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Hi Cristina.
So many great examples here, many of which I didn’t think of myself. It’s amazing how the night sky has inspired so many wonderful artists through the years.
Consider how many songs / poems / Art you can think of to connect us with the night sky.
The night sky has been inspiring people for a very long time. There are many songs, poems, stories and works of art about the moon, stars and space.
Within the primary school context there are many examples that spring to mind that the children know i.e. Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star, Hey Diddle Diddle and Star Light, Star Bright, which mentions the moon, and You Are My Sunshine, which connects light with happiness.Poems also help children think about the night sky, a favourite of mine within the infant classes is ‘Humpty Dumpty went to the Moon’. Robert Louis Stevenson’s ‘The Moon’ describes the moon in a simple and memorable way.
In terms of songs the first that springs to mind is Coldplay’s ‘A Sky full of Stars’. Our sixth class pupils did a rendition of this as Gaeilge for Seachtain na Gaeilge which went down a real treat. Sinatra’s ‘Fly me to the Moon’ is another which I love.Art is another way of exploring the night sky. Vincent van Gogh’s famous painting, although mentioned within this module, ‘The Starry Night’ shows a bright, swirling night sky. Lots of Aboriginal art shows the starts and their constellations too.
The night sky is a great topic for primary school because it connects science, art, music, poetry and imagination. Looking at the stars can make us feel curious and excited. It reminds us that there is a huge world beyond our own and that there is always something new to discover.Hi Lauren,
I really like what you’ve outlined for World Biodiversity Day, especially the connection you’ve made with someone in the local community. It’s a great way for the children to see biodiversity in action and learn about practical things they can do themselves.
I’ve noted some of them myself and plan to celebrate this day within our school this coming year.
How would you meet the needs of nocturnal species especially those that rely on dark skies into your biodiversity plans
Area: Swords, Co. Dublin.
To support nocturnal species, we would first survey the school’s lighting to identify where unnecessary light pollution is coming from. An easy place to start would be checking whether classroom and corridor lights are being left on overnight, as these could contribute to light pollution outside the school. We could then look at the outdoor lighting and identify which lights could be switched off when they are not needed, or replaced with motion-sensor lights. As a follow-up, we could investigate the direction, colour and shielding of outdoor lights to make sure they do not shine unnecessarily into trees, hedges or other wildlife habitats.
We could also create or protect darker areas around the school using native trees, hedges and planting, providing safe routes for nocturnal wildlife such as bats and moths. The project could extend beyond the school by encouraging students to look at outdoor lighting at home, considering whether lights are necessary and how they might be made more wildlife-friendly. This could also give students the opportunity to look for nocturnal wildlife in their own gardens, something they would not be able to do during school hours. This would help students understand that protecting dark skies is something the whole community can contribute to.Hi Amy,
I really like the idea of getting students to investigate light pollution from their own homes, as it makes the topic much more relevant to them. I also like the comparison with a Dark Sky Park. I think asking the students “What is stopping our area from being a Dark Sky Park?” would lead to some really interesting discussion and get them thinking about their own local area.
I would definitely try the idea of students carrying out an evening survey and recording the different sources of artificial light. It would be interesting to compare their findings from different areas and see if there is a noticeable difference between residential areas, roads and more rural locations.
Detail how light pollution is impacting your local area and how you would engage your learners to explore this.
I work in Swords, Co. Dublin, and am living close by.
Light pollution is something we notice without really thinking about it. With lots of houses, roads, shops and businesses in the area, there is a lot of artificial light at night. This can make it difficult to see the night sky clearly, especially the fainter stars and other objects. I grew up in the countryside, and when I go home to my parents, I can really notice the difference. There are far fewer lights, and you can see so many more stars. I think this personal experience would be a nice way to introduce the topic to students and get them thinking about why the sky can look so different in different places. Photographs of the night sky from Swords compared with photographs taken in a rural area could be used to assist in identifying the differences between the two.
