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ASSIGNMENT
Choose one of the following:
- Create an observing plan for autumn that shows which planets are visible in the evening sky.
- Create a short teaching resource using Stellarium/ WorldWide Telescope
- Plan to observe the Moon – which phase of the Moon is best for observing in the morning from school? What dates will that be in 2024- 2025?
- Select from one of the activities in the Framework for Inquiry
Write a descriptor (Minimum 150 words) in this forum as a reply to this post on how you would engage the children in your class.
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Plan to observe the Moon – which phase of the Moon is best for observing in the morning from school? What dates will that be in 2024- 2025
By consulting a guide for the visibility of phases of the moon, it would seem that the first quarter of the moon will be visible in the morning times in September 2004. I would plan to do a lesson where children explore the factors influencing the visibility of phases of the moon – the relative positions of the sun, earth and moon. Children could get a hands-on feel for this by recreating the phases of the moons with models – balls for the earth and moon, a light source for the sun. This would prepare them to make observations of the first quarter of the moon during the month of September. Children would first be in a position to identify the specific phase that was visible to them based on the learning they had done in the classroom. They could then note any features that are visible at this time. Later in the year, in early December, the New Moon would be visible early in the school day and this could provide an opportunity to revisit the topic and draw a contrast between what was observable during September and again during December when a different phase was visible.
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I always have classroom displays of themes being covered in class. I find them another useful teaching tool. My infants are also very proud of their work so using their work as a teaching tools I find has the additional benefit of helping maintain a happy growth mindset towards learning. As a EAL tool art is a wonderful support to those still learnign the vocabulary.
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I never would have considered the idea of observing the moon with the kids in the mornings. Its a really nice idea and will give them a clear understanding o night and day and how their surroundings are in a constant state of transition. I think using a moon observing log for kids would be a very interesting way for kids to see the changes and log their findings. From consulting a guide for visibility of the moon the first quarter could be observed in September 2024 and the full moon in December. This would give the children a real visible and concrete change through the phases through the first term of school. They could map the changes on their observation log and create models of the different phases. which will reinforce the different phases and give concrete materials to present their findings to the class. It would also make a nice display in the classroom.
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Plan to observe the Moon – which phase of the Moon is best for observing in the morning from school? What dates will that be?
I would introduce the topic of the Moon and its phases using the video of Paxi and Our Moon: Phases and Eclipses. I think this explains this topic of Phases in a very clear way with the support of bright visuals. We could create our own posters to represent the 4 phases of the moon.
The third quarter would be the best phase for observing the Moon from school. During this phase, before the New Moon, the moon rises in the early morning and is visible before sunrise, which aligns well with the time students are likely to be at school.
September 2024 Moon Phases:
- New Moon: September 17, 2024
- Third Quarter Phase: September 10-16, 2024
I would use http://www.timeanddate.com to check the Moon Phases.
I really like the Moon Observation Log from Esero that asks the children to illustrate how the moon looks each day by shading in the circles. This could be an interesting activity to complete as a class, with one child having the job to fill it in each day. -
Hi Amy,
Thank you for your post, and welcome to the course!
I see you have put some thought into observing the Moon with your class and have dates earmarked that work best for school times. The Paxi videos work very well, especially with younger learners and cover a lot in a short space of time.
It’s an excellent opportunity to develop new vocabulary, pitched according to their abilities, with a host of new terms for the Moon that can be added to a new STEM vocabulary poster or similar in the classroom.
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I never thought to use http://www.timeanddate.com and I agree that the third quarter would be best as I previously thought the second quarter would be.
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Engaging the Children – Create an observing plan for autumn that shows which planets are visible in the evening sky.
Begin by discussing what planets are and how they differ from stars. Use visual aids like posters or videos to illustrate the planets and their positions in the night sky. Plan an evening stargazing event at school or encourage families to do it at home. Provide students with star maps and guides to help them identify the planets.Introduce apps or websites that track celestial events, allowing students to predict when and where to see the planets. Encourage them to keep observation journals, recording the positions, colors, and brightness of the planets they observe. Integrate art by having them draw or craft models of the solar system. This hands-on and multimedia approach makes the learning experience engaging, interactive, and memorable.
Observing Plan for Autumn
September:Jupiter: Bright and prominent in the southeastern sky after sunset.
October :
Jupiter: Continues to be bright in the southern sky during the evening.
November:
Jupiter: High in the southern sky, very bright.
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Hi Sarah,
I think the idea of holding a stargazing night sounds like lots of fun for the children. It would be great if you could get the Parent Association on board a choose a night in November or December when the evening get dark early and so it would be have to be so late.
Alternatively it could be an idea to nominate one ‘Stargazing Night’ across to school where children do it as homework.
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Q2
Using the Stellarium software, children in pairs, will be given different cities (e.g. London, Madrid, Dublin, Auckland) to type into the location tab and view the constellations . They can compare how they looks with the view of constellations from Cork which will be displayed on the board. Children can try to identify constellations discussed in class eg. the Plough, Orion, Cassiopeia. More able children will be encouraged to choose one new constellation and research the background story to it. Children will then be asked to click on the constellation art icon and find the Greek image that matches the constellations they’ve looked at e.g. The Plough = The Bear.
Finally children are to click into Calendar of Events and choose 1 thing to tell the class that is happening in the sky on this current month.
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Constellations: I would combine a number of the ideas about the constellations.
- First, as a class, we would use Stellarium to find the plough, furthermore find polaris using the plough.
- I would challenge students to find both constellations at night with their parents too. Could they take a photo of it to add to our class constellation display.
- We would then build the plough model and observe how it looks different from different angles.
- Next, the students would design their own constellations, using either a peg board, strings and pins or just paper and pencil.
- Finally, the students would be grouped together where they would make the constellation planetarium. First they would add the plough and then each child would add their personal constellation. Groups would get the chance to look at other groups and see if they could firstly find the plough and then identify their friends personal constellations.
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I really love the idea of encouraging children to go outside and observe the constellations with their parents. The sky is a resource that all children have access to and a lovely way for parents and even grandparents to discuss what they see with their children and enjoy time together under the stars-
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Observing the moon: We would begin by exploring interesting facts about the moon such as the moon has no light of its own, we can only see it because it reflects light from the sun. When do we see the moon? Can we see it during the day? Discuss and explore how the moon orbits the Earth and how different parts reflect sunlight at different times. What’s the difference between a solar eclipse and a lunar eclipse? Explore and discuss moon landings starting with the first, Neil Armstrong, Apollo 11, 1969.
Using the Moon Observation Log template we would record the date, time, and shape of the moon, observing which quarter the moon is in that period. We would bookmark the following website https://www.timeanddate.com/moon/phases/ to keep a regular check of the moon phases along with the use of the Stellarium app to observe the appearance of the moon.
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Like you, I am looking forward to incorporating the hands-on activity of observing the Moon’s phases into my classroom. It will be a nice activity at the start of the year for the children as the moon is best visible in the morning from school in September 2024.
I liked your idea of using models—balls representing the Earth and Moon, and a light source for the Sun— so the children will recreate the phases of the Moon. This hands-on approach will help them understand the concepts better and prepare them for real observations.
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This is what I foudn online about observing the Moon. It’s best done in the morning anad during its last quarter phase. During this phase, the Moon rises around midnight and is visible in the morning sky until it sets in the early afternoon. The last quarter phase offers a clear view of the Moon’s features due to the high contrast of shadows cast by the sunlight.
August 2024: August 21
September 2024: September 20
October 2024: October 21
November 2024: November 19
December 2024: December 19
January 2025: January 17
February 2025: February 15
March 2025: March 17
April 2025: April 16
May 2025: May 15
June 2025: June 14
These dates provide us with an ideal view of the Moon in the morning sky. But also we need to check the local moonrise times for these dates to plan your observation sessions accordingly. -
I like your ideas here Patrick, they would really get the children thinking and engaged. In particular, comparing the appearance of the moon at different times of the year would be a good way to develop and reinforce the children’s learning and understanding. I usually tend to cover a topic such as this and then move on to the next topic, but it would actually make a lot of sense with something like learning about the moon phases to come back to it again as you have suggested here Patrick. There would be potential here to link the topic with other subject areas too I think. For example, it could be linked with literacy- there are many examples of poems about or featuring the moon. It could also be linked with visual arts, looking and responding to examples of art featuring the moon and creating art inspired by the phases of the moon.
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I thought the Worldwide Telescope was an excellent resource to use in the classroom. I would use it in September to study the seasons. September is an excellent time to study seasons as we move from summer into autumn. The worldwide telescope website has a set of lessons specific to the study of the seasons. The lessons cover the earth’s motion around the sun the earth’s tilt the tilts relationship to the seasons and energy transfer from the sun to earth.
Using a class set of laptops along with the Interactive Whiteboard in the classroom I would use a combination of whole class lesson and small group work to investigate the seasonal move from summer to autumn using the videos and worksheets available on the worldwide telescope website. -
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### Children’s Autumn Evening Sky Observing Plan
plan to be sent home with children- message sent on Aladdin explaining to parents about the topic and plan below.
1. **Find Out Which Planets to Look For**:
– In autumn, you can see Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars in the evening.2. **Pick Your Viewing Nights**:
– Choose clear nights without clouds. Try to go out when there’s no bright moon.3. **Choose a Good Spot**:
– Find a place away from bright lights, like a park or your backyard.4. **Look After Sunset**:
– Start looking for planets right after the sun goes down.
– Jupiter and Saturn will be in the southern part of the sky.
– Mars will appear in the eastern part of the sky a bit later.5. **Use Simple Tools**:
– Bring binoculars if you have them, but you can also see planets with your eyes.
– Use a simple star chart or a stargazing app to help find the planets.6. **Keep a Record**:
– Draw what you see in a notebook.
– Write down the date and time you saw each planet.
– Note anything special, like how bright the planets look.Have fun exploring the night sky and discovering the planets!
children encouraged to draw pictures of what they see and then peer learning can happen with the sharing of experience and knowledge
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Plan to observe the Moon – which phase of the Moon is best for observing in the morning from school? What dates will that be in 2024- 2025
I would involve the students firstly. As they are senior students they are used to accessing and searching for information on ipads. This is an ICT skill which they enjoy and it empowers the students to find their information themselves or in pairs. They are used to accessing allowed websites.
Firstly it would be important to assess what they already know and explore their ideas of full moons and answer their questions of why the moon can be visible in daylight.
I would lead the students to look at the lunar calendar to give an understanding of the moon and when it is visible from earth.
We can then identify together a date where the moon should be visible in the morning and plan for that date.
September would be a good time to do this and afterwards I would use to discussion and ask the students to provide diagraphs on their observations as well as writing on what they have learned.
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Hi Helen,
Thanks for your post. I like how you are truly making this a learner-led experience from start to finish and, in doing so, empowering learners with the autonomy to research and find answers, a skill that is needed for us all, not just those seeking a STEM career! I think it is so important to discuss reliable and factual information sources with learners, like those websites you permit in school.
It sounds like a KWL chart could be helpful for this activity, and help direct the research. If the baseline knowledge is already at a high level, it could prompt groups to deep dive into specific topics like super moons, blood moons, etc.
Great to get the learners drawing their observations, and writing what they have learned. Here’s hoping for clear skies come September for moon observations!
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Having researched the best times to observe the moon, it seems that the best times to observes are in the 3rd quarter (roughly 5-7 days after the full moon). In Ireland, this will occur on the 24th September. That gives 3 weeks to prepare the children.
I would look at teaching the children the monthly changes in the moon are based on the moons orbit around the earth. Before the lesson we would review that the cause of night and day are based on the rotation of the earth on its axis.
I would also introduce torches and get the children to explore self-shadow and cast-shadow and how shadows can vary. I would use this method to explain that the moons self shadow is what causes the different phases of the moon. This method of self and cast shadow can become quite tricky so I would use different sized balls with the torch representing the sun, moon and earth.
Allowing the children to explore with different methods will give them a better understanding. Hopefully, on the 24th of September the children will be able to have discussions around it.
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From looking at the topic of the moon online, I can see that the best time to observe the moon in daylight hours is during the 1st or last quarter of the moon. I, like other posters on the forum, see that the end of September will be a good time to kick off a project like this with the class.
This would allow students to get a good foundation on terms surrounding the moon in the first three weeks of the new school year. Vocabulary such as “new moon,” “waxing crescent,” “first quarter,” “waxing gibbous,” “full moon,” “waning gibbous,” “last quarter,” and “waning crescent” will be a learning curve for them all (teacher included!)
While observing the moon itself is ideal, I feel with the unpredictable nature of Ireland’s weather, an app or online resource will really support the students learning. An app such as https://apps.apple.com/us/app/moon-current-moon-phase/id660036257 could be useful for this.
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Hi Brendan,
Many thanks for your post, and welcome to the course!
There are a lot of new terms for learners(and teachers!) to get to grips with, but of course, as a teacher, you can adapt to the level of your learners. None of the lessons are prescriptive by nature, and teachers are the experts on the unique ability of their class. There are great options as opening prompts for this activity, including photos of the moon during its various phases, etc.
Using an app is a great way to incorporate tech skills while keeping up to date with current moon phases in challenging Irish weather! It can also be fun to make a game out of the phases by cutting out each phase of the moon, including an image, and see if the learners can work in groups to put them in the correct order.
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Plan to observe the moon.
According to timeanddate.com there is a super moon and a partial lunar eclipse visible in Dublin on September 18th 2024. Although the moon may be more visible in the mornings later on in September, this partial eclipse could be an exciting time to generate interest in the moon and its phases.
Prior to observing the moon and its phases, I would ensure that the children understand that the moon orbits the earth. I would use the activity ESERO 62 Observing the Moon to allow the children to see how the positions of the sun the moon and the earth affect what we can see of the moon from earth. Creating models of the moon earth and sun using papier mâché could enhance this lesson. I saw a lovely simple activity online where the class recreate the phases of the moon using Oreo’s. The added bonus being that the children get to eat the part of the Oreo to create the moon phase. These hands on activities are fun and can be turned into lovely (though temporary) displays. The Paxi and our moon video would be a good addition to the work done in class.-
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To plan a 5th class lesson for observing the Moon, I would first start with a simple collaborative KWL chart. I would then introduce the lunar phases and its orbit around Earth using videos like those discussed in module 2.
I would then choose a safe, clear spot at school that will be designated for observations. The best phase for morning observations is the last quarter, when the Moon is visible in the morning sky. Pupils will record the Moon’s position, shape, and time observed using binoculars, observation sheets, and a Moon phase visual calendar. This engaging activity will help them understand lunar cycles and develop observational skills, making astronomy very exciting.
I would encourage the children to discuss the shape, size, visibility etc. of the moon over several days, while making sketches and descriptions of their observations. These may be used for extension activities such as art, to integrate the lesson into other subjects and provide the children with deeper insights into the moon phases.
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<span id=”docs-internal-guid-80b7ac74-7fff-ff80-3b43-bbb18c145d1b”><span style=”font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;”>Having investigated on various websites, I have discovered the best phase of the moon to observe in the morning is the third quarter, about six to seven days after the full moon. The best time of the year to start the project in Ireland would be the end of September. This will give me three weeks to familiarise the children with the relevant vocabulary and terms. I will teach the children about the various circumstances that affect our visibility of the moon. As we observe the various stages of the moon throughout the year, I would integrate this with art to create models and paintings of the various stages of the moon. At the end of the year, the children would have a complete art display of the different stages of the moon and would be able to explain in detail what causes the visibility of the moon to alter throughout the year. </span></span>
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Using Stellarium
What a great app to have on the tablets and laptops at school.
I would introduce this resource well into our study of the earth in space. As we covered day and night and sundials in module 1 of this course I would continue with a similar layout in my plans at school.
A KWL chart would be useful here to begin with. Ask the question What is the difference between a planet and a star?
I myself would need to do a lot of research before I would begin explaining this to the children. However, the Stellarium app is very easy to use and the you tube video in module 2 was very useful.
Teachers could show the pupils how to use the app on the whiteboard/interactive whiteboard during the school day then add the link into book creator (an app we use a t school) for the pupils to use and discover themselves at home. Any child who is interested will be happy to explain what they saw and discuss in class the following day.
The joy of Stellarium is that you can set it to a particular date and time and the pupils will be able to see what constellations are to be seen, where the moon will be located and visible planets.
I think it is a lovely simple way to get the children interested in the night sky and know exactly what they are looking at.
I think plenty children would have difficulty knowing where North/South/East/West is in relation to their home, so even getting them to know how to figure that out will be progress and easy to find out using the app.
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I agree that Stellarium is a fantastic resource for children. As you said, it is a great way of developing an interest in the night sky and there is also scope for children to use the app to challenge themselves and engage in learning at their own level. Setting the app for a particular date and time is great for whole class activities and would be an excellent trigger for discussion topics.
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Sinéad, I completely agree with the fact that children may not know their North from South when at home, and how Stellarium can help them develop this awareness. Where I am myself, there is little to no GPS so digital compasses are not much good. In using Stellarium with the stars themselves I can get a true North and West direction in my back garden even without it lining up properly with the screen image.
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Plan to observe the Moon – which phase of the Moon is best for observing in the morning from school? What dates will that be in 2024- 2025?
I would use the Esero 62 lesson: ‘Lunar Eclipse and Phases of the Moon’ to describe and name the phases of the moon, to know what causes a lunar eclipse and to make a representation of the Sun, Moon and Earth during a lunar eclipse.
I would show the little ESA Paxi video clip explaining the moon phases and then look up timeanddate.com to find out where the moon will be in September.
We could do this with the children and lead them to discover that as Patrick said in the first post here the moon will be visible in the daytime in its 3rd quarter from 24th September.
Looking at Time and Date I could see this just from the pictorial image of the earth being in light when the moon is passing by. Is that how we know it will be visible during the day? I have to get my head around that a bit more!We could plan then to observe and use the moon observation log that they would do at home too which would be a nice family project too.
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Module Two Assignment
Plan to observe the Moon – which phase of the Moon is best for observing in the morning from school? What dates will that be in 2024- 2025.
Class: 4th
The moon is a fascinating subject for children. To introduce the topic we could do a KWL exercise about the moon. Then we could watch some of the useful videos suggested in module two. Then I would definitely use the ESERO 62 worksheet resource about the lunar eclipse and the phases of the moon with the children. We could then complete the L part of the KWL chart about the moon.
To observe the moon we could use the Moon observation log resource recommended on the course. After reading the other posts on this forum and consulting the module 2 material and researching online the 3/4 of the moon phase occurs around the 4th week in September so that might be a good time to start our observations in school.
The Timeanddate.com and Heavens-above.com websites can be incorporated into our lesson also. The Worldwide telescope is also really useful where the children can take tours and explore at their own pace.
Finally, the children will be given time on the chrome books to use the Stellarium web resource to perform their own investigations and make more observations of the moon. The best thing about all of the above resources is the children can continue using them free of charge and independently at home.
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Create a short teaching resource using Stellarium
- Allow the children to download the version of Stellarium most suitable for our school devices.
- Teacher can demonstrate these steps on the whiteboard.
- Give the children time to explore the night sky using their tablet.
- Ask them to identify the different stars and planets as they move the cursor around.
- Encourage them to click on the different objects to learn more about them.
- Use the time controls to see how the sky changes at different times of the night and different days of the year.
- Explore constellations.
- Find out interesting facts about the stars and the constellations.
- Find the planets that are visible on that night.
- Invite the younger children in after a week or so of research and show them the night sky on the devices.
- Encourage the children to explain what they have discovered to their parents/guardians/older siblings.
- The area I teach would be similar to the dark sky reserve and so the children would definitely enjoy looking up and identifying constellations etc at home.
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Hi Lora,
I like your clear step-by-step approach to using Stellarium. I teach a younger class ans was contemplating if it would be suitable for them to use on the iPads but concluded that it required too much digital literacy for them so I really like your idea of the older class inviting in the younger class. We have a buddy system in our school where Senior Infants have 5th class buddies and this is definitely something that I’m going to factor in next year when delving into the the ‘Space Travel Agent’ Integrated Learning through Play theme.
Thanks for the inspiration!
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I work in a junior school and we are always looking for ways to work with our senior school counterparts. We are looking for next year a theme we can both work on. I think Christine’s idea from Lora’s post about the fact that our younger students do not possess the digital literacy (yet) that joining with our senior classes would be a great plan using stellarium.
Thanks!
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The activity I would look at is ‘Seeing Stars! Looking at The Plough in two Different Ways. I particularly like this lesson as it has many cross-curricular links, in particular with Length in maths, as well as the Learn Together and SPHE curricula where it can lead to discussions about perspectives, that things aren’t always what they see and how looks can be deceiving.
In the lesson, the children learn to identify The Plough in the night sky. The activity involves a hands-on project where students create a 3D representation of the constellation, demonstrating that the stars do not line up in a 2D Plough-shape as their distances from our perspective on Earth varies.. Through interactive discussions and practical exercises, the lesson enhances students’ understanding of astronomy, stimulates curiosity about the night sky, and develops observational skills. It combines scientific concepts with creative activities, as well as making the subject engaging and accessible for young learners. It is the ultimate STEAM activity.
As I teach a younger class, I would adapt this lesson, not with the straws, but by having the string cut to measure. From this STEAM lesson, I would then support the children in making the connection that things appear differently depending on your perspective.
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Using the DPSM/ESERO Framework for Inquiry, the following lesson plan is how I would teach the children about the moon and how to observe it
Strand(s):
Natural Environments
Energy and ForcesStrand Unit(s):
Planet Earth in Space: The Earth, moon and Solar System
Light
Curriculum Objectives: (5th and 6th Class)
• recognise that the Earth, its moon, the sun, other planets and their satellites are separate bodies and are parts of the solar system
• develop a simple understanding of the interrelationship of these bodies, including day and night and seasonal movements
• know that light travels from a source
ENGAGE:
The Trigger: Video: Paxi and Our Moon: Phases and Eclipses
Wondering: Talk about their own experiences of seeing the moon – when, where. Did they use binoculars?
Exploring: Think-pair-share in small groups. Identify features of nocturnal animals.
