotation and the concept of solar time.
The best location we identified for a permanent sundial was an open grassy area on the south-facing side of the school, free from buildings or trees that could block sunlight. This project could also raise awareness about the importance of protecting our dark skies from artificial light pollution. This would be an interesting experiment given we are a city school. By integrating this activity into our school grounds, students would gain a practical understanding of natural cycles while developing curiosity about astronomy and the Earth’s place in space.
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Hi Mary,
Thanks for your post and welcome to the course.
You have come up with a fitting plan for a project in your special school, making a sundial.
There is a lot of maths included in this activity, including angles and the use of protractors to ensure the gnomon is at the right angle to tell the time-it’s a great way to bring these aspects to life with its practical application.
I like your idea to build on this lesson with a look at light pollution and its impact in your urban setting. Best of luck with this activity in the coming academic year!
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That is a fantastic idea Mary. I think that making the sun dial a permanent fixture in the yard or garden would really motivate the children to research the absolute best location for the sun dial and to make sure that the area has light all day. It would also bring in art through the strand of paint and the elements of line, shape and colour. I think that having a permanent fixture would entice all classes to learn about time and the seasons due to the ease with which they could access the school sundial. Children are also naturally curious and will ask questions about the sun dial when they encounter it in the garden
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As a principal and someone doing further research into inquiry-based learning, I really believe in giving children space to lead their own learning. When children are encouraged to ask questions and follow their own interests, it makes the learning much more meaningful and memorable. In our school, we try to connect learning to real-life experiences. A great example of this is how our 2nd Class learn about Newgrange and the Winter Solstice each year through the Learn Together curriculum.
Newgrange is a brilliant foundation for learning about space through inquiry. It naturally sparks wonder…how did people thousands of years ago know exactly where the sun would shine on one day of the year? This leads to rich questions about the sun, the Earth’s movement, light, shadows, and seasons. From there, children can explore how the position of the sun changes during the day, or why winter days are shorter. It’s a perfect way to introduce space in a way that’s hands-on, meaningful, and rooted in curiosity, just like the kind of learning Liston encourages in Unravelling STEM.
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I like the idea of using Newgrange as a stimulus for the lesson. It raises so many questions about the position of the sun in the sky at different times of year and different times of the day. It lends itself to asking the question ‘how did people know what time it was before we had watches etc?’ and a discussion about why the sun was so important to our ancestors.
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I would construct a sundial in a sunny, open area of the school yard,. I would discuss the materials needed especially those that will work in the Irish weather I would mark where the shadow falls each hour and label those points to show the time.
This project could be integrated across several subjects. In Science, students can learn about the Earth’s rotation and how it causes day and night. In maths they can measure angles for example, Geography lessons can cover latitude, time zones, and how ancient civilizations used the sun for navigation and calendars. In History, we could explore how sundials were used before clocks. Finally, in Art, students could help decorate the sundial or design creative hour markers.
By combining these subjects, the sundial becomes more than just a science project—it’s a hands-on, cross-curricular learning experience that helps students connect time, space, and nature. This is something that I will try with my class next year!
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Hi Ryan
Welcome to the course. I like your plans for building a sundial in school and especially involving pupils in the design process and choosing suitable materials. Perhaps some smaller individual sundials could be made first to start the process. By choosing the designs and materials for their smaller sundials and seeing which ones work well, they could then transfer their findings to the design of a larger one. As you said there are so many cross curricular opportunities here and also many opportunities for STEM skills development, with the engineering design process, assessing their own work and recording and communicating results.
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– Construct a sundial in your immediate area or plan for your school grounds to see where a sundial could be placed
Our school has a garden area at the back and I feel that this would be the best place to add a sundial. Our students love planting and being outdoors it’s a valuable way of developing their understanding of the world around them. I feel that this natural experience would be further heightened by the addition of a sundial in this space. This is also a lovely calming space for students in moments when they need relaxing time and the sundial could add an exciting for us for the students. The process of adding this to the space could be undertaken as a project for an older class. Their interest and learning could also be extended on by getting them to introduce the dial to younger classes. The way the sundial can be integrated through a wide range of subject across the curriculum makes it a great addition to a school and I think this garden space would be perfect for it.
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Hi Anna
It’s great that your pupils love being in the garden so much both for gardening and relaxing. It sounds like it could be a great place for your sundial. The project could include an assessment of light levels throughout the garden to find the best location for the sundial. This could also lead to investigations on the best places to locate sun loving plants and those that prefer shade which would be a nice tie in. I love the idea of the older class designing and constructing the sundial and then sharing their work and knowledge with other classes.
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Construct a sundial in your immediate area or plan for your school grounds to see where a sundial could be placed
I would start by letting the children experiment with light and shadows. The children could stick a pencil in an upright position in a lump of bluetack and experiment with a torch to see how to make long and short shadows. How does the position of the torch affect the shadows?
I show children images of sundials and ask them what they thought they were. We could discuss how they are used to tell the time. We could construct simple sundials from paper/card and experiment with them using the torches again.
I would use the fact that we are due to get a new school building next year as a stimulus for picking a good location on the grounds. We could examine the plans for the new building and try to pick a location that we think might be suitable for a sundial. We could experiment with various locations, using a pole in an upturned flower pot method described in the video. We could mark each hour or half hour throughout the school day. We would have to observe whether the chosen location was in sunlight for the whole day or whether current or new buildings would block the light
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Hi Natasha
I love the idea of constructing a sundial to mark the opening of the new school building. Looking at the plans for the new school building to choose a location for the sundial is a great link with lots of different areas. It is a great link with geography through the use of maps and plans to look at orientation of the yard and possible light levels. It is also a great link with engineering and the work that goes into designing and building a new school. It would be lovely if all of the pupils’ preparatory work on sundials could lead to them designing and constructing a permanent sundial for the new school
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I completely agree, children learn so much from eachother. Budding up with older classes is so beneficial. In our school we are paired with an older class for reading, but next year I think I may involve them more with SESE too, particularly for hands on activities that younger children could do with a helping hand with!
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To teach my 6th class students how to observe and record the position of the sun I would use a simple hands-on project. Over the course of a week or more I would allow my students to go outside at specific times and note the sun’s position in the sky using fixed reference points, like trees, buildings, or playground equipment. They can then draw what they see on a simple compass chart or use chalk to mark shadows on the ground. Each day, they can record changes in shadow length and direction, helping them understand how the sun’s position changes throughout the day and from one day to the next. I would allow my students to work in groups to compare results, take photos, and discuss patterns, such as how the sun rises in the east and sets in the west. This activity will also help them begin to understand the Earth’s rotation and how it affects daylight. By recording their observations in a science journal, students will develop skills in data recording while also connecting classroom learning to real-world experiences in a meaningful and engaging way.
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How to Make a sundial.
Class: Junior Infants
Resources: 1 paper plate
1 pencil
Play dough or tape (to hold pencil upright)
crayons
Optional: stickers or number stamps1. Check their understanding prior to the lesson starting with questions such as?
“Where does the sun go during the day?”
“Have you seen your shadow before?”Main Lesson:
Show a sample sundial and explain:
“A long time ago, people used shadows to tell time!”Make the Sundial
Poke a hole in the center of the plate.
Push a pencil through the hole.
Use play dough or tape underneath to keep the pencil upright.
Children to decorate the plate with sunshine, numbers, or their own art!Outside:
Use the Sundial
Go outside to a sunny spot.
Place the plate on the ground with the pencil standing up.
Have children mark the tip of the shadow with a dot or sticker.
Every hour, come back and mark where the shadow has moved.Children to draw times around the clock.
Assessment for learning:
Where is the shadow? What happened to it? What happened and why do you think it? What happens to the shadow? Can they recognise patterns?
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Hi Donna,
Thanks for your post and welcome to the course. You have created a fun, engaging and accessible plan for this activity with your junior infant class. I particularly like your attention to the questions that are to be asked-both to elicit prior knowledge, and ensure understanding throughout.
I also like the simple yet effective explanation of how, a long time ago, people used shadows to tell the time. It’s great that there is a plan for all learners to engage with this outside, marking the hours as they pass. If time allows, and the sundials remain in the same location undisturbed, it can be interesting to check in and see if they tell the time the same way the next day, allowing some repetition of the learning and observing how the shadows change consistently.
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Assignment: Construct a sundial in your immediate area or plan for your school grounds to see where a sundial could be placed.
To construct a sundial, I would choose a flat, sunny location where shadows are visible throughout the day. An ideal spot would be a south-facing area with no trees or buildings casting shade. I would begin by placing a vertical stick (called a gnomon) securely in the ground.I would mark the tip of the shadow every hour using stones or chalk. Over time, these marks will represent the hours of the day. For more accuracy, I would start the project at noon using a compass to align the gnomon with true north. This project helps students understand how the Earth’s rotation causes shadows to move, acting as a natural clock. At our school, the open courtyard would be perfect as it is flat, sunny, and easily accessible for pupils.
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Hi Sinéad,
I love how you’ve prioritised a flat, sunny area like the open courtyard—accessibility is so important for young learners. Your step-by-step process using a gnomon and marking the shadow hourly is a clear and effective way to show students how the sun’s movement relates to time. Aligning it with true north at noon adds that extra layer of accuracy while introducing basic compass skills. I can see how engaging this would be for junior classes—watching the shadow move and comparing its length and direction at different times makes abstract concepts like Earth’s rotation much more tangible. It’s also a great opportunity to integrate observation, recording, and prediction skills.
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Assignment 3: Plan how your students could “observe and record the positions of the sun when rising and setting and at different times of the day”
For the children to engage in this activity, I would plan a weekly observation activity to help them record the Sun’s position at sunrise and sunset over a set period of time.Ask students to choose a fixed spot at home or school where they can safely observe the horizon. Using a simple observation sheet, they record the time, date, direction (using a compass or app), weather, and draw the Sun’s position in relation to nearby landmarks. The landmark could be say a specific tree in the school yard, the roof of the building of the school or even in relation to basketball hoop/courts. Encourage students to observe and compare how the Sun’s position changes. In class, create a class wall chart or class calendar where students can add their drawings and findings. Discuss patterns they notice, such as the Sun rising or setting in different places or the days getting longer or shorter.This hands-on project builds observation, recording, and science skills in an age-appropriate, engaging way.
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Hi Sarah,
Thanks for your post and welcome to the course. I really like your plan, and particularly your commitment to it being conducted over a longer period of time-weekly observations build a dataset and will establish a new skillset for your learners as they practice timely observation as an ongoing routine.
I also like how this activity will form part of the days work-observing the sun during the day, and its location relative to landmarks, and as they become comfortable with directions can lead to reflections on why people in the northern hemisphere may choose to build houses facing south, which direction their house faces, etc.
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2. Construct a sundial in your immediate area or plan for your school grounds to see where a sundial could be placed.
I plan to introduce the concept of sundials as part of a short-term inquiry project with a small support group. We’d start by discussing light, shadow, and how we know what time it is — including how people measured time before digital clocks. This would lead into outdoor work using chalk to trace our shadows at intervals throughout the day. I’ve used shadow tracing before to support sequencing and oral language, and it works well for pupils with additional needs.
After observing how the sun’s position affects shadow direction and length, we’d move to constructing our own paper sundials using the steps outlined in ESERO 52. I’d display a large version in the yard or classroom and use it to introduce the term “gnomon”. The goal would be to help pupils recognise patterns in shadow movement and connect this to the Earth’s rotation — ideally through discussion and hands-on learning rather than written explanations. The activity would also provide opportunities for simple measurement and time recording, which supports numeracy targets.-
Hi Susan.
Thanks for your post and welcome to the course! You have created a fitting plan for your learners with an emphasis on hands-on, interactive learning experiences. If suitable for your learners, a Paxi video or a model using a torch to represent the sun may be a helpful addition to supplement learning about our solar system and its role in this activity.
There are many opportunities for maths, and additional ones can be created. How long is your shadow? How tall are you versus your shadow, etc.
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To help students observe and record the sun’s position, we can plan a simple week-long activity. Each day, students will go outside at three different times—morning, noon, and afternoon—to look at where the sun is in the sky. They will use a compass to find directions like east, south, and west, and draw where they see the sun on a chart or school map. They can also use a stick in the ground to watch how its shadow changes during the day. This helps them see how the sun moves across the sky. Each morning and afternoon, students will also write down where the sun rises and sets. After a few days, they can compare their notes to see patterns in the sun’s path. This simple activity will help the class to better understand how the sun moves and changes position during the day and throughout the week.
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Hi Patricia,
Welcome to the course and thanks for sharing your plan. I like how you plan to observe the sun over a week long activity. This would encourage lots of critical thinking as they observe the sun and the changing shadows each day. You could take photos each day to allow for comparisons and these could be added to the notes you have planned for within the lesson.
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Liston’s paper critiques the overuse of the STEM acronym and emphasizes a deeper, more integrated understanding of its components. Instead of treating Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics as siloed subjects, Liston advocates for a transdisciplinary approach where real-world problems drive learning. STEM should be about curiosity, creativity, and context—going beyond coding and robotics to include storytelling, ethics, and cultural relevance. In my classroom, this approach means creating learning experiences where inquiry and exploration are central, allowing students to construct meaning across subjects. I aim to make STEM more about problem-solving than performance, where children see themselves as capable thinkers and doers.
Activity Choice – “Observe and record the positions of the sun…”
To engage junior students in observing the sun, I’d guide them through a daily “Sun Watch” journal. Each morning and afternoon, we’d go outside, mark the sun’s position using shadows, and draw it on a large poster. Over time, they’d begin to see patterns—how the sun rises in the east, shifts slightly through the seasons, and changes position in the sky. We’d incorporate storybooks about the sun, songs, and use simple compasses. This activity connects science with literacy, numeracy (measuring shadows), and environmental awareness. It fosters observation skills and encourages discussion and prediction, building foundational understanding of day/night and seasons.-
Hi Michaela
Welcome to the course. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on Liston’s paper. I agree that the STEM acronym can be overused and it is important to explore STEM across all the subjects ensuring there is meaningful learning across all areas for an effective STEM lesson.
I like how you plan to incorporate lots of storybooks and songs to explore the sun with a junior class. As you have said this would encourage discussion and building the knowledge of the concept of the sun and how it travels across the sky.
I hope you enjoy the other modules.
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Most of my experience is with younger classes so I am tailoring my answer to what I know! To help my students observe and record the position of the sun, I would take them outside at different times of the day. We would look at where the sun is in the sky (making sure not to look directly at it) and talk about where it rises and sets. Using yard chalk, the students would draw marks on the ground showing the sun’s position at each time. Over several days, they could observe and add new marks to see how the sun moves. We would also place a stick or object in the ground and use chalk to trace its shadow at different times, helping students see how the sun’s position changes throughout the day. This hands-on activity will make learning about the sun’s path fun and easy to understand.
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Task 1: Gravity/Weight – Assemble an Earth Tube and one other planet tube – decorate in a suitable manner.
I think that this activity would be great for the younger classes in the school. They would find great joy in this hands-on activity (plus I’m sure they would be more than happy to have to empty a Pringle tube at home for the lesson!).
The children could all choose different planets to represent on their tubes. They could revise the pull of gravity on each of the planets, with the data being displayed on the whiteboard. The teacher could then refer back to the pre-taught planets song – my personal favourite is this one from Drake and Josh:
They could be asked if the planets are in the correct order based on their weight. They could be asked to rearrange them in weight order, devising a new song in small groups to help remember the planets in weight order.
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Plan how your students could “observe and record the positions of the sun
when rising and setting and at different times of the day”For this activity, I’d plan to make it really simple and hands-on for the children. I’d have them observe the position of the sun at three points during the school day – maybe once in the morning, again after big break, and then before home time. We could go out to the yard each time and stand in the same spot, looking at where the sun is in the sky. I’d get them to draw a quick sketch or write down where they see it – maybe using trees, buildings or poles as reference points.
I’d also plan to mark shadows using chalk to help them see how the sun’s position changes throughout the day. After a few days, we’d chat about what they’ve noticed – like how the sun rises in one part of the sky and sets in another, or how the shadows change size and direction. It’d be a relaxed and engaging way to bring in some real-world science without needing loads of materials or prep.-
Hi Luke
Welcome to the course.
Thanks for sharing your plan to observe the sun during the day. It is important for the pupils to have reference points such as trees or poles in the school environment to compare shadows and direct their observations. I like how you plan to record their observations in different forms such as sketches or notes.
As you have mentioned marking the shadows on the yard will allow for hands on activities and learning in Science without needing lots of prep and also allow for pupils to reflect on their learning in a relaxed and engaging way.
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Plan how your students could “observe and record the positions of the sun when rising and setting and at different times of the day”
To engage my students with STEM concepts, I would guide them in constructing a sundial on our school grounds. Together, we would explore the area to find a sunny, open spot, discussing why location and orientation matter for accuracy. Using simple materials like a stick for the gnomon, compasses, and chalk, students would set up the sundial and mark the shadow’s tip at different times throughout the day, labeling each mark with the correct time. The next day, they would check the sundial’s accuracy by comparing the shadow’s position to the actual time.
This activity encourages observation, teamwork, and critical thinking as students notice how the shadow changes and connect these changes to the Earth’s rotation. Building a sundial offers a practical, memorable way to link science and math to the real world, helping students appreciate how people have used the Sun to tell time for centuries.
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Planet Tubes – Gravity
I think this activity is a fantastic way to get pupils excited about gravity and weight. It’s hands-on, visual, and full of fun!
Of course, prior to making the planet tubes, the children will need to have been involved in a discussion about gravity, basing the complexity of information on the level of the class. Focus on how gravity changes on different planets because of their size and mass. We’d explore how our weight can go up or down depending on the planet we’re on, while our mass stays the same no matter where we go.
For the planet tubes, children could be in groups. Depending on the size of the class, maybe they will make all planets per table, or maybe each group will be assigned a planet to create. Pupils would look at satalite images/real life photographs of the planets and decide amongst themesleves what they deem appropriate to add to the tube, for example, for the Earth, they could decorate it with mountains, clouds, oceans, maybe even some animals or little cartoon people to bring it to life. If working on Mars for example, they could stick red sand to the tube. Various fabrics and fibres could be given to the children to work with for this.
Inside each tube, the children could place small objects inside it, maybe little toy figures or mini everyday items, to show how their “weight” changes depending on the planet. It’s a great way to get everyone talking and thinking scientifically.
As an additional activity to keep the children’s imagination ticking over, we could ask the children to come up with their own imaginary planet in groups, give it a name/individual characteristics and what gravity is like on this planet. They could make a tube for this planet too!
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Hi Aisling
Welcome to the course.
It is important for the pupils to have some knowledge and understanding of gravity and the changes of gravity on different planets prior to developing the planet tubes. With a level of background knowledge it will ensure the planet tubes activity will consolidate their learning.
Similarly, creating different tubes and having the pupils research the planet in order to plan for the outside of the tube will allow for lots of creative work and multiple means of showing their learning. Thanks for sharing your ideas.
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1. Gravity/Weight – Assemble an Earth Tube and one other planet tube – decorate in a suitable manner.
I would engage my students by encouraging them to become “space scientists” for the day, exploring how gravity changes across the solar system using something as familiar as a pringle tube. I’d begin with a short discussion to revisit the difference between mass and weight, making sure they understand that while mass stays the same, weight changes depending on the gravitational field strength. Working in small groups, students would assemble their own “planet tubes,. I’d encourage them to predict which tube will feel heaviest or lightest before they test it. Finally, I’d extend the learning by linking it to real-world contexts like how astronauts measure their mass in microgravity on the International Space Station.
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I love this idea and would use a similar approach! Becoming “space scientists” is such an engaging hook, and using the tubes makes abstract concepts like gravity more concrete. I’d also include a class chart to compare predictions and results, helping to reinforce learning through group discussion and reflection.
