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I really liked that you included the benefits of lighting for safety reasons but how it needs to be monitored on its negative impact towards ecosystems and the environment . I think the comparing and contrasting different areas is a brilliant idea too!
Really enjoyed searching the different songs and poems from your list, you have even reminded me of some that I had forgotten ! These would be really nice to incorporate into a lesson
I think the incorporation of Art into a lesson is a beautiful and engaging way to introduce children to many different topics, particularly for SESE. What I love about this idea is the fact that Art has always been up for interpretation and can mean something different to each individual. The night sky has been a popular theme in Music and Art and I think this would be a really fun and engaging lesson for children of all ages. Here are some ideas that could be used in the classroom:
“City of Stars” – La La Land
“Sky full of Stars” – Coldplay
“The Light of Stars” – Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
“Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star”
“California Stars” – Billy Brag and Wilco
The Starry Night – Vincent Van Gogh
“Fly me to the Moon” – Frank Sinatra
‘Stars, I Have Seen Them Fall’ – A. E. Housman
“Countig Stars” – One Republic
“Starman” – David BowieI really like the idea of discussing how the children can make the school grounds more friendly for biodiversity. The children would have an interest in this and could be a fun idea for project work.
How you would engage your learners to explore biodiversity in your local area and the possible impacts of light pollution on local biodiversity?
Something I have done before with my students which has always peaked their interest has been some sort of nature walk/outdoor adventure. I would task the children to find three different insects, 3 different birds, 3 different plants etc and keep a record of them through notes and drawings. Google lens is also a great tool that gives you information about something from simply taking a picture. Bringing the lesson back into class, we could examine what we found and if there was a particular insect that appeared more than once. From here the children are equipped to look into the local animals and plants in more detail and discuss why they live where they live. What are the benefits? Why were the school grounds an ideal habitat for them?</span>
<span style=”font-weight: 400;”>Along with the pros, the children can discuss the negative side effects of their habitats and I would begin to incorporate the effects of light pollution on such habitats. Through sorting activities, children can group together examples of artificial light vs natural light and how both pose a particular effect on local environments.
I would begin the lesson by showing children a picture of the night sky in Dublin. The children can discuss what they see and feedback would be recorded on an anchor chart. Then I would show the children a picture of the night sky at Mayo Dark Sky Park and as a class we can compare. The children can analyse why the sky is so much clearer in Mayo compared to Dublin, this inviting many opportunities for discussion on topics such as urban vs rural areas and population density. This would be a great gateway into observing Mayo Dark Sky Park, and the people behind preserving Mayo’s natural light. The children can explore their website and compare and contrast photographs. With this information, children can begin to investigate the impact artificial light has on the local area such as urban sky glow and affect on ecosystems.
I really like the interactive element of this lesson and how it is student led rather then teacher led. I like the idea of doing a quiz at the end as the children will enjoy this while also giving you a chance to assess their learning.
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.
To carry out a lesson regarding tracking the movements of the sun, I would encourage the use of hands on materials to engage the students. Firstly, I would start by asking the children if they notice anything about how the sun moves, where it appears in the morning time and where it is by the end of school. I have 3rd class next year so questions would be appropriate for their age group but could be adapted for any class. To carry out this investigation, we would place a metre stick, broom handle etc upright in the same sunny location in the school yard. In the morning, I would ask pupils to predict where the shadow will be and whether it will be long or short. Children could mark the tip of the shadow with chalk and label it with the time we went out in the morning. This observation would be repeated at midday and again in the afternoon. Pupils can record each shadow by drawing it or measuring its length on a simple worksheet with the help of the ESERO 30 resource. At the end of the day, as a class we can compare the results and discuss how the shadow changed as the Sun appeared to move across the sky due to the Earth’s rotation
I really like these ideas, particularly the cross curricular links with Maths and Geography, perhaps expanding into further subjects such as SPHE and Art. This a fun and engaging experience for children that encourages key scientific skills.
I have never been introduced to the ESERO 30 Days and Nights in the World resource before beginning this module. It is a well-designed educational resource that helps students understand the solar system, the day and night cycle and time zones through engaging and inquiry-based learning. The resource includes detailed teacher guidance, lesson plans and interactive activities that encourage learners to investigate scientific concepts for themselves. It also provides visual materials that promotes differentiation throughout your science lessons. The activities encourage observation, prediction, problem-solving, and teamwork, building up children’s agency as scientists. I particularly like how the resource is easy for teachers to use, with clear instructions and adaptable activities suitable for different age groups. By combining practical investigations with high-quality teaching materials, the ESERO resource makes learning about Earth and Space enjoyable, accessible, and meaningful, while encouraging curiosity and developing important STEM skills.