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Hi Edwin, I really enjoyed reading your post. I think using the Dúchas stories from your own local area would be such a meaningful way to explore local history and folklore. I especially liked your idea of linking the stories to Google Maps, as it would help the children see that these places are part of their own community. Collecting stories from parents and grandparents would also be a lovely way to involve families and keep those traditions alive. I can imagine this being a really enjoyable project around Halloween.
Working in small groups, the children would design their own dark sky place and decide what facilities, habitats and information it should include. One idea that I have seen work really well is to finish with a gallery walk, where each group displays their design and explains the thinking behind it while the rest of the class asks questions and offers suggestions. I think this gives every child a chance to share their ideas and often leads to even better discussions.
To extend the activity, I would ask the children to talk to a parent or grandparent about what the night sky was like when they were growing up. They could find out whether they remember seeing more stars, if there was less street lighting or if there were any stories or traditions connected with the night sky. Bringing these conversations back into the classroom would help the children see how our environment has changed over time and would create lovely links with History, Geography and oral language.
I like that this activity combines creativity with real-life problem solving. It encourages children to listen to different opinions, work together and think about simple ways we can protect our night skies for future generations.David, I really enjoyed reading your post. I like how you’ve split the class into two groups, as it gives every child an active role and encourages teamwork. Your idea of linking the activities with Maths and discussing food chains and life cycles is a lovely way to make the learning more meaningful. I also thought your point about focusing on insects was really interesting. Like you said, I think many children would immediately think of bats or owls, but exploring the impact of light pollution on insects would definitely broaden their understanding of biodiversity and how everything is connected. It’s given me a few ideas that I could use in my own classroom.
For this activity, I would choose to incorporate the needs of nocturnal species into our school biodiversity plan. As Green Schools Coordinator, we are currently working towards our seventh Green Flag, Global Citizenship Energy, and I can see a lot of overlap between this module and the work we are already doing. This module has made me think differently about biodiversity. I always associated it with planting trees, wildflowers and creating habitats, but I hadn’t really considered how artificial light can affect wildlife.
I would begin by carrying out a biodiversity survey around our school grounds with the children. We could identify the plants, insects and birds we already have and discuss what other animals, such as bats, moths and owls, might visit the area at night. We could then complete a simple lighting survey and look at whether any outdoor lighting could be reduced or redirected to make the area more wildlife friendly. The children could record their findings, suggest improvements and update our biodiversity map.
I think this would be a very meaningful project as it gives the children ownership of improving their own school environment. It also links really well with our Green Schools programme and shows that protecting biodiversity is not just about planting more flowers, but also about creating spaces where wildlife can thrive. I would hope it encourages the children to think about small changes they could make at home and in their own communities too.
Martin, I really enjoyed reading your post. I think you’ve outlined a very practical and engaging approach that would really help pupils understand that light pollution is an issue they can investigate in their own community. I particularly like the idea of having learners become “lighting engineers” and design more environmentally friendly lighting solutions. It gives them ownership of the problem while encouraging creativity and critical thinking.
Your cross-curricular links are excellent too. I can see how the mapping, data collection and presentations would integrate Science, Geography, Maths and Digital Technologies in a meaningful way. I also love the idea of ending the project with a community stargazing event. It’s a lovely way to involve families while raising awareness of the importance of protecting our night skies. Thanks for sharing such a well-thought-out project, it has given me some ideas that I could adapt for my own class and Green Schools work.
One of the biggest takeaways for me from this module was realising how much light pollution is connected to energy conservation, biodiversity and our everyday choices. As the Green Schools Coordinator in my school, we will soon begin working towards our seventh Green Flag, the Global Citizenship Energy flag, so I can already see a huge overlap between these areas.