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After reading Unravelling STEM: Beyond the Acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, I feel reassured that my approach to STEM education in the classroom is on the right path. I teach a multi-grade class (Junior Infants to 2nd Class), and much of our STEM learning takes place through play, discovery, and problem-solving key elements that Dr. Liston identifies as essential foundations of effective STEM education.
For this forum discussion, I have chosen to explore the One Year on Earth – Understanding the Seasons resource from the European Space Agency (ESA). To engage the children, I would begin by showing them a series of images depicting the same trees throughout the four seasons. I would encourage them to describe the changes they observe and discuss why they think these changes occur. I would also ask when they might expect to see each version of the tree in real life.
To conclude the lesson, I would have the children divide a sheet of paper into four sections using a ruler. In each section, they would draw a scene representing one of the seasons in order, including different characteristics or events typical of that time of year.
Although the next lesson in this resource may be more challenging for my age group, I would end the initial session by giving a simple demonstration of the three ways the Earth moves in relation to the Sun. Using two balls, one to represent the Sun and the other the Earth. I would illustrate these movements, placing special emphasis on the Earth’s tilt and how it causes the seasons to change.
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One Year on Earth – Understanding the seasons.
I had a request from my children at the end of the year to spend more time teaching and exploring the planets and space so here we are!
I found this resource interesting and useful. The children often comment on how the seasons have changed unnoticed by us so I am going to start the year by documenting how the parish looks, how the air feels, how people act and behave is this environment. Our children love setting up committees so this would be a must and they could travel to other classrooms, explain what is happening and report their findings. Other classes could have a ‘reporter’ to report any changes and finding back to the committee
Our classroom is already hit with light on three sides so we would observe more closely how we have to adjust the blinds to filter light at different times of the term and seasons. The children are naturally curious about this already and comment informally so it would be a good to explore more formally and with scientific facts and evidence to help them further understand.
Differentiation in our classroom takes many guises so I would have sorting activities and simple rhyming songs on hand to encourage participation of all.
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‘One Year on Earth’
After reviewing Unravelling STEM (Liston, 2018), I’ve reflected on the importance of integrating STEM in a way that encourages curiosity, hands-on exploration, and real-world connections. To engage my students with the One Year on Earth – Understanding the Seasons resource from ESA, I would begin with a class discussion on how seasons change and why. Then, we’d explore an interactive model or animation showing Earth’s orbit and tilt. Students would work in small groups to build simple physical models using globes, flashlights, and markers to simulate sunlight and rotation. This hands-on element encourages scientific thinking, collaboration, and problem-solving. We’d follow up with a group reflection, linking their findings to real seasonal changes in Ireland. This activity supports cross-curricular learning and brings STEM to life in an accessible and age-appropriate way, allowing students to act as scientists while developing their observation, reasoning, and communication skills. -
Plan how your students could “observe and record the positions of the sun when rising and setting and at different times of the day”.
With 6th class students, I would tell them that we’re becoming solar observers for the week, and in groups, we will observe and document the positions of the sun each day. We will use the same sun spot in the yard or school garden and record its position at three times throughout the day, 9am, 12pm and 2pm. Using a metre stick as a sundial, we can trace the shadow the sun casts onto large pieces of card. We will note time, direction, shadow length, and weather conditions into our sun journals.
At home, the children will try and do the same, at different times so that we have a full picture of the sun over a day. At the end of the week, we can compare and contrast different groups’ sun journals and use our learning as inspiration for an art class on the theme of the sun.
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2. Construct a sundial in your immediate area or plan for your school grounds to see where a sundial could be placed.
Answer:
Any class would absolutely love this hands-on sundial unit. We’ll begin indoors with a history lesson on sundials, to create background knowledge for the children. We’ll research whether any ancient sundials have been found on Irish soil, and if so, where and which is the oldest. Next, we’ll investigate shadows using a torch: students will create shadow puppets on the wall, experimenting with hand shapes and light angles to see how the direction and length of shadows change.
On a sunny day, we’ll venture outdoors to the tarmac in the yard. I’ll draw a large circle in chalk, mark its center, and teach compass skills to identify south. We’ll insert a stick into a pot at the center and trace its shadow, labeling each line with the time. We’ll repeat these measurements throughout the day—and again the next day—to compare shadow positions. This active and fun lesson not only reinforces concepts of time and astronomy but also gets the students outside where they love to learn eagerly!
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Hi Jennifer
Welcome to the course. Exploring the sundial in history is a great introduction to the topic and would give the pupils time to explore the timeline and how the sundial works along with exploring shadows in the classroom before moving outside. By giving the pupils some knowledge they can make connections between the history of the sundial and creating their own.
I like how you have planned for skills development as the pupils observe the changes on the sundial. By creating a large sundial in the yard other classes could also explore the sundial. By completing this task across two days there are opportunities to compare results and clarify their thinking. Thanks for sharing this idea.
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3.As part of our primary science curriculum, we recently explored timekeeping by planning and constructing a simple sundial on the school grounds. The project was designed to help pupils understand the movement of the Sun and how shadows can indicate the time of day. After observing where the sun shines for the longest period, we selected an open, flat area near the playground, free from trees and buildings that could cast interfering shadows.
Using a stick (gnomon) and a paper plate marked with hourly intervals, pupils recorded the shadow’s position at each hour throughout the school day. They took turns marking the shadow’s tip with chalk and labelling the time, reinforcing the link between the Sun’s position and timekeeping.
This hands-on activity supported learning in both science and maths, encouraging teamwork, observation, and recording skills. It also sparked discussions about historical methods of telling time and the Earth’s rotation. For schools without suitable outdoor space, this can be simulated indoors using a torch and globe.
The sundial remains in place as a learning station, and pupils now regularly refer to it, developing their understanding of time in a meaningful, memorable way. It’s a simple, effective cross-curricular project that brings science to life.
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Plan how your students could “observe and record the positions of the sun when rising and setting and at different times of the day”
I love the idea of doing this activity with my 5th class students. To begin we would discuss what they know about the movement of the sun and find out what they already know or have witnessed about where the sun is when they wake in the morning, go home from school or just before sunset. We will record this information on a KWL and return to it when we have completed our experiment.
We will then take a look at the compass and how to tell which direction it is pointing. We will learn about cardinal directions. We will then create an observation chart to help us record where the sun is at certain times of the day, 9:30am, 12:30am & 2:30pm. We will take a large plant pot with a long tube of plastic placed in the soil and put this in the yard, where we have a clear view of the sky.
The children will then use the compass to observe where the sun is at each of the 3 set times. They will mark this on their chart. They will then observe if there is any shadow created by the plastic tube, and if so what direction is is and is it long, short etc. Again they will record this on the chart.
Lastly we will take a photo using an iPad of the pot and the shadow. We will display these photos on a Sun Map in our classroom – where we will have a master observation chart to be filled in each day. We will repeat this activity for a full week and then investigate what we have learned about the movement of the sun, the direction of the sun and what we noticed about the sun at different times of the day.
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I thought there was some lovely content in Module 1 and lots of different ideas to suit different class levels. I am currently teaching Junior Infants and I like to teach thematically as it assists with Aistear and play based learning. I would use each season as a theme throughout the year. Summer would provide a great learning opportunity for learning more about the sun. In the younger classes shadows are a great learning opportunity and the children really like to see their shadows in the school yard. To introduce the topic of the sun I would get the children outside on a fine day with some chalk and allow them the opportunity to see their shadows and even draw around some shadows. From here we would discuss why we can see shadows and I would ask them if shadows are always seen and why/why not? From here I think the simple idea of using a plant pot and a stick to monitor the sun is a lovely idea so we would create this and children would have an opportunity to observe it over the course of a few days and reflect on what they notice.
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I would look to complete the Earth Tube Activities with my 6th class.
I would begin by referring back to the Oceangate tragedy which took place a number of weeks ago. I would ask the pupils to consider if the pressure/force which the ocean places on us is in any way similar to any pressure/force we are experiencing at the moment. If the children fail to make any connections with the force of gravity I might ask them to consider how falling items are forced down to the ground.
We would then consider whether this may be the case on other planets. I would then help them to consider the relationship between the mass of an object/planet and its gravity. I would then show them a viseo demonsrating the effects of increasing gravity on humans. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgRJdwipJng
I would then break my class up into groups and they would each work together to create their own solar systems using the crisp tubes and the table outlining the sand/rice to add to the tube.
When complete the children could feel the weight of the tubes on other planets and also use the tubes to create a pupil/moving model of the solar system.
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This is a thoughtful and engaging approach Michael that connects a real-world event to a core science concept. Using the OceanGate tragedy as a hook is a powerful way to make the idea of pressure and gravity relevant and memorable. Your progression—from discussion to video, to hands-on group work with the Earth Tubes—supports different learning styles and promotes collaboration. Having students build their own solar systems adds a strong visual and tactile element, making abstract concepts like gravitational force and planetary mass much more concrete. Great job linking science to curiosity and creativity!
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Plan how your students could “observe and record the positions of the sun when rising and setting and at different times of the day”
To help students explore how the sun moves through the sky, we can turn this into a simple, hands-on daily routine. I would start by choosing a safe, open spot—like the yard — where they can clearly see the eastern and western horizons. Each day, students will go outside at different times—sunrise, late morning, noon and afternoon —to observe where the sun is in the sky.
They’ll use basic tools like a compass or even a stick and their shadow to figure out direction and angle. Then, they’ll sketch what they see, noting where the sun rises or sets in relation to buildings, trees, or other landmarks. Over a few weeks, they’ll begin to notice that the sun doesn’t rise or set in exactly the same spot every day. This kind of repeated, mindful observation helps students connect personally with patterns in nature, like Earth’s rotation and the changing seasons.
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Hi Mark
Welcome to the course. I agree that the mindful observations will help pupils connect with their learning and recognise the patterns in nature. Taking the time and encouraging the pupils to sit and observe across the day and over a period of time would build on their observation skills and as you have said noting the location of the sun in relation to landmarks or trees in the school grounds. The stick and shadow will also provide for lots of critical thinking and discussion. You could consider taking photos of this across the day for comparison also.
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Gravity/Weight – Assemble an Earth Tube and one other planet tube – decorate in a suitable manner.
Introduction – I would first have the children find out the basic profile of each planet in the solar system through on line research (distance, size, properties). We would then first focus on creating a tube of one (mars). I would show the children specific clips from the movie The Martian that focuses on the characteristics of the planet. the children would then gather their resources for the constructive/creative element.Main- The children would acquire materials that reflect the surface of each planet to lay on to their Pringle tubes etc. For earth, lush soft materials such as strips of green and blue sponge for the oceans/land and slightly raised such as sand paper for the mountains. These are easily attached to the surface of tubes. For mars they could use old red coloured carpet to reflect the dry, gouged nature mars. the children would then weigh materials such as Marla to create the weight of each planet(x10 for earth) The children would then use the ratio of 1cm:1 million miles to place the tubes the correct distance apart around the room.
conclusion- The children would present their constructions to the class explaining why they used certain materials/designs etc to reflect the specific planet. This lesson could be expanded into group work where the children work in pairs to create another planet in the solar system. The above activities would ideally be done over a few lessons.
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Hi Christy
I like the idea of the children conducting their own research into the properties of each planet before constructing their planetary tubes. Allowing them to choose a range of materials to represent the surfaces of the planets is a great way of recording the information they have gathered on the composition of the planets and locating them around the room according to distance from the sun is another good way of recording information. Starting with one planet and working on it as a class is a good way to explain the concepts before allowing them to work on their own individual planets in groups.
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Answer to Module One:
To engage primary school children in exploring the concept of gravity, I would begin with the Earth and planet tubes activity.
Children would decorate one cardboard tube as Earth, using blue and green to represent oceans and land, and a second as a different planet, such as the Moon or Jupiter. We would have a class discussion about the size and mass of these planets and how this affects the strength of gravity.
Next, pupils would predict what might happen if we dropped objects like a cotton ball or marbles through each “planet” tube. They would then test their ideas and record their observations. While all objects fall at the same rate on Earth, this s setup allows for playful thinking and deeper discussion around how gravity differs across planets.
To conclude, children would complete a short reflection—drawing or writing about what they discovered and one question they still have. For early finishers, I would provide extension challenges such as researching gravity on different planets, creating a poster comparing them, or designing a fictional planet and deciding how strong its gravity would be and why. This activity encourages prediction, observation, creativity, and scientific thinking in an accessible and enjoyable way for all learners. -
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3. Plan how your students could “observe and record the positions of the sun when rising and setting at different times of the day”.
I teach fifth class and would link this learning to the fifth/sixth class curriculum objectives of the Geography Curriculum (S: Natural environments, SU: Planet Earth in space, CO: observe and record the positions of the sun when rising and setting and at different times of the day). I would use the ESERO Framework for Inquiry to plan the teaching and learning.
As a stimulus, I would use ESA’s video ‘Paxi – Day, night, and the seasons’ to engage the children. I would then use a discrete and answerable starter question – can we use the sun to tell the time? The children would engage in a TPS to start the discussion. The children would then lead the planning of the investigation to answer the question, I would use questioning to prompt them. I would try to lead their ideas towards tracing around each other’s shadows with chalk or marking the shadow of a stick at different intervals throughout the day. I would remind them what is a fair test and ensure they are planning a fair test investigation (object causing the shadow is always in same place when recorded). Before carrying out the investigation, they must record and justify their predictions.
Once they have conducted their investigation, they must use the data they collected and recorded to answer the question and draw conclusions. We will engage in a discussion where I will ask the children to explain why this is the case. I will provide the students with a torch and a globe to aid them in their explanations.
We will then apply this learning by making a sun dial, following ESERO’s video ‘How to Make a Sun Dial at Home’. Following the lesson, I will keep note of what worked well and what could be improved the next time.
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Hi Megan
I love the idea of asking the question “Can we use the sun to tell the time?” and asking the children to discuss it in pairs. The Paxi video should hopefully have prompted them to start considering the movement of the Earth to open up the discussion and your approach of standing back and only prompting them with questions as needed is a great way of encouraging independent thought. Bringing the focus to fair testing and predicting is an important step as is your focus on data collection and using the data to answer the initial question and communicate their results and conclusion.
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Hi Megan,
This is a meaningful authentic STEM activity in which the children are using the data collected to draw conclusions. It will be great for them to communicate their results with their peers and also to the wider school community. I’m sure the children will really enjoy engaging in this activity. Thanks for sharing this activity with us.
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I would begin by exploring shadows using a torch and various objects. The aim would be for the children to realise that as the light source changes the shadow cast does too.I would also bring the class outside at various times of the day to observe and mark their shadows, they could then compare their findings.I really like the idea of making a sundial with my class. There were 2 types explained in module 1 , a home made version using a stick or a ready made template to be made using cardboard on space week .ie I would opt for the stick version. First we would have to choose a good location in the school grounds which has direct sunlight all day. Then we would use a plant pot and a bamboo stick to create the basic model. As a class we would observe the shadow cast at 9 am and mark the spot and record the time with a stone and chalk. I would then send the children out in groups each hour for the rest of the day to mark each hour. We could also make the cardboard version and place it in a similar location to compare. I think this activity would link in very well with history and maths (theme: time)
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Hi Shona,
Welcome to the course. I like how you plan to explore the concepts of shadows first before moving on to the sundial. Pupils love to explore shadows and tracing them on the yard allows for comparison and critical thinking. I like how you plan to let the pupils work on developing the sundial and recording each hour. This will give them real ownership of their learning and connect their learning about shadows and the sundial. It is also a great topic for integration as you have mentioned.
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I have chosen to plan a lesson to teach about topic 3:’Plan how your students could “observe and record the positions of the sun when rising and setting and at different times of the day”. I have chosen to plan this for 1st class as I will be teaching 1st class in September.
To begin teaching the kids about the sun. We will look at where the sun is in the sky in the morning, at lunchtime, and in the afternoon. First, we would go outside in the morning and look at where the sun rises. The students would thenl draw what they see in their Sun Journals. At lunchtime, we wouldl go out again and look at where the sun is—has it moved? We’ll draw that too! Then, before they go home, we would check the sun one more time and draw its new spot in the sky.
We would talk about the sun’s journey and how it seems to move during the day. We would use a compass or landmarks to help notice directions like East (where the sun comes up) and West (where it goes down). Over a week, we could make a mini sun book showing what we’ve seen. We could become sun detectives and discover how the sky changes! -
4th/5th Class lesson
Following on from exploring the theme of the sun, I would engage the children in a group activity where they have to observe and record the positions of the sun when rising and setting at different times of the day. I would ask the children to collaborate and discuss the varying ways we could record this using shadows eg, using the trees in the yard, using a meter stick, using their bodies ect. I would encourage different methods for each group for variety and motivation for the project. I would use tools like chalks to draw around shadows and rulers to record length and width of shadows at the varying times of day. We would discuss safety when observing the sun. We would choose a certain location within the school yard and three specific times within the school day to record. We could incorporate the use of an Ipad to take pictures of the position of the sun. Each group could use bookcreator to input their findings and record the things they noticed about the position of the sun. The sun is lower in the sky in the morning and higher in the sky during the day time. We would link the movement of the sun’s position with how the earth rotates.
Following on from the observation we would create a project to showcase our findings through art or media presentation we would share with other classes. -
4. Plan how your students could “observe and record the positions of the sun when rising and setting and at different times of the day”
In my infant class next year, I will plan a simple, hands-on approach over several days to help the kids observe and record the sun’s position. Each day, we will go outside at different times. Morning, midday, and afternoon. We will look at where the sun is in the sky. We would use trees or buildings to describe its position. The children will draw what they see in their SESE copies or on a class chart using symbols and simple pictures. We would also observe how shadows change and use chalk to trace them. For sunrise and sunset, we could watch short videos or discuss what they notice at home. Throughout the week, we’d talk about patterns and sequence the sun’s movement using storyboards or picture cards.
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Hi David,
Thanks for your post and welcome to the course. Your plan is most fitting for your infant class in the coming academic year. By keeping it simple, using repetition and monitoring using landmarks, learners will begin to observe and understand the sun’s position throughout the day. By the end of a few days, learners should be confident in predicting where the sun will be during the three observation outings.
Using chalk to outline shadows as they change is a wonderful way to physically engage learners in a hands-on but meaningful activity. Lots of questions can be used to elicit existing knowledge and encourage further understanding of their observations. Here’s hoping for some sunny days to carry out this activity!
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I currently teach senior infants and always teach through play-based themes each month along with the use of picture books. For this theme I would use the Paxi videos and a variety of books throughout the year. One book that I would use through the all the seasonal themes is ‘The Things I love about Trees ’ by Chris Butterworth. I would use each season as a theme throughout the year. We would focus in on the trees in our school grounds, weather, animals, people’s clothes while focusing on these in our play-based learning. I would also focus in on a deciduous tree at the front of our classroom and one evergreen tree at the back of our school. We would take photographs each fortnight of each of the trees and talk about its foliage, the weather, animals we see within our school grounds and what type of clothes people were wearing during each fortnight. We would discuss whether type of clothes the children were wearing related to the current weather we were experiencing? We would print the photos of the trees and discuss what was happening to the leaves on the trees. We would discuss any patterns we noticed with the trees and any changes we noticed with the foliage and colours as we moved through the seasons. This would allow the children to observe the seasonal changes within their own local environment and make it meaningful for them.
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Hi Marie,
Thanks for sharing and welcome to the course! Delighted to see you plan on using Paxi videos-they really do cover a lot, and work perfectly with your age group of learners.I just had a quick look at “The Things I Love About Trees”-what a terrific read for young learners-great sensory details, seasonal observations and illustrations.
