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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.
Please also comment on at least one other participant’s post
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I’d introduce the idea that the night sky changes with the seasons and that autumn gives us a different view of the planets than summer or winter. I’d start by asking students what they think they might be able to see in the sky after sunset and whether they’ve ever noticed a bright “star” that was actually a planet.
Using a simple autumn sky map, we’d identify which planets are expected to be visible in the evening sky and talk about why they’re visible at that time of year. We’d discuss how planets don’t make their own light, how they orbit the Sun, and why their positions in our sky change throughout the year.
Students would then work in small groups to create an Autumn Evening Sky Guide. Each group would choose one visible planet and create a small fact sheet.
Once everyone has shared their planet, we’d combine the fact sheets into a class display that students could use as a guide for observing at home.
As an optional homework activity, I’d encourage students to spend 10–15 minutes outside after sunset with a family member and see if they can spot one of the planets from our class guide. They could record the date and time, draw what they saw, and write a few sentences about whether they were able to find it and what they noticed. We’d use these observations in the next lesson to compare results and discuss why some students may have seen different things depending on the weather, time, or where they were observing.
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I love Niall’s idea to have the children work in groups to create a fact sheet about the planets. The collaborative element of creating a class display is an excellent idea and one which the children will benefit from and remember for a long time. This lesson tries to ensure that all children are active participants instead of just passive listeners.
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I have Junior Infants next year and I have chosen to look at the Night Sky with Stellarium. I will start by looking at the picture book Papa, Please Get the Moon for Me by Eric Carle. This is a story about a little girl who wants to play with the moon. I think this would be a great starting point for sparking the children’s curosity about the night sky and would allow me to ask questions about the children’s curent knowledge of the night sky.
I would open Stellarium and display the night sky above Dublin. Slowly move around the sky, pointing out the Moon and a few bright stars. I would explain that the computer is showing what the real sky looks like. I would encourage the children to describe what they notice.
Is the Moon big or small?
Can you count some of the bright stars?
What shapes can you imagine the stars make?
We would finish with an art activity. Children create their own night sky picture using black paper and white or yellow crayons (or star stickers), adding the Moon and stars they remember seeing. I would then send a link for the parents to look up Stellarium at home and further discuss this at our next lesson. We could share what we have learnt with older classes. -
Hi Siobhan,
Welcome to the course. Thanks for sharing your plan for your infant class. I like how you have chosen a picture book as a starting point. This allows for engagement with the book that allows for lots of discussion on the moon also which leads well into using Stellarium to show the pupils the night sky. I also like how you plan to send the link home for parents to use Stellarium. I have shared it with parents too as some of my class were fascinated by the night sky and spotting planets. Thanks for sharing, I hope you enjoy the other modules.
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Hi Siobhan, Many thanks for your insight and ideas on this topic. I really lie how you have taken a picture book – an everyday activity for an infant class – and adapted it for the purposes of this lesson. Not only are you promoting discussion but also engagement in a really meaningful way and accessible way for your students. It is clear that you value the home-school partnership as you mention your intentions to send home a link to parents to consolidate learning and to show the children’s that what they learn at school is not only purposeful in the context of the classroom, but also in everyday discussions. Thank you again for sharing your ideas and I hope you enjoy the rest of the course.
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Hi Siobhán, I really enjoyed reading your post. I’ll have Junior Infants next year as well and I’m really looking forward to doing more in-class support and trying out ideas like these. I love how you’ve used Papa, Please Get the Moon for Me as a starting point before introducing Stellarium. I think the art activity is a lovely way for the children to reflect on what they have seen, and sending the link home is a great way to involve parents too. I’ll definitely be borrowing some of these ideas with my own class!
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I love this idea Siobhan; I really like using Story-time and picture books as prompts and introductions to a theme and I have never heard of this Eric Carle book; it sounds so engaging and I know my class I’m carrying into Senior Infants would love it. I also love the idea of showing them the night sky on Stellarium; the discussion and learning opportunities this would open up, and the follow up art activity and parental involvement. Thanks for the ideas:)
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I really like the use of the story with the younger classes. It helps them engage emotionally with the night sky and makes them think that little bit deeper. I really like linking with parents as well as this will support discussion at home. Using art as well and children creating a picture as well as using star stickers is a really enjoyable activity that supports their learning.
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I love the ideas for this lesson. The idea to use the book Papa, Please Get the Moon by Eric Carle for a stimulus. It’s a great idea to start discussions with the children and to develop their interest. Stellarium is an excellent resource and it’s a great idea to share this resource with the parents.
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Hi Laura, I will be moving towards the senior end of the school next year and so it is great to get new book titles which have been tried and tested with classes. I will also be on a mission to get more stem related content books for the classroom library, I will make a note of The Girl Who named Pluto, Thank you for this.
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Create a short teaching resource using Stellarium/ WorldWide Telescope
Stellarium and The Word Wide Telescope are two super resources that could be used in any classroom. I intend to use Stellarium next term to help the children engage with the night sky and all it has to offer. The class will help me set up Stellarium we will pick our location together and discover what we might hope to see using Stellarium (The Moon, The North Star, The ISS) I think it would be so interesting for the children to see the night sky above our school and locality. It is often very hard to see the night sky due to street lights and other forms of light disturbances. I would give the children a Night Sky Notebook and encourage them to go outside at home when it is dark with an adult to see what is visible above their heads in the night sky. The notebook could be used to jot down what they saw. Last year in my school there was great excitement and buzz when the Northern Lights became visible. These are two great resources that I will use going forward.
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I hope to create a plan to observe the Moon and its phases for my 6th class pupils. Observing the Moon in the morning is an exciting experience for the pupils who may have thought you can only see the Moon at night time.
The dates for observing the moon in the morning with the children in school year 2026 are 6-10 September, the 5-9 October, the 2-8 of November, the 2-8 December, and for 2027, the 1-2 February, the 2-4 of March, the 1-3 April, and the 1-3 May.
I would begin by showing the phases of the moon using the activity The Sun, the Moon and the Earth where the pupils work in 3’s using a ball, a chair and a torch for each group, and where the children experiment with how the moon looks different every day.
After this activity, I would explain the six phases of the Moon: New Moon, First Quarter, Waxing Gibbous, Full Moon, Waning Gibbous, Last Quarter, showing photographs and images of the eight phases of the Moon.
Once the pupils have this knowledge under their belt, I would then use the NASA moon guide, and Stellarium to ascertain what phase we are looking for and when to look out for it while in school. The children could keep a moon diary and track the changes in the moon’s visual appearance upon each sighting.
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I really like your idea to use concrete materials to emulate the moon and its shadows and phases. I also like your idea to use ICT using the NASA moon guide and Stellarium.
The moon diary is another fantastic idea, as it encourages careful observation, recording skills, and reflection over time.
Your lesson is engaging, well structured, and promotes curiosity through hands-on learning.
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As a teacher of 1st/2nd multigrade I would like to put a plan in place to observe the Moon in the morning for this school year 2026/27. The best time is when the Moon is high in the sky during the morning and is easy to see before lunchtime, making it ideal for observations during the school day.
For the start of the school year 26/27 school year, the best dates are: 8-10 September 2026, 4-8 October 2026 2-6 November 2026 3-8 December 2026.
For my 1st/2nd class, I would bring the children outside on one of these mornings to look for the Moon. We would talk about its shape, draw what we see and compare our drawings over several weeks. We would also discuss why we can sometimes see the Moon during the day. This simple activity encourages observation, questioning and curiosity while helping pupils understand that the Moon changes shape throughout the month.
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Q.3 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 will Begin by asking students: “Have you ever seen the Moon during the day?”
I will the allow them to share their experiences and discuss whether they think the Moon is only visible at night. Show photographs of the Moon in both a daytime and night-time sky and ask students to predict when they think the Moon can be seen.
Explain that they are going to become “Moon detectives” by observing the Moon from the school grounds. Outside, encourage pupils to locate the Moon, sketch its shape, estimate its position in the sky, and describe its appearance using an observation sheet.
Back in the classroom, compare the children’s observations, identify the Moon’s phase, and discuss why the shape appears to change over the month, allow the class to discuss this question.
The children can keep a moon diary for one week and return to the class the following week to discuss the observations.
2024
2 April 2024
1 May 2024
28 May 2024
26 June 2024
24 July 2024
21 August 2024
24 September 2024
24 October 2024
22 November 2024
22 December 2024
202521 January 2025
20 February 2025
22 March 2025
20 April 2025
20 May 2025
18 June 2025
17 July 2025
16 August 2025
14 September 2025
13 October 2025
12 November 2025
11 December 2025 -
“Have you ever seen the Moon during the day?”, was the first thing I thought of when deciding which assignment to do. It is such a simple but a strong stimulus for challenging children’s misconceptions that the Moon is only visible at night.
One extension could be to use Stellarium before going outside. Students could predict where the Moon should be located in the daytime sky and then test their predictions through observation. This would encourage them to use evidence and develop their understanding of how the Moon’s position changes throughout the month.
I also like the idea of the Moon diary as it allows children to identify patterns over time and construct their own understanding of lunar phases. I always assign a child the job of the Sun Diary at the start of every year where they use the internet to record the time the sun rose and will set. I definitely will incorporate a Moon Diary from now on to highlight the relationship between both.
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Hi Irene,
This sounds like such a lovely idea. I think that the idea that the moon is only visible at night is a misconception that many children have so showing the children photographs of the moon visible during the day is a really great starting point. I think the children will love being moon detectives and making recordings and sketches will really help develop the skills working as scientists. Having an activity like this throughout the year as you planned would be so lovely and I’ll be sure to take note of the dates you have suggested to do something similar with my class. Thanks for the idea! -
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<p class=”isSelectedEnd”>Q1:Create an observing plan for autumn that shows which planets are visible in the evening sky.</p>
<p class=”isSelectedEnd”>I would begin by discussing why the night sky changes throughout the year and asking children to predict which planets they think might be visible during the autumn evenings. Using Timeanddate.com, pupils would investigate which planets are visible from Ireland during September, October and November, recording information such as the best viewing times and directions in the sky. They would then use Stellarium Web to simulate the autumn night sky over our local area, allowing them to identify the position of each planet and compare it with their predictions.</p>
Working collaboratively, pupils would create an observing plan that includes the planets visible each month, the time of observation, and simple star maps. They would present their findings to the class and justify why they selected particular dates for observation. Where possible, pupils would complete an evening observation at home with a family member and record their observations in a science journal, noting any differences between the Stellarium simulation and the real sky. -
Hi Christine
Welcome to the course. I like your idea of discussing the night sky first and predicting what planets will be visible. Some may be surprised to know how many of the planets we can actually see with the naked eye. I also like the idea of creating their own observation plan as this involves reading and understanding the information on when certian planets are visible and the observation at home makes a great linkbetween home and school.
A note on posting. When typing your responses elsewhere and pasting into the forum, right click on the response window before pasting and choose past as plain text. This will get rid of the extra formatting that makes your post more difficult to read.
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Great idea Christine, it reminded me that I bought my husband a great pair of binoculars. There could be some more binoculars languishing in different houses. We could set up a library of sorts letting the children bring a set home and observe the sky at night using the binoculars, to get a closer look. They could compare what they see with the naked eye and what they can see with the binoculars. This could be recorded verbally through a sound file or they could write or draw what they saw.
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Hi Niall,
I love the idea of identifying which planets are expected to be visible in the evening sky depending on the time of year and creating an observation guide to be used at home. Finding opportunities to encourage children to go outside and record the planets they see according to the class guide is a great way to extend their learning.
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Niall,
I think your lesson sounds fantastic.
I especially love the idea where you wrote: As an optional homework activity, I’d encourage students to spend 10–15 minutes outside after sunset with a family member and see if they can spot one of the planets from our class guide.
This is so much fun, and this is not just learning about the planets , it is spendnig quality time outsife with a family mamber and thisis so good for everyones wellbeing as well as learning and getting some lovely fresh air.
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The children will observe the evening sky once a week during autumn, about 30–60 minutes after sunset. They use a star chart or astronomy app to identify any visible planets and record the date, time, weather, and the planets they see. At the end of autumn, the children can compare their observations and discuss any changes they noticed in the planets’ positions.
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Hi Niall,
I really like your idea of connecting classroom learning with real-life observations at home, as it makes the learning more meaningful for pupils. Introducing the topic with a sky map and discussion is a great way to build curiosity and activate prior knowledge. In my autism class, I would adapt this by using visual supports, simple planet symbols and short video clips to prepare pupils before the activity. With the support of two SNAs, pupils could create a class planet display using photographs, symbols and simple facts rather than written fact sheets. I also like your suggestion of involving families, and I would encourage pupils to take a photo or draw what they observed to share with the class. Comparing everyone’s observations afterwards would provide a lovely opportunity to develop communication skills while reinforcing the idea that what we see in the sky changes over time.
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- Select from one of the activities in the Framework for Inquiry
Making a star consetllation wheel following studies of the plough constellation will give the children a broad understanding and investment into the world around them.
After becoming familiar with the various consetllations I would set the children the task of making their own planetrium including one star constillation that has been assigned to them. We would then go through each group and have to work our which one they were assigned. The children will have to justify their answers.
Following from this I would let the children design their own constellation. Then with integration I would ask they create a background story, an old myth about the constellation and how it received it’s name.
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Q3 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 waning crescent moon is the best phase to observe the moon in the morning. Plan for observations during the week before each new moon. Suggested observation dates for the next school year are:
· 6-10 Sept; 5-9 Oct; 2-8 Nov; 2-8 Dec ‘26
· 1-2 Feb; 2-4 Mar; 1-3 April; 1-3 May ‘27
1. Observe the moon between 9 and 11 am.
2. Sketch a drawing noting the moons position and shape in the sky.
3. Use a map of the sky around the school to mark the location .
4. Note the date and time of the observation
5. NASA’s Daily Moon Guide is a lovely resource to use with the class for observing the moon each day of the year.
6. Encourge the children to keep a moon diary to note their own observations of the moon from their homes and invite them to share their findings with their classmates
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Catriona’s plan to observe the moon on those particular dates and at those particular times sounds very doable and actionable in school. It is great to have those exact weeks before each new moon. I think pupils would find this lesson very interesting and engaging and interactive. The idea of a moon diary at home is lovely and would hopefully ignite their interest further.
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I love this Thank you for sharing the Nasa
Moon Guide with dates will be so helpful next term.
Create a short teaching resource using Stellarium/ WorldWide Telescope
Stellarium and The Word Wide Telescope are two super resources that could be used in any classroom. I intend to use Stellarium next term to help the children engage with the night sky and all it has to offer. The class will help me set up Stellarium we will pick our location together and discover what we might hope to see using Stellarium (The Moon, The North Star, The ISS) I think it would be so interesting for the children to see the night sky above our school and locality. It is often very hard to see the night sky due to street lights and other forms of light disturbances. I would give the children a Night Sky Notebook and encourage them to go outside at home when it is dark with an adult to see what is visible above their heads in the night sky. The notebook could be used to jot down what they saw. Last year in my school there was great excitement and buzz when the Northern Lights became visible. These are two great resources that I will use going forward.
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Love the idea to use Nasa Moon Guide would definitely use that in my own class and be a great way to engage the children and the plan is very easy to follow. Personally I would plan to do it up until Christmas as I feel doing it for the whole year would be very difficult to maintain engagement with my class (I teach 1st/2nd) but that plan is very clearly laid out.
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3. 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 2026- 2027?
We will chat about the moon’s phases using the visual aid available to print from twinkl.ie. We will discuss how the moon is sometimes visible during the day because the sunlight it reflects is bright enough to compete with the blue sky. The best time to observe the morning moon is during the Waning Gibbous Phase when the moon is high in the sky and easily visible in the morning sky. The full moon in September is on the 26th so the best observing windows fall 5-10 days after this date. We will make sure to observe the morning moon in that window. We will go outside to the school field and find the moon in the western sky. The children will sketch the moon, its position relative to the horizon and the details of light and shadow on its surface (as much as can be seen). We will then go back to the classroom, compare the sketches and discuss the features that could be observed. The children will then be given an iPad to access the Scoilnet moon learning path which will allow them to compare their own sketches to official maps.
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I really enjoyed reading your plan. I like how you combine outdoor observation with classroom discussion and digital learning, as it gives the children several ways to explore the same concept. Using the Twinkl visual aid before going outside is a great way to prepare pupils for what they are looking for, and comparing their own sketches with the Scoilnet learning path encourages careful observation and reflection. I love the learning paths. They are a great resources and are really easy to use.
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This is a really nice lesson idea and it’s very clear. I like how you link the Twinkl visual with actually going outside to observe the Moon, as it makes the learning more real for the children.
The sketching task is a great idea because it gets them to really look closely at what they can see, and using Scoilnet afterwards is a good way to check their understanding and compare with accurate images.
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Create a short teaching resource using Stellarium:
Stellarium is a really interesting teaching resource. I would use it as follows
Show the children how to use Stellarium by putting it on the whiteboard and pointing out various features such as setting our location and the features that names the constellations and shows them as images.
I would give the children the opportunity to work in pairs to explore Stellarium on their individual devices. In my experience they generally find new and interesting features that I haven’t!I would give the children a checklist of things to find.
The Moon
The North Star
The Plough
Cassiopeia
Jupiter
The ISSI would ideally be able to set some ‘Stellarium homework’, getting parents involved with using it on devices at home so that children can find planets and constellations in the night sky. It could also be used in conjunction with the starwheels shown at the beginning of Module 2.
Children could find a favourite constellation, draw it from observation, describe to others how to find it in the night sky and find out more information about the stories associated with it.-
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Hi Lorraine
I really liked Stellarium as well and found it to be very interactive. I really enjoy this idea of “stellarium homework” and the connection with home. I think it would be a great homework alternative, especially for older classes and that it may spark interesting conversations and discussions both in school and at home.
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Hi Lorraine,
Welcome to the course. Stellarium is a fantastic resource and my class loved it when we explored it during the year. You can pick a time later in the day and show the learners what to look for in the night sky when they are at home. I think sharing the resources with parents is a great homework idea as it is something different and all members of the household can participate it some way. Thanks for sharing.
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I love the Stellarium idea, its very interactive. I really like the fact the tools could be used on the IWB, making it really interactive for the pupils, using the grid systems etc. I also feel it could be adapted to any age group and I think all pupils regardless of class would love learning the names of stars and constellations. It would also really lend itself to homework and parental involvement.
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Hi Lorraine,
I really liked your idea of giving the children a checklist to complete while exploring Stellarium. It provides enough structure to keep them focused while still allowing them to discover features independently. I also think involving parents through a simple homework task is a great way to extend learning beyond the classroom and encourage children to observe the night sky with their families. I particularly like your idea of having pupils choose a favourite constellation and research the story behind it. This allows good opportunities for integration across subjects, as well as making learning more engaging.
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Lorraine I really like your idea to use Stellarium for home activities. This will promote the home school links as the children can use this resource with their parents and siblings. It could help to spark interesting conversations at home and could really engage the whole family in exploring the night sky!
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2. Create a short teaching resource using Stellarium/ WorldWide Telescope
I had never heard of Stellarium before and I have just used it now. It is a fantastic tool to use and I think it would be lovely to introduce it to the class on “Where do we live?” We could compare it to different parts of the world and post different locations into the search box and see the way the constellations appear. It has lots of icons to click on and explore. It is also nice to see on the side tool bar where the moon phase is at, in the “Calendar of Events.” Just to see the passage of time and the motion of the Earth in Space. It is fascinating. It could be done as a whole class activity or in my class we are lucky enough to have ipads so I would let each of them off to explore it themselves. We could extend this lesson by drawing our favourite place on Earth. They could use the star wheels as an extension of this lesson.