INVESTIGATE:
Starter Question: When can we see the moon?
Predicting: Discuss the question in small groups and record their predictions.
Conducting the Investigation:
Use the ESERO 62 investigation to show that we can see the moon during the day. Discuss why.
Spend one week observing the moon at the same time each morning. Discuss what they see and talk about why each day, e.g. we can’t see the moon this morning because it is cloudy outside
Sharing: Interpreting the Data/Results: Present their understanding of the investigation by creating a short presentation for the class.
TAKE THE NEXT STEP:
Applying Learning/Making Connections/Thoughtful Actions:
Make connections between their moon observations and the initial discussion about when and where they have previously seen the moon.
Use the moon observation lesson as a lead into a lesson on light – its sources and characteristics.
REFLECTION:
Completed KWL Charts
Compare their moon observations
Discuss anything that they are unsure of/unanswered questions. -
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Observing the moon can be a fascinating and engaging lesson for students. To kickstart this lesson, I would choose the First Quarter phase of the moon. During this phase, the moon is half-illuminated and visible in the afternoon, making it ideal for daytime observations.
I would begin the lesson with a brief discussion about the moon’s phases, emphasising the First Quarter phase. Then, I would take the students outside for direct observation. Using telescopes or binoculars, we’d observe the details of the lunar surface, including craters and seas. I’d encourage students to sketch what they see and note any changes over several days.
I would use resources such as timeanddate.com, and heavens-above.com to find the best time and dates to choose and where in the sky to look for extra-terrestrial boies such as the moon.
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Hi Matthew,
Thanks for your post, and welcome to the course!
This activity has a lot of scope for learning, including the challenges of Irish weather and astronomy! There is a lot for learners to take in in terms of vocabulary, and this could be shared on a STEM vocabulary poster within the classroom.
The moon log shown in this module, though simple is a great tool that can be a starting point for your more detailed observation work of the craters and seas. It can be interesting to show how what they see through a telescope/ binoculars compares to detailed images of the moon.
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Paxi and Our Moon: Phases and Eclipses would be an appropriate introductory lesson for my Junior School aged students. It is a bright, engaging and an interesting watch for these curious young minds.
I would always watch the same video on the second lesson but it would be my plan to assign group of students to listen out for specific information that they can report back and share with the rest of the class.
On basic understanding of the moon phases I would engage the class in art that could create a concrete representation of what we are learning about – the 4 phases of the moon. I am a quite creative and always enjoy combining my students artistic talents in lessons. I have always found they can see clearly see and have stronger more meaningful understand of a topic / theme when they represent it in different ways. Plus having a wall display that you yourself can use a concrete resource is always useful to refer to.
With modern technology creating awareness, it make its far easier for a teacher to know exactly what we are looking for when we ourselves (or maybe just me) may need some guidance. Doing this course is showing me / teaching me something new that I would love to incorporate into a new theme next year.
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Building a Planetarium
As a SET working with infants I plan on helping the children to build their own planetarium.
I will introduce the topic by singing ‘Twinkle Twinkle Little Star’ and questioning the children about the night sky and what they know about stars.
I will tell them the story of Cassiopeia (from ESERO 34 The Stars ) and show them the constellation shape of her sitting on her throne . We will also look at the plough and see if they can think of a different name for it.
Using the Space week resource the children can draw their own constellation .
I will engage the children’s interest by darkening the room and showing them my home made planetarium .Luckily our new school building has blinds which can be closed .I will explain that a planetarium is a place where we can go to see what the night sky looks like .
Grouping the children into pairs I will present different sized boxes with precut pieces of tinfoil to cover the lid of the box to make a night sky. Each partner will get a battery operated teelight to use as the light source .The children will be given the choice to pick different instruments to use to make pin holes in the tinfoil (tooth picks , safety pins, sharpened pencils, pens, papec clips )We will discuss what will happen if we make tiny holes or larger ones. I will take note of predictions on the board.
I will show them a picture sequence of the steps we will take to complete the activity .Partners will discuss how they are going to complete the task.
Light sources will be placed in the box. Partners will proceed to make the pin holes. They can use random ones or the pattern they created for their own named constellation .
To make it more effective we will discuss how to make it darker for their planetarium to resemble the night sky. Take all student suggestions and experiment with the effect- go under tables, into the class tent, under teacher table , use a cover of some sort.
Looking at the pin hole sizes we will check the accuracy of their earlier predictions .
Discuss what worked well in the activity and what might have gone wrong and plan for a better result in the future.
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What a fantastic idea, I would never have considered doing this activity with a younger class as I thought the concept might be too difficult for them to grasp. However your appraoch and plan is fantastic, it is so child centered and at their level. I also really liked the element of predicting and recording their observations. What a lovely activity!
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Create a short teaching resource using Stellarium
This teaching resource will be carried out over a number of lessons throughout the course of a fortnightly/monthly teaching plan.
Investigating and exploring Constellations using ICT.
- Begin by creating a whole-class KWL chart.
- Introduce the topic of consellations using the Twinkl PowerPoint Constellations.
- Children can share their most interesting fact about constellations following the PowerPoint activity.
- Children can create their own constellation or use an activity sheet of dot-to-dot constellations.
- On the IWB teacher has the Stellarium app visible to the children.
- Teacher will demonstrate the various features and model how to use the app.
- Children will be encouraged to identify the different features of the night sky – planets, stars, moon, etc
- Have iPads ready with the Stellarium app.
- Children will be grouped according to how many iPads are available.
- Allow the children sufficient time to play around and explore the app.
- Explore constellations in the night sky using Stellarium.
- Incorporating visual arts the children will create their own planetarium box of constellations. (Youtube video-as shown on slide 13)
- Depending on the age group/class level, the book ‘Who Let the God’s Out?’ by Maz Evans, would be a nice novel to read as it is based on Olympian Gods, stars, constellations, which might be a nice finishing touch to the learning activities completed over a period of time.
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Using a moon phase guide, it appears that the first quarter moon will be visible in the morning in September 2024. To deepen students’ understanding of the moon’s phases, we can design a hands-on lesson that explores how the relative positions of the sun, Earth, and moon affect visibility. Students will create models using balls to represent the Earth and moon, and a light source to simulate the sun. This interactive activity will allow them to gain a tactile understanding of the moon’s phases and prepare them to make observations of the first quarter moon in September. During the lesson, students will be able to identify the specific phase they are observing and note any notable features visible at that time. Later, in December, we can revisit this topic when the New Moon is visible early in the school day, allowing students to compare and contrast their observations from September and December, highlighting the differences between these two distinct phases.
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Observing the moon in the morning should work very well in September 24 during the last quarter phase because it is bright enough to compete with the sunlight. This month will begin on Sept 1st with a waning crescent phase. The first week of observation should involve a lot of shading depending on visibility of the moon. For each week we will use the Moon Observation Log, shading in the part of the moon they cannot see. As far as I can tell the third quarter phase will be best for observing from school each morning. I think the pupils will be surprised to realise that the moon, traditionally a night symbol, is visible in daylight almost every day. I’m sure we will discover as a group that clear weather with minimal cloud gives the best viewing experience. As a class we will hopefully learn through our observations that the morning moon cannot be seen during the full moon and new moon phases and we can discuss and research why this is. I will bring binoculars for the pupils to try to get a closer look at the moon’s surface features. I think a very nice and simple art lesson to compliment our observations would be moon drawings using chalk on blue sugar paper.
I think our morning moon-watching sessions will be a fun opportunity to learn about our closest celestial neighbour!
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I would choose an activity based on Seeing Stars, Looking at The Plough in two different ways.
I think this would be a fantastic lesson/s for pupils. The opportunities for integration with Maths and Art are super. I learned so much myself from just watching the clip. I never considered before that, a) the stars in a given constellation are different distances from the Earth or, b) that each star in a constellation has its own name! Every day is 100% a school day.
I would aim this activity at senior classes and I would aim for the constellations to hang from the ceilings rather than be presented from the ground/table up as I think the idea of perspective and viewing the constellations from different angles would be more impactful from the ceiling.
I like that this activity lends itself to group as well as individual work. Some pupils would definitely prefer to create their own constellation and would prefer to have ownership of the measuring etc.
Each constellation whether from a group or individual can be displayed in the classroom and/or along a corridor ceiling. They could be accompanied by extra information on The Plough specifically and constellations in general. I would also use ESERO 34 for extra exploration of constellations and the Space week lesson for creation of their own constellations.
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I would begin by having a class discussion about the moon in order to establish existing knowlege. I would put the children into groups to find out some facts about the moon using an online search. I would hope we would establish that the moon itself does not light up but that it in fact reflects the light of the sun. We would discuss lunar vs solar eclipse. We would discuss the fact that the moon orbits the earth and that the reflection changes as a result. We would discuss when the moon is at its most visible. I really liked the moon observation log template that was presented during the slide show. With this we would record the date, time and shape of the moon.
As a class we would use timeanddate.com/moon/phases/ to check the moons phase. The Stellarium app would also be good to observe the moons appearance. Its an area that would be very engaing to some children as some are fasinated by all aspects of space. -
Observing the Evening Sky: Autumn Planets
Autumn Plan:Introduction to the Solar System:
Start with a fun discussion about our solar system. Show pictures of the planets and ask if the children can name them. Explain that some planets are visible from Earth without a telescope, especially in the evening during autumn.
Planets Visible in Autumn: Introduce the specific planets that can be seen in the evening sky during autumn. For example, Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars.
Explain where and when to look for these planets.Observation Preparation: Discuss the best times for observing planets (just after sunset). Talk about the importance of finding a dark spot away from bright lights. Explain how to use binoculars or a small telescope, but also emphasize that the planets can often be seen with the naked eye.
Observation Activity: Plan an evening for stargazing. Encourage parents to co-operate with students. When outside, help the children find the planets. Use a star chart that has previously been made in class for guidance. Have the children draw what they see and write notes about their observations.
Discussion and Sharing: The next day in class, have students share their drawings and notes. Discuss what everyone saw and compare the experiences. Talk about the differences in appearance between the planets. Encourage students to ask questions and express their curiosity.
Wrap up with a creative activity like making a model of the solar system or writing a short story about a journey to one of the planets observed.
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Plan to observe the moon-which phase of the Moon is best for observing in the morning from school
I would introduce the topic using the video of Paxi as a trigger to stimulate interest and meaningful discussion. After identifying the phases of the moon I would ask the children in groups of 3 to come up with a solution to explain the phases of the moon to a group of children in the junior school using various materials. I think that the children would enjoy using the engineering design process for this activity and would gain inspiration and insight by observing each others designs at the end.
After this we would look up the moon phases 2024/2025 on the lunar calendar for Dublin (timeanddate.com). The class would observe that the best visibility of the third quarter of the moon would be when it rises in the morning time before sunrise in September 2024.
The children could keep a “Moon observation log” (Esero) by recording what the moon looks like each day and labelling the time and date under each sketch. In the month of September there will also be a partial lunar eclipse and a super full moon on 18th September 2024 so this would be another great opportunity for a class discussion about eclipses. Encouraging the interest at home about the topic would be great too by using home school links such as Seesaw , the children could use voice recordings of their observations of the moon’s appearance from home.-
Hi Michelle
I love your idea of getting the children in your class to design an activity to explain the phases of the moon to children in the junior school. This would be a great exercise for many reasons. As you have mentioned they will be using the engineering design process and learning from each other, but also they will consolidate their own understanding of the moon by teaching it to others and gain great satisfaction and a sense of achievement from the process of creating and teaching a resource. I also love the idea of the children creating their own voice recordings at home as they will be able to compare notes with each other and see how people may have different perspectives based on their location and the time of night they observed the moon.
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We have a buddy system in our school and I think getting the older children to teach topics like this is a fantastic idea. Younger children respond well to their older peers coming in and the senior pupils will get a great sense of achievement and self confidence. This will also consolidate childrens own learning this is something I will definitely try to enforce in school for Science/Space Week in our school this year!
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Plan to observe the Moon – which phase of the Moon is best for observing in the morning from school? What dates will that be in 2024- 2025?
To start, I’d introduce lunar phases in a simple and fun way, using pictures or drawings to show how the Moon changes shape as it moves around the Earth each month.
To make it hands-on, we’d set up a pretend observation session. We would use balls and flashlights to act out how the Earth, Moon, and Sun move, and how this affects what we see of the Moon from different angles. When it comes to figuring out the best time to see the Moon in the morning from our school, we’d chat about why some phases, like crescents or quarters, are easier to spot in the morning sky. We’d connect this to how the Moon’s position changes and how that impacts what we can see from Earth.
For the practical side, we’d have a look at different ways we could track the moon like moon charts or apps. These tools predict when the Moon will be visible and in which phase, so they can plan their own moon-watching adventures for 2024-2025. The crescent phase typically occurs in the days following the New Moon dates and the quarter phases occur approximately one week after the New Moon and Full Moon.
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I plan to observe the moon with 4th class. I think this is a wonderful activity and really helps focus children on their place in space. I would begin by having a class discussion about their knowledge of the moon and its phases. Then I would show the class the video of Paxi and Our Moon: Phases and Eclipses. As there will be a new moon in Ireland on September 17th 2024 I would start the discussion the previous week so that we are ready to observe and follow the moon through all 4 phases. The best time to observe the moon in the morning is the 3rd quarter so this gives us lots of time to prepare and compare the difference in the moon during the various stages. I would also complete a KWL chart before we begin our daily observation. I really like the Moon Observation Log from Esero that asks the children to illustrate how the moon looks each day by shading in the circles. I also love how you could link up this activity with home also. Watching the moon change each night is a fun and interactive way to teach kids about the lunar cycle. Ask children to observe the moon each night before bed and take notes on what they see. They can then use their observations to create their own moon phase chart or journal.
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Stellarium:
In this lesson, the children will learn how to use Stellarium Web, a useful web-based planetarium tool. Stellarium can be used to navigate the night sky, as well as find key celestial objects, such as the North Star, planets, the Moon, and the seasonal constellations. The children will see that the night sky never stays the same throughout the night, or from day to day.
1. Watch the video for information on how to use Stellarium Web.
2. Looking at the night sky tonight in Stellarium at your location, where is the Moon? Look for the Moon in the night time sky, turn on the constellations, and see what constellation it is in front of.
3. What is the phase of the Moon? (Zoom in to better see its phase.)
4. Skip ahead three days. (Change the date to three days in the future.) a) Where is the Moon now? What constellation is it in? b) What is its phase? (If you can’t find the Moon just by changing the day, change the time also. It might only be visible later at night.)
5. What is another name for the North Star?
Zodiac signs are based on the constellations seen in the night sky. From past experiences children have a keen interest in zodiac signs and like looking at their shapes and designs. They often have prior knowledge and want to learn more about ancient traditions. To finish off this lesson, the children could do some art and draw/paint their own personal zodiac constellations. Once again, as in module 1, there is linkage to other subject areas – creative writing, Maths, Art and Geography.
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Hi Noreen
I’m glad you liked the Stellarium resource and have outlined a simple and straightforward plan for using it with your class. Building on the children’s prior interest in Zodiac signs to introduce the constellations is a nice idea and as you said, a good link to studying ancient traditions if we consider what people could see in the sky in the past, how these constellations might have been interpreted at different periods in history and how they have given rise to many stories and traditions. As well as designing and drawing their own constellations, the children could perhaps use their creative writing skills and draw inspiration from ancient legends to write their own stories about their constellations.
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3-D Constellation Art
I think this activity would be lovely to do with 3rd/4th Class pupils to support their learning about the major stars in constellations. It would be a 2 lesson activity at least where the research would be done first and then the students would complete a 3-D model of a constellation of their choosing.
1. To begin, as a class we would conduct research using the Stellarium software on the school iPads. Ask the students if they know the names of any constellations or stars. Write a list on the board. If they have trouble listing constellations, ask them to list their zodiac signs. Spend time discovering the different constellations on the app.
2. Students draw a map of their chosen constellation.
3. Tape the drawn constellation onto a small corkboard.
4. Push white pinboard pins through the “star” points on the template. Carefully remove the paper template.
5. Tie one end of some white embroidery thread around one pin/star at the outside edge of the constellation and loop it around each pin/star in the constellation. Tie the thread off around the last pin.
6. Label the board with the constellation name.Students can review each other’s and try to find the different constellations on Stellarium.
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Hi Marian
I like the idea of spreading this activity over 2 lessons so it is not too rushed. Using your plan, the children will have time to explore Stellarium and get to know how to use it. Using the Zodiac signs as a starter point when asking them to list constellations is a nice touch as they might then start to think about other familiar constellations they may have heard of such as The Plough and Orion. I myself always remember the line from A Christmas Childhood by Patrick Kavanagh “Cassiopeia was over
Cassidy’s hanging hill”. Asking the children to present their constellations to each other and then find them all on Stellarium is a good way to conclude the lesson as it brings them back to their initial research. -
Hi Marian,
This sounds like a lovely lesson that the children would really enjoy. I like how you incorporate Stellarium into the lesson as a reference point for the children. The sharing session at the end would be invaluable also. I have no doubt the children would be engaged and learn so much from this lesson and look forward to using it in future.
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Number 2: Create a short teaching resource using Stellarium.
I love the idea of using Stellarium with my class; it is a completely new resource to me! I found the online Stellarium Handbook and the You tube videos very useful in showing how this app can be used.
I would involve the children in downloading the app onto our school IPads. A KWL chart would be useful to assess where the children are at; some of them may have never heard of Constellations whereas others may be able to identify ones near their homes in the night sky. I like the idea of giving the children time for free exploration of the app in pairs; I believe this would stimulate lots of interesting discussion. Then I would allow children to pick a constellation to research and make (using any materials desired) as a mini project and report back to the class. I would love to organise a stargazing session in the school grounds but if this was not possible I would definitely encourage and equip children with what they need to do this at home with their families. I think the children would really enjoy designing and creating their own constellations in Art class. I look forward to trying this out in September.
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Hi Deirdre,
I’ve really loved learning about Stellarium too. I’ve used it myself in the past but I’ve never used it as a teaching resource. Like you said, downloading it to the school Ipads is a great way to get it in the kids hands. Once they get the hang of it, through tutorials or direct instruction, it would be a great use of our scheduled ‘Ipad time’. I agree that free exploration in pairs is the way to go.
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Observing the Moon in the mornings can be a fun and educational activity. Here’s a simple plan to help you get started:
### Materials Needed:
– Notebook and pen/pencil
– Binoculars or a telescope (optional)
– Moon phase calendar or app
– Camera or smartphone (optional for taking photos)
– Comfortable outdoor seatingStep-by-Step Plan:1. **Check the Moon Phases:
– Use a moon phase calendar or app to determine when the Moon will be visible in the morning. The best times are during the waning gibbous, third quarter, and waning crescent phases.2. **Choose Observation Dates:
– Select a series of mornings when the Moon will be visible. Ideally, choose clear days to avoid cloud cover.3. **Find a Good Location:- Choose a spot with a clear view of the eastern horizon, where the Moon will be rising.
4. **Prepare Your Equipment:- If you have binoculars or a telescope, set them up in advance. Ensure they are focused and ready to use.
5. **Record Your Observations:- Note the date, time, weather conditions, and any interesting features you see on the Moon. You can draw what you observe or write descriptions. I would use the worksheet provided setting out each observation for each day.
6. **Take Photos- Use a camera or smartphone to take pictures of the Moon. This can help you track changes over several mornings.
7. **Look for Details:**
– Pay attention to the Moon’s craters, shadows, and phases. Notice how the visible part of the Moon changes each day.8. **Reflect and Learn:**
– Review your notes and photos to see how the Moon changes over time. Learn more about the Moon’s features and its phases.By following this plan, you’ll gain a better understanding of the Moon’s phases and enjoy the beauty of our nearest celestial neighbour.
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To engage the children in my 5th class in observing the Moon, I would plan an interactive activity that combines classroom learning with outdoor observation. Here’s how I would structure the activity:
Preparation Phase:
To begin, I would introduce the topic of the Moon, its phases, and its importance in both science and culture. I would use the video “Paxi and Our Moon: Phases and Eclipses,” which explains the topic of Moon phases with bright visuals and clear explanations. This would help the students grasp the concept easily. Key terms such as waxing, waning, crescent, gibbous, and the different quarters would be introduced. We would discuss the significance of the third quarter phase for morning observations.
In addition to the video, I would create hands-on activities where students could create their own posters to represent the four main phases of the Moon: New Moon, First Quarter, Full Moon, and Third Quarter. We would also use a torch and balls to simulate the Moon’s phases.
Observation Phase:
I would explain that the third quarter phase is best for observing the Moon in the morning. Using resources like http://www.timeanddate.com, we would check the Moon phases and plan observation sessions for dates when the Moon is in the third quarter phase during the school year 2024-2025. The best third quarter observation dates for 2024-2025 are September 10-16, 2024. I would also encourage the children to observe the moon as a homework activity at other times during the school year.
For the morning observation sessions, I would organise small group outdoor observations on the school grounds early in the morning. Students would be equipped with binoculars and telescopes. I know some of my students are curious about space and have their own telescopes but I would put a general call out to the school community and if there are enough binoculars and telescopes perhaps turn it into a whole school observation activity. The children would be taught how to locate and identify the Moon’s current phase.
Post-Observation Phase:
After the observation sessions, we would have a classroom discussion where students could share their observations and what they learned. They would be encouraged to draw or write about their experience and the Moon’s appearance. This would help reinforce their learning and provide a creative outlet for their thoughts.
I would integrate the observation with lessons in science (astronomy), maths (calculating Moon phases), and art (drawing the Moon). This multidisciplinary approach would help students connect their observations with different areas of their curriculum. Additionally, we would use the Moon Observation Log from ESERO (European Space Education Resource Office), which asks children to illustrate how the Moon looks each day by shading in circles. Each day, one child would be assigned the task of filling in the log, fostering a sense of responsibility and participation.
By making the activity interactive and multi-disciplinary, students would be more engaged and would gain a deeper understanding of the Moon and its phases. This hands-on approach would spark their curiosity and encourage them to explore astronomy further.
