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Hi Maria,
I like your idea of using the songs and poems about the night sky to inspire art projects by the children. you could have these songs playing in the background as the children completed their art projects.
People have always been fascinated by the night sky. Thousands of years ago, people looked up, saw constellations, and created stories, myths, and legends about what they saw. Even today, the night sky continues to inspire art, music, and poetry.
One of the most famous paintings of the night sky is The Starry Night by Vincent van Gogh. It beautifully captures the swirling, magical energy of the sky at night. Van Gogh actually painted another piece called Starry Night Over the Rhone, where the night sky is reflected in the calm water, it’s just as stunning.
When I think about stars, the first thing that pops into my head is Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, a song we all know from childhood. There’s also the poem Silver by Walter de la Mare, which describes the moonlight gently shining over a quiet, dark night.
A really lovely song about the sky is is Moon River, sung by Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s. The moonlight in the song represents dreams and the passing of time. Another great one is A Sky Full of Stars by Coldplay, where the stars are used to describe someone’s beauty and brightness.
All of these songs, poems, and artworks show how much the night sky inspires creativity. But for it to keep inspiring future artists, musicians, and poets, we need to take care of it, and that means doing our part to reduce light pollution.
Hi Maura,
I really like the idea of a nature walk to identify local plants and animals and then combining that with the discussion about how these plants and animals would be affected by light pollution.
Then the follow on of how to reduce light pollution at the home and in school would really solidify the knowledge that we need to protect our biodiversity.
To introduce the lesson, I would start by writing the word ‘biodiversity’ on the whiteboard and asking the children to guess what it might mean. After hearing their ideas, I would play the ‘Gardening for Biodiversity’ video to help them build an understanding of the term. Then, I would ask them to explain biodiversity in their own words, based on what they saw and heard. To reinforce the concept, I would follow up with the ‘What is Biodiversity?’ video.
Next, I would divide the class into small groups and ask them to brainstorm examples of biodiversity in our local area, particularly around the school, and to discuss why it is important. Following this, I would have the groups talk about the possible threats to biodiversity in our area.
During our whole-class discussion, I would highlight any additional threats that hadn’t been mentioned during the group work. Then, I would assign each group a specific threat (such as changes in land and sea use, overuse of natural resources, climate change, light pollution, and air or water pollution). Each group would then come up with ideas for how to reduce or prevent these threats in our local environment. They could then present their ideas to the class or even the whole school.
Hi Alan,
I like your idea to get the children really involved in the local area. It would really empower them to know that their ideas and suggestions might be used in the local area (even more so if they actually come into effect).
Light pollution has a significant impact on many forms of wildlife. I’ve noticed this first-hand when I see nocturnal animals, like foxes, roaming around during the daytime. They appear confused by the lack of distinction between night and day, likely because artificial lighting makes both seem very similar. This confusion can be dangerous,for example, foxes are more likely to be hit by cars during the day when roads are busier, whereas they would typically move around at night.
I’d really like to explore this topic in school, as it’s important for children, and potentially their families, to become aware of the harmful effects of light pollution. To introduce the subject, I would show the NSW video on protecting dark skies. It’s informative yet easy for children to understand.
Following this, I’d present an image of the light pollution map of Ireland. Since I teach in Dublin, the children would clearly see that our city is one of the most affected areas. I’d encourage a discussion around why that might be the case and what actions could be taken to reduce the impact.
To make the lesson more interactive, I’d ask the children what they think “dark sky friendly” lighting might look like. Then, working in small groups, they would design a prototype using junk art materials and torches. Each group would demonstrate how their design works and explain how it could help reduce light pollution in an urban setting like Dublin.
Hi Ciara,
I only thought about the morning sky to observe the moon, I didn’t think about the fact that the moon might be visible at lunchtime.
The play doh and art activities you mentioned would be perfect afternoon activities for the children.
As noted in the presentation slides, observing the moon during the day can be a fascinating experience for children, especially those who believe the moon is only visible at night.
To begin this series of lessons, I would use a KWL chart to assess the children’s prior knowledge about the moon and find out what they are curious to learn, particularly about the moon’s phases.
Next, I would show them the Paxi video on the moon and its phases. This video is highly engaging and presented in a way that is accessible and enjoyable for young learners.
We would aim to observe the moon starting about seven days before it reaches its full phase, as this is when it appears brightest and is at an optimal distance from Earth for visibility. To ensure safety, especially if the sun is visible during our observation times, we would wear sunglasses to protect the children’s eyes from harmful rays.
Each morning, we would go outside to observe the sky and record what we see on the moon observation handout. This daily activity would help the children track changes in the moon’s appearance and deepen their understanding of its phases over time.
Hi Emma,
I like the idea of showing the children a song about the planets and getting them to create their own song (or rap?) with the information they learn.
My class love ‘The Planets song’ by Hopscotch on YouTube.
After reading Unravelling STEM: Beyond the Acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, I feel reassured that my approach to STEM education in the classroom is on the right path. I teach a multi-grade class (Junior Infants to 2nd Class), and much of our STEM learning takes place through play, discovery, and problem-solving key elements that Dr. Liston identifies as essential foundations of effective STEM education.
For this forum discussion, I have chosen to explore the One Year on Earth – Understanding the Seasons resource from the European Space Agency (ESA). To engage the children, I would begin by showing them a series of images depicting the same trees throughout the four seasons. I would encourage them to describe the changes they observe and discuss why they think these changes occur. I would also ask when they might expect to see each version of the tree in real life.
To conclude the lesson, I would have the children divide a sheet of paper into four sections using a ruler. In each section, they would draw a scene representing one of the seasons in order, including different characteristics or events typical of that time of year.
Although the next lesson in this resource may be more challenging for my age group, I would end the initial session by giving a simple demonstration of the three ways the Earth moves in relation to the Sun. Using two balls, one to represent the Sun and the other the Earth. I would illustrate these movements, placing special emphasis on the Earth’s tilt and how it causes the seasons to change.