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Create a short teaching resource using Stellarium/ WorldWide Telescope.
I have never come across Stellarium before so I am excited to try this out with my class. Firstly, I would introduce the topic by asking the students some questions about what we can see up in the sky during the day, at night time, etc. and begin this discussion with the class. I can then introduce Stellarium on the interactive whiteboard and their ipads. I will get the children to become familiar with it – setting the location, date, time, searching for other planets, etc. We will then use Stellarium’s time control to show moving forward hours or months to demonstrate the planets moving, did the stars move, the Earth’s rotation, etc. The students can complete a worksheet about their observations and as a whole class discuss our findings and can create a whole class list of visible plants that were discovered today.-
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Hi Rachel,
Welcome to the course. Thanks for sharing your idea for using Stellarium with your class. It is a fantastic resource and I have found my class are always fascinated by the night sky. It can be helpful to set the night sky to the school and then go forward to the evening time and explore what can be seen and where to locate it so that the learners can do their own observations at home in the evening. I have done this with my class when observing planets and when we worked on the phases of the moon also. It is also great to learn about the Earth’s rotation and how the light changes across different months as you have mentioned. I hope you enjoy the other modules in this course.
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Like you I have never heard of Stellarium and cant wait to get back in September to try it with my Fourth Class.I will do a lot of ground work using NASA and other sites and videos with the whole class in advance as this in truth would be a homework activity with parents.I will also work on the time controls within Stellarium once I become familiar myself.I would try to involve parents if they want to send in photos or videos through school email or Aladdin.An activity like this would be a great opportunity for parents to spend quality time with their children and may even result in a common interest which in itself would be a great outcome.
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Q2.
To help my 6th class learn about the Moon, I would use Stellarium as part of a fun, hands-on investigation. Before going outside, I would set the location to a townland local to our school and choose the date and time of our lesson. Using Stellarium on the interactive whiteboard, the class would look for the Moon, identify its phase, and predict where they think it will appear in the sky. We would have previously discussed and learned about the different moon phases prior to this lesson.
We would then head outside to see if our predictions were correct. Pupils would work in pairs to find the Moon and record what they observed in their science journals, including the time, weather, direction, and a simple sketch of the Moon. If it happened to be cloudy, we could still compare Stellarium’s prediction with the weather and talk about why scientists sometimes can’t collect the data they were hoping for.
Back in the classroom, we would discuss what we found and how the Moon changes position and appearance over time.-
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I can see how Stellarium is so interesting for all age groups and adaptable. From infants to 6th class on this forum chat, there have been great plans and ideas shared on how to use it. I am looking forward to using it with my nephews during the summer months and then hopefully will be more adept at navigating the programme to the max with my class next year.
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I was unaware of this website but I am excited to use it going forward. We would explore the Solar System with Worldwide Telescope with my class. I would introduce the topic by showing them images of different planets and putting questions to them, for example, which planet is the largest, which planet do you think is the hottest/coldest, which planet would you like to visit, etc. We will take a look at the different planets using the Worldwide Telescope and discuss any observations. The students can record any facts or observations they notice about each planet we see. In pairs the students will choose a planet to investigate. As a whole class we can compare and classify the information we have gathered to create class chart and sort the planets into groups. As an extra activity the students can design a poster with their chosen planet and all the information they have gathered today.
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To create an observing planets plan for my First and Second Class pupils, I would begin by asking the children what they already know about space and whether they have ever noticed bright objects in the night sky. This would help to engage their interest and build on their prior knowledge. I would then introduce the planets in our Solar System, discussing their names and some simple characteristics, such as their colours and sizes.
Next, I would give each child a simple star chart and a sky journal. I would model how to use the chart to locate the planets and explain that they will become “planet spotters”. Together, we would identify where the planets are expected to appear in the evening sky. The children would then record their predictions by drawing or writing about what they expect to see, including the planet’s colour, brightness and position.
For the observation activity, I would ask the children to look for the planets at home after sunset. They would use their sky journals to record what they observed, either by drawing pictures or writing simple sentences. I would encourage them to compare what they saw with their star chart and note any differences.
When the class returns to school, we would share our observations and compare our findings. We would discuss which planets were easiest to find, which appeared brightest, and whether anyone noticed changes over several evenings. This discussion would reinforce the idea that the planets move across the sky over time. By combining classroom learning with real-life observation, the lesson would help young children develop their scientific observation skills.
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For my teaching resource, I have chosen to use Stellarium with my 2nd Class.
I would begin by reading Look Up! by Look Up!. The story encourages children to become curious about space and would be an engaging way to introduce the lesson. After reading, I would ask the pupils what they already know about the night sky and what they think they might see if they looked outside after dark.
Next, I would use Stellarium to display the night sky above our local area. Together, we would identify the Moon, bright stars and a few easily recognisable constellations, such as the Big Dipper. I would demonstrate how the night sky changes as time passes and explain that the stars appear to move because the Earth is rotating. Throughout the lesson, I would encourage discussion by asking questions such as: Can you spot any patterns in the stars?, Why do you think we only see stars at night?, and What do you notice about the Moon’s position?
To reinforce their learning, the children would complete a simple “Night Sky Detective” worksheet by drawing and labelling the Moon, one constellation and two bright stars they observed using Stellarium.
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Hi Nicole,
Welcome to the course and thank you for sharing some lovely lesson ideas. I like how you have introduced the topic with a picture book which allows for lots of discussion on what the learners already know about the night sky.
It is great to set the location for Stellarium to the local area of the school as you can guide the learner’s observations if they are working as Night Sky Detectives at home. This could also be shared with parents to further encourage the observations at home.
I hope you enjoy the other modules in the course.
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Question 1:
Investigating constellations and plant movement using Stellarium
I would introduce this topic to the class by showing them a couple of images of well-known constellations. I will question their previous knowledge, what they see, how were constellations using in the pass, etc. We will use Stellarium to investigate if planets move through the sky. In pairs the students will become familiar with Stellarium using their ipads. We will set the location, the date and the time. We can then turn on constellation lines and labels. We can locate Orion, Ursa Major, Ursa Minor, Scorpius and Canis Major and record the shape of the constellation and anything else we have noticed. We will choose a planet to locate on Stellarium and we can record its position. If we move the time by one week, we can then see the changes. After this, we will analysis the information we have gathered. -
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1. Create an observing plan for autumn that shows which planets are visible in the evening sky.
Engage
I would start the lesson by asking the students what planets they think they’d be able to see the autumn evening sky and how planets differ from stars. I would then show them the resource ‘Uncle Al’s Hands-On Universe’ and encourage them to make predictions about what planets they think will be visible. They could discuss why some planets are easier to observe than others.
Investigate
Using Uncle Al’s Hands-On Universe, I would allow time for them to explore the autumn evening sky to identify visible planets such as Saturn, Jupiter, and, when conditions allow, Mars. They could showcase what they’ve noticed depending on the date and time and they could record their observations in a journal. They could work together to identify patterns and discuss why the planets appear to move against the background stars.
Next Steps
Students could share their findings and discuss if anything is different from what they originally predicted. They could do a simple poster of the sky according to the date and time they chose to focus on. Their learning could be extended by challenging students to continue observing into winter and compare seasonal differences in the night sky. -
I will organise a unit of work based on phases of the moon.I will begin by using a video explaining the phases of the moon and allow children to draw them as an art activity.I will then print of a calendar for October/November which shows phases of the moon and as homework ask the children to draw as a homework activity what they see each night.Children could also take pictures and send them in via Aladdin for all of us to look at.
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To plan an observation of the Moon in school, I would use the Stellarium app alongside a simple hands-on model using a ball and a lamp to help children understand the Moon’s phases shown in the slides provided. I love that this resource can be shown to pupils and explored in school as well as at home.
Using Stellarium, I would show the class the Moon on the smartboard and set it to the morning time so they can see where it will appear in the sky. Because I teach pupils at 2nd class level we could go outside in the morning and look at the real Moon, depending on its visibility that day. They would then come back into class and draw what they saw, focusing on the shape of the Moon, its position in the sky, and any clouds around it. They could use pencils, chalk or paint to create what they have observed.
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Hi Orla
Welcome to the course. Thanks for sharing your ideas for moon observation. I like how you are planning to observe the moon on Stellarium first, this will give the learners a focus when going outside the observe the moon and record what they have observed. I like how you are planning to use lots of different resources and materials for the learners to show their observations and learning. Don’t forget to check the dates to ensure the moon will be visible during school hours.
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Observing Plan for Autumn –
For my autumn observing plan, I would focus on the brightest planets that are easiest to spot with children. In early autumn, Saturn is usually visible after sunset, while Jupiter becomes brighter in the evening as the weeks go on. I would encourage families to spend a few minutes outside together on clear evenings and see if they can find these planets. Children could draw what they see in a simple ‘Sky Watch’ diary and note the date, weather, and time. Back in class, we could compare observations and talk about how the planets seem to change position over time. I would also use Stellarium to show the children where the planets are before they observe them, helping them feel more confident when looking at the night sky. This activity would encourage curiosity, careful observation, and discussion, while also helping children make connections between what they learn in class and what they can see in the real night sky.
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Question 3: Plan to observe the moon
Classes: 3rd-6th
Strand: Energy and Forces
Strand Unit: Light
Skills: Questioning, predicting, investigating, observing, recording, analysing, communicating.
Materials: Images of the moon, moon observation record sheets, calendar, pencil/paper.
Introduction:
Introduce moon vocabulary(what is already known), discuss and display different moons and associated vocabulary.
Display photographs of the moon on IWB:
What do you notice:
1. Does the moon always look the same?
2. Why might it change?
3. Have you ever seen the moon during the day?
Record ideas and answers, do not confirm correct/incorrect answers and use this as a basis to explain that scientists make observations over time before reaching a conclusion.
Investigation:
Explain to the children that over the course of a month approximately the class will be moon scientists/detectives.
1. Decide when we will obderve, what we will record and how often we should observe?
Ensure everyone is aware we would have to observe 2-3 times per week for accuracy purposes.
Create an observation template:
This should be done in collaboration with the pupils, with everyone agreeing on what needs to be included. E.G. Date, time, weather, moon visibile- yes/no, drawing the moon, describing the shape, explaining where it was in the sky.
Discuss why scientists record the date and time.
Reflection:
1. What will we notice after 4 weeks?
2. Will the moon always be in the same place?
3. Will everyone see exactly the same thing?
Record predictions.
Finally:
Observe whether pupils can ask scientific questions, suggest fair ways to collect information, record their observations accurately, explain why repeated observations are important.
Collect all observation sheets: These can be compiled into a class booklet.
As a follow on and to make connections with other subjects we could ensure for maths we work on time(calendars), data for graphs, space/moon art activities.
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Create a short teaching resource using Stellarium/ WorldWide Telescope
Set on all iPads a picture of the night sky with lots of stars to begin to prompt thinking. (They love when the backgrounds are changed). A KWL chart with the children using the night sky image as a stimulus. What do you know about the stars/ planets? Can you name some of the planets/ stars? Do you know what astronomers do?
Show them on the interactive whiteboard Stellarium. Model having a checklist and how to find each item. Give them an individual checklist with 4 items to find. One child is the researcher touching the iPad while the other is the recorder and responsible for writing down information they have found out. These roles are switched after each find. They will both then present their recordings to the class on the new information they have found. After the lesson, the children will write an exit ticket of one piece of information they have learned. Stick these exit tickets on KWL chart
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Create a short teaching resource using Stellarium/ WorldWide Telescope
I would begin the lesson with a class discussion to activate prior knowledge about the night sky. Pupils will be asked questions such as, Have you ever looked at the stars?, What objects can you see in the night sky?, and Why do the stars seem to move? Their responses will help assess existing understanding and introduce the topic.
Next, I would introduce a digital planetarium, such as Stellarium. Using the interactive whiteboard, I will set the software to our location and demonstrate how to identify the Moon and three constellations: Orion, Ursa Major, and Cassiopeia. By using the time controls, pupils will observe how the stars appear to move across the sky. I will explain that this apparent movement is caused by the Earth’s rotation while encouraging pupils to ask questions and identify patterns.
Pupils will then complete an independent observation activity. Using a worksheet, they will draw one constellation, label it correctly, sketch the Moon as shown in the software, and record one new fact they learned. This activity reinforces key concepts and provides evidence of learning.
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I think this is an excellent lesson idea because it combines technology with hands on learning in an engaging way. Using Stellarium allows pupils to explore the night sky even during the daytime or when the weather is poor. I like how the lesson begins by activating the children’s prior knowledge and encouraging discussion. The interactive demonstration would help pupils visualise how the stars appear to move because of the Earth’s rotation. The independent worksheet is a great way to reinforce learning and assess pupils’ understanding. I could easily adapt this activity for my own class by including additional constellations or extending it with a homework stargazing activity. The lesson also develops observation, digital literacy and scientific enquiry skills in a meaningful context. I think this would capture pupils’ interest and make learning about astronomy enjoyable.
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Hello,
Stellarium is a super resource that can be used to develop understanding of space and to help plan real viewing experiences for children.
I would use it first by demoing to the class on the whiteboard and to show about setting up our location and how to find objects in the sky. I would also use the feature to set the time so that children can see what is in the sky at different times. The class could then work in small groups on the devices to find various objects such as the planets and different constellations such as the moon, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, moons of Jupiter, Polaris etc. They can find the distance and also the magnitude is interesting.
I note that in the installed version of stellarium you can set your location to be on other planets/moons and then see different views of space so they could see the earth from the moon which would be engaging.
Based on the planets tonight option in stellarium we could plan to observe Venus as the sun sets in the evening in Autumn/winter. This would promote good knowledge of the children’s local area and learning about the sun setting, east and west etc.and promote a link to learning at home with family.
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Exploring the Night Sky with Stellarium
I would use Stellarium to introduce pupils in my ASD special class to the night sky. Using the interactive sky map on the classroom whiteboard, I would first show the current view of the sky from our location in Ireland. We would identify the Moon and (depending on understanding and interest level) one or two bright planets. We could potentially identify a familiar constellation such as the Big Dipper.
The lesson would use clear visuals, simple language and a predictable routine. Pupils would take turns selecting objects on the screen while discussing their colour, size and brightness. To support different learning needs, each child would have matching picture cards of the Moon, planets and stars to identify during the activity.
The lesson would finish with a simple colouring or matching worksheet and a discussion about what pupils observed. Stellarium provides an engaging, visual way to develop observation skills, scientific vocabulary and curiosity about space while supporting inclusion and active participation for all learners.
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I really like your idea of using Steallarium as it makes learning about the night sky so much more interactive and accessible for pupils. Displaying the sky from the children’s own location is a great way to make the lesson meaningful. I also think your use of clear visuals, simple language and matching picture cards is an excellent idea.
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Exploring the Night Sky with Stellarium
Class: 1st Class
Subject: SESE – Science
Time: 20 minutesLearning Goal:
We are learning to explore the sky and recognise some objects we can see during the day and at night.Success Criteria:
I can find the Moon.
I can see some stars.
I can describe one thing I noticed.Resources:
Stellarium on a computer or interactive whiteboard.Lesson:
Begin by asking the children what they can see in the sky during the day and what they can see at night. Open Stellarium and show the daytime sky before changing the time to night. Help pupils find the Moon and point out some bright stars. Explain that the sky changes as the Earth moves.Ask questions such as: What can you see? Is it day or night? Which object is the brightest?
To finish, children draw the Moon or stars they observed and complete the sentence: “Today I saw ________ in the sky.”
Assessment:
Check that pupils can identify the Moon, recognise some stars, and share one observation from the lesson. -
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For my 2nd class in our small rural school, I think observing the Moon would be a lovely way to encourage curiosity and link science with art and maths. We are lucky to have plenty of outdoor space, so we could easily head outside for short observations during the school day.
The best phase of the Moon to observe in the morning is the Last Quarter Moon because it is high in the sky during the morning and can still be seen after sunrise. This makes it ideal for observations during school hours.
For the 2026–2027 school year, I would plan our observations around these approximate Last Quarter dates:
8 September 2026
8 October 2026
6 November 2026
6 December 2026
5 January 2027
29 January 2027
28 February 2027
29 March 2027
27 April 2027
27 May 2027
25 June 2027 (according to time and date.com)I would bring the children outside around 9:30 or 10:00 a.m. to look for the Moon and record where they see it in the sky. They could sketch what it looks like in a Moon journal and use black paper with chalk or paint to create Moon phase artwork back in the classroom. We would also measure how many days passed between each observation and create a simple class graph showing the Moon’s changing shape throughout the year. I think my class would really enjoy comparing their drawings over time and seeing the patterns emerge, making the investigation both creative and scientific.
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Hi Niamh
Welcome to the course. Thanks for sharing your moon observation lesson ideas. I like how you are planning to cover this across different lessons such as Art and allow the learners to show what they have observed and learned using a mixture of media.
I also like how you are planning for a series of morning observations which can address the misconception with the young age group that the moon only comes out at night. While your dates are all within the last quarter of the moon phases, you could consider other dates to identify other phases of the moon.
Thanks for sharing, I hope you enjoy the course.
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I would use Stellarium as a teaching resource.
I would begin by getting the class to help me to choose the right location. I would then ask if the pupils could identify or name anything they aee in the sky. We would dicuss the answers given.
I would then set the date and time for that night and we would go through what we would hope to see.
As homework that night the children would go outside and observe the sky. We would share our observations the following day. I would send out a link to the parents for Stellarium so they could explore it with their child.
I would then get the children to work in pairs in a device and explore Stellarium more. I would give then a short tick off list of things to find to keep them focused.
I would then focus the children back to the whiteboard and reset the location for somewhere in the Southern Hemisphere (link with geography and a country we had previously studied) and explore how the night sky looks from there.
My school is in a rural area and there is a good view of the stars so the pupils would to be able to identify some and share their new going knowledge at home.
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I would choose to plan a morning Moon observation with my class, as it provides an authentic opportunity for children to develop observation, recording and inquiry skills. The best phases for morning observations from school are the waning gibbous, last (third) quarter, and waning crescent phases, as the Moon is still visible after sunrise. Before our observation, I would ask the children to predict what they think the Moon will look like and whether they expect to see it during the day. We would then observe the Moon from the school grounds, using simple observation sheets to sketch its appearance, note the date, time and weather conditions, and record its position in the sky.
Following the observation, we would compare our drawings, discuss why the Moon changes shape throughout the month, and introduce the concept of lunar phases using a globe, a lamp and a small ball to model the Sun-Earth-Moon system. Where possible, I would use Stellarium to show the Moon’s position on the day of our observation and compare it with what we observed in real life. This activity integrates Science through observation, Mathematics through recording dates and patterns, and Technology through the use of digital astronomy software. It also encourages children to ask questions, communicate their ideas and develop an understanding that scientific knowledge is built through careful observation and evidence.
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Hi Shannon
Welcome to the course. Thanks for sharing your moon observation lessons. I like how you are planning to complete your own observations of the moon initially, this will allow for lots of discussion and critical thinking. This also provides an introduction to learning about the phases of the moon as you have outlined. Finally, using Stellarium to guide observations and encourage the learners to make comparisons between what they have observed and what it looks like on Stellarium will make great connections between the digital resource and real life observations. Great ideas!
I hope you enjoy the other modules in the course.
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Hi Shannon, I really like the array of activities that you would integrate into this investigative activity. The idea of using stellarium to cross-reference the children’s findings regarding the appearance of the moon is very interesting. I think you have hit upon a really lovely blend of observational, investigative and communicative activities that would be sure to inspire the interest of the class.
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‘Create an observing plan for autumn that shows which planets are visible in the evening sky.’
This lesson would involve some pre-teaching so that children have prior knowledge of the planets and the stars, and their place in our solar system. This lesson would also be great for those children in our classes who prefer a more hands-on approach to their learning.