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Hi Veronica
You have outlined a very comprehensive plan for observing the moon with an older class. I love your approach of the classroom research followed by choosing the dates as a class and going outdoors to observe the moon in the mornings. I really love the idea of gathering as many telescopes and binoculars as possible and making the moon observation a whole school event. This would be sure to generate some excitement among your pupils and continuing the moon observation for homework at different times of year is a great way to preserve their interest. Bringing in art and language to describe and illustrate what they see is a nice touch and overall it would be a great introduction to further studies on astronomy.
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Plan to observe the moon on a September morning
Like many of the other participants in this forum, I would definitely use the ‘Paxi and the moon, phases and eclipses video’ as a jumping off point. We would then discuss the terminology around the phases of the moon, this is a great opportunity to add some novel vocabulary to the children’s scientific literacy. Phrases like waning, waxing, gibbous and crescent as well as new moon, quarter and full moon help to understand and communicate the concepts they are learning.
We would then make some predictions about the moon right now. Is it visible at all? I would deal with the misconception that many children still have that the moon comes out at night and the sun comes out during the day.
We would then head outside and locate the moon in the sky. On the 24 of September 2024 at around 10.30 the moon would be high in the south western sky and would be in its last quarter. I would ask the children to use the new language they have acquired to describe what they are seeing.
After this we would return to the class and, using tablets and the web version of Stellarium, we would explore how the moon phases will change over the coming days, weeks and months. Giving the children time to play and explore with the technology at this point is very important. I would give them time to explore in pairs and then finish with a feedback session where they tell the class what they’ve learned. I would note the main findings on a ‘What we’re learning’ chart displayed prominently in the room.
This could obviously be extended into artworks, explanatory writing etc.
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Hi David,
Welcome to the course and thank you for sharing your ideas from module 2. It is important to address the misconception that the moon only comes out at night with children and as you have outlined the date and time where the moon will be visible.
I really like your ideas to develop children’s vocabulary across the lessons and getting the children to use the vocab in context when they are describing the moon in September. This topic also lends itself naturally to integrate with other curricular areas as you have mentioned.
I hope you enjoy the other modules and will get lots of ideas and resources for your own class in September.
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Create a short teaching resource using Stellarium
Stellarium is a fantastic tool for teaching about astronomy and celestial phenomena. Here’s a short teaching resource one could use with their students using Stellarium
Title: Exploring the Celestial Sphere with Stellarium
Objective: To introduce students to the concept of the celestial sphere and its relevance to observing the night sky.
Tools Needed: Stellarium software (can be downloaded for free), a computer or projector to display Stellarium to the class.
Activity:
Introduction: Start by explaining the concept of the celestial sphere – an imaginary sphere surrounding Earth where all celestial objects appear to be located.
Stellarium Overview: Demonstrate how to navigate Stellarium, showing students how to adjust the time, date, location, and viewing angle to observe the night sky from anywhere on Earth.
Interactive Session: Have students identify and locate different celestial objects such as stars, planets, constellations, and the Milky Way using Stellarium. Encourage them to explore different features and settings in the software.
Guided Observations: Guide students to observe how the position of celestial objects changes over time due to Earth’s rotation and orbit. Discuss how these movements create the phenomena we see in the night sky, like the daily motion of stars and the changing positions of planets.
Discussion: Facilitate a discussion on the significance of studying the celestial sphere, its impact on ancient and modern astronomy, and how tools like Stellarium enhance our understanding of the universe.
Wrap-Up : Summarise the key takeaways from the session and encourage students to continue exploring the night sky using Stellarium on their own.
Extension Ideas: Assign students to research and present on a specific celestial object or constellation they find in Stellarium.
By integrating Stellarium into your teaching resource, you can create an engaging and interactive learning experience that helps students develop a deeper appreciation for astronomy and the wonders of the night sky.
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Plan to observe the Moon – which phase of the Moon is best for observing in the morning from school? What dates will that be in 2024- 2025?
I think this would be a lovely activity to do throughout the coming school year. I will have Junior Infants in September so I think it would spend some time in September discussing the moon, sun, stars. Identifying where you would see them, when you might see them.
I then would make telescopes with the children to find our moon in the sky. In conjunction with this I would keep an eye on the moon phases and incorporate this into when the moon would be visible during school times and bring the children outside with their home made telescopes to look for the moon. I think this activity would also be good to extend to home- you could ask the children to look for the moon before they go to bed and tell the class about it the next day. -
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Plan to observe the Moon – which phase of the Moon is best for observing in the morning from school? What dates will that be in 2024- 2025
When planning to observe the moon from school in the morning, I believe the best phase to observe would be the waning crescent or the third quarter. During these phases, the moon rises after midnight and is visible in the morning sky. To engage the children in the class with this observation, i would start by explaining the different moon phases using visuals like diagrams or videos. I would encourage them to keep a moon journal where they can sketch the moon’s appearance each morning and note any changes they observe. I would also organize a moon observation session where the children could take turns using binoculars or a telescope to get a closer look at the moon.-
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Hi Ruadhan,
Welcome to the course and thank you for sharing your ideas on observing the moon.
It is important to explore the stages of the moon using visuals like you have mentioned. From exploring the stages using the visuals the children can then make meaningful connections when they observe the moon for themselves. It is also important to address the misconception that the moon comes out at night and this can be covered in the observation session that you have mentioned on your post. Using the journal is also a nice activity for the children to record their own learning and observations.
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Create a short teaching resource using Stellarium/ WorldWide Telescope:
Engage: Show the children a picture to spark a ‘see, think, wonder’. It could be of a starry night including some constellations.
Explore: Let the children know that we will be learning about constellations. Ask them to brainstorm ideas as to how would be best to learn about this topic.
Explain: Allow the children a chance to explain their ideas as we may already have an expert who would be happy to teach us or have children who came up with interesting ideas.
Elaborate: Now introduce the children to stellarium and worldwidetelescope to further their knowledge and give them a chance to experiment with this in pairs on i-pads. In this way they could take some tours and learn how to find the north star.
Evaluate: This would be a lovely opportunity for a project which could be presented in many different forms: posters, presentation, artwork, etc
Extend: A lovely extension could be to incorporate the project on making your own planetarium. This could give the children a chance to show and share their growing knowledge on stars by creating their own version of a starry night. -
Create a short teaching resource using Stellarium/ WorldWide Telescope:
Engage: Show the children a picture to spark a ‘see, think, wonder’. It could be of a starry night including some constellations.
Explore: Let the children know that we will be learning about constellations. Ask them to brainstorm ideas as to how would be best to learn about this topic.
Explain: Allow the children a chance to explain their ideas as we may already have an expert who would be happy to teach us or have children who came up with interesting ideas.
Elaborate: Now introduce the children to stellarium and worldwidetelescope to further their knowledge and give them a chance to experiment with this in pairs on i-pads. In this way they could take some tours and learn how to find the north star.
Evaluate: This would be a lovely opportunity for a project which could be presented in many different forms: posters, presentation, artwork, etc
Extend: A lovely extension could be to incorporate the project on making your own planetarium. This could give the children a chance to show and share their growing knowledge on stars by creating their own version of a starry night. -
Create a short teaching resource using Stellarium/ WorldWide Telescope
“Moon Phase Exploration”Objective: To explore and understand the different phases of the Moon using the WorldWide Telescope.
2nd Class
Materials:
Computers or tablets with internet access
WorldWide Telescope website (https://worldwidetelescope.org/webclient/)
Moon Phase Guide
Instructions:Introduce the concept of the Moon’s phases and explain that they will be using the WorldWide Telescope to explore and identify the different phases.
Have students access the WWT website and navigate to the “Explore” tab.
Show them how to use the “Moon” button to view the Moon in real-time or select a specific date to view a specific phase.
Ask students to work in pairs or small groups to explore the different phases of the Moon using the WWT.
Provide them with a Moon Phase Guide and have them identify each phase as they explore. Encourage them to use the guide to match the phase they see on the WWT with its corresponding description.
As they explore, ask guiding questions such as:
What do you see on the Moon’s surface right now?
How does it compare to what we see in our Moon Phase Guide?
Can you find any craters or mountains on the Moon’s surface?
Allow students to share their findings and observations with the class.
As a class, create a diagram or chart showing all the different phases of the Moon, using images from the WWT and descriptions from their Moon Phase Guides.-
Hi Orla
Welcome to the course. That sounds like a nice step by step approach to using Worldwide telescope with plenty of opportunity for small group work and exploration. The questions are a good way to guide their exploration. Once they have explored the moon phases online, they should have a good understanding of the moon and its features, this should then spark their enthusiasm for going outside and looking at the moon.
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Hi Orla
Welcome to the course. That sounds like a nice step by step approach to using Worldwide telescope with plenty of opportunity for small group work and exploration. The questions are a good way to guide their exploration. Once they have explored the moon phases online, they should have a good understanding of the moon and its features, this should then spark their enthusiasm for going outside and looking at the moon.
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:@ Plan to observe the moon on a September morning
To introduce the topic i would have a brain instorming activity to see wat the children already knew or thought about the moon and then I would Show them the video ‘Paxi and the moon, phases and eclipses video’ as a jumping off point. We would then discuss the terminology around the phases of the moon . I would use this opportunity to introduce new novel vocabulary to the children’s scientific literacy. Phrases like waning, waxing, gibbous and crescent as well as new moon, quarter and full moon help to understand and communicate the concepts they are learning. A discussion about the video and what they got from it should follow .They may need to watch again,
A discussion on where the moon is and is it visible at the moment .Is the moon always there and if so can we see it all the time ,if not why not.
During the fourth week in September we would go outside each morning to look at the sky .Hopefully on the 24th Sept at 10.30 am approx the moon would be high in the south western sky. I would ask the children to describe what they see and record for later use in the class.
After this we would return to the class and, using i pads and the web version of Stellarium, we would explore how the moon phases will change over the coming days, weeks and months. Giving the children time to play and explore the app.. Artworks, descriptive writing and other activities could be developed from the lesson.-
Hi Roisin,
Welcome to the course and thank you for sharing your plan to observe the moon. I like how you have introduced the topic with the video, it is a great stimulus and will allow for open discussion. I like how you will teach the topic specific vocabulary prior to observing the moon also. It will give the class an opportunity to use the topic specific vocabulary in a meaningful context. The use of Stellarium would also allow for this.
There are opportunities for integration as you have mentioned as writing, children could engage in different genres of writing with the moon as the main theme. Children could also engage in art activities to show the different phases of the moon.
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An observation plan for planets visible in the autumn- Firstly I would do some background lessons on the planets that would be visible by using a resource like the Solar System Observer website. I would work with the children to create their own star wheel and then use it to make a plan or calendar showing what planets will be visible during the autumn months and when. Then, as the planets become visible in the night sky, I think that Stellarium would be an excellent resource for the children to become familair with the night sky and to locate where and when each of the planets will be visible. The features on Stellarium would also allow them to find out more information about the planets and to zoom in on them and see how they might appear if observed through a telescope. Overall I think that being able to link the online and hands-on resources featured in this module with real-life observations of the night sky would make this activity engaging and meaningful for the children.
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In our primary school classroom, we’re embarking on an exciting journey to explore the phases of the Moon and discover the best mornings to observe it from our school during the academic years of 2024-2025.
To begin, we’ll introduce the concept of lunar phases using engaging visuals and interactive tools such as Stellarium or WorldWide Telescope. Pupils will learn why the Moon appears differently each night and how these phases change over time.
Each pupil will create their own lunar phase calendar, marking the optimal mornings for observation based on our predictions. We’ll venture outside on these mornings equipped with binoculars and telescopes to observe the Moon up close, identifying craters, maria, and other fascinating features.
Throughout this project, pupils will document their observations and insights. They’ll share their findings with classmates, promoting scientific communication and critical thinking skills.
By engaging in hands-on observation and exploration, our goal is to foster a deeper understanding and appreciation of astronomy while igniting a lifelong curiosity about the wonders of our universe.
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Hi Andrew
That sounds great and I’m sure your own enthusiasm for this project on the moon will communicate itself to your pupils and inspire them. The use of online resources coupled with actual physical observation of the moon is a great way to translate what they learn about on a screen to the real world scenario and being able to make those links is very valuable. You have also emphasised the need for communication with their peers and discussion of what they have observed. This coupled with your sundial investigation from module 1 is a great way to get your class enthusiastic about further exploration of the universe.
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Hi Andrew, I really like reading about the new exploration journey into the phases of the moon. The combination of visuals, interactive tools (binoculars/ telescopes), hands on approach to the calendar and the use of the websites would ensure maximised participation and interest in the unit of learning. It sounds like a great way to encourage an enthusiasm in future space gazers.
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Observing the Moon: Best Phases and Dates for Morning Viewing from School in 2024-2025
When planning to observe the Moon in the morning from school, the first and last quarter phases are ideal. These phases occur when the Moon is half-illuminated and rise or set in the morning hours, making them visible during school time. For the 2024-2025 school year, the best dates to start observing are in late September 2024. This period aligns with the first quarter phase around September 18th, coinciding with a supermoon and partial lunar eclipse visible from Dublin, creating an exciting and engaging start to the project.
Introducing the topic with hands-on activities, such as creating models of the Earth, Moon, and Sun using papier-mâché or demonstrating lunar phases with Oreo cookies, can enhance student engagement. Using Chromebooks to explore digital resources like Stellarium, timeanddate.com, and moon phase apps will support learning, especially given Ireland’s unpredictable weather. Incorporating these tools allows continuous exploration at home, fostering a comprehensive understanding of the Moon’s phases and it’s orbit around Earth. This holistic approach not only makes learning fun but also ensures that students grasp fundamental astronomical concepts effectively.
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Plan to observe the Moon – which phase of the Moon is best for observing in the morning from school? What dates will that be in 2024- 2025?
To start, i would show the children a sample of a lunar cycle (National Geographic). I would assess the children’s prior knowledge of the moon and go through the relevant vocabulary. NASA offer a great lesson on acting out moon phases and break them down into understandable information for the children. I would do this as a whole class activity. We would then plan out our observation of the moon. I would do this in October with the beginning of the next new moon and have the children create a moon log. We would assign discussion time each week to note any changes seen in the moon and from our knowledge of light, why this is. As an extension activity, I would also have the children use clay to construct ‘the man on the moon’ based on what they think this looks like based on their observations. I think this would bring fun and freedom to be creative to the activity and is a nice follow up once they have done their observations.
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I would choose a lesson to observe the moon:
Best Phase for Observation: I would plan to schedule the lesson around the Last quarter phase, which is ideal for morning observation. In September 2024, this phase can be observed in late September around the 24th. I would observe from the 22rd-27th.
Introduction: I would use the ESERO 62 resource to provide an interactive introduction to the relationship between the moon, sun and earth, sparking the students’ curiosity.
Video: I would also show the video “Paxi and Our Moon: Phases and Eclipses” to make the learning experience engaging and visually stimulating.
Observation Activity: I would guide the students outside to observe the moon, encouraging them to sketch what they see and discuss how the moon changes and why it is visible in the morning.
Moon Observation Log: After the lesson, I would have the children complete a moon observation log. This will help consolidate their learning about the different phases of the moon.
Discussion: I would engage the students in a discussion about their observations, reinforcing the concepts of the moon’s phases and its visibility patterns. -
I think Stellarium is a fantastic resource and I have no doubt the children would be fascinated by it. To begin I would introduce the resource and demonstrate the basic features on the whiteboard. Moving on from this I would let the children explore it on the tablets with a set of task cards with specific items to find such as the North star, what planets were visible last night, find 2 constellations, what time did the sunset etc. To end the lesson we would feedback together and share the learning. I would then encourage the children to explore the resource at home, perhaps looking at the night sky for that night. The lesson allows for so much integration- art- drawing their own constellations, literacy- writing a report about a constellation, history- mythology. I look forward to using this resource in future and seeing the children happily engage with astronomy.
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Hi Emer
Welcome to the course. I’m glad you like the stellarium resource and I like your approach to using it with your class. Having task cards for individual exploration on the tablets is a lovely idea as it provides prompts to guide their learning while at the same time leaving them free to explore. Continuing the exploration at home where they will hopefully be able to see the stars is a lovely follow-up activity.
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Using the Stellarium World Telescope resource
I would use Space Week as an opportunity to work on space related projects using Stellarium. I would use the ESERO What can you see? Looking at constellations resource https://esero.ie/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/34_What-can-you-see.pdf to introduce the children to the concept of constellations. Then I would model how to use Stellarium, posting details on the home-school communication App so parents can also see how to use it. In small groups the children would be given a constellation to research and create a drawing/model of. They would also be set a challenge to find their constellation at night as part of their homework and invited to take a photo and share with the class. A guide on what constellations are visible at different times of the year can be seen at https://www.skyatnightmagazine.com/advice/constellations The children would be able to present their projects to the whole-class and engage in a Q&A.
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Create a short teaching resource using Stellarium
Engage:
Prompt: Story of Pegasus: Mythical White Winged Horse
Wondering: I wonder what he would have looked like… Show 3 different star constellations : Which of these 3 constellations would the ancients have thought could have been Pegasus? Discuss & share ideas.
Explore: Using Stellarium allow the children explore the sky and find Pegasus using the constellation feature and then using the constellation art feature. Extend to see the other constellations posed in the initial question. Teacher demonstrate how to navigate website noting stars, and planets, while also adjusting the time, date and location showing how they all move across the sky at different times of the day/night. Using the day/night feature to show when different items are visible and also looking at the time line to see when other planets and celestial bodies are within view. Allow children explore website.
Investigate:
Introduce activity of making a planetarium box of a constellation.
Starter Question: How am I going to make a planetarium box to show Pegasus?
Predicting: Recording the predictions the children make about the best materials, light source and the tools used. Also note the predictions how to see the results best of all once completed?
Conducting the investigation: Organising, planning, designing and building (through trial and error) the most efficient planetarium box.
Interpreting Data/Results: Hold class discussion about what worked, what needs to be changed/ improved upon, etc.
Take the Next Step:
Applying Learning: Using what was learned about Pegasus- revisit the website Stellarium and focus on other constellations.
Making Connections: Looking at the different constellations and recognising some from horoscopes or mythical creatures/ characters.
Thoughtful Actions: Discuss how the shared sky can connect the wider world while we all see the same space/ moon/ constellations as one another.
Reflection: What could we have done better while making the planetarium in the box, what I would like to extend my learning to after this learning block?
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Plan to observe the moon;
I would introduce the topic using Kwl chart, then watch the ESA Paxi video to introduce the topic in fun way. To then keep the fun and remembering a certain ad from my childhood I would pass out some jaffa cakes (or suitable alternative!) and see if we could recreate the different phases of the moon, and name them.
Using timeanddate.com I can see that the last quarter of the moon should be visible from the 24th September.
I would then Head outside with my class to make our observations – fingers crossed for a clear day! If the weather doesn’t cooperate I would use the stellarium app to show the class that night’s moon on the whiteboard.
If weather permits we would all draw and label the moon as we see outside, or if it doesn’t, do the same using the stellarium app, before playing a game where we work together to pin the correct names on pictures of the moon cut from paper, to make a nice display for our classroom.
The Stellarium app would also be a great resource to download onto our class chromebooks, as something the children could check and explore during free ICT time regularly – I have downloaded it to my phone already and am finding it so interesting!
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Hi Carrie,
Welcome to the course, thank you for sharing your ideas on moon observation. Using a KWL chart will allow for the pupils to share their own knowledge before you start. This can be a good opportunity to address the misconception that the moon only comes out at night also.
Having covered the phases of the moon prior to observing the moon will allow for the pupils to use the specific language in a meaningful context, and I am sure they will enjoy eating biscuits or jaffa cakes to explore the phases of the moon also.
I hope you enjoy the rest of the course, there are many great resources for the classroom.
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I would introduce this topic to my class, 3rd class, as part of Space Week in October. Firstly I would ask the children if they had ever seen the moon? What times of the day have they seen the moon and what does it look like? I would choose children to come up and draw on the whiteboard what the moon has looked like when they saw it. Then we might discuss why it looks different some days than others, and explore why there are days when we can’t see the moon at all.
Then I would move on to asking them why the think the moon is important? Is it like the sun or different? Then I would show them “Paxi and our Moon: Phases and Eclipses” to stimulate their interest. Then I would each group four oreo biscuits and ask them to show me the moon phases. (one child should take a bite out of some oreos to illustrate the phases – more able children may be able to illustrate waxing and waning moon phases also)I would start the project by bringing the children outside with iPads to take a photo of the sky at 17th October at 12:26 to for the full moon. Then we would follow the moon in its phases starting with 24 Oct at 09:03 to see the third quarter, then the new moon on 1 Nov at 12:47. Then the children would need to try to observe a first quarter moon before school on 5 Feb 08:02 and finally we could observe the full moon on 12 Feb after lunch at 13:53.
In a subsequent lesson I would use the ESERO 62 resource in the school hall to further build on their knowledge.
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Hi Fiona
That sounds like a well thought out plan for studying the moon. I love the idea of the initial questions and bringing the children up to draw what the moon looked like when they saw it. This is a great way to start a discussion on the phases of the moon why, it looks different on different days and at different times of year and why it is seen in different parts of the sky. Encouraging the children to draw the moon when they go out to observe it might be a good idea as well as trying to use the iPads as photographing the moon can be difficult.
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Plan to observe the Moon:
The best time to observe the moon in the evening is a few days after the first quarter and the best time to observe the moon in the morning is during the last quarter phase.
I would approach this series of lessons by starting at the last quarter phase of the moon. This would allow the children to observe the moon in school as well as at home. I would finish the series of lessons in after the first quarter to give children to observe the different moon phases from home.
I would introduce the topic of Space using the moon using Paxi and Our Moon phases and eclipses.
I would then discuss and investigate with my class the difference between Stars, moons and planets. I would make good use of the Stellarium web app to introduce the idea that every child can be an astronomer.
I would also demonstrate how the moon orbits Earth and how we orbit the sun. This will no doubt lead into a discussion regarding season’s, gravity etc.
