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Hi Richard, I love your idea of using the poem ‘The Moon’ as a stimulus for the children – I think the fact that the imagery is simple is a benefit as it will ensure understanding by all. Great ideas here!
With my 5th class, I would introduce ‘Design Your Own Dark Sky Place’ as a practical group project. I would begin by asking the children what they know about the night sky and whether they can see many stars from their homes. We would discuss light pollution and how too much artificial light can affect our ability to see the stars and can also impact wildlife. I would then divide the class into small groups and ask each group to design a Dark Sky Place for our school or local area. The children could draw a map of their design, deciding where lighting could be reduced and where a safe stargazing area could be created. They could research constellations and planets and include these in their project. Each group could present their design to the class and as a group we would evaluate the projects. This would combine Science, Geography, Art and teamwork while encouraging the children to appreciate and protect our night sky.
Hi Emma, I love that you said it is important for the children to know that biodiversity does not stop when the school day ends. I would hope that learning about this topic in school will spill over into children’s home lives, encouraging positive changes in a variety of settings to support biodiversity.
I would begin by using a photograph of our local area as a stimulus to encourage curiosity and questioning. The children could discuss what habitats they can identify, what wildlife they think might live there, and how humans and nature share the same space. Our school is close to a town, with housing developments nearby, but we are also surrounded by fields and a forest across the main road, providing a rich environment for exploring biodiversity.
The children could then work in groups to carry out biodiversity surveys around the school grounds and surrounding areas, recording plants, insects, birds, and other wildlife they discover. They could compare the different habitats and discuss why some areas support more species than others.
To explore light pollution, they could investigate how artificial lighting from homes, roads, and the school may affect nocturnal animals such as bats and insects. They could suggest ways the school community could become more wildlife-friendly, such as reducing unnecessary lighting and protecting darker areas for local wildlife. As I teach 5th Class, they are the perfect age for project and presentation work. The children could complete a project on this and present it to other classes in the school – things like the importance of making sure classroom lights are turned off in the evening is something that all classes could take control of and this would make a difference.
Hi Emma, I also agree with Caoimhe. I think for a classroom activity, comparison of two photos is a great way for children to see the difference between rural and urban areas. Often children may only experience/ take notice of the night sky where they live, so this is a great activity to expand their knowledge and curiosity.
Completing this course has made me look differently at my own local area. Our school has pupils who travel from both the town and the surrounding countryside, so they experience the night sky very differently. To be honest, this is not something I had thought about before. Children living in the town often have brighter street lighting, illuminated shop fronts and sports facilities nearby, making it much harder to see the stars. Those living in more rural areas can often see far more stars. I remember last year seeing the northern lights from my house (countryside) and being so excited to discuss this with the children in school, in the hopes that they also experienced it with their eyes. Some children did, and were so enthusiastic about it and others said they couldn’t really see anything. Again, the difference here of rural vs urban lighting. Looking back, this would have been a great way to explore the impact of light pollution.
I think the difference in the children’s experiences would provide an excellent starting point for learning. I would ask the class to become “night sky investigators” by carrying out simple observations from home over the course of a week. They could record how many stars they can see, identify nearby sources of artificial light and compare their observations with classmates from different areas. We could map the results, discuss why they differ and explore practical ways to reduce unnecessary lighting while still keeping communities safe. I would also encourage pupils to involve their families, helping them realise that small changes, such as switching off unnecessary outdoor lights, can make a positive difference for our enjoyment of the night sky. We could also then progress to exploring dark sky friendly lights.
Hi Caoimhe,
I love your idea in the introductory part of your lesson to show the children different images of the moon to open up a discussion about the different moon phases and what physical features they notice etc. I actually think this idea would work well with all age groups.
For this activity, I would choose to observe the Last Quarter Moon with my 5th class. The Last Quarter Moon falls on 4th September and can be seen in the morning sky from around 4th – 10th September (weather dependent). This provides plenty of opportunities for the class to explore the moon.
I think this activity would be a great way to get the children interested, as many of them think the Moon only comes out at night. Before going outside, I would ask them what they think they will see and encourage them to make some predictions. A nice option might be to create a physical KWL chart in the classroom to log all of their ideas. During the observation outside, they could sketch the Moon, record its shape and where they spotted it in the sky, and write down any questions they have. Back in the classroom, we would share our observations and use a lamp and a ball to explore why the Moon appears to change shape. I think this would be a really engaging lesson because it encourages the children to observe, ask questions and learn through investigation rather than just being told the answers.
Hi Síofra,
I love your idea of introducing this topic with a game of odd one out about different clocks – straight away the children are engaged and curious as they are having fun!
Construct a sundial in your immediate area or plan for your school grounds to see where a sundial could be placed
I would use the sundial activity as a way for students to explore the relationship between the Sun, shadows, and time in a practical and engaging way. I think this activity would work really well with my 5th class group as it allows them to investigate something they see every day but may not fully understand.
I would begin by bringing the class outside to observe and record the position of the Sun at different times of the day. The students could work in groups to measure the length and direction of shadows and keep a record of their observations. We would then discuss the patterns they notice and explore why shadows change throughout the day due to the movement of the Earth.
Following this, the students would design and create their own sundials using materials available in the classroom. They would have to think carefully about the design, placement, and accuracy of their sundials, testing and making improvements as they go. We could also work together to identify the best location on the school grounds for a permanent sundial.
I feel this activity would be a great way to develop curiosity, teamwork, and problem-solving skills in my class. It would allow students to take ownership of their learning while making connections between science, maths, and the world around them.