Children would also need to have an understanding of how days get shorter as Winter approaches.
The children could look at a star chart or astronomy app such as ‘Sky View’ or ‘Solar Walk’ to find out which planets are visible in the evening sky during autumn.
The children could also involve their parents by making evening observations at home
Children could keep an observation log. They could record date/time/which planets were spotted/weather conditions.
Observations could then be discussed in class.
I also really liked the YouTube videos in module 2 that showed different hands-on/art activities that I could try with my 4th, 5th and 5th class. There were some great ideas for cross-curricular lessons. -
A lesson for junior infants on planning to observe the Moon. The goal is to spark curiosity and guide them gently into scientific observation.
Lesson Objectives
Understand that the Moon can be seen in the sky, especially at night.
Know that the Moon changes shape.
Plan a simple observation of the Moon with help from an adult.1. Circle Time Discussion
Talk about the MoonAsk: Have you ever seen the Moon in the sky?
Show a big picture of the Moon.
Discuss: The Moon comes out at night and sometimes in the day!, and it looks different on different days.
2. Story Time
Read a short book about the Moon.
Ask a few questions:What did the Moon look like in the story?
Would you like to see the Moon at night too?
3. Planning Our Moon Watch! (5 minutes)
Say: We are going to be Moon Watchers! That means we’ll look at the Moon with our families.Show a simple Moon Watch” chart, with days of the week and a space to draw.
Give each child a blank chart and explain:Each night, ask your grown-up to help you look at the Moon.
If you see it, draw what it looks like!
4. Creative Activity
Let children draw the Moon with crayons—full, crescent, or what they imagine.
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Class Level: 3rd/4th Class
Duration: 30–40 minutes
Stimulus
I would begin by reading an extract from Look Up! by Nathan Bryon. If you don’t have a copy it’s available on YouTube. The story follows a young girl who is fascinated by space and encourages others to look up at the night sky. I would use the book/video to spark discussion about what children know about planets, stars and constellations.
In addition to the book/video as a stimulus I might use a ‘mystery object box’ containing a globe I already own that rotates on a small support so it looks realistic from the point of view of the child. I would keep it in a box and get the children to peer in before giving them the chance to see another perspective of peering out.
Learning Objective
Students will use Stellarium or WorldWide Telescope to identify objects in the night sky and record their observations.
Activity
1. Read the selected extract/watch the video and discuss:
o What did the character observe in the sky?
o What would you like to find in the night sky?
2. After all children have had an opportunity to look inside the box with the globe, I would reveal the globe and allow them to observe it from different angles. I would then ask the children to imagine they are astronauts looking at Earth from space and discuss how their perspective changes depending on where they are viewing it from. The rotating globe would help children visualise that the Earth is a sphere and that it rotates on its axis.
3. Open Stellarium and set the location to Ireland.
4. Display the evening sky and identify:
o The Moon
o One visible planet
o One constellation
5. Students complete an observation sheet:
o Draw the object they found.
o Record its name.
o Write one fact about it.
Discussion
• Which object was easiest to find?
• How do planets differ from stars?
• Why is technology like Stellarium useful for astronomers?
• I would encourage them to compare Stallarium with the rotating globe and discuss whether the stars are actually moving or if it is the Earth’s rotation that makes them appear to move.
Extension Activity
Students design a “Night Sky Guide” for younger classes, including drawings and facts about the objects they observed.
Assessment
Students demonstrate learning by accurately identifying at least one celestial object and recording observations using drawings, labels, and scientific vocabulary. -
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Module 2 Assignment – Looking Up
For this assignment, I would use the ESERO Ireland inquiry approach to introduce Senior Infants and First Class pupils to the night sky.
I would begin by encouraging children to wonder about what they can see in the sky by asking questions such as, “What are stars?”, “How are stars different from planets?” and “What are constellations?”.
Pupils would investigate these ideas using a star wheel and digital tools such as Stellarium to identify visible stars and planets.
The class would compare planets and stars, learning that planets move differently across the sky while stars form recognisable constellations.
Children would record their observations, discuss their findings and reflect on what they have discovered.
This lesson supports the Primary Curriculum through Science, Geography and Mathematics while developing important skills in observing, questioning, predicting and analysing.
Using ICT makes learning interactive and engaging, encourages curiosity and helps children make meaningful connections with the world beyond their classroom.-
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Hi Dolores,
Welcome to the course. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and ideas for lessons with senior infants and first. I think the star wheel and Stellarium to explore stars and the planets would be engaging for the learners. You could think of introducing the topic through picture books for this age group also. This would also support their questioning and wondering and also help to keep them engaged as they look for stars or planets using Stellarium. With this younger age group, you could also consider multiple ways for them to share their learning through drawings, short sentences or using ICT. Lots of opportunities to explore with the class.
I hope you enjoy the other modules.
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I am really looking forward to using Stellarium in my classroom during the next school year. I plan to create a resource where we can track movements at certain times of the day and also incorporate some measurements during evening hours too. My school is in a fairly rural location and not hindered greatly by light pollution.
I also plan to incorporate some teaching and learning on the origin stories of the many constellations of stars. I think this would afford the children a very worthwhile opportunity to learn in a cross-curricular way and see the link between the human world and the cosmos.
We could even create some basic telescopes of our own and imagine how these planets and constellations were found and tracked so long ago.
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I thought out some ideas for observing which planets will be visible in the night sky in autumn. I will be working in the HSCL role in September and plan on engaging children and parents in a project around this topic. I have reserved a number of copies of Collins’ “Children’s Guide to the night sky” through the local library that families can use as a reference. Some ideas for the project include:
• Introducing the website timeanddate.com as a resource which shows the planets that are expected to be visible, where to look and the rise/set times
• Children and parents will keep a small journal where they can colour in planets as they see them and sketch pictures of the night sky at intervals. Journals, pencils and crayon packs will be provided to families.
• We will conclude by building a solar system model at school-
I really like your project idea and how you’re involving both children and parents. I especially like how you’e combining a real observing plan with a creative approach to journaling. Using timeanddate.com is also a great choice because it’s simple and shows clear rise and set times. I feel your approach will get children to slow down and really notice the sky. I like how the project ends with creating a solar system model which I feel brings everything together in a hands‑on way.
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Question 1: Observing plan
For my 4th class, I would use the Curious Minds/ESERO inquiry approach to keep the lesson active and child‑led.
We would begin with the Engage stage by asking simple wondering questions such as What can we see in the night sky? and How do planets move compared to stars?
Next, we would move into Investigation stage using Stellarium. Children would explore the sky for August, September and October noticing which planets appear in the early evening. They would make predictions about which planets might be easiest to spot and then test these predictions by changing the date and time in Stellarium. In groups, children would record their findings in a clear observing chart.
During the sharing stage, children would compare their results and create a class Autumn Planet Guide. To extend the inquiry, children could use WorldWide Telescope to explore one planet in more detail.
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Hi Sandra, this is a lovely, well-structured inquiry for 4th class! Using Stellarium is a fantastic way to let the children actively test their predictions and navigate the autumn sky like real astronomers. I love the collaborative creation of the Autumn Planet Guide! That is a meaningful way to share their findings. Thanks for sharing.
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I like the idea of an autumn observing plan for our kids at St. Ita’s and St. Joseph’s special school. Because autumn brings those early sunsets, we can actually have them look at the sky around 7:00 PM—right before bedtime routines start.
To make this accessible, I would focus on finding just one spectacular target, Jupiter, which shines incredibly bright and steady in the autumn evening sky. In class, we can prepare by making ‘Star Scopes’ out of decorated cardboard tubes. These are great for our students because they block out visual distractions and help them focus on one single point of light.
We can send home a highly visual, sensory tracker. Instead of complex charts, it’s a simple checklist: Can you feel the cool autumn air? Look out the window through your scope. Do you see the big, steady silver light?
When they spot Jupiter, they get to place a glow-in-the-dark star sticker on their chart. The next morning, we celebrate their discoveries in class. Hopefully, we can turn astronomy into a comforting, predictable evening routine they can share with their families.
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Lovely lesson Olivia, throughtful approach to accessibility, and nice integration of creativity and design with the Star Scopes. I really like the idea of the sensory approach too, its a lovely gentle way of introducing the night sky and it makes it fun and enjoyable rather than overwhelming. And the sticker to celebrate is a fantastic touch to finish it out.
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Hi Olivia
Welcome to the course. Thanks for sharing your lesson ideas that suit the learners in your school. I really like how you want to incorporate the family and make it accessible and inclusive for every learner. I really like how you have changed the observation tasks with simple questions and a simple checklist. We can often focus on bigger tasks which can make it overwhelming for some learners.
Thanks for sharing.
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Lesson using stellarium and the World Wide Telescope
I’ll introduce the lesson by telling the children that we will explore the night sky and outer space using Stellarium and WorldWide Telescope, and that they will learn about stars, constellations, planets, and how the night sky changes in Ireland.
To start off, I’ll show how Stellarium shows the night sky exactly as it looks from Ireland. Children can move around the sky, zoom in on stars, and watch how the moon and planets change over time. The World Wide Telescope allows kids to fly off to planets, moons, and galaxies that are extremely far away. Using Stellarium, I’ll get thje kids to work in pairs to find The Plough, Orion, Cassiopeia, and the North Star. Then they’ll explore moon phases by moving time forward and searching for bright planets such as Venus, Mars, and Jupiter. Then the kids will open the World Wide Telescope and take a guided tour to the Moon, Mars, and clusters of stars. They will explore what planets look like up close and compare them to what they saw in Stellarium.
To finish, the kids will draw a constellation or keep a simple moon diary or create a space passport for a planet they visit. -
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For this activity I chose to create a simple teaching resource using Stellarium. As I will have Junior Infants next year, I think this is a lovely way to introduce the children to the night sky in a way that is visual and engaging. Many children will already have noticed the Moon or a bright star at home, so I would begin by asking them what they have seen in the sky and encouraging them to share their ideas. This would help build on their own experiences and spark their curiosity.
Using Stellarium on the interactive whiteboard, I would show the sky above our local area and point out the Moon and a few bright stars. I would explain that Stellarium is showing us what the real sky looks like. I would ask simple questions such as, “Can you find the Moon?”, “What shapes can you see?” and “Do you think the sky looks the same every night?” This would encourage lots of discussion and observation.
To finish the lesson, the children could create their own picture of the night sky using black paper, chalk or crayons and star stickers. We would display these in the classroom and compare the different ideas the children had. I would also encourage parents to have a look at the night sky with their child at home and see if they can spot the Moon or any bright stars. I think this activity would develop the children’s curiosity about space while also linking Science, Art and oral language in a meaningful and age-appropriate way.
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Create a short teaching resource using Stellarium/ WorldWide Telescope
The theme of space is one which I have found to be a highlight for pupils throughout the years and there a wealth of resources available to use when engaging with the topic of space/stars/the moon/the sun, etc. I have never come across Stellarium before, but think it is a fantastic resource which would be a great addition to any lesson as it allows for self-exploration from the pupils.
I would begin a lesson by brainstorming words relating to space which we would record on the board. I would hope the children would mention stars, the moon, planets, galaxies, constellatons, etc. From here I would ask the children to choose a topic from the list on the board which is of particular interest to them. I would introduce the children to the Stellarium site on the whiteboard and give them a general idea of how it works. I would then ask the children to work either individually or in groups on the topic which they have chosen and using Stellarium, explore and research their topic. Following on from this, they would be asked to present to the rest of the class what they have learned and use the Stellarium site as part of their presentation.
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I think giving the children the opportunity to choose an aspect of space that interests them is a great idea as it would encourage engagement and curiosity from the beginning. Like you, I had never come across Stellarium before this course and I was surprised by how many different ways it could be used in the classroom. I also like that the children would get the chance to share their findings with the class, as it would allow everyone to learn about different topics while developing their presentation and communication skills.
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I chose to use one of the Constellations Activities from the Framework of Inquiry. I teach in an ASD class so I’ve made some adjustments to the lesson to suit the children in my class.
I will tell a short, simple story about Cassiopeia. I will use picture cards to help, instead of lots of talking. Then I will show the five stars that make Cassiopeia. Children will join the dots on their worksheet. SNAs and I will help.
We will then look at Orion the same way, joining star dots. Instead of asking “what does it look like?”. I will have picture cards of a hunter and another couple of images and children can point to which they think Orion looks like.
They will then paint or cut and stick to make their own Orion picture. Each child will show their picture and then we will put it on a star wall.
At the end, I will give a simple picture card for home: “Look up tonight. Can you spot Cassiopeia or Orion?”
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Hi Aine,
Welcome to the course. This is a really thoughtful and inclusive adaptation of the constellation activity for your ASD class. I really like how you have considered the needs of your learners by using short stories, picture cards and visual prompts rather than relying too heavily on verbal explanation.
The creative follow-up activity, where children paint or cut and stick their own Orion picture, is a lovely way to consolidate the learning through art. Displaying the work on a star wall would also celebrate each child’s response and create a shared classroom resource. Sending home a simple picture card is a great way to extend the learning and involve families.
Thanks for sharing and hope you enjoy the course.
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Task: Plan to observe the Moon – which phase of the Moon is best for observing in the morning from school?
I will be teaching 2nd Class in September, and think that the idea of observing the moon would be fascinating for the children. I would start by reading a storybook with them based on the moon, before asking them when can they see the moon and do they think that it is visible during the day.
I would then follow that up with the activity where children can observe how the moon can be observed differently based on the light source and its proximity. We would do this with a ball and torch, as shown in the module.
Starting around the 5th of September, we would then go outside each morning just before midday to see if we can see the moon.The class would then be given an opportunity to shade in the moon based on how much of it they can see. These pictures could then be put into a moon journal that would, hopefully, show the children how different parts of the moon are visible as the year progresses.
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Create an observing plan for autumn that shows which planets are visible in the evening sky.
I know the assignment asks for autumn, but I think I would do this lesson in December, or January, as you would have decent chances of viewing objects at 5/6pm, early enough not for it to become an issue too close to bed time! I work with 5th Class, so I think I would allow the students to create their own observation charts in class using Stellarium. I would make sure to choose the correct level of light pollution for our area. Having just checked beginning of December there, Saturn seems to be nice and prominent around 6pm, so that would be a good one to start with perhaps. I would encourage the children to view the same patch of sky at a few different times through the evening and see if they notice anything. I would encourage them to stand in the same spot, and use a point of reference to see if the relative position of the celestial bodies they observed had changed. I would get them to log it over a few nights. I would then get groups or individuals to compare and contrast the next day.
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For my 5th/6th class students, I would first read the Irish book ‘Réaltbhuíonta’, which is a class reader we use each year. This short book discusses the history of constellations and gives examples in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres each year.
I would the lead a class discussion on the constellations students have seen previously in the night sky.
We would then open Stellarium on the interactive whiteboard and I will show the students how to set our location, find the moon, planets, Polaris and some constellations.
Each student would then have time to open Stellarium on our tablets and find a checklist of constellations/stars in the night sky.
As a follow up lesson, students would work in pairs to recreate The Plough, using the Curious Minds lesson plan.
Finally, students would be assigned homework of giong out with a family member at night to search for constellations in the real night sky (weather dependent).-
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Hi Caroline,
Welcome to the course. I really like your approach to this activity. Beginning with the Irish reader Réaltbhuíonta gives the activity a strong literacy link while also introducing pupils to the cultural and historical significance of constellations.
Introducing Stellarium on the interactive whiteboard first is a great way to model the process before pupils explore independently on tablets. Asking them to set the location and search for the Moon, planets, Polaris and selected constellations would encourage digital learning, observation skills and curiosity, as well as agency as they become their own dark sky detectives.
The follow-up activity of recreating The Plough using the Curious Minds lesson plan is a lovely hands-on way to consolidate their learning. I also like the homework element, as searching for constellations with a family member would help connect classroom learning with real-life observation. As you noted, this would be weather dependent, but it is a lovely way to involve families in the learning too. Thanks for sharing.
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Observing the Moon: Predict and Prep (In Class for 15 mins): Explain that the Moon is visible during the day. Teach them the “fist” method: holding a fist at arm’s length equals roughly degrees of altitude. Identify South and West using a compass or local landmarks.
2. Observe & Measure (In Yard for 15 mins): Go outside between 9:15 AM and 10:30 AM during a Third Quarter week. Face South/South-West. Once students spot the Moon, have them stack their fists vertically from the horizon to measure its height (e.g., “4 fists high”).
3. Record & Reflect (In Class for 20 mins): In their SESE science journals, students sketch the Moon, ensuring the left side is lit and the right is shaded. Use a lamp (Sun) and a white ball (Moon) to model why they only see a half-moon, linking the outdoor observation to orbital patterns.
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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 2026-2026?
first ting in the morning is the best time to observe the moon when in school. this is because the moon is high up in the sky at this time.
The best moon phase for a morning look is the Waning Gibbous heading into the Third Quarter. The Waning Gibbous rises late at night and stays hanging high in the western sky well into the morning. It looks like a fat, bright, half-eaten biscuit, which stands out brilliantly against a blue daytime sky. As it ticks over to the Third Quarter, it stays up even later, making it really easy to spot during small break or a quick trip out to the yard.
The 2026–2027 School Year Morning Windows when the moon will be well positioned in the sky are as follows:
2026 Term
September: 1st – 5th and 28th – 30th
October: 1st – 4th and 27th – 31st
November: 25th – 30th
December: 24th – 29th
2027 Term
January: 23rd – 28th
February: 21st – 26th
March: 23rd – 28th
April: 21st – 26th
May: 21st – 26th
June: 19th – 24thThe Moon is at its biggest and brightest during the first few days of this window. It’s much easier for the children to pick out against the daylight than the thin little crescent it turns into a few days later.
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For this assignment I have picked the theme of Constellations – Seeing Stars, making The Plough.
There are lots of books in this link that would provide an ideal start to this lesson: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/72424.Picture_Books_About_the_Sky
The number 1 constellation that children are likely to recognise is The Plough. This lesson clearly outlines the number of stars in this constellation and their distance from each other and from the earth. I think that this lesson would work well with senior classes with wool. It offers opportunities for integration with Maths, Art, Literacy. I like also that there is differentiation available for junior classes, with straws instead of wool.
I would have the children working in groups. We would start with a deep dive into The Plough, using the Stellarium as our exploratory tool. Each group would work on their own model, using their calculations to pull the correct length of wool through the card. They could discuss and report their process to the class afterwards. Extension work can take place using other constellations. I would let the children select their favourite constellations for this. I like the extension activity on this lesson using 3-D shapes. Senior classes especially would really enjoy this.
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As a SET teacher, I think Stellarium would be a lovely way to introduce astronomy to a small group of children before taking them outdoors to make their own observations. Using the interactive whiteboard, we could explore the night sky above our school and identify the Moon, some bright stars and any visible planets. I would encourage the children to make predictions about what they might see before checking their ideas using Stellarium. If possible, I would link the lesson with our school garden by taking the children outside to observe the sky during the day and discuss how the sky changes from day to night. The children could keep a simple observation sheet or draw what they noticed and compare this with what they explored using the software. I think this would make astronomy feel much more accessible and engaging, particularly for children who benefit from visual supports and hands-on learning. It would also encourage curiosity, discussion and careful observation in a relaxed and enjoyable way. If I am still involved with our school garden next year, this could provide a lovely outdoor setting for children to observe the sky and discuss how what they see changes over time.
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Teaching Resource: Exploring the Night Sky with Stellarium (5th Class)
I would begin by asking the class what they already know about stars, planets and constellations. Pupils would discuss whether they have ever looked at the night sky and share any constellations they already know.