To end the topic like I said earlier I will allow them to chart the different phases of the moon and as a class we will use torches to explore shadows and how that causes the different phases of the moon.
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To observe the Moon in our primary school during the morning, the optimal phase is the Last Quarter. During this phase, the Moon rises around midnight and is visible in the morning sky.
Observation Plan:
Preparation:Educate students about the phases of the Moon.
Use models to demonstrate the Moon’s orbit and phases.
Discuss safety tips for morning observations.
Optimal Observation Dates (Last Quarter Phases):Possible dates for the next school year are:
2024
September 4
October 3
November 1
December 312025:
January 29
February 28
March 29
April 28
May 27
June 25Observation Sessions:
Conduct observations first thing in the morning.
Use binoculars or telescopes for detailed views.
Record observations in a Moon journal.
By planning observations during these dates, students can engage in exciting, hands-on astronomy lessons.-
Hi Aaron,
Welcome to the course and thank you for sharing your ideas for observing the moon in the classroom.
It is important to explicitly teach about the phases of the moon first and introduce the topic specific language. In this way when children do get to observe the moon they can use this topic specific vocab in a meaningful context and can apply their learning.
I like the idea of a moon journal to record their observations over time. I hope you enjoy the course.
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We need to choose a phase of the moon visible in the morning and plan an interactive activity. The waning crescent phase is best for observation as it is visible in the morning and it rises a few hours before sunrise. This phase occurs about 3-7 days before the new moon. Looking at a lunar calendar using time and date.com I see that the 28th of November would be a good time to begin observing the moon and its phases.
Start by explaining the phases of the moon using pictures and simple descriptions to help students understand. Model the positions of the earth moon and sun for the children and how they move relative to each other. Get the children in groups of three and allow them to practice as the earth, moon or sun. On the chosen observation days, gather the students early in the morning just after school starts. Have them observe the moon with the naked eye or simple binoculars, encouraging them to describe its shape and brightness. Provide worksheets for students to draw the moon and note the date and time of their observation.
After the observation, discuss their findings in the classroom. Compare students’ drawings and notes, and talk about why the moon’s shape changes and its different phases. To extend the learning experience, create a moon phase chart and update it daily. Additionally, read a story or watch a short video about the moon’s phases.
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Hi Conor,
Welcome to the course and thank you for sharing your ideas on observing the moon with your class. It is important to teach the phases of the moon first and also using relevant vocabulary with the class. When the class are observing the moon themselves it will give them an opportunity to use the vocabulary in a meaningful context.
I like your idea of getting the children to draw their observations and encourage them to note detail on shape and brightness. The chart in the classroom would also add to their understanding of the phases of the moon.
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Plan to observe the Moon – which phase of the Moon is best for observing in the morning from school? What dates will that be in 2024- 2025?
I would engage the pupils with the topic of observing the moon by showing them the paxi video to begin with. We wolud rewatch it and stop it at various points to discuss the different phases of the moon mentioned in the video.
We would use junk art materials to make the moon at different phases of the cycle and put them in order. During tablet time i would get the children to read the following webpage: The phases of the moon | National Geographic Kids (natgeokids.com). I would prepare a few questions for them to look up and I would ask each child 1 new thing they learned and if they had any new questions that would lead another lesson. ( I Have a small class!)
We would then begin to observe the moon beginning on the 11th of September during the first quarter and again from the 24th of September during the third quarter. We would take note every day to see if the moon is visible and if it is what phase is it in. -
Create an observing plan for autumn that shows which planets are visible in the evening sky.
I created a plan using timeanddate.com for September which will show which planets are visible in the evening sky.
On September 1st Mercury, Venus and Neptune will be slightly difficult to see. Mars and Uranus will have average visibility, Jupiter will have fairly good visibility and Saturn will have perfect visibility.
I will introduce this plan to my 6th class by introducing the solar system to them focusing on the planets we will be observing. I will engage them by creating a model of the solar system using clay/Styrofoam balls.
The pupils will then be split into groups and research a planet each and create a poster with interesting facts about each planet. We will then use the stellarium software to take a virtual sky tour. This will allow the pupils to have a chance to see what the sky will look like during their observation session.
For the observation night the location will be well chosen with the correct equipment. I will provide simple star maps showing the positions of the planets for the date. I will create a planet spotting checklist for the pupils to allow them to mark off the planets they spot and write any notes they have.
I hope that the above would really engage my pupils.
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Hi Grainne,
Thanks for sharing your plan to observe planets. I like how you have included lots of work in the classroom prior to observing including making a model of the solar system. Having some knowledge of the planets will engage the pupils for the observation task. You also have great ideas of resources to support your pupils during the observation.
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To plan for observing the Moon in the morning from school, I will focus on the Last Quarter phase, which is visible from midnight to noon. During this phase, the Moon rises around midnight and is high in the sky in the morning, making it ideal for observations before school starts. I did some research and noted that in the 2024-2025 school year, the Last Quarter Moon falls on the following dates: September 8, 2024, October 8, 2024, November 6, 2024, December 6, 2024, January 4, 2025, February 3, 2025, March 4, 2025, April 3, 2025, May 2, 2025, June 1, 2025, June 30, 2025 and July 30, 2025. I will schedule morning observation sessions on these dates, providing students with notebooks and binoculars to record the Moon’s position, appearance, and any notable features. This activity will enhance their understanding of lunar phases and the Moon’s behavior in the sky
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I would like to engage the pupils in putting together their own planetarium 3D constellation, which would be taken from one of the Irish mythological stories such as The Children of Lir or Setanta for example. This would be aligned to the number of stars and the measurement distances of The Plough, so that it would be part creative and part scientific.
The pupils would work in four groups to agree to a design/ mythological character/ background which they would name.They would then draw the star outlines of their four group designs and then attach the sheet to the dark sugar paper and the tin foil.They would then punch out the holes and attach the black woollen strings to the paper and crumpled balls of tin foil to the measurement distances of the stars of the Plough from earth,using rulers, scissors and lastly cellotape for keeping stars in correct places on the sheet.
We would hang it from the schoolroom ceiling and get the children to take photos of the four costellations from different angles, upload to the interactive whiteboard, and the pupils would give their opinion as to the most interesting/unusual angles/ realistic ones, and perhaps draw them to do a class constellation calendar for the school year. The designs would be assigned to the calendar months September to June based on criteria which the children would devise / compose.
The lesson could be developed further by introducing the Stellarium for giving them a scientific based insight and useful tool to discover the dark skies. This would be done in a follow up lesson and they could compare their own designs to actual real, current constellations in the night sky.
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Grainne your idea of constructing a model of the Solas System using clay would be a lovely idea for Art and Craft class. The children could construct and attach the various sized planets around the light on the classroom ceiling and paint them according to their idea of the planets and put them in their orbit positions. The younger children could use plasticine/styraform balls to constuct their own solar systems in pairs on their school desks, in an oval outline to make it an very enjoyable lesson.
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WorldWide Telescope
The WorldWide Telescope is a tool for showcasing astronomical data and knowledge. It’s not a physical telescope but its a free software that creates scientific visualisations and stories.
It demonstrates the causes of seasons on Earth and how the sun moves through our sky.
If I was creating a teaching resource for my students using this software I would give them all a tablet or get them to work in pairs.As it is a hands on resource with physical models I think they would really enjoy a lesson using this software and gain a lot of knowledge from it. They would learn how heat energy is transfered to Earth from a short video.
I would also point out to them the importance of the tilt of the Earth and how this causes seasons and how they feel this tilt in their everyday lives.
A key component of the seasons curriculum is addressing any misconceptions that students might have.
While using this program students are left with a simple explanation of why it gets warmer in the summer and colder in the winter.
I would allow the students to play around with the software on their tablets and to see what other important information they can gather about the seasons. -
Module 2 assignment – Plan to observe the Moon – which phase of the Moon is best for observing in the morning from school? What dates will that be?
The Moon can be seen in the daylit sky at any phase except for the new moon, when it’s invisible to us, and full moon (18/9/24), when it’s below the horizon during the day. The crescent through quarter phases are high in the sky during the day (11/9/24), but the daytime gibbous phases can be glimpsed only just before the Sun sets.
https://www.timeanddate.com/moon/phases/ireland/port-laoise
I found the above website useful if I were planning to observe the Moon and different Moon phases which are related to the position of the Moon around the Earth, and what time of day at which you can see a particular phase of the Moon. – which phase of the Moon is best for observing in the morning from school? What dates will that be? As our school is based in County Laois, the data is for pokrtlaoise but you could enter in your own location. I am already looking forward to looking for a super full moon coming up on 18/09/2024.
I think my class would engage well with Paxi and as an intro to looking at the moon and then engage with lesson 62 Journey to the Moon https://esero.ie/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/62_Lunar-eclipse-and-phases-of-the-Moon.pdf
By the end of the lesson the students will have been afforded the opportunity to learn to describe and name the phases of the Moon, know what causes a lunar eclipse, collaborative word and learn to set up and carry out an experiment. The students will also engage with an activity to create a representation of the Sun, Moon and Earth during a lunar eclipse.
I also liked the idea of the moon observation log where the students look at the moon and record how the moon looks each day for one month. It will also encourage the use of and reinforce the terminology associated with describing the moon phases – New Moon, Waning Crescent, Waxing Crescent, First Quarter, Waxing Gibbous, Full Moon, Waning Gibbous and Last Quarter.
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Hi Orla,
Thank you for your post. I am delighted to see you are now looking forward to the next full Moon, armed with information about when it will happen next. Heres hoping for clear skies! The website is very helpful for planning.
A moon observation log is a great way to make learners aware of the constant changes to how the Moon looks throughout the month and consolidate learning of new terms. It also affords ample opportunity for cross-curricular links, including art. Young learners may enjoy using play dough to create the various moon phases.
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Stellarium’s interactive features make it a powerful tool for engaging young learners in astronomy. Below is an outline of how I would use it in my classroom with 3rd class next year.
- Having introduced the children to Stellarium and explaining how it works I would set Stellarium to our location by entering the school’s location. This ensures students see the sky as it appears in our area.
- I will demonstrate how to find and identify constellations. Use the search feature to locate familiar constellations and explain their shapes and stories.
- I will show the children how to adjust the date and time to see how the sky changes:
- We will observe the moon – Use Stellarium to show the current phase of the Moon and its position in the sky. I will demonstrate how to use the time slider to see the Moon’s movement over days.
- I will then let students explore Stellarium on tablets or computers. Have them locate constellations, track the Moon, and note any observations on worksheets.
- As a conclusion we will review what students learned about the sky and answer any questions.
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Hi Josie,
Thanks for your post, and welcome to the course!You have created a comprehensive short teaching resource using Stellarium. As an app that will be new to most, if not all, learners, the teacher’s guidance is invaluable in bringing their skills along with this technology that provides a new way of learning about our skies, and I can see that you have put a strong focus on demonstrating this app’s use, and its features.
There are a lot of wonderful ways to integrate other subjects into this activity, from art to storytelling; the constellations can provide plenty of inspiration. It is also a great activity for learners to learn further about at home, through installing the app on a parent/guardian’s phone where possible sharing this learning experience with their family.
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Module 2 – Assignment 1
To help children observe planets in the autumn evening sky, start in mid-September with weekly sessions after sunset. Use star charts, notebooks, compasses, and binoculars, and choose a clear, safe location with minimal light pollution. Children should note the direction, time, and visible planets, making sketches and recording details on brightness and colour.
In September, Jupiter will be bright in the southeaster sky, and Saturn will be visible in the south, appearing earlier in the evening. By October, Jupiter will rise higher, Saturn will set earlier, and Mars will start appearing low in the eastern sky late in the evening. In November, Jupiter will move towards the southwest, Saturn will set shortly after sunset, and Mars will rise earlier in the evening, becoming more visible.
At the end of the observation period, compile data into charts showing planetary movements and discuss observed patterns, brightness differences, and positional changes. This plan will help children identify planets and understand their movement, enhancing their astronomy knowledge. -
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It’s amazing to see how Stellarium allows kids to simulate the night sky from any location and time, I think the kids in my school would absolutely love it.
We would begin by downloading and installing Stellarium on the school iPads. Once installed, set the date to an autumn evening and adjust the time to just after sunset and the location has to be set also. I’d start the lesson by demonstrating how to use Stellarium’s search function, e.g. to locate Venus, which appears brightly in the western sky shortly after sunset. Next, we could find another planet such as Jupiter and highlight how its moons can be viewed with binoculars. Then, we could see Saturn in the southern sky, discussing the visibility of its rings through a small telescope. Examples of same could be brought up on Google images for the kids. Finally, Mars could be identified, pointing out its distinctive reddish hue which a lot of kids would know from its nickname.
I would then students to interact with Stellarium independentlt, practicing finding these planets and noting their positions and visibility times. This hands-on approach, combined with real-life observations, would definitely aid understanding and would in turn foster a deeper appreciation for the world around them.
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Hi Shane
I love your integration of Stellarium with the hands on elements. In each of the examples you have used of finding a planet on Stellarium, you have identified a characteristic of that planet, discussed how it might be best viewed in the night sky and also pointed out what to look for. Using Google images to show the planets is another nice idea. Guiding your pupils through the first few examples on the iPads will give them a good foundation for using the tool and then using it independently will give them extra confidence in exploring the night sky. Some of the children might choose to download it on devices at home and use it to explore the night sky with their families.
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Creating an observing plan for primary school students to track which planets are observable in the sky can be an exciting and educational activity.
Observing Schedule:
Evening Observations (after sunset):Jupiter and Saturn: These are often visible in the evening sky. They are bright and can be seen with the naked eye. Jupiter appears as a bright white object, while Saturn is slightly dimmer.
Mars: Look for Mars in the evening sky. It has a distinct reddish colour.
Early Morning Observations (before sunrise):Venus: Venus is incredibly bright and visible in the eastern sky before sunrise. It outshines almost all other objects in the sky.
Mercury: Mercury can be challenging to spot due to its proximity to the Sun, but it is visible shortly before sunrise.Check Visibility: Use a star chart or planetarium app to check the visibility of planets for your location and time.
Observe and Record: Go outside at the scheduled times, observe the planets, and record their positions, brightness, and any noticeable features.
Draw and Discuss: Have students draw what they see and discuss their observations in class.
By following this plan, students will learn about the planets and develop observational skills, fostering a deeper interest in astronomy. -
Using Stellarium.
I think the Stellarium is a fantastic resource to use with the children and it would be very enjoyable for them.
Firstly, on topic of the Planet, I would begin to introduce it by imposing a question on the children about planet/ stars. This encourages discussion and guided discovery. We would than fill in a KWL chart on our topic.
I would than introduce the website of Stellarium to do the children. I would model this website using the interactive board and show the children the tools you can use. We are fortunate to have chromebooks in our school, once website is modeled to the children they are then free to use the resource on the chromebooks. I will give the children a certain time frame to identify different constellations and the stars/planets in each constellation. Once children are finished, they will have to present their constellation that they found to the class and discuss their findings.
We will conclude the lesson by a summary of our learning and self -assessment of one new piece of information that I took from my learning.
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Both Stellarium and the World Wide Telescope would be great apps to have on the tablets and laptops at school. I am moving from junior infants to the senior side, and maybe they are already available and being used. If not, I will introduce these resources. I will be working with small groups, which would allow more freedom for self-guided use of apps, with some prompts like “What is the difference between a planet and a star?”
I will be learning along with the children! I found the YouTube video in this module very informative and it made the Stellarium app easy to use. Frances from the Blackrock Castle Observatory did a superb job of explaining it to the non-initiated. Teachers could share that video on their whiteboards with the pupils to show how to use the app. Then the children could also access and share the app/web at home.
The genius of Stellarium is that you can set it to a particular date, time, and location. Everyone can find out what constellations are visible, where the moon will be located, the stage or phase of the moon, and all the visible planets.
I think it will help enhance children’s understanding of their place in the universe! Even down to knowing where North, South, East, and West are.
While Stellarium is a fantastic resource for children, a great way of developing an interest in the night sky and allowing them to use the app/web to engage in learning at their own pace. So, too, is the World Wide Telescope, a definite positive addition to their learning capacity and at their own level/pace. Tours, projects, and even a free 8-day curriculum on the causes of the seasons, which would suit higher-class primary school children, are all available on WWT. -
2.Create a short teaching resource using Stellarium/ WorldWide Telescope
As it could be fairly problematic to use this resource fully, given that school access during the hours of darkness might not be available, I decided to concentrate on how to work around this dilemma:
1. Stellarium could be used as part of a wider project on the planets. Pupils could pick a planet to work on, as per any school project, but could use Stellarium to track that planet’s distance from Earth throughout the school year. This data could then be added to the core project, and would give pupils a better understanding of the relative motion of the planets.
2. Pupils could download Stellarium for home use and upload their findings/screenshots etc to our Google Classroom pages.
3. A class project on Venus would allow Stellarium to be used in class during the winter months, as it may be visible (or at least above the horizon) for a part of the school morning.
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I selected to look at a plan to observe the moon. I particularly liked the exercise that was included in the slides which had the class fill in a moon log and to colour/draw what the moon looked like. What is nice about this particular exercise is that you can do it with many different class levels. For the younger classes, the teacher could take a photo of the moon each night or maybe once a week/month/etc. The class can look at it and discuss what it looks like and draw/fill in the moon observation log. As stated in the slides, this could also be linked to the study of light and three-dimensional activities, and it may also be integrated into a drawing or other art lesson. Therefore, it is a nice activity for integration. There are also many nice storybooks and songs for the younger classes based on the moon, which is nice for a thematic approach. For the older classes, they could fill in the observation log themselves at home and looking at the moon in the morning.
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2. Create a short teaching resource using Stellarium/ WorldWide Telescope
I would firstly engage children with the topic of The Night Sky by brainstorming the components of the night sky: What we can see, stars, moon, planets, satellites.
I will ask the children how can we identify stars vs planets vs satellites. (direction in which they are moving, distance etc)Once the children are engages I would open the Stellarium app on my desktop and we will explore the night sky as a class. I will show them how we can adjust time/date/location and we will look at the different planets visible. Children will also be introduced to the term constellations and we will explore some of these together as a class on the Interactive Whiteboard. This could tie in very well with The Ancient Greeks for History and some of the stories related to the Greek names for constellations could be explored. We will look at the Ursa Major and focus in on the Plough as a class.
For the next lesson children will recap on what we learned about constellations, Stellarium will be opened again and children will be asked can they see plough. Children will then work in groups to make the plough using string foil and star map from DPSM activity. Children will explore the distance of stars from planet Earth and this model will help children understand that stars look different when looked at from different perspective.
Children could alternatively make their own constellations using The ESERO 34 Draw your own constellations.
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These two activities take place after initial KWL chart is done as a whole-class activity and some information is discussed with pupils.
Activity 1: Observing Planets
In a flipped classroom activity, pupils can work outside in the evening with family member(s) to observe the night sky. Provide step by step instructions for pupils and for parents, sent through SeeSaw or Class Dojo, as they navigate the sky. Pupils and family members will use the information they learned from the Scoilnet/Symbaloo Learning Pathway to locate and observe planets in the night sky. Pupils will record their observations on SeeSaw.Activity 2: Create an Observing Plan
From this point, in-class, pupils will be divided into groups and they will create a simple observing plan for tracking the movement of planets in the evening sky during autumn.
Again, through use of a Scoilnet/Symbaloo Learning Pathway, pupils will be provided with information/research sources regarding the best times to observe each planet, their positions relative to Earth, and any interesting facts they have learned about each planet. Pupils can share their observing plans on Padlet and other groups can provide feedback. -
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International Observe the Moon Night is Saturday, September 14, 2024. We would discuss this in school and the children would be encouraged for homework that night to take a look at the moon at home using the skills we have been developing in school.
Observing the moon in the morning time would immediately spark the curiosity of children. Every time I see the moon and the sun both in the sky it makes me question things and I hope it will spark the same interest in the children.
Jan. 25 — 12:54 p.m. — Wolf Moon
Feb. 24 —7:30 a.m. — Snow Moon
March 25 — 3 a.m. — Worm Moon
April 23 — 7:49 p.m. — Pink Moon
May 23 — 9:53 a.m. — Flower Moon
Friday, June 21 — 9:08 p.m. — Strawberry Moon
Sunday, July 21 — 6:17 a.m. — Buck Moon
Tuesday, Sept. 17 — 10:34 p.m. — Corn Moon
Thursday, Oct. 17 — 7:26 a.m. — Hunter’s Moon
Friday, Nov. 15 — 4:28 p.m. — Beaver Moon
Sunday, Dec. 15 — 4:02 a.m. — Cold Moon -
I would complete a lesson based on our observation of these two phases of the moon. We would begin our creation of a KWL chart on the phases of the moon. I would begin some talk and discussion around the different phases of the moon to find out what the children already know about it. I would then for the W part question the children on what they want to learn by engaging with this activity. After that, I would show the children ESA’s Paxi video on the phases of the moon and eclipses of the moon. I would then ask the children to think pair share about the new learning on the phases of the moon. I would ask the children to remain in their pair and each pair would then be given a ball and a lamp as a model of the moon to demonstrate how it relates to night and day. I would model this activity first and then get the children to do this. After this, I would give each pair a tablet where they can access Stellarium web version to observe the appearance of the moon. After the children have engaged with this, we would together as a class fill in the L part of our KWL. At the end of the lesson, I would show the children a flip chart with the days of the week, time and observations of the moon. I would explain to them that over the course of a week we would be observing the phase of moon at 10am each day and will note our observations. We would also engage with Stellarium to further our understanding over the course of the week.
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Constellation lesson plan junior class Lesson Plan: Creating a Constellation
Level: Junior infants
Lesson Duration: 30 minutes
Learning Objectives:
– Students will learn about constellations and their significance in the night sky.
– Students will create their own constellation using art materials.
– Students will share their constellations with their peers and explain their design choices.
Materials Needed:
– Black card
– Glue stick
– Silver pen / blue tac
– Star punch
– Tinfoil
– Cotton wool
– Whiteboards
– Markers
Procedure:
Introduction (5 minutes):
1. Begin the lesson by asking students if they have ever looked up at the night sky and noticed the stars.
2. Show the students a picture of a constellation and explain that constellations are groups of stars that form a pattern in the sky.
3. Discuss how constellations have been used throughout history to navigate and tell stories.
4. Introduce the concept of creating their own constellation using art materials.
Activity (20 minutes):
1. Distribute the materials to each student: black card, glue stick, silver pen, blue tac/ star punch, tinfoil, and cotton wool.
2. Instruct the students to think about a shape or pattern they would like to create with the stars.
3. Encourage the students to use the star punch to create stars from the tinfoil.
4. Once they have punched out enough stars, have the students glue the stars onto the black card in their chosen pattern.
5. After gluing the stars, students can use the silver pen to connect the stars and create their constellation. Students can use silver pen and or playdough to mark out other stars in the night sky
6. Once the constellations are complete, students can use the cotton wool to represent clouds or other elements in their artwork.
Sharing and Discussion (5 minutes):
1. Have students gather around a designated area where the night sky from Cork, Ireland is displayed on whiteboards.
2. Ask students to share their constellations with the class, explaining the shape or pattern they created and why they chose it.
3. Encourage students to ask questions and make connections between their own constellations and the ones displayed on the whiteboards.
4. Facilitate a discussion about the different constellations and their unique designs.
Conclusion (5 minutes):
1. Summarize the lesson by reminding students about the importance of constellations in navigation and storytelling.
2. Ask students to reflect on what they learned and share one interesting fact about constellations.
3. Collect the constellations created by the students and display them in the classroom for further exploration.
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Hi Catherine
That sounds like a lovely lesson on constellations, with children creating constellations. I like the idea of the children comparing their constellations to a display of actual constellations visible over Cork and also that the children are given time to present their constellations to the class, A nice addition might be a story or legend about a constellation as a prompt to begin the lesson. Children could link back to this when presenting their constellation to the class and some might come up with a story about their constellation and where it got its name
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1. Plan to observe the Moon – which phase of the Moon is best for observing in the morning from school? What dates will that be in 2024- 2025?
In this lesson the students will observe the moon in the morning sky and understand its phases. Students will need notebooks or observation journals, pencils and coloured markers the astronomy app Stellarium, binoculars or a small telescope (optional). They will need access to an open outdoor space with a clear view of the sky.
Explain that they will be observing the moon in the morning sky from school. Briefly discuss the moon’s phases and how they change over the lunar cycle. The best phase for morning observation: – The **Waning Gibbous** and **Waning Crescent** phases are ideal for morning observations as the moon rises after midnight and is visible in the morning sky.
Dates for Observing: Using a moon phase calendar or the Stellarium app, identify the dates when the moon will be in the Waning Gibbous and Waning Crescent phases for the current or upcoming month. For example, for August 2024: *Waning Gibbous*, August 1-7, 2024 – *Waning Crescent*: August 12-15, 2024
Morning around 7:00 AM to 8:00 AM is ideal for observing the moon in the schoolyard before classes begin. Find a clear observation spot. Use a compass or an app to find the cardinal directions (east, in this case). Have students look towards the eastern part of the sky to locate the moon. Record the moon’s position, shape, and any visible details such as craters or markings. Draw a simple sketch of the moon’s shape and position in the notebook. Note the time and date of each observation. Describe the brightness and any notable features of the moon. Use binoculars or a telescope, if available, for a closer look and more detailed descriptions. Encourage students to observe the moon every morning during the specified phases. Compare observations over the days to note any changes in position or appearance. Discuss the changes in the moon’s phase and position over the observation period. -
Hi Sarah,
I love the idea of a stargazing night in school with family which could be ran in conjunction with science week and or STEM events in school. I think children would love this and it may become an annual event in the school calendar.
Thanks for sharing!
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I completely agree about the value of a stargazing night at the school as I feel that this year’s incredible visibility of the northern lights really captivated the interest of the entire school population…even those who may not have previously been too interested! It also brings the opportunity for ICT integration with use of apps which identify planets and stars in the night sky.
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1. Create an observing plan for autumn that shows which planets are visible in the evening sky.
Creating an observing plan for the evening sky can be a great way for children to engage with space and astronomy. Before organising an observing session for the kids to see which planets are visible in the evening/night sky, I would begin discussing in class with the children what planets are and how they differ from stars in the night sky. I would use Stellarium as an aid and resource for children to become familiar with the night sky. This would be the outline of the plan.
Check the Date and Time:
I would identify the best time for observing. The ideal time is just after sunset when the sky is darkening.
Research Visible Planets:
We would use Stellarium to find out which planets are visible during the chosen time. As of mid-2024, Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars are often visible in the evening sky.
Identify the Location:
I would choose a location within the locality for the stargazing event with minimal light pollution and a clear view of the horizon.
Plan the Order of Observation:
We would start with planets visible just after sunset. Venus and Mars are seen first, followed by Jupiter and Saturn as the sky gets darker.
Prepare Equipment:
Get the children to use binoculars or a telescope for better viewing, especially for Jupiter’s moons and Saturn’s rings.
Log Observations:
Get the children to keep a journal to record details like planet positions, brightness, and any notable features. -
Activity: Planning to Observe the Moon
For engaging third-class students in observing the Moon, I’d focus on planning a lesson around the Moon’s phases. To make it relatable and exciting, I’d start with a simple, interactive moon phase chart that students can create themselves using craft materials. We’d discuss the different phases of the Moon—new moon, crescent, first quarter, gibbous, and full moon—and how these phases change over time.
We would then use a tool like Stellarium to identify the best times for observing the Moon in the morning. For the 2024-2025 school year, the best phases to observe in the morning are during the last quarter, when the Moon is visible before sunrise.
In class, students would use this information to create a moon observation calendar. We’d plan a special “Moon Morning” observation day, where they would come to school early to observe the Moon’s phase using simple binoculars or just by looking at it with the naked eye. They could draw and record what they see in their moon journals, noting any changes in the Moon’s appearance over time. This hands-on approach not only makes learning about the Moon fun but also encourages students to develop observational and recording skills.
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With my class I hope to make a 3D model of the plough as demonstrated in this module. I will base the work around the ESERO framework for inquiry. The children will engage with the topic by first creating 2D models of the plough with pegboards, plasticine etc and discuss the limitations of these models in terms of showing each star’s distance from each other. The children will then investigate various ways of overcoming this keeping the chart of distance from the earth in light years in mind. One method which could be used is the method in this module…. The children will stick the starmap to cardboard, poke a hole through each of the stars on the map, make the stars by sticking the end of a piece of wool to the centre of a piece of foil. Crumple the piece of foil and repeat this process for all seven stars in the constellation. I like that there is some maths involved when the children thread the string through each hole and have to consult the chart of distance from the earth in light years and measure the equivalent string lengths. This different perspective of the stars distances from each other is one that the children will probably have not encountered before. Taking the next step then may involve making different constellations using the same method or continuing to work on the topic of the plough by making a planetarium box.
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3. Plan to Observe the Moon
<p style=”text-align: left;”>Trigger video: How the Moon Affects Our lives on Earth, BBC Earth</p>
Children can discuss the video and what they themselves already know about the moon.Children can explore the phases of the moon with the help of Paxi, and the ESA
Children will investigate the phases of the moon
Pupils will rotate around 3 activities to facilitate diversity and differentiation whilst leading about Mom phases.
Activity 1 Using tablets it Chromebooks children will use an interactive simulation of moon phases
Activity 2 Lunar Eclipse and Phases of the moon, ESERO 62 , Activity on page 375
Activity 3 : Draw and complete the diagram of phases of the moon, into SESE copy. Activity sheets may be completed and stuck into copies by children with poor motor skills.
In using the Time and Date website
I decided to focus on the phases of the moon from November 14th to December 15th as the moon may be visible during school hours, on most of these days. I have focused on a time in the afternoon instead of morning due to timetabling.
On days when the weather is poor children can use Stellarium on their Chromebooks to observe the moon.
They can compare and explore their results using Stellarium and or Heavens Above
and progress to explore other satellite and features in space using the home page.
Children will record their observations using the Moon Log template from ESERO, found at https://www.mayodarkskypark.ie/d
iscover/the-moon/
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3. Plan to observe the moon.
Trigger video: How the Moon Affects Our lives on Earth, BBC Earth
Children can discuss the video and what they themselves already know about the moon.
Children can explore the phases of the moon with the help of Paxi, and the ESA
Children will investigate the phases of the moon
Pupils will rotate around 3 activities to facilitate diversity and differentiation.
Activity 1 Using tablets or Chromebooks children will use an interactive simulation of the moon phases.
Activity 2 Lunar Eclipse and Phases of the moon, ESERO 62 , Activity on page 375
Activity 3 : Draw and label the Twins.ie diagram of the phases of the moon into SESE copy. Activity sheets may be completed and stuck into copies by children with poor motor skill.
In using the Time and Date website I decided to focus on the phases of the moon from November 14th to December 15th as the moon may be visible during school hours, on most of these days. I have focused on a time in the afternoon instead of morning due to timetabling.
On days when the weather is poor children can use Stellarium on their Chromebooks to observe the moon.
They can compare and explore their results using Stellarium and or Havens Above and progress to explore other satellite and features in space using the home page.
Children will record their observations using the Moon Log template from ESERO
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Plan to Observe the Moon.
I would start with a KWL about the moon and hope to elicit the different “shapes” the moon can have to lead onto discussing these as the different phases. I would introduce the different vocabulary and features at each moon phase and use PAXI Our Moon Phases and Eclipses video as a resource. I would then have the class work in 4 groups to construct the different moon phases and explain the features. From http://www.timeanddate.com the third quarter would be best to see in the morning of the school day (Sept 10-16 2024). One of these days I would greet the class in the yard as normal but ask is there anything familiar in the sky (hoping to elicit the third quarter phase). I would then have a worksheet for the class to draw and describe the features to enable the observation. I would finish the lesson with a transition movement game to act out the phases of the moon by trying to make the shapes with their bodies.
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Hi Niamh
I love your idea of the children working in 4 groups to construct the different moon phases. These would then be a great visual aid to have in your classroom for further work on the phases of the moon and perhaps a reminder to look up at the moon from time to time. This would hopefully mean that when you ask them to look at the sky in the morning, they will be able to identify that they are looking at the third quarter phase of the moon or may even point it out without your having to prompt them. The idea of the movement game, where they use their bodies to make the phases of the moon sounds like a lot of fun and a great example of practical learning.
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Stellarium is an excellent tool to observe the night sky. This software can be easily downloaded and dosen’t need the internet to be operated. This lesson is based on the stellarium-web.org
Introduction:
Make sure each child has the use of a Chrome Book in the class. Ensure that the Stellarium software is open.Development:
Set the location to Limerick.
The task sheet will ask to look at the current date and fill in how many daylight hours and night time hours do we have today. How does this differ from two months ago?
This is a good tool to see how the length of day and night vary.
How many daylight hours did we have on March 27th. Work in pairs and please fill in the answer on your task sheet
Use the icon to find out which planets are visible in the nighttime sky?
What time is the moon visible rising after midnight?Zoom in to see which planets are visible near the horizon on July 28th.
Use the constellation icon to view the constellations.
Can you name the Greek constellations?Turn on the grid icon. Are you able to see any satellites? Please note the number if you are able to so so.
Zoom in on the planet Jupiter. Please read the information section based on the planet and indicate its size.
Conclusion:
What is your favourite tool in Stellarium. Please describe how you would use it to sky gaze. -
The Moon phases
I have acquired many useful resources from this module that help children to depict and understand the various moon phases. As a stimulus to this lesson, I would ask the children for their prior knowledge of the moon in groups. We would record this information on a whole class concept map. I would provide the children with a photo stimulus and they would look at a full moon and depict their understand and possible misconception of what it is. The children will draw pictures and cut out various moon shapes that they recall and this will be the trigger to begin the learning process focusing in the moon phases. With older classes I would focus and watch videos on the more advanced terminology (New Moon, Waning Crescent, Waxing Crescent, First Quarter, Waxing Gibbous, Full Moon, Waning Gibbous and Last Quarter). This can be adapted and changed as outlined in the Paxi videos to suit a younger age group. When the children have an understanding of this, I would conduct a matching activity to match the moon phases to their cut out pieces of paper to help them to visualise the moon phases more clearly and to also note any Misconceptions that they still may have before moving on.
To follow on from this and to further enhance the learning process, I would use the ESERO 62 activity outlined in Module 2 which Ellis the children to visualise and further explore the reasons for the appearance of the moon at various stages.
With my class, I would conduct the morning moon phase activity during the month of October in 2024. The third quarter moon phase is the most appropriate moon phase to observe in the morning and this can be seen on 24/10/2024 based on the time and date moon phase website resource https://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/custom.html?year=2024&country=32&cdt=1&typ=0&display=3&df=1
I would also use the observation log to ask the children to record the moon phase on carefully chosen dates to consolidate the learning at the end of the learning process.
I look forward to using these activities and useful website resources in my classroom because they can be used at various learning levels and adapted to support the learning needs of all children.
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A class concept map is a great way to elicit background knowledge from the children. I use these in several subjects and at the end of the lesson, the class revisits it and fill in new knowledge. The Paxi video was so informative and it would work well as part of a lesson on the different phases of the moon.
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Task: Create a short teaching resource using Stellarium/ WorldWide Telescope.
My current 5th and 6th class have a great interest in classical civilisations and literature and last year we carried out a 2 month long project on the legends of Theseus and the Minotaur and the Labours of Hercules. The children read and answered questions on these legends, acted them out in drama and depicted them using various media during art lessons. They also wrote diary entries during English lessons in character as Theseus or Hercules. There were so many cross curricular ways in which to address this theme. I would choose new legends for this year, for example Perseus, Medusa and Pegasus and use Stellarium web to find the corresponding constellations for each myth. The children could also create the constellations using tin foil and string as a collage lesson. Two years ago we went on a trip during Science Week to the Armagh Planetarium and it could certainly be a great way again to bring all that the children had learned to life!
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Hi Niamh,
Thanks for your post, and welcome to the course!
What a wonderful way to integrate learning on this, bringing together stories, art, and an understanding of constellations by using Stellarium.It sounds like you have enthusiastic and passionate senior classes. By embracing their passion for legends, you will engage them fully in the exploration of the constellations, too.
It’s great to see that your classes had the opportunity to visit the Armagh Planetarium a couple of years ago. I hope you get a chance to refresh your memories with a visit this year, too!
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I love this integration and this would allow for more time to be spent really diving into the constellations. I like the video in the course, that allows the children to create their own constellations and the scope for integration with English creative writing, history of constellations and art and design really allows the teacher to have scope to really delve into this topic.
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Hi Niamh, I really like your idea of spending a decent amount of time on one topic and really delving into it. This is something that having SESE books in the past has not allowed us to do. I love that we are now getting away from SESE workbooks which are just colouring books for the younger classes and reading comprehensions for the senior classes. We now really have the time to do more in depth and real life learning which is way more valuable and interesting for the children.
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Plan to observe the moon-which phase of the moon is best for observing in the morning from school.
To observe the moon in September in the morning from school, I would plan around the first quarter, when the moon would be visible according to https://www.timeanddate.com/moon/phases/@2963597 I would use this site to plan for future observations throughout the year to compare and contrast.
I would inform the students about our upcoming observation schedules. I would ensure to teach the students the basic moon phase concepts in advance.
On the morning of the observation I would have a station set up within the school grounds to ensure optimum visibility. Provide school binoculars and telescopes.
I would encourage the students to observe and discuss their observations and then sketch the moon’s appearance, including any features they have observed.
On returning to the class I would encourage students to share their sketches and observations with each other and relate their observations to moon phase lessons previously covered.
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Using the World Wide Telescope and Stellaruim ( both Web format)as resources in the classroom:
What excellent tools and excellent too as part of the Digital Learning Framework.
I would as part of a 4 week block of studying space as a classroom theme teach my students about the Dark Skies, do the lovely art activities of making comstellation with the tinfoil and wool; making the planetarioums with the box; studying the moon phases using the Paxi videos; making the simpler Star Wheels and also at the end when sufficient knowledge is taught I would do an hour using my whiteboard first then handing out Ipds in small groups to allow children to explore these two websites themselves.
In paticular though the focus of a lesson would be to look at the Earth at night on the one of the cool tours on the WWT. This would encourage students to wonder why some places are brighter, disucss why and further explore the topics of energy usage, first world versus third world, simple geography about deserts/rainforests and also learning about the actual world itself in 3d form and being able to identify continents and countries. When I looking at this it was just so cool.
Then when the children explore online themselves on the I would encourage them to watch other tours and look at the pictures especially of the galaxies on the WWT.
Module 2 had sooooo many lesson ideas. It was excellent and definitely would engage all learners.
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Hi Aoife
I’m happy that you got so much enjoyment out of this module and lots of ideas to bring back to your classroom. It is a lovely idea to do a 4 week block of lessons on space with lots of practical activities to introduce the features of the night sky before introducing the two websites and allowing children to explore them. I like your focus on energy use and looking at light levels across the world.
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Select from one of the activities in the Framework for Inquiry.
I have chosen the activity DESIGN AND MAKE A FOAM ROCKET. I will begin with a prompt, a starter question by asking the children to explain how they think the astronauts arrived on the moon? Discuss what materials might be used to make a rocket. Discuss as to if other modes of transport use the same materials if not, why not and justify their reasons.
A box of materials will be given to each table group. Each group has the same materials and same quantity of everything in order to ensure equal opportunities for each group. Children can explore the materials and discuss the properties of each materials. Groups will then have to design and build their rocket and then test their rockets. If the rocket didn’t work, why not? What adaptations can be made to their rocket to make it more successful? This would hopefully lead to a discussion about trial and error and how we can adapt designs to make them more successful.-
Hi Mairead
I like your focus on materials and comparing the materials used to make a rocket and the comparison with the materials used for other forms of transport also the focus on the materials in the box that they can use to make their rocket. Perhaps if you are going to leave it up to the groups to design their own rocket you might like to do some preparatory work on forces and discuss the different forces that might make a rocket move. Maybe exploring some different types of rockets such as the paper rockets and balloon rockets would be a good exploring phase.
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Question 3- Plan to observe the moon
As mentioned in the slides, observing the moon during the day would be interesting for children who think that they can only see the moon at night time.
I would begin the series of lessons with a KWL chart to find out what they know about the moon and what they would like to know about the moon and its phases.
I would then show them the Paxi video about the moon and it’s phases as it is a very engaging video that the children will be able to understand.
We would be able to observe the moon about 7 days before a full moon, that’s when it is the optimum distance from the earth for us to see its apparent luminosity. We would have to wear sunglasses, as looking at the sun could be dangerous for the children’s eyes.
We could go out each morning and record what we see in the sky on the moon observation hand out.
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Hi Mary,
Thanks for your post, and welcome to the course. You make a great point. Learners, especially juniors, are likely to associate the moon exclusively with night time and the dark. Asking about this and starting to add to the KWL chart you mentioned is a great prompt for this activity.The Paxi video is a very accessible resource for all learners and covers quite a lot in a short space of time. Senior learners may enjoy Kahoot quizzes on this topic.
It is a great idea to go out and observe the moon each morning, which is accessible to all levels. it is through these experiences that so much is learned, including the frustrations of foggy weather when making celestial observations!
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I think the Stellarium is an excellent resource to use with the children and it would be very enjoyable. It is definitely something that I would consider using with my 5th class next year.
Firstly, on topic of the Planet, I would begin to introduce it by imposing a question on the children about planet/ stars.. As a class, we would than fill in a KWL chart together.
I would than introduce the website of Stellarium to do the children. I would model this website using the interactive board and show the children the tools you can use. We are fortunate to have ipads in our school, once website is modeled to the children they are then free to use the resource on their ipads. I will give the children a certain time frame to identify different constellations and the stars/planets in each constellation. Children can than share their ideas on their ipads with their partners or the rest of the class. WE will conclude the lesson through a quick thumbs up/ thumbs down game. -
Module 2 – Looking up & SSE. Create a short teaching resource using Stellarium/ WorldWide Telescope
I have chosen to use Stellarium as I think it is an excellent resource.
I’d begin by introducing Stellurium in an exciting way, showing students how to navigate the night sky and locate stars, planets, and constellations. I would then assign each student a different celestial object to research and create a mini-presentation about, using stellarium to observe and gather information.
By encouraging them to be creative with visuals by using stellarium’s features to gather information such as screenshots, diagrams and engaging facts to educate their peers about their chosen celestial object.
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Stellarium Web: I will use this to find out what is happening in the night sky. Nice graphics and easy to navigate. Set the location for the school/ Dublin. Display gives nighttime and daylight hours so shows how the night sky changes over the year. Great to use for children’s homework. Could share with parents on Class Dojo and children and families can go star gazing at home and they could look for a specific planet. My students live in Dublin city so light pollution will be a barrier to seeing the stars/ planets clearly so using this website will be great to show them in real time what is happening in the night sky even if they can’t see it with their eyes. Satellites might be the best chance they have of seeing an object in the sky themselves depending on the conditions/ light pollution. Nice effect also to use where you can make the screen red for easier viewing after you have been outside for more than 15 minutes. Useful for marking the position/ phase/ location to planets of the moon.
Solar System Explore is a great resource that can be used in the browser of an Ipad in conjunction with Stellarium. It. could be a great whole class activity where students could work individually or in teams exploring a specific planet or constellation and then report back to the class about their findings. As I have senior infants there would need to be a lot of teacher guidance and team teaching/ station teaching with Learning Support/ Resource teachers if our school has the staffing. Could be a wonderful opportunity for cross curricular teaching where children can research a planet and then use their research to create their narratives about space and what they think is happening on the planet they are looking at. Brilliant for creative writing and for teaching new vocabulary.
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Hi James,
Thanks for your post.
You make an important point about your learners’ viewing being limited by light pollution in Dublin, but, as you said, the website will provide an alternate real-time experience, and some of the more prominent features of our night skies should still be visible. It’s an ideal activity for learners to engage with at home and extend the learning throughout the broader community.
