Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
Yes I agree Ellen and for comparison purposes the study could be contrasted with a rural school-penpal/school twinning opportunity which could link in with SPHE/PLC also
Based on Module 5 here are my brainstormed ideas for the activity: Creative Connections with the Night Sky Learning Outcomes: Explore how the night sky has inspired songs, poems, and art. Respond creatively through writing and visual expression.
Introduction (10 mins): Play a short clip of “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” or read a short poem about the stars e.g. Yeats’ “He Wishes for the Cloths of Heaven” as outlined in this module. Show Van Gogh’s “Starry Night” on the board. Ask pupils: “How does the night sky make you feel? Why do you think so many artists and writers use it as inspiration?” depending on the class level being taught.
Main Activity (25 mins): Group Task: In small groups, pupils brainstorm as many songs, poems, or art pieces they know that mention the moon, stars, or night. Individual Task: Each pupil then chooses to either: Write a short poem or verse about the night sky, or create an artwork (drawing/painting) inspired by the night sky. Plenary (10 mins): Groups share their favourite examples.
Volunteers read poems or display artwork. Discuss how the sky inspires both science and creativity.
Integration: English (poetry writing, oral language)
Visual Arts (painting, drawing, mixed media)
SESE (link to astronomy and observation of the night sky).Resources for this activity 1. Songs & Rhymes “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star”
Activity: Sing together, then ask: What questions would you ask a star if you could talk to it? “Hey Diddle Diddle” Activity: Pupils illustrate the rhyme — what would the cow, moon, cat, and fiddle look like in the night sky?
“Star Light, Star Bright” Activity: Children write their own “wish” on a paper star and hang it in the classroom sky display.
2. Poems “The Moon” (R.L. Stevenson) Excerpt: “The moon has a face like the clock in the hall…” Activity: Pupils draw the moon’s “face” as they imagine it.
“Star” (Christina Rossetti) Activity: Pupils write a 2-line poem about something shining or glowing at night. “I See the Moon” (traditional rhyme)
Activity: Recite together, then have pupils make moon phase flipbooks.
3. Stories & Folk Tales “How the Stars Came to Be” (P. Mistry) Activity: Pupils create their own myth about a new constellation. “Goodnight Moon” (M.W. Brown) Activity: Pupils write a “Goodnight” poem to things in the classroom or village. Greek Myth of Orion / The Milky Way legend Activity: Star map drawing – connect dots (stars) to invent their own constellation story.
Cross-Curricular Links SESE: Explore the science of stars, planets, and constellations. English: Reading, reciting, writing poems and stories.
Visual Arts: Star collages, moon chalk drawings, constellation maps.
SPHE/Wellbeing: Wishes, storytelling, connection to nature.Based on Module 5 here are my brainstormed ideas for the activity: Creative Connections with the Night Sky Learning Outcomes: Explore how the night sky has inspired songs, poems, and art. Respond creatively through writing and visual expression.
Introduction (10 mins): Play a short clip of “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” or read a short poem about the stars e.g. Yeats’ “He Wishes for the Cloths of Heaven” as outlined in this module. Show Van Gogh’s “Starry Night” on the board. Ask pupils: “How does the night sky make you feel? Why do you think so many artists and writers use it as inspiration?”
Main Activity (25 mins): Group Task: In small groups, pupils brainstorm as many songs, poems, or art pieces they know that mention the moon, stars, or night. Individual Task: Each pupil then chooses to either: Write a short poem or verse about the night sky, OR Create an artwork (drawing/painting) inspired by the night sky. Plenary (10 mins): Groups share their favourite examples.
Volunteers read poems or display artwork. Discuss how the sky inspires both science and creativity.
Integration: English (poetry writing, oral language)
Visual Arts (painting, drawing, mixed media)
SESE (link to astronomy and observation of the night sky).Resources for this activity 1. Songs & Rhymes “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star”
Activity: Sing together, then ask: What questions would you ask a star if you could talk to it? “Hey Diddle Diddle” Activity: Pupils illustrate the rhyme — what would the cow, moon, cat, and fiddle look like in the night sky?
“Star Light, Star Bright” Activity: Children write their own “wish” on a paper star and hang it in the classroom sky display.
2. Poems “The Moon” (R.L. Stevenson) Excerpt: “The moon has a face like the clock in the hall…” Activity: Pupils draw the moon’s “face” as they imagine it.
“Star” (Christina Rossetti) Activity: Pupils write a 2-line poem about something shining or glowing at night. “I See the Moon” (traditional rhyme)
Activity: Recite together, then have pupils make moon phase flipbooks.
3. Stories & Folk Tales “How the Stars Came to Be” (P. Mistry) Activity: Pupils create their own myth about a new constellation. “Goodnight Moon” (M.W. Brown) Activity: Pupils write a “Goodnight” poem to things in the classroom or village. Greek Myth of Orion / The Milky Way legend Activity: Star map drawing – connect dots (stars) to invent their own constellation story.
Cross-Curricular Links SESE: Explore the science of stars, planets, and constellations. English: Reading, reciting, writing poems and stories.
Visual Arts: Star collages, moon chalk drawings, constellation maps.