Using the interactive whiteboard, I would open Stellarium and set the location to Ireland. Together, we would identify the Moon and three well-known constellations: Orion, Ursa Major and Cassiopeia. Pupils would observe how the stars appear to move across the sky as the time is changed in the software. This would lead to a discussion about how the Earth’s rotation causes this apparent movement.
Working in pairs, pupils would complete a worksheet by drawing one constellation, labelling its main stars, sketching the Moon’s phase shown on the screen and writing two interesting facts they discovered. As an extension activity, pupils could use Stellarium at home with their families to identify constellations visible that evening.
This activity supports the Primary Science Curriculum by developing observation, prediction and investigation skills while integrating technology in a meaningful way. It also encourages curiosity about space and helps pupils understand that digital tools can enhance scientific learning
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Hi Emma,
Welcome to the course. Thanks for sharing your lesson idea on using Stellarium. Stellarium is a fantastic resource and as you have mentioned it allows the learners to explore the phases of the moon along with identifying constellations. I have used Stellarium with my class and I used it to guide their own observations at home. If planets were visible in the night sky, I would use Stellarium to show the class where in the night sky it would be. I also sent the link home to further support parents.
I like how you are planning to explore different constellations with the learners and you could follow up with tasks to build models of the constellations to further extend their learning.
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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.
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The following is a plan for the observation of the moon for 3rd class.
I would do this lesson when the Moon is in its Last Quarter phase, as this phase is clearly visible during the morning. The Last Quarter Moon rises around midnight and remains visible until around midday, making it ideal for observation during school hours.
The objectives of the lesson are as follows-
Observe the Moon carefully and identify its shape.
Record observations using drawings and simple written descriptions.
Understand that the Moon changes appearance over time as it moves through different phases.
Develop scientific observation and recording skills.The lesson begins with a class discussion about the Moon. Pupils are asked questions such as:
Have you ever seen the Moon during the day?
Does the Moon always look the same?
Why do you think the Moon changes shape?I would then introduce the different phases of the Moon using a simple Moon phase chart and explains that the class will become scientists by observing the Moon and recording what they notice.
The class moves to an outdoor area with a clear view of the sky. Pupils work individually or in pairs to locate the Moon.
I would encourage the pupils to observe carefully by asking:
What shape is the Moon today?
Where is it in the sky?
Is it bright or faint?
What is the weather like today?Each pupil records their observations by drawing the Moon and writing:
The date and time.
The weather conditions.
A short description of the Moon’s appearance.The teacher circulates, encouraging pupils to use accurate observational language and to compare their observations with classmates.
Back in the classroom, pupils share what they observed. The teacher explains that although the Moon appears to change shape, it is always the same object. The different phases occur because we see different amounts of the Moon illuminated by the Sun as it orbits the Earth.
The class discusses why the Last Quarter Moon is visible in the morning and how the Moon will continue to change over the following days.
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An idea I could use in the classroom would be to use Stellarium to discover and identify some of the commonly known constellations that can be viewed in Ireland, e.g. The Big Dipper, Orion, and to locate/have an understanding of the North Star.
We’d continue by looking at the mythology and why they are named as such could involve some independent research, or team research tasks that could end with a short presentation to the class – increasing those associated skills.
The lessons could progress into a more creative path with the pupils being given a differentiated printout of the night sky and challenging to locate the constellations discussed – with or without the use of Stellarium as a guide.
They could then choose their favourite one and create an art piece of it using a wide range of resources, e.g. chalks, pastels collage.
As an extension, or homework task, the pupils could try to find these constellations for real. For this reason I would probably look to begin these lessons in late Autumn or during Winter.
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Create an observing plan for autumn that shows which planets are visible in the evening sky
I would elicit prior knowledge on the topic from the class after first displaying my stimulus- an image of the eight different planets in our solar system.
I would use KWL as a method of continually assessing the students as the lesson progresses.
I would encourage the children to then observe the moon- its shape, texture, colour etc, we would discuss all of these in detail.
We would also examine the different phases of the moon and if time allowed, we would engage in a fun hands on activity- using Oreo biscuits to display different phases of the moon.
To conclude, the children would display their work to the class and explain what they have created.
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Create a short teaching resource using Stellarium/ WorldWide Telescope
I think Stellarium is a fantastic resource, and one I have never engaged with before. In terms of applying it as a resource in a lesson, I would use Stellarium as an interactive stimulus to introduce 3rd class pupils to the night sky in an engaging and accessible way. I would begin by displaying Stellarium on the interactive whiteboard and setting our location to Dublin, so the children can see what the sky looks like from where we live. I would demonstrate how to move around the sky, zoom in on objects and change the time from day to night. Together, we would identify familiar objects such as the Moon and the planets. The children would then work in pairs on iPads to explore Stellarium themselves and complete a simple challenge by finding and recording these objects. Providing the children with a checklist of planets to find would be a great activity here. To conclude the lesson, we would discuss what they discovered and compare their findings. As an extension activity, the children could choose their favourite constellation, draw it and write a few sentences about what they noticed or create their own story about how it came to be in the night sky.
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I really like your idea Lauren, of using Stellarium on the interactive whiteboard before letting the children explore it themselves. The checklist of planets is a great way to keep the activity focused while encouraging investigation. I also like the creative extension of drawing a favourite constellation and writing a story about it, as it integrates science with literacy and art. It sounds like a very engaging, hands-on lesson that would spark curiosity about the night sky.
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Hi Lauren,
Welcome to the course. It is great to hear your feedback on Stellarium. As you have mentioned it is a great stimulus for learners to engage them in thinking and wondering about the night sky. It can also be helpful in guiding the learners for their own observations of the night sky at home. When specific planets are visible, I have shown my class how to find it on Stellarium, what direction to look in etc. and this has helped them at home. I also sent the link home for parents to engage with the resource too as some of my learners were very interested and engaged in this topic.
I like how you are planning to allow the learners to explore Stellarium and get familiar with finding different planets etc. and how you plan to extend this and explore the constellations too. This allows for integration with literacy and Art. Thanks for sharing, I hope you enjoy the course.
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If I were planning a Moon observation with my class, I would choose to observe the **waning crescent Moon** because it is visible in the **morning**, making it suitable for school hours. During the **2024–2025** school year, I would identify suitable dates using **Stellarium** or another astronomy app so that the Moon is above the horizon before or during the school day. Before going outside, I would ask the children to predict what shape they think the Moon will have and discuss why it does not always look the same. While observing, the children could sketch the Moon, note its position in the sky, and compare their observations with previous days to identify changes in its appearance. Back in the classroom, we would discuss the different phases of the Moon and explain that the phases are caused by the changing positions of the Earth, Moon, and Sun, rather than by the Earth’s shadow. To extend the activity, the children could keep a simple Moon journal for several weeks, recording the Moon’s shape and comparing it with photographs or images from Stellarium. This inquiry-based approach encourages careful observation, questioning, prediction, and recording of evidence while developing children’s understanding of the Moon and the patterns they can observe in the sky.
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I like how you have focused on the waning crescent Moon as it makes the activity much more manageable during the school day. Using Stellarium beforehand is a great idea as it would help the children know what to look for before heading outside. I also think the Moon journal is a lovely extension activity because it encourages the children to spot patterns and compare their observations over time. This sounds like a really engaging way to develop the children’s curiosity about space and the night sky.
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Using stellarium with sixth class.
I would begin with a prompt question or activity, such as what can we see when we look at the sky? Discuss the day/night changes, and then engage children in a discussion on whether the night sky changes. What changes occur? Can any features we typically think of as being night time features be seen during the day – the moon, the first stars to appear, venus.
We can now begin to discuss the position of the moon in relation to the time of the day.
We will use a model of the earth, the moon and the sun(torch) to investigate what is happening as the earth rotates.
We may decide to keep a moon observation log for a week or two, we could then report on our findings.
We can now progress to using the stellarium. I think this would really fascinate the children, I was completely amazed looking at it. They would love to explore the website, and then look towards the sky to check their findings.
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Hi Carol,
This sounds like a very engaging lesson for Sixth Class. I particularly like the progression from discussion, to using physical models, to recording real observations and finally exploring Stellarium. The Moon log would give the children meaningful evidence to compare with what they see on the website. Stellarium would also help them understand that the sky is constantly changing and encourage them to test their digital observations by looking at the real night sky.
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I’ve 3rd class next year and I’d let the children explore it rather than just watch me. We’d use Stellarium or WorldWide Telescope to zoom around the night sky, find planets and constellations, and see if they can spot things before I reveal the answers. I’d turn it into a little challenge with lots of questions, guessing and chatting. Children love being able to “fly” through space, so keeping it interactive and letting them take turns using it would keep them really engaged. I’d also link it to things they already know, like finding the Moon, spotting the Big Dipper or looking for planets they have heard of. We could finish with a quick quiz or a “space detective” challenge where they have to find a particular object using clues. Giving everyone a chance to explore and discover for themselves makes the learning much more exciting and memorable.
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I agree, I have 3rd class also and I think they would really enjoy the interactive element of Stellarium. Giving the children opportunities to explore and make predictions before revealing the answers would definitely make the learning more engaging. I also really like your idea of a “space detective” challenge and will include that when I’m teaching these topics.
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Using Stellarium as a teaching resource to identify The Plough/ aratrum. 2<sup>nd</sup> – 3<sup>rd</sup>Class
Firstly, as I teaching tool, after spending some time exploring both Stellarium and WorldWide Telescope, I decided to base my lesson using Stellarium because of it’s simplicity compared to WWT, which I found too complex and overwhelming given so many dropdown menus. It definitely was not user friendly!
- Location Opening Stellarium on the whiteboard, I would draw the children’s attention to the location from which The Plough is being observed – our school grounds. In my experience, building connections for the children enhances learning.
- Date/Time. We would discuss what happens when we drag the slider across a 24 hour time period to consider night and day.
Using prompt questions – Who knows?, What is?, Where is?, Why can we only see?… etc to consider what we know about this topic. I would be keen to link it to a simple descriptive writing activity of what the skies look like at night. On our Weekly Word Wall we could add appropriate words, sparkle, clear, dark, Constellation, North Star.
I would also link it to Science/Art lesson mentioned earlier in the module of building a model of the plough
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I would create an observing plan for the autumn that helps pupils track which planets are visible in the evening sky using a simple weekly routine. First, I would introduce the difference between planets and stars, explaining that planets move against the background of the stars and can be identified with tools such as Stellarium or WorldWide Telescope.
Next, I would choose a fixed observing time each week, just after sunset, and a safe viewing location with a clear western and southern horizon. Pupils could record the date, time, weather conditions, and any planets they spot, then mark their positions on a sky map or class chart.
I would make the task collaborative by assigning small groups to observe, sketch, and compare results, so children can notice changes across the season. To deepen learning, I would ask them to predict which planets might appear, test their ideas, and discuss why some are easier to see than others.
The lesson would end with a class display or digital presentation showing the autumn pattern of visible planets and the evidence gathered over time. Some of this may be assigned as homework. -
I think Stellarium could be a great resource for many different subjects as it provides lots of opportunities for discussion. I think this could be an excellent resource to introduce for a history lesson and the impact stars and the sky had on ancient civilisations. Exploring different stars on the website, such as Arcturus and Capella will encourage discussion among the pupils, such as the origins of their names and their impact on modern civilisation. The children could take part in projects, discussing how farmers, sailors, and ancient civilisations relied on the stars for navigation and timekeeping. During project work, pupils can draw a constellation they observed and write one fact about how it was used in the past. Concluding the lesson could involve a class discussion on how technology like Stellarium helps us explore the same night sky that people have observed for thousands of years and how navigation in the past compares to modern tools we use now instead.
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I have chosen to discuss topic 1: Create an observing plan that shows which planets are visible in the evening sky.
I would use the observing plan for the evening sky as an inquiry-based investigation with my 3rd class, following the Curious Minds/ESERO Framework for Inquiry that was introduced in the previous module.
To engage the children, I would begin by asking what they have noticed in the night sky and whether they think all the bright objects are stars. I would encourage them to make predictions about which planets might be visible before using Stellarium to explore the evening sky together.
During the investigate phase, pupils would become “sky detectives”, recording their observations at home over several weeks. They would note the date, time and weather conditions and make simple sketches of any planets they observed. Back in class, we would compare our findings and discuss any patterns that emerged.
To take the next steps, pupils could present their observations through graphs, posters or an online presentation and reflect on what they discovered. I like how this framework encourages children to ask questions, investigate, communicate their findings and develop curiosity through real-life learning experiences.
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I would creaete a lesson on the Moon in which children will engage in projects. Children will become moon dectectives and investigate how the moon changes over time. I would use the Stellarium to show children the postion of the moon and explore its different phases.
To investigage and engage the children the would look in the morning and see the moon if it is visible and ask questions to the children (Can you see the moon after sunrise, different weather). In class we would compare our observations and record what we have seen ovee a period of time and sketch a drawing. We would then compare what we seen to the simulation in Stellarium.
An extension could be children creating a moon journal for several weeks, children could complete this as part of homework.-
Hi Aisling
Welcome to the course. I like how you are planning to engage the learners as moon detectives. This might take some planning to ensure the moon is visible in the morning sky and you could check the lunar calendar on timeanddate.com to check for your local area.
Stellarium would be a lovely idea for the learners to plan their observations at home and even discuss the changes in the moon, introducing the phases of the moon. I like how you are planning to continue these observations at home too.
Thanks for sharing, I hope you enjoy the other modules.
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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?
The moon is best observed in the morning in the Waning Cresent phase of it’s lunar cycle.
The dates for this school year will be September 6th-10th, October 5th-9th, November 2nd-8th, December 2nd-8th, February 1st-2nd, March 2nd-4th, April 1st- 3rd, May 1st-3rd.
I would begin the series of lessons on this by showing the class images of the phases of the moon and what they look like.
We would then perform the Sun, moon and earth activity using the ball, chair and torch so the children can see how the light of the sun reflects of the moon and can make it look different.
I would then give each child a moon log to keep track of what we will observe. On a number of the dates mentioned above we would go outside to observe the moon and sketch what they look like. We would then compare and discuss our sketches in the classroom.
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Hi Julie
Welcome to the course. Thanks for sharing your lesson ideas on observing the moon.
It is great to have a plan for observing the moon with clear dates that the moon will be visible in the morning sky. I like how you plan to explore the phases of the moon with the class first as they are observing during the waning crescent. Knowing the phases of the moon, they might be able to identify which phases themselves with their knowledge.
I like how you are planning to extend the learning with the ball, chair and torch activity to allow for more knowledge about where the light from the moon comes from.
It is a great idea to have this prior knowledge before they begin their own observations so they can apply the knowledge to real life observations. Thanks for sharing, I hope you enjoy the course.
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I would begin this activity by asking the children in my class what they already know about the moon and what they would like to find out. We would talk about how the moon appears to change shape and discuss why it can be seen at different times. Using a simple moon calendar or Stellarium, we would explore when the moon is visible from our school.
The children would observe the moon over a number of days and record their findings through drawings, notes or photographs. We would share our observations as a class and discuss any patterns we notice. This activity would allow the children to practise important skills such as observing, questioning and recording information. It links well with the SESE curriculum by helping pupils understand more about the moon, the Earth and their connection. It would also encourage teamwork, discussion and curiosity as the children explore questions about space.
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Hi Laura,
Welcome to the course. To ensure the moon is visible in the morning time it is important to check the lunar calendar, I use timeanddate.com to find out the best time usually in the Waning Crescent.
I like how you are planning to observe the moon over a number of days and record the observations using multiple means. Photographs will also allow for comparisons of observations. As you have mentioned, it does allow for skills development along with collaboration and developing curiosity about the moon and space.
Thanks for sharing, I hope you enjoy the course.
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Create a short teaching resource using Stellarium/ WorldWide Telescope
I would start my lesson with my Senior Infant class by singing ‘Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star’ as we all know this nursery rhyme. I will ask them what they know about stars and when do we see them. Next I will show them Peppa Pigs ‘Stars’ episode https://youtu.be/_qSpPTWSfc4 and we will discuss what Peppa saw ~ North Star, & constellations.
I will then put Stellarium on the interactive whiteboard and show them the stars that are over our location and how to use the website. We will look at the different stars and constellations that are over us. Next I will split them into pairs and give each pair an iPad that is already set up with their location so they can look at them themselves and explore the sky. They can lie under the tables if they would like a darker place to carry out the activity.
As a follow up activity we will carry out an art activity where the children make the night sky using A3 black or dark blue paper, white and yellow paint, toothbrushes or paintbrushes & glitter. They will use the toothbrushes to splatter paint on the paper like stars.
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Moon phases activity:
I would plan this investigation as a one-month Moon observation activity, beginning during the waning crescent phase of the Moon, as this phase is visible in the morning sky and would provide an engaging stimulus for students. (Monday 7th of September). At the beginning of the activity, I would use a lamp to represent the Sun and a ball to represent the Moon to demonstrate that the Moon does not produce its own light. Students would observe that half of the Moon is always illuminated, but we see different amounts of the illuminated side as the Moon orbits the Earth.
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<div dir=”auto”>Students would use the NASA Moon Guide and Stellarium to identify the current phase of the Moon and predict how it should appear each week. They would maintain a Moon observation log, recording the date, time, weather conditions, a sketch of the Moon, and its position in the sky. Over the month, students would compare their observations as the Moon moves through different phases, discussing the predictable lunar cycle. This activity would develop students’ observation, recording, prediction, and inquiry skills while building a deeper understanding of the relationship between the Earth, Moon, and Sun.</div> -
Autumn Observing Plan: Planets in the Evening Sky (Senior Infants)
During autumn, the class will take part in a simple evening sky observation with support from parents as homework. Families will be asked to spend 5–10 minutes outside after sunset once a week and look for any bright planets visible in the evening sky. Before each observation, the teacher will identify which planets are expected to be visible using a child-friendly sky guide or planetarium app. Children will record their observations by colouring a simple sky picture, placing stickers where they spotted a bright planet, or drawing what they saw. Back in class, pupils will compare their observations and discuss similarities and differences, using simple language such as “high,” “low,” “bright,” or “near the Moon.” The teacher will display a class chart showing the planets observed during autumn and encourage children to notice that the evening sky changes over time. Safety reminders will emphasise observing after sunset and never looking directly at the Sun.-
<p style=”text-align: left;”>I really like your lesson plan David. It is great for pupils to be engaged with a lesson that family can be involved with and engages them with their locality. They can then report back to the rest of the class on their findings and integration with art in the lesson.</p>
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Create an observing plan for autumn that shows which planets are visible in the evening sky.
For this activity, I would turn my First Class pupils into Autumn Planet Explorers. The module encourages children to observe the night sky, distinguish planets from stars and use digital tools such as Stellarium to support an observing plan. It also highlights questioning, predicting, observing and recording as key skills.
Our plan would focus on three child-friendly targets for Autumn 2026. In September, children could search for bright Venus low in the west shortly after sunset and begin looking for Saturn. Venus reaches excellent evening visibility during September but disappears from the evening sky towards the end of the month. In October, Saturn would become our golden autumn planet. It reaches opposition on 4 October, meaning it rises around sunset and remains visible throughout the night. In November, we would continue observing Saturn, while adventurous families could look later in the evening for bright Jupiter rising in the east.
Each child would receive a Planet Passport containing one page for each month. With an adult, they would look from a safe, dark location and record the weather, direction, time and planet spotted using drawings, stickers or simple symbols. Before each observation, we would use Stellarium in class to rehearse where to look. A cardboard planet window could help children frame one small section of sky. Each successful observation would earn a stamp, and our findings would be added to a large classroom display. This would make stargazing imaginative, achievable and collaborative for the children in my First Class
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Hi Órla,
Welcome to the course and thanks for sharing your comprehensive planet explorers plan. I like how you are planning for both the learners own observations and using digital tools to build on and support their learning.