It’s a great idea to create narratives about space with your young learners. The opportunity to weave facts they researched into fiction will engage learners and foster their creativity, while consolidating their learning.
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Using Stellarium Web: https://stellarium-web.org/ Use this to find out what is happening in the night sky. Nice graphics and easy to navigate. Set the location for the school/ Dublin. Display gives nighttime and daylight hours so shows how the night sky changes over the year. Great to use for children’s homework. Could share with parents on Class Dojo and children and families can go star gazing at home and they could look for a specific planet. My students live in Dublin city so light pollution will be a barrier to seeing the stars/ planets clearly so using this website will be great to show them in real time what is happening in the night sky even if they can’t see it with their eyes. Satellites might be the best chance they have of seeing an object in the sky themselves depending on the conditions/ light pollution. Nice effect also to use where you can make the screen red for easier viewing after you have been outside for more than 15 minutes. Useful for marking the position/ phase/ location to planets of the moon.
Using Solar System Explore: https://projects.wwtambassadors.org/solar-system-explorer/ Great resource that can be used in the browser of an Ipad. Could be a great whole class activity where students could work individually or in teams exploring a specific planet or constellation and then report back to the class about their findings. As I have senior infants there would need to be a lot of teacher guidance and team teaching/ station teaching with Learning Support/ Resource teachers if our school has the staffing. Could be a wonderful opportunity for cross curricular teaching where children can research a planet and then use their research to create their narratives about space and what they think is happening on the planet they are looking at. This will hopefully be brilliant for creative writing and for teaching new vocabulary.
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Hi James,
I love the idea of using the planets and their research as a stimulus for creative writing! It would be interesting and imaginative, while they would still have enough concrete information researched to keep them going. Another addition could be the music of “The Planets” from Holst (famous these days as featuring in Bluey!) to integrate with music.
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Hi James,
Stellarium Web is excellent for showing real-time sky changes and overcoming light pollution. Sharing it with parents via Class Dojo is a great way to enhance stargazing at home.
Solar System Explorer is perfect for interactive learning. With some guidance, it can help senior infants explore planets and boost their creative writing and vocabulary skills.
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The weather is Ireland is often unpredictable and changeable. A clear sky is important.
Equipment needed: Binoculars or a telescope if available
Planets which are visible in Autumn in Ireland:
Jupiter
Venus
Saturn
Mars- low visibility. Telescope needed and will still be difficult to spot.Venus:
Visible September, western horizon where the sun sets, just after sunset when it is brightestJupiter:
Visible September to November, after darkness (from 10pm to 2am),in the Eastern (where the sun rises) to Southern sky, high in the sky. Jupiter will be closest to Earth on 6th Dec 2024. Clear visibility. Jupiter was on its closest approach to Earth in 59 years in September 2023.Saturn:
A telescope will be needed for visibility of Saturn’s rings. The planet will be visible after sunset for several hours from September to October 24. It will be located in the South-eastern sky.Mars:
Autumn will not be a good period for visibility of Mars.Source: Stellarium App
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Hi Fiona,
Thanks for your post. You make an important opening point about the need for a clear sky, but hopefully a window of opportunity will present itself if running this activity.
As you have found on Stellarium, our ever-changing night sky has a wealth of planets to view. It’s just a matter of knowing when and which direction to set your gaze to. The app makes it significantly easier to become familiar with our night sky.
It may be something that can be given as homework for learners to complete with their parents/guardians, particularly the viewings that begin earliest on a dark winter evening just after sunset, so as not to impact bedtime routines.
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I plan to study the moon with my 6th class in September as there are 2 very exciting things happening with the moon that month. The full supermoon on September 17th will be a great novelty especially if we are already learning about the moon and I can imagine the children will be excited to observe this as part of their homework! Also, on the night of 17 September into the 18th, the moon will pass into the earth’s shadow for a partial lunar eclipse. This will be very exciting to explore also. I will introduce the topic early in the month using the paxi and our moon phases video as I feel this explains the moons movements in the sky and the phases of the moon very well. I will get the children to use the moon observation log sheet. The 3rd phase towards the end of the month (the 24th) will provide good opportunities to observe the moon in the skies in the mornings and we will continue into October and it will be still visible in the mornings then. I feel this topic will lead very well into integration for this time of year(Halloween) ie moon silhouette paintings for Halloween, investigating light and shadows, so it’s a great time to study the moon!
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Hi Lisa
It is great to be able to tie your learning into events such as the supermoon and the partial lunar eclipse and as you said, it will be so much more meaningful for the children if you have learned about the moon in class prior to these events so they will know more about what they are seeing and be able to share that information with their parents when observing the moon at home in the evenings.
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This is brilliant information to have and I will certainly begin to study the moon with my class in September too. I think the children will be really excited to see the super moon and partial lunar eclipse too especially after studying it. It will also be a lovely activity to share with parents and guardians too, maybe even a night off homework to make the children more excited!
I love the idea of integrating it with Halloween art, etc too.
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Stellarium and WorldWide Telescope are fantastic tools for children for exploring the night sky. You can show the children how Stellarium is like having a planetarium right on their computer. They can use it to see stars, planets, and constellations from anywhere on Earth. It shows what the sky looks like from their backyard, making learning fun and exciting. This could be easily be the basis of a Maths or Art lesson.
WorldWide Telescope is another amazing tool. It lets you travel through space and explore beautiful images of galaxies and planets. They can even take guided tours of the universe. This could be used as a springboard for a drama or creative writing lesson.
Both of these programs help kids learn about astronomy in a super fun way. They can find out where the planets are, discover new stars, and understand how our solar system works. Best of all, they are easy to use and full of exciting things to see.
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Using Stellarium there would be a number of different activities we could carry out which could also follow on from the previous topics of day and night allowing the children to further explore the sky and the changes that take place.
1. Use Stellarium as a whole class on the interactive whiteboard to explore a constellation such as the plough and to see what the night sky might look like on that particular night in a specific area. – allowing the children to see how to use the resource.
2. Allow the children time to explore Stellarium in small groups on the tablets in order to get used to it.
3. Create enquiry questions as a class based on the sky and constellations which the children can use stellarium to explore.
4. Create the constellations e.g. using the black card and tinfoil and string or other various models – also through drawing.
5. Ask the children to observe the sky at night and see if they could stop any of the constellations discussed and researched-
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I love the idea of making models – Opportunities to make models and to manipulate the models to help students explain their ideas should be provided.
The manipulation of models also allows pupils to view the motion of the sun, Earth and the moon from a new perspective, as an observer of the whole system, as opposed to their usual perspective, as an observer on a very small region on the surface of the Earth.
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I used NASAs Skycal for a calendar of lunar phases. I September there is a full moon on the 18th so the week after might be a good time to see the moon in the morning. I would also make sure to be observant and go out and see what the moon is doing closer to the time to be more prepared and to confirm that this is I’ll be a good time for observation. Each student will receive a Moon Observation Log to record their findings. This log will include sections for drawing the moon’s shape, noting its position in the sky, and writing any additional observations. We’ll also discuss the significance of these observations, such as understanding the moon’s cycle and how it affects Earth.
To further enhance engagement, we can incorporate storytelling, relating myths and legends about the moon from different cultures. I would also incorporate an art lesson and make papier mache moons, a great way to get the class to engage in the topic in a hands on way. -
In using Stellarium to get children to investigate constellations, I would get the children to create join-the-dot style pictures using skylines. This would engage them as they could create their own constellations and explore the creativity and imagination behind naming constellations, follow by compare and contrast galleries of their ideas. Children would then be able to use the stellarium to research and label the most prominent constellations. The children could demonstrate their new understanding of constellations in a variety of creative ways. One that I reckon the children would enjoy is using chalk on the black tarmac of the school yard to lay out the stars from their research. Children could then join them in an ipad video to create their groups’ astronomer’s guide to identifying the constellations. This lesson would involve a mix of art strands, ICT, history, and English. For older classes, distances, ratios and angles could be used in greater depth.
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Hi Kieran
Those are some lovely creative ways to explore constellations with a combination of practical drawing activities and the use of Stellarium. I love the idea of recreating the constellations in chalk on the tarmac and using the iPads to create their own astronomy guides. There are great practical maths links there too as you have said and I’m sure measuring out angles and making sure to preserve the correct ratios when calculating distances between the points will be much more fun when done in large scale on the tarmac.
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I really enjoyed exploring the Stellarium app. I didn’t realise that there was so much free, up to date, information available about the artificial satellites in space. It is such an easy tool to use and I can imagine many children would love to use it at home in the evening.
Before introducing the app I would spend some time discussing any constellations which the children may already be aware of. I could then model using Stellarium on the whiteboard and ask children to locate these constellations on their ipads in the classroom. Working in mixed ability pairs or small groups would encourage discussion around the topic.
I think it Stellarium is a great way of developing home/school links. Rather than written homework some night, children could be encouraged to use the app and identify constellations in the night sky. It would be important that it is a clear night and that it is dark relatively early. The feature of being able to set the date and time would be helpful here.
As a follow up activity, children could create the Plough using the Curious Minds activity with a star map, black card, wool and tinfoil. These would look great hanging from the classroom ceiling.
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Hello Olivia,
Thanks for your post. I am delighted to see that this module has opened your eyes to the wealth of free, up-to-date information available about the artificial satellites in space. It’s terrific to have such an easy and accessible tool to help learners explore the constellations. You make a great point about this being a nice fit for developing home/school links by giving this as homework.
Creating the plough is a wonderful way to model this famous feature of our night sky and I have no doubt, will make a wonderful feature for your classroom ceiling too!
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Hi Olivia, I also agree that the Stellarium app is a great way of creating home/school links. It gives the children a chance to explore more on their own at home and to share fun facts about the stars and planets they have explored. It can also be used for moon observation. The children could use Stellarium to find out the current phase of the Moon. They could search for the Moon in Stellarium.
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Hi Olivia,
I love your idea of using Stellarium as a homework task and I think it would be a great way to engage the children with the topic at home. I think it would be a great way for the children to discuss their learning at home and perhaps their parents/guardians could use the app with them to locate different constellations at night at home.
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1. Create a short teaching resource using Stellarium/ WorldWide Telescope
I would use Stellarium to enhance a unit of work on constellation. I think it is a brilliant app for encouraging a link with home too.
• I would start with my History lesson and learning about the stories behind the constellations. Using the Stellarium –web app in class we would first look at what constellations can be seen. Looking at November 1st Hercules should be visible so a great place to start.
• I chose November to start as the sky will be dark at a reasonable time (18.50) to allow children to view the constellation is real life at home if they wish. To this end I would encourage parents to download the free Stellarium app and assign optional homework as taking a picture of the constellation is the night sky and posting to Seesaw (weather dependant obviously). I have seen in the past how apps like this, that allow for further learning at home encourage greater learning for the children. I have used Merlin (bird sound identification app) and plantnet (flora and fauna and leaf identification app) to this end before and the enthusiasm from the children at what they can discover at home is super. I would imagine the same would be true for this app.
• The fact that in school we can use the app to see what will be visible that evening means that the children will be well prepared to go home and use the app for themselves if they choose. -
I think observing the moon would be a wonderful activity to do with my class this year and I can’t wait. I’ve done some research and found the following;
The best phase of the Moon to observe in the morning is the waning crescent. During this phase, the Moon rises in the early morning hours and is visible before and after sunrise.
For the 2024-2025 school year, here are some dates to plan my morning Moon observation:
September 2-5, 2024 – The waning crescent Moon will be visible in the morning sky.
October 2-4, 2024 – Another great opportunity for morning observations.
October 31 – November 3, 2024 – Perfect for catching the waning crescent Moon.
November 30 – December 2, 2024 – A chance to see the Moon before school starts.
December 30 – January 1, 2025 – Kick off the new year with a morning Moon observation.
January 28-31, 2025 – A wintery morning Moon watch.
February 27 – March 1, 2025 – Look for the waning crescent Moon in the early spring sky.
March 28-30, 2025 – Another great morning observation period.
April 27-29, 2025 – The last good window for the school year.
Plan morning observation sessions where the kids can spot the Moon and maybe even draw what they see. Bring binoculars if you have them for a closer look! It’s a wonderful way to get them excited about astronomy and the natural world.
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I really enjoyed using the stellarium app. I had not heard of it but I am now looking forward to introducing it to my third class in September.
Create a short teaching resource using Stellarium/ WorldWide Telescope
Exploring the Night Sky with Stellarium
Objective: Introduce students to the basics of astronomy using Stellarium, helping them identify key stars, constellations, and planets.
Engage:
-Why do we study the stars and planets?
-What can we see in the night sky?
Exploring the Night Sky
Navigating Stellarium:
-Use the mouse or touchscreen to look around the sky.
-Use the date and time settings to see how the sky changes.
-Turn on/off constellation lines and labels for better visibility.
Investigate:
Activity 1: Finding Constellations
Task: Find and click on the constellation Orion.
-Look for a group of stars that form a shape like a hunter.
-Use the search function to help find Orion if needed.
Activity 2: Observing Planets
Task: Find Jupiter in the evening sky.
-Use the search bar to find Jupiter.
-Notice its bright appearance and position in the sky.
Take the next step:
-Recap what was learned about Stellarium and the night sky.
Homework:
-Encourage students to explore more on their own at home.
-Share fun facts about the stars and planets they have explored.-
Hi Annette,
Thanks for your post. I am delighted to see that you enjoyed using the Stellarium app for the first time, and that you are looking forward to introducing it to your third class in September. It makes the night sky so much more accessible for us all when attempting to identify stars, constellations and planets.
You mention encouraging students to explore this more at home, and I think it’s a great idea to develop this interest further-perhaps by setting homework to find Venus, the brightest planet in our sky, using the app, factoring in when it will be most visible, etc.
The learners can also make use of apps like Book Creator to develop ICT skills by putting together their fun facts and creating a book together.
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Create a short teaching resource using Stellarium
I think the constellations is such an interesting topic and one that the children would really enjoy learning about. There are lots of useful resources in this module for learning about constellations such as “What can you see? Looking at Constellations”, “Draw your own Constellations” and the Curious Minds “Plough activity.” Star Wheels are another great way to learn and investigate the constellations.
I would introduce Stellarium to the children. We have ipads in our school, so I would demonstrate to the children how to use Stellarium. They could then explore the constellations in different places around the world and take note of the change in location of the constellations. They could switch between constellation mode and art mode to see how the Ancient Greeks represented the different constellations. The children could copy the constellations from Stellarium onto a page and they could try to create their own art to represent each constellation.
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I like the idea of the children research the constellations around the world and documenting the differences, and then, linking it back to the Ancient Greeks. Great scope for discussion and learning. I think an art lesson on creating constellations would be very enjoyable for all children. They could create one they have learned about and create their own constellation, and choose their constellations name.
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2. Create a short teaching resource using Stellarium/ WorldWide Telescope
I think Stellarium is a fantastic free resource that I will definitely use with the children on the chromebooks. I think it would be an excellent resource to explore the theme of ‘Constellations’.
I would ask the children to type in our location and first just let them explore what they can see. I think this would be a great starting point to getting them questioning and exploring the topic of ‘Constellations’.
I think the plough would be a good constellation to start off with and also showing them how to locate the North Star. I would ask them to observe the sky themselves a night time and record what they see. It would be lovely if they could also draw what they see and then explain their observations in school using the drawing to help.
There’s also lots of opportunities for integration under the theme of ‘Constellations’. Integrate with Art, to draw constellations or construct the 3-D constellation model mentioned in this module. You could also link it with History and explore the Greeks and maybe he history of the zodiac signs. Also Maths, calculating the distance between stars or constellations.
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I enjoyed the activity describing how to make a model of the Plough constellation. I have a senior class this year so I would give them the opportunity to understand how to make this, and perhaps model it for them with materials at the top of the class, or in small groups. I would give them the materials needed, and the information needed to create the same style model of the stars in Orion’s Belt. They would plot the stars on paper, with cardboard, string and sellotape. I am curious myself how this would look and am looking forward to making the resource in class. I would display the models around the classroom on the ceiling. I would give some children straws to stick smaller and bigger stars onto so we could experience the brightness of the stars on the walls, to give another perspective.
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I love the idea of observing and tracking the moon. I have tried it before but just by using a visual calendar and focusing on eclipses. The video Earthrise in module 1 could be a great trigger here and I also really like the Paxi ‘Our Moon:Phases and Eclipses’ videos here as a resource that the children would respond well to.
It seems like the first quarter of the moon is visible in September and then the New Moon in December would be another good observation time and also show comparison between phases.
I feel the questions and investigating triggered by this topic would lead to some exciting and interesting learning opportunities. -
I really like the idea of designing and creating a 3d constellation in my class. I would begin by teaching about constellations and doing some of the other ESERO activities included in this module, drawing constellations, etc. I would then complete the 3D constellation activity in groups. I would get each group to plan and design their constellation first and then each group would gather their resources and work together to create their planetarium. I thinking it is a simple and effective way for the children to see what their design would look like in the night sky.
I think all aspects of STEM learning could be included in this activity using science exploration of constellations, technology to create their design on a tablet using slides or book creator, engineering and maths to create the structure using proper measurements.
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Module 2
This could be an at home activity for children to do if they wish and we could look at carrying out this project from Sept to November. If children have access to a pair of binoculars, or telescope ideally that would be great. As already mentioned in previous module about light pollution, if they can travel away from city lights, the views will improve in darker skies.Creating curiosity in the children – Create a map for Autumn that shows which planets are visible in the evening sky. I found the following websites very beneficial with a separate map for each month of the year available to download.
Interactive Night Sky Map.
https://nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov/download-view.cfm?Doc_ID=335 –
https://nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov/docs/SolSysStarMaps2.pdf
https://www.skymaps.com/downloads.html.
They gave really useful tips on how to use the maps.
Back in the classroom when some observations have been made, we could discuss the findings from the children who completed the activity. We could then engage in looking at the different constellations and planets. An extension activity would be to make the autumn constellations as an art activity.
Observing Plan:
18th September: small partial lunar eclipse of the harvest moon in the morning time.
21st October: This is a great opportunity to spot Jupiter during the day. Look for the Moon in the southwest morning sky (before 10 a.m. local time). To the lower right you may see Jupiter shining through the blue sky. There might be an opportunity to view this in school.
November: Venus – an improving evening planet, setting nearly three hours after the sun at the end of November.
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This could be an at home activity for children to do if they wish and we could look at carrying out this project from Sept to November. Autumn evenings are a great time to look at some of the new constellations and celestial objects becoming visible in the Northern Hemisphere after dusk. If the children have access to a pair of binoculars, or telescope ideally that would be great. As already mentioned in previous module about light pollution, if they can travel away from city light pollution, the views will improve in darker skies.
Creating curiosity in the Children – Create a map for Autumn that shows which planets are visible in the evening sky. I found the following websites vert beneficial with a separate map for each month of the year available to download.
Timeanddate.com’s Interactive Night Sky Map.
https://nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov/download-view.cfm?Doc_ID=335 –
https://nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov/docs/SolSysStarMaps2.pdf
https://www.skymaps.com/downloads.html.
They gave really useful tips on how to use the maps. To locate stars in the sky, hold the map above your head and orient it so that one of the four direction labels matches the direction you’re facing. The map will then represent what you see in the sky. It would be a great idea to send this home as a mini home project for all the family to get involved.
Back in the classroom when some observations have been made we could discuss the findings from the children who completed the activity. We could then engage in looking at the different constellations and planets. An extension activity would be to make the autumn constellations as an art activity.
Observing Plan:
18th September: Small partial lunar eclipse of the Harvest Moon (am)
21st October: This is a great opportunity to spot Jupiter during the day. Look for the Moon in the southwest morning sky (before 10 a.m. local time). To the lower right you may see Jupiter shining through the blue sky. There might be an opportunity to view this in school.
November: Venus – Improving evening planet, setting nearly three hours after the Sun at the end of November.
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Create an observing plan for autumn that shows which planets are visible in the evening sky
I would use a Stellar Planetarium wheel for Stargazing.
This can be made with cardboard and used to “wheel” it’s way around the night skies to observe any planets, stars and other celestial objects.
ICT can be used here too with the integration of excellent Apps like stellarium which are sup easy to use. They have a desktop version too.
Another interesting item to observe would be the milky way which is better during the summer but also in Autumn. There is Andromeda too. The plough clack resource is deadly too, I will be using that!
Planets are amazing to view through a telescope but hard with binoculars so I would opt for other interesting areas for the night sky as it might have more of an impact on them.
The moon is another fabulous item to observe, especially with binoculars which many houses will have. This can also integrate really well with art, in drawing your lunar observations and recording the lovely shadows and tints present.
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Create an observing plan for autumn that shows which planets are visible in the evening sky
I would use a Stellar Planetarium wheel for Stargazing.
This can be made with cardboard and used to “wheel” it’s way around the night skies to observe any planets, stars and other celestial objects.
ICT can be used here too with the integration of excellent Apps like stellarium which are sup easy to use. They have a desktop version too.
Another interesting item to observe would be the milky way which is better during the summer but also in Autumn. There is Andromeda too. The plough clock resource is deadly too, I will be using that!
Planets are amazing to view through a telescope but hard with binoculars so I would opt for other interesting areas for the night sky as it might have more of an impact on them.
The moon is another fabulous item to observe, especially with binoculars which many houses will have. This can also integrate really well with art, in drawing your lunar observations and recording the lovely shadows and tints present.
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Hi Barry
I like your focus on picking celestial objects that are easy to view through binoculars. You could still use your Planetarium wheel and the Stellarium app to explore where the planets should be seen and the children will enjoy using Stellarium and finding what is above them, but picking out some things that should be easily visible is a good idea as there will be a great satisfaction for the children if they are able to spot the stars and constellations they have explored in class.
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Plan to observe the Moon:
I love the moon – it’s such a peaceful object in the night sky, but I never thought about observing and mapping it during the day/morning.
