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Pupils will gather and share local superstitions, piseógs, and stories connected to the night sky—such as weather signs linked to moon circles, stars, or evening skies—from the Dúchas.ie Schools’ Collection and their own community.
I would introduce children to the Dúchas Schools’ Collection. I would then show them examples like: A circle around the moon at night is said to forecast bad weather. A red sky at night is a sign of good weather. Following this students would interview family members or neighbours asking the following questions: “Are there any old sayings about the moon, stars, or night sky?” or “What did your grandparents say about weather from looking at the night sky?”
Pupils will then bring their collected piseógs and present them in class. In order to integrate with other subjects the children could design, draw or create using different objects the piseógs, superstitions and stories they have learned about. Finally we would compile all collected traditions and illustrations into a small class booklet or display.Really enjoyed the idea of interviewing grandparents. We can learn so much from them and their past experiences. Also the Piseógs and stories that they have heard over the years will be lost unfortunately if not recorded in some way.
Many great ideas here, I really like the idea of the bat box and the night scented flowers. Also children really enjoy sharing their ideas with the whole school community – on occasion we have done a showcase day where all the classes come in and see one topic we have covered during the term.
Module 4: How you would incorporate the needs of nocturnal species, especially those that rely on dark skies into school biodiversity plans
Incorporating the needs of nocturnal animals especially those affected by light pollution into school biodiversity plans: We would first conduct a light pollution survey to ensure that the lighting on the school grounds is properly shielded and targeted to where needed, no brighter than necessary, used only when useful and warm in colour. We would map out the area and include areas with trees and wildflowers for moths such as honeysuckle. We would also make sure that there is adequate tree cover for bats. The children could look into the possibility of having a bat box installed depending on the suitability of the school environment. Raising a moth as described in this module would be a fantastic way for children to appreciate the level of intricacy in the life cycle of a moth. As described in this module releasing the moth into an appropriate place is key. The children could use a night vision camera to see if there is any area of the school grounds attracting moths unnecessarily.I really like these ideas to engage the children in the junior end. It will make the learning fun and engaging for them. The idea of sensory rich experiences and the soft music all add to sparking their curiosity and making it entertaining and exciting for them
Light pollution is having a clear impact on our local area in Limerick. It reduces the visibility of the night sky, making it difficult to observe stars and planets, and it also affects biodiversity by disturbing the natural behaviours of animals such as birds, insects, and bats. This is an important issue that we should take responsibility for, both as individuals and as a community.
To engage learners, I would begin by teaching them what light pollution is and the ways it affects people and wildlife. We could carry out night sky observations in our local area and then compare our findings with places known for darker skies, such as Kerry or Mayo. Learners could then suggest simple strategies to reduce light pollution, such as using lighting with less glare or sky glow. We would then share our findings with the rest of the school. A project like this would raise awareness, empower children, and encourage positive action locally.
A4 sheet black card and blue tack, ruