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I would love to prepare a school project focused on collecting piseógs, traditions, and stories of the night, linking it to Irish folklore and our local heritage. Inspired by the Dúchas Folklore Commission, the project would begin with a class discussion about traditional beliefs connected to the night such as seeing a falling star, the banshee, or stories about the moon and stars passed down through families.
Pupils would interview parents, grandparents, or neighbours to collect these stories, using guiding questions to prompt memories of old sayings or nighttime superstitions. We would then compile our findings into a classroom “Book of the Night,” including written stories, illustrations, and audio recordings if possible. This project would not only support oral language and history skills but also create a real sense of connection between generations. It allows students to see how people in the past understood the sky and darkness in deeply symbolic and imaginative ways, long before streetlights or science offered other explanations.Using Twinkle, Twinkle and An Ghealach is a great way to build both language and curiosity about the night sky, while also supporting calm routines. Linking Star Light, Star Bright to light pollution is such a clever idea!
Living and teaching in North Dublin offers a fantastic opportunity to explore biodiversity in a local, meaningful way. I would begin by introducing the concept of biodiversity using images and local examples like birds in St. Anne’s Park, pollinators in the walled gardens, and even foxes and bats that live closer to urban areas than children might realise. We’d take a biodiversity walk in the park, encouraging students to observe insects, birds, trees, and signs of animal life. Each group could record their findings through sketches, tally charts, or digital photos to build a “Biodiversity in Our Area” classroom display.
To connect this to light pollution, I’d lead a discussion about how nighttime lighting affects local wildlife, especially bats, moths, and birds that rely on natural darkness. Pupils could then map light sources around our school and homes, interview family members about nighttime wildlife sightings, and suggest ways we could make our community more dark-sky and wildlife friendly. This project would help them see the connections between human behaviour and the health of local ecosystems.I love how thoughtful and creative your ideas are, especially given the limited space in your school. Planting night-friendly flowers in pots is a great idea and I also really like how you’re connecting it to story time with bats and moths.
This is a fantastic and thoughtful project and so relevant for children living in a city like Dublin! I love how you’re connecting the local environment with global issues and giving pupils real ways to take action. The “Night Sky Diary” is a great idea, and combining it with a local light walk helps them see the impact firsthand. Having them present their findings and write to local politicians is such a powerful way to build their confidence and show that their voices matter.
Planning a project for my class to participate in the International Dark Sky Association’s “Rising Star” Awards Programme presents an exciting opportunity to combine environmental awareness, science, and real-world action. I would begin by introducing the concept of light pollution and why protecting our night skies matters, not just for stargazing, but for wildlife, human health, and energy conservation. Using the Curious Minds Inquiry Framework, the children would first explore the issue through videos, sky observations, and using apps like Globe at Night to collect data on local sky visibility.
As part of the project, students would survey our school grounds and nearby streets for sources of unnecessary or poorly directed lighting. They could create posters or digital presentations to educate the school community on dark sky-friendly lighting. We would also write letters to local authorities or community groups suggesting improvements.
This project would help students see how they can take meaningful action and become true “rising stars” for environmental change. It connects science, civic responsibility, and communication, essential 21st-century skills.What a lovely way to introduce students to constellations! I really like how you’re using Stellarium as a visual guide first as it gives the children a clear sense of what to look for. Drawing the constellations with chalk is a great tactile activity, and sending them home to try spotting them in real life would add real excitement. Having them share their findings in class is a great way to build confidence and keep the learning going.
In autumn, several bright planets are visible in the evening sky, making it a perfect time to introduce stargazing at the beginning of the school year. I’d begin by focussing on observing Saturn, Jupiter, and Mars, which typically become visible shortly after sunset. Using Stellarium, children could explore when and where to look for each planet, and students could create their own “Planet Spotting Logs” to record what they see.
To engage the class, you could introduce the lesson with the question “What do you think you can see in the night sky?” and explore how planets differ from stars and how to spot them. I’d enoucrgae the children to observe real images of each planet and discuss features like Jupiter’s moons and Saturn’s rings. It would also be nice to encourage families to join in by assigning optional “Stargazing Nights,” where students could observe and sketch the sky from home. This activity supports science learning, digital literacy, and observation skills, while sparking wonder about our universe.Liston (2018) in “Unravelling STEM: Beyond the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics” challenges educators to move beyond seeing STEM as a checklist of subjects, and instead embrace it as a way of thinking and learning that is deeply connected to inquiry, creativity, and real-world relevance. In my classroom, I try to reflect this philosophy by integrating STEM into cross-curricular, hands-on experiences that encourage curiosity and critical thinking.
To explore the concept of Earth’s rotation and the apparent movement of the sun, I would guide my students through a simple but meaningful long-term observation activity. Over the course of two weeks, we would go outside each morning and afternoon to observe and record the position of the sun. Using chalk, we would mark shadows cast by a fixed object (like a flagpole or yardstick) on the yard and label them with the time and date. We would also sketch or photograph the position of the sun in the sky and use compass directions (e.g., east, west) to describe changes over time.