Light pollution can also have an impact on the local environment and wildlife. Artificial light at night can affect animals that rely on darkness by changing their natural feeding, sleeping and movement patterns. It can also attract or confuse nocturnal animals.
As a class, we could carry out a simple light pollution investigation by identifying sources of artificial light around the school and local area and comparing brighter and darker locations. Students could also count the number of stars visible from different locations.
This could lead to discussions about wildlife, energy use and how we can reduce unnecessary light.
Hi Eileen,
I really like this idea! I think the observation sheet would be a great way to give the children some structure while still allowing them to explore and make their own discoveries. I especially like the idea of recording whether the objects are steady or twinkling, as I think this could lead to some really interesting discussions about the difference between planets and stars.
I would definitely try the planet diary idea too. It would be great for the children to make observations over a number of weeks and see if they notice any changes in the position of the planets.
Plan to observe the Moon – which phase of the Moon is best for observing in the morning from school? What dates will that be?
I found the learning about the moon in this module very interesting and therefore have decided to choose the above for this modules assignment.
My school is based in North Co. Dublin.
I would begin by asking an inquiry question re. the moon and if the children think it is visible during the daytime. I would go on to explain that the moon doesn’t make its own light and that the sun lights up the moon. Therefore we can see it half of during daylight hours and the other half at night.
I would choose a waning crescent moon as this phase is visible during the morning and is therefore much more practical for students to observe during school hours. The moon is particularly suitable for observation in the days following the third-quarter phase, when it rises during the early hours and remains visible into the morning.
For September 2026, the best opportunity would be between 6th – 8th. On 6th September, the moon is around 28% illuminated and sets at approximately 9:10 am; on 7 September it is around 18% illuminated and sets at approximately 10:11 am; and on 8 September it is around 9% illuminated and sets at approximately 11:08 am. This information was easily found online.
I would bring the students outside during the morning and ask them to observe the moon, recording its shape, position in the sky, direction and approx. time. They could make a simple drawings and compare their observations with a Moon-phase calendar. I would also encourage them to make predictions about what the Moon might look like on the following morning.
In a previous forum post I also noted a tip which I too would include which was ; to cover the sun with a building or stand with the sun behind them as the moon i much easier to see when you are not looking at the sun.
Hi Clodagh,
As a former JI teacher I could really see how this would be such a fun and thought provoking activity to do with a younger class. I especially like the idea of using shadows, as this gives the children a clear way of noticing how the sun’s position changes throughout the day and using photographs would allow for both a record and an easy comparison.
‘Sun up, Sun Down’ would be an excellent follow on read, or even a lovely way to engage the children in the activity initially.
Gravity / Weight: Assembling an Earth tube and one other planet tube and decorate in a suitable manner.
As mentioned in the course content, the difference between the mass of an object and the weight of an object are often misunderstood. I loved this activity in relation to the planets to explore the two.
Student Activity:
Following on from a study on space and the planets, I would divide my class into groups and assign each one a planet. Each group will create a tube for the planet Earth and one other planet. For this activity, we would use Pringles tubes. Each group would assemble and decorate their tubes accordingly using a range of coloured paper, paint, crepe paper and other materials. We will use our learning from our study of the various planets for this activity and features such as rings etc. will also be attempted using a variety of materials.
Following on from this we will discuss how gravity differs between the planets. I would ask students to predict whether they think the same Pringles tube would feel heavier or lighter on their chosen planet compared to Earth. Using the table provided in the Ogden Trust lesson plan, students would use the formula Weight (N) = Mass (kg) × Gravitational Field Strength (N/kg), with Earth’s gravitational field strength being approximately 10 N/kg, to calculate and compare the weight of the Pringles tube on their chosen planet. Tubes will have been filled with rice to represent the different weights.
Students will then have the opportunity to lift and compare the tubes, allowing them to physically experience the difference in weight. Finally, each group could share their findings with the class, explaining how gravity affects the weight of their tube.