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Task chosen: Prepare a school project to collect Piseógs/Traditions/Stories of the Night
Working in a diverse, urban school, I’d love to create a class project to gather piseógs, folklore or family stories about the night. Many of the children in our school come from different cultural backgrounds, so we could ask families to share night‑time stories or traditions from home. This could include Irish piseógs, like stories about the banshee or fairy forts, but also stories from India, Somalia or elsewhere, reflecting our school’s diversity.
The children could illustrate or record these stories, and we could link them to the night sky or seasonal events like Samhain. For children with additional needs, using visuals, role‑play or short audio recordings could help make the stories more accessible.
Collecting and sharing these stories would show the children how different cultures see the night, while building oral language skills and cultural pride. It also helps them feel that what they bring from home is valued in school.Hi Gráinne, I loved reading your list of songs and poems, it really shows how universal the night sky is in art and music. I completely relate to what you said as a first‑time mother; ‘Twinkle Twinkle Little Star’ has become part of my daily soundtrack too! In my own teaching, especially with pupils from many cultural backgrounds, music and art about the stars helps everyone feel connected, no matter where they’re from. Thanks for sharing; it’s inspired me to think more about adding songs and poetry to my own lessons.
How you would engage your learners to explore biodiversity in your local area and the possible impacts of light pollution on local biodiversity:
As an AEN teacher in a diverse, urban school, I’d start with what pupils actually know: local nocturnal animals like bats, foxes, hedgehogs (if nearby) and moths. We could use short videos and images to introduce these species and explain why darkness matters for them, such as bats finding insects, foxes hunting safely.
The children could help survey where artificial lights are strongest around the school and suggest small changes, like shielding lights or turning them off earlier. Hands-on activities, like building simple bat boxes or planting night‑scented flowers for moths, would keep it concrete and sensory.
Using real local examples and creative tasks will help include our children who come from different backgrounds and learning needs. It will also show them that even in a busy city, their actions can help local wildlife.Hi Ellen, I really liked how you started from what’s actually around your school, especially the video footage of badgers, which is such a brilliant hook for children. In my own setting, working with pupils who might struggle with abstract ideas, having something concrete like that makes such a difference. Your idea of designing homes for nocturnal species together is so inclusive, too, lots of scope for creativity and hands‑on work.
2: Create a teaching resource using the ‘Globe at Night’ citizen science programme
I’d like to build a short activity around the Globe at Night programme, as part of a two-week mini project. It’s a simple way to introduce data collection and talk about light pollution in a hands-on way, even for pupils who might not have access to dark skies.
We’d start by discussing the difference between natural and artificial light, and then use satellite images to compare light levels in different areas. For homework, I’d ask the children to go outside (with help from home) and try the Globe at Night sky observation, even just noting whether or not they can see stars. Back in class, we’d talk about their results and map them roughly by location.
Even if we only get partial data, it’s a good starting point for thinking about how our own surroundings shape what we can see, and how small changes in lighting could make a difference.Hi Christina, it’s interesting that even living a few kilometres from town doesn’t guarantee a dark sky anymore. The bit about the floodlights really stood out to me, I hadn’t thought about how much they interfere with your eyes adjusting to the dark. I can imagine how different the experience must be on a clear, quiet night with everything switched off. The way you described the Milky Way reappearing really brought that contrast to life.
Hi Aoife, I think the Moon is a great choice, especially since it’s something the children already know, but probably haven’t thought about in this way. The idea of ticking off dates on a classroom calendar is really simple but effective. I like how you’ve made it low-pressure, with room for sketching and quiet discussion. It’s something I can see working well especially with mixed ability groups.
Task: Plan to observe the Moon – which phase of the Moon is best for observing in the morning from school? What dates will that be?
I’d like to do a short observation project with the children based on spotting the Moon in the morning sky. We’d focus on the waning crescent and last quarter phases, since that’s when the Moon is usually still visible at school time. It’s also a nice way to challenge the idea that ‘the Moon only comes out at night,’ which most children assume.
I’d print out a Moon calendar and stick it up in the classroom, and we could track it together during those weeks. In autumn 2025, the waning crescent falls around September 17th-22nd, so that could work well early in the term.
If the sky is clear, we’d pop outside for a quick sketch, even ten minutes would be enough. Inside, we could compare our sketches with Stellarium or Moon photos online. It’s a calm, visual activity that would fit in nicely with science and literacy, especially for small support groups.Hi Ellen,
I really like the idea of using landmarks like the chimney to track sunrise.. it makes the task more concrete, especially for kids who find compass directions tricky.The suggestion to use webcams like Seapoint is also really practical, especially in winter or for pupils who might not have a clear view at home. I hadn’t thought about linking up with another school to compare observations. That’s a great way to add some collaboration and variety.