I really like your idea of a Planet Passport for the learners to record their observations and learning and giving them options as to how they can record their learning. I also really like how you will use Stellarium to guide their observations at home. Such a great idea to make stargazing imaginative and achievable as you have mentioned.
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<div class=”otQkpb” role=”heading” aria-level=”3″ data-animation-nesting=”” data-sfc-cp=”” data-sfc-root=”ep” data-sfc-cb=”” data-complete=”true” data-processed=”true” data-sae=”” data-copy-service-computed-style=”font-family: "Google Sans", Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; font-weight: 600; margin: 24px 0px 12px; text-decoration: none; border-bottom: 0px rgb(10, 10, 10);”>Observation Plan of the moon for first class. Allow pupils to research facts about the moon and listen to a story about the moon. Discuss how the moon can be visible/invisible during the day. We will observe the moon in<!–TgQPHd||[]–><span class=”T286Pc” data-sfc-cp=”” data-sfc-root=”ep” data-sfc-cb=”” data-complete=”true” data-copy-service-computed-style=”font-family: "Google Sans", Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 400; margin: 0px; text-decoration: none; border-bottom: 0px rgb(10, 10, 10);”> the yard at 09:30 AM. and look toward the southern or western sky. Pupils will have <!–TgQPHd||[]–></span><!–TgQPHd||[]–><span class=”T286Pc” data-sfc-cp=”” data-sfc-root=”ep” data-sfc-cb=”” data-complete=”true” data-copy-service-computed-style=”font-family: "Google Sans", Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 400; margin: 0px; text-decoration: none; border-bottom: 0px rgb(10, 10, 10);”>clipboards and can draw the shape of the half-moon and the surrounding sky. The class will go back</span><span class=”T286Pc” data-sfc-cp=”” data-sfc-root=”ep” data-sfc-cb=”” data-complete=”true” aria-owns=”action-menu-parent-container” data-copy-service-computed-style=”font-family: "Google Sans", Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 400; margin: 0px; text-decoration: none; border-bottom: 0px rgb(10, 10, 10);”><span class=”T286Pc” data-sfc-cp=”” data-sfc-root=”ep” data-sfc-cb=”” data-complete=”true” aria-owns=”action-menu-parent-container” data-copy-service-computed-style=”font-family: "Google Sans", Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 400; margin: 0px; text-decoration: none; border-bottom: 0px rgb(10, 10, 10);”> inside and discuss why the Moon looks white against the blue sky. We will follow this plan of observing the moon for the following dates.</span></span>
<div class=”n6owBd awi2gc” style=”text-align: center;” data-sfc-cp=”” data-sfc-root=”ep” data-sfc-cb=”” data-hveid=”CAEICRAA” data-complete=”true” data-processed=”true” data-copy-service-computed-style=”font-family: "Google Sans", Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 400; margin: 12px 0px 16px; text-decoration: none; border-bottom: 0px rgb(10, 10, 10);”>The best school-week mornings to look out the window or step outside in the <span class=”T286Pc” data-sfc-cp=”” data-sfc-root=”ep” data-sfc-cb=”” data-complete=”true” data-processed=”true” data-copy-service-computed-style=”font-family: "Google Sans", Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 400; margin: 0px; text-decoration: none; border-bottom: 0px rgb(10, 10, 10);”>Northern Hemisphere<!–TgQPHd||[]–></span> include<span class=”T286Pc” data-sfc-cp=”” data-sfc-root=”ep” data-sfc-cb=”” data-complete=”true” data-copy-service-computed-style=”font-family: "Google Sans", Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 400; margin: 0px; text-decoration: none; border-bottom: 0px rgb(10, 10, 10);”> 2–5 September, 2–5 October, 31 October–3 November, 30 November–3 December, </span><span class=”T286Pc” data-sfc-cp=”” data-sfc-root=”ep” data-sfc-cb=”” data-complete=”true” data-copy-service-computed-style=”font-family: "Google Sans", Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 400; margin: 0px; text-decoration: none; border-bottom: 0px rgb(10, 10, 10);”>1–4 March, 30 March–2 April, 28–30 April.<!–TgQPHd||[]–></span></div>
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I would introduce the activity by telling the pupils that they are becoming the school’s “Lunar Observation Team” and that their first challenge is to find an object normally associated with night in the morning sky. Before going outside, I would display the eight Moon phases without their names and ask pairs to predict which phase might remain visible after sunrise. 3rd class pupils could focus on shape, brightness and direction, while 4th class pupils could explain their reasoning using the relative positions of the Sun, Earth and Moon.
Because this is a small rural school, I would use the local landscape as part of the investigation. Groups would identify a safe observation point with a clear southern and south-western view and create a simple horizon map showing trees, roofs, hills and other landmarks. Roles could include Moon spotter, compass reader, timekeeper, weather recorder, sketch artist and reporter, allowing every child to make a meaningful contribution. The class would first locate the Moon with the naked eye and then record its shape, orientation, direction, estimated height, cloud cover and time. Pupils could measure height using “fists at arm’s length” or a simple cardboard clinometer.
Back indoors, each group would compare its drawing with NASA’s phase image and label the bright side, dark side and terminator. We would discuss why the Moon is visible during daytime and why crater shadows are clearer near quarter phases. Repeating the observation on a second morning would allow pupils to notice that the Moon changes position and illumination. The activity would conclude with a collaborative Moon journal, combining scientific observations, labelled sketches, descriptive writing and questions for future investigation. -
For this task, I chose an activity from the Framework for Inquiry. I think this approach would work really well with my 4th class as they enjoy asking questions and working together to solve problems. Instead of giving them all the answers, I would encourage them to investigate and come up with their own ideas. I would start the lesson by showing the class an image of the Moon and asking them what they notice and what they wonder about it. The children would share their ideas, and together we would choose a question to investigate, such as “Why does the Moon seem to change shape?” Working in small groups, they could use books, tablets, and simple models to explore their ideas before sharing their findings with the rest of the class. I like that this type of lesson allows every child to take part, whether they are recording ideas, researching information, or presenting their group’s findings. It also develops important skills such as listening, discussing, and explaining their thinking. It is important to let children explore ideas for themselves instead of always looking for the “right” answer straight away. I think this type of lesson would keep my 4th class interested because it starts with their own questions. It would also give me a chance to see how they are thinking and what misconceptions they might have, which would help me plan the next steps in their learning.
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As I teach Junior and Senior Infants, I would plan this activity to coincide with the Last Quarter Moon, as it is one of the best phases to observe during the morning from school. I would begin by reading Whatever Next! by Jill Murphy to spark the children’s curiosity. I would ask questions such as, “Does the Moon always look the same?” and encourage the children to share their ideas and make predictions. We would then go outside to observe the Moon from the school grounds and record our observations through simple drawings. Back in the classroom, we would compare our observations and discuss any patterns we noticed. I would use Stellarium on the interactive whiteboard to show why the Moon appears to change shape. To develop digital literacy, the children could sequence the Moon’s phases using an interative game, i saw twinkl had one and so did a website called bamboozle we could create a digital class Moon journal in Book Creator using drawings, photos and voice recordings. Through learning through play, I would provide a space-themed role-play area with astronaut costumes, rockets and “moon rocks” to encourage curiosity, exploration and scientific language.These activitis encourages children to ask questions, make predictions, observe carefully and communicate their findings.
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I teach 3rd to 6th class and I think the children would really enjoy being able to explore the night sky from our own locality. Many children have seen stars and the Moon, but they may not realise how much more there is to discover.
To introduce the lesson, I would ask the class what they can see in the sky during the day and at night. We would make a KWL chart and discuss any planets or constellations they have heard of. Using Stellarium on the interactive whiteboard, we would set our location to our school and investigate what the sky looks like above us. I would demonstrate how to search for objects and use the time controls to see how the night sky changes throughout the year.
The children would then work in pairs on the Chromebooks with a checklist of objects to find, including the Moon, Jupiter, the Plough and the International Space Station. Each pair would record one interesting fact and create a short information card about their favourite object.
To extend the lesson, the children could use Stellarium at home with their families and keep a simple Night Sky Journal for one week. They could sketch what they observe and compare their findings in class.
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I have chosen to plan an observation of the Moon. I will be teaching Senior Infants and 1st Class and I think it would work well because children are naturally fascinated when they realise that the Moon can sometimes be seen during the day. Many children think that the Moon only appears at night, so this activity would challenge that idea and encourage lots of questioning.
Before going outside, I would read the story Whatever Next! by Jill Murphy. We would discuss where the Moon is during the day and whether the children think we will be able to spot it from our school yard. The class would make predictions and draw what they think the Moon might look like.
We would then become Moon Detectives and go outside, the children would work in pairs to search the sky and, once they found the Moon, they would record what they saw. They could draw the shape of the Moon, describe the weather and place a sticker on a picture of the sky to show where they spotted it.
Back in the classroom, we would compare our drawings and talk about how the Moon changes shape throughout the month. As an extension activity, I would encourage the children to look for the Moon at home with their families and share their observations with the class. I think this is a lovely way to encourage curiosity and observation skills while linking Science, oral language and art in a way that is appropriate for younger children.
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To introduce the lesson, I would read Moon! Earth’s Best Friend by Stacy McAnulty. This picture book will engage interest with an introduction to the Moon, its phases, and its importance. It will help to elicit their prior knowledge and encourage curiosity for the observation activity.
The main focus of the lesson we would observe the Last Quarter Moon, as this is visible in the morning and is the most suitable for observation during the school day.During the 2026–2027 school year, opportunities for observation occur around 4 September, 3 October, 1 November, 1 December 2026 and 29 January, 28 February, 30 March and 28 April 2027.
The children would observe the Moon from the school playground,paying attention to its shape and the light and dark areas on its surface. They would record their observations by drawing what they see and compare their drawings with a Moon phases chart. Through discussion, I would encourage the children to think about why the Moon appears to change shape and guide them to understand that the Moon does not produce its own light but reflects sunlight.-
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Hi Jennifer,
Welcome to the course. It’s great to see your suggestion using picture books to spark curiosity and engage younger pupils.
Your discussion around why the moon appears to change shape is also very important, as it will help the students move from observation towards understanding. Explaining that the moon reflects sunlight rather than producing its own light is a key concept that could lead into further experiments on reflection and refraction in the classroom, such as using mirrors.
Thanks for sharing, and hope you enjoy the rest of the modules.
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An activity that would work well in my infant and special education class would be teaching about the nights sky using the web version of Stellarium. The children in my class are so enthusiastic about space and learning about the constellations and stars visible in the night sky would be a wonderful way to connect learning in school with parents and guardians at home possibly using seesaw or Aladdin to communicate. We often begin our lessons with a song to catch the attention of the young learners so I would start by using the stroybots videos about the moon and sun https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i235Y2HRksA . Using stellarium we could observe what will be visible in the night sky that evening with a particular focus on the moon, the planets or recognisable constellations such as Ursa Major. It would also be a lovely way for the children to see how the night sky changes depending on location, we have a very international population in the school so it would be lovely to show children the night sky of their birth country too.
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Hi Lorna
It is great that learning about the night sky will connect with the children’s love of space. The storybots song is a great introduction to the sun and moon. Using Stellarium not just to look at what is visible in the night sky above Ireland but alos to relate it to the country of birth of the children in your school or their parents is a great way to look at how the view of the night sky changes according to the observer’s location and the time of year. It is also a great way to great way to connect learning in school with home as children can observe the night sky at home or when out at night with their families.
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1. Create a short teaching resource using Stellarium/ WorldWide Telescope
Firstly I would check for the children’s PRK of the planets. I would give 1 tablet per group. Ensure that the children change their location and time on the app. The children will be given a prompt sheet with the questions?
List the planets can you see?
What position is it in?
Is the planet bright or dim?
Are there any planets near the moon?
Is it near any constellations?A differentiation activity would be to chose one planet; change the time and then observe the planet’s position as per the time. Children can investigate on stellarium why the position of the planet changes.
After they have done that, they can make comparisons with the list of planets. They can take a planet each and present their chosen planet to the class.
An early finishers activity would be to draw the planets and include any notable features.-
This would be a lovely idea for a project. with a partner, they could access on an iPad sites such as stellarium or worldside telescope with guide questions provided by the teacher. Suitable websites could be provided on a learning path or padlet so that children can easily access the information in a means that suits them. And finally each child to choose a planet to focus on for their project. project coudl be presented on Book creator with a mixture of text, photos, videos, voice recording, etc. making it accessible to all learners.
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Create an observing plan for autumn that shows which planets are visible in the evening sky.
Strand: Energy and Forces
Strand Unit: LightLearning Intentions
By the end of this investigation, pupils should be able to:
Identify planets visible in the autumn evening sky.
Distinguish between planets and stars using careful observation.
Use a simple star chart or astronomy app to locate planets.
Record observations over several weeks and identify changes in the planets’ positions.
Explain why different planets are visible at different times of the year.The children will be given an observation journal to bring home and a compass. They will observe the sun roughly 30-60 minutes after sunset. Before each observation the children with the help of their parents will check the Stellarium app to check which planets are visible. They will investigate which planets can be observed in the autumn evening sky and how their positions change over time. During their observations they will record the date and time, weather conditions, planet observed, direction. They will sketch the planet’s position in regards to nearby stars. They will complete this investigation once a week during Autumn.
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Select from one of the activities in the Framework for Inquiry:
Seeing Stars – Looking at the Plough
To get the children excited, I would start by asking if they have ever spotted a giant saucepan in the night sky. I’ll show them a picture of the Plough and explain that while these stars look flat and close together to us, they are actually at completely different distances in deep space.To prove this, we will build a 3D model. I will group students of mixed ability. I teach Senior Infants and 1st class so I would have a mix of each in both. First, students will stick a map of the Plough onto black card and poke holes to mark the star positions. Next, they will measure and cut plastic straws to different lengths, which represent how far each star is from Earth. We will stand the straws up with blu-tack and top them with yellow plasticine “stars.” Duhbe, the furthest star, goes flat on the card, while Mizar, the closest, gets the tallest straw.
Finally, students will stick their card under their desks. Looking straight up from underneath, they will see the familiar shape of the Plough. But when they look from the side, they will see the true 3D depths.
This hands-on lesson is a fantastic, simple way to bring astronomy to life, helping children visualise 3D perspective in a very memorable way.
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I love how you have used a concrete object such as the saucepan as your hook to engage the children with the topic of the Plough. I also loved the sample of the 3D Plough in the stars that was demonstrated during this module. I can’t wait to make this with my own children as well as in school. I showed my seven-year-old son the video, and he is dying to give it a go. He loves crafting and anything related to space. He also sleeps on the top bunk, so he said he will hang it on the ceiling above where he sleeps. I think this activity is a wonderful way to combine creativity with science and helps children make a real connection between the night sky and the constellations they are learning about. I also like that it encourages curiosity, observation and discussion, making astronomy feel fun, memorable and accessible for young learners.
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Hi Louisa,
Welcome to the course.
I love the idea of using something the children will be familiar with – a saucepan – as the hook to get them interested in the lesson. It’s such an accessible and playful way to introduce the constellation!
The 3D model activity is a great hands-on, visual, and tactile way to help children understand that the stars may appear close together from Earth, but are actually at very different distances in space. Your suggestion to mix the class groups is also great for peer-learning opportunities.
Thanks for sharing, and hope you enjoy the rest of the modules.
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3. Plan to Observe the Moon – which phase of the Moon is best for observing in the morning from school?
The best time for primary school children to observe the Moon during the school day is when it is just after Last Quarter. This is when the Moon rises around midnight and remains visible throughout the morning, making it easy to spot before lunchtime. I would aim to commence recording this from the beginning of October, and continue into Nov, Dec noting the date , time etc each time. Good school-morning observing dates in the new school year 2026/2027 are 3 Oct, 1 Nov and 1 Dec.
The edge between the bright and dark parts of the Moon helps craters and mountains show up more clearly. Children can look at the Moon with their eyes, use binoculars or a small telescope, and draw what they see. They can notice the Moon’s shape, where it is in the sky, and how it changes over the month. Teachers can encourage pupils to write down the date, time and weather, and compare their drawings from different mornings to see how the Moon changes over time.-
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Hi Elizabeth,
Welcome to the course.
Thanks for sharing such a clear plan for observing the Moon with your class. I really like how you would have the children record the date, time and weather conditions each time they observe. This encourages careful scientific observation and helps pupils understand that conditions can affect what we are able to see in the sky. The suggestion of using binoculars or a small telescope would make the activity even more engaging.
Hope you enjoy the rest of the modules!
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Q.3 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?
From my research, the Last Quarter and Waning Crescent phases are best for morning observation. The best month for viewing this moon in my location in 2026 will be October, so this is a lesson I would aim to teach then. My lesson is planned for a senior class setting.
Lesson introduction- The lesson would start by discussing whether or not the moon is visible during the day. We would then explore the various phases of the moon.
Main activity- First the students would research where is the moon is online using some of the websites suggested in Module 2 e.g. Timeanddate.com. The children would then put this into real life practice. Using the resource ‘the moon observation log’, the children would take note of the appearance of the moon every morning for a week. The children could also do this at home on the weekend of that week.
Extension activities-
I could give the children a challenge to recreate the model of the moon in the classroom e.g. the ball and lamp.
The children could also explore the moon at night and use the moon observation log to record their findings.
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Create a short teaching resource using Stellarium/ WorldWide Telescope:
For 5th Class pupils
To begin the lesson I would set out the learning objective:( to explore the night sky , famous constellations and planets within our solar system using our new digital tools ), we would draw up a KWL chart to allow the children to recall prior learning and to spark questions and curiosity for the lesson ahead.
Using the IWB I would demonstrate for the class how to get started on Stellarium , ensuring the location is set to Ireland and we would set a time to explore constellations using’constellation art. The children would record what we found.
Once Worldwide Web has been explained to the class, going into ‘explore’, ‘look at: planet’ and ‘Imagery- I would give a prompt sheet to send the children on a ‘scavenger hunt’ of our solar system to allow for practise using the site, exporing each planet and recording any interesting details they find, colour, size, craters, moons, mountains
The children would record findings into the KWL chart
To incorporate STEM into our lesson I would encourage the children to recreate a constellation on choice using a pin-star light box.
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Hi Lorraine
Welcome to the course. I like the idea of the Scavenger Hunt sheet as it allows children to explore the site independently but giving them some direction in their explorations so that they are exploring with a purpose. Rather than passively learning about the planets from a book, they can find out information for themselves and share what they have learned. Making their own constellation is a nice way to round off the lesson.
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I think the children would really enjoy using the Moon Observation Sheet shared as a resource in the course to track and record the daily observations.
The best time to observe the Moon from school in the morning is during the waning phases, especially around the Last Quarter Moon. During this phase, the Moon is visible in the morning sky and is often high enough to observe before or during the school day.
The half-lit Moon is a great stage to study because the shadows along the edge of light and darkness make features like craters and mountains easier to see.
Starting in September 2026, good dates for morning Moon observations are around:
4 September 2026 (Last Quarter Moon), 3 October 2026 (Last Quarter Moon), 1 November 2026 (Last Quarter Moon) and 1 December 2026 (Last Quarter Moon).Pupils can record what they see by drawing the Moon’s shape, noting its position in the sky, and comparing observations over time.
This simple activity helps pupils develop observation skills while learning about the Moon’s phases, its orbit around Earth, and the connection between science and the world around them. -
Q3 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 waning crescent moon is the best phase to observe the moon in the morning. NASA’s Daily Moon Guide could be used as a resource to support the children’s learning.
Observations can take place the week before each new moon.
Possible observation dates from September 2026 are:
6th -10th September, 5th -9th October, 2nd- 8th November and 2nd – 8th December.
