Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
Describe how you could implement a version of “Design Your own Dark Sky place” in your school/classroom?
For my 3rd class, I would adapt “Design Your Own Dark Sky Place” into a collaborative STEM challenge where pupils create a Wildlife-Friendly Night Garden. I would begin the lesson by showing the children a video of a Dark Sky Place, before any discussion. Following the video, the children will discuss in pairs what they noticed from the video and make predictions based on the purpose of the video. Following on, we will explore the importance of dark skies through photographs and short videos, followed by a discussion about how artificial light can affect nocturnal animals. Together, we would identify the features these animals need to thrive and consider what we can do in the community and in our school to balance artificial outdoor lighting with protecting nature. In small groups, the children would design and build a model of a wildlife-friendly night garden using recycled materials, natural objects and craft resources. Their designs would include habitats such as trees, hedgerows, wildflower patches and ponds, while also carefully planning and explaining where lighting would be placed. We will discuss how using low-level, downward-facing lights only where necessary helps protect wildlife and reduces light pollution. Once the models are complete, each group will use a torch to investigate how light spreads across their garden, while demonstrating to the rest of the class. Each group will carry out various experiments on their wildlife friendly night garden by changing the position of the torch to see which area of the habitat remains dark and which become illuminated. This would encourage pupils to think critically about how lighting choices can affect nocturnal species and identify ways to improve their designs.I think the addition of a classroom exhibition is a lovely way for pupils to celebrate their learning and develop confidence in presenting their ideas. It gives them an opportunity to explain their thinking, share their ideas with others and reflect on what they have learned about astrology, light pollution and how it impacts plants and wildlife. Providing the children with these opportunities is crucial for them in taking responsibility for their learning, while also enabling them to learn from one another. It sounds like a creative and engaging activity that brings together a range of curriculum areas while helping pupils develop a deeper understanding of the importance of protecting our dark skies and biodiversity.
As part of our school biodiversity plan, I would help my 3rd class understand that protecting wildlife also means protecting the habitats that animals need to survive, including dark skies. We would learn about nocturnal animals such as bats, hedgehogs, moths and owls, and explore how they depend on darkness to find food, avoid predators and navigate. Through class discussions and videos, the children would discover how excessive artificial light can disrupt these natural behaviours. As a practical activity, the children would work in small groups to create a biodiversity map of our school garden. They would explore the garden and identify different habitats, such as trees, flower beds, grassy areas, hedgerows and insect-friendly spaces, recording any plants or animals they observe. They would then consider which areas might provide suitable habitats for nocturnal species and discuss how artificial lighting could affect these spaces. Finally, each group would suggest simple improvements to make the school grounds more wildlife-friendly, such as preserving natural habitats, planting more pollinator-friendly flowers or reducing unnecessary lighting near wildlife areas. We would then gather all the ideas and select one or two that would be manageable to incorporate into our school environment. As we have a school garden, where we grow vegetables and plants, it would be a great resource to use to grow plants, such as evening primrose and jasmine. These plants would assist in attracting nocturnal insects such as moths. I would also draw the children`s attention to lights which may be close to the school garden and what we could do to reduce the brightness that falls on the school garden at night, due to artificial light, which would benefit nocturnal creatures. This activity would help pupils make meaningful connections between biodiversity, habitat conservation and the importance of protecting dark skies for nocturnal species.
Hi Niamh,
From reading your post, I feel your rural location provides such a valuable opportunity for children to experience biodiversity first-hand, and I like how you’ve started with a nature walk to help your class observe and appreciate the wildlife around their school. Sometimes it is the resources around us that provide a rich learning experience for the children. I also think you’ve made a lovely connection between biodiversity and light pollution by focusing on nocturnal animals such as bats, owls and hedgehogs. Your poster activity is a great way for 2nd class to compare healthy nighttime habitats with those affected by excessive lighting, while also drawing their attention to the effects of light pollution not just on our view of the stars, but also the animals and plants in our local environments.
In our school, we are fortunate to experience much darker skies than those in urban areas. However, light pollution is still becoming more noticeable due to increased housing developments, brighter street lighting, floodlights at sports facilities and security lights in residential areas. While these lights improve visibility and safety, they can reduce our view of the night sky and have an impact on local wildlife, including bats, moths and other nocturnal animals. It has made me more aware of the importance of using outdoor lighting responsibly so that we can protect both biodiversity and our view of the stars.