2. Construct a sundial in your immediate area or plan for your school grounds to see where a sundial could be placed.
I plan to introduce the concept of sundials as part of a short-term inquiry project with a small support group. We’d start by discussing light, shadow, and how we know what time it is — including how people measured time before digital clocks. This would lead into outdoor work using chalk to trace our shadows at intervals throughout the day. I’ve used shadow tracing before to support sequencing and oral language, and it works well for pupils with additional needs.
After observing how the sun’s position affects shadow direction and length, we’d move to constructing our own paper sundials using the steps outlined in ESERO 52. I’d display a large version in the yard or classroom and use it to introduce the term “gnomon”. The goal would be to help pupils recognise patterns in shadow movement and connect this to the Earth’s rotation — ideally through discussion and hands-on learning rather than written explanations. The activity would also provide opportunities for simple measurement and time recording, which supports numeracy targets.Hi Veronica,
I like your point about oral history being a standout part of local heritage projects. I think sometimes we focus so much on finding ‘official’ sources or old photographs that we forget the richness of simply sitting and listening to someone tell their story.I also love the idea of compiling interviews into a book – what a brilliant way to make learning visible and preserve those voices. I’ve never had a 99-year-old past pupil visit the classroom, but I’ve seen how powerful even short chats with grandparents can be. The children really light up when they make those personal connections.
I’m hoping to run a similar project with my class next year – maybe even combining biodiversity walks and local engineering with storytelling and history.. thanks for the inspiration!
After completing this course, I’d love to plan a longer-term project exploring the scientific and natural heritage of our local area in north city Dublin. We’d start with a biodiversity focus in the autumn – leaf ID, a minibeast hunt, and perhaps the Spring Diary Challenge to track seasonal changes. We’d build in maths and literacy through graphing, report writing, and oral recounts.
By winter, we’d shift focus to engineering – looking at local bridges and how they’re built, and designing and testing model bridges in class. Come spring, we’d explore space and light, connecting back to Birr Castle’s telescope and doing simple investigations with shadows and lenses.
Throughout, we’d link in art (leaf rubbings, map trails), history (oral interviews about old Dublin landmarks), and tech (using Seek and Google Earth). It would run over the year, a small project per term, with a display or class book at the end – something to celebrate their learning journey.Hi Niamh,
You’ve really captured something really important about how a familiar place like Tallaght Stadium can act as a kind of anchor for learning. I totally agree that choosing a local structure with emotional and community ties makes the learning more meaningful. I love your maths link too — comparing capacity and timelines of stadiums really broadens the project in an accessible way.I’m working in a school in northside Dublin and planning a similar project based around a local bridge — one the children walk past regularly. Like your stadium, it’s a piece of local engineering they already have a connection with, even if they don’t know the history behind it yet. It’s amazing how much potential there is in these kinds of everyday structures once we take the time to look at them more closely.
Chosen Topic: Research engineering in your local area and describe how you would use a local building, structure or other engineering feature as inspiration for a classroom or outdoor design and make project.
I’m inspired by the old Liffey Railway Bridge, which carries trains over the Liffey and into the historic Phoenix Park Tunnel. It’s a really striking example of traditional engineering that’s still in use, and it has such character. I think using a familiar bridge like this one would be a lovely starting point for a STEM ‘Bridges and Structures’ project in 4th Class.
We’d begin by looking at what makes a bridge strong — exploring forces, supports and load using pictures, videos and real-world examples. We could then design and make bridges using recycled materials, linking in maths by testing how much weight our models could hold and measuring span and symmetry. There’s great cross-over with visual art too — sketching bridges, exploring line and pattern, also constructing 3D bridge models.
Most of all, I think using a local landmark brings the learning to life in such a powerful way.Hi Lora,
It sounds like you already have such a strong connection to nature in your school, and the way you build your project around the seasons makes it feel really grounded and doable. The blackberry jam idea is a lovely way to connect food, nature, and tradition.I like how you’re making use of technology too, like the bird apps and tablets for leaf ID. I was really taken with the phenology element in this module and how we can track the timing of seasonal changes — it could work really well alongside your ramble and spring planting.
I’m planning to do something similar in my school, but I’ll need to adapt it for a more built-up area — still, the same tools and seasonal themes work just as well