I like the thorough nature of your plan-joining the dots between weather, the seasons, clothing, biodiversity and evergreen versus deciduous trees. It is a great opportunity for learners to connect to their locality and the rhythm of its changes across the seasons.
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I just looked up “The things I love about trees” also, it looks like a beautiful book to use with infants. I love the continuity in your plan and the tangible evidence the children will have through the photos. It is great to be able to do it in the school grounds, and help the children to use their own environment.
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Construct a sundial in your immediate area or plan for your school grounds to see where a sundial could be placed.
I would like to see the sundial added to the school’s sensory garden as a permanent feature. We would choose a point where each child would stand to cast their shadow. Using a compass, they could mark North, East, South and West clearly. At set times throughout the day—perhaps hourly; different children would stand on the spot while others mark the tip of their shadow. We would write the time next to each mark and possibly decorate the points later. As the day progresses, the children would see the shadow move and shorten or lengthen, helping them visualise the sun’s movement in the sky. After connecting the shadow points, we would have our human sundial (I do love the one in Blackrock Castle).
As follow-up work, the class would explore patterns, compare the sundial’s time to that shown on clocks, and reflect on how weather or seasons might affect the sundial’s accuracy. We could even discuss what changes we’d expect to see in winter or during the solstices.
We would also explore the following cross curricular links:
Mathematics: We would record times accurately, estimate durations, and observe intervals. We would explore angles formed by the shadows, as well as the length of the shadows.
Geography: We would use a compass to orient our sundial along the North-South axis and discuss how the sun influences our surroundings and environment.
History: We would look at how ancient civilizations such as the Egyptians, Greeks, and Celts used sundials and other methods to tell time.
SPHE: encouraging cooperation, communication, and teamwork as the children plan, create, and reflect on the sundial together.
Visual Arts: the children could design and decorate the sundial using paint or natural materials. We could incorporate Celtic patterns or symbolic representations of time, the sun, or the seasons.
English: The children would reflect on their experiences in writing—through journal entries, stories, or procedural texts explaining how the sundial works. They could also give oral presentations to the class or even to younger pupils about the sundial and how to use it.
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Liston (2018) in “Unravelling STEM: Beyond the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics” challenges educators to move beyond seeing STEM as a checklist of subjects, and instead embrace it as a way of thinking and learning that is deeply connected to inquiry, creativity, and real-world relevance. In my classroom, I try to reflect this philosophy by integrating STEM into cross-curricular, hands-on experiences that encourage curiosity and critical thinking.
To explore the concept of Earth’s rotation and the apparent movement of the sun, I would guide my students through a simple but meaningful long-term observation activity. Over the course of two weeks, we would go outside each morning and afternoon to observe and record the position of the sun. Using chalk, we would mark shadows cast by a fixed object (like a flagpole or yardstick) on the yard and label them with the time and date. We would also sketch or photograph the position of the sun in the sky and use compass directions (e.g., east, west) to describe changes over time.
In class, we’d reflect on patterns, such as the sun rising in the east and setting in the west, and relate our findings to the science behind Earth’s rotation. Students could graph their shadow lengths and times, reinforcing links to Maths. This inquiry-based activity connects directly with the Curious Minds framework, encouraging exploration and explanation while developing both scientific understanding and observational skills.-
HI Kieran,
Thanks for your post and welcome to the course.. I am delighted to see that you work to reflect Dr. Liston’s philosophy on STEM in the classroom through an integrated approach.
I like your plan to use an existing fixed object for your sun observations. I think it is great to see a commitment to observations over time-it’s a great way to incorporate a movement break too!
For making note of the date and time, I would recommend using something more permanent than chalk; otherwise, the rain is likely to wash away all observations. A good alternative could be to use an A3 sheet on the ground beside the yardstick, positioned in the same place every time.
It may also be worthwhile to carry out this activity once during the four seasons to see at noon the length of the shadow created and what that means in terms of the sun’s location-lots of Math’s links as you mentioned!
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3. Construct a Sundial
I look forward to creating a sundial with my pupils.
I would begin with an engaging lesson about how, in the past, people used the sun to tell the time. I will explain how sundials were used in ancient Egypt and Mexico, long before clocks were invented. We will learn how the Egyptians used shadow sticks, and the Mexicans studied the sun’s movement to create calendars.
Next, on a sunny day, I will take the class outside to the school yard. The pupils will bring chalk, a straight stick and a compass. The pupils will work together and use the compass to find north. We will then mark the four directions on the ground – North, South, East and West. I will teach the children the importance of these directions.
We will place the stick in an upright position. Every hour, we will observe and mark the shadow that the stick makes with the chalk. We will label each hour beside the shadow line. Over time, the pupils will see the shadow move in a clockwise direction, just like the hands on an analogue clock.
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Hi Edel
It is nice to make the connection with ancient civilizations and talk about how people told the time in the past. In a time when most people carry around phones or wear watches and we have clocks on many of the devices we use every day, it is hard to imagine the work that ancient people needed to put in in order to be able to keep track of time. There is also a nice link with both geography and history in learning where Egypt and Mexico are on the Earth and some facts about them and also the history link with both of those ancient civilisations.
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STEM isn’t just doing a science experiment or using an app, it’s about solving real-life problems, thinking creatively, and making links across subjects. Engineering really stood out to me as the “glue” that brings all the parts together, and something I’ll focus on more in my teaching.
One activity I’m excited to try is building a sundial in the school yard. We’ll start by chatting about how people told time long ago and what we already know about shadows. Then, we’ll head outside with chalk and track our shadows throughout the day, marking the time each time we do it. After seeing how the shadows move, we’ll talk about sundials, learn about the “gnomon,” and use the ESERO.ie resource to make our own. The children will be planning, creating, testing, and learning through doing, connecting science, maths, engineering, and maybe even a bit of tech too if we compare it to digital time. It’s a fun and hands on way to bring STEM to life.
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Here’s a lesson plan for a 5th-class STEM activity focusing on sundial construction:
Building a Sundial!
Learning Objective: Students will understand how the sun’s position changes throughout the day and apply this knowledge to construct a functional sundial.
Materials: Large paper/cardboard, ruler, pencil, a straight stick/gnomon (approx. 30cm), small rocks or markers, compass (optional).
Procedure:
* Engage (10 min): “How do we tell time? Did people always have clocks? Today, we’ll be ancient time-tellers!” Introduce the concept of a sundial and its historical significance.
* Explore (20 min): Go outside to a sunny, open area. Have students observe their own shadows at different times (if possible, before and during the lesson). Discuss how shadows move and change length.
* Construct (25 min):
* Place the paper on flat ground.
* Stand the stick (gnomon) upright in the center of the paper, securing it with small rocks.
* Every 15 minutes, mark the tip of the gnomon’s shadow on the paper and label it with the current time. Explain this represents the hours.
* Discuss how the sundial relies on the Earth’s rotation and the sun’s apparent movement.
* Extend (5 min): Brainstorm how sundials could be useful today. Discuss challenges (cloudy days, night).
The child gets the opportunity to experience each area of STEM through this lesson.
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Eimear I love that that you have broken down this activity into a very user friendly lesson plan. Thank you! I think the children would love doing this. The example used in the video with the plant pot and the stick was great too. It could be fun to get one group to do this type of sun dial and then the children could compare the effectiveness of each method of telling the time.
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Hi Eimear,
Thanks for your post and welcome to the course!
I like your plan for the sundial activity with your fifth-class learners. It can also be interesting to see if there are any ancient sundial relics or modern installations in the locality, to tie in a site visit and some history too. For example, in Galway, a time and date sundial calendar was installed in 2006. A visit could extend the activity to discuss how sundials can tell the time and date.
There is also a wonderful Time Museum in Waterford City with a terrific array of timepieces from across the ages-I highly recommend!
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5. One Year on Earth- Understanding the Seasons Resource
I would use this document as a key visual and interactive tool to help the children in my class understand the concept of seasons and how they change throughout the year. This resource effectively illustrates Earth’s orbit around the sun and explains how the tilt of the Earth’s axis causes different seasons. Depending on the class level I would guide the children through each stage of the Earth’s journey, using age appropriate language, and link it to examples in their own environment- this would tie in well with the biodiversity expert that we have coming in to the school to explore the local area during the different seasons. This document would be a good starting point/ stimulus for classroom discussions, practical activities and would lend itself to integration across all areas of STEAM. This document would be helpful in supporting the relevant curriculum objectives and developing the children’s skills in this area. By connecting the abstract concept of the Earth’s orbit with the children’s nature walks with our biodiversity expert, this resource makes learning more meaningful and engaging.
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1. Gravity/Weight – Planetary picnic
This activity, provided by the Ogden Trust, is similarly to other weight activities I have tried before but the hands-on and visual elements of this practical activity make it really appealing. The resources, crips tubes and rice are readily available and familiar to all the children which is also a good starting point. It can also readily be integrated into other curricular areas, particularly maths, as it ties in well with the measures strand in the senior classes.
I would group the children and ask each group to make the tube for a planet – as outlined in the instructions. Using the weight chart, displayed on the whiteboard, I would ask them to weigh different amounts of rice/sand using a choice of weighing instruments at the front of the classroom. Once completed each child would get to feel the differences between the tubes. We could scramble them and see if they can order them by weight.
I would add maths problems using the weight of other common objects of the children’s suggestions and ask them to calculate the gravitational field strength of other planets to provide more inquiry-led aspects to the activity which is in line with Liston’s (2018) recommendations in Unravelling STEM: Beyond the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics.
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Sorry posted twice, as put in a reply by mistake first!
Construct a sundial in your immediate area or plan for your school grounds to see where a sundial could be placed.
I would like to see the sundial added to the school’s sensory garden as a permanent feature. We would choose a point where each child would stand to cast their shadow. Using a compass, they could mark North, East, South and West clearly. At set times throughout the day—perhaps hourly; different children would stand on the spot while others mark the tip of their shadow. We would write the time next to each mark and possibly decorate the points later. As the day progresses, the children would see the shadow move and shorten or lengthen, helping them visualise the sun’s movement in the sky. After connecting the shadow points, we would have our human sundial (I do love the one in Blackrock Castle).
As follow-up work, the class would explore patterns, compare the sundial’s time to that shown on clocks, and reflect on how weather or seasons might affect the sundial’s accuracy. We could even discuss what changes we’d expect to see in winter or during the solstices.
We would also explore the following cross curricular links:
Mathematics: We would record times accurately, estimate durations, and observe intervals. We would explore angles formed by the shadows, as well as the length of the shadows.
Geography: We would use a compass to orient our sundial along the North-South axis and discuss how the sun influences our surroundings and environment.
History: We would look at how ancient civilizations such as the Egyptians, Greeks, and Celts used sundials and other methods to tell time.
SPHE: encouraging cooperation, communication, and teamwork as the children plan, create, and reflect on the sundial together.
Visual Arts: the children could design and decorate the sundial using paint or natural materials. We could incorporate Celtic patterns or symbolic representations of time, the sun, or the seasons.
English: The children would reflect on their experiences in writing—through journal entries, stories, or procedural texts explaining how the sundial works. They could also give oral presentations to the class or even to younger pupils about the sundial and how to use it.-
Hi Michelle,
Don’t worry about whether the post was submitted as a reply or a new post; the team can determine which is which.
Many thanks for your comprehensive post. I can see that you have left no stone unturned for this activity and considered its cross-circular links. For such a seemingly simple activity, it has great potential.
I am delighted to see that you have a local sundial that learners can visit to further their understanding. Blackrock Castle has a lot to offer!
I particularly like your idea to use Celtic patterns and natural materials to decorate the sundial, connecting ancient art to this ancient timekeeping invention.
I hope you enjoy the rest of the course and gain new ideas for the coming academic year!
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3.Plan how your students could “observe and record the positions of the sun when rising and setting and at different times of the day”
Children could carry out a week-long investigation using a range of cross-curricular activities. First, we could explore how the Earth’s rotation causes the sun to appear to move across the sky. children could then use collaborative learning, to work in groups to build simple sun tracking devices using cardboard, straws, and a compass, placing these in a safe and fixed location in the school yard.
Using the school iPads, children could then take photographs of the sun’s position at three key times: morning, midday and afternoon. They could also record direction (e.g., southeast, south, southwest) and record this data on charts.
Back in the classroom, the children could then use this data to graph their results and identify patterns, such as the sun rising in the east and setting in the west, and its changing position throughout the day. This encourages mathematical thinking through time, direction, and data recording.
Finally, children would be invited to present their findings using digital slideshows.
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Hi Joseph,
I really like this idea. Using simple materials to build tracking devices makes it very accessible, and involving iPads for recording adds a nice tech element too. I think children would really enjoy seeing the patterns emerge over the week, and linking it back to direction and time is a great cross-curricular touch. The graphing and presentation elements also give a lovely opportunity for maths and digital skills to come in naturally. Definitely something I’d be keen to try out with my own class.
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Construct a sundial in your immediate area or plan for your school grounds to see where a sundial could be placed:
My class would be thrilled with this lesson. I would begin by discussing the history of sundials, focusing on the Ancient Egyptians and the Maya civilization in Mexico. We would investigate these cultures and their associated peoples, and discover if any ancient sundials have been located in Ireland, including their locations and the oldest known examples.
Next, we would conduct an indoor activity using a torch. We would explore how shadows are created, making shadow puppets on the walls, and altering the direction of the light source to demonstrate the variations it produces with our hands.
Ultimately, we would proceed outdoors. I would outline a circle (I have an ideal spot in mind that has concrete where we can utilize chalk). We would establish a center point and, using a compass (after teaching about north and south and the compass’s functionality), locate south. We would initiate the process by placing a simple stick in a flower pot to create the first shadow line and record the time with chalk. Throughout the day, we would monitor the times and repeat the exercise the following day to compare the shadow lines and times.
Any opportunity for the children to exit the classroom for an activity is a significant advantage. They enjoy being outdoors and active!
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Hi Adam,
Thanks for your post and welcome to the course!
I am delighted to read that this is an activity your learners will enjoy! There is so much to be said for getting outside-it’s good for students and teachers alike!
I really like your plan to incorporate some history into this activity, and with a bit of luck, you may even have an old sundial in your locality. Ireland has several, many of which were used by monasteries to determine time for prayer, which look different to the sundials we typically imagine. It could be interesting to see if any learners could guess what they are for by looking at an image of them.
I really like how you plan to build their understanding step by step, including taking the time to explore shadows, how they are cast, and how a light source’s position impacts their length. Its great how you will add a fun dimension with shadow puppets too!
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Plan how your students could “observe and record the positions of the sun when rising and setting and at different times of the day”
To help students observe and record the sun’s position, i would begin by explaining that the sun appears to move across the sky during the day because the Earth is turning. I would discuss about how the sun rises in the east, moves across the sky, and sets in the west. I would show them how to use a compass or a compass app to find directions like east and west.
Each student will use a journal to record their observations. At school, choose a safe spot outside with a clear view of the sky. Place a stick or pole in the ground to help track shadows. At the same times each day—such as 9:00 am, 12:00 noon, and 3:00 pm—have the students go outside to check where the sun is in the sky and where the shadow of the stick is pointing. They can draw a picture of the sun’s position and the shadow.
During the week, students will write or draw what they see in their journals. They will record the time, the direction of the sun, how high it is in the sky, and what the weather is like. At the end of the week, bring the class together to talk about what they saw. Help them notice that the sun always rises in the east and sets in the west, and that shadows change length during the day. To finish the activity, students can make a drawing or a chart to show how the sun moves across the sky. This activity helps children understand how the sun’s position changes during the day and builds their observation skills in a fun and easy way.
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Hi Caitriona,
Thanks for your post and welcome to the course.
I think you have come up with a great lesson plan that builds step by step, from how our perception versus the reality differ-often the case with science! It’s also a great segue to discuss historical beliefs about this and the importance of observation in STEM.
It can be interesting to see what learners already know through strategic questions to elicit their prior understanding for an activity like this, or even use a KWL chart.
I love the specifics of your plan in terms of timing and shadow observation-here’s hoping for sunny days to come for this activity!
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In Unravelling STEM: Beyond the Acronym (Liston, 2018), STEM is presented not as separate subjects, but as an integrated, inquiry-based approach to learning that fosters creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving. In my 3rd class, I implement STEM through cross-curricular, hands-on activities that encourage exploration and critical thinking.
To explore the concept of gravity and weight, I chose the activity “Assemble an Earth Tube and one other planet tube.” Students create two decorated tubes—one representing Earth and one Mars—using cardboard, string, and various materials. Objects are dropped through both tubes to observe the difference in gravitational pull, reinforcing the idea that weight changes depending on the planet.
This activity integrates Science (forces and gravity), Technology (timing and recording), Engineering (tube construction), and Maths (measuring time and comparing weights). It supports collaboration, design thinking, and curiosity about space—aligning with Liston’s vision of STEM as a mindset. It also links to the SESE curriculum and the Digital Learning Framework, supporting meaningful, real-world learning.
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3. Plan how your students could “observe and record the positions of the sun when rising and setting and at different times of the day”
I would start this activity by bringing the class outside a few times during the day. Once in the morning, again at lunchtime, and later in the afternoon. We would look up and notice where the sun is. Is it high or low? What direction is it in? I would encourage the children to record what they see in their own way, through drawings, notes, or even photos if we are using tablets.
Over the week, we would begin to spot patterns. The sun always rises in the east and sets in the west, and we would notice how it moves across the sky during the day. Towards the end of the week, we would work in small groups to put together a short report of our findings. We would use the green screen to present our work like meteorologists, bringing in some ICT.
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Under SESE Energy and Forces, “Day and Night in the World” has been designed by ESERO as an inquiry- based classroom activity to explore how Earth’s rotation leads to day and night, supporting Liston (2018) who describes STEM as integrated, hands- on, investigative learning, promoting creativity, collaboration, and problem- solving.
A typical classroom approach to this activity would be to introduce and explore the concept through a story, such as “Day and Night” by Eric Carle or, via YouTube video by Robert Nelson, and discuss what the world looks like, what we/ animals do during the day and night. To demonstrate the concept of day and night, the teacher would use a torch to represent the sun and a ball to represent the Earth in a darkened room, showing how one side of the ball is “day” while the other is “night”. The children use these resources to observe and explain to each other the concept. As a closing activity, the children can draw day/ night activities and record sentences.
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One Year on Earth – Understanding the Seasons Resource (ESA)
I would begin by eliciting any prior knowledge on the topic – seasons, daylight, weather etc., and get children working in groups to explain as best they can why the seasons behave as they do. I’d provide a physical globe to help with their descriptions. I’d then show them the Paxi video – Day, night and the seasons, to help summarise and fill in any gaps in their explanations.
Next, we’d engage in a hands-on activity. The students would build a little Sun‑Earth model using a polystyrene ball, and a lamp to imitate the sun. They’d imitate Earth orbiting around the Sun, tilting the axis, and they’d notice how our days lengthen or shorten depending on the season. I’d then get some groups to come to the front of the class and perform their demonstrations without speaking, and get the rest of the class to explain what season/time of day they are trying to mimic.
Throughout the lesson I’d ask plenty of higher order questions to stimulate discussion and thought on the topic. Children would complete the worksheets as we progress through the lesson.