We’ll be seeing a Super Moon on 18th September this year, that could be a very good jumpstart to the conversation about the moon and a launchpad for observation. From approx. 24th September, we could begin observing and noting the moon’s phases in the morning. This could be done as a first-thing activity in the morning when the pupils are lining up to come into the school and then different pupils keeping record when we enter the classroom. Discussion, observation and inference would increase as the Moon Chart gained more information.
Naming the Super Moon would lead me into questioning the pupils as to the why of the name, and then to looking at the orbit of the moon and seeing if there were other related names/positions.
As observation of the moon continued, we could identify the phases of the moon and again, investigate why the moon ‘changes’ – using torches, spheres and physical demonstrations.
But there is more to the moon – it has such a mystical presence throughout the years, that each new moon has a different name – these names can change depending on the country, religion or era (Harvest Moon, Wolf Moon….). This would be a nice side-investigation and would bring history and culture to the fore as well.
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Hi Rachel
Observing the moon when the children line up on the way into class in the morning is a great idea as it starts off the day well and the children will enjoy looking at the moon and taking turns to record it. Using the super moon as a way to introduce the moon observation is a nice way to introduce customs, history and culture and also a nice way to introduce discussion about the moon’s orbit and why the moon appears larger during a supermoon
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This could be an at home activity for children to do if they wish and we could look at carrying out this project from Sept to November. Autumn evenings are a great time to look at some of the new constellations and celestial objects becoming visible in the Northern Hemisphere after dusk. If the children have access to a pair of binoculars, or telescope ideally that would be great. As already mentioned in previous module about light pollution, if they can travel away from city light pollution, the views will improve in darker skies.
Creating curiosity in the Children – Create a map for Autumn that shows which planets are visible in the evening sky. I found the following websites vert beneficial with a separate map for each month of the year available to download.
Timeanddate.com’s Interactive Night Sky Map.https://nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov/download-view.cfm?Doc_ID=335 –
https://nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov/docs/SolSysStarMaps2.pdf
https://www.skymaps.com/downloads.html.
They gave really useful tips on how to use the maps. To locate stars in the sky, hold the map above your head and orient it so that one of the four direction labels matches the direction you’re facing. The map will then represent what you see in the sky. It would be a great idea to send this home as a mini home project for all the family to get involved.
Back in the classroom when some observations have been made we could discuss the findings from the children who completed the activity. We could then engage in looking at the different constellations and planets. An extension activity would be to make the autumn constellations as an art activity.
Observing Plan:
18th September: Small partial lunar eclipse of the Harvest Moon (am)
21st October: This is a great opportunity to spot Jupiter during the day. Look for the Moon in the southwest morning sky (before 10 a.m. local time). To the lower right you may see Jupiter shining through the blue sky. There might be an opportunity to view this in school.
November: Venus – Improving evening planet, setting nearly three hours after the Sun at the end of November.
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An observing plan for children to see planets in the night sky.
I would start by selecting a clear night when multiple planets are visible. I would using one of the apps mentioned, which were fantastic and easily accessed or a website to identify the planets that can be seen during that evening.
Homework: I would ask the children to begin the observation just after sunset when planets like Venus or Jupiter are often visible. Later in the evening, look for Mars, which may appear as a reddish point, and Saturn, often visible as a steady light.
The following day we would discuss any observations and make adjustments for our next observation night.
I would then provide pupils with a basic star map and show them how to use landmarks to locate the planets. Encourage them to draw or write about what they see. If possible, use a telescope for closer views. Wrap up by discussing the differences between stars and planets, linking the observation to classroom learning.
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According to timeanddate.com the moon phase after full moon is the best time to see the moon in the morning from school. This is the third quarter which begins on the 24th of September. There will also be a super full moon on September 18th which makes for an interesting week.
As a trigger for this lesson I would show the children the Paxi video followed by a think,pair, share about what points they took from it. Following this we would do ESERO 62 to see how and why the moon looks different everyday and also to reinforce that the moon orbits the earth. I would ask the children to pinpoint which moon phase we are in now. After this I would then introduce a moon phase log. The children would complete this at home in the days leading up to September 24th when we would complete it together in school. In an older class I would asl discuss with the children how moon phases might affect different animals.
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Hi Aoife
I like the combination of homework and school observation here in your recording of the moon, starting out with the children learning about the moon in class and observing the phases at home at night and then moving to classroom observation once the moon becomes visible in the morning after the 24th September. It would be nice to resume the recording at home agin for a while after the morning observation in school as children who may have struggled with doing the homework task at first, might be more enthused and motivated to try again after observing the moon in school.
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I think observing the moon’s phases would be a fascinating activity for my 4th class students, and the waning crescent phase seems like the perfect starting point. Since this phase is visible in the early morning, it aligns well with our school schedule, allowing us to incorporate real-time observations into our lessons. According to the lunar calendar on timeanddate.com, the 28th of November would be an ideal day to begin this project.
To introduce the topic, I’d start with a discussion on the different phases of the moon, using visuals to help the students understand the concept. We’d then explore how the Earth, moon, and sun interact by having the students act out these roles in small groups, which I believe would give them a clearer, more hands-on understanding of these movements.
On our observation days, we’d start the morning with a quick outdoor session to observe the moon, using either the naked eye or simple binoculars. I’d ask the students to note down what they see—focusing on the moon’s shape and brightness—and then sketch it on their worksheets.
Back in class, we’d compare our observations and discuss why the moon appears differently each day. We’d keep a daily moon phase chart, adding to it as we go, and I’d likely include a short video or a story about the moon to wrap up the lesson. This approach, I believe, would not only make the learning experience more engaging but also help the students develop a deeper understanding of the moon’s phases.
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I think the third class children in my school would love learning about the constellations and planetsin the night sky using Stellarium. In september I will request that the software is allowed to be downloaded on our school Ipads from the Digital learning team. Using the ESERO 34 lesson plan on what is a constellation the children will explore and draw the various constellations and create a classroom display. When moving to the Stellarium app, the children will ensure to set the location to meath. Show them how to move around the sky using the software. Demonstrate how to zoom in and out, and point out the cardinal directions (North, South, East, West). Using the art display from the previous day Ask the children to find the three constellations they drew. Ask the kids if they can find out which planets are visible in the evening sky this week. Using the software’s date and time feature to show the sky at different times of the year they can see that some constellations disappear and new ones appear. Encourage them to go outside with their family on a clear night and try to find some of the constellations and planets they learned about.
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Hi Emma,
Thanks for your post. I am glad to see your plan to use the Stellarium app come September with your 3rd-class learners, and have plans in place to get it installed on the tablets so all learners can engage with it and enjoy a hands-on experience that develops their ICT skills. It is so important that learners don’t just see, but get to do it themselves too, whether as part of a group of mixed abilities or individually.
I like how you plan to connect the art display from the previous day’s work to the constellations you look for on Stellarium, weaving disciplines seamlessly together to create a holistic experience.
If it’s possible to get the learner’s families to download the app too and star gaze as a family like you mention, it could be the starting point of a wonderful new interest for learners and give the broader school community a greater appreciation for our dark skies.
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Hi Emma, I thought the ESERO activity 34 was really good as welland I definitely plan on using itnext year. And I agree that if the stellarium app can be downloaded on a parents phone or laptop it would be even more useful. Some parents or grandparents might have huge interest in the night sky and may even be a useful resource to be classroom. It can be very effective to bring in outside expertise who are knowledgeable and passionate about their subject!
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Observing Plan for September-October-November-December
5th September
Venus
5% lit waxing crescent moon
Telescope? No8th September
Saturn
In opposition
Telescope? No18th September
Full Super Moon
19:54
Telescope? No21st September 2024
Neptune
In opposition
Telescope? Yes23rd September 2024
Equinox
Everywhere17th October
Full Super Moon
19:54
Telescope? No21st October
Oronoid Meteor shower peaks
In the night sky
Telescope? Maybe, because of the moon phase conditions are not very favourable17th November
Uranus
In opposition
Telescope? YesAll of November and December
Peliades ‘Seven Sisters’
In the constellation of Taurus
Telescope? No. Binoculars will be enough7th December
Jupiter
In opposition
Telescope? No-
Hi Catriona,
Thanks for your post. You’ve put together a great list for the coming months, with lots of wonderful things to explore and observe, including moon phases.
I see there are a couple of full super moons, and this is a wonderful opportunity to focus on this topic, to understand what this is and why it happens with learners, add to the new terminology like perigee, and come to understand the elliptic orbit of the moon, resulting in super and micro moons.
Modelling this may be helpful for your learners’ understanding, and a Kahoot quiz(or similar) can help consolidate learning on this topic.
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Plan to observe the Moon – which phase of the Moon is best for observing in the morning from school? What dates will that be?
Firstly, I would introduce the phases of the moon by using the video of Paxi and Our Moon: Phases and Eclipses.
The best moon phase for Morning Observation (9-10am) is the Waning Crescent. The Waning Crescent phase is the best for observing the Moon in the morning. During this phase, the Moon rises in the early morning hours and is visible in the sky after sunrise.
Dates for Waning Crescent Moon in Ireland (2024-2025):
Here are the key dates when the Waning Crescent Moon will be visible in the morning from 9-10 AM in Ireland:October 1-3, 2024
October 31 – November 2, 2024
November 29 – December 1, 2024
December 29-31, 2024
January 28-30, 2025
February 26-28, 2025
March 27-29, 2025
April 25-27, 2025Observation Plan Outline:
Morning Setup: Begin the observation session around 9 AM.
Locate the Moon: Guide students to find the Waning Crescent Moon in the sky.
Observation Activity: Have students describe the shape and brightness of the Moon. Discuss why the Moon is visible during the day and what they observe about its position.Post-Observation Activity:
Drawing and Describing: Ask students to draw the Moon as they saw it and write a few sentences about their observation.
Discussion: Talk about how the Moon will continue to change over the next few days and how its visibility will shift.
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Plan to observe the moon:
I have 4th class and this would be an excellent activity for September. The Full moon
is visible in Carlow on October 17th and December 15th, in the morning, according to Time and Date. The third quarter is visible on the mornings of 24th October.It would be a great idea for pupils to learn about the phases of the moon before the observation of
of the moon. This could be done by having a guided research project on the phases of the moon. An art lesson couldbe integrated into the projects by creating paper mache phases of the moon displays. Pupils could then present their projects to the class along with their art models.A research lesson can be done using Time and Date to identify the times and dates where each phase will be visible in the mornings. All dates and times documented on a class phases of the moon schedule.
Once the date arrives to observe the phases of the moon in the mornings, we will spend the week before this
identify the phases and creating a chart for observing the moon phases. In school, we will
observe the first quarter and last quarter as much as it is visible according to the time and date
website. Pupils will then be encouraged to observe all the phases at home at the different times given
on the time and date website. Each observation will be discussed and documented in relation to what
affects the visibility of the moon. We will complete ESERO 62 activity also to use our findings to see how the sun
moon and earths positions affects the visibility. -
I would plan lessons to observe the Moon in the first term of school starting in September and completing lessons through until December. This gives the children an opportunity to observe the moon through each phase. To begin the topic I would first find out what the children already know about the moon and see what they are still curious to learn. These discussions would lead the learning that we do in our lesson. We would then watch videos from the ESA such as ‘Paxi and Our Moon: Phases and Eclipses’ so the children can build their knowledge to help with their observations. In September the moon should be visible in the morning so we could observe it in school and then we could move to observing the moon for Homework with an adult at home to help. The children can document their observations on the ESERO Moon Observation Log or by taking photos. At the end of the series of lessons we will discuss using our observation logs what differences we noticed over the course of our observations, what factors influenced our observations etc. This topic could also cross over into art lessons where students recreated 3D moons or use chalk to draw moon phases.
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Plan to observe the moon:
By referring to a moon phase visibility guide, it appears that the first quarter moon will be visible in the morning during September 2004. I plan to design a lesson where children explore the factors that influence the visibility of moon phases, focusing on the relative positions of the sun, Earth, and moon. To give them a hands-on experience, children can recreate the moon phases using models—balls representing Earth and the moon, with a light source for the sun. This activity will prepare them to observe the first quarter moon in September, enabling them to identify the specific phase they see based on what they learned in class. They can also note any visible features during this phase. Later in the year, in early December, the New Moon will be visible early in the school day, offering another opportunity to revisit the topic. This time, children can contrast their observations from September with those from December when a different phase is visible.
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Create a short teaching resource using Stellarium/ WorldWide Telescope
Objective:
Students will use Stellarium or WorldWide Telescope to explore and identify constellations, planets, and other celestial objects in the night sky.Materials Needed:
Computers or tablets with Stellarium or WorldWide Telescope installed
Notebooks for recording observations
Internet access for additional research
Instructions:Introduction to the Software:
Begin by introducing students to Stellarium or WorldWide Telescope. Explain how to navigate the sky, zoom in on celestial objects, and change the time and location to observe different parts of the sky.
Exploration Activity:
Assign students to explore specific constellations or planets. For example, ask them to locate the Orion constellation and identify its main stars. They can also explore the visible planets, such as Jupiter or Mars, and observe their position relative to Earth.
Recording Observations:
Have students document their findings in their notebooks, noting the location, appearance, and any interesting facts about the objects they observed.
Discussion:
Conclude with a class discussion, encouraging students to share their observations and reflect on how technology enhances our understanding of the universe. -
Planning to observe the moon in the mornings would involve the use of journals and shading, or just printed pages with blank circles for the infant classes. I think start from the second phase or half moon going to full moon. The worldwide Telescope would be an excellent resource to explore and identify the different moon phases. Provide lots of charts of moon phases displayed in the classroom and along corridors that they can refer to and chat about throughout their movements throughout the day or for paired work. Encourage them with relevant questioning and model what teacher may have observed to the displayed charts…a living classroom type of immersive experience. The whole class could then work on an art display showing the different phases of the moon.
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Moon observations
I found this section excellent with very detailed and ready made lessons to go. I would certainly use the ESERO document to guide the lesson. I love the grouped experiment exploring the phases of the moon with the torch (the sun) and I would use this to guide the lesson. The activity sheets would also be very useful and photographs that accompany it. I would differentiate as needed. I think the video of the moon and phases would be a great starting point to the lesson and focus of inquiry also. I would use the moon observations recording sheet to document learning in the outdoors. Time and date.com would influence when we would record. September for the quarter moon through to December full moon would be a great starting point and revisit for consolidation of learning and further observation. There are many extension activities possible exploring light for example and art ideas also. It would be a very nice unit of work with lovely resources. I have pinned these resources and saved links for future use.
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Observations of the moon.
Firstly, I would introduce the topic using the Paxi moon video.
This below pdf is excellent and I would implement it to support the learning.
https://esero.ie/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/62_Lunar-eclipse-and-phases-of-the-Moon.pdfI would use the activity sheets outlined in this document for study and experimentation of moon positions and exploration of the phases of the moon.
We would use timeanddate.com to pinpoint timings of the moon. Early September offers opportunities for morning visibility which can be revisited in mid December for a full moon allowing for revisiting and consolidation of learning. There are further opportunities in 2025.
I also like the recording activity from here https://www.mayodarkskypark.ie/discover/the-moon/ (Moon recording activity) and I think this would be a nice way to document the appearance of the moon when checking each morning.
There were great ideas in the videos and resources on the course that I have pinned for use.
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Plan to Observe the moon. which phase of the Moon is best for observing in the morning from school? What dates will that be?
I will plan my lesson on observing the moon at the start of the school year around September. This would be the third quarter please, for men observation and would be perfect to use in the class as the moon will still be visible in the morning. However, I would let the class to say together after discussion exactly what date we will observe the moon. I would firstly discuss the classes prior knowledge of the different phases of the moon and their understanding of it so far.
I then, I would ask the class to look at the lunar calendar and decide when they think would be best to observe the moon.
finally, I will get the kids to record their observations of the moon to use in a whole class discussion after. There are various websites to help time your man observation and learn more about what you’ve observed online. For example timeanddate.com
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Stellarium app.
I found the digital resources mentioned in this module to be very useful. I would use the Paxi videos as a trigger. I thought there was lots of information in these videos that was explained in a way that is easy to understand. These videos are highly visual as well. The whole concept of space and understanding the night sky can be challenging so the more visuals the better! I would begin this unit of work by looking at pictures of the constellations. Looking at Cassiopeia and Orion and learning the story behind how the constellations got their names is very interesting and I think the pupils would enjoy learning about this. I would then use the Curious Minds activity on how to create your own plough constellation. This could even be given as a project to complete at home with the help of parents or siblings. We would then look at the stellarium app on the pupils tablets and use the plough to find Polaris, the north star. It was suggested in this module that the pupils could take a selfie with the north star in the background. I love this idea and the pupils could email it to me but we would need to do a lot of practice using the app before the pupils could do this. Again, the help of parents or an adult at home would be required. I also liked the Solar system explores website. Th thumbnails at the side make it very easy to click on each planet or moon and see where they are in space in relation to the solar system. Again, very visual and engaging for the pupils.
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Hi Eva, I completely agree with you here. The videos from paxi videos are incredibly useful and explain the concept of space in such a way that it is easy to understand. I will definitely use these videos in my classroom next year.
I also think it is very important to teach the children about the constellations. I have never found an effective resource for informing the children about the constellation. However, I really like the Cassiopeia and Orion and the story behind the naming of the constellations!
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Plan to observe the Moon – which phase of the Moon is best for observing in the morning from school? What dates will that be?
I really think that this would be such an interesting activity to complete with the children in the morning time. It is something that I hadn’t thought of before but I think it would really fascinate children. I think that this would help the children’s understanding of the moon and earth greatly. I would definitely get the children to use concrete materials etc in art and crafts to create the different phases of the moon.
The first quarter of the moon will be visible in the morning time this September. It would be a great way to explore with the children the visibility of the phases of the moon. It would also help to demonstrate to the children the position of the moon, earth and sun relative to each other.
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Plan to observe the Moon – which phase of the Moon is best for observing in the morning from school? What dates will that be in 2024- 2025?
Firstly, I would teach about aspects of the moon which children may or may not already know such as how the moon turns, the words associated when the moon and the sun overlap, the first person to walk on the moon and the challenges faced by people to get to the moon.
Having read the guide for the visibility of phases of the moon, it states that the morning time in September will be the time the moon will be most visible.
I would give the children independent time to research the moon then teach aspects sch as factors influencing the visibility of phases of the moon which will make it easier for the children to identify this. The children will be able to identify the moons phases and then later in the year such as November when the Winter solstice occurs we could revisit the topic and the moon might even be visible when coming to school.-
Hi Donnacha
I like the way you are broadening out the topic to include a study of the moon landings and the explorations in space travel which led to the first moon landing. This historical research will tie in very nicely with the scientific study of the phases of the moon and the physical observations. The focus on the visibility of the moon and the factors which influence when we can see it are a nice aspect too. Your mention of viewing the moon around the time of the winter solstice could be another link to folklore and traditions around the moon.
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Constellations:
A very interesting theme/topic that can be made very sensory/tactile to suit a class like mine in a moderate level class in a special school.
An initial exploration of light pattern would be explored in photos and images on the whiteboard, using stellarium and see if we can find other shapes/images in the sky. We would experiment using torches and cut out shapes/neon coloured car, as a small group in the schools multi sensory room. We would then create our own on paper constellations on the worksheets from spaceweek.ie and encourage our friends to name them/say what they see. We would them split into groups and some will replicate their own constellation in 3d using balls of foil and twine hanging from clothes hangers and others will use the tin foil/box method to poke holes and create their constellation for use in our class made planetarium. My children would work 1:1 or in pairs in this setting to observe and explore and discuss what they see, and explain why some stars look bigger, closer/further away etc.
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Plan to observe the Moon – which phase of the Moon is best for observing in the morning from school? What dates will that be?
I would introduce the topic of the Moon and it’s phases by first eliciting prior knowledge from the students. I would do this by engaging the pupils in a brainstorming activity in small groups. From here, we would engage in a classroom discussion based on their prior knowledge. Pupils can hold a range of views used to explain the illumination of the moon, for example:
• we can only see the moon at night
• the moon absorbs the sun’s light and then emits it
• the moon makes light
• the moon shines because it is bright compared to the darkness that surrounds it.
I would identify pupils’ preconceptions and guide & develop their understanding through discussion and hands-on activities.I would guide the pupils to develop their own questions to research around the topic of the moon and its phases & explore. In this way the research is more pupil-directed and not simply a fact finding exercise.
As a class, we would use use http://www.timeanddate.com to check the Moon Phases.
The third quarter would be the best phase for observing the moon from school.I would ask the pupils to fill in the Moon Observation Log from Esero to illustrate how the moon looks each day by shading in the circles. They would record the date, time, and shape of the moon, observing which quarter the moon is in that period.
We would engage in model making. Pupils would be given the opportunity to manipulate the models to help them explain their ideas.
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Hi Amy
Your approach to studying the moon with your class is great as you are allowing the children autonomy in what they study. From class discussion and their brainstorming activity, the children will have identified what they know about the moon and if they have some misconceptions, not only will you have identified them, but they themselves may have started to question their own misconceptions through discussion with their peers. Throughout their discussion period, you can move between the groups adding a prompt question here or there if discussions have stalled or if a particular group need a little guidance to get started. Allowing them to choose which questions to research, will as you said mean their research is more pupil directed and they will be more likely to retain that information than if they were simply handed the information. Making models of the moon phases will then help to illustrate what they have learned.
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Lesson Plan:
Children will learn to identify key constellations and planets using Stellarium or Worldwide Telescope.Discuss what children know about the night sky.
Briefly explain how people have used the stars for navigation and stories.Open Stellarium/Worldwide Telescope.
Show how to set time and location, zoom in/out, and turn on constellation labels.
Identify Constellations.Find the Big Dipper and use it to locate the North Star.
Locate Orion and identify its main stars.
Identify any visible planets.
Demonstrate how the sky changes over time by fast-forwarding.