To engage the children in my 3rd class, I would begin with a discussion about what they notice when they look at the night sky from home and compare it with photographs of dark sky locations and brightly lit cities. I would also show them the graphs showing the growth of light in Ireland. In pairs the children could analyse and collect data from the graphs, both 1997 and 2015, focusing on their own area and the country as a whole, while also identifying what has changed and what has stayed the same. Furthermore, we would investigate different sources of light pollution around our local area and discuss how these might affect people, animals and plants. The children could complete a simple light survey around the school grounds, identifying where lights are needed and where they could be reduced or directed more effectively. As a follow-up activity, the children would design and construct a
Box-planetariumbased on their local area. This activity allows for real-world application to evolve in the classroom and enables the children to investigate where artificial light is needed and where it is not. It also opens up the question how we can protect the night sky from artificial light in our local community. From this activity, the children are encouraged to think critically about how small changes can make a positive difference to both the environment and the wildlife in our local community.Hi Fiona,
I think living in an area with such beautiful dark skies gives the children a wonderful opportunity to experience the night sky in a way that many of them may take for granted. I like how you’ve linked the topic to Owl Babies as it’s an age-appropriate way to introduce discussions about nighttime and wildlife. Your idea of taking the children on a walk around the school to identify different types of lights is a lovely hands-on activity that encourages observation and connects their learning to the local environment. Encouraging at-home learning is another great way to reinforce the message about protecting our dark skies and supporting local wildlife. It’s a simple but meaningful way to help children develop environmental awareness with regards to light pollution from a young age.
Create a short teaching resource using Stellarium/ WorldWide Telescope
I think Stellarium is a fantastic resource, and one I have never engaged with before. In terms of applying it as a resource in a lesson, I would use Stellarium as an interactive stimulus to introduce 3rd class pupils to the night sky in an engaging and accessible way. I would begin by displaying Stellarium on the interactive whiteboard and setting our location to Dublin, so the children can see what the sky looks like from where we live. I would demonstrate how to move around the sky, zoom in on objects and change the time from day to night. Together, we would identify familiar objects such as the Moon and the planets. The children would then work in pairs on iPads to explore Stellarium themselves and complete a simple challenge by finding and recording these objects. Providing the children with a checklist of planets to find would be a great activity here. To conclude the lesson, we would discuss what they discovered and compare their findings. As an extension activity, the children could choose their favourite constellation, draw it and write a few sentences about what they noticed or create their own story about how it came to be in the night sky.
Hi Lorraine,
I really liked your idea of giving the children a checklist to complete while exploring Stellarium. It provides enough structure to keep them focused while still allowing them to discover features independently. I also think involving parents through a simple homework task is a great way to extend learning beyond the classroom and encourage children to observe the night sky with their families. I particularly like your idea of having pupils choose a favourite constellation and research the story behind it. This allows good opportunities for integration across subjects, as well as making learning more engaging.
Having the children make predictions before observing the Sun is a great way to encourage scientific thinking and spark curiosity, Michelle. Using a metre stick in the same location each time also makes the investigation fair and allows the children to clearly see how the length and direction of the shadow changes throughout the day. I also like how you’ve integrated Maths by measuring and recording data, while using the iPads to capture evidence. It adds a technology aspect to the lesson and promotes active technology skills.
Plan how your students could “observe and record the positions of the sun when rising and setting and at different times of the day”
I would plan this as an inquiry-based STEM investigation, for 6th class, rather than simply observing the Sun. Over the course of a week, the children would work in small groups to observe and record the position of the Sun at set times during the school day( e.g. 9am, 12pm, 2pm). They would use compasses, simple recording sheets, and digital devices to photograph and plot the Sun’s position. They would then analyse the patterns they notice and use the data to explain why shadows change throughout the day.
To extend this into an authentic STEM activity, I would challenge the children to design and build a simple sundial that accurately tells the time in our school grounds. They would test, evaluate and improve their designs using the Engineering Design Process. This integrates science, mathematics, technology and engineering in a real-world context, reflecting Liston’s view that authentic STEM removes the traditional barriers between subjects and engages pupils in solving meaningful problems through design, collaboration and critical thinking.