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I agree with the idea that STEM should be integrated in the classroom through real-world learning, which I always aim to do in my lessons. Integrating STEM means integrating all four strands, which are Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. I work in a Mild/Moderate Special Ed School, with children in Primary and Post-Primary Levels. My current class are aged 12-14 years old. As a whole class project, I would invite the children to take on the role of a Solar Scientist. We would observe and record the sun’s rising, setting, and midday positions outdoors over a 2 week period. We would choose a location on our school grounds outside and record the suns position/mark where the sun appears using chalk on the ground and also by taking pictures from the same spot each time visited. We would check this in the morning (9:00am), At Lunch (12:30pm) and just before home time (14:30pm). After being outside each time we would go back into the classroom and discuss this/track the progress. We would create a large poster to stick our photos on to and we would write the date, and time of the photo being taken. The children would also write any observations they made. Of course I would ask higher and lower order questions to my pupils based on their needs and ability levels such as ‘Where was the sun this morning compared to now?’, ‘How far has the sun moved?’, ‘Can anyone remember where it was this morning?’ etc. , helping pupils build their understanding of Earth’s rotation using a hands-on active learning approach. We could also intgrate the engineering element with art by making our own sundials using paper plates, straws, and paint. I would prepare one in advance for the pupils to look at and experiment using. I would show them YouTube video provided on how to make it and each child would create and personalise their own Sundial. Thanks:)
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Hi Jovana
Welcome to the course. That sounds like a comprehensive and well structured lesson plan for studying the movement of the sun with your class. I like the idea of a large poster to stick the photos too and with space for their observations, so they have a record with everything in one place and can compare the different positions at different times of day and use it as a basis for understanding the Earth’s rotation. The sundials would feed in nicely with this too.
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To help my class understand the sun’s movement, I’d plan a simple observation activity over the course of a week or two. We’d head out to the yard at different times of the day — maybe once in the morning, again at lunchtime, and later in the afternoon — and note where the sun is in the sky each time. The children could use chalk to mark shadow positions or sketch what they see in a notebook. I’d encourage them to look for patterns in how the shadows change or how the sun moves across the sky. We could also check sunrise and sunset times each day and chat about how these change as the weeks go by. I think it would be a nice way to link Science and Geography, while also giving the pupils a chance to work outdoors and observe the world around them more closely.
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2. Construct a sundial in your immediate area or plan for your school grounds to see where a sundial could be placed
I would begin by connecting the project to both the science and history curriculum, showing how ancient civilizations used the movement of the sun to tell time. We would start by exploring the Earth’s rotation, shadows, and the position of the sun in the sky at different times of the day and year.
The students would work collaboratively to plan the sundial placement on school grounds (school pitch). We would use a compass to determine north and select a location that receives direct sunlight for most of the day, such as the south-facing corner of our school yard. Students would record shadow positions throughout the day to calibrate the sundial, marking hourly intervals.
They would also be responsible for building the sundial using simple materials like a wooden dowel and a circular base with hour lines. Reflection activities would include writing about how sundials were essential before mechanical clocks and how science, math, and engineering intersect in this hands-on project.
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Hi Joe,
Thanks for your post and welcome to the course.
I really like your plan to make this lesson a journey through time…exploring how the sun was used to tell the time with sundial devices.
Chances are, there may be an hourglass in your classroom. It would be interesting to see if learners think of this as an alternative for measuring time, and grounds for further discussion on how they are made and their limitations, too. These were particularly useful at sea, and it could be interesting to see why learners think this was the case.
Great to see an emphasis on learner-led participation, with collaboration to explore and determine the most suitable location for the sundial. Here’s hoping for lots of sunny days ahead to run this activity!
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3. Plan how your students could “observe and record the positions of the sun when rising and setting and at different times of the day”
The children can place a chosen sturdy object in the yard, and make predictions of what shadows could be made from the sun at different times of the day, 9am, 12pm, 3pm. Predictions can be made through drawing and descriptions of the shadow.
The class can go outside at these times and record what type of shadow has been created by the sun. The children can compare the actual shadow to their predictions.
The children can then record with a sketch and description of the shadow, (long, short), acknowledge the position of the sun at these times, and discuss as a group why different types and shapes of shadows are made. the sun rises in the east, casting long shadows pointing west. At midday, when the sun is highest in the sky, shadows are shortest and point directly beneath the object. In the afternoon, as the sun moves toward the west, shadows grow longer again and point east. These observations help them discover that the sun appears to rise in the east and set in the west.
The group can revisit the exercise the following day with a different and make predictions again, then highlight the improvements in their predictions from the first time.
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Hi Ronan
Welcome to the course. I like the idea of placing an object in the yard to predict and record what type of shadow it casts. It would be interesting if the children started with something straight like a stick on the first day and then chose different irregular shaped objects on the second day. They would learn about the sun’s movement on the first day and observe the changes in the height and direction of the shadow and on the second day would have fun predicting not just the height of their object’s shadow but what shape it would be at different times of the day when the sun is coming from different directions.
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The plan would be for my 6th class SET group to construct a sundial in the school grounds. I’d begin with a prediction exercise to get the students thinking like scientists.
Questions like – at nine o clock, do you think the shadow be long or short? Which direction will the shadow point do you think?
At midday , will the shadow be at its shortest or longest?
By hometime, will the shadow point in a different direction than it did in the morning?The children could then go outdoors and choose a sunny spot in the school grounds that receives direct sunlight for most of the day. This will depend on cloud cover on the day. A location near the raised beds would be ideal as it flat and easily accessible by all. It would be a good place for children to show their parents the project too.
They I would encourage the children to find a vertical stick, maybe bamboo from the garden and try and get it firmly into the ground to cast a shadow.
During the day, the students would mark the position of the stick’s shadow every hour using a marker or small stone. The whiteboard timer could be used to create an hourly reminder alarm.I would then get the children who are scouts to show their peers how to use a compass and make sure the shortest shadow is aligned with true north to create an accurate time marker at noon.
Students could write up the project for the school website and take photos and video to enhance the project and document for whole school records. The activity could be added to the schools SESE padlet.
The children could present their work to other classes who were interested , explaining the process and they could offer to lead them in building their own simple sundials. This would be an opportunity for these SET students to grow in confidence through peer-to-peer teaching.
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Hi Noirin
That sounds like a lovely lesson plan. The questions are a good way to start the lesson and giving the children the chance to choose their own stick and location gives them ownership of the project. I love the idea of the peer learning, where students who know how to use a compass can teach their classmates and find where North is and also the idea of the pupils explaining their work to other classes. The compass will point to magnetic North and not true North so with an older class, this could lead to some research on the differences between True North, Grid North and Magnetic North although it is a difficult concept.
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I have chosen to plan a lesson on recording the positions of the sun when rising, setting, and at different times of the day with my future 3rd class!
Firstly, we will tap into prior knowledge by conducting a brainstorming session on the sun. What is the sun? What does it do? Why do we need the sun?1. Science and nature copy work:
We will use a chart to record the time, direction (e.g., NE, S, SW), position of the sun in the sky (low, medium, high), and any shadows they notice. We’ll use this in the morning, midday, and afternoon.2. Use the school grounds for regular checks:
We’ll find a safe, consistent location on the school grounds where students can go out and observe the sun at set times each day—perhaps around 9 AM, 12 PM, and 3 PM. They can track the sun’s movement and shadow changes using a stick or chalk on the ground.3. Home/school link:
Pupils could note the direction of sunrise and sunset from their home (with help from Mam or Dad), using a compass or compass app. They can report their findings in school the next day!4. ICT:
We might use an app like SunCalc or Stellarium to compare actual observations with virtual simulations, helping students make connections between their real-world experiences and astronomical patterns.5. Reflection on learning:
After collecting data, students could create diagrams and drawings to represent how the sun’s position changes. We’ll also discuss how ancient civilizations might have used these observations to track time and seasons. -
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Module 1 – Gravity and Weight
Learning Activity: Construction and decoration of an Earth tube and a second planetary tube.
In my role as a teacher in a primary and post-primary special school for students with mild general learning disabilities, I work with a first-year post-primary ASD class. Before beginning the hands-on activity of constructing planetary tubes, I would spend time revisiting key concepts from previous lessons on the solar system. This would include a review of the planets and their characteristics, supported through the use of concrete and visual materials such as photographs, posters, video content, and a planetarium mobile. These resources help reinforce learning, promote engagement, and make abstract content more accessible to students with additional learning needs.
A core scientific concept in this module is the distinction between mass and weight. Pupils would be introduced to this through simple language, supported by visuals and practical demonstrations. I would explain that mass refers to the amount of matter in an object (measured in kilograms), whereas weight is the force of gravity acting on that mass (measured in newtons). Understanding this difference is crucial when comparing planetary environments and is taught in a way that is relatable and developmentally appropriate for the learners.
To ensure high levels of engagement, I would integrate a creative, hands-on activity using recycled Pringle containers—popular in our classroom reward system—to construct and decorate an Earth tube and a tube representing another chosen planet. This approach incorporates active learning, supports kinaesthetic engagement, and provides opportunities for students to express their creativity while reinforcing key scientific ideas. Materials such as coloured paper, paint, stickers, and pre-printed facts about the planets would be made available to support individual learning styles and foster a sense of achievement.
Following the creation of the tubes, the class would participate in a structured discussion where we would compare the two planets in terms of size, mass, and gravitational force. Pupils would be encouraged to describe how these differences affect the weight of objects on each planet. Where appropriate, we would use simple scales or spring balances to demonstrate the concept of weight in a tangible way. These comparisons help solidify understanding and encourage critical thinking, while also developing communication and language skills.
Overall, this lesson combines curriculum-based learning with a practical, student-centred approach that supports the diverse needs of my learners. It promotes engagement, builds on prior knowledge, and helps pupils grasp complex scientific concepts in an enjoyable and meaningful way. I believe it would be both an effective and highly enjoyable learning experience for the students.-
Having taught in Autism classes for over 10 years, your pre teaching and hands on approach should work very well. Also allowing for errors with maybe a social story on how mistakes are and opportunity for learning and possibly introducing a reward system for those that ‘figure out’ if something needs changing or making suggestions for which materials would work best might help if you have any pupils who find making mistakes difficult and may be perfectionists.
Relating how weight differs on earth and in space by using real life favourite things and reducing their weight by 1/6 may also engage pupils further as it would be more relevant to them and things they enjoy.
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Task 2 Sundial
I would do a lesson on shadows and stick a piece of lining paper on to a surface or desk if possible or go outside if more sun was needed. I would place a tall object by the paper so a shadow falls and have the children trace the shadow at different times throughout a single day. We would present these to the class and discuss.
The next day I would ask the class to imagine no electronic or battery devices were working. How would pur lives be different and how could we negotiate these priblems like people in our past had to? How would we know when it’s lunch time, break time and most importantly home time? The discussion would be steered to using shadows.
Once the connection had been made with recording time and we discuss sun dials, I would link this with fractions and get them to create twelve evenly spaced markings on a paper plate. We would observe where the shadow falls and make a real sundial for the school using a disk of wood.
We would then explore various points around the school and discuss why some might work better than others for tracking the sun. This could be revisited throughout the year to see if any observations are made as the seasons change.
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Hi Linda
Welcome to the course.
I like how you plan to explore the sun dial and how it was used in an open ended manner initially, this will lead the pupils to come to their own conclusions of the link with time as you have mentioned. I think it is important to explore the shadows on the lining paper outdoors if possible to ensure the shadow moves and the pupils can make the link between the movement of the sun and the movement of the shadow. It is also a good opportunity to integrate with Maths as you have mentioned fractions and also exploring the cardinal points. Thanks for sharing, I hope you enjoy the course.
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Assemble an Earth Tube and one other planet tube – decorate in a suitable manner.
I have chosen this activity because I think it is a great way to explore weight and gravity across the solar system. Using the tubes gives the children the choice to decorate them how they wish and is a good way to integrate art along with other subjects. I like how they are a concrete way to compare the different planets to Earth. The children could use iPads to research these planets beforehand and their their findings by presenting them to the class and comparing their tubes with their classmates. I also like the way recyclable materials could be used to make these tubes.
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I love the fact that the tubes can be from recycled materials. All too often I feel that I have to buy the styrofoam spheres to replicate the solar system with the children in my class and they are so expensive and it honestly doesn’t feel good to be going out buying them. The tubes have given me an alternative way of thinking about teaching the solar system and including the concept of gravity too.
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3. Plan how your students could “observe and record the positions of the sun when rising and setting and at different times of the day”
STEM Activity Plan: Observing and Recording the Sun’s Position
Introduction (Classroom-based):
- Begin with a short discussion: “What do we know about the Sun?”
- Use a torch and vacuum cleaner hose to show that light travels in straight lines.
- Introduce the idea that shadows change because the Earth rotates—not because the Sun moves.
Outdoor Activity (Weather permitting):
- In small groups, go outside at three set times (morning, midday, afternoon).
- Each student traces a partner’s shadow using chalk, marking the time next to each outline.
- Compare shadow lengths and directions at different times of the day.
Indoor Alternative (Rainy day option):
- Use torches and small blocks to explore how shadows change when light hits from different angles.
- Students draw and label their results in notebooks or on worksheets.
Follow-up Investigation:
- Discuss findings as a class: Why do the shadows move? Why are they longer or shorter?
- Link back to the Earth’s rotation using a ball (Earth) and torch (Sun) to demonstrate.
Creative Extension:
- Have students build small paper sundials and test them on a sunny day.
- Invite groups to write and illustrate a story titled “Me and My Shadow”, integrating new vocabulary (Sun, cloudy, shadow, light, rotate, etc.).
Reflection & Sharing:
- Chart findings on a class poster or digital slideshow.
- Encourage students to explain what they learned using drawings, photos, or short videos.
- Further link to SESE “How did people tell time before clocks?”
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Hi Jane
Welcome to the course and thanks for sharing your lesson plan for sundials. To fully explore the concept of the sun’s movement and the changes of shadows, it is important to explore this on a sunny day but I like how you have planned for indoor activities. Creating the sundial allows for creative extension as you have mentioned, however, it could also be more central to the lesson to ensure the pupils are making connections with the knowledge and concepts of sundials. I like how you plan to explore connections in History to further develop the pupils’ knowledge.
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Plan how your students could “observe and record the positions of the sun when rising and setting and at different times of the day”
I really love the idea of this. I feel that it would need to be done across the whole school year and would perhaps work best in the senior end of the school. I would introduce this year long project with the children by bringing them out to the yard to discuss and observe where the sun is in the early morning and how it moves (or the earth moves!) throughout the day. I think that it would be useful to spend a week in September just observing this fact. We would then plan on where best to photograph the sun and the times of day. This could be carried out by different children over the various seasons. It could be assigned as a class job to 2 children each week, to photograph and document the position of the sun at a set time, from a set position on the yard. A class record could be built up over the months and reflected upon, making predictions as the year progresses.
I would teach discrete lessons on the seasons and how they work to compliment and enhance understanding.-
Hi Sharon
Welcome to the course, I agree that observing the sun could be explored across the school year to allow for seasonal changes and this would be especially engaging for the senior pupils. Giving the pupils in the class specific jobs to record their observations each week will give the pupils real ownership of their learning and encourage collaboration as the whole class will reflect on the results. I also like how you plan to teach about the seasons to enhance their knowledge and understanding. Thanks for sharing, I hope you enjoy the course.
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One Year on Earth – Understanding the Seasons Resource (ESA)
I have been a teacher in the infant classroom for 4 years now and there are a lot of lessons based on the seasons of the year. After reading the Understanding the Seasons lessons, I now realise that I haven’t been teaching the seasons properly. We do a lot of our work on seasons around what a tree looks like at certain times of the year and I see that’s one of the lessons on this resource. However, I just show the children the trees at different seasons and we didn’t go into that much detail on the why and how. After reading through this lesson I have a better understanding of how to approach season based lessons and teach it in a way that the children will have a greater understanding of the seasons. I will start off by teaching the children how many days are in a year. We will then look at and discuss how Earth looks during various seasons. We will assign the seasons to the various pictures and discuss why they have chosen each image. Finally, we will talk about how seasonal change can also be seen from space.
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The ESERO 30 day and night in the world activity would engage primary school children by making astronomical concepts tangible and relatable. This hands on activity allows students to explore how the earth’s rotation causes day and night, using a simple globe and torch setup to simulate the sun shining on the Earth. By physically manipulating the globe and observing how light moves across its surface, children can clearly see how different parts of the world experience daylight and darkness at different times. This visual and interactive approach supports a deeper understanding of our world.
The activity also encourages curiosity and questioning, as the children begin to make connections between their own daily experiences and the wider world. It integrates well with geography, science, and even maths, supporting cross curricular learning. Children are naturally curious, and this activity taps into that by allowing them to experiment, observe, and discuss their findings. Teachers can further extend engagement talking about the changes of light in the classroom/at home etc. -
Assignment What STEM looks like in my classroom
In my second class STEM learning could come to life through hands on projects that spark imagination while encouraging children to solve real world problems. Rather than teaching science or maths in isolation, I could design experiences that connect the four areas in a meaningful way. For example, children might be asked to design and build a shelter for a toy animal using classroom materials. This invites exploration of materials (science), measuring and shape (mathematics), using simple tools or digital timers (technology), and applying planning, testing and redesign (engineering).
The focus would not be on getting the “right” answer but on exploring different solutions, learning from mistakes, and discussing ideas with classmates. Children would be encouraged to ask questions, test their ideas, and explain their thinking. The engineering design process would form the structure for these tasks, guiding students through imagining, creating, testing and improving. This way of learning would support deeper understanding, creativity and teamwork.By integrating STEM in this playful but purposeful way, children build confidence in their abilities to think critically and solve problems. It also helps them to see learning as connected to the world around them, not just confined to the classroom.
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Thanks for this post Damien. I got a lot from it. Like you Orlaigh, I will really like the idea of building a shelter for a toy. This activity embodies what STEM is all about where we can learn in a playful manner and there are a multitude of possible solutions as there is no one correct answer which is crucial to emphasise. This is what learning is all about for me as it does foster the children’s abilities to think critically and to solve problems which in turn helps to strengthen and grow the children’s confidence as a result which is an absolute win-win!
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Hi Damien
Welcome to the course and thanks for sharing the example of building a shelter for a toy animal in your class. As you have mentioned it is important to explore all areas of STEM in a meaningful way to ensure it is engaging for the pupils. Through building this shelter the pupils will be engaged and will have lots of opportunities to build skills such as team work and collaboration but also design and make skills. I also agree that it is important for pupils to explore many options so there is not one right answer.
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In relation to “Plan how your students could “observe and record the positions of the sun when rising and setting and at different times of the day”
Students can observe and record the sun’s position using the school grounds, such as the playground or sports field, where there is a clear view of the sky. Over a few weeks, schedule regular observations during the school day—at morning arrival, lunchtime, and just before dismissal. At each time, students will face the sun, use a compass to record its direction, and observe its height in the sky. A shadow stick (e.g., a ruler or pencil fixed upright) can be used to measure and record the length and direction of shadows. Students will use observation sheets to draw and describe what they see. If sunrise or sunset cannot be observed at school, students can do this at home and share their findings in class. Collected data can be displayed on a class chart to compare changes over time. This activity helps students understand the sun’s movement and Earth’s rotation in a real-world context. -
Construct a sundial in your immediate area or plan for your school grounds to see where a sundial could be placed.
I am a Senior Infant teacher and this is one of the activities which I feel can be quite easily and simply done with this level. I would aim to complete this activity after we have completed the unit of time in our maths lessons and the children are familiar with analogue clocks and ‘o’clock’ times. This lends itself very well to integration opportunities. The children will also already be familiar with the basic concept of the sun and how the earth orbits the sun. An activity where they draw eachothers shadows with chalk in the morning and then see any changes by home time or the next day could also be a pre-cursor to this sundial lesson.
I would begin the lesson by showing some images of sun dials from the past – engaging their interest and causing them to wonder. We would then discuss ‘long ago’ and how this was the equivalent of the modern day clock. My school has a very large open yard where I believe I could pin-point a good area with no shadows – the children can also help with this, drawing on the previous shadow lesson. Once we identify the correct place, we could make a smiley face sun with 12 points (like a clock) and use a marker or stick for the shadow. At this point, it is important to identify north using a compass – I would not go into a huge amount of detail for this age group but I would highlight to them that the sun rises in the east and show them the direction of this in relation to our sundial.
