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I agree Elizabeth older generations had many fascinating beliefs about the night sky.Children could interview a parent, grandparent or older relative about stars, the Moon, eclipses, shooting stars or weather signs they remember hearing about. They could then compare these traditional beliefs with what science tells us today.
Module 5:
The night sky provides a wonderful source of inspiration for Songs, Poems and Art, and I think it could be used very effectively across the curriculum. One example that interests me is President Michael D. Higgins’ poem “Stardust” mentioned in this assignment. The poem could encourage children to think about the stars, the vastness of space and our place within the universe. I would begin by sharing the poem with the children and discussing what images and feelings it creates for them. We could then listen to music connected with the night sky, such as “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” for Junior classes or “A Sky Full of Stars” by Coldplay for middle and senior classes and compare the different moods created.
I think Van Gogh’s “The Starry Night” would be the strongest choice for my ESERO activity because you can connect Art with Science and the Night Sky. You could discuss what children notice about the stars and then investigate why stars appear to twinkle, how light pollution affects what we can see, and create their own night-sky artwork.For Art, the children could create their own night-sky pictures using paint, chalk pastels or mixed media. They could explore colour, light, shadow and patterns to represent stars, planets and constellations. I would also encourage children to write their own short poem about the night sky, using descriptive and imaginative language. This would provide a meaningful opportunity to integrate Science, English, Music and Visual Arts while developing children’s curiosity and sense of wonder about the universe.
I really like the idea of “Chatterpix” on the Ipads as a digital learning tool. They can use the photos they have taken on their nature walk along with the voiceover tool to show their peers their findings.
Module 4:
I think exploring biodiversity in Newtownforbes, Co Longford (my local area) would be a really engaging way to help my learners see that science is all around them. Rather than simply learning about biodiversity from a book, I would like the children to become “biodiversity detectives” and investigate what they can find in our own school grounds and local area with our biodiversity walkway We could go on a nature walk and look for birds, insects, plants and other signs of wildlife. The children could record their observations through drawings, photographs and simple tally charts.
I would then introduce the idea of light pollution by asking the children what they notice about the night sky in Newtownforbes and whether artificial light might affect the animals living here. This could lead to questions about how insects, bats, birds and other nocturnal animals use darkness and how excessive artificial light might disrupt their behaviour.
I feel this would be an excellent opportunity for inquiry-based learning. The children could ask questions, make predictions, investigate and suggest solutions, such as reducing unnecessary outdoor lighting. It would also develop important STEM skills such as observing, recording, communicating and problem-solving.
As a teacher, I would hope this activity would help children develop a stronger connection with their local environment and understand that even small actions can help protect biodiversity. It could also support our SSE by promoting outdoor learning, environmental awareness and the development of science skills across the school.
I agree Lyndsy many areas that woud have been deemed as rural years ago have now become modernised and as a result light pollution is becoming an issue. It is important to show the children the ways we can make simple changes in our daily lives to try and improve the issue before it gets worse.
Module 3:
Light pollution is something that affects many local areas, particularly urban environments or cities where there are streetlights, buildings, traffic and illuminated signs. Although artificial light is important for safety, excessive light can make it difficult to see the stars and can affect wildlife and the natural day-and-night cycle. It also means that children may have fewer opportunities to experience and observe the night sky.
I would engage my learners in exploring light pollution through a hands-on investigation. We could begin by discussing what they notice when they look at the night sky and asking questions such as “Why can we see some stars but not others?” and “Does the amount of light around us make a difference?” The children could use a simple light pollution map or compare observations from different locations. We could also carry out an outdoor observation activity, recording the number of visible stars from the school grounds and, where possible, from a darker location.
The children could then investigate ways of reducing unnecessary light, such as switching off lights or using appropriate outdoor lighting. This would develop their observation, questioning, recording and communication skills while helping them understand how science connects to our local environment. It would also encourage them to think about how small changes can make a positive difference to both people and wildlife.Yes Sean, I also loved the ESERO lesson for oberving the moon. It draws on the childrens prior knowledge of the moon and why we see it during the day as well as at night. The Moon observation log is also useful which allows the children to keep a record of the moon phases they have witnessed.
Module 2:
I would engage the children in my class with an Autumn observing plan by turning it into an exciting, hands-on space investigation. I would begin by asking the children what they think they might see in the evening sky during autumn and whether they believe the same planets are visible throughout the year. We would discuss their ideas and make predictions before using a resource such as Stellarium to explore the evening sky.As a class, we could create an Autumn Skywatching Diary. Each week, we would check which planets are visible in the evening sky and record the date, time, weather conditions and what we can observe. We could compare our observations over several weeks and discuss whether the planets appear to move or change position.
