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I am also excited to explore this resource with my 3rd class as I hadn’t heard of dark sky areas before either!
I love the idea of exploring dark sky places worldwide as well as in Ireland, I will definitely try this with my class in September.
I have decided to research question 2 and found the below ideas online!
Poetry:
“When I Heard the Learn’d Astronomer” by Walt Whitman
“The Star” by Jane Taylor (also known as “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star”)
“Bright Star” by John KeatsMusic / Songs:
Yellow – Coldplay
Space Oddity– David Bowie
Vincent (Starry Starry Night) – Don McLean
Across the Universe– The Beatles
A Sky Full of Stars- Coldplay
The Big Sky- Kate Bush
Counting Stars- One RepublicVisual Arts:
“The Starry Night” – Vincent van Gogh- we could create our own interpretation.
NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD)
We could use this resource to discuss space in real time.
Aboriginal star maps and indigenous sky stories
From Irish folklore (e.g. Étaín, the Moon Goddess) to Māori or Native American cosmologies, students can explore how the stars have guided and inspired cultures worldwide.I really like the idea of comparing our own area to the dark sky reserves in Mayo and Kerry. I teach in an urban school too so this would be very interesting for my pupils!
I also like the idea of working with the local council. I feel that it would encourage a sense of citizenship in the pupils and make them aware of their own power as changemakers of the future.
Firstly, I would remind the pupils of our lessons on light pollution in module 3. I would revisit the surveys conducted to make learning relevant to our local area. We will discuss the impact light pollution has on humans. We will then move on to consider other inhabitants in our area! We will use the many resources on biodiversity mentioned in this module to explore local birds and animals native to our area. We would then take a short nature walk around the school grounds or a nearby green area to conduct a wildlife survey. Each group will record what they see or hear: birds, bees, insects or even signs of animals like tracks or droppings.
Then, we’ll discuss how artificial light at night—from streetlamps, garden lights, or buildings—can disturb this balance, such insects being drawn to lights, making them easy prey or stopping them from pollinating flowers. Or the fact that some birds become disoriented and change their behaviour.
We’ll finish by mapping the brightest and darkest areas near school and brainstorming simple changes—like shielding lights or using timers—that could help protect our local wildlife.
As a follow up to this lesson, we will use Trees of Ireland and Wildflowers of Ireland to map the local plants and trees in our area. We will then explore how light pollution impacts on plants and flowers. I envisage these lessons forming a unit of work which will take place over a month in school.
I really like the idea of linking with another school to measure light pollution. I work in an urban school in a small town so would love to connect with other teachers in larger areas or even rural areas to see how our results all differ!
I have decided to discuss the topic of light pollution in our local area with my class.
We will begin with definitions and effects of light pollution: skyglow, glare, light trespass, clutter- definitions taken from the resources mentioned in this course such as Dark Sky Ireland website and stargazingireland.com
We will also discuss ecological and human health impacts—disruption to wildlife, sleep cycles, and weakening of night-time ecosystems
I will then pose the question- Do we have a problem with light pollution in our town?Survey: Survey Local Lighting Conditions
I will organise students into small “survey teams” to map public lighting around our town during a field trip. We will identify areas where there are streetlights and additional lighting such as that on shop fronts and businesses. We will also note domestic lighting, commercial building lights, and any floodlights visible at night.We will log observations in our Science and Nature copies.
Home/School links: Measure Sky Brightness
Pupils will revisit the same area during the night with a parent and note the lighting present. They will then visit a more rural location outside of the town and compare the skies. What do you notice? What is the difference? Students may use Globe at Night or the Light Pollution Map on DarkSky.ie to measure light pollution in their area.Reflection: Pupils will update their Science and nature copies with the results of their night time observations.
Question for discussion: Are bright areas essential (e.g., for safety), and could they be better directed or timed?
Link to English/SPHE:
Draft a simple lighting improvement suggestion for our local county council to advocate for shielded light fixtures, timers, or reduced wattage. Pupils can include their photos or diagrams with the letters and reference model advice from Dark Sky Ireland, such as angled, lower‑temperature lighting, and lights only when needed.I have decided to plan my lesson around observing the moon in daytime as the children are always fascinated when they see the moon out in the morning!
From my research, it seems that 14th September is the best time to see the moon in the morning time where I live.In advance of our observation, we will examine a moon chart and become familiar with the different stages of the lunar cycle. We will explore the vocabulary connected. I will pose the question, “Can we see the moon during the day time?” We will then discuss and proceed to the yard.
I plan to schedule the observation for the morning time. I will use binoculars and the two telescopes that I have recently been gifted! We will record the date and time, the shape of the moon, its orientation and the weather conditions.
On return to the classroom, we will compare what we saw with moon-phase diagrams or apps to help students connect observation to the lunar cycle.
We will then link to Art and create a visual representation of what we saw. We will answer our question posed at the outset of the lesson. I will repeat the observation with my class over a few days around this date.
Future lessons will centre around why we can see the moon in daytime!
I have chosen to plan a lesson on recording the positions of the sun when rising, setting, and at different times of the day with my future 3rd class!
Firstly, we will tap into prior knowledge by conducting a brainstorming session on the sun. What is the sun? What does it do? Why do we need the sun?1. Science and nature copy work:
We will use a chart to record the time, direction (e.g., NE, S, SW), position of the sun in the sky (low, medium, high), and any shadows they notice. We’ll use this in the morning, midday, and afternoon.2. Use the school grounds for regular checks:
We’ll find a safe, consistent location on the school grounds where students can go out and observe the sun at set times each day—perhaps around 9 AM, 12 PM, and 3 PM. They can track the sun’s movement and shadow changes using a stick or chalk on the ground.3. Home/school link:
Pupils could note the direction of sunrise and sunset from their home (with help from Mam or Dad), using a compass or compass app. They can report their findings in school the next day!4. ICT:
We might use an app like SunCalc or Stellarium to compare actual observations with virtual simulations, helping students make connections between their real-world experiences and astronomical patterns.5. Reflection on learning:
After collecting data, students could create diagrams and drawings to represent how the sun’s position changes. We’ll also discuss how ancient civilizations might have used these observations to track time and seasons.