We would set up the dial and every hour we can check on it to see how accurate it is in relation to our clock. Provided it does not rain and there is sun for a few days, it could be left for a few days so other classes could observe it also.
Children would record what we observed on a simple worksheet or just simply draw the sundial and how we came to make it to record their findings.
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Hi Aimee
Welcome to the course and thanks for sharing your lesson plan. This sounds like a really engaging lesson for your senior infant class. I love how you plan to carry out the lesson after covering time in maths as it is a great way to introduce the playful and practical element of maths. Your smiley face sundial sounds like a lovely plan as is getting the children to use what they have learned from their shadow investigations to choose a suitable location for the sundial. I’m sure your class would love to explain to other classes what they have done and how their sundial works and it is great to give infants the opportunity to explain something to older classes.
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Plan for Observing and Recording the Position of the Sun – Senior Infants
I am planning this lesson with my Senior Infant class in mind, who I will have this coming September.
Over the week, I’m going to help the children learn about the sun and shadows. First, we will read a simple book called What Makes a Shadow by Clyde Robert Bulla. It is a simple story that helps the children understand what a shadow is. After the story, we will try and go outside each day. We will look at where the sun is in the sky in the morning, at lunchtime, and maybe just before the children go home too.
The children will use chalk to draw around their shadows on the ground. We will do this in the same place each day so we can compare the changes. We will see if their shadows are long or short and how they change during the day. The children will also draw the sun in the sky to show where it is at each time.
At the end of the week, we will look at all their chalk drawings and pictures. We will talk together about what we saw and what we learned.
Again, all of this is very weather dependent, so it may take longer to complete the full lesson.
Thanks,
Michelle-
Hi Michelle
Welcome to the course
I like how you plan to introduce the concept of shadows through a picture book initially, this will be very engaging for the pupils. I love to use picture books for all different subjects, even in the senior classes. Younger children also love exploring with chalk outdoors and allowing the children to trace around their shadows at different times in the day will allow them to discover how their shadow has moved and make connections between the shadow moving and the sun moving themselves. Thanks for sharing I hope you enjoy the course.
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Construct a sundial in my school ground
First, I would find a sunny spot in the field area beside my school which has access to the sun all day with no shade from the school building etc. as this would impact how many hours I can show on my sundial. Then I would prop up a stick in a flowering pot which is supported by a rock on top so it does not wobble like Francis does in the BCO Education video which I found fantastic. I really like the cardboard sundials that Francis made too which can be accessed from Spaceweek.ie. I can’t wait to do this with my STEM class when I get back to school at the end of the month. I will bring torches in and allow the children to tell the time using their sundials but making sure to point in a south direction. I would get the school set of compasses to help with this of course!
Every hour of the day, I would set a rock to represent the location of the shadow at that moment with my sundial out on the field also. This would enable me to tell the time by looking for the shadow while I’m outside on the green for PE and I forget my phone/ watch to tell the time so I don’t miss the home time bell!
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Hi Eoin,
Welcome to the course and thanks for sharing your thoughts on the video and resources in this module. I like your plan to create the sundial, I particularly like the use of rocks to represent the location of the shadow at each hour. The use of physical materials like the rock is ideal to encourage critical thinking and discussion among the pupils and make links to a analogue clock. Space Week is in October which would be a great time to explore sundials with your pupils. I hope you enjoy the other videos and activities across the modules in the course.
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To engage students in the One Year on Earth: Understanding the Season activity from ESA, I would use a simple hands-on model with a globe and a lamp (to represent the Sun). This helps students see how the Earth rotates on its axis and orbits (or revolves) around the Sun. I would guide them to observe how this movement causes changes in sunlight during the year. The Paxi video provides a clear visual representation of the movement of the Earth once these movements have been modelled. For younger students, I would focus on observable seasonal differences. These would include warmer or cooler weather, leaves changing colour, flowers blooming, or needing a coat in winter. Using pictures, movement, art activities and storytelling helps them connect these changes to what they experience. They would also observe how the Sun appears higher in the sky and days are longer in summer, while in winter, the Sun is lower and days are shorter. Modelling and recording these real-life patterns builds a strong foundation for understanding how Earth’s movements create the seasons.
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I chose the sundial activity because it’s a hands-on way to connect Science and Maths. In learning support, I often work with pupils who need visual and practical learning, so building a sundial helps make the abstract idea of time more concrete. We could use a stick and chalk outside to mark shadow positions throughout the day, then talk about how the Sun seems to move.
To tie in with Maths, we’d look at the lines we create, measure the angles between them, and talk about what time each one represents. It’s a great chance to explore lines, angles, and direction in a real-world context.
Dr. Maeve Liston’s article reminded me how STEM isn’t about ticking boxes for each subject — it’s about giving children the chance to question, notice and build understanding through doing. This kind of activity really suits that approach.
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Hi Evelyn
Welcome to the course. You have given a great example there of how practical hands on Science investigations such as those outlined in the the Curious Minds and ESERO resources can be really useful for Special Education Teachers to work on numeracy and literacy in a fun and hands on way. I love how you plan to use the sundial as a visual way to teach time and also to cover lines and angles in a practical way that might be more relatable to your pupils. I hope you find lots more examples in the course of practical activities like this which will benefit your pupils.
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This is a brilliant approach—hands-on, visual, and perfectly suited for learners who benefit from concrete experiences. Linking the sundial to both science and maths not only deepens understanding of time and movement, but also brings geometry to life in a meaningful way. You’ve captured the spirit of Dr. Liston’s message—STEM should inspire curiosity and active learning. Activities like this help students build real understanding through doing, noticing, and exploring.
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1- Gravity/Weight
As as a Junior infant teacher – this lesson would be part of a bigger unit based on space – like learning about space, our solar system and our place in it.
For Junior Infants I like the idea of the crisp tubes and it is a hands-on activity that the children will be able to feel the difference which will make it more relatable to their learning. I like the idea of using 3 tubes – one for Earth, Mercury and Jupiter.
In our school – we are buddies with a more senior class – and I would work with them to help us with the weighing of our tubes. They could help work out near exact measurements and then have the junior infants fill them with sand or rice as part of their maths lesson – covering weight, measurement and comparison.
We will begin by exploring what happens when we drop things and will discuss why they fall to the ground. I will introduce the idea that gravity is an invisible force that pulls us and objects down toward Earth. I like the start of this video to show the kids – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7ZAXgo442I.
We would have lots of fun dropping things!
I then think we might use drama and roleplay and act out stopping at different planets to see what it might be like to lift the tubes at different planets – like on Jupiter heavy or lighter on Mercury.
They could also sort objects within the classroom – light and heavy and match them to a particular planet Mercury or Jupiter – using the Crisp tubes that we decorated already.
There is a huge amount of work in a unit like this, and the gravity lesson would a mini unit within a unit.
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Hi Sadhbh.
Welcome to the course, it is great to hear you have a buddy system in your school. I loved having a buddy system in a previous school and it allowed for lots of collaboration and learning for both the infants and the senior pupils.
I am sure the senior pupils would also learn about the planets in this tube activity while also helping the infants in creating the tubes. I also like how you plan to link with Maths in matching items around the classroom to the tubes whether they were heavy or light.
Gravity can be a difficult concept for the infant classes and as you have said it is a mini unit within a larger unit on Space. Space is always a popular topic not just with the infants but with any class.
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I think integrating the topic of gravity with maths is a very meaningful link as the children need to develop an understanding of heavy/light and have lots of experience feeling the weight of different objects, sorting objects by weight and recognising that gravity acts on all objects, pulling them towards the Earth, which is why we can compare how heavy or light they feel and how they fall.
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Plan how your students could “observe and record the positions of the sun when rising and setting and at different times of the day”
In regard to this, I previously observed this with my class but did not keep detailed notes. I did, however, take students out at different times of the day. Students verbally explained sun position and its changes throughout the day. Students recorded approximate sunrise and sunset times in groups, which were checked against a website and only occurred outside of school hours. This captured the students’ imaginations and reinforced the concept of different positions. Students may have to be in another room in the house to see the sun set versus rise. I hadn’t thought of recording the sun’s position by a window in the classroom which is a very straightforward and efficient approach. This could work well in my class as I have quite a big window that I think faces south. A photographic record would be most useful. It would be interdisciplinary because students would have to ensure that the photograph was taken from the same position, and that a tripod or table set to exact height, and that a tripod or table was at the same height.
It seems a photo might have to be done in the back and front yards. Or the phone or iPad could be set to a specific position and take photos on a timer. Then the photos could be displayed in order on the IWB. Then a summary could be made and children could report their findings to the young class weekly or once a season.
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Hi Kate
Welcome to the course. it is great to hear how this module has helped you reflect on previous lessons and how to adapt them such as recording the sun’s position by a window in the classroom. Photos are always a great resource to refer back to and could also be used in future classes for comparison or as a stimulus for discussion also. I like how you plan to share them on the whiteboard to allow for comparisons by the pupils and that you are also planning to be more exact with the position and location of the camera for accurate comparisons. Thanks for sharing.
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Plan how your students could “observe and record the positions of the sun when rising and setting and at different times of the day”
I would carry this activity out over a number of days. Firstly, I would bring the class out to the yard and we would identity where is the best area to observe the position of the sun throughout the school day. We would discuss the direction of the sun – North, South, East and West and also inform the children that the sun always rises in the East and sets in the West.
The children would each have chalk and they could record the position of the sun by making a mark/their name and maybe asking another child to trace their shadow. It would be important to record the position of the sun at set times throughout the school day- 9.10, 12.10 and perhaps 2.30 just before home time. We could use the ipads to take photos throughout the day and upload them so we could analyse them on the whiteboard. I think this would bring lots of exciting discussion around the patterns and changes throughout the day. Having read Liston (2018) article, the idea that STEM is more about being fun, meaningful and connected for the children is something I will really consider & implement this year as opposed to just ticking off boxes for science, technology, engineering and maths.
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Hi Susan
Welcome to the course. Liston’s article inspires us all to ensure there is real life connections to our STEM lessons and also to ensure it is a holistic approach to STEM also.
I like how you plan to observe shadows across the day and over a number of days. I also agree that taking photos of the shadows they create and note the time for each photo will give the pupils lots of opportunity to compare photos and make their own connections to their learning, it would also allow for lots of critical thinking and discussion. Thanks for sharing.
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Activity 3 – sundials
I’d introduce the sundial project by telling the children we’re going to make something people used to tell the time with hundreds of years ago – no batteries, no screens, just the sun! We’d start by finding the sunniest spot in the school yard and marking it as our “Sundial Zone.” Using a stick to cast the shadow, we’d place it in the centre of a large cardboard circle or chalk circle on the ground.
Throughout the day, we’d return at set times to mark where the shadow falls and write the time beside it. The children could take turns as “Time Keepers,” responsible for making the marks and decorating the sundial. We could also keep a class photo diary to show how the shadow changes from morning to afternoon. Once it’s complete, we’d test it on another day to see how well it works.
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What a fun, hands-on way to bring history and science together. Introducing it as “no batteries, no screens, just the sun” is such a great hook—the children will love that. The “Sundial Zone” adds a nice sense of ownership and excitement too.
Having “Time Keepers” is a brilliant way to keep everyone involved, and the photo diary is a lovely way to document the learning and see real progress over time. Testing it again on a different day is such a clever touch—it really brings in that investigative, scientific thinking.
Such a creative and engaging way to explore how people once told time, while also connecting with nature and developing observational skills. I’d say your class would remember this activity for a long time
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Hello Ciara,
Thanks for sharing, and welcome to the course. I really like your introduction to this topic, telling time with just the sun- a far cry from the many device options we have today!
I think your learners will enjoy the opportunity to participate and have the coveted role of “Time Keepers”, and a photo diary is a great way to integrate some technology, which could be extended in various ways, like slideshows, etc.
It’s a great idea to repeat this activity another day so learners come to understand that this is not a one-off and to test their sundial. There’s plenty of scope for reflection on how to improve it and what you would do differently if you were to repeat the activity.
Lots of potential for cross-curricular links with art and history too. Here’s hoping for plenty of sunny days to carry out this activity once school returns!
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3.
Plan: We will head outside a few times during the day—maybe morning, just after lunch, and before home time—and mark the Sun’s position using chalk on the yard or by sketching it on a simple template. Over a week or two, we’ll do the same and look for patterns.For sunrise and sunset, I’ll ask the children to observe from home (with help from parents), maybe over a weekend, and jot down where the Sun comes up and goes down using compass points (I’ll show them how first).
We’ll pull it all together in class with drawings, a class chart, and a quick discussion on how the Sun seems to move and how shadows change. Hopefully it gets them thinking and noticing what’s happening in the sky!
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One Year on Earth: Understanding the Seasons.
This is a fabulous resource and already one I am going to use. We are in a small country school close to the woods and we do one walk a term there with the children to observe seasonal differences. I feel this is a very relevant topic for students and their interests. There are endless cross curricular links to explore through a variety of ages – completing the model of the earth and physically replicating the sun and the spin of the earth on it’s axis is of huge interest to our older classes. We have engaged with curious minds over the last two years and the children have loved demonstrating and explaining their experiments to the other classes so demonstrating the earth’s movements in relation to the sun for the year would be a great opportunity for the older classes to demonstrate for the younger while consolidating their own learning. We use Seesaw as our digital learning portfolios so children can record and make their own videos of their learning. They would also find the colour changing in the satellite images very interesting and it is an excellent chance for a group research activity, each group takes a season each and presents their findings to each other. I would plan an Art extension activity with the whole school for permanent display in the school. On a large length of paper (either the back of unused wallpaper or the IKEA rolls) children can divide it into 4 sections. They paint a tree ‘skeleton’ over the whole page. Then in their groups they can paint a section each to match the season they worked on – choosing colours and shapes to represent plants of each season.
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Gravity/Weight – Assemble an Earth Tube and one other planet tube – decorate in a suitable manner.
To begin with I would introduce gravity to the children by explaining how it varies from planet to planet depending on each planet’s size and mass. We would discuss how our weight changes with gravitational pull, while our mass stays the same.
For the Earth Tube, pupils could work together to make them and decorate them with familiar Earth features. For the second tube, they can choose another planet Venus, Jupiter, Mars etc. If we selected Mars, for example, we could use red and orange tones, adding craters and dust storms. Children can research their planet to find out their special features and decorate them accordingly.
I think the examples shown in the video from Module 1 were wonderful, and it was inspiring to see the children so engaged and excited. I think this activity would be an excellent way for pupils to understand gravity and weight in a hands-on and visual way.
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Hi Anne,
Thanks for sharing, and welcome to the course.
I really like your idea for the planet tubes to reflect how they look and their unique features. It’s a wonderful opportunity for learners to carry out their own research on planets, and each group could have their own planetary focus. Together, the entire class could explore all the planets that orbit the sun and represent them.
In addition to using them to physically demonstrate weight differences, etc., they could also be used as props for a fun quiz, e.g., select the tubes that are Gas Giants, put the tubes in the right order as they appear in the solar system, etc., to consolidate learning.
It’s a wonderful way to integrate art into this STEM activity and make it a hands-on, fun learning experience. I am a big fan of these activities-great to see junk being transformed into something beautiful with an educational purpose!
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In Unravelling STEM: Beyond the Acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics ( Liston 2018) the importance of cross curricular links is emphasised. We as educators need to foster a deep curiosity in the children and encourage critical thinking as they engage in meaningful, collaborative projects with their peers.
Creating Sundials is the topic I have chosen to discuss for my first assignment. I would begin by getting the children to close their eyes and transport themselves back in time to before the invention of clocks and watches. I introduce a problem next- visitors are due to arrive at a certain time to share a meal but how can we know when to have the food ready? In groups they discuss this and I will discover does anyone know what a sundial is ( a device that tells the time of day during daylight hours by the position of the sun in the sky) or what methods they used in ancient civilations to tell the time. Our project then will be to create a sundial using paper plates . We write the numbers representing the hours at the side and draw lines from the middle to the numbers . The lines move as the sun move. We will place them outside and check on them hourly. We will discuss how shadows are smaller around noon when the sun is higher and longer as the sun moves lower.
We will contrast and compare modern ways of telling the time to ancient methods after we complete the project.
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Hi Patricia.
Welcome to the course.
I really like how you plan to introduce the concept of a sundial through story telling and creating a problem. This would be very engaging for the pupils and allow for critical thinking and lots of discussion. You have also linked it to ancient civilisations from the History curriculum which is great. I really like how you will support skills development with comparing and contrasting how people have been able to tell the time across periods of History.
You could also consider taking photographs of the sundial each hour to compare them and also allow for more discussion on the difference in the length of the shadow at different times in the day and allow for more critical thinking as they can compare photos.
Thanks for sharing your idea and I hope you enjoy the course.
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Assignment 1
Project 2
Construct a sundial in the immediate area of the school or locality.
In reviewing the paper Unravelling STEM: Beyond the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (Liston 2018) and reflecting on what STEM education looks like in your classroom you can see where the argument for ensuring STEM means taking Engineering and Maths into Science lessons.
The Sundial is a good example of STEM in action .The Science lesson might be as follows
To engage the children a discussion around the hypothesis, how do we tell time? Picture of ancient Eygpt dials ,ship dials an Newgrange.
The technology is the sundial build by the children.
Initially on a good sunny day the children will create their own shadows and mark them with chalk.Work in pairs.Repeat this over the course of the day and discuss.
The Engineering is the thinking ,design,materials and building of the type of sundial by the children.
The class have grown sunflowers so we will place our tallest sunflower on the south facing side of the school where a good shadow can be observed.Using stones and times on card mark the movement of the shadows.
The maths is the recording of the time and the measuring of the shadows.
The accuracy of the markings can be checked against the class clock and by checking over a number of days.
There is lots of active fun and discussion in this STEM project.
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3.Plan how your students could “observe and record the positions of the sun when rising and setting and at different times of the day”
Here is a simple lesson that could be done with pupils (8-12year olds) observing and recording the position of the sun when rising and setting and at different times during the day.
Before you begin it is imperative that you tell the child that they should never look directly at the sun as it can be harmful to their eyesight.
Learning Objectives:
By the end of this lesson, students will:
Observe and describe the sun’s position at sunrise, midday, and sunset.
Record observations using drawings, compass directions, and time.
Identify changes in the sun’s position across the day.
Materials:Compass (or compass app on a tablet/phone)
Clipboards with observation sheets
Pencils and coloured pencils
A safe shaded viewing point for sunrise and sunset
Chalk (if marking positions on the ground)
Large outdoor clock or watches
Optional: camera/tablet for time-lapse or photos
Lesson Sequence:1. Introduction (15 minutes)
Ask: “Where does the sun rise and set?” Let students share guesses.
Show them a simple diagram of the Earth’s rotation.
Explain that today they will be sun trackers, recording the sun’s position.
2. First Observation – SunriseTiming: Arrange for students to observe sunrise with teacher/parents (if possible before school) or use an early morning session.
Face east with a compass.
Mark where the sun first appears using:
Landmark description (“between the tall tree and the red roof”)
Compass direction (e.g., 75° east-northeast)
Draw the horizon and sun’s position on the observation sheet.
Record time.
3. Midday ObservationGo outside around solar noon (when shadows are shortest).
Use a stick in the ground to see how short the shadow is.
Note compass direction of the sun.
Record the sun’s height in the sky with a simple scale (low, medium, high).
4. Sunset Observation (This can be done individually by children at home over the course of the days)Face west with a compass.
Mark the spot where the sun disappears behind the horizon.
Record time, compass direction.