1st-2nd February, 2nd-4th March, 1st-3rd April and 1st-3rd May 2027
– Look at the moon between 9.30 and 11 am.
– Draw the shape of the moon in the sky
– Record the time and date of the observation
Children could also make moon recordings at night time, as part of their homework and compare their drawings and observation times with their classmates at school 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?
I love focusing on the Moon! I teach the song, Harvest Moon – and the students will look and paint Pink Moons with their classteachers. But the idea of it waxing/waning and learning that language is significant. The man in the moon, button moon etc – so what I would do would be to create a musical based on the findings of observing the moon. That would be such a lovely way to start the morning – I’m only sad that I’m not a classteacher – because those daily captures would be fabulous! Along the rain collections and measuring those. A gorgeous way to embed looking up at the moon. I assume it means 2026-27, and I would probably look ahead and see if there is a pink moon, or an eclipse etc coming up. BUT more importantly I’d look to see if the Full moon has any direct impact on behaviour and sleep patterns!
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Q2: I intend to use the Stellarium software to help my 4th class students locate the North Star and recognise other bright stars. I would also use it to study the night sky above our local area. I would begin this lesson with a discussion about why people have used stars for navigation throughout history. I would show Stellarium on the interactive whiteboard and set the location to our local area. The students could also do this on their own tablets in pairs. The students would observe the night sky and identify the Big Dipper (Plough), using its pointer stars to locate Polaris (the North Star). I would demonstrate how Polaris remains almost fixed in the northern sky while other stars appear to rotate around it. The students would then explore the positions of other bright stars and constellations, such as Vega and Orion, using the software’s search and labelling features. In pairs the students would complete a star map activity, identifying key stars and recording their observations, before discussing how the night sky changes with the seasons. They could then share their findings with 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?
For the new school year 2026/27 I would begin with some pictures of the moon to prompt discussion around when we see it. I would include some pictures of the moon at night as well as during the day.
For times of day we could either observe it in the south/south east from around 1pm onwards (possible with children from 1st class up), or in the morning time before 11.30am in the west/south west (for junior or senior infants to suit the shorter school day).
The moon is usually visible during the daytime for roughly 2 weeks out of each month, however I have to allow for the possibility of overcast weather making it harder to see. In October the week of the 19th would have the moon visible in that afternoon ‘window’ (after 1pm), and the week of the 25th of January 2027 would have it visible for the morning. -
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My plan to observe the moon phases with my Senior Infants next year would begin with a Story-time based on the moon such as “I love you to the Moon and back” or “Zoom to the Moon” prior to one of the weeks when the moon will be visible in the mornings. Also, a song or rhyme such as The Moon Song lullaby would be lovely trigger. In 2026 /2027 these will be: October 4 – October 12 / November 3 – November 10 / December 3 – December 10 / January 1 – January 8/ January 31 – February 7 /March 1 – March 8, & March 30 – April 6 / April 28 – May 6 / May 28 – June 4. We will go outside every morning for the week to observe and investigate and I will give the children moon observation logs to draw and record changes in the appearance of the moon every morning. We can also take photos for the school Padlet to show the results. A large, collaborative puffy paint or paper-mache display could be done at the end of the week also to show the moon in its different phases. In my experience with infants the children are always so fascinated to see the moon in the morning so I know they will love this inquiry and all the cross curricular links it will lead to!
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Plan to observe the Moon:
I will introduce this lesson by asking the children when they see the Moon in the sky as many may not realise it can be visible during the day. We will then look at the Paxi and our Moon video from Esero to give the children an introduction to phases and eclipses of the Moon in a way that will grab the students attention. Next we will decide to observe the Moon for ourselves using the Ersero Moon Observation log. We will do this at the same time, twice a week over the course of a month and compare the differences. We will the ‘timeanddate’ website to see what phase the moon is at each day and figure out during which phase gives us the best view of the Moon. We will also use the Stellarium website to observe the appearance of the Moon and compare it to our own drawings.
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Hi Siobhan,
Welcome to the course. Thanks for sharing your plan for observing the Moon. I really like that you would begin by asking children when they usually see the Moon, as this could lead to interesting discussion around the fact that it is sometimes visible during the day.
Using the Paxi and ESERO Moon videos is a great way to introduce phases and eclipses in an engaging and age-appropriate way. The Moon Observation Log would then give pupils a clear structure for recording what they see over time. I also like how you would compare pupils’ own drawings with Stellarium and the information from timeanddate, as this brings together observation, digital learning and discussion.
To strengthen the lesson further, you could identify the best Moon phase for school observation, such as the Last Quarter Moon, and include specific dates and morning times. Pupils could also record weather conditions and the Moon’s position in the sky.
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Observation of the moon phase
I would begin with a lesson about the moon. Looking at photographs of the moon – when do we see the moon? Is it always the same size? Have you ever seen it during the day?
Video about the moon: Paxi and our Moon – the moon and eclipses
Explain to the children that we will be observing the moon during its last quarter phase each morning for a week. Children will use observation sheet – draw a sketch of the moon each day, record date and time. This phase occurs early in Sept/Oct/Nov this year (the week of the 8th of Sept, etc.) This can be checked online on timeanddate.com and where is the moon? Website.
This would provide opportunities for integration with Art. The children could create a piece of art based on this moon phase, using materials such as pastels, charcoal, paint, etc.
This would lead naturally on to a series of lessons about stars and constellations. Lots of fabulous resources available online including stellarium and the world wide telescope. Lots opportunities for experimenting and creating models of star constellations, etc. -
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During autumn, students will explore the evening sky by making simple observations each month. In Month 1, students will learn how to find north, use a simple star chart or sky app, and safely observe the sky after sunset. They will look for any bright planets that are visable and record what they see in an observation journal.
In Month 2, students will observe the sky again and compare there findings. They will draw simple sketches of the planets positions and notice how they change over time. Students can talk about what they noticed with a partner or small group.
In Month 3, students will look back at all there observations and discuss what they found. They will explain why the planets seem to move across the sky during autumn. Students will share there learning by creating a short presentation, poster, or observation diary. By the end of the learning block, students should be able to identify some bright planets and understand that the night sky changes throughout the season.
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Hi John,
Welcome to the course. Thanks for sharing your observation plan for autumn. I really like how you have structured this over three months, as it would allow pupils to see that the night sky changes gradually over time rather than being fixed.
Beginning with skills such as finding north, using a star chart or sky app, and observing safely after sunset is a very practical starting point. The use of observation journals would also encourage pupils to record carefully and compare their findings from month to month.
I also like the opportunities for discussion, sketching and sharing learning through posters or presentations. To strengthen the plan further, you could include the specific planets visible during autumn, along with suggested dates and times for observation. This would give pupils a clearer focus when looking at the evening sky. Thanks for sharing.
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2. Create a short teaching resource using Stellarium/ WorldWide Telescope
Stellarium is an application that I was not familiar with before. The app is very easy to use and would be quick for the children to pick it up.
I would get the children to use the app to explore the sky around them at their home and in school. While in school I would get the children to explore the sky and try and locate different items such as: 5 satellites, 5 different stars and another unique item (such as a spiral galaxy). The children could then complete this activity at their homes and compare their findings to school. Did they find the same things, was it very different? I would also encourage the children to see if they could see the different stars/satellites in the sky themselves.
We could compare these results at different times during the year to see how our sky changes during the seasons.-
Hi Colm,
Welcome to the course.
Thanks for sharing your ideas for using Stellarium. It is great that you found the app accessible, as it can be a very engaging way for pupils to explore the night sky and develop their digital learning skills.
I really like your idea of asking children to investigate the sky both at school and at home, and then compare their findings. This would help them understand that what we see in the sky can vary depending on location, time and viewing conditions. Looking for stars, satellites and other objects would also encourage curiosity and careful observation.
Comparing results at different times of the year is a lovely extension, as it would help pupils notice seasonal changes in the night sky. To support the activity, you could provide a simple checklist or observation sheet to guide their exploration.
Hope you enjoy the rest of the modules.
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Hi Colm, I really enjoyed reading your post. I’d never used Stellarium before this module either, but I can definitely see myself using it in the classroom. I like your idea of getting the children to compare what they can see at school and at home, as it makes the learning much more personal and meaningful. It would also be really interesting to revisit the activity at different times of the year and see how the night sky changes.i
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I would choose the “Draw Your Own Constellation” activity as I think it would really capture the children’s imagination while helping them to understand what constellations are. I like that the activity combines Science with Art and oral language, making it accessible and engaging for younger children.
To begin, I would show the class photographs of the night sky and ask them if they recognise any groups of stars or have ever looked up at the stars on a clear night. We’d discuss how people long ago joined stars together to create pictures and stories, and how these became known as constellations. I would introduce a few well-known constellations, such as The Plough, before giving the children the opportunity to create their own.
Working in pairs, the children would use dot patterns to design a constellation before joining the stars together and deciding what they could see. They would then create a short story about their constellation and share it with the rest of the class. I think this would encourage lots of creativity and discussion while also developing observation and communication skills.
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Create a short teaching resource using Stellarium
I would incorporate Stellarium into a literacy lesson based on a novel I read with my class ‘The Owl who was afraid of the Dark’. We would review chapter 5 – Dark is Wonderful discussing the information Plop the Owl learned about the night sky. I would record Plop’s stars, namely the constellation Orion, the pole star and Sirius and the hints the astronomer gave him to find them.
The next stage of the lesson would be to take out our chromebooks and access Stellarium web. The children’s mission is to locate Plop’s stars in the night sky at 8pm, December 11th 2025.
Mission 1: Find Orion the Hunter
1. Turn on Constellation Lines (the starry person icon at the bottom).
2. Look toward the South-East (SE) sky.
3. Find the three bright stars in a straight line (Orion’s Belt).
4. Question: What shape or object is Orion holding on your screen?Mission 2: Find Sirius (The Dog Star)
1. Follow the three stars of Orion’s Belt down and to the left.
2. Look for the brightest flashing star in the entire sky.
3. Question: Click on Sirius. Look at the left info panel. What colour is it?Mission 3: Find the Pole Star (Polaris)
1. Turn your screen completely around to face North (N).
2. Look high up for the star that sits directly above the North marker.
3. Question: Tap the time forward fast. Do the other stars move? Does the Pole Star move?We will then use Stellarium to figure out if Orion is visible tonight or when is the next night it is visible and task the children with finding it at home.
I could finish the lesson with a short Kahoot quiz asking the children to identify common constellations.-
Hi Garrett
That sounds like a lovely lesson and a great tie in your literacy lesson on “The owl who was afraid of the dark”. I’m sure the story will capture the children’s imagination and they will enjoy finding the constellations named in the book and investigating when they can be visible in the night sky in Ireland. It would be a lovely idea to extend the learning into homework and asking the children to look at the sky at home in the evenings when Orion or other constellations are visible. The Kahoot quiz with pictures of constellations is a nice way to recap on what they have learned.
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Create a short teaching resource using Stellarium/ WorldWide Telescope
I would use the app Stellarium after a period of study on stars and constellations in general. Using engaging videos and prompts, the children would begin to identify some of the more well known constellations. For my lesson using Stellarium, I would start by allowing the children to browse the app and discover the features it has. I would also have the children build their own Northern Hemisphere star wheel (using Uncle Al’s Star Wheel template) and learn how to use it to identify stars (in particular the North Star) and constellations visible at different times of the year. They will then use the Stellarium app to compare their star wheel with a virtual night sky, helping them recognise key constellations. This would also help them understand how the sky changes with time and seasons and develop basic observation skills. This hands-on lesson combines model-making with digital exploration to introduce children to the night sky in an engaging and accessible way.
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Hi Anna
I love the idea of using many different approaches to study the same thing. After using videos and pictures to learn about some of the constellations, children should be more prepared to engage with the Stellarium map and to make their star wheel. By using both the physical and digital tools, children can compare them with each other and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each. By trying them out in school and then hopefully at home at night, some children may find the star wheel easier to work with while others will favour the Stellarium ap.
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Question 2: Create a short Teaching resoucr using Stellarium
Firstly, I am so grateful that I have found thiscourse as I have never heard of Stellarium before an it looks fascinating.
Thsi resource needs to be downloaded on the devuces and it is an open source software taht dispalys a highly, realistic 3D map of teh nights Sky.
I would send out info to famiktes how to use this app at home.
Once it is set up you can put in your location or any default location.
With my 1st, 2nd and 3rd classes, we would focus on looking at the stars in the night sky over Carlingford Lough, Co. Louth.
It works by using astronomical info to simulate the exact positions of stars, planets, and constellations from anywhere on Earth, and in our lesson Carlingford.
The children would eb asked to do this on a particular night and then we would self-assess the next day.
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Catherine I love this idea for your 1st, 2nd & 3rd class. Great to get their families involved also and get everyone to observe on the same night. There are so many ideas to extend this learning in the classroom e.g. making 3D models of what they observed, looking at other parts of the world and the position of the stars, planets and constellations there. Its so interactive and children would be really engaged and it would spark a real curiosity in them.
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I like how you plan to involve families by encouraging pupils to use Stellarium at home as it helps extend the learning beyond the classroom. Focusing on the local night sky over Carlingford Lough is a great idea and makes the activity more meaningful for the children. The follow-up discussion and self-assessment the next day would also be a great way to reinforce their learning.
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3. 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 phase of the moon that would be best to observe at school in the morning would be ‘The Third Quarter (or the Last Quarter) Moon. This would be best as it rises around midnight, reaches its peak high in the southern sky at dawn, and remains visible on a clear morning high in the sky. This would suit our 8:50 start and so we could drop our bags off in the room, keep our coats on and pop out to view and discuss the moon.
I always associate the moon and art related to the moon with the winter months and so I think a lesson on the moon would fit in nicely after Halloween. A quick Google search says that the first week in November would be the best time to see this particular phase of the moon and it would be good to draw the children’s attention to the moon being in the sky during the daytime as they often think it disappears once the sun comes up.
It might be a nice activity to complete a moon log during the month too. -
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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 in 2024- 2025?
I would begin teaching my First and Second Multiclass by reading the story of the ‘Moon Man’ by Tomi Ungerer.
It is also available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGkpKApCouE
It tells the story of the man in the moon curious about Earth and wanting to dance after seeing a party on Earth. He grabs a passing comet and lands on Earth where he gets arrested and put in jail. Fortunately he waits as the waning phase of the moon approaches half his body disappears so he can slip out through the bars of his cell and then enjoys life on Earth but misses his life of peace on the moon and is still pursued. He then meets a scientist who has invented the rocket ship to the moon who is able to send him back to the moon. The pictures show the phases of the moon and would introduce the pupils to connect with learning about the moon. After the story we would see the dates when we can spot the moon from the classroom and we would place these on a poster on the wall.
We would also integrate with other subjects such as science and draw what we see when we look at the moon and the light and dark side. We could use a flour tray activity to simulate meteorites from a height and how the craters are formed.
The pupils could also use torches and lights to simulate the phases of the moon.
The dates we would look at the moon are on this list. I have used the dates for 2026 to 2027 as these would be useful to have for my planning. These dates are for either morning or afternoon or both sometimes.
2026
Tuesday, 1 September 2026
Wednesday, 2 September 2026
Friday, 4 September 2026
Wednesday, 30 September 2026
Thursday, 1 October 2026
Friday, 2 October 2026
Tuesday, 3 November 2026
Friday, 27 November 2026
Monday, 30 November 2026
Tuesday, 1 December 2026
2027
Tuesday, 26 January 2027
Wednesday, 27 January 2027
Friday, 29 January 2027
Wednesday, 24 February 2027
Thursday, 25 February 2027
Friday, 26 February 2027
Thursday, 25 March 2027
Friday, 26 March 2027
Tuesday, 30 March 2027
Monday, 26 April 2027
Tuesday, 27 April 2027
Wednesday, 28 April 2027
Monday, 24 May 2027
Tuesday, 25 May 2027
Wednesday, 26 May 2027
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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 2026- 2027?
I love the idea of observing the moon with the class. I would start by asking the children what they know about the moon and how they think we could observe it. Address any misconceptions that the moon is only visible at night. Explain that we are going to observe the moon during the day at different times of the year to see how it changes and what we notice about it. I would create a display board in the classroom having the dates clearly labelled as to when we would observe the moon (One section per month). I would allow the children to draw the moon as they observe it and then display the drawings. I think it would be a great way for the children to see the changes in the moon by seeing their own drawings at different times of the year. It would be a class project and I would also encourage the children to observe the moon outside of school and see do they notice any other changes. I feel this could be an ongoing project for the year and we could link many other subjects to it e.g. we could write stories about visiting the moon, we could design space suits, we could look at gravity in a science lesson.
The moon phase which is best for observing in the morning is the waning crescent and the dates for the next school year are 3<sup>rd</sup>-4<sup>th</sup> Sept, 2<sup>nd</sup> -3<sup>rd</sup> Oct, 1<sup>st</sup> Nov, 30<sup>th</sup> Nov – 1<sup>st</sup> Dec, 30<sup>th</sup> Dec, 28<sup>th</sup> Jan, 26<sup>th</sup> Feb, 27<sup>th</sup> Mar, 25<sup>th</sup> Apr, 24<sup>th</sup> May, 22<sup>nd</sup> June
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An autumn observing activity can be carried out in the school grounds. Before the lesson, use a planetarium app or sky map to identify which planets will be visible in the evening. During class, discuss where these planets will appear after sunset and compare their positions with the Sun’s path. If a planet such as Venus is visible during daylight, pupils can observe it safely under the teacher’s guidance . Pupils can use a model of the Solar System, star charts, and a compass to predict where Jupiter or Saturn will appear that evening. They can mark the directions on the playground using chalk and practice locating east, south, and west. Pupils record predictions in a science notebook and compare them with images from astronomy websites or a planetarium app the following day. This develops observation, prediction, recording, and spatial awareness skills while making astronomy practical and accessible.
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I decided to think of a lesson based on the Stellarium. I work in a Special school, and my class level is between 6–8-year-olds with moderate additional needs. My students love our multi-sensory room where we can create a night sky so I think this would be a good starting stimulus. I would then ask my students about the night sky-what have you seen, do you know any words for these objects in the sky etc. I would use pictures as visuals and lamh signs for the sun, moon and stars.
I would then open stellarium on the projector. We would start by finding today’s sky. I ask the students what they can see using the previous symbols and photos. I would then turn time forward to darkness-I would ask what they observe. Can you see any bright stars? I would then use the time controls to watch the night sky move and discuss.
I would then bring the students back together for a sensory activity using a sensory tray which my students absolutely love. They can use glitter for stars or glow in the dark stickers if they choose a night sky.
I would finish then with some songs themed around the moon, stars and the sun. As my students absolutely love music. i would play songs and ask them to tell me the word that matches the song-Mr. Sun for the sun, Twinkle Twinkle-star and Zoom, Zoom we’re going to the moon. I think this would be a great way of incorporating stellarium while making it accessible to my students.
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Question 2
I would love to use Stellarium as a resource during space week. It has excellent 3D images of the day and night sky and shows all the phases of the moon and its cycle. The tutorial online is great and you can set your location or use auto location so you can explore the sky in your local area.
I would start by using the book Zoo in the Sky which introduces constellations through stories and chat about some of the constellations they may already know the name of and how they think they are names. Do you know how to find north by looking at the night sky?Have you ever really studied the night sky or used a telescope?What are the different phases of the moon?
I would then introduce Stellarium, set our location and use its features to explore the night sky. I would ask them to record 3 facts/questions during the exploration which could include names of constellations they have learned about. We would locate a visible planet depending on the time of year and see how the night sky changes over time. There is also a speed up feature which really highlights this. What does this study of the night sky tell astronamers?Using their facts/questions and the i-pads in pairs, i would get the pupils in 5th to find 2 constellations and a planet and complete a few simple sketches to show their location. We could also sketch the various phases of the moon during its cycle in our copies.
