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Design your own dark sky space lesson
Learning Objectives
By the end of the lesson, children will:Understand what a Dark Sky Site is
Learn who uses these areas (e.g. stargazers, campers, wildlife, farmers, rangers)
Work together in role-play to discuss different ideas
Create a group “Dark Sky Site” using art, storytelling, and imaginationMaterials Needed
Starry sky photos or videos
Toy binoculars/telescopes
Role play props: ranger hats, animal masks, maps, camera, clipboard
Art materials: cardboard, black paper, yellow chalk/stickers, glue
Large poster board or wall display area
Flashlights (with covers to show light pollution vs good lighting)1. Introduction: What is a Dark Sky Site?
Show a photo or short video of a starry night sky.
Ask: “Have you ever seen stars at night? Were there lots of lights around?”
Explain in simple terms:“A Dark Sky Site is a special place where it’s dark at night, so we can see lots of stars! Too many lights from towns or buildings can make it hard to see them.”
Ask: “Why do you think people like it when it’s dark at night?”2. Role Play: Who Uses a Dark Sky Site?
Set up role play stations. Each group pretends to be a different “user” of the Dark Sky Site:Stargazers: Want it to be dark to see stars and planets.
Wildlife (Owls, bats): Need dark to sleep and hunt.
Park Rangers: Keep the area safe and clean.
Families/Campers: Like to enjoy quiet and dark nights outdoors.
Farmers: Don’t want animals disturbed by bright lights.
Give each group 2–3 minutes to talk:“What do you want in a Dark Sky Site?”
Children can act out, draw, or share with the class.3.Discussion Circle: What Should Our Dark Sky Site Look Like?
As a class, bring everyone together and record their ideas on a board:“No big lights at night!”
“A quiet camping spot”
“Places for animals to sleep”
“A telescope area!”
Introduce the idea of “light pollution” using a flashlight:Shine it directly = too bright!
Cover or point it down = better!4.Create Our Dark Sky Site (Art Activity) (12–15 min)
Children work in small groups to create parts of their “Dark Sky Site”:Black sky with stars using chalk/stickers on paper
Draw or cut out animals, tents, telescopes, and signs like “Keep It Dark!”
Help them label or describe what they made: “This is the bat’s cave!”
Display the finished pieces on a wall titled “Our Dark Sky Site”.5.Conclusion & Sharing
Walk around the display and let children explain what they made.
Ask reflective questions:“What did we do to help the stars shine brighter?”
“How did we work together?”
Optional: Sing a star-related song like “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.”Your idea of an interactive nature walk sounds lovely Jennifer the children will really enjoy this and i feel will engage all learners
Incorporating the needs of nocturnal species into a Junior Infants biodiversity lesson. The goal is to help very young learners understand that some animals need darkness to live and be safe.
Introduce children to nocturnal animals in and help them understand that darkness is important for these animals to live, hunt, and sleep.
1. Circle Time
Talk about night and day:Ask: What do we do at night? What do we see in the sky?
Show pictures of night skies: stars, moon, darkness.
Introduce word “nocturnal”: “Some animals wake up at night and go to sleep when we wake up!
2. Story Time
Read a simple story or tell one about a nocturnal animal.
“Bella the Bat and the Bright Lights”3. Show & Tell with Animal Pictures
Show real-life pictures of nocturnal animals found in Kerry, such as:Barn owl, bat, frog, hedgehog
Use simple language:
“This owl sleeps in the day and hunts mice at night. It likes the dark.”Let children name and make the sounds or movements of each animal.
4. Hands-on Art Activity
Craft: Night Sky Animal PostersChildren colour or stick pre-cut shapes of nocturnal animals onto black or dark blue paper.
Add stars and a moon with stickers or chalk.Light pollution is increasingly becoming a concern in County Kerry, even though it remains one of Ireland’s darkest and most pristine natural areas. In fact, parts of Kerry — particularly the Kerry International Dark Sky Reserve — are globally recognized for their exceptional night skies. However, growing development, tourism infrastructure, and expanding residential areas pose ongoing risks.
How Light Pollution is Impacting County Kerry:
Encroachment on Dark Sky Reserve:The Kerry International Dark Sky Reserve, stretching from Kells to Caherdaniel, is a designated Gold Tier Dark Sky Reserve. However, nearby towns such as Cahersiveen, Waterville, and Sneem are seeing increased lighting for tourism, roads, and housing, which can spill into the protected zones.
Even small increases in artificial light can reduce the visibility of stars and interfere with astronomical observations.
Effects on Wildlife:Kerry’s native species, including bats, owls, and migratory birds, depend on natural darkness. Artificial light can disorient nocturnal wildlife, affect feeding and mating patterns, and alter natural ecosystems.
Marine life near coastal areas like Ballinskelligs or Valentia Island can also be disrupted by coastal lighting.