Draw the sunset position.
5. Recording Over Multiple DaysRepeat sunrise, midday, and sunset observations for at least 3–5 days.
Students note if positions shift slightly along the horizon.
6. Wrap-up and DiscussionIndoors, compile results on a class sun map:
Use a large sheet to plot east–west horizon line and each day’s sunrise/sunset points.
Discuss patterns:
Is the sun directly overhead? (No, except near the equator.)
Are sunrise/sunset points moving along the horizon? (Seasonal effect.)
Connect to Earth’s tilt and seasons.
Extension Ideas:Compare results with an online sunrise/sunset tracker to see accuracy.
Link to shadow tracking: measure stick shadows at different times.
Make a simple paper sundial and test it.-
Hi Owen,
Thanks for your post and welcome to the course.
This is a great one to run in the heart of winter, coming up to the solstice when the days are short, and sunrise is particularly late, nearing school time at 8:40 approximately, and sets at 16:10, making it a suitable time for learners to observe upon arrival in school and soon after as their homework.
I like how you include drawing as part of the observation and recording work for this activity, linking both landmarks and compass information to create a holistic understanding of positioning.
Lots of scope to go further with this, as you mention, shadow tracking and the sundial activity.
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Hi Owen,
Great ideas. One idea I think you had that would be very beneficial is comparing the children’s results to an online sunrise/sunset tracker. It would be validating to them to compare but also give them information on potential websites they could follow up with to track the sunrise and sunset further.
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Dr. Maeve Liston’s paper “Unravelling STEM: Beyond the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics” highlights how science, technology, engineering, and mathematics are all included into applicable and real-world learning experiences in true STEM education. It emphasises how engineering, frequently through the use of the Engineering Design Process (EDP), serves as the “glue” that pushes science, math, and technology in the direction of practical solutions. The study makes the case that many “STEM”-related activities only include some of its components and frequently do not use the fundamental engineering design methodology.
I will focus on: “Gravity/Weight – Assemble an Earth Tube and one other planet tube – decorate in a suitable manner.”
When viewed through the perspective of genuine STEM instruction, this exercise exceeds a straightforward craft project. The Engineering Design Process (EDP) integrates the ideas of weight, mass, and gravity to provide a design problem.
I would present the Earth Tube exercise as a challenge to get students interested in it. By combining science, technology, and maths into a practical project, this system encourages pupils to think like engineers.
First, the scientific concepts of weight, mass, and gravity will be studied by the students. In order to understand why an object’s weight varies even while its mass stays constant, they would investigate the gravitational attraction of several planets and moons, such as the Moon, Mars, and Jupiter.
Students would conduct research and create visuals using technology. To determine an object’s weight on several planets, they would employ digital instruments. As a baseline measurement, they may also weigh an object on Earth using a basic force sensor or digital scale.
The Engineering Design Process (EDP) is the driving force behind this activity.
Students identify the issue and gather the relevant scientific information. They come up with several designs for their “gravity tubes” in order to clearly demonstrate the weight difference. They organise the building, taking into account the scale, materials, and representation of the several planets. After building the two tubes, the students test their design by letting an object fall through each tube’s fluid. To symbolise their respective planets, the tubes would be embellished. When testing their tubes, they would watch and note how long it took for an object to fall through each one. After that, they would assess if their design successfully illustrates the variation in gravitational pull. They may alter their design to better convey the idea in light of their observations.Throughout the entire procedure, mathematics is crucial. Students would determine an object’s weight on various planets using mathematics. Determine the mass of the items and the tubes’ lengths. To measure the difference in gravitational attraction, record and assess the time of drop and compare the fall times of the two tubes. Compare the gravitational pull of Earth to that of other planets using ratios and proportions. To show the relationship between an object’s mass and weight on several celestial bodies, graph their data.
This project turns a basic physical model into an effective, integrated STEM lesson by emphasising problem definition, design, construction, and testing. -
2. Construct a sundial in your immediate area or plan for your school grounds to see where a sundial could be placed
This lesson plan presents opportunities to engage pupils across multiple subject areas and through various learning activities. The curriculum could cover the history of timekeeping and horology, as well as ancient methods of using the sun for measuring time.
The scientific principles related to sundials would be explained within the broader context of Earth’s position and movement in the solar system, along with its connection to time, including both daily and seasonal patterns. Models or video animations could be used to provide visual and hands-on educational experiences.
At my particular school, there would be an opportunity for pupils to construct a sundial for our horticulture area. Pupils could consider suitable materials and their properties, integrating materials science into the activity. Problem solving and group collaboration / teamwork would be involved as pupils decide on the sundial’s placement, considering scientific factors such as shadows and compass direction, as well as practical concerns like safety, accessibility, and protection from damage (away from football area etc) This would hopefully be an inclusive task that all our pupils would enjoy.
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Construct a sundial in your immediate area or plan for your school grounds to see where a sundial could be placed
I have middle classes and we visited a Bridget’s Gardens last year where they seen a sundial. We could recap on this and then discuss how and where to construct our own sun dial. This would also be a cross curricular lesson bringing art, math, history and geography together.
We could revisit the sundial at different times throughout the day to track how the shadow changes. This would incorporate in some movement breaks, especially nice for staring back in September.
Over time, it may also be interesting to observe how the sundial’s accuracy changes with the seasons, since the position of the sun shifts slightly throughout the year.
This would be a hands-on way to learn not just about telling time, but also about the natural worldI would encourage the children to then recreate this at home and for them to be aware of where their North, South, East and West lies.
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Hi Ann,
I really like the fact that your children have already seen a sundial – I feel like they will be able to make much more sense of it once they have seen it in person. Unfortunately, we are not based close to one but it has given me the idea that I should show them a video of one before we start the lesson.
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hat sounds like a fantastic, hands-on way to bring STEM to life! Building on the sundial from Brigid’s Gardens connects prior learning, while integrating art, history, and geography adds depth. Encouraging home projects fosters independence and spatial awareness—perfect for middle classes and a great start to the school year.
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3. Plan how your students could “observe and record the positions of the sun when rising and setting and at different times of the day”
The following is an example of how a lesson / lessons could be taught
Begin with a class discussion:
“Have you ever noticed how the Sun changes position in the sky throughout the day? Why does that happen?
“Can we track and predict the Sun’s movement throughout the day?”
Make Predictions
• Students predict where and when the Sun will rise and set.
• Predict the direction of the Sun’s movement and changes in shadow length.
Build an Observation Station
• Create a simple: a stick placed upright in a flat surface (e.g., cardboard with a compass rose).
• Mark the position of the shadow at hourly intervals.
Data Collection
• Morning (sunrise), midday, and afternoon (sunset): students record:
o Shadow length and direction
o Sun’s position in the sky (using compass direction)
o Time and date of observation
Record and Organize Data
• Students use tables or graphs to show:
o Time vs. shadow length
o Time vs. shadow angle
o Sun’s direction etc
Study Patterns
• Identify trends:
o Shadows are shortest at midday.
o The Sun moves east to west.
o The sunrise and sunset positions shift slightly each day.
• Introduce scientific concepts:
o Earth’s rotation causes apparent Sun movement.
o Seasonal changes affect the Sun’s path.
Assessment
• Students present findings through posters, digital slides, etc.
• Reflect on questions like:-
Hi Niall,
Welcome to the course. Thanks for sharing your lesson idea. Starting with class discussion will allow you to elicit prior knowledge from the pupils and also allow you to address any misconceptions they may have.
I like how you plan to incorporate technology such as using tables to show the results of their observations time vs shadow length for example. This will also give the pupils the opportunity to use data and technology in a meaningful and purposeful way. It is important that the pupils are encouraged to reflect on their work also, have you considered the reflective questions you could ask?
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Plan how your students could observe and record the positions of the sun when rising and setting and at different times of the day.
Junior Infants – Dublin school
The Sun and a Sundial
Long ago, before watches and clocks, people used the Sun to tell the time. They made a sundial (a stick called a gnomon stands up, and the Sun makes a shadow.) As the Earth turns, the shadow moves, showing the time. In Ireland, the gnomon must point North. We would watch the ESERO video on how to make a sundial at home https://www.youtube.com/watch
Activity
We will make two sundials:Small Sundial: made from card, placed on the ground with arrow pointing South.
Large Sundial: stick in the playground at the correct angle for Dublin (~53°). Every hour, place a stone where the shadow falls and label it.
Observing and Recording
At sunrise (beginning of school day), midday (sos) , and sunset (going home time) we will look at the Sun’s position.The students will:
Draw the Sun’s place in the sky.
Draw the stick’s shadow and measure its length with a ruler.
Write the time beside your drawing.
Compare drawings to see how shadows and the Sun’s position change during the day.
We would discuss how we found that the Sun’s position in the sky changes during the day. In the morning, the Sun is low in the east and shadows are long. At midday, the Sun is high and shadows are short. In the afternoon and evening, the Sun is lower in the west and shadows get longer again. The sundial’s shadow moves in a circle, showing the time. The next lesson we would discuss all of the mathematical elements and connections to our lesson and create a whole class diagram to show our findings.
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Hi Susie, sounds like a lovely idea for your Junior Infants. I really do like the idea of creating a sundial and have even seen a 3rd class teacher in my school doing it before. While watching the video in this module, however, I did wonder how it could be adapted for my 6th class in order to show real progression. Perhaps different groups making different sundials to show the time from different time zones? This would also link with maths.
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Gravity/Weight – Assemble an Earth Tube and one other planet tube – decorate in a suitable manner.
I have been teaching mainstream mixed 6th class for the past three years and will continue to do so in September. While going through this module, the Earth Tube idea stood out to me the most.
The way I would see this working would be through an integrated art and science lesson and is something I feel the class would thoroughly enjoy. I will have 28 students in my class this year. I would divide my class into 8 groups and give each group a different planet to create artistically; following this I would give each group the exact weight to mimic the feeling of weight on that particular planet.
Before going through the exact feeling of gravity on each of the planets, I would work on predictions to make it like a game for them, possibly even have a prize for anyone that can guess on which planet gravity feels heavier. Giving everyone the opportunity to left each container and leaving it as an interactive classroom display would also add to their engagement.
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Hi Robert
Welcome to the course, thanks for sharing your thoughts on the planet tube activity.
I like how you plan to explore all 8 planets with your class in groups. This will give each group the opportunity to research and decorate their tube to represent their planet.
I also like how you plan to leave it as an interactive display in the classroom following the lesson so pupils can engage with it informally and this could also allow for more critical thinking outside of the lesson.
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This is what I would do with my 3rd class I will have in September.
To begin, I would introduce the activity by telling the class, “We are going to become Sun Detectives!” I’d show them a big map of our school grounds and a picture of the Sun at different times of the day. We’d talk about how the Sun “travels” across the sky, rising in the east and setting in the west.
We would choose a special “Sun Spot” in the yard where it’s safe and clear. Every day for two weeks, at set times (morning, after big break, and before home time), we’d head out as a team with clipboards, compasses, and our “Sun Detective Record Sheets.” Students would mark the Sun’s position using nearby landmarks (tree, goal posts, chimney of school) and note the time.
To make it more fun, we’d use a giant chalk compass on the yard so children can stand in the correct direction and point to the Sun. At the end of the project, we’d create a big “Sun Journey Wall” with our drawings, charts, and photos to show how the Sun’s position changes. It should be very interesting to see.-
Hi Clodagh
Welcome to the course. I like your idea of creating a Sun Journey Wall to allow the pupils to document and share their learning for this topic. Using landmarks such as those you have suggested – goals, trees etc it will give the pupils a familiar starting point and I think that taking photographs will allow the pupils to compare the location of the sun and allow for critical thinking and discussion. Thanks for sharing, I hope you enjoy the course.
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Plan how your students could “observe and record the positions of the sun when rising and setting and at different times of the day”
Observing and Recording the Sun’s Position
Class Level: First Class
Lesson: To investigate how the sun’s position in the sky changes over the course of the day and across several days, and to record observations using drawings, notes, and a simple chart.
Safe, pre-marked observation spot
Simple sun dial (or a fixed stick in the ground)
Whiteboard and markers
Individual recording sheets with space for drawings and labels
Wall chart for class results
Stickers or coloured markers
Sun-themed songs or rhymesBring the class outside at 3 set times each day: morning, midday and before hometime.
Stand in the same safe spot each time for accuracy.
Use the sun dial to demonstrate how the shadow changes position and length.
Discussion & Questioning“Where is the sun now compared to this morning?”
“Are the shadows longer or shorter?”
“What direction is the shadow pointing?”
Introduce or revise terms such as east, south, west, horizon, overhead.
Recording ObservationsOn the whiteboard, draw the sun’s position for each time of day and label the drawings – children can copy this down into their observation journal
Children draw and label their own observations on recording sheets.
Encourage them to note shadow length and even measure it using a metre stick.Add each day’s results to a class wall chart.
Use stickers or colours to show different times of day.
Note any differences day by day and overall at the end.Sing a short sun song or rhyme to close each observation.
Link to other learning, e.g., how the sun helps plants grow or why we need sun protection.-
Hi Emma,
Thanks for your plan on observing and recording the sun’s position. I love your choice of questions-they are such an integral part of the process, and planning in advance makes running the activity so much easier-having questions to hand, and any others that may arise organically as the activity is underway.
Some lovely ideas to conclude with a song or rhyme, and explore further topics on the sun-lots of more great resources on these topics and much more in the classroom investigation database section of the Curious Minds website.
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Construct a sundial in your immediate area or plan for your school grounds to see where a sundial could be placed:
This sounds like a great idea for a lesson. It could easily allow for integration of many different subject areas. I would explore the history of sundials and the different ancient civilizations involved in such. There is an art lesson I have taught many times before of an Aztec sundial using warm and cool colours. The science topic of light is another important area to be explored. Various investigations using torches and shadows could be carried out before starting on the actual sundial activity itself. Once the children are sufficiently aware of the workings of a sundial we would start the construction. Maths is an important element here in drawing a circle with a centre point. Geography and Science (Magnetism) is also involved as a compass could be used to find North and South. The children would then love the novelty and responsibility of making shadow lines and recording the time during the days and weeks following.
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To “observe and record the positions of the sun when rising and setting and at different times of the day”
I would begin by sparking curiosity with a simple question: “Where is the sun right now, and how do we know?” We would go outside to make our first observation, encouraging students to describe what they see, sketch the sun’s position, and note the time. Over several days, students would work in small groups to record the sun’s location during morning, midday, and afternoon, using a compass or landmarks to note direction. I would prompt thinking with open-ended questions such as, “Why might the sun’s position change?” and “What patterns do you notice over time?” We could mark the sun’s location on a large outdoor chart or use chalk on the playground to track changes. Students would compare daily records, looking for patterns in sunrise and sunset positions. This inquiry approach promotes observation, questioning, and pattern recognition, leading students to form their own conclusions about the sun’s movement.
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Hi Maeve,
Thanks for sharing, and welcome to the course!
Reading your plan to observe the positions of the sun, I am guessing you are at the junior end of the cycle, with an accessible, engaging lesson plan that you have outlined.
I like your focus on strategic questions to elicit information and reflect on observations, facilitating the learners’ journey of discovery.
With this inquiry-based approach and aligned findings, learners will begin to understand the emerging pattern and predict future sun positions, developing their STEM skills throughout. -
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Construct a sundial in your immediate area or plan for your school grounds to see where a sundial could be placed.
When we are back at the end of the month I feel this activity will form a welcome extension to discussions and material covered before the summer break. When installing our school weather station we had discussed in the older class where best to position it including discussions on Magnetic North V true north and subsequently as the data came in to the screen inside we discussed seasons, hours of sunlight and uv indexes.
So following on from that I feel that our plan will centre on A. placing our DIY sundial in a sunny, unobstructed location with minimal shade from trees, buildings, or play equipment throughout the day.
B. Position it on a flat, stable surface for accuracy and safety, and align the gnomon (pointer) to true north for correct timekeeping.
C. Choose a spot accessible but protected from heavy foot traffic to prevent damage and ensure children’s safety while also considering the educational value—place it where it can be incorporated into lessons or easily observed during playtimes.
D. Finally With the help of the older classed we would then include clear markings and possibly a plaque explaining how it works to support learning.
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That sounds like a really thoughtful and well-sequenced plan. I like how you’re linking the sundial to your previous work with the weather station — it gives the activity continuity and builds on the pupils’ existing understanding of sunlight, seasons, and orientation. Your attention to location is spot-on, especially considering both accuracy (true north alignment, unobstructed sunlight) and practical factors like safety and accessibility. Involving the older classes in setting up the sundial and adding clear markings or a plaque is a great idea — it gives them ownership of the project and ensures it can be a lasting feature in the school grounds. I can imagine it becoming a popular point of interest at break times and an easy go-to for linking maths, geography, and science lessons throughout the year.
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Hi Farnan,
Welcome to the course.
Thanks for sharing. I am delighted to read that your class was already a hive of activity before the summer holidays with the school weather station and links to cardinal directions and true north versus magnetic north for this activity. By returning and revisiting these topics, it’s a great way to revise previous concepts and build on them with this new activity.
Lovely idea to create a plaque so everyone can enjoy the sundial and read it, along with plans to engage older classes to participate in this activity too.
Fingers crossed for sunny days to run this activity! It helps to be flexible with your schedule for this one to ensure the right conditions.
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Liston’s (2018) paper reinforced for me that authentic STEM goes beyond teaching subjects side-by-side — it’s about integrating science, technology, engineering, and maths through real-world, problem-solving contexts. In my classroom, STEM means students are active investigators, working collaboratively and using multiple disciplines to explore and create solutions. For this activity, pupils will work in teams to observe and record the Sun’s position over several weeks. We will design a simple recording station in the school yard using a fixed marker and compass points. Each group will record sunrise and sunset positions, shadow direction, and length at set times during the day, using tablets to take photos and measure angles. We will then compile our findings into a digital graph and presentation.
This integrates science (Earth-Sun movement), maths (measuring angles/times), technology (digital recording), and engineering (designing the observation setup), fulfilling the criteria for authentic STEM outlined by Liston. -
Construct a sundial in your immediate area or plan for your school grounds to see where a sundial could be placed
I would begin with reading My Shadow by Robert Louise Stephenson. We would discuss the story /poem and brainstorm where shadows come from and how some shadows are tall and some are small. We then would go outside and in pairs one would draw their partners shadow.
This would lead to discussion again about how are shadows formed and do they change?
We then would draw our shadows at different times of the day with different coloured chalks. The children would record this information on a chart or record it through pictures. We then would discuss our findings and come with suggestions as to why the shadows change and link this to time. We would also discuss whether this was is a good or bad way of reading time and what are the advangtages/disadvantages.-
Hi Carmel,
Thanks for sharing, and welcome to the course.
What a fitting prompt to begin this activity with My Shadow. Based on your outlined plan, I am guessing you have younger learners in your class, and this is a lovely lesson plan to engage with, with thoughtful questions, observations, recording of data and reflections. Lots of potential for learners to come along in their STEM skills development.
I like your idea to use different coloured chalk at different times of the day to make it easier to visually distinguish the times-the devil is in the detail with all class plans!
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3. Plan how your students could “observe and record the positions of the sun when rising and setting and at different times of the day”
One activity I think would be effective in providing a hands on way for children to explore the different positions of the sun would be through tracing shadows.
I would begin by bringing the children to the yard and inviting them to safely observe the position of the sun. An item such as a chair would be placed in the yard and the children could trace the shadow and mark the time within the outline.
Later in the day perhaps midday the children would trace the shadow with a different colour chalk and again note the time. The children would be prompted to reflect on any way in which the shadow has changed e,g is the shadow longer/ shorter etc, Why do you think this is?
