Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
Songs, Poems and Art relating to the Night Sky
Art
Giotto di Bondone – Arena Chapel, The Ceiling Painting
Unknown Artist – Landscape with Clerks Studying Astronomy and Geometry
Lieve Verschuier – The Great Comet of 1680 Over Rotterdam
Unknown artist – Beyond Earth Unknown
Frederic Edwin Church – The Meteor of 1860
Vincent Van Gogh – Starry Night Over the Rhone
James Abbott McNeill Whistler – Nocturne in Black and Gold – The Falling Rocket
Edvard Munch – Starry Night
Camille Pissarro – The Boulevard Montmartre at Night
Georgia O’Keeffe – Starlight NightSongs
A Skyful of stars by Cold Play
Fly me to the Moon by Frank Sinatra
Vincent (Starry starry night) by Don McLean
Across the Universe by The Beatles
Lucy in the sky with diamonds by The Beatles
Harvest Moon by Neil Young
Star Man by David Bowie
Space Oddity by David BowiePoems
The Song of Wandering Aengus by W.B. Yeats
Night by Joseph Campbell
The Moon by Seamus Heaney
The Star Factory by Eavan Boland
This Moment by Eavan Boland
Nocturne by Eavan BolandTo engage my learners in exploring biodiversity in our local area in West Cork, I would begin with a class discussion on the knowledge they already have on local flora and fauna (KWL). Because the school is in a rural area, a lot of the children are already quite knowledgeable so we would discuss, using pictures on the IWB, how to identify and record what they see on our nature walk.
We would then go outside for a nature walk around the local area. In pairs the children would observe and record the plants, insects, birds, and other wildlife they encounter. Learners would use simple identification charts, magnifying glasses, and nature journals to document their findings, helping them develop observation and scientific inquiry skills. We would discuss why biodiversity is important and how different species depend on healthy habitats.
With regard to light pollution, we would discuss how artificial light at night can affect nocturnal animals such as bats, moths, owls, and hedgehogs by disrupting feeding, navigation, pollination, and breeding behaviours. Learners could investigate local street lighting and identify areas where wildlife may be affected. We would ask the question, can anything be done in our local area to reduce the effects of light pollution.
Finally, we would explore practical actions the community can take to reduce light pollution, such as using shielded lights, switching off unnecessary outdoor lighting, and choosing warm-coloured bulbs.Using an app like you described, Chatterpix, is wonderful. I wasn’t aware of it and I think children would find it a better way for them to recall details from a nature excursion. SET friendly too!
This makes a really nice activity for families as it’s a bit magical also to spend time together looking at the skies and stars.
Lesson 1: What Is Light Pollution?
Starter Activity (10 minutes)
“Look Up!”Ask learners:
When was the last time you looked at the stars?
How many stars can you usually see?
Would you see more stars in a city or in the countryside? Why?Show examples of a bright urban night sky and a dark rural night sky.
Discuss:
What differences can you see?
Why are fewer stars visible in some places?
Teacher Input: Understanding Light Pollution (15 minutes)Introduce key ideas:
What is light pollution?
Light pollution is too much artificial light at night. It happens when human-made lights brighten the night sky unnecessarily.
Examples of artificial light:
Streetlights
House lights
Shop signs
Floodlights
Vehicle lights
Why does it matter?For people:
Bright lights at night can disturb sleep patterns.
For wildlife:
Animals that depend on darkness, such as bats and insects, can be affected by artificial light.
Migrating birds can become confused by bright city lights.For the environment:
Wasted light uses extra energy.
Light shining upwards reduces our ability to see stars.
Group Activity: Local Light Audit (20 minutes)In groups, learners identify sources of artificial light around their school or neighbourhood.
Complete:
Light Source Useful? Could it be improved?
StreetlightSecurity light
Shop sign
House light
Discuss:
Are all lights needed?
Are lights pointing where they are needed?
Could some lights be switched off or changed?
Introduce Globe at Night (10 minutes)Explain:
Globe at Night is a citizen science project where people around the world observe the night sky and share data with scientists.
Scientists use these observations to study how light pollution changes over time.
Explain that learners will become “sky scientists” by measuring how bright their local sky is.
Lesson 2: Measuring Our Night Sky
Starter: Preparing for Observation (10 minutes)Review:
Scientists collect evidence.
Observations need to be accurate.
Everyone following the same steps makes data useful.Discuss safe observation practices:
Observe with an adult.
Choose a safe outdoor location.
Allow eyes time to adjust to darkness.
Avoid looking directly at bright lights.
Globe at Night Investigation (25 minutes)Learners complete a sky observation.
Observation Record
Name: _______________________
Date: _______________________
Location: _______________________
Time observed: _______________________
Weather conditions: _______________________
What did you notice?
How many stars could you see?
☐ Very few stars
☐ Some stars
☐ Many starsCompare the sky with the Globe at Night star charts.
Our sky brightness level: ____________
Class Data Analysis (15 minutes)
Combine results from the class.
Create a display:
Location Sky Brightness Level Number of Stars Seen
SchoolHome
Other location
Discuss:
Which areas had the darkest skies?
Which areas had the most light pollution?
What evidence supports your answer?
Final Challenge: Protect Our Night Sky (10 minutes)Learners design one action that could reduce light pollution.
Examples:
Use motion sensor lights.
Turn off unnecessary lights.
Use downward-facing outdoor lighting.
Reduce unnecessary brightness.Create a class pledge:
“We can protect the night sky by…”
Exploring Space with WorldWide Telescope
Age: 10 years (3rd/4th Class)
Duration: 30–40 minutes
Subject: Science – Space and the Earth
Digital Tool: WorldWide TelescopeLearning Intentions
By the end of this lesson, pupils will be able to:
Identify the Sun, Earth and Moon.
Explore planets in our Solar System.
Describe one interesting fact about a planet or star.
Use WorldWide Telescope to investigate objects in space.What You Need
Computer and Interactive whiteboard
Internet access
WorldWide Telescope
Pencil and worksheet
Starter (5 minutes)Ask the class:
What can you see in the sky during the day?
What can you see at night?
Can you name any planets?Explain that today they will become space explorers using WorldWide Telescope, a program that lets us travel through space using real images from telescopes.
Main Activity (20 minutes)
Step 1 – Explore the Solar SystemOpen WorldWide Telescope and zoom out to view the Solar System.
Ask pupils to find:
Earth
Mars
Jupiter
SaturnStep 2 – Planet Hunt
Working in pairs, pupils choose one planet to investigate.
They should record:
The planet’s name
Its colour
Does it have rings?
One interesting fact
Step 3 – Visit the StarsUse WorldWide Telescope to zoom out and look at a bright star or constellation.
Discuss:
Why do stars look small from Earth?
Which object looked the most interesting?Invite each pair to share one fact they discovered
Gravity/Weight – Assemble an Earth Tube and one other planet tube – decorate in a suitable manner.
To plan this activity for 9–10-year-olds, I would begin by introducing the ideas of gravity and weight, explaining that while mass stays the same, weight changes depending on the strength of gravity on different planets.
I would show pupils examples of gravity on Earth and another planet, such as the Moon. Working in small groups, pupils assemble two simple gravity tubes using clear plastic tubes and objects that fall through them. One tube represents Earth and the other another planet (the moon) using different fillers or labels to illustrate the effect of stronger or weaker gravity. Pupils then decorate each tube with colours, images, and facts that match the chosen planet.
I would encourage predictions about which object would appear to fall faster or slower before testing the tubes.
Conclude with a class discussion comparing observations and reinforcing that gravity differs between planets, affecting weight while an object’s mass remains unchanged.