I would also encourage the children to use Stellarium in small groups to investigate questions such as, “Which planet is easiest to see?” and “Where in the sky should we look?” This would develop important STEM skills including observing, questioning, predicting, recording, comparing and communicating. I think this activity would make astronomy more meaningful because the children would be actively observing the real night sky rather than simply learning about planets from a book.I agree Siobhan about the Paxi Day and Night video. I think it is such a vaulable resources when teaching the children about day and night.
Module 1:
The ESERO 30 “Day and Night in the World” activity is a useful STEM resource for helping children understand why we experience day and night. It focuses on the Earth’s rotation, using models and practical investigation to develop children’s understanding. I learned that children can have misconceptions about day and night and may think that night happens because it is time to sleep, rather than understanding that the Earth rotates on its axis.
Using practical models makes this difficult concept much more concrete and accessible. I would begin by asking:“ Why is it daytime in Ireland when it is night time somewhere else in the world?” Children could make predictions and discuss their ideas. I would then use a globe and torch to represent the Earth and Sun. Children could investigate what happens as the Earth rotates and identify which parts are experiencing day and which are experiencing night.
Children could then:
• make a simple 2-D or 3-D model of Earth and the Sun
• label day, night, Sun, Earth and rotation
• work in groups to demonstrate day and night
• record their predictions and findings
• explain their model to another group
• investigate which countries are experiencing night when Ireland is experiencing day.I agree Monica as I love using a book / story as a way of an introduction to a topic any topic but in this case- space.
Books I have used in the past that the children loved were “Mousetronaut”, “Roaring Rockets” and “If you decide to go to the moon”.
I love the idea of the Rocket Mice lesson mentioned in Module 5 as it encourages children to think like scientists. They ask questions, make predictions, test their ideas and explain their thinking using evidence. It combines all of our STEM subjects in various ways. Science, Technology (designing and building the rocket), Engineering (improving the design), and Mathematics (measuring and comparing distances or heights).
I would begin the lesson by reading the book “Mousetronaut “– A wonderful story about a small mouse who travels into space. It introduces rockets, astronauts and perseverance, making it an ideal hook for a Rocket Mice lesson.
Then we would move on to working in pairs or small group where children construct a paper Rocket Mouse and launch it using a plastic bottle. They observe what happens, record their findings and investigate how changing one variable, such as the force of the squeeze or the rocket design, affects the height or distance travelled.I would then invite children to share one new thing they learned with a partner before discussing it with the class.
I mentioned some of the same points in my assigment too about how our school are covereing the science curriculum but definitely not engaging in inquiry based work or investigations. The science skills need to be fostered more and the children need to be given ample oppertunities to develop and progress these skills. I feel like we are too dictated by a text book which don’t tend to lend themselves to covering the acquired skills needed in STEM projects. tasks.
We know from staff meetings and discussions we need to improve the quality of science teaching and learning by providing regular, hands-on, inquiry-based STEM experiences that develop pupils’ scientific skills and curiosity.
The new STEM curriculum will hopefully aid our progress as well as my completion of this course. Our chosen area for year one of the curriculum enactment is STEM.
Notes on how things are going currently in our school:
• Science is taught across all class levels, but practical investigations vary between classrooms.
• There are opportunities to increase the use of inquiry-based learning and STEM activities.
• Teachers would benefit from additional shared resources and collaborative planning.
• Pupils are enthusiastic about science but need more opportunities to investigate, predict, experiment, and communicate their findings.
Targets
By the end of the school year 2026/2027 we aim to:
• Increase the number of hands-on science investigations in every classroom.
• Ensure pupils regularly develop the key science skills of observing, questioning, predicting, investigating, measuring, recording, analysing, and communicating.
• Strengthen links between Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).
• Improve teacher confidence in planning and delivering inquiry-based science lessons.
Actions
• Develop a whole-school plan outlining the progression of science skills from Junior Infants to Sixth Class.
• Schedule at least one hands-on STEM investigation each month in every class.
• Create a shared bank of science equipment and STEM resources for all teachers.
• Organise professional learning opportunities focused on inquiry-based science and STEM teaching.
• Encourage collaborative planning and sharing of successful science lessons and activities.
• Hold a whole-school STEM Week or Science Fair to celebrate learning.
• Build partnerships with parents and the local community through STEM challenges, guest speakers, and science events.
• Integrate digital technologies, such as tablets and coding activities, to enhance scientific investigations where appropriate.
Success Criteria
• Pupils demonstrate increased confidence in using scientific skills.
• Classroom observations show greater use of practical, inquiry-based learning.