In class, we’d reflect on patterns, such as the sun rising in the east and setting in the west, and relate our findings to the science behind Earth’s rotation. Students could graph their shadow lengths and times, reinforcing links to Maths. This inquiry-based activity connects directly with the Curious Minds framework, encouraging exploration and explanation while developing both scientific understanding and observational skills.This sounds like a brilliant and engaging activity! I love how you’ve integrated history and geography alongside the science. Involving students in choosing the location and materials makes it really hands-on and meaningful. The idea of marking the hours with stones is simple but effective and a great way to make it accessible for all.
Climate change is increasingly affecting Ireland, with noticeable shifts in weather patterns, rising sea levels, and more frequent extreme weather events. Locally, we’ve experienced warmer winters, wetter summers, and more intense storms. These changes are impacting agriculture, biodiversity, and even our daily lives. We could also explore the science behind climate change, discussing its causes and consequences through interactive lessons and experiments.
Three actions we can take to make the world a better place and slow down climate change are:
1. Reducing waste by promoting recycling and composting initiatives in the school.
2. Encouraging energy conservation by setting up a “green team” to monitor and reduce energy usage in classrooms.3. Promoting sustainable transportation by organising walk or bike-to-school days.
By integrating development education modules discussed in this course into the curriculum, schools can encourage critical thinking, empathy, and active citizenship among students. Incorporating Development Education into SSE involves assessing how well the school is embedding these principles into its teaching practices, policies, and community engagement efforts. This can also include evaluating the effectiveness of sustainability projects, the integration of global themes across subjects, and involving students in social justice initiatives.
These are great points Ellen, and it’s great to hear students coming up with solutions as ultimately our goal is to prepare the world for future generations. I do agree that fast fashion is a global issue and also somewhat at a school level. For example, there is a lot of plastic and general waste from a student’s pencil case alone, and a new pencil case or stationery is often treated as a fashion accessory in classrooms. I am aware of some schools that do not allow such pencil cases and adopt an agreed plan for each child to all own the same school pencil case. I think that if schools adopt this, it would be a sustainable move and a step to encouraging pupils to make small changes in their lives.
I think your idea of using picture books is a great tool and there are some great opportunities for exploration that children can access at any age. This would get a great conversation going in the classroom.
Our closest organisation for asylum seekers and refugees would be the Irish Red Cross. World events over recent years have changed the landscape of primary schools in Ireland, and have encouraged us to make the necessary changes and take the appropriate measures for ensuring a safe environment for all pupils in our schools.
As stated from other teachers, EAL resources are necessary and our use of such resources has particularly heightened across the country since the enrolment of children from Ukraine two years ago. I do believe that a key starting point as a school-wide approach is that lessons are established in guiding our students understanding of these children’s circumstances. This can be done in a non-threatening manner, for example, through the use of picture books, stories, and the lessons provided in this module.
I love some of the ideas mentioned by other teachers, and I think an intercultural day could be an opportunity to fundraise and create empathy and understanding for all pupils in our schools. Inviting refugee and all other families to share their stories, traditions, and cultural practices would be a fantastic learning opportunity to raise awareness. A simple strategy that many schools have adapted it a Buddy System, where we pair refugee students with local students to help them adjust to the new school environment and make friends. A committee could be set up to facilitate and organise regular meet-ups and activities.
For SSE, schools could establish channels for refugee students and their families to provide feedback on their experiences and needs. Schools should regularly assess the effectiveness of programs and services designed to support refugee students, making adjustments as needed.
Children can be significantly affected by the Sustainable Development Goal of Climate Action at both local and global levels. As a senior class teacher, I have noticed that students can grow quite anxious when the topic of Global Warming is brought up.
At a local level, this goal has health impacts due to air pollution in urban areas. As I already mentioned, the stress and anxiety caused by Climate Change can affect children’s mental well-being. The educational disruptions have been particularly impactful to children’s lives at a local level in recent years due to extreme weather events like flooding.
Globally, children around the world are experiencing the effects of more frequent and severe natural disasters, such as hurricanes, floods, and wildfires, which can displace families and disrupt lives. Global warming can lead to shortages in water and food supplies, affecting overall nutrition and health.
As schools, we already raise awareness on this SDG by integrating climate education into the curriculum to teach students about climate change, its effects, and the importance of sustainable practices. As this can evoke anxiety in some pupils, it may be worth notifying parents when such topics are being taught so that a further conversation may be had at home about this topic. At a local level, I think Irish schools are great at implementing school-wide projects that promote sustainability, such as recycling programs, creating school gardens and green transportation. I think all schools should collaborate with local environmental organisations to host workshops, campaigns, and events that raise awareness about climate action.