Impact on Human Health and Culture:Poorly managed lighting in urban areas like Tralee or Killarney can disrupt human circadian rhythms, leading to sleep issues.
There is also a cultural loss; many younger residents have never seen a truly dark, star-filled sky, which is part of Ireland’s natural and mythological heritage.Protecting the skies over County Kerry is about more than just science — it’s about preserving our connection to nature, culture, and the cosmos. By getting learners actively involved in observation, action, and reflection, we empower them to be guardians of their environment.
I think the children will really enjoy this lesson, allowing them free time to become familiar with the website and resources is a really good idea.
A lesson for junior infants on planning to observe the Moon. The goal is to spark curiosity and guide them gently into scientific observation.
Lesson Objectives
Understand that the Moon can be seen in the sky, especially at night.
Know that the Moon changes shape.
Plan a simple observation of the Moon with help from an adult.1. Circle Time Discussion
Talk about the MoonAsk: Have you ever seen the Moon in the sky?
Show a big picture of the Moon.
Discuss: The Moon comes out at night and sometimes in the day!, and it looks different on different days.
2. Story Time
Read a short book about the Moon.
Ask a few questions:What did the Moon look like in the story?
Would you like to see the Moon at night too?
3. Planning Our Moon Watch! (5 minutes)
Say: We are going to be Moon Watchers! That means we’ll look at the Moon with our families.Show a simple Moon Watch” chart, with days of the week and a space to draw.
Give each child a blank chart and explain:Each night, ask your grown-up to help you look at the Moon.
If you see it, draw what it looks like!
4. Creative Activity
Let children draw the Moon with crayons—full, crescent, or what they imagine.
They can share their drawings with the class.3. Plan how your students could “observe and record the positions of the sun when rising and setting and at different times of the day”
Objective:
Students will learn how to observe, describe, and record the Sun’s position when it rises, sets, and moves across the sky during the day.1. Morning Observation – Sunrise
Go outside early in the morning.
Look to see where the Sun comes up (usually in the East).
Write down or draw what you see.
Example: “The Sun is low in the sky and feels cool. It rose near the tree on the left side.”
2. Midday Observation – Noon
Go outside again around 12 PM.
Observe the Sun’s position. Is it high up in the sky? Is your shadow short?
Record what you see and how it feels.
Example: “The Sun is straight above me. My shadow is very short.”
3. Evening Observation – Sunset
Go outside before the Sun goes down.
Watch where it sets (usually in the West).
Draw or describe the scene.
Example: “The Sun is near the horizon and everything looks orange.”The children can record there answers and identify the common results they find, and discuss if the results were the same as their predictions before we began the activity.
I also really like this idea, it can sometimes be hard with the younger children so this is very relatable, I will definitely take inspiration from this idea.
I am working with junior infants this year so I feel a basic pitch like the importance of trees is also a good idea, tress are all around us and all children are exposed to them daily.
Climate Detective Lesson: How Trees Help Us!
Today we’re going to learn about something very special that helps keep our Earth happy – TREES!What do trees do for us?
Trees help us breathe!Trees take in dirty air (like smoke and carbon dioxide) and give us back clean air (called oxygen).
So when we breathe in and out… thank a tree
Trees give shade and keep us coolOn a hot day, standing under a tree feels nice, right? That’s because trees help cool the Earth!
Trees are homes for animals!Birds, squirrels, bugs, and even bees live in trees.
Trees are like a big hotel for animals!
Trees help stop floods.When it rains, trees drink up the water through their roots, like a big straw.
That helps keep the ground from getting too wet or muddy.
Trees give us food!Some trees grow apples, oranges, nuts, and more
What would happen if there were no trees?
The air would be dirty and hard to breathe
It would get too hot in some places
Animals would have no place to live
There might be more floods and mudslides
We wouldn’t have as much fruit or woodWhat can WE do to help trees?
Plant new trees
Take care of parks and forests
Don’t break branches or pull off leavesTell others why trees are amazing!
After the children have discussed all the above i would finish with an art activity.
Draw a picture of a happy tree and the animals that live in it!Hi Robert,
the children will really enjoy this activity when there using the satellites that have passed over Ireland, I think it will be a fascinating study.
The EO browser is a powerful tool for exploring satellite imagery and earth observation data. It is designed to be user friendly and accessible, making it a great resource for educational purposes, even for young students in a primary school classroom.
Features of the EO Browser:
Global coverage- access satellite images from anywhere in the world.
Historical data- view and compare different images to observe changes over time.
Various satellite missions- includes data from Sentinel, Landsat, MODIS and other satellite mission’s.
Visualization tools- offers different types of imagery.
Measurement tools- measure distances and areas directly on the images.
Time-lapse feature- create time-lapse videos to show changes in location over time.
By integrating the EO Browser into classroom activities, teachers can provide students with a dynamic and interactive learning experience that enhances their understanding of earth science and geography.
