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Hi Anna,
I had just posted my own list when I read yours and saw “Reach for the Stars” by SClub7. I don’t know how I forgot that one!
It shows how useful these resource lists could be! Everyone has a different take.
Consider how many Songs / Poems /Art can you think of to connect us with the Night Sky?
I listened to Michael D Higgins “Stardust”. While I knew he was a poet, I didn’t realise how well-known and celebrated some of his poetry was. I was thinking, looking through my Spotify and Googling and these are the suggestions I have for art which connects to the night sky.
Classical Music:
– “Moonlight Sonata” by Beethoven
– “Clair de Lune” by Debussy
– “The Planets” by HolstSongs:
– “Sky Full of Stars” by Coldplay
– “Talking to the Moon” by Bruno Mars
– “Fly me to the Moon” by Frank Sinatra
– “Supermassive Black Hole” by MusePaintings:
“Starry Night” by Van Gogh
“Starry Night and the Astronomers” by Alma Thomas
Work of Georgia O’Keeffe features sky themePoems
“When I heard the Learn’d Astronomer” by Walt WhitmanChildren’s Books
“The Smeds and the Smoos” by Julia Donaldson
“Captain Starfish” by Davina BellHi Padraic,
I love the idea of the nocturnal cameras to see what local wildlife are up to around the school. The children would love this! I wonder if there may be a cheap version available on Amazon.
How you would engage your learners to explore biodiversity in your local area and
the possible impacts of light pollution on local biodiversity.I live in the Killarney area, so there are many opportunities and local resources to help with this.
A class discussion listing the local wildlife and the impact light pollution has on these animals could open the topic.
We are lucky to live near the National Park and can organize a field trip to Killarney National Park. Arrange for a local park ranger or a wildlife expert to guide the students. During the walk, students can observe different habitats (woodlands, lakes, bogs) and the species that live there.
Equip each student with a nature journal where they can draw or write about the plants and animals they see. Encourage them to note down anything that surprises or interests them.Children could make predictions about how light pollution from the town could effect these animals.
One very topical talking point at the moment is the amount of deer and fox which are being killed on the roads. Animals wandering onto the road is dangerous for drivers as well as the animals themselves.
From a practical perspective, it is unlikely the children would view any nocturnal animals due to the times of the day we would be out and about. We could arrange a Zoom call with the ranger and he could update us on some of the animals we observed and the predictions we made about the impact of light pollution.
Hi Emma,
I absolutely agree that human sleep issues are often linked to our reliance on artificial light.
Loved your ideas for educational activities.
We are lucky in Kerry to have a Gold standard Dark Sky Reserve near us. This provides a lot of opportunities to explore the night sky and the impact of light pollution for the students.
Light pollution is steadily encroaching on the night skies around the urban areas such as Tralee and Killarney, making it harder to experience the true beauty of a starlit night. As the town expands and more lights are added, the stars seem to fade away, hidden behind a curtain of artificial light.
Killarney National Park is nearby. Light pollution can affect the local wildlife. Nocturnal animals, like bats and owls, rely on the cover of darkness to hunt and navigate. When their environment is lit up by human activity, it disrupts their natural behaviours, making it harder for them to survive. The delicate balance of the ecosystem in places like Killarney National Park is being disturbed by something as seemingly harmless as light.
For humans, the loss of dark skies can have a more subtle but equally important effect. The ability to see the stars connects us to the broader universe, giving us a sense of wonder and perspective. It’s a reminder of our place in the cosmos, a connection that is becoming increasingly rare in our modern, light-filled world.
But light pollution isn’t an unsolvable problem. Teaching students some simple actions can make a big difference: using lighting that minimizes glare and reduces light spill, turning off unnecessary lights, and raising awareness about the importance of preserving our night skies.
Hi James,
I love the idea of using the planets and their research as a stimulus for creative writing! It would be interesting and imaginative, while they would still have enough concrete information researched to keep them going. Another addition could be the music of “The Planets” from Holst (famous these days as featuring in Bluey!) to integrate with music.
The weather is Ireland is often unpredictable and changeable. A clear sky is important.
Equipment needed: Binoculars or a telescope if available
Planets which are visible in Autumn in Ireland:
Jupiter
Venus
Saturn
Mars- low visibility. Telescope needed and will still be difficult to spot.Venus:
Visible September, western horizon where the sun sets, just after sunset when it is brightestJupiter:
Visible September to November, after darkness (from 10pm to 2am),in the Eastern (where the sun rises) to Southern sky, high in the sky. Jupiter will be closest to Earth on 6th Dec 2024. Clear visibility. Jupiter was on its closest approach to Earth in 59 years in September 2023.Saturn:
A telescope will be needed for visibility of Saturn’s rings. The planet will be visible after sunset for several hours from September to October 24. It will be located in the South-eastern sky.Mars:
Autumn will not be a good period for visibility of Mars.Source: Stellarium App
Making an Earth tube and one other planet to demonstrate the force of gravity:
Assuming the children have some prior knowledge from previous lessons about Earth’s position in space and gravity as a force, I would show this video which demonstrates how high you can jump if you were standing on the other planets of our solar system
I would give the children the necessary materials to make “space” using black fabric held onto hula hoops with pegs (groupwork).
To represent the Earth I would have a light ball.
To represent Jupiter- a planet which exerts a massive force of gravity- I would have something larger and heavier.
Smaller balls to gather around Earth/Jupiter.
From the STEM document, it is important that all aspects of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths are included in the lesson.
Maths- I would ask children to predict which planet will make a larger “dip”. Estimate how many marbles will be attracted to each.
Engineering- constructing the planet tube.
Science- learning about Earth and Jupiters gravitational force and how it influences the planets around them eg: moons, etc
Technology- Making a video to show another class.
Video demo here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pdq78yXiyR0
Hi Niamh,
I love the idea of the virtual travel journal. I think it would really engage the children. They love to imagine the places they will visit! My own school is multicultural and it would be great to show where grandparents etc are living in the day/night cycle. Presenting to peers gives lots of different perspectives. Thanks!
