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Having a school garden where children plant flowers that attract insects and bees increases the biodiversity in the school area.
I would incorporate the needs of nocturnal species into the school’s biodiversity plan by recognising that protecting biodiversity means providing suitable habitats during the night as well as during the day. The school grounds could be assessed to identify areas that are important for nocturnal wildlife, particularly bats, moths, owls, hedgehogs and other night-active species.
Unnecessary outdoor lighting could be reduced, switched off when it is not required, or controlled using timers and motion sensors. Where lighting is necessary for safety, the school could consider using low-level, well-directed lighting that does not unnecessarily illuminate trees, hedgerows or other wildlife habitats.
Bats would provide an excellent focus for this work. Children could investigate the importance of hedgerows, mature trees, ponds and other habitats as feeding and commuting areas for bats. Bat boxes could be installed in suitable locations, with advice from a local wildlife organisation or bat specialist, and pupils could monitor the boxes and investigate bat activity using appropriate equipment such as bat detectors. It would be important that bat boxes and potential bat roosting areas are not directly illuminated, as this could make them less suitable for bats.
The school could also improve habitats for nocturnal species by planting native flowers, shrubs and trees that provide food and shelter. Creating areas of wildflower meadow, maintaining hedgerows, leaving some areas of grass uncut and providing suitable habitats for insects would support the wider food web. This is particularly important because many nocturnal animals depend on insects for food.
The school could establish a simple “Dark Skies Policy” as part of its biodiversity plan. This could include reducing unnecessary lighting, protecting hedgerows and trees, providing habitats for nocturnal wildlife, avoiding disturbance to known bat roosts, and considering the impact of any new outdoor lighting before it is installed.
This approach would allow pupils to understand that biodiversity conservation is not only about what we see during the school day. Darkness itself is an important habitat condition, and protecting naturally dark spaces can support a wide range of nocturnal species. It would also give children an opportunity to take practical action within the school and local community to protect biodiversity.
The Green School Committee could be very active working on the biodiversity plan as well as individual classes.
I think the swallows are a great species to observe as they are just getting ready to leave when the children go back to school and they will arrive in Ireland again before the children get their summer holidays.
So many artists have been inspired by the night sky. Reading the list you compiled really shows what a popular theme the night sky is in art.
Children could begin by exploring a selection of pieces from Bailiúchán an Scol, considering the types of stories, traditions and experiences that were collected and learning about how the collection was created. The teacher could discuss how stories were traditionally passed from one generation to another and how collections such as Bailiúchán an Scol have helped to preserve Ireland’s cultural heritage.
Following this introduction, children could be encouraged to become oral historians themselves by going home and interviewing a family member, neighbour or older member of their community about stories, memories or beliefs connected to the night sky. They could ask questions about stars, the moon, constellations, folklore, traditional beliefs, or experiences of looking at the night sky. With permission, children could record or carefully write down the stories they hear. Back in school, they could redraft the stories in their own handwriting and display them around the classroom, creating a class collection of local night-sky stories. This would help children to make a meaningful connection between their own family histories and Ireland’s wider cultural heritage.
Music could also be incorporated into the theme. Each child could choose a song that has a connection to the night sky, stars, the moon or darkness. The class could create a shared playlist, with each child explaining why they selected their song. One song could then be played at an appropriate time during the school day over a number of weeks, allowing the children to share music that has personal or cultural significance to them. This could also provide opportunities to explore how the night sky has inspired musicians and songwriters.
The theme could be extended into language lessons through the exploration of poetry in both English and Irish. Children could read and discuss poems that refer to stars, the moon, darkness, night-time or the wider universe. They could identify imagery, descriptive language, rhyme and metaphor and consider how poets use language to create a particular mood or atmosphere. Children could then be encouraged to write their own short poems inspired by their observations of the night sky.
Art lessons could draw inspiration from Vincent van Gogh’s The Starry Night. Children could explore the painting and discuss how Van Gogh used colour, movement, line and texture to represent the night sky. Rather than simply reproducing the artwork, pupils could use it as inspiration to create their own interpretations of the night sky. They could experiment with different artistic techniques to represent stars, the moon, clouds and movement in the sky, while considering how colour can be used to communicate mood and emotion.
This cross-curricular approach would allow the study of the night sky to extend beyond science and into history, local heritage, Gaeilge, English, music and visual arts. It would encourage children to see the night sky not only as a scientific subject but also as something that has inspired stories, traditions, music, poetry and art across generations. Most importantly, it would give children an opportunity to connect classroom learning with their own families, communities and cultural heritage.
Children could begin the lesson by listening to a story about the Sun to stimulate their curiosity and activate prior knowledge. Sun: One in a Billion by Stacy McAnulty is one suitable example, although any engaging, age-appropriate text about the Sun, daylight, or the Earth and space could be used.
Following the story, the teacher could facilitate a whole-class discussion about what the children already know about the Sun and encourage them to share their own experiences of observing it. Questions could include: Where is the Sun in the morning? Does its position change throughout the day? Where is it in the evening? Does the Sun appear in exactly the same place at different times of the year?
The discussion could then develop into an exploration of how people have used the position of the Sun to estimate the time. Children may already have some understanding that shadows change throughout the day and that the position of the Sun can provide clues about the time. The teacher could introduce the concept of sundials and explore how people in the past used shadows to measure the passage of time. This could provide an opportunity to briefly examine ancient methods of timekeeping, including early sundials, and to consider how people measured time before the invention of clocks and watches.