The link to this website could be sent home and a homework piece could be to make some observations of the night sky and let the class know what they saw. Could they find the north star?
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For a morning observation from school, the waning (Last/Third Quarter) Moon is the best phase because it rises around midnight and remains visible throughout the morning, making it ideal for observations during the school day. During the 2026–2027 school year, suitable observation dates include **30 September 2026, 30 October 2026, 29 November 2026, 30 December 2026, 28 January 2027, 27 February 2027, 29 March 2027, 27 April 2027, 27 May 2027 and 25 June 2027** (approximately the Last Quarter each month).
In my special class for autistic pupils with high support needs, I would use the ESERO Ireland Moon observation resources to introduce the activity through simple visuals, photographs and a short video explaining the Moon’s phases. A visual timetable and first-then board would prepare pupils for going outdoors. With the support of two SNAs, pupils would observe the Moon from the school yard using picture prompts to identify its shape and position in the sky. Pupils would take photographs using a tablet and record their observations by matching the correct Moon phase picture, colouring the phase or placing a sticker into a Moon observation booklet. Back in the classroom, we would create a class photo portfolio and compare our observations over several months. This structured, visual and repetitive approach supports communication, prediction skills and scientific observation while making astronomy accessible and enjoyable for all learners.
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I would use Stellarium to introduce pupils to the night sky in an interactive and engaging way. I would begin by asking the children what stars, planets or constellations they already know before using Stellarium to explore the sky above our local area. Pupils would identify well-known constellations such as The Plough and locate the North Star. Working in pairs, they would complete a simple observation sheet by recording what they discovered and comparing their findings with other groups. I would encourage the children to ask questions and make predictions about why different stars and constellations appear throughout the year. This activity provides excellent links with Geography, Science and ICT while also developing observation, communication and teamwork skills. As an extension activity, pupils could use Stellarium at home to observe the night sky with their families and share their discoveries with the class. I think this hands-on approach would make learning about space much more meaningful and enjoyable.
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Autumn Evening Sky Observing Plan
The aim of the lesson is for children to observe and record which planets are visible in the autumn evening sky as part of their homework
The children will be asked to carry out weekly observations from September to November on clear, dark nights.
Prior to the observation we will use Stellarium in the class to see that Saturn rises in the east after sunset and Jupiter appears mid-evening in the south in September however in October and November Jupiter and Saturn are both high in the southern sky and easy to see. Venus appears low in the southwest at dusk. Mars rises later in the east.
The observation will be carried out in 3 steps:
1. Use a compass to find south and west.
2. At the same time each week, note planet positions, brightness, and colour.
3. Sketch the sky and record time, direction, and weather.At the end of the observation period. Students will compare weekly records. Students see that Jupiter and Saturn dominate autumn evenings, while Venus and Mars change position, showing planets move at different speeds.
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Hi Naomi,
Welcome to the course. I like how you plan to use Stellarium to help with observations of the night sky at home. This will help the learners to identify the planets of Jupiter and Saturn in November and December as you have outlined. While we can often see the lights in the sky we may not know that it is different planets that we can see which would allow for learning for everyone at home.
I like how you are planning for an observation record where they note the time, direction and weather as this can impact observations too. I like how you have planned for the learners to notice how the planets have changed position in the sky during this time. Thanks for sharing this observation plan.
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Q3. Plan to observe the moon.
Pupils will investigate how the Moon changes shape and position over time. The lesson begins with the inquiry question, “Why does the Moon look different from one day to the next?” Pupils predict what they expect to see before carrying out morning observations of the Last Quarter Moon, when it is most visible during school hours. Over several mornings, pupils record the date, time, weather conditions, the Moon’s position, and its visible shape using labelled drawings. Back in the classroom, pupils use a torch (representing the Sun) and a white polystyrene ball or foam ball on a skewer (representing the Moon) to model the Moon’s orbit around the Earth. As they move the ball around themselves, they observe how the illuminated portion changes, helping them understand why the Moon appears to have different phases. Pupils compare the model with their recorded observations, discuss patterns, and communicate explanations supported by evidence.
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Hi Sarah,
Welcome to the course. Thanks for sharing your observation plan for the moon. I like your starter question to allow for talk and discussion and some critical thinking. It can also help to address any misconceptions such as the moon only comes out at night.
I also like how you will encourage the learners to record the time, date and shape of the moon using labelled drawings. This will encourage the learners to show what they know, some may even be aware of the phases of the moon prior to this task and you can develop their understanding by using the ball on a skewer to represent these phases following the observations as you have mentioned.
Some great ideas, thanks for sharing. I hope you enjoy the course.
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This is a really nice plan, Sarah. I like that the children get to make their own predictions before they start observing the moon. Choosing the last quarter Moon is a great idea because it can be seen during the school day.
I also like that the children observe and record what they see over a few mornings. Using the torch and ball afterwards is a lovely way to help them understand why the moon changes shape. It gives the children a chance to compare what they saw with the model. I think this is a fun and practical activity that would work really well with any class.
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I have chosen “observing the moon ” and how I would engage the children in my class here as my assignment for Module 2.
I would begin by explaining the difference between day and night-sun and moon. I teach younger children so explaing that the moon doesnt change its shape – it remains a ball of rock and we only see parts of it sometimes because of the Sun as it travels around the Earth. The Oreo Moon Phase activity is a nice one here to explain the different moon phases – new moon/ crescent/half moon / full moon idea . Then the best part- they can eat the cookie!
I would also explain that sometimes we can see the moon in the daytime and we would observe this outdoors when it occurs.
The ESA Paxi and our moon phases is also a nice resource for the different moon phases.
The Moon observation log / sheet would be a lovely activity to give as homework where children shade in the different moon phases as they come.
I will also be using the Time and Date website and Where the moon shows website as resources to show upcoming phases .
From thid website I see that the upcoming Moon phases are 21/7 – first quarter
29/7 Full Moon
3rd quarter -6/8
12/8 New Moon.
This will be very useful during the school year to keep track of Moon phases. -
I chose to create a learning resource using Stellarium for a Junior Infant classroom. This could simply be presented to the children as an invitation to play. It uses playful pedagogy in the form of socio-dramatic play to encourage the children to learn about night and day and patterns in the sky.
Examples of learning experiences:Introduce the topic of space, planets, stars and the night sky with a picture book such as The Smeds and the Smoos or Night Monkey, Day Monkey.
You could transform an area of the classroom into a “Space Control Center.” Pupils wear cardboard astronaut helmets and use Stellarium Web as their giant rocket window.
Active Exploration: The teacher could use the time slider to fast-forward from day to night. Children actively move their bodies, “sleeping” when the screen turns dark and “waking up” as the digital sun rises.
You could also ensure some key competencies such as critical and creative thinking are explored, for example you could pause the simulation just before sunset. Ask pupils: “What do you think will happen to our shadows when the sun hides?” or “Where does the sun go?” This prompts them to analyze patterns and form early hypotheses based on visual evidence. You could also reveal a constellation like Ursa Major. Turn off the constellation lines and challenge pupils to use their imagination: “What shapes or animals can you see in these stars?” Tell the children Ursa Major is also known as the Big Bear. Pupils could then draw their own “sky dot-to-dots” on black paper using chalk, creating new stories for the stars they observed.-
I feel this is a highly engaging and developmentally appropriate learning experience for Junior Infants. I particularly like how you use playful pedagogy and socio-dramatic play to make abstract concepts such as day, night, and the movement of the sky meaningful for young children. The integration of Stellarium as a digital “rocket window” is a creative way to bring astronomy into the classroom, while the accompanying storybooks provide a strong literacy link. Your use of open-ended questioning encourages curiosity, prediction, and critical thinking, and the constellation activity gives children opportunities for creativity and imagination.
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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 will begin the lesson with a KWL chart and daytime Moon photographs to activate prior knowledge and challenge the misconception that the Moon only appears at night. Working in small groups, pupils will design a Moon Observation Journal to track key variables such as lunar appearance, position, date, time, and weather. The children will then record observations and write a short description on the moon during morning school hours. Finally, students will compare their journal drawings to discuss and understand how the moon changes its appearance depending on the phase.
The last quarter is the best lunar phase for morning viewing. The dates for 2026 and 2027 include:
2026 Dates
August: Aug 6 (Last Quarter)
September: Sept 4, Sept 30 (Last Quarter)
October: Oct 30
November: Nov 29
December: Dec 29
2027 Dates
January: Jan 27
February: Feb 26
March: March 28
April: April 27
May: May 27
June: June 25
July: July 25
August: Aug 24
September: Sept 23
October: Oct 23
November: Nov 22
December: Dec 22-
Hi Majella,
Welcome to the course. Thanks for sharing your observation plan along with the dates that would allow for observation of the moon.It is important to address the misconception that we only see the moon at night time and observing the moon during the school day will address this and allow for lots of discussion and critical thinking about the moon.
I also really like your plan to create an observation journal to record their observations and consider the different variables as you have outlined. As your observation dates are for the last quarter you could also consider exploring the other phases of the moon using photographs or resources such as Stellarium to further enhance the learners knowledge.
I hope you enjoy the other modules in this course.
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Module 2
3. 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?
We will start by introducing the topic of the moon and brainstorming what we know about the Moon. We will create a mindmap of this. We will look at and identify the eight main phases of the Moon and how its appearance changes over a month.
he Third Quarter phase will be the best for morning observation as the moon remains high in the sky during school hours.
We will learn how to use a compass with a simple moon map to locate the Moon from the school playground.
From research we have found that the following dates will be optimal for observations: September 2026: 4th–11th / October 2026: 3rd–11th / November 2026: 2nd–9th / December 2026: 1st–9th, and 31st
We will plan to observe during some of these dates when the Moon is visible during the school morning.
We will create a moon diary to sketch the Moon’s shape and position over a one-week period.
We will use some of the online resources outlined to compare our findings. -
Q3.
For my planned morning Moon observation with my class, I will observe the Last Quarter Moon because it is the most suitable phase to view during school hours. At this stage, the Moon is clearly visible in the morning sky and remains above the horizon until around midday, giving my pupils plenty of time to observe it. I will plan the activity around the Last Quarter Moon, for example on 24 September 2024 or 21 April 2025, when viewing conditions are at their best. I chose this phase because the boundary between the illuminated and dark sides of the Moon creates long shadows across its surface. These shadows make craters, mountains and valleys appear much more defined when viewed through binoculars or a telescope. This will provide my pupils with an excellent opportunity to identify key lunar features, understand why the Moon’s appearance changes throughout the month, and develop their observation and scientific inquiry skills.
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For this activity, I would use Stellarium to introduce children to the night sky in an interactive and engaging way. I would begin by asking the class what they already know about stars and planets and whether they have ever recognised any constellations. This would encourage discussion and allow children to share their own experiences.
Using Stellarium on the interactive whiteboard, I would show the night sky as it appears over our local area. Together, we would identify familiar constellations such as The Plough and explain how they can help us find the North Star. The children would also compare the appearance of stars and planets and discuss how planets appear to move differently across the sky.
To reinforce the learning, the children would work in pairs to create their own simple star maps or constellation pictures. They could also use black card, pins and a torch to make a constellation projector box, linking Science with Art and Design. Finally, the class would use Stellarium again to check if their observations matched the digital sky map. This activity develops observation, questioning, ICT and communication skills while promoting curiosity and inquiry-based STEM learning through a fun, hands-on experience. -
I would teach an interactive Stellarium lesson that invites students to become “Sky Detectives” as they explore the night sky and complete a series of astronomy missions. Students begin by learning how to navigate the software, including moving around the sky, searching for celestial objects, and changing the date and time. They then use these skills to locate stars, planets, and constellations such as Polaris, Orion, Jupiter, and Saturn, using clues rather than direct instructions. By speeding up time and changing the seasons, students observe how Earth’s rotation and orbit affect the appearance of the night sky. Additional challenges include identifying constellations without artwork, comparing the brightness and colour of planets, and discovering deep-sky objects such as galaxies or nebulae. The lesson concludes with an astronomy bingo or kahoot quiz where students apply what they have learned, encouraging teamwork, problem-solving, and scientific inquiry through hands-on exploration and observation.
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I would choose to create a short teaching resource using Stellarium to introduce children to the night sky in an engaging and interactive way. I would begin by asking the class what they already know about stars and planets and encourage them to share any experiences of looking at the night sky. Using Stellarium, I would display the sky as it appears from our local area in Ballina/Killaloe and allow the children to identify familiar constellations such as the Plough and locate bright planets. This visual approach would make abstract concepts much more meaningful.
To deepen learning, children would work in pairs to predict which objects they might be able to see that evening before checking their predictions at home with their families. The following day, they would share their observations, discuss any differences and record their findings in a simple astronomy journal. As a creative follow-up activity, pupils could design their own constellations and write a short myth or story to accompany them. This inquiry-based approach promotes curiosity, observation, critical thinking and home-school links while integrating Science, Geography, Art and Literacy.
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Reflecting back on my own teaching experience, space is often an exciting theme or topic to explore with students. I think perhaps one of the most interesting stories we have that is based on fact is the visit to the moon which the students always enjoy. Following on from this module, I would plan a lesson to observe with my Junior Infant class the moon, as this is something students are typically curious and intrigued about. Based on notes from this course and links provided by the slides, the best phase to observe the moon in the morning is the last or third quarter moon as it is clear to see in the morning sky before and during the school day. I would initiate dialogue with the children before going outside to jog their memories and establish what they already know about the moon – what it looks like etc. and encourage them to think about what they should expect to see outside (full moo, half moon, eclipse). We would then observe the moon from the safety of the yard, encouraging them to describe it to a friend – its colour, shape, position. As a form of inclusion and differentiation the children could draw what they see, or record their audio description of it to play back in class. When we return to the class, I would further reinforce learning by using the Esero Moon phase activity and simple photos to explain how the moon does not actually change shape, but rather humans or people are seeing different amounts of it based on how the sun light hits it.
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I really liked your idea of allowing the children to record an audio description of the moon as a way of including all learners. It is a lovely way to encourage children to use their language skills as well as their observation skills. I also think using the children’s questions and predictions before going outside would make the activity very engaging. It shows how a simple observation can lead to lots of discussion and further learning.
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Q. 3, 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?
The best phase of the moon for observing from school in the morning is the Last Quarter Moon because it is still visible after sunrise. For the 2026/2027 school year, I could plan observations around dates such as 3 September, 1 December 2026, or 29 January 2027.
I would introduce this activity with my 3rd and 4th class by discussing what they already know about the moon and the different phases they may have noticed. We would look at a moon phase calendar before going outside to observe and record what we see. The children could draw the moon, record the date and time, and compare their observations over a number of weeks.
I think this would be a great way to develop the children’s observation skills and encourage them to become more curious about the world around them. It would also link well with Science as they learn about the moon and the changes they can observe in the sky. I would hope that some children would continue looking at the moon at home and share their observations with the class.
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I think observing the moon would best suit the age group that I have. I would start by asking the children how old they think the moon is and draw a timeline back to the Vikings, the romans, the Greeks, cavemen, dinosaurs eg…I would then ask them to imagine people or animals looking up at the night sky and how they made sense of it, how it helped them and how important it was before artificial light. I would then introduce stories and myths that people created to explain the moon. I would further develop the topic with an art class on 3D shapes and shadows and connecting this to Aristotle using the moon to discover that the Earth was round. We would them copy Aristotle observing the moons phases and recording them. I think October would be a good month for this as it ties in with a Halloween theme. I would use the Heavens Above or Time and Date online resources to find out when the waning gibbous to third quarter of the moon is visible in the morning or waxing gibbous to first quarter in the afternoon in the western sky, whichever is closest to a suitable date.
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I really like how you’ve connected observing the Moon with history, storytelling and art. I think the idea of asking children to imagine how people in the past understood the Moon before artificial light would really capture their curiosity. The link to myths and legends is a lovely way to bring literacy into the topic too. I also like the connection to Aristotle and how children can become “Moon observers” themselves by recording the phases over time. October would work really well with the Halloween theme, especially with exploring the stories and beliefs people created about the Moon. I think the Heavens Above and Time and Date resources would be really useful for helping plan observations and making sure the children get a chance to see the Moon at the right time.
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3. The Last Quarter (Third Quarter) Moon is the best Moon phase to observe from school in the morning. At this time the Moon rises around midnight and is visible throughout the morning, setting around noon, making it an ideal time for observation during school hours. It is also a good time for pupils to see surface features such as craters, as the low angle of the sun creates good shadows. The course notes also mention that seeing the Moon in the morning helps the children to understand that the Moon is not just visible at night and ties in well with learning about light, shadows and the relationship between the Earth, Moon and Sun.
While the question asked about the school year 2024/2025, I assume it actually means this year, so for the 2026–2027 school year, the Last Quarter Moon dates are:
26 September 2026
25 October 2026
24 November 2026
20 December 2026
10 January 2027
28 February 2027
30 March 2027
28 April 2027
28 May 2027
27 June 2027I’d set aside a quick morning observation for sometime in these few days. Before going outside I would ask the children to predict what they expect to see and encourage them to record observations through sketches and simple notes. Then we could talk about why you can see the Moon during the day, and model the positions of the Earth, Moon and Sun using a globe and lamp. This would help develop observation, questioning and scientific thinking skills and reinforce inquiry based learning.
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For this assignment I will explore how I would engage my fourth, fifth and sixth class students with a unit of work on observing the moon. I would do this at the beginning of the school year and the best dates of this are 8-10 September 4-8th October, 2-6 November and 3-8 December. I would complete the moon observations in the mornings as this is the best time of the day to observe the moon. I would use the resource ESERO 62 as a resource and begin the unit of work with an engaging prompt such as photograph of the moon, I would then ask the children some questions and encourage them to share their wonderings.
We would then use a simple model of a moon and the sun, made by using a ball and a lamp to investigate how the moons phases are caused by the changings positions of the Earth, moon and sun. Throughout the project the children would maintain a moon observation long, recording the moon’s appearance through sketches, times, dates, observations etc. -
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 like the idea of observing the Moon in the mornings and the discussions that this would open up. I would plan one Moon observation each month on a school morning close to the last quarter phase when it usually remains visible during the morning. Using calendars of the Moon and my own school calendar I would choose these realistic dates for observation to avoid closures and weekends etc:
4 September 2026
5 October 2026
2 November 2026
1 December 2026
29 January 2027
1 March 2027
30 March 2027
28 April 2027
28 May 2027I would aim to observe at about 9am from the same area of the school yard. The children would record the date time weather direction height in the sky and shape of the Moon. If the weather clouds our view, we could note that and try again on the following day. We would sketch or photograph it and compare our results each month.
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I feel for primary school children, the focus should be on recognising the brightest planets with the naked eye, rather than identifying every planet independently. Children can learn to recognise planets by looking for a few simple features:
◦ Planets do not twinkle as much as stars. They usually shine with a steadier light.
◦ They are very bright, often brighter than the surrounding stars.
◦ They appear along the same path across the sky where the Sun and Moon travel.
◦ Their position changes slowly from week to week compared with the fixed patterns of the constellations.
Home observing activity with support of a parent or guardian (in child’s garden, a local park, or another safe outdoor space):
1. Before doing an observation at home, show children a sky map or use a free app such as Stellarium or Sky Tonight to identify which planet will be visible.
2. Ask pupils to find the brightest steady “star” in the correct part of the sky (on a clear evening)
3. Have them record the date, time, weather, direction (east, south, west) and draw what they see.
4. Get them to repeat observations over several weeks to notice that the planet changes position against the background stars.