Create and print a star map of the current night sky for children to use at home. -
Talk and discussion around how the moon changes throughout the month. Talk about the moon going in phases and that we can tell the phases through looking at them. Talk about the moon today- where is it, what phase is it in? how do we know that? Discuss that we are going to observe the moon today to try and see some of the finer detail on the moons surface. We will use the school’s telescope to set up and view the details of the moon. I would use this lesson and integrate it with art and history. It would be a link with the space race and the children would sketch the details of the moon. Following up on the lesson throughout the week we would use a solar chart in which the children focus on the slight changes the moon makes throughout the month.
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Hi Michael
Thank you for your thoughts on moon observation. It is important to explicitly teach vocabulary such as the phases of the moon to ensure the children have full understanding when observing the moon. I like your plan to integrate with history and the race to space, many pupils enjoy this topic in the class. I also like how you plan to use a solar chart to further explore the changes in the moon across the month.
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I would choose to do an activity based on seeing stars, looking at the plough in two different ways.
You could begin this activity with a KWL chart on constellations. Use pictures of constellations or the stellarium app to investigate different constellations that can be seen in different locations. There are some lovely worksheets on the different constellations and drawing your own constellation, these would be lovely to use prior to focusing in on the plough.
The plough activity – seeing it from 2 sides:
I think this is a really hands-on and engaging activity for children and can be easily adapted to work for all age groups. There is plenty of integration across maths (using rulers and measuring) and art (creating the constellation using different materials). The youtube clip is also very clear and a great resource to use prior to making the constellation. I think middle and senior classes would be best suited to this activity and would grasp the concept best, however more junior classes could still engage with this and it would be interesting to see how much understanding of the concept is grasped on their level. The video gives an option to use straws and blu tack for the younger learners.
I think this activity would be great for pair or small groups. I like to give the children the option to also work alone, as this is sometimes their preference. So being flexible around this is always important and gives the children a sense of ownership on decision making. This activity would make such a great and eye catching display being hung from the classroom or corridor ceiling. The children can extend the learning by researching facts about the plough and writing up and displaying facts alongside their models.
To extend this further – could they make a different constellation- and try to be as accurate as possible? They would have to try to problem solve the length of string to use which would be a very challenging task with lots of critical thinking and group work involved.-
Your approach to teaching constellations is fantastic! Starting with a KWL chart and using tools like the Stellarium app and worksheets builds a strong foundation. The hands-on Plough activity, integrating math and art, is perfect for engaging students. I love the flexibility in working arrangements, catering to different learning styles. Displaying their work in the classroom adds a sense of accomplishment. Extending the activity with research and creating other constellations enhances critical thinking and teamwork.
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Constellations and Planets using Uncle Al’s starwheel, the plough clock and stellarium.
I found the Starwheel fascinating and the different ways to use it. I would firstly use a KWL on the IWB to see what the children know about constellations and what you can see in the sky at night. I would also use a weekly planner Mon-Sun to let the children record their own observations at night time at home to make it interesting and to compare and contrast what they see with the other children. I would download Stellarium to all our classroom tablets so that they could browse and enjoy themselves.
I loved the simple activity of creating the night’s sky with a box, tinfoil, torch and using the fork to create their own favourite constellations.
I feel the plough clock would be perfect for junior classes to get a hang of the three major constellations that you can see all year round. It would also be more beneficial and exhilarating for them to be able to spot them all year round.
We would then make our night’s sky boxes and draw our favourite constellation.
Black paper and chalk is also another effective way to draw our constellations or to pick one that will be shown each month of the year and to draw it.-
Hi Leanne,
Welcome to the course and thank you for sharing your thoughts on the starwheel and approaches to learning about constellations in the class. It is important to explore the pupils’ own prior knowledge on constellations and the night sky. This will give you a starting point and also encourage pupils to share their own knowledge too. Creating the night sky in a box is also an ideal opportunity to link with Art and also with home if the pupils are keeping a record of their own observations. Lots of lovely ideas, thanks for sharing.
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Using the Stellarium software would be a brilliant way for children to learn about different constellations. The children coulr be split into pairs or small groups depending on the access to ICT. The pairs or small groups would be given different counties or cities where they can access and view the different constellations. They can then compare the similarities or differences with the constellations of other groups. The children can the discuss and try to identify the constellations that were learned in class such as Orion. The pairs or groups will then be encouraged to report back to the class with their findings to ensure full participation and engagement.
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For observing the Moon in the morning, the waning crescent phase is ideal, as it’s visible in the early morning hours before sunrise. During this phase, the Moon is positioned in the eastern sky, making it perfect for morning observation from my school. In the incoming school year, key dates for observing the waning crescent Moon in the morning include: September 5th to 8th, 2024.
To engage the children, I would start by discussing the different phases of the Moon, using models and diagrams to illustrate how the Moon’s appearance changes over the month. We’d then look at the upcoming dates together and plan our observation sessions. Each student would be assigned a “Moon Journal” to record their observations, including sketches of what they see. We’d also discuss how the Moon’s phase affects its visibility and position in the sky. After the observation period, we’d come together to share findings, compare sketches, and discuss how the Moon changes from day to day. This activity not only encourages direct observation and scientific inquiry but also helps students connect with the natural world in a meaningful way. -
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Observing the moon.
I think the moon is something that fascinates us all be it chid or adult. It could be because it is so remarkable to observe.
To begin this lesson, we would go outside and look for the moon.
The first quarter of the moon will be visible in the morning times in September 2024.We would then discuss the moon and record all the children prior knowledge including misconceptions and also any questions they may have about the moon.
Following this we would then watch the Paxi video explaining how we see the moon and how it moves around the earth.Then we would take part in the ESERO lesson 62.
Children will be put into groups and given a ball (Moon) and a
chair with a torch (Sun) .
Explain to the children that the Moon is a sphere. That is
why we are using a ball for this task.
After the experiment, explain to the children the following six phases of the
Moon and name them.
children the use the ESERO worksheets to fill in their report and consolidate their learning.
You could also send home a moon phrases worksheet for homework that month whereby they observe the moon weekly and record their findings. -
Observing the Moon in the morning is a captivating activity that can deepen students’ understanding of lunar phases and the Earth-Moon relationship. The best phases for morning observation at school between September and June are the waning gibbous, last quarter, and waning crescent phases.
Plan:
Phase Identification: Begin by teaching students about the Moon’s phases, emphasizing how the waning phases occur after the full Moon. These phases are visible in the morning as the Moon moves westward after rising late at night.
Observation Timing: Plan observations for the waning phases when the Moon is high in the western sky during early morning hours, just before sunrise. These phases are best observed between a week after the full Moon (waning gibbous) and a few days before the new Moon (waning crescent).
Monthly Observation Schedule: Set up an observation schedule aligned with the lunar calendar. For example, during the last quarter phase, which typically occurs about three weeks after the new Moon, plan for early morning observations when the Moon rises around midnight and is visible in the west at dawn.
Recording and Analysis: Provide students with observation sheets to sketch the Moon’s shape and note its position and appearance over several mornings. Encourage them to compare their observations with the lunar calendar to reinforce their understanding of the Moon’s phases and orbital patterns.
By following this plan, students will gain hands-on experience with astronomy, enhancing their comprehension of the lunar cycle.The https://www.timeanddate.com/ resource is an excellent resource to use for these activities.
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Plan to observe the Moon – which phase of the Moon is best for observing in the morning from school? What dates will that be in 2024- 2025?
With working in a special school and teaching a class of 8 to 10 year olds I would start my lesson with teaching the students about day and night and the differences between the two. I would use visuals, YouTube clips and various websites to support the lesson. The students would sort pictures into day and night. They would then identify the moon in the pictures. I would also engage with parents/guardians about our lesson so they can support the children at home to see the moon at night and early in the morning when they wake. We would incorporate observing the moon daily during circle time and notice changes as the year goes on. We would also look at the different shapes that the moon can be. These can be constructed and displayed in the classroom to further reinforce their learning. This is also bringing in other areas of the curriculum such as maths and art.
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ASSIGNMENT 2
Create a short teaching resource using Stellarium/ WorldWide TelescopeI’ve decided to choose Stellarium/ WorldWide Telescope as an online resource for this assignment. This resource is insightful and would trigger or motivate further learning about space.
Stellarium is a planetarium that allows children to explore space. Children could use it to see the sky in 3D, just like what you see with the naked eye, binoculars or a telescope. I would use Stellarium to motivate children’s interest in the night sky.
The theme I would choose to work on is looking at the sky at night.
The class would discuss what they see in the sky at night. I would record all the children prior knowledge. I would then discuss and answer any questions they may have about the sky at night.I would use the video from Module two slide 20 and slide 21 to present to the children on how to use Stellarium. I would highlight different tools such as choosing a location to look at the night sky and the time setting on the resource.
Then I would get children to work in groups and do project work on the sky at night. The children using the resource in my class could identify stars, constellations, planets, comets and moons using the program. Children could observe the location of the sun rising and setting in both hemispheres
I would place particular emphasis on the planets in the sky at night. The children would use Stellarium web with the class to observe the planets that are visible at different times of night, seeing different planets at different times.-
i think that the use of stellarium is an amazing tool for the classroom. I have been to a planetarium a few times and it is such an immersive experience. Its a great way to get the children interested in the planets and stars. I think this topic also naturally lends itself to the use of ICT in the classroom which I can see you have incorporated in your lesson. Its nice to give them the chance to become researchers on topics such as space.
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Hi Robert
Stellarium is a great resource and I’m sure that the children in your class will really enjoy working in groups to explore the night sky using Stellarium. Starting off with a discussion of what the children see in the night sky is a nice starting point. I’m sure that they will talk about the moon and stars, but I wonder how many will mention planets. A great way to extend this would be to get them to look for constellations that would be visible to them and then go home and look for them at night.
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I would chose to do the activity on observing the moon. I would use the ESERO 62 lesson as a framework to teach this topic. Using online tools and timeanddate.com it would seem that the best time for morning observations of the moon would be when it is in its third quarter and this would be happening around the end of September. I would begin by showing the children some videos about this, in particular the video of Pax and our moon. I think that the worksheet from ESERO on recording the moon is excellent and so we would record what we see as well as the date and time. We could come back to these record sheets at another sage during the year and compare what we see then to what we found back in September. This is a tricky topic so I would take my time teaching and exploring this topic and I would revisit whenever I get an opportunity. In would also make use of ICT for this topic, allowing children to do some online research themselves using websites such as heavensabove.com, worldwidetelescope and dateandtime.com. I would also make sure to have diagrams and vocabulary associated with this topic displayed in the classroom.
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Plan to observe the Moon – which phase of the Moon is best for observing in the morning from school? What dates will that be in 2024- 2025?
I would plan to have my 4th class students observe the Moon in the morning, the best phase is the waning crescent. During this phase, the Moon is visible in the early morning hours before sunrise, offering a clear and beautiful view. The thin crescent shape provides excellent opportunities to observe lunar features, such as craters. Each student will be given an ESERO moon observation log.
For the 2024-2025 school year, ideal dates for observing the waning crescent in the morning include:
September 5-7, 2024
October 5-7, 2024
November 3-5, 2024
December 3-5, 2024
January 2-4, 2025
February 1-3, 2025
March 2-4, 2025
April 1-3, 2025
Some of this work will be done as a home activity and select students will be asked to do some early morning observation sessions on each set of dates. Before the observation, I will explain the lunar cycle and why the waning crescent is visible in the morning. During these sessions, students would use binoculars or telescopes to focus on the Moon’s surface, sketch what they see, and discuss the changes in appearance compared to other phases. This hands-on experience would enhance their understanding of the lunar cycle and the Moon’s movement in the sky.-
Hi Megan
This sounds like a lovely experience for your pupils and I like the combination of school work and home observation. Carrying the project on at select times throughout the school year is a nice idea as is the idea of giving different groups of pupils the task of observing and recording the moon. Having each child involved in turn will be a great way of ensuring engagement throughout the process. There are so many other cross curricular classroom activities that you could tie in with these moon observations throughout the year. In September, you could cover the lunar cycle but to tie in with the other periods of observation throughout the year you could do a different moon related activity each time covering gravity, tides, the history of the moon landings, music, art or poetry inspired by the moon, creative writing etc.
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Plan to observe the Moon – which phase of the Moon is best for observing in the morning from school? What dates will that be in 2024- 2025?
I never considered the possibility of bringing the moon into the classroom, assuming we would not be able to see the moon during the school day! However, seeing the possibilities at different times of the year is really exciting. The paxi video is a nice way of introducing the lunar phases in a child friendly and engaging way. It raises awareness about the moons on other planets and the fundamentals of our solar system in terms of different orbits. All of these ideas could be represented artistically but there’s also scope to describe the concepts in English and to learn vocabulary and poems as Gaeilge. This is best done during the waning crescent phase: September 5-7, 2024
October 5-7, 2024
November 3-5, 2024
December 3-5, 2024
January 2-4, 2025
February 1-3, 2025
March 2-4, 2025
April 1-3, 2025.I would get the students to research this calendar and find alternatives (waning gibbous) and make a calendar to remind ourselves.
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Assignnment 2: Observing ther phases of the moon
With the moon at its most visible this year around the 3rd week in September, it would give a couple of weeks to introduce the moon to the class and bring learning towards observing the phases.
I would use a poem/song as a stimulus
For younger classes I might use ‘I see the moon & the moon sees me’ https://youtu.be/MUL8AyfXIP4
or for older children the poem ‘ The Moon speaks’
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/fc/82/f3/fc82f3cac120a90b88b676d9ae0848c4.jpg
and use the stimulus to establish what information the children already have about the moon and its relationship with the earth & the sun.
As we establish prior knowledge, I would record any new/relavant vocab on a chart and possibly do further work with this in English.
We would watch the Paxi & our moon- Phases & eclipses and learn about the 4 phases of the moon. I would have a pairing activity to be done in small groups to match the phase to the correct photo. The Esero 62 Observin the Moon Resource would also be useful here.
By approx Sept 24th, the children would be ready to observe the moon over a few days and describe what they see in the sky (weather depending!) We would have a large chart in the classroom where we would sketch what we see each morning & children could record this in their notebooks using similar sketches- we would match out sketches to photos of the phases.Using resoures like heavensabove.com, or worldwise telescope or curiousminds.ie could provide supplememtary exploring opportunites for learners.
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Assignment 2: Observing the phases of the moon
With the mooon at its most visible late in September in our skies, it gives a few weeks to introduce the theme of the moon and get a sense of what prior knowledge the children have about the moon and its relationship witht the earth & the sea.
As a stimulus, I would use the song ‘I see the moon & the moon sees me’ with junior classes https://youtu.be/MUL8AyfXIP4 or with older classes the poem ‘The moon speaks’ https://i.pinimg.com/originals/fc/82/f3/fc82f3cac120a90b88b676d9ae0848c4.jpg or ‘Follow the moon’ by Marie Tully https://www.familyfriendpoems.com/poem/follow-the-moon#google_vignette which opens up good discussion around the moon’s positioning.
During discussion I would get a sense of their depth of knowledge and as we go I would record using a KWL chart. I would also add new vocab to a word bank and use this later in a vocab/image pairing lesson or kahoot quiz.
We would use concrete materials to show the orbit of moon & earth around the sun..;.with an advanced senior class they may be able to do this themselves as one pupil(moon) walks around another (earth) as it orbits another object/person (sun).
Using paxi & our moon-phases & eclipses video I would introduce the moon phases and use photos to match with descriptions. The Esero 62 lesson would also be a helpful resource.
Coming into the 3 rd week we would begin to observe the moon across 5-7 days and using a large chart in the classroom, woukd sketch what we saw each day. Children could use their own sketching and descriptor words to record in their own notebooks.
We would reflect back on the poems and link any of our learning to those.The worldwide telescope & heavensabove website would be additional resources to use to supplement learning.
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I decided to work with the inquiry framework and chose the lesson on building a bird feeder. This year I worked with a number of schools on a lego project where the children used Lego to design ways of fixing local problems. To engage children aged 9 in an inquiry-based learning experience about building bird feeders I would start by asking them to observe and identify the different birds that visit our school.
We would discuss whether spotting birds is easy and explore if our school environment provides enough food, water, and shelter for them. This would lead to a brainstorming session where we would consider designing and building bird feeders using LEGO to attract more birds into our gardens.
We would explore various materials that could be used to create these feeders, focusing on sustainable and biodegradable options, such as pinecones coated in lard and seeds. The children would be encouraged to think critically about the types of food that would be most effective in attracting different bird species and how the design of their feeders could help.
After building the feeders, we would place them around the school grounds and observe whether birds begin to use them. This would involve recording the types of birds we see and noting any new species that appear. To further enhance this project, we would participate in the Garden Bird Survey from December to February, recording our findings and comparing them with national data. This hands-on, inquiry-based approach would not only teach children about bird ecology but also foster creativity, problem-solving, and environmental awareness.
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Plan to observe the Moon:
The best phase of the moon to observe in the morning in school is the waning crescent moon. This is an ideal time because the moon will not be too bright and we will be able to observe features like craters and mountains.
In 2024, the waning crescent moon will be perfect for observations around the 20th October. In 2025, moon observation mornings would be suitable around the 29th September for the waning crescent phase.In my class, the children would keep a moon journal for this activity where they can draw and write about what they see for each observation. They could also add to this at home as a homework activity where they can observe the moon at night time. They could compare and contrast with what we see in the morning in their journals. In the journals, the children could note the shape of the moon, visible features and brightness.
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I would teach a lesson about the lunar phases to students. To engage them with the content I would first show them the National Geographic video ‘Moon 101’ (https://youtu.be/6AviDjR9mmo). After watching the video we would discuss what they learned and what the phases of the moon are.
Afterwards, using Stellarium, students would have the opportunity to explore the different phases of the moon by changing the date and watching the progression through the phases. As they do this they will draw pictures in their copybook and label them with the phase and the date.
Over the next few weeks we would observe the phases of the moon both in school and at home. According to The Sky at Night’s website, the moon is visible in the afternoon around 7 days before a full moon and in the morning after the full moon. Using the Space Week 2023 – 2024 lunar calendar (https://www.spaceweek.ie/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Moon-Calendar-2023-2024.png) this appears to be around the 11th of September onwards.
As a class we would observe the lunar phases when visible in the morning and afternoon and then students would also observe it at home that night. Students will check their drawings in their copybooks and compare them to the phases for each of the dates-
Hi Robyn,
Thanks for sharing your ideas on observing the moon. I like how to plan to get the pupils to draw images in their copy to represent the phases of the moon. Teaching the specific vocabulary for this topic explicitly will ensure they are engaged and can use the vocabulary in a meaningful context when observing the moon themselves. I also like how you plan to extend the activity at home with observations of the moon at night.
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Stellarium is an excellent resource for the classroom when instructing students about constellations. A lesson, I would plan a lesson using stellarium as a resource as follows.
I would begin by asking students: “Have you ever looked up at the night sky and tried to find shapes in the stars?” and allow them to discuss this then I would spark their interest by showing them a simple picture of a connect-the-dots constellation and have them guess what shape it might be.
Here I would introduce that we are going to use a website to study different constellations. I would explain that constellations are patterns of stars that form recognisable shapes in the night sky. I would also explain that constellations got their names from ancient civilisations from storytelling.
Next, I would open up stellarium Website by using guided practice I would demonstrate many features like; how to change the time and date, how to move the view of the sky, how to turn on constellation lines, art, and labels. I would use an example of Hercules as student will have prior knowledge him.
Then in pairs I would get students to try and find specific constellations like Orion and then find specific stars like Rigel.
Finally, I would get students to complete Independent work, where they would use the stellarium website to draw the design of 3 constellation and label it.
As a closing activity I would show a sample of the constellations drawn under the visualiser and see if any of the children through using the stellarium website can determine what constellation has been drawn.-
Hi Emma,
Thanks for sharing your lesson idea to use Stellarium with your own class. I like how you plan to allow for exploration and elicit prior knowledge to engage the pupils. Through demonstrating Stellarium it allows the pupils to learn about specific constellations initially before exploring the tool themselves. I like how you plan to get the pupils to then draw the constellations to share their own learning.
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2.Plan to observe the Moon – which phase of the Moon is best for observing in the morning from school? What dates will that be in 2024- 2025?
This is a lovely idea for a lesson and something that I would be excited to teach and engage in myself. I have learned so much about the moon and its phases from this course. Observing the moon from school is such a different way to view the moon other than at night. To start I would use the video linked here Paxi and Our Moon: Phases and Eclipses (youtube.com). I think it’s a great starting point and a great way to introduce new vocabulary. I like the visual of each phase of the moon at the end of this resource. This is something I would laminate for each pupil and use when observing the moon at school 62_Lunar-eclipse-and-phases-of-the-Moon.pdf (esero.ie). I would also get pupils to sketch what they see from observation. Organisation is key as always but for such lessons binoculars, telescopes, paper, pencils, i-pad for taking photos will be prepared and ready to go for the morning activity. Knowing when the moon will be best visible from school using timeanddate.com. I have read that the moon in the last quarter phase is most visible in the morning. Another participant also had the idea which I really liked of observing the moon on these nights also and making a comparison between the two and how they present in the sky. -
Create an observing plan for autumn that shows which planets are visible in the evening sky:
I love the idea of engaging the children by creating a plan of the planets that are visible at different times and locations.
Once we have identified the planets expected to be visible, I would encourage home-school links by asking the children to use the Stellarium website/ app to confirm the predictions.
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Plan to observe the moon-which phase of the moon is best for observing in the morning from school? What date will that be in 2024-2025?
To begin our observations, I would get the children’s prior knowledge of the moon and discuss the terms they are already familiar with. Using Paxi’s and Our Moon video -phases and Eclipses I would introduce the topic of the moon having phases and the vocabulary around it. I would discuss the four phases of the moon with the students and ask them to demonstrate these phases using pictures. Using the timeanddate.com website to help us observe and record as accurately as possible. Using the lovely resource by ESERO -the moon observation log to record the different phases. The end of September, the third phase of the moon, appears to be the best time to observe the moon in school. Also, before a new moon, the moon rises early morning and is evident before sunrise which would suit students for their observations. This allows us time to prepare students to examine what they should be observing, vocabulary, recording method and key terms used around the phases of the moon.
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