Following this introduction, children would work collaboratively in small groups to design and construct their own simple sundials using accessible materials such as paper plates or cardboard, pencils, sticks, rulers and modelling clay. Before beginning construction, each group would be encouraged to think carefully about what makes an effective sundial. They could discuss the importance of having a stable vertical object to create a clear shadow and consider how the position of the sundial might affect the observations they make.
Once their sundials have been constructed, the children would investigate the school grounds to decide where the most suitable location would be to position them. They would need to consider factors such as access to direct sunlight, the presence of buildings or trees that could create shadows, whether the sundial can remain undisturbed, and how the position of the Sun may change throughout the day. Using a compass, where appropriate, the children could identify directions such as north, east and west and use these to help orientate and record their observations.
The groups would then place their sundials in their chosen locations and record the position and length of the shadow at regular intervals throughout the day. They could record the time, measure the shadow using a ruler, note its direction and make a simple drawing of each observation. By comparing their results, children would be able to identify patterns in how the shadow changes as the Sun appears to move across the sky.
As a follow-up investigation, children could continue to observe their sundials over several days or at different times of the year. This would allow them to consider whether the position of the Sun, the length of the shadows and the amount of daylight change throughout the year. The activity would therefore provide a practical and meaningful way for children to develop their understanding of the Sun, shadows, time and the Earth’s movement, while also developing skills in observation, measurement, recording, collaboration and scientific enquiry.
Farmland and rural areas becoming urbanised is certainly causing more light pollution and a decrease in habitat for many native species.
You have included some great actions that could be taken to improve biodiversity, especially the mowing at different times and heights to allow time for pollinators along with establishing a wildflower area.
I would engage learners in exploring biodiversity in their local area by making the learning relevant to their own lives and experiences. As many of the pupils come from farming backgrounds, I would use the local farming landscape as a starting point. We could explore the biodiversity found around farms.
One particular focus could be bats. Bats are a familiar but often less visible part of our local biodiversity and they provide an excellent opportunity for pupils to investigate how farming practices, buildings and changes to the environment can affect wildlife. We could discuss where bats might live and feed, what they eat and why hedgerows, trees, ponds and areas of rough grassland are important to them. Pupils could investigate whether bats are likely to be found around their own farms or local areas and consider what features of the landscape might encourage them.
Light pollution would then provide an opportunity to explore how human activity can affect biodiversity. Pupils could investigate artificial light from farmyards, houses, roads and other buildings and consider how this might affect nocturnal animals such as bats. We could discuss how bats use darkness to hunt and how artificial lighting can alter their behaviour, feeding patterns and movement between habitats. This could lead to a wider discussion about finding a balance between providing necessary lighting for people and reducing unnecessary light for wildlife.
A practical activity could involve pupils mapping areas of artificial light and dark areas around the school or local community. They could compare these areas with places where bats might feed or travel, particularly along hedgerows, tree lines and waterways. If appropriate, bat detectors could be used to listen for bat activity, allowing pupils to collect and compare simple biodiversity data.
Bat boxes would provide another strong connection with the farming community. Pupils could investigate why bat boxes are used, where they should be placed and which features make a suitable location. They could design their own bat box or work with a local farmer or landowner to identify suitable locations for boxes on an acre of farmland. This would help pupils see that farmers can play an important role in supporting biodiversity while continuing to use their land productively.
I like the idea of using the chatterpix to record the biodiversity in the locality. Using tally charts is also a great idea and a lovely connection with data in maths. It is great to explore the local area.
Absolutely, this is a lovely idea and I totally agree that it’s a perfect link with the art curriculum.
As part of our exploration of the Moon, the class will undertake a 28-day observation project, following the Moon through one complete cycle. The project will encourage children to develop their observation skills while building their understanding of the Moon’s changing appearance and introducing key scientific terminology.
We will begin our observations from the classroom, ideally photographing the Moon in the morning where it is visible and weather conditions allow. Each day, a different child will be responsible for taking the photograph, giving every child an opportunity to contribute to the class project. Cloudy days will also be recorded, as these are an important part of our observations and will help the children understand that scientific data includes days when observations cannot be made.
Alongside each photograph, the children will write a short description of what they have observed. They will be encouraged to comment on the shape and size of the illuminated portion of the Moon, its position in the sky, and any other noticeable features. As the Moon’s position and visibility change throughout the 28-day cycle, we may need to adjust the time of day at which photographs are taken. This will provide an opportunity for the children to notice patterns and consider why the Moon is not always visible at the same time each day.
Throughout the project, children will be encouraged to use appropriate scientific vocabulary, including waxing, waning, crescent, gibbous, full Moon and new Moon. By using this terminology regularly in their observations and discussions, they will develop a more accurate understanding of the Moon’s phases and be able to describe the changes they are seeing.
The children will also explore historical and scientific drawings of the Moon from Birr Castle Observatory as inspiration for their own observational drawings. They will compare these drawings with photographs and with their own observations, considering how astronomers have recorded what they see. Using their observations as a starting point, the children will create their own detailed drawings of the Moon at different stages of the cycle.
At the end of the 28 days, the photographs, written observations and drawings will be brought together to create a class Moon journal. This will allow the children to look back over the full cycle, identify patterns and changes, and reflect on what they have learned about the Moon through direct observation.