SPHE/Wellbeing: Wishes, storytelling, connection to nature.In our village school, I would plan a series of lessons to introduce pupils to the concept of biodiversity. Linking with our Green Schools’ committee, we would begin by discussing what biodiversity means, why it is important, and looking at examples of local species in our coastal environment – from seabirds along the shore to plants and insects in our village park. Pupils would then visit the park and beach to record observations. Back in the classroom, they would map where each species was found and work in groups to research birds, plants, and marine life, before presenting their projects to the class. Building on this, we would move into a unit on light pollution. Living in a seaside village, pupils are familiar with lights used for fishing boats, piers, and evening activities along the promenade. We would explore how these lights, while useful for safety and work, also reduce the visibility of the night sky and disturb nocturnal wildlife such as bats, moths, and seabirds. Where possible, we would compare our village sky with a darker rural spot nearby and research the impact of artificial light on local species. Through these lessons, pupils would become advocates for sustainable light use, sharing ideas on how the community might reduce unnecessary light while still supporting maritime and village life. A rough layout would go as follows:
Week 1: Introducing Biodiversity
I would begin with a classroom discussion to introduce the term biodiversity. I’d link with our Green Schools’ committee to get pupils thinking about why biodiversity matters and to list examples of species found in our village. We’d focus on both land and sea — from seabirds, fish, and shellfish to wildflowers, insects, and trees.Week 2: Observing Local Biodiversity
We would visit the village park and seafront to observe and record different species. Pupils would sketch, take notes, and use simple ID charts. On returning, we’d create a large wall map of the village showing where plants, animals, and marine life were spotted. In groups, pupils would research chosen categories (birds, insects, plants, marine species) and later present their findings.Week 3: Introducing Light Pollution
Next, I would introduce the concept of light pollution. Living in a seaside village, pupils are familiar with pier lights, shop fronts, and lights from fishing boats. Through videos and discussion, we’d explore the positive uses of light for safety and work, but also how it hides the stars and disrupts nocturnal wildlife.Week 4: Investigating Local Impact
We would keep night sky diaries, comparing what we see above the promenade with darker rural spots nearby. Pupils would also investigate how bats, seabirds, and insects are affected by artificial light. Together, we’d create posters or digital campaigns encouraging our local community to use light wisely.Overall Goal: By connecting biodiversity and light pollution, I would like my pupils to see how our coastal environment is shaped by human actions — and to feel empowered to help protect it.
I agree Niall, the consequences of light pollution hadn’t occurred to me as much before I completed this module-now I found myself gazing out at the street lights in my estate last night as the blinds were drawn. Driving around my local village I was noting the different glares from the lights and how they impacted on the local environs.
Where I live in the North East, the beauty of the night sky is often hidden by light pollution. Streetlights, shop fronts, and the glow from nearby towns reduce the number of stars we can see clearly. Instead of a dark, star-filled sky, the background often looks grey or orange. This makes it harder to see constellations and planets with the naked eye, and it also affects local wildlife, such as birds and insects, which rely on natural darkness for their daily rhythms. To engage my students, I would begin by asking them to compare the night sky with a darker area, perhaps further along the Cooley Peninsula, using photographs or direct observation. Pupils could keep a night sky diary, counting how many stars they see on clear evenings in different locations. We could also explore maps of light pollution online to see how our village compares to other places in Ireland. Cross-curricular links would include Science (light and the environment), Geography (human impact on natural systems), and Maths (data collection and graphing). Finally, pupils could design posters or digital campaigns in Visual Arts to raise awareness locally about how reducing light waste could help us all see the stars more clearly. They could also compete in a public speaking campaign between the Senior Classes on light waste reduction.
I agree Mona, some parents might be more excited than the kids to use it. It would be a lovely hands on homework activity for families to engage in together and enjoy completing!
I would introduce the topic as follows to my students. I would allow them to become familiar with binoculars and a telescope and practice their note taking procedures for their sky diaries. This activity could be a paired or individual activity based on resources available and would be differentiated by ability.
Our Autumn Sky-Watching Plan- This autumn we are going to look at the evening sky and see which planets we can spot. Planets are different from stars because they shine with a steady light, not a twinkle. We don’t need special equipment, just our eyes, but sometimes we can use binoculars or a small telescope can help us see even more. In September and October, we will look towards the southeast just after sunset. We will hopefully see Saturn shining brightly. If we had a telescope, we could even see its famous rings. A little later in the evening, we will look towards the east. The very bright star you see is not a star at all – it’s Jupiter. If we use binoculars, we might even spot some of its moons. As we move into November, more planets may appear, but our main focus will be on Saturn and Jupiter because they are easy to see in the evening. We will keep a sky journal, where we write down the time, direction, and what the planet looked like. We can also draw simple sketches of the night sky. This way we will become real sky-watchers, linking science with art and learning how people have always looked to the sky for answers. This activity will link SESE, STEM, Visual Arts and ICT by incorporating Stellarium into the lessons. Oral recount in PLC will be used as the students report on their findings. They can also use either report or recount writing to note their findings.
I agree Emma, the use of a sky diary would be a lovely activity. Too often we rush through lessons and activities due to how busy we are in school-it would be lovely to take the time to complete this activity,also it is linked to mindfulness and wellbeing, it is an opportunity to allow our students to slow down, be present in their activity and hone their observation skills. It is also a non screen activity which is important as students often need planned digital detoxes as part of the school day as they can be over reliant on them.
I would like to use the idea of the sundial to create a cross-curricular project that links SESE/Visual Arts/Maths/STEM. The sundial in our local seaside village is a familiar landmark for many students in my school, and starting with something they know would help make their learning meaningful. By exploring how sundials were once used to measure time, pupils can connect their local community to the wider history of timekeeping. To deepen the project, pupils could interview older residents of the village to gather stories about the sundial’s presence and significance. This would encourage oral history skills, develop questioning, and build respect for local heritage. An interview with the artist who designed and built the sundial would provide a unique perspective on creativity, design, and materials, linking naturally to Visual Arts. Pupils could then design their own sundial models, experimenting with form and function. From a Maths perspective, measuring shadows, exploring angles, and comparing results with clocks would bring number and shape concepts to life. This project would encourage children to see how Maths and Art meet in the real world, while strengthening a connection to local history and community identity and furthering home school community engagement.