Although light pollution isn’t something many of our pupils would naturally think about, it provides a great opportunity for inquiry-based learning. I would encourage my class to investigate the lighting around our school and local community by carrying out surveys during the day and, where possible, observing lighting after dark with their families. We could identify where lighting is necessary, where it may be excessive, and discuss how changes could reduce wasted energy while still keeping people safe. The module’s suggestions around surveys and collecting local data really appealed to me because they allow pupils to become active investigators rather than simply learning facts.
I would also like to use the Globe at Night citizen science programme alongside our Green Schools work, allowing pupils to compare the darkness of our local skies with other locations and contribute to a real scientific project. This would help them understand that environmental issues are interconnected and that even small changes, such as using dark sky-friendly lighting or switching lights off when they are not needed, can have a positive impact on biodiversity, energy use and climate action.
Thank you for another great module, I think this topic has enormous potential to support meaningful, hands-on learning while fitting naturally into our Green Schools journey.
For this activity I chose to create a simple teaching resource using Stellarium. As I will have Junior Infants next year, I think this is a lovely way to introduce the children to the night sky in a way that is visual and engaging. Many children will already have noticed the Moon or a bright star at home, so I would begin by asking them what they have seen in the sky and encouraging them to share their ideas. This would help build on their own experiences and spark their curiosity.
Using Stellarium on the interactive whiteboard, I would show the sky above our local area and point out the Moon and a few bright stars. I would explain that Stellarium is showing us what the real sky looks like. I would ask simple questions such as, “Can you find the Moon?”, “What shapes can you see?” and “Do you think the sky looks the same every night?” This would encourage lots of discussion and observation.
To finish the lesson, the children could create their own picture of the night sky using black paper, chalk or crayons and star stickers. We would display these in the classroom and compare the different ideas the children had. I would also encourage parents to have a look at the night sky with their child at home and see if they can spot the Moon or any bright stars. I think this activity would develop the children’s curiosity about space while also linking Science, Art and oral language in a meaningful and age-appropriate way.
Hi Siobhán, I really enjoyed reading your post. I’ll have Junior Infants next year as well and I’m really looking forward to doing more in-class support and trying out ideas like these. I love how you’ve used Papa, Please Get the Moon for Me as a starting point before introducing Stellarium. I think the art activity is a lovely way for the children to reflect on what they have seen, and sending the link home is a great way to involve parents too. I’ll definitely be borrowing some of these ideas with my own class!
Hi Rory, I enjoyed reading your post. I agree that activities like the Earth Tube really capture children’s interest, especially when they can compare the different planets and imagine what conditions would be like there. I also liked your point about extending the activity into pupil-led investigations. Giving children the opportunity to design their own experiments is a great way to develop curiosity, problem-solving and collaboration, while making meaningful links between Science and Maths. It really reflects the inquiry-based approach promoted throughout this module.
After reading Unravelling STEM by Dr Maeve Liston, I reflected on how STEM learning is most effective when children are actively investigating real-world problems rather than learning each subject separately. In my classroom, I try to encourage questioning, predicting and discussing ideas, so I feel the sundial activity would be an excellent example of integrated STEM learning.
I would complete this activity with a senior primary class. We would begin by discussing how people told the time before clocks and watches. The children would make predictions about where shadows might fall at different times of the day. Working in small groups, they would help to choose a suitable sunny location in the school grounds and construct a simple sundial. Throughout the day they would observe, measure and record the position and length of the shadow, comparing their predictions with the actual results.
The activity provides many opportunities for cross-curricular learning. In Science, pupils investigate light, shadows and the movement of the Earth. In Geography, they observe the position of the Sun throughout the day. In Mathematics, they measure shadow lengths, record times, create tables and graphs, and identify patterns in the data. There are also opportunities to integrate Art by designing and decorating the sundial and English through discussion and reflective writing.
This activity follows the Curious Minds/ESERO Framework for Inquiry by encouraging pupils to engage with a real question, investigate through observation, make connections with everyday life and reflect on what they have learned. I think children would enjoy taking ownership of the investigation and would develop a deeper understanding of day, night and the apparent movement of the Sun through first-hand experience rather than simply reading about it.