Before going home the children could repeat the tracing activity once more and observe any changes. The children could be invited to reflect on how their outlines of the shadows has changed throughout the day due to the different positions of the sun.-
I really like your use of shadow tracing as a way to make the movement of the sun visible to the children. I teach 3rd class and they love any excuse to get outside, so I think it would work really really well with them. You could also have the children measure the length of the shadows, bringing in some practical, hands on maths.
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In reflecting on Liston’s Unravelling STEM: Beyond the Acronym (2018), I am reminded that STEM should not simply mean doing a science or maths activity with a technological tool attached. Instead, it should be about real integration of the disciplines, with engineering and problem-solving at the heart of the experience. With this in mind, I would choose to engage my class in the construction of a sundial.
We would begin by discussing why people in the past needed sundials and how they worked. From here, groups would research, sketch, and plan their own designs before constructing a prototype using simple materials such as cardboard, a ruler, and a stick for the gnomon. Each group would place their sundial outside, observe the shadows at different times of the day, and compare their findings with standard clock time.
This activity brings together science (the Earth’s rotation and the sun’s movement), maths (measurement, angles, and recording data), technology (using measuring tools and recording results), and engineering (designing, testing, and improving the sundial). Most importantly, it promotes creativity, teamwork, and critical thinking. By testing and refining their designs, students experience the engineering design process in action. In this way, the sundial activity moves beyond a simple experiment and becomes a meaningful, hands-on STEM project that reflects Liston’s call for authentic, integrated learning.
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I teach sixth class and the theme of Space is a strong feature in both SESE and in the stories within our English programme. I am particularly drawn to the lesson One Year on Earth, as it introduces pupils to the concept of the seasons in an age-appropriate, engaging, and hands-on way. This lesson provides children with a memorable, concrete understanding of why the Earth experiences seasonal change, rather than relying solely on abstract explanation. To build on this, I would like to assign my pupils a project that involves analysing satellite data at a deeper level. This would allow them to make real-world connections and to think critically about how information is gathered and used. I would also give students the chance to investigate the climate of a chosen country and link this to its location on the globe, using the 3D Earth model for meaningful visual support.
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I would like to use the idea of the sundial to create a cross-curricular project that links SESE/Visual Arts/Maths/STEM. The sundial in our local seaside village is a familiar landmark for many students in my school, and starting with something they know would help make their learning meaningful. By exploring how sundials were once used to measure time, pupils can connect their local community to the wider history of timekeeping. To deepen the project, pupils could interview older residents of the village to gather stories about the sundial’s presence and significance. This would encourage oral history skills, develop questioning, and build respect for local heritage. An interview with the artist who designed and built the sundial would provide a unique perspective on creativity, design, and materials, linking naturally to Visual Arts. Pupils could then design their own sundial models, experimenting with form and function. From a Maths perspective, measuring shadows, exploring angles, and comparing results with clocks would bring number and shape concepts to life. This project would encourage children to see how Maths and Art meet in the real world, while strengthening a connection to local history and community identity and furthering home school community engagement.
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Hi Helena
Welcome to the course. What a great resource of a sundial to have in the local area of your school and it would be a fantastic opportunity to develop the learners knowledge about the sundial and make meaningful links to their own local area.
I also really like how you can use the local sundial as a resource for local history through interviewing the older members of the local community. It would strengthen the knowledge and connections of learning for those in your class.
Thanks for sharing the lovely ideas in this post, I hope you enjoy the course.
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2. Construct a sundial in your immediate area or plan for your school grounds to see where a sundial could be placed.
I’d start by discussing the project with the class, ascertaining their prior knowledge and sharing the objective with them. I’d give them an overview of the history of sundials and the part they played in ancient civilizations as well as showing them examples of sundials from around the world (Greenwich observatory, etc).
The class would work in groups to assess what materials could be used in the construction of the sundial (as our school is in a remote and windy area the materials would need to be sturdy), as well as the best area on the school grounds on which to place it. We could discuss how to find the latitude of the school and how maps are oriented towards celestial north rather than magnetic north.
After constructing the sundial we could check on it throughout the day, gauging its accuracy against regular timekeeping and discussing the pros and cons of using a sundial. The children would love being out and about so it would be a very enjoyable activity!
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Hi Deirdre,
Welcome to the course!
Thanks for sharing. I really like your approach to this activity, with a strong emphasis on a learner-led experience-they are the ones who are exploring and deciding on materials to use, and examining the school grounds for the most suitable location. Learners will learn from their choices and decisions and will be empowered to improve upon their designs, reflect on what they would do differently next time, etc.
You make a great point about this one-learners enjoy it a lot! it’s an ideal class movement break to go take a look on a sunny day. Here’s hoping for plenty more sunshine in September!
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Reading Liston’s paper, I really resonated with the idea that simply using technology does not mean children are engaging in STEM learning. Too often activities are mislabelled as STEM just because they involve tech. The engineering design process needs to be at the heart of the activity for it to be truly labelled a STEM activity.
ESERO 30 Day and Night in the World
Introduction
Discussion of diurnal and nocturnal animals. Using the IWB to display photos, we discuss how some animals are awake at night and how they can have different physical traits that help them adapt to the darkness. This discussion will lead us to investigate the difference between day and night in the world.Activity
Taking a globe, the class will find Ireland and Australia and place small stickers to mark them. Using a torch to represent the sun, and making the classroom dark, shine the torch on Ireland to show Ireland in daytime. Have a pupil slowly rotate the globe to model a cycle of day and night. When Ireland turns away from the light and enters night, the opposite side of the Earth, Australia as marked on our globe, enters daylight. When the torch/sun is shining on Australia, it is nighttime in Ireland.This activity is a clear, hands on demonstration of day and night around the world. By modelling day and night with the globe and torch, pupils are observing, questioning, and investigating, key components of STEM learning.
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Module 1 Assignment: Making and Placing a Sundial
In this activity, students will make a sundial to tell time using the sun. Use a paper plate as the circle. Draw lines like a clock. In the middle, poke a pencil or stick straight up—this is called the gnomon. It makes the shadow.
To place the sundial, find a sunny, open spot in the schoolyard with no trees or buildings blocking the sun. Put the sundial flat on the ground. Use a compass to make sure the stick points north.
At different times of the day, check where the shadow falls. Mark the shadow’s place next to the correct hour. Over time, students will see how the sun moves and how the shadow tells the time. We could also research Newgrange and how the Neolithic people built a stone passageway that aligned with the rising sun during the winter solstice. showing a deep understanding of astronomy.
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Gravity/Weight: I will be teaching in an Autism class and love the idea of the planet tubes. I’d keep it really simple and hands-on – start with a quick question like “What happens if I drop this pencil?” or “What would it feel like to jump on the Moon?” then show a short cartoon of astronauts. I’d use two “planet tubes” (crisp tubes with different weights), one for Earth and one for Moon or Jupiter, and let the children hold, guess which is heavier or lighter, and then check on a scale. We’d record results on a class chart with stickers and keep the talk short and visual – e.g. “The Moon is smaller so things feel lighter, Jupiter is bigger so things feel heavier.” To link across the curriculum they could decorate the tubes in Art, do heavy/light sorting in Maths, or act out “Moon walking” in Drama.
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Plan how your students could “observe and record the positions of the sun when rising and setting and at different times of the day”.
I would start with a safety debrief and inform students to never look directly at the sun. Use of safe methods such as observing shadows, directions and the suns position in the sky relevant to landmarks.
I would give the student a template for home and one for school. We would revise compass positions and focus on east and west.
As they will not be in school for sunrise or sunset I would get permission from our principal/BOM to observe the CCTV cameras from morning and evenings and have the pupils record the position of the sun in school from the footage of that.
We would use the position of the school yard with a fixed point of the basketball pole/hoop which will also be used to record the shadow.
I think going outside twice in the school day, once mid morning and once before home time would be best as the suns position would have moved more obviously.
Students will sketch the horizon and mark the suns position relative to the school building/ their home.
I would do this over a fortnight in October as the sunrise/sunset times shorten significantly. Set times would be 8am at home, 9am observe CCTV for sun at school @8am, 11am, 2pm and at home 7pm.
Once the fortnight recordings are completed by students, we would present our findings at assemble and use a torch and globe to model to the other pupils how the Earth’s rotation causes sunrises and sunsets.
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Hi Miriam.
Welcome to the course. Thanks for sharing your plan to observe the sun’s movement in the sky. It is a great idea to use the CCTV footage for sunrise and sunset to ensure continuity and also allows the pupils to use familiar landmarks to note the changes in the position of the sun. Similarly you could also screenshot the footage to have pictures for the pupils to compare. I also like how you plan to develop links with home in supporting observations of the sun at home and the template you have suggested will help this too.
Thanks for sharing, I hope you enjoy the course.
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Module 1
In my classroom, STEM isn’t just about ticking off Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math—it’s about helping students see how these subjects connect in real life. Liston (2018) talks about going beyond the buzzword and making STEM meaningful. I try to do that by giving students hands-on tasks that let them explore, question, and create, instead of just memorizing facts.
One activity we do is observing and recording the sun’s position during the day. Over the course of a week or two, students check where the sun rises and sets, and mark its position at different times—like morning, noon, and afternoon. They use simple tools like chalk, sticks, compasses, and maybe even a camera or an app to track shadows and directions. We then plot their findings on a chart or graph, and talk about patterns like how the sun moves across the sky or changes slightly each day.
It’s a great way to mix science (sun movement), math (measuring and graphing), and even a bit of engineering if we build simple sun trackers. More importantly, students feel like real scientists—curious, observant, and engaged. That’s what real STEM learning should look like.
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Dr. Liston’s paper, Unravelling STEM: Beyond the acronym Science, Technology , Engineering and Mathematics, looks to emphasise integrated real world learning over isolated subjects. She highlights benefits such as critical thinking, problem solving, ethics, collaboration and technological literacy. She maintains that authentic lessons should connect science, technology, engineering and maths to meaningful applications that prepare students for the future.
Construct a sundial in your immediate area or plan for your school grounds to see where a sundial could be placed
I would like to create a sundial on our school grounds and I think the school garden would be the best location. This area receives plenty of direct sunlight, is open and accessible, and already encourages exploration and hands-on learning. A sundial here would link perfectly with lessons on shadow, time, and the movement of the sun. To begin, a stick could be placed firmly in the ground in a sunny spot, and students could mark its shadow at regular hourly intervals. Over the course of the day, they would notice how the shadow shifts and connect this to the way we measure time. Older students could take on the responsibility of constructing the sundial in a more permanent way, and then present their work to younger classes, encouraging peer teaching. Alongside the sundial, the school could also set up a small weather station, creating a space full of outdoor science learning opportunities.
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I think making a sundial is a great way of teaching children about the rotation of the Earth and the light and shadows this creates. I teach in an infant school and although many of the children would be unable to read the time on a clock they do understand the different stages of the day and night. I would use the steps in the DPSM/ESERO Framework for Inquiry of engage , investigate, exploring and reflecting. I would engage the children in this topic by reading the story Moonbear’s Shadow by Frank Asch. We could then recreate scenes from the picture book, using a Bear figure and a flashlight. Children could investigate how the position of the light affects the position of the bear’s shadow. I would demonstrate the earth moving and rotating around the sun with a lamp and a globe and show the children how this causes the changes in light on earth and how shadows are formed. I would then take the children outside to the yard at three different times during the day. I would get them to create a sundial using a stick and flower pot and some chalk. We would observe and record changes in the length of the shadow cast with a chalk marking at three different times during the day. I would also get the children to trace their own shadows using chalk. We could incorporate Drama and pretend to be Bear from our story. The children could work in pairs and observe changes in their shadows and reflect on why changes have taken place. We could discuss time and ways we tell the time. We would talk about how a sundial help us tell the time. We could observe our sundial in the yard over a few days. Is the shadow always in the same place each morning? I would like the children to then visit/ view a real sundial. If this is not possible we can watch a video on YouTube detailing changes on a real sundial during a day.
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Plan how your students could “observe and record the positions of the sun when rising and setting and at different times of the day”
I will have an infant class next year and I think that they would love simple active learning activities to record the different positions of the sun at different times of the day. We could work in pairs going outside to our yard each morning, around noon and before home time to observe where the sun is. Each pair could then fill in a chart in their SESE copy daily to document this either through a drawing or some writing. It could be reflected on and shared with the class at the end of the week noting differences and similarities in results. We could also observe our shadows at playtime and maybe even trace them and compare lengths at different times of the day. Lots of chat and discussion around day and night and eliciting any prior knowledge the kids have about the sun would also aid to this. Pixar also have a lovely short animated video about the differences between day and night which I have used in class previously and is a great discussion tool. -
3. Plan how your students could “observe and record the positions of the sun when rising and setting and at different times of the day
I will be teaching Third Class next year. One way we could observe and record the positions of the sun during the day is by placing a stick vertically in the ground outside first thing in the morning. At different intervals throughout the day we could mark where the shadow falls on the stick with a marker. Children could also record this and the length of the shadow in their SESE copies.
This could be done over a few days to track consistency and at the end of the week could be used as a prompt for a class discussion (e.g what patterns do you notice? Predictions about changes depending on seasons etc)
This would create the opportunity to introduce directional language too.
We could also create a class display in the classroom, a big poster with shadow marks, compass directions and students drawings presented.-
Hi Sinead,
Thanks for sharing your plan.
I like your idea to use the stick as an observation tool, instead of directly monitoring the sun’s position in the sky. Lots of great ways to incorporate maths that you mention, including measuring the length of the shadow in their copy, pattern observation, etc.
It could be interesting to add to this by showing a small-scale model inside the classroom, using a torch so learners have a visual aid to understand the connection between shadows and the sun’s position.
Lovely plan to create a class display upon completion of this project!
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For this activity, I would plan to start with the gravity tubes as they look like a really fun, hands-on way to introduce the idea of weight on different planets. I’d have the class make an Earth Tube and a Mars Tube, decorating them with drawings, colours and planet facts. While working on them, I’d guide a discussion around how gravity is different depending on the size of the planet. Using the ESERO “How much would you weigh on other celestial bodies?” resource, the children could work out their “weight” on Mars and compare it with Earth — I think they’d get a real kick out of this!
I’d also plan to bring the focus back to Earth by setting up a sundial in the school grounds. The children could observe and record shadow movements during the day and then compare their notes over a week. This would link well with the ESERO Day and Night in the World activity, helping them see how Earth’s rotation causes day and night. I’d also hope to use the ESA One Year on Earth resource later in the year to tie the learning into the seasons.
Even though I haven’t used these resources yet, I think this mix of creative making, outdoor observation and science inquiry would be a great way to engage the students, making big ideas like gravity, day/night and the seasons feel exciting and accessible.
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Hi Brian
Welcome to the course. It is great to hear your feedback on the resources in this module. They do allow for a mixture of creativity, outdoor learning and science inquiry which is a great approach to engage all learners in our classrooms.
I agree that the learners would enjoy the activity to compare their ‘weight’ on Earth and on Mars which would also integrate well with Maths. I hope you enjoy the other modules and find the resources beneficial.
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Plan how your students could “observe and record the positions of the sun when rising and setting and at different times of the day”
Preparation
Place a classroom compass on the window ledge or outside on the yard.
Create a large observation chart (morning, midday, afternoon, sunset).
Give each child a Sun Diary (a simple worksheet with space for drawings).Daily Observations
Morning (as school begins):Teacher points out where the sun is in the sky.
Children draw the sun’s position relative to a landmark (e.g., “above the big tree”).
Midday (around lunch):Go outside. Observe shadows (shorter at midday).
Children mark or trace their shadow on the ground with chalk.
Afternoon (before home time):Observe again. Compare the sun’s position and shadows (shadows longer again).
At Home (sunset):Homework task: Ask children to notice where the sun sets from their house/garden. Parents can help them draw or describe it.
Recording Ideas
Drawings: Children draw the sun’s position at different times of the day on a picture of the sky/landscape.
Shadow Tracing: On the yard, chalk outlines of shadows at different times (label with the time).
Class Chart: Teacher updates a big poster showing “Morning Sun / Midday Sun / Evening Sun.”Discussion & Reflection
End of the week: Compare drawings and class chart.
Discuss patternIt could also be a nice idea to make a human sundial with the children on the yard, I know my first class would love that!
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Hi Kathy
Welcome to the course. Thanks for sharing your plan to observe the sun’s movement in the sky. It is a great activity to get your learners outside and observing and noting specific details such as the sun’s location in relation to landmarks. You have mentioned using a compass and could consider naming the landmarks relative to their location such as the big tree in the east. Parents could also download a compass on their phone or device to help their child with this activity at home. I agree that a human sun dial would also be a great activity on the yard. I hope you enjoy the course.
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I really like how simple and fun you’ve made the whole activity! The idea of using a Sun Diary is lovely – kids will really enjoy drawing what they see, and it helps them feel part of the learning. I also think it’s great that you’re including parents by asking kids to observe the sunset at home. That adds a nice real-world connection and helps continue the learning outside school.
The daily observations and shadow tracing with chalk sound like something the children will look forward to. It’s such a hands-on way to show how the sun moves across the sky, and they’ll love comparing their shadows at different times. The big class chart is a smart way to bring everyone’s findings together and notice the pattern over time.
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Here are some practical ideas I could use with my 3rd class students to observe and record the sun’s position:
- Nature Observation Journals: Since each child in my class will already have a nature journal, they can record sunrise and sunset positions daily as part of homework. They could sketch a simple horizon with the sun’s position marked.
- Morning Check-In: Begin the day by asking if anyone noticed where the sun rose that morning. Record a class version on the board before they add to their own journals.
- Midday Observation: During break or lunch, step outside briefly to note where the sun is in the sky. Use compass directions (north, south, east, west) to describe its position.
- Afternoon Reflection: Before home time, look out the window or step outside again and note how the sun has moved.
- Sunset Tracking at Home: Ask children to record the sunset position in their journals for homework. They could add colours of the sky to make it more engaging.
- Classroom Display: Create a large wall chart with a compass rose. Mark daily observations with sticky notes or drawings to build a class record over time.
- Everyday References: Regularly link directions to classroom activities and while outdoors, reinforcing spatial awareness and sun movement.
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3. Plan how your students could “observe and record the positions of the sun when rising and setting and at different times of the day”
An easy lesson to observe the positions of the sum rising and setting at different times of the day would all depend of the position of your classroom or a particular window in your school. For example, i a lucky that the classroom I am currently in faces south which allows us to witness the sun rising in the east and (in winter) almost setting in the west. For this lesson, pick three different times of the day, 9am, 12, and 2:30.
From the same position in the room record the position of the sun by marking it position of the window using a whiteboard marker. This will allow the pupils to see that the sun rises in the east and sets in the west and is around the same position in the sky and at set times.
An interesting way of developing this would be to do this over a week during each season of the year and observe the suns position in the sky during the four seasons of autumn, winter, spring and summer. By doing this the kids will have a visual on the classroom window of the position of the sun at different times of day and at different times of the year
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1. Construct a sundial in your immediate area or plan for your school grounds to see where a sundial could be placed
I really like the idea of a class making a sundial together. It is such a fun, collaborative lesson. Its also a great opportunity for outdoor learning.
For this lesson, I would begin by establishing the children’s prior knowledge of how we tell time., i.e. clocks, smartphones etc. Then I would ask how people used to tell time before clocks were invented.
I would then ask the children if they know where the sun rises in the morning and if they know where the sun sets in the evening. How does it get from east to west?
Then, as a class we would place a large square of cardboard on a flat area of grass. We would then take a long stick and place that into the ground in the centre of the cardboard. Ask the children to observe if there is a shadow and mark the line of the shadow. We would take a note of the time and mark it on the cardboard. I would then ask the children to predict where the shadow would be at the end of small break, noon and home time. In small groups the children could then be sent out to check and mark the shadow at those times.
