[Mary Mcmonagle]

Hi Michelle, I really like the way you suggested the Student Council could present ideas for improvement to the BOM and I also like how you would use Canva to create posters or make videos to raise awareness of light pollution.

[Mary Mcmonagle]

Creating a teaching resource using the “Globe at Night” citizen science programme

While looking at the ‘Globe at Night’ website I found the Outdoor Lighting Audit Activitywhich would be a good way to lead children in a simple, hands‑on light pollution investigation. First of all I would introduce basic terms like glare, sky‑glow, and shielded lighting as well as asking questions to assess their understanding of the topic. Then I would take the students outside into the school grounds to look for outdoor lights—drawing their attention to which type of light it is, if the light is shielded and where the light falls. Have them draw or photograph fixtures and record observations on worksheets from the PDF.

Back in the classroom, I would ask them to design better lighting solutions—explaining what full shields do and how directing light downward preserves the night sky while still lighting paths using their observations to spark discussions about energy waste, wildlife, and stargazing.

Finally, they can present their findings as “dark‑sky defenders” and suggest real improvements for their school or community

[Mary Mcmonagle]

Hi Joe, I liked the way you said you would introduce and research the planets beforehand as well as how you would create a home-school link by viewing them in the evening time with binoculars/telescopes etc.

[Mary Mcmonagle]

Create a short teaching resource using Stellarium

I would begin by having a whole-class discussion to assess the children’s knowledge.Then I would model how to use Stellarium on the interactive whiteboard focusing on how day turns to night, stars shifting and looking at the planets.I would ask open-ended questions to build curiousity and allow the children to think critically and creatively.I would ask the children to compile a list of questions they have about constellations, planets etc. before giving the children time to use Stellarium on their iPads in pairs. Finally, I would ask the children to present anything new they discovered to the rest of the class to encourage collaborative learning.

• This reply was modified 1 year, 3 months ago by Mary Mcmonagle.

[Mary Mcmonagle]

Hi Alison, I really like your idea of taking pictures with the iPads and allowing the children to present their findings using BookCreator. It is something I have been meaning to try! I also like the way you have set-times to bring the children outside so they can easily spot a pattern in their findings.

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