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Describe how you could implement a version of “Design Your own Dark Sky place” in your school/classroom?
First, I would begin with an introduction to dark skies. I would show the children images or short videos of Mayo and Kerry Dark Sky parks to bring it to reality for them. As a class, we would discuss what makes them special—minimal artificial light, clear views of stars, and thriving nocturnal wildlife. We would also relate this to previous lessons (module 3) and discuss why light pollution is a problem in the first place.
Next, we could move on to the design aspect of our project. I would let the children explore with large sheets of paper, maps of the school grounds and maybe include digital tools such as Google Earth or Canva. I would encourage them to imagine the school as a Dark Sky site. They could plan features such as:
motion-sensor lights to minimise glow; wildlife zones for bats, hedgehogs, and moths; observation areas; educational signs.
This project would easily provide opportunities for curriculum integration for instance – art (posters or 3D models), literacy (writing persuasive texts about protecting dark skies), and maths (measuring distances or calculating energy savings).
To finish our project we could hold a “Dark Sky Design Showcase” where groups present their plans to other classes and teachers, or even parents.
Your suggestion of involving the green schools committee is a super idea! I will definitely try to do this in my own school too.
How you would incorporate the needs of nocturnal species, especially those that rely on dark skies into school biodiversity plans?
When developing a school biodiversity plan, it’s important to consider the needs of nocturnal species that depend on darkness for survival. Many animals, such as bats, owls, moths, and hedgehogs, rely on natural light patterns for feeding, navigation, and reproduction. Artificial lighting can disrupt these behaviours, leading to reduced populations and loss of biodiversity. Schools can play a key role in creating darker, safer spaces to support these species.
One of the first steps we could address would be reducing unnecessary lighting. We could change our outdoor security and pathway lights to be fitted with motion sensors or timers so they are only on when needed. Lights should be shielded and directed downwards to reduce skyglow, and warm-coloured LEDs should be used to minimise disruption to wildlife. This also saves energy, aligning with sustainability and green school ethos.
Next, our plan might include habitat features to encourage nocturnal life. Planting native flowering plants that bloom at dusk would support moths and other night-flying insects, which in turn provide food for bats. Installing bat and bird boxes in quiet, darker areas of the school grounds creates safe roosting spaces. We are lucky enough to have a large grass area in our yard so we could look at leaving some areas “wild” – with long grass, hedgerows, or log piles – which could provide shelter for small mammals like hedgehogs.
It would be crucial to have the children and parents of the school engaged with this process too. Night-time biodiversity can be brought into the curriculum through bat walks, moth trapping (catch and release), or evening stargazing sessions, which could raise awareness of light pollution and its effects and link in with our previous lesson from module 3.
By actively designing for darkness and integrating it into teaching, a school can help to protect nocturnal species and also to inspire our children to value the hidden world of night-time biodiversity thereby creating a long term respect and appreciation for this part of nature.
1. Detail how light pollution is impacting your local area and how you would engage your learners to explore this.
I would introduce my class (5th and 6th) to the concept of light pollution. We would use a KWL chart to see what knowledge base already exists and to discuss what we want to learn.
Next, we would explore light pollution through simple observations. The children could go outside in the evenings with their parents and count how many stars they can see, writing down any bright lights they notice in the area. They could even record what they see through photos and parents could email them into me so that we can have class discussions. In school, we could create a map of local light sources and even make a simple experiment by shining a torch through a clear plastic cup (to show focused light) and then through a foggy cup (to show scattered light). Another teacher mentioned about collaborating with a rural school to compare results. I also think this would be a worthwhile and exciting activity for my class as we are in an urban setting.
Finally, we would think of solutions for our locality. The class could design posters to encourage better lighting, like using downward-facing lights or turning off outdoor lights when not needed. We could display these in our school hall. This project would help them feel like young scientists and problem-solvers, while also developing awareness of their local environment.
Hi Clare, I love your suggestion on collaborating with a rural school to compare and contrast observations. A super idea that I would also love to do!
1.Create an observing plan for autumn that shows which planets are visible in the evening sky.
I would love to create an observing plan for my 5th and 6th class children this coming academic year. As previous posters have noted, I think linking in with families is very important for the success of observing the autumn sky. I would also make use of apps such as Skyview and Stellarium which seem to be fantastic resources that I didn’t know of previously.
After introducing the children to the concept of the solar system, one possible option may be to divide the class into groups and give them a certain planet to observe and report back on. Alternatively, there may be benefit in allowing children to choose what they wish to observe themselves and report back on. I would give them freedom in deciding how to record their findings – a diary style or mini project may be appealing to them.
The planets that might be easy to spot include –
• Jupiter: A bright, easy-to-spot planet. In October and November, it rises earlier—around 7 pm in October and even before in November—and climbs high in the sky over the night
• Saturn: Also visible in the south during October and November. You might even see its rings through a simple telescope—or just imagine them shining out there
• Mars: Twinkling red, Mars rises later in the evening: around midnight (probably too late for the children but I could take photos to show them!) in early October and earlier by the end of the month.
I would also see benefits in enabling the class to create a model of the solar system using styrofoam balls. This would really help the children with visualising the actual layout of the solar system.
Overall there are lots of opportunities and scope to integrate this observation of the autumn sky within the classroom and I’m looking forward to seeing how it goes!
I agree with what you have said of STEM as an integrated way of thinking in a classroom. This is also how I try to approach STEM in my own classroom context.
3. Plan how your students could “observe and record the positions of the sun when rising and setting and at different times of the day”
To support students in developing an understanding of the sun’s movement across the sky, careful planning is required to ensure observations are both meaningful and manageable within the school day. The first step is to identify a safe outdoor location with a good view towards the east and west. Preparing an observation schedule is important: ideally, students will record at least three times during the school day—morning, midday, and afternoon. A final observation of sunset could either be completed at home with family support if that was possible. Alternatively it could be provided through teacher photographs
Students should be equipped with age-appropriate resources to help them record what they see. Younger pupils might use a simple sun path chart, marking the sun’s position with drawings, while older pupils could note compass directions and estimate the sun’s height in the sky.
During each observation session, the teacher should guide students to face the correct direction and to identify the sun’s position relative to school landmarks and then record it on their sheet. To deepen learning, shadow measurements could also be taken and be compared with the sun’s height.
In my own context, with 5th and 6th class students, they could put their findings together and create a class chart with their observations. This would provide opportunities for the class to analyse patterns. It could also lead to an extension of the lesson into areas such as seasonal differences and integration with the historical importance of the sun in timekeeping, navigation, and daily life.