We could then observe this over the coming days. -
“Day and Night in the World, developed by ESERO/ESA is an engaging primary-level STEM resource that helps primary children to grasp why day and night occur. It would be most suitable for 1st class to 4th. Through four hands-on activities ; namely ; exploring diurnal versus nocturnal animals, crafting a paper-world model, and using an orange or globe with a torch to simulate the Sun’s illumination—students investigate how Earth’s rotation leads to the varying periods of light and darkness. The resource helps pupils to recognize how animals have adapted for night-time activity, it also helps them to show that when day occurs in one part of the world it is night elsewhere, and it helps them understand that sunlight only reaches half the globe at any one time. This documents learning goals include understanding diurnal vs nocturnal behaviors, Earth’s movement, and its effects on day and night rhythms. The learning is achieved through the creation of earth/sun/moon models and reflective activities for the children. The lessons also promote a sense of global citizenship by emphasizing that all humans share the same rotating planet and experience day and night in varying ways.
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I believe pupil-led learning is so important across all areas of the curriculum to aid in the child’s development as an independent learner. From the very beginning of this investigation, I would rephrase the task as a question to “Why do the rising and setting times of the sun change daily?” In groups, pupils brainstorm what evidence would answer the question. They will be prompted by me throughout to think of reliability, the need for repeating the experiment and ways to make the experiment fair.
Each team will design a mini-investigation: selecting times (e.g., 9:30, 12:30, 14:30), locations, and tools. These will be discussed as a whole class and then we will decide a base set of rules across all the groups. We will agree roles within each group and a fairness checklist.
At each decided time, the designated pupil will measure the shadow tip, measure length and bearing using chalk or other suggested method. I would encourage the use of the IPads to document findings. I would then like to input findings into a whole class excel and display this in the board.
Teams plot shadow length vs. time and bearings on a circular grid , encouraging them to look for patterns and anomalies.
I would then support the pupils in each group to explore their findings and ask questions to themselves about the investigation. Giving each group the choice, I would help them to organise their findings and present to the rest of the class however suits them.
As an extension activity, we could build a simple sundial; make next-day predictions and evaluate each group’s accuracy. We would orally reflect on enquiry skills and propose a follow-up question for a new cycle
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Hi Laura,
Welcome to the course and thanks for sharing this comprehensive plan.
I can see you have put considerable thought into how you would make this work in the classroom, and it’s great to see the level of detail you have included-from refining the question, to learner-led focus, mini-investigation choices, how you’d strategically steer them in the direction of fair testing and result repeatability, etc.
It’s a lovely idea to conclude with a follow-up question, making it a truly learner-led journey of discovery that continues, and something they can look forward to next time.
Also great for all learners to know what is happening in the next session. By providing a high level of autonomy throughout the process, it makes for an exciting lesson and an engaged class.
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I will be teaching 5th class this year and am looking forward to teaching STEM subjects in a cross curricular way. The sundial activity would be great for this. Hopefully we will be treated to some September sun to enable good conditions for this activity. We have a lot of open space on our school grounds, away from buildings and trees so I would be confident in choosing an area to create a basic sundial firstly, which we could monitor every hour. I like how this would be a productive movement break for all.
The obvious links between geography, science, maths would be explored throughout the day. I would extend this theme to allow for creativity in art lessons (designing a face for an analogue clock) and literacy/drama (process drama – based on the problem ‘what if all the clocks in the world stopped working’).
The opportunities for learning across many, if not all curricular areas, will ensure highly engaging lessons and enable the children to gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of the topic.-
Hi Natalia ,
Welcome to the course. It is great that your school has lots of open space to allow for great learning from the sun dial activity. I agree that these activities allow for productive movement breaks too and opportunity for outdoor learning and exploring the changes on the hour. There are many links for meaningful integration as you have mentioned and I like how you plan to integrate it with the arts also.
Thanks for sharing and I hope you enjoy the course.
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Plan how your students could “observe and record the positions of the sun when rising and setting and at different times of the day”
After reading the paper Unravelling STEM: Beyond the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (Liston 2018) it occurred to me that when we think we are ‘doing STEM’ it is only when we teach a science or tech lesson. Liston reminds us that authentic STEM has to be problem based and centered around the engineering design process not just adding a coding exercize or gadget. That made me refelct on my own teaching ‘am i gicing students true opportunities to integrate the four areas? Am I encouraging them to solve real world problems and not just follow steps in a worksheet – every teachers worry!
One way I plan to bring this into my classrroom is through a project where students observe and record the positions fo the sun when rising and setting and at different times of the day. We will keep a log sketching photographing the suns position relative to landmarks around the school. Students can use simple tools like shadow sticks or compasses to measure direction and length of shadows. Then we will use technology by plotting the data on shared digital graph or timeline. Maths comes in when we calculate average shadow lengths and compare times over a week or month. Finally engineering ties in as pupils design a simple sundial , testing if it can accurately tell time based on their observations.
For me this feels like authentic STEM because of its real world application and hands on / connected to natural patterns that students can see for themselves. Plus it will also build curiosity they start to ask why the sun moves differently through the seasons, which opens the door for deeper science discussions.
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Hi Rachel
Welcome to the course and thanks for sharing your thoughts on Liston’s paper. It does encourage us to reflect on our own teaching and whether we are allowing more curiosity-led investigations rather than following a worksheet as you have mentioned.
I like how you plan to investigate the sun’s position in the sky to incorporate maths by plotting results on graphs and developing this with digital graphs also. It encourages the learners to use maths in purposeful and real-life scenarios and as you have said real world application too. Many thanks for sharing, I hope you enjoy the course.
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3. Plan how your students could “observe and record the positions of the sun when rising and setting and at different times of the day”
To engage pupils, I would start by showing the animated video “Paxi – Day, Night and the Seasons,” which introduces key ideas in a fun and simple way. Then, I would encourage their natural curiosity by asking questions like, “Where do you think the Sun is right now?” and “Does it always rise in the same place?” This sparks an inquiry-based approach where children become little scientists, wondering and investigating for themselves. The hands-on part comes when we go outside to safely observe the Sun’s position at different times of the day. Children use a simple Sun Tracker sheet to draw and record their observations, actively participating in gathering real data. This combination of questioning, exploring, and recording helps them connect with the natural world in a meaningful way, making learning both exciting and memorable. The lesson encourages discovery and builds understanding through doing, which is perfect for young learners.
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Hi Aoibheann.
Welcome to the course. Thanks for sharing your lesson idea. I agree that the video from Paxi is very engaging and presents the concept in a fun way. I like how you plan to record the location of the sun across the day, you could use landmarks in the school grounds for comparison such as basketball net, trees, even the school building itself. I agree that this approach encourages the learners to make meaningful connections with nature and the world around us and this makes the activities and learning exciting and memorable. I hope you enjoy the other modules in this course.
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After reading Unravelling STEM: Beyond the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (Liston, 2018), it is clear that authentic STEM learning must move beyond surface-level integration of disciplines and instead promote real-world, interdisciplinary, problem-solving experiences. In my classroom, I strive to embed these principles by providing students with tasks that combine observation, design, and inquiry.
One activity I plan to implement involves guiding students to observe and record the sun’s position throughout the day and across several weeks. Using simple tools such as compasses, chalk, paper, and digital devices for recording data, students will work in small teams to map sunrise and sunset positions in our schoolyard. This project will include elements of science (astronomy and light), technology (data collection apps), engineering (designing a consistent observational tool or sun tracking chart), and mathematics (measuring angles, plotting data, recognizing patterns over time).
To extend this, students will be asked to interpret their data to understand how Earth’s tilt and rotation influence what they observe. They will then be challenged to design a model (physical or digital) that demonstrates these patterns to younger students, applying the Engineering Design Process (as highlighted in Liston’s paper). This ensures critical thinking, collaboration, creativity, and a clear real-world application – the hallmarks of authentic STEM education.
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Over one to two weeks, pupils will go outside three times a day – morning, midday, and afternoon – to look at where the sun is in the sky. They will also notice the direction and length of shadows. Pupils will draw simple pictures and write short notes in their science journals. they can work in group to help support each others learning and in preparation for peer assessment.
A compass or app can be used to find East and West. As a class, we will create a large wall chart to track changes and look for patterns. Pupils may also record sunrise and sunset times at home with help from a parent.
The aim is to help pupils understand that the sun appears to move across the sky, and shadows change as a result. This links to Geography (direction), Maths (time and data), and English (writing and discussion). The activity encourages curiosity, observation skills, and awareness of the natural world.
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Hi Eimear,
Welcome to the course, and thanks for sharing your sun observation plan. I like how you have summed up the aim perfectly, “The sun appears to move across the sky and shadows change as a result”.
Great to see a plan to observe the sun at three specific times each day, along with opportunities for home observations and the use of notes to record what is being observed, collating data on a collective wall chart.
It can be interesting to mention the role of the sun for Ireland’s native species too, such as the common lizard, which becomes immobilised in the cold and needs the warmth from the sun to get around, hibernating throughout the winter.
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I never thought of using an app to find directions, it’s actually a great idea when you consider that kids will engage in anything that involves technology. We could also use tablets to track the positions of the sun by taking pictures of the shadows at different intervals throughout the day and weeks/months.
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Hi Eimear. I love your idea of getting the children to use a science journal. This could be used for any investigations and experiments that they do throughout the year, and could be used for making predictions, recording data, etc. I also love how you have integrated Science, Maths and English all into one lesson, and the idea of getting the children to record the times of sunrise and sunset – this could be done over a period of time so that the children see the patterns in the days getting longer/shorter throughout the year.
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Reflecting on this paper, I see STEM in my classroom as an integrated way of thinking rather than separate subjects. It involves fostering children thinking curiously and problem-solving with hands-on activities. By encouraging kids to ask questions, test ideas, and make connections, STEM becomes a means to which kids can think creativly and problem solve.
To plan for observing and recording the sun’s position, I would begin with a discussion about where the sun rises and sets. Pupils could use the school grounds to mark sunrise and sunset points on a compass map that we could make in Art, returning at regular intervals to record shadows and sun position with chalk or some sort of marker. Over days and weeks, children would measure shadow lengths and directions, record results in tables, and graph changes in Maths. Integrating Art again, they could sketch the sky, while in Geography, we’d link to seasonal changes.
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I would love to engage an older class with the ‘One Year on Earth – Understanding the Seasons’ resource from ESA. I would start by eliciting the children’s prior knowledge on the topic and devising a whole-class KWL chart. I’d then show the children a short video explaining why the seasons change throughout the year, before engaging the children in whole-class discussion on the topic. The children would then be put into groups of four and tasked with developing a sun-earth model (following the instructions in the ESA resource). Each child in the group would be assigned a particular role, and the teacher would circulate to make sure everyone understands what they’re doing. Once the children have completed the task, the children would report back to the class what they learned and complete the attached lesson worksheet. Perhaps the earth-sun models could be decorated/painted and put on display in the classroom.
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Aim of the lesson is for 2nd class students. They will learn to observe and record the sun’s position throughout the day. To begin, I will introduce the idea that the sun appears to move across the sky and changes position depending on the time. Together, think,pair and share we will discuss where the sun rises and sets, linking it to their own experiences of morning and evening. The class will then create a simple observation chart, divided into morning, midday, and afternoon. ( in pairs) Over the week, the children will go outside at these times to look at the sun’s position, always with safety reminders not to look directly at it. Instead, they will observe shadows and where the sun appears in the sky. They will record their observations with drawings or short notes. At the end of the week, the class will compare charts, noticing patterns and discussing how the sun’s path affects light, warmth, and shadows.
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3. Plan how your students could “observe and record the positions of the sun when rising and setting and at different times of the day”
To support students in developing an understanding of the sun’s movement across the sky, careful planning is required to ensure observations are both meaningful and manageable within the school day. The first step is to identify a safe outdoor location with a good view towards the east and west. Preparing an observation schedule is important: ideally, students will record at least three times during the school day—morning, midday, and afternoon. A final observation of sunset could either be completed at home with family support if that was possible. Alternatively it could be provided through teacher photographs
Students should be equipped with age-appropriate resources to help them record what they see. Younger pupils might use a simple sun path chart, marking the sun’s position with drawings, while older pupils could note compass directions and estimate the sun’s height in the sky.
During each observation session, the teacher should guide students to face the correct direction and to identify the sun’s position relative to school landmarks and then record it on their sheet. To deepen learning, shadow measurements could also be taken and be compared with the sun’s height.
In my own context, with 5th and 6th class students, they could put their findings together and create a class chart with their observations. This would provide opportunities for the class to analyse patterns. It could also lead to an extension of the lesson into areas such as seasonal differences and integration with the historical importance of the sun in timekeeping, navigation, and daily life.
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Hi Michelle.
Welcome to the course. Thanks for sharing your observation plan. As you have mentioned for the older classes it is important to have resources such as the compass. You could consider making children familiar with landmarks in the school and the direction they are in initially as this may help when observing the sun’s position in the sky. This could also allow for child-led inquiry based learning as they predict where the sun will be and then go and observe outside. I like how you plan for a sunset observation with support from parents or guardians at home. Photographs are also a great opportunity for the children to share their observations and learning and also collaborate with their peers as they compare photos.
I hope you enjoy the course.
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After reading Liston’s paper Unravelling STEM, I see how STEM learning is about exploring, asking questions, and making real-world connections. In my rural school in Galway, I would choose the activity “observe and record the positions of the sun when rising and setting and at different times of the day.” We would start by talking about how the sun moves across the sky and how it changes with the seasons. The children could go outside to different spots in the school grounds with simple tools like compasses, protractors, or just paper and pencils to mark where the sun rises and sets each day. They could draw or take photos of the sun’s position and see how it changes over time. By recording their observations, the children would notice patterns, ask questions, and understand why the sun moves differently in summer and winter. This hands-on, outdoor approach makes STEM fun, practical, and connects them to the world around them in our beautiful rural setting.
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That’s such a great point! I love hoe making a sundial brings so many subjects together in a hands on way. It gives children something tangible to connect with the abstract idea of time and shows them hoe people in the past relied on the sun to measure their day. I also think its a wonderful way to get students outside, noticing patterns and asking their own questions . Activities like this really spark curiosity and give children ownership of their learning. plus, linking science with art and maths make the experience richer and more memorable.
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Hi Linda
Welcome to the course. Thanks for sharing your feedback on using a sundial with the class. I agree that it gives the learners ownership of their learning and allows for rich and memorable teaching moments.
However, you could consider revisiting this post to ensure it addresses the assignment tasks. You are asked to outline how you would engage your students in creating a sundial task.
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Plan how your students could “observe and record the positions of the sun when rising and setting and at different times of the day”
I think that this would be a lovely, practical and exciting fun activity for pupils to take part in. First we would discuss where our classroom and yard is facing – whether it is facing north, south, east or west. They can then go home and check which room that the sun rises in in the morning and where it is in the evening after school. We will then observe the time that it is coming in our window at school. After this, we will go out into the yard in the morning and note where the sun is in the sky followed by lunch time and again before going home. They will notice how it moves from East to West. They can do this in groups and keep a record of the time and where in the sky the sun is throughout the weeks and seasons. They can also take photos using their ipads of the the different positions of the sun throughout the week – maybe every friday in autumn, winter, spring and at the end of the school year and the compare the photos and graphs in June. This could then be presented at assembly to the whole school. -
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The paper Unravelling STEM: Beyond the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (Liston 2018) explains that STEM is not only about the four subjects. It is about using skills in real life, solving problems, and learning by doing. In my classroom, STEM means students get to explore and test ideas. They learn by working together and sharing their thinking. It is creative, active, and linked to the world around them.
For this activity, I would help my students build a sundial. First, I would tell them how people long ago used the sun to tell time. We would talk about shadows and how they move as the sun moves across the sky. Then we would go outside to a sunny spot in the school yard. We would place a stick in the ground and every hour mark the shadow with chalk. At the end, students could compare how the shadow changed. This activity is simple, fun, and helps connect science, history, and maths.
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Construct a sundial in your immediate area or plan for your school grounds to see where a sundial could be placed
Building a sundial with kids can be a fun and hands-on way to learn about time, the sun, and how shadows work. Start by heading outside to a sunny, open spot—somewhere like the schoolyard or garden where there aren’t too many trees or buildings in the way. Talk with the kids about how people used to tell time before clocks, just by watching how shadows move during the day.
Once you’ve picked a good spot, help the kids set up a simple sundial using a stick and some chalk, rocks, or even a paper plate. Every hour, they can mark where the shadow falls and write down the time. It’s a great way to practice telling time and noticing how things change as the sun moves.
To keep it fun, let the kids decorate their sundials or work together on a big one as a group project. Ask them questions like, “Where do you think the shadow will be in an hour?” or “Why do you think it’s moving?” This activity mixes science with creativity and gets everyone thinking, observing, and learning outdoors. -
Plan how your students could “observe and record the positions of the sun when rising and setting and at different times of the day”
To help students observe and record the position of the sun throughout the day, you can turn it into a simple, ongoing class project that mixes science with outdoor exploration. Start by choosing a safe, open spot outside with a clear view of the sky—like the school field or playground. Set up a basic observation station using a large compass rose marked on the ground (chalk works well), and explain how directions like east and west relate to where the sun rises and sets.
Each day, have students go outside at key times—early morning, midday, and late afternoon. At each time, they can draw or note where the sun is in the sky, what direction it’s in, how high it is, and how long the shadows are. Encourage them to sketch their observations in a journal or use simple diagrams.
Over several days or weeks, students will begin to notice patterns, like how the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, and how its position changes slightly over time. You can also tie in shadow tracking with sticks or sundials. This daily routine builds observation skills and helps students connect what they see to bigger ideas about Earth’s rotation and timekeeping.
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Hi Fiona,
Welcome to the course, and thanks for sharing your sun observation plans.
I like your plan to carry this activity out over an extended period of time, and include related activities like the sundial.
Lovely to see that you are including sketching and recording of observations each time, to build up a set of data that can be used to see the patterns of where the sun rises and sets, etc.
You mention outdoor exploration, and I think that is so important to make time for activities like these, which are great for not only learning and critical thinking skills, but also a movement break and a breath of fresh air.
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1. Gravity/Weight – Assemble an Earth Tube and one other planet tube – decorate in a suitable manner.
To get my students engaged, I’d start by asking a fun, imaginative question like “If you could jump on the Moon, how high would you go?” This always grabs their attention and gets them thinking straight away. I’d then show them a quick demonstration using a small object to explain how gravity pulls things down on Earth, and introduce the idea that gravity is stronger or weaker on different planets. To make it personal, I’d let the children work out what their own weight would be on the Moon, Mars, or Jupiter, which always leads to lots of surprise and excitement.
Once they’re curious, I’d move into the hands-on activity. In pairs or groups, the children would create and decorate an Earth Tube and a Planet Tube, using colours, drawings, and labels to show how gravity works there. This mix of science and art makes the learning both fun and memorable. We’d finish by sharing the tubes and chatting about what life might be like with different gravity.
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Construct a sundial- I would plan this activity in advance with my class by going on a trip to visit a sundial in our area, maybe the sundial in Coole Park. This would stimulate the children’s interest and curiosity. Back at school we would research a sunny spot which receives sunlight all day and is not obscured by trees or buildings. We would first construct the model of the sundial with the upturned flower pot and the bamboo stick. Children would be sent out in pairs during the school day to mark the shadow with chalk and a rock. Maybe children who live near the school could mark the shadows before and after school when the school is closed. We would then paint the lines with yard paint to make the sun dial a permanent fixture. I would also construct the card sun dials with the children that were demonstrated as it is a good way on introducing the compass points and initiating a discussion on daylight savings.
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