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The Rising Star Awards really caught my attention because it gives students the chance to make a real difference in protecting the night sky. I would love to plan a project where my class investigates light pollution around our school and local area. We would start by learning what light pollution is, then head out to do a light audit, looking at streetlights, security lights, and any other bright sources near the school. We would talk about what lights are needed and which ones might be too much.
After collecting our findings, the children could work in groups to come up with ideas to help reduce light pollution, maybe by designing posters, writing to the local council, or even suggesting small changes for our school like light shields or timers. I think this kind of project would be really empowering for them. It links science and environmental awareness in a way that feels purposeful and real.
This sounds like such a fun and engaging plan! I love how you’re tying it in with Space Week and getting the kids involved both at school and at home. The idea of spotting the moon in the morning is a great way to challenge common misconceptions—and linking it with art and writing makes the learning even richer.
I’d go with a morning Moon observation activity for my class. It’s such a simple but effective way to spark curiosity. So many children are surprised to find out the moon can be seen during the day, especially in the morning. I’d plan to bring the class out during the waning crescent or last quarter phases, these are the ones that rise late at night and are still visible before school starts.
We’d check Stellarium together beforehand to figure out the best days to look — maybe around September 30th, December 1st, and a few days before the new Moon in March and May. Then we’d go outside, observe it, sketch what we see, and chat about why the Moon changes shape.
It’s a lovely way to tie in light, shadows, and 3D shapes in a real-world context. Plus, the kids would love the idea of “catching the Moon out” in the morning!STEM isn’t just doing a science experiment or using an app, it’s about solving real-life problems, thinking creatively, and making links across subjects. Engineering really stood out to me as the “glue” that brings all the parts together, and something I’ll focus on more in my teaching.
One activity I’m excited to try is building a sundial in the school yard. We’ll start by chatting about how people told time long ago and what we already know about shadows. Then, we’ll head outside with chalk and track our shadows throughout the day, marking the time each time we do it. After seeing how the shadows move, we’ll talk about sundials, learn about the “gnomon,” and use the ESERO.ie resource to make our own. The children will be planning, creating, testing, and learning through doing, connecting science, maths, engineering, and maybe even a bit of tech too if we compare it to digital time. It’s a fun and hands on way to bring STEM to life.
