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That sounds like a nice, age-appropriate way to explore the concept of a Dark Sky Place with Infants. I really like how you’ve tied it in with imaginative thinking, young children love anything that feels magical or mysterious, and a star-filled sky definitely captures that sense of wonder. Using shoeboxes is a brilliant idea. The 3D element makes the activity much more engaging for the children and allows for lots of creativity and personalisation. I imagine they’d love experimenting with glow-in-the-dark stars, shiny paper, cotton wool clouds or even little silhouettes of owls or trees to give it that night time feel.
I’dlike to do a class project based on collecting piseógs, traditions, and stories of the night, linking in with the Dúchas Folklore Commission. It’s such a great way to bring history, storytelling, and culture into the classroom in a way that feels meaningful and personal. We’d start by looking at some examples from Dúchas.ie, stories about the moon, stars, banshees, or old superstitions around night-time. The children are always fascinated by how much people used to rely on stories and beliefs to explain the natural world, especially before electricity. Then we’d move on to collecting our own local stories. I’d ask the pupils to chat with grandparents or neighbours to see if they’ve ever heard any night-time traditions or superstitions, anything from beliefs about owls or the full moon, to what people thought happened if you were out too late at night. We could record the stories in writing or as voice clips, and then put together a little class collection—maybe even a small book or digital slideshow, depending on the time. We’d link in some art as well, chalk pastel night skies or silhouette drawings to bring it all to life. It’s a nice cross-curricular activity that gets families involved, taps into local history, and really gets the pupils thinking about how different our relationship with the night is now compared to the past.
Your plan sounds really well-structured and engaging. I particularly like how you’ve linked biodiversity and light pollution into a two-week thematic unit, it allows the children to build a strong understanding before diving into the impacts. Tying in with the Green Schools committee is a great idea, especially as it encourages whole-school involvement and shared ownership of the project. The use of your local park for fieldwork is a fantastic way to ground the learning in your students’ everyday experience. I like the idea of mapping biodiversity observations around the town, it not only reinforces geography skills but helps pupils realise the richness of the ecosystem right on their doorstep. It’s also really inspiring to hear how you plan to integrate nocturnal wildlife and light pollution research into the overnight trip. That real-world contrast between town and rural night skies will be so memorable for the children.
As part of our school’s biodiversity plan, I would love to incorporate a focus on nocturnal species, particularly those that rely on darkness to survive and thrive. Many of our pupils are already familiar with more visible daytime wildlife like birds and bees, but far fewer are aware of the fascinating range of animals that are active at night—bats, moths, owls, hedgehogs, and more. To begin, I would introduce the idea of nocturnal life through storytelling, videos, and local biodiversity records. From there, we could carry out a “school grounds night survey” using bat detectors or moth traps in partnership with local wildlife groups. Even though this would be done in the early evening for practical reasons, it would give the children an insight into what goes on after dark. We would also assess how artificial lighting around the school might impact nocturnal species. As part of our plan, we could look at reducing unnecessary lighting or creating sheltered, dark areas such as hedgerows or log piles. Students could create posters or presentations for the wider school community to raise awareness of how light pollution impacts biodiversity. Not only does this integrate science and environmental education, but it encourages children to take meaningful action for the species that share our locality.
Your comparison between the night skies of your rural upbringing and the current light conditions in Charleville struck a chord with me. I teach in a small village, and while we still have reasonably good visibility of the stars, I’ve noticed over the years that more houses and security lighting are beginning to affect what we can see. Your point about the cultural and historical loss of the night sky really resonated, it’s not something we often think about, but it’s so true.
I love your idea of comparing experiences between town and rural pupils. I think sixth class pupils would be really engaged by that, especially if they were encouraged to record observations or even try the Globe at Night project. Using your overnight trip to observe the darker sky is a brilliant way to create a memorable and meaningful learning experience.
Living in a rural area, we’re lucky to have relatively dark skies compared to more urban areas, but over the years I’ve noticed an increase in light pollution, especially near housing developments and along newly upgraded roads. Streetlights, floodlights and even excessive security lighting can reduce our ability to see the stars clearly, and this is something I’d like my pupils to become more aware of. I would begin by discussing the concept of light pollution in class, what it is, why it matters (for wildlife, energy usage, and our own wellbeing), and how it affects our view of the night sky. We would take a walk near the school at dusk or after dark to observe local light sources and map them. Then, using simple sky observation charts or the “Globe at Night” programme, we could compare our findings with data from other areas. This topic also offers strong links to SPHE, geography, science, and environmental awareness. A class discussion around practical solutions, such as shielding lights or reducing usage, would help pupils see that small changes can make a difference.
Thanks so much for sharing this, I found your post really interesting. I hadn’t considered how powerful it could be to give the children ownership over what they choose to observe, rather than presenting them with a ready-made list. That idea of letting them explore stars vs. planets and constellations first really stuck with me, it gives them a proper foundation to then go and design their own observing plan. I also love how you’ve included both digital tools and creative follow-up work, like annotated drawings or Starwheels.
Like you, I think bringing in families is key, especially with anything that involves evening observation. I hadn’t come across the Stargazing Ireland site before, so thank you for mentioning that, I’ll definitely be checking it out.
I plan to engage my class this year in observing the Moon as part of our SESE curriculum, particularly focusing on identifying the Moon’s phases and learning when it’s best observed from school. Through some simple research and using the Stellarium app, I’ve found that the waning crescent and third quarter phases are the most visible in the morning sky, as they rise after midnight and are still up at dawn. For the 2025–2026 school year, these phases will be visible on mornings around the following dates:
Third Quarter Moons: Oct 6, Nov 4, Dec 4, Jan 3, Feb 2, Mar 3
Waning Crescents: Oct 7–11, Nov 5–9, Dec 5–9, Jan 4–5
We’ll plan our Moon journaling for those weeks. Children will record their observations and sketch the Moon each morning we can see it before class. This project naturally integrates science, art, and oral language. I hope it will spark curiosity about the natural world and give children a real sense of how Earth and space are connected to our daily lives.
I really like how you’ve integrated history, geography, and science into your sundial activity. The connection to Newgrange is particularly powerful, linking an ancient Irish monument to modern-day scientific observation is such a great way to show children that STEM concepts have deep roots in our culture and history.
Using simple materials like a paper plate and pencil makes the activity really accessible and hands-on, and it’s a clever way to bring in spatial awareness and measurement. I also think the idea of checking the sundial at different times throughout the day is a great opportunity for data collection and discussion, perhaps even leading into a maths lesson on interpreting results or time intervals.
It’s a project that could easily stretch over several days and build anticipation as the children watch the sundial in action. A fantastic idea.
Having read “Unravelling STEM: Beyond the Acronym” (Liston, 2018), I was struck by how essential it is to approach STEM not just as four separate subjects but as an interconnected way of thinking. This perspective encouraged me to rethink how I approach science in the classroom, moving away from topic coverage and toward deeper, authentic investigations that encourage curiosity, critical thinking, and creativity. With that in mind, I plan to guide my students through an ongoing project to observe and record the sun’s position at different times of the day. We’ll begin by marking sunrise and sunset times on the board daily, then move outdoors to sketch where the sun is located during various periods (morning break, lunchtime, home time). We’ll track this over a week or two, using simple drawings or digital photos, before discussing patterns and changes. The activity naturally integrates science, maths, geography, and digital skills, exactly what STEM education should promote.
That’s a really interesting project. It’s so interesting to hear how your school community came together to celebrate such a meaningful milestone. I really like the way you wove in oral history with resources like Dúchas.ie, it gives the children a tangible link to the past and shows them that history isn’t just something found in textbooks. The interview with the 99-year-old past pupil must have been such a powerful moment, and I’m sure it really brought the past to life for the children. Projects like this do more than teach history, they build empathy, curiosity, and a strong sense of belonging. The fact that the pupils created an illustrated book is also brilliant, it gives them ownership and something lasting to be proud of. You’ve given me a few ideas for how we might approach our own local history work, especially the idea of incorporating personal stories and creative writing. Thanks for sharing.
Before starting this course, I had never heard of Sir C.Y. O’Connor, and it was only through doing some research that I discovered he was born in County Cavan. I was genuinely surprised to learn that someone from my own county went on to become such a significant figure in engineering history. He’s best known for designing the Goldfields Water Supply Scheme and Fremantle Harbour in Western Australia, huge projects that involved clever problem-solving and forward thinking.
I would use his story in the classroom as a starting point to inspire science and engineering-based learning. After introducing pupils to his life and work through photos, maps, and a short timeline, we could take on a design challenge where groups build simple systems to move water across a model landscape. It’s a great way to encourage creativity, teamwork, and critical thinking. O’Connor’s story shows that people from anywhere, even rural Cavan, can go on to achieve great things.
That sounds like a fantastic and engaging learning experience! I really like how you’ve tied in both visual exploration and hands-on learning, starting with photos and sketches really helps set the scene and gets children thinking about structure before diving into the build. Giving them a clear design brief with measurable criteria makes the activity purposeful and taps into their problem-solving and teamwork skills.
The integration of measurement, symmetry, and weight testing brings in plenty of real-world maths in a meaningful way. I especially like your idea of graphing the results, this gives students a chance to analyse data and compare outcomes, deepening their understanding.
The reflection piece at the end is also a great way to develop metacognition and reinforce the STEM learning. This type of project would work brilliantly across class levels and could even be expanded into a whole-school STEM day. Thanks for sharing, definitely one I’ll be adapting in my own classroom!
There’s a lovely stone bridge near our school that crosses a small river, and I think it would make a great starting point for a class bridge design challenge. I’d begin by taking the class on a local walk to observe the structure, looking at its shape, materials, and how it spans the water. Back in the classroom, we’d discuss different types of bridges and what makes them strong.
For the challenge, I’d ask students (working in pairs or small groups) to design and build a bridge using everyday materials like lollipop sticks, string, cardboard, and masking tape. We’d set criteria, such as the bridge needing to span a set distance and hold a certain weight (e.g., a toy car or stack of coins).
Maths would be woven throughout: measuring distances, estimating weights, using rulers and scales, and recording data. Older classes could calculate averages or analyse which designs were most effective and why. It’s a brilliant way to bring STEM to life!
It’s brilliant to hear how much progress you’ve already made, both at home and in school! Transforming a concrete garden into a biodiverse space is no small task, so fair play, it sounds like a really rewarding project. Your plans for the school are equally inspiring. It’s fantastic that you already have such a rich natural environment to work with, from the pond and tree species to bug hotels and bird feeders.
I love your idea of running a biodiversity week early in the year. It’s a great way to spark curiosity and get both students and staff thinking about pollinators and the role they play. Providing classroom resources is a really practical approach too, it makes it easier for teachers to embed the learning into their everyday lessons.
Best of luck with registering the school in September! I’m sure the added focus on awareness will make a big impact.