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Q2
‘Good Night’ by The Beatles is an easy lullaby, suitable for junior classes that connects us with the night sky.
‘Dancing in the Moonlight’ by Toploader is a fun pop song with connections to the natural light of the sun.
One of my favourite songs ‘Sky Full of Stars’ by Coldplay which could be used as a trigger for discussing about the stars or about light pollution.
‘Moonlight Sonata’ by Beethoven could be used as a listening and responding piece whereby pupils draw or write what the composition makes them think of.
‘Memory’ from the musical Cats would be another option to open discussion about the natural light from the moon vs artificial light from street lamps.There is beautiful imagery in the poem ‘Night Sky’ by Valsa George:
‘street lamps blink their eyes’, ‘Stars slowly appear in the night sky like sequins stitched on to a blue brocade.’Gerard Manley Hopkins, ‘The Starlight Night’ is comprehensible sonnet for 5th/6th Class which uses great metaphors comparing the stars to ‘fire-folk’ sitting in the night sky, to the eyes of elves, and to diamonds.
‘Starry Night’ by Van Gogh is an obvious choice for linking art with the night sky. And even though it is mentioned in Module 5 , I had to include it in my own response.
Another painting which I came across when researching is ‘The Boulevard Montmarte at Night’ by French Impressionist Camille Pissarro. It would be a great piece to link with artificial lighting at night.I know we were not required to choose a story to link with the night but there is a lovely novel suitable for 2nd Class called ‘The Owl who was Afraid of the Dark’ by Jill Tomlinson which makes great connections to the night sky, constellations and nocturnal animals. It would be a great resource to use in conjunction with learning about the Dark Skies.
Q1
To engage children in exploring biodiversity in the local area I would first build some context by exploring the biodiversity of the school grounds through a biodiversity survey to identify as many plant and animal species and by making a biodiversity map to show the different habitats in the school. Children then could plan what improvements need to done in the school e.g. reducing mowing, allowing certain areas to become overgrown, encourage more bird species to the school grounds.
Then children will make things to implement these improvements e.g. bird feeders, raised beds for planting vegetables and herbs, consider light pollution in the school and adjust lighting accordingly.Now that the children have an understanding of biodiversity in a small area known to them, we will transfer the learning and skills to an exploration of biodiversity in the local area. I would bring them on a walk to the Lough in Cork as it is very near our school and in pairs/groups the children will do a biodiversity survey here. Back in school we will discuss what positive elements are present that encourage biodiversity for example making the correct food available for wildlife there, a Sand Martin purpose-built birdhouse which was installed in 2023 which mimics the migratory bird’s natural breeding habitat, leaving certain areas become overgrown. And then we would discuss any improvements that could be to made.
Drawing on the learning from module 3 on light pollution we would observe and record lighting in the area e.g. see if there are excessive street lights, look at direction the lights are facing and the colour of bulbs used (this could be observed by children living in the area at night). We would discuss how this might effect local biodiversity e.g. the growth of plants, the feeding habits of local wildlife.To evaluate our work, we would make regular visits to both the school garden and Lough and see if oir actions have made a difference to biodiversity.
Hopefully from carrying out these activities children will become citizen scientists and excited to observe, record and investigate the natural world around them in future including their own gardens at home.
Hi Patrick,
I think the use of a nocturnal wildlife camera on school grounds would be such a fun way to engage children in exploring light pollution and its impact on local wildlife.
Hi Michelle,
I, like you am living in Cork City and find is disheartening to see the amount of light pollution we have as well as the increase in light pollution in more rural areas compared to 1997.
You’ve got me curious about the Cork Astronomy Group. I may very well look it up and join myself.
Thanks.
Q1
I am living and teaching in an urban area and it is clear that light pollution is present in the form of light glare from the vast number of cars on the road at night; light trespass from unnecessary light coming from closed shops and office windows as well as unwanted light from the local GAA pitch illuminating neighbouring houses; and light clutter from excessive lighting from street lamps.
Light pollution in the form of poorly designed lights are impacting the area by being a risk to pedestrians and drivers at night.
Light pollution impacts nocturnal animals, affecting their breeding and migration habits. And it affects plant growth in the area for e.g. our local community garden.
Personally I notice how light pollution from the neighbouring GAA pitch casts unwanted light into my back garden which can affect my sleep.To explore light pollution in our area I would engage the children firstly by showing them the images of the ‘Growth of Light in Ireland’ in 1997 and 2015 and even get an up to date image and use these to stimulate discussion about the progression of light pollution in Ireland.
Using images as triggers we will brainstorm possible causes of light pollution. I like the simple video comparing 2 street lamps one with a blue light which attracts insects away from food sources vs a warmer light which doesn’t attract insects and would show this to elicit talk around the colour of lights and how more warm coloured lights should be used in public areas as a way to reduce light pollution.
Using the NWS video on Light Pollution, the class could then come up with more ideas on how to reduce the pollution e.g. switching lights off, only use lighting where needed, shielding lights, directing light (street lamps) downwards and away from reflective surfaces.Q2
Using the Stellarium software, children in pairs, will be given different cities (e.g. London, Madrid, Dublin, Auckland) to type into the location tab and view the constellations . They can compare how they looks with the view of constellations from Cork which will be displayed on the board. Children can try to identify constellations discussed in class eg. the Plough, Orion, Cassiopeia. More able children will be encouraged to choose one new constellation and research the background story to it. Children will then be asked to click on the constellation art icon and find the Greek image that matches the constellations they’ve looked at e.g. The Plough = The Bear.
Finally children are to click into Calendar of Events and choose 1 thing to tell the class that is happening in the sky on this current month.
Hi Sarah,
I think the idea of holding a stargazing night sounds like lots of fun for the children. It would be great if you could get the Parent Association on board a choose a night in November or December when the evening get dark early and so it would be have to be so late.
Alternatively it could be an idea to nominate one ‘Stargazing Night’ across to school where children do it as homework.
Q.5
Using the Curious Mind framework, I would engage the children by introducing the topic using a trigger eg. showing them a globe and getting them to find Ireland and identify other countries that they know. To get the children wondering I would get them to brianstorm: how we identify what season it is in Ireland. Through whole class discussion I’ll elicit answers such as temperature, daylight hours, what we wear, growth of trees and plants. At this point pictures of the trees in the One Year on Earth lesson plan could be used.
To investigate how we get seasons in a concrete way to children, I would use an orange to represent Earth and place a cocktail stick with a blue sticker in Ireland (a northern hemisphere country) and a cocktail stick with a red sticker in Australia (representing a southern hemisphere country). By getting a pupil to represent the sun by holding a torch towards the equator with Ireland facing the torch, we will show it is summer as the light and heat points directly towards us. As the Earth (orange) orbits the sun (torch) pupils will see that their country is not always in the same position in the lit areas and so when Ireland is furthest away from the lit area it is our winter.
The Paxi Day Night and the Seasons video would be a great finisher to conclude the lesson.
One alternate idea children might have about the seasons especially in younger classes is that the same season is experienced throughout the world, both norther and souther hemisphere. They maybe also believe that seasons are created based on the distance of the Earth from the sun e.g. when it is closer it is summer.
<p style=”text-align: center;”>In the lesson, if teaching the older classes and using the activity of drawing the path of the Earth’s orbit, it integrates with Lines and Angles (Shape and Space strand) in maths . For you younger classes, identifying characteristics of the seasons links with Time in maths . In science there are cross overs with Living Things (exploring Plants and animals) and Energy and Forces (Heat and Light).</p>