Younger pupils (ages 5–8) could focus on one easily visible planet, such as Saturn, Jupiter, or Venus (depending on the time of year), rather than trying to identify several planets at once. This keeps the activity manageable while helping children develop observation skills and an understanding that planets are different from stars.
If home observation is not possible because of weather, safety, or light pollution, the activity can be supplemented with photographs, planetarium software, or videos in the classroom.
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I think both resources Stellarium and Worldwide Telescope are fabulous and they both have the wow factor to impress any age group.
To start with I would ask them to name some constellations and record these in their copies. They could work together in a group with a partner or individually.
Then I would show them Stellarium, I’d set it to our location and then I’d set the time to 10 pm.
We would locate the moon, a planet and a constellation. We’d discuss brightness and movement. Especially the direction the stars move in. There are some fabulous youtube timelapse clips of this happening as well.
I’d move the time controls again and ask them if the stars move, what happens to the moon etc. They could do ‘Think Pair Share’about their observances.
During art we could draw some of the constellations or planets and draw lines between the stars.
For English reading there are a number of space themed texts in the Starlight reader.
In English writing the children could research the stories behind the names of the constellations and present their findings to the class. This would promote their digital literacy.
They could also research and create a basic fact file about each planet – it would make a great classroom display as well as a super presentation.
I think my 3rd class next Sept would love this I could tie it in with the local Dark Skies festival or Space Week. -
Observing the phases of the Moon
To engage the children I would ask questions such as:
Is it possible to see the Full Moon in the daytime?
How is the appearance of the Moon related to the time of day?
I would ask pupils to make predictions and to justify what they think with an explanation.
Next we shall Investigate as follows:
Organise the children into groups of three. Give each group 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. We see the Moon as a flat disc.
How is this related to the time of day? (which phases of the Moon can the “Earth observer” see when they are also facing the Sun?)
Where is the light source (the Sun) relative to the “Earth” observer?
To take the next steps I would use Stellarium to observe the appearance of the Moon
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I would plan a simple and enjoyable lesson to help my 2nd Class pupils observe the Moon and notice how it changes over time. Seeing the Moon in the morning can be exciting for children, as many think it can only be seen at night.
I would begin by showing the children that the Moon can look different from one day to the next. We would complete the The Sun, the Moon and the Earth activity, where the children work in groups of three using a ball, a torch, and a chair. Through this hands-on activity, they would explore how the light from the Sun makes the Moon appear to change shape.
After the activity, I would introduce the main Moon phases using simple language. I would show pictures of the different Moon phases and explain that the Moon changes shape in a repeating pattern. For 2nd Class, I would focus on the four main phases: New Moon, First Quarter, Full Moon, and Last Quarter, using clear photographs and simple explanations.
Once the children are familiar with these phases, I would use the NASA Moon Guide and Stellarium to find out which Moon phase we are likely to see during our school observations. The children would then take part in short Moon-watching sessions whenever possible. They could keep a simple Moon diary by drawing what they see each time and recording the date. At the end of the observation period, we would compare our drawings and discuss how the Moon changed over time, helping the children recognise the repeating pattern of the Moon’s phases.
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Select from one of the activities in the Framework for Inquiry
Making a star consetllation wheel following studies of the plough constellation will give the children a broad understanding and investment into the world around them.After becoming familiar with the various consetllations I would set the children the task of making their own planetrium including one star constillation that has been assigned to them. We would then go through each group and have to work our which one they were assigned. The children will have to justify their answers.
Following from this I would let the children design their own constellation. Then with integration I would ask they create a background story, an old myth about the constellation and how it received it’s name.
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- Select from one of the activities in the Framework for Inquiry
Making a star consetllation wheel following studies of the plough constellation will give the children a broad understanding and investment into the world around them.
After becoming familiar with the various consetllations I would set the children the task of making their own planetrium including one star constillation that has been assigned to them. We would then go through each group and have to work our which one they were assigned. The children will have to justify their answers.
Following from this I would let the children design their own constellation. Then with integration I would ask they create a background story, an old myth about the constellation and how it received it’s name.
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Hi Eva,
Welcome to the course. Making a star constellation wheel after studying the Plough sounds like a lovely way to help children become more familiar with the night sky and develop curiosity about the world around them.
I really like the idea of pupils creating their own planetarium with an assigned constellation. Asking the other groups to work out which constellation has been represented would encourage observation, reasoning and discussion, while also building important skills such as teamwork, communication, problem-solving and justifying their thinking. These are all very relevant to the new curriculum and support pupils in learning through collaboration and active participation.
Designing their own constellation is a great creative extension. The link with storytelling and myth-making is especially strong, as it allows pupils to connect astronomy with literacy, history and imagination. To develop this further, pupils could present their constellation myth alongside a labelled star pattern or class night-sky display. Thanks for sharing.
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I think observing the Moon over several mornings would be a fantastic way to develop children’s curiosity about space. I would begin by asking the class what they already know about the Moon and whether they have ever noticed that it can sometimes be seen during the day. We would make predictions about what the Moon might look like each morning before going outside to observe it. Working in small groups, pupils would use observation sheets to sketch the Moon, estimate its position in the sky, and describe its shape using scientific vocabulary such as “waning crescent.” I would encourage them to compare each day’s observations and discuss why the Moon appears to change shape and position. Back in the classroom, pupils could create a class Moon journal or log or display showing the sequence of observations. This activity promotes scientific inquiry, teamwork, careful observation, and communication while helping children understand that the Moon follows a predictable cycle and can be visible during daylight as well as at night.
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Hi Nicola
Welcome to the course. I agree that observing the moon is a great way to develop curiosity about Space. Space Week is run every year in October and this might be a good time to introduce this topic. I like how you are planning to predict what the moon might look like prior to going outside and using different ways to show their observations using drawings and also the different terms for the phases of the moon. You could also use Stellarium to help in guiding their observations too.
Thanks for sharing, I hope you enjoy the course.
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Create an observing plan for autumn that shows which planets are visible in the evening sky.
I would begin by asking the children what they have seen in the night sky, have they seen any particularly bright starts? Did they think they were just stars or could they be something else given their brightness? I would also ask about their general knowledge about space, what they know is out there, whether through previous learning or simply from observing the night sky. This would build on their prior knowledge. This would then lead on to a lesson about the solar system and various characteristics about the planets. I would also be sure to let the children know that the night sky changes throughout the year with the changing of the seasons, that the planets visible around sunset in autumn will not be the same in summer. We would then look at what planets are visible at this particular time of year.
Through using a simple star chart, I would guide the children how to use the chart to spot and mark planets. We will look at where planets should be appearing at a certain time in the evening sky. This would lead nicely into a homework activity, which hopefully will be interesting (and will have a clear sky to accommodate it!). The children could fill in their star chart based on what they have observed. These charts could then be compared the following morning we would then use this star chart either over the course of a week, or even several weeks to see what changes we notice in the night sky as time goes on.
A nice project activity would be to assign a planets that is visible in the night sky to a group of children to draw up a nice fact sheet about their planet and make a larger diagram of the night sky for other classes in the school to learn from.
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Using the Framework for Inquiry I would like to do a year long study of the constellations using the Framework for Inquiry template with 5th class next year.
I would start with a discussion about their previous knowledge of the solar system. Ask them to name any stars they already know.
Trigger: I would show images of the most famous constellations and ask children if they recognise/ can name any. We would record responses to this as a pre-teaching benchmark.
I would introduce the constellations using the esero 34 resource and discuss the mythology surrounding the constellations:
Then we would begin our inquiry based on the following question:
Does the sky look the same every night throughout the year?
Record children’s initial responses. Tell the children that each month for the school year we will observe the constellations on the same date and at the same time (including a note on the change when daylight savings hours impact on the hour) They will then be invited to make predictions as to what they think they will see over the course of the year.
We would then construct the star wheels and learn how to use them.
Choosing the 8th of each month at 8pm the children will use their star wheels to log what constellation will be visible based on the Northen hemisphere. They will use a journal/ log to make a simple drawing and name what stars they say at that point in time.
Then each month the children will be asked to make their real life observations, take a photograph of the night sky and upload it to their google classroom account. In school we can compare their photos and ask what conditions may impact their observations. opening up conversations about weather, light pollution etc.
At the end of the year, we could reflect on whether our predictions were accurate or not, we could also compare our initial star wheel journal activity with our longer term project and compare and contrast findings.
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We will introduce the Moon’s phases using a printable visual aid from Twinkl and discuss why the Moon is sometimes visible during the day. The best time for morning observations is during the **waning gibbous** and **waning crescent** phases, in the week before each new moon. Planned observation dates are: 6–10 September, 5–9 October, 2–8 November, 2–8 December 2026, and 1–2 February, 2–4 March, 1–3 April, and 1–3 May 2027. Between 9.00 and 11.00 a.m., children will observe the Moon from a fixed point in the school yard, record the date and time, sketch its shape and position, and use a compass to note its location. Back in class, they will compare observations, create clay models representing the Moon’s eight phases, and paint them to show light and shadow. Pupils will also use NASA’s Daily Moon Guide and the Scoilnet Moon Learning Path to compare their observations with scientific resources and keep a Moon diary.
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Hi Fionnghuala,
Welcome to the course. Thanks for sharing such a detailed and well-structured Moon observation plan. I really like that you would begin with a visual aid to introduce the Moon’s phases and encourage discussion around why the Moon can sometimes be seen during the day. Stories or songs about the moon could also be useful cross-curricular aids to spark interest.
Your plan to observe from a fixed point in the school yard between 9.00 and 11.00 a.m. is very practical, and recording the date, time, shape, position and compass direction would help pupils build strong observation skills. The clay models of the Moon’s eight phases would also be a lovely hands-on way to consolidate the learning through combining art and science.
Using NASA’s Daily Moon Guide and the Scoilnet Moon Learning Path adds a strong digital learning element. To strengthen this further, pupils could double-check which dates offer the clearest morning visibility, particularly around the Last Quarter Moon.
Thanks for sharing and hope you enjoy the other modules.
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The Autumn evenings will be perfect for children to explore and investigate the night sky. It is important for children to investigate the planet patterns using direction. These directions will need to be taught prior. Certain planets can be seen at certain times of the night. Identify the planets with the children and through observation over a period of time see can the children identify the planets. As time moves on give certain indicators i.e. the planet where roughly it will be and how to locate it. One idea which might help encourage the children would be to play a game of planet bingo and what planets can you tick off your list. Depending on the age of the children completing the activity, as mentioned in the module, using apps such as Stellarium or World Wide Telescope would be useful and the children would enjoy this element of learning and researching.
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Q3 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 love the idea of observing and studying the morning moon in school. For something that has such a profound effect on our lives, the moon is something a lot of us understand very little about. Another interesting aspect of studying the phases of the moon is relevance it has to the tides. My school is quite near the sea, and tying the lunar cycle to tide times and heights could be very relevant and interesting for the children.
The waning gibbous seems to be a good phase to observe during school hours at the start of the next school year.
1. Children could observe the moon from September 1st to the 4th between the hours of 9 and midday.
2. Children could use the moon observation log to detail what they have observed and at what time.
3. We could use a printed photo of the sky from the school yard to mark the position of the moon each day
4. We could use the NASA Daily Moon Guidefor observing the moon each day of the year.
5. Outside of school children could complete MDSP Moon Journal at home. this would provide a lovely link with home and get parents/ guardians involved and interested.
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The new moons for the rest of the year will begin on:
11th September 2026
10th October 2026
9th November 2026
9th December 2026.If I was observing the moon during the school day with the children, I would plan to observe the third quarter moon or the waning crescent moon. This occurs during the third quarter of the lunar cycle, three quarters of the way through the moon’s orbit. The moon, in the third quarter, rises approximately at midnight and sets before midday. The waning crescent moon rises in the early morning and is visible until the late afternoon.
The dates for the third quarter and waning crescent moon for the following school year are:
Oct 10–18, Nov 9–17, Dec 8–16.
Jan 6–15, Feb 5–14
Mar 6–15, Apr 5–14.
May 4–13, June 3–11.During one of these schedules, I would take the children outside to observe and draw the moon at the same time every day and discuss our observations daily and our overall findings at the end of the third quarter schedule.
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To help children understand the phases of the Moon, I would begin by asking if they think they can see the full Moon during the daytime. This encourages them to think about day and night and to justify their answers using scientific reasoning. Next, children would work in groups of three to model the Sun, Earth and Moon. One child would represent the Sun, another the Earth, and the third would move around the Earth as the Moon. By swapping roles, each child experiences how the Moon’s position changes and how this affects the phase we see from Earth. To extend the lesson, I would plan a morning observation of the Third Quarter Moon, as this phase is best seen in the morning sky before and after sunrise. Suitable school-year dates in 2024–2025 include 24 September, 24 October, 22 November 2024, and 21 January, 20 February, and 12 May 2025. ICT tools such as Stellarium Web and Worldwide Telescope can then be used to observe the Moon over a month, explore the night sky from Cork, and locate the North Star.
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Hi Orla,
Welcome to the course. Thanks for sharing your moon observation plan. It is important to challenge their thinking that the moon is only out at night time prior to their observations. I like how you will encourage the learners to justify their thinking too, allowing for critical thinking and discussion.
It is great to have an idea of dates ready now for observations as the school year can become hectic. I think Stellarium would be a great starting point to show the students where the moon might be in the sky and also lead to the discussion of the shape and phases of the moon.
Thanks for sharing, I hope you enjoy the course.
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Hi, I really like how you’ve made the lesson so hands-on by getting the children to act as the Sun, Earth and Moon. I think that would really help them understand why the Moon changes shape. Using Stellarim afterwards would be a great way to reinforce the learning and link it to what they can actually see in the sky (winter activity). It’s a lovely activity that encourages plenty of discussion and would work well across different class levels.
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<h1>Autumn Evening Sky Observing Plan – 4th Class</h1>
I will begin this activity by revising the Solar System and discussing how some planets can be seen in the evening sky without a telescope. We will talk about the difference between stars and planets, explaining that stars appear to twinkle, while planets usually shine with a steady light. Before starting the observations, I will check which planets are visible during the current autumn season, as this changes from year to year.Pupils will be encouraged to spend 10–15 minutes outside on one evening each week for four weeks with the support of an adult. They will look at the evening sky shortly after sunset and record the date, time, weather conditions and any planets they can identify. Pupils will also draw a simple sketch of what they observe.
Depending on the time of year, pupils may be able to identify Jupiter, Saturn, Venus or Mars. Back in the classroom, we will share our observations and compare what we noticed over the four weeks. This will provide opportunities to discuss how the night sky changes over time and reinforce pupils’ understanding of the Solar System. I will assess the activity through class discussion, pupils’ observation records and their ability to identify and describe the planets they observed.
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I would use the Planets vs Stars activity with my class as I think the children would really enjoy it. I’d start by asking them what they already know about the night sky and whether they think planets and stars are the same thing. This would get plenty of discussion going and give everyone a chance to share their ideas. I teach in the junior room and differentiation would be easily achievable
Using Stellarium on the interactive whiteboard, we could explore the night sky together and identify some of the planets and constellations that can be seen from Ireland. I think the children would be really interested in seeing what is actually above them each night. We could then encourage them to look at the sky at home with their families and keep a simple observation diary (pictures/text) to share back in school.
As a teacher in a small school, I like activities like this because they are hands-on, encourage lots of questioning and discussion, and can be adapted easily for different class levels. It also links Science with Geography, Maths and digital learning, making it a really worthwhile activity.
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Hi Eithne
Welcome to the course. Thanks for your feedback on the activity Planets Vs Stars using the framework for inquiry. I can see how this could be easily differentiated to suit the learners in your junior class. It would allow for lots of discussion on planets and stars and exploring space. I can see how this would work in your multi grade classroom also.
Stellarium is a lovely resource for the classroom and it is engaging for all learners, while some may look at the moon and the stars others may explore the planets or it may help them for their own observations at home.
As you have mentioned, the activities in this module allow for lots of curricular integration and are hand on which would be suitable and easily adapted for the different class levels. I hope you enjoy the other activities and resources across the other modules in this course.
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I have chosen Option 1:Create an observing plan for autumn that shows which planets are visible in the evening sky.
I would use this activity with my second class as a way of introducing them to the planets that can be seen in the evening sky over the autumn months. To begin, I would ask the children whether they have ever looked up at the night sky and what they noticed when they did. This would lead into a class discussion on the difference between stars and planets, and I would explain that some planets are visible to the naked eye, without any need for a telescope.
Next, I would show the children a simple diagram of the solar system, highlighting the planets that can be seen during autumn, such as Saturn and Jupiter. Using a basic sky map or an app such as Stellarium, we would identify where in the evening sky these planets are likely to appear.
Following this, I would encourage the children to take on the role of sky watchers at home with their families. On a clear evening, they would spend a few minutes outside trying to spot one of the planets we discussed. Afterwards, they could either draw what they saw or write one or two sentences describing their observation. I would reassure the children that if they weren’t able to spot a planet, that’s okay, as cloud cover or poor weather can often get in the way.
Back in the classroom, we would come together to share our observations and compare notes on what different children noticed. This would open up a discussion about how the night sky changes from one evening to the next, and how people have observed the stars and planets for thousands of years.
I really like this activity because it gets children observing the world around them and shows them that science extends well beyond the classroom. It also brings families into the learning experience and helps build the children’s skills in observation, communication and recording.
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Hi Miriam,
Welcome to the course. Thanks for sharing such a lovely observing plan for second class. I really like that you would begin by asking the children about their own experiences of looking at the night sky, as this would help connect the lesson to their everyday lives.
I especially like the home sky watcher element – giving the students a moniker like that makes it sound so exciting, while also involving families and showing children that science can happen beyond the classroom. Reassuring pupils that weather or cloud cover may affect what they see is also important. To strengthen this further, you could provide a simple observation sheet or checklist with suggested evenings for viewing, which could link it to weather tracking.
Thanks for sharing.
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The day before I use stellarium with the children, I would invite them to look at the night sky the day before with a trusted adult, and record what they could see. Having discussed their findings, I would then invite the children to explore the view from their community with stallarium. The children could compare and contrast what they saw the night before and what they might not have been able to see but can see using stellarium. Further to this I would explore stars and planets with stellarium and we would examine which planets could be seen from the night sky and which may be during the day and thus be unable to be seen. I would invite the children to repeat the exercise from the night before and see if they can make any extra connections from stellarium and notice more of the nights sky than the night before.
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Hi Peter
I love that idea of getting the children to look at the night sky and make their own observations before using Stellarium in class. They might record their findings through drawing some of the stars and their positions. Depending on their own prior knowledge and that of their parents, some might be able to pick out the North Star and possibly constellations like The Plough but others might have no knowledge of what they are seeing. It should lead to interesting discussions and comparisons. Going back to look again after using Stellarium should be a really good experience then as they will know what to look for. At this stage, the discussion might focus on how much they could see, leading to comparisons between the view from different homes and an introduction to the idea of light pollution.
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I would choose to plan an observation of the Moon with my class. I would begin by asking the children what they already know about the Moon and whether they have ever noticed that it looks different from one night to the next. I would explain that the Moon goes through different phases and that some phases are easier to observe than others.
I would show the class a Moon phase calendar and identify the dates when the Moon would be visible in the morning before school. We could discuss why these phases are best for observing and make predictions about what we expect to see.
If weather permitted, I would bring the class outside to observe the Moon and encourage them to describe its shape, colour and position in the sky. The children could record their observations through labelled drawings and short written descriptions in their science journals.
To extend the activity, I would ask the children to observe the Moon at home over several days with a family member and compare any changes they notice. We could then share our observations in class and create a timeline of the Moon’s phases, helping the children to develop their observation skills and a better understanding of how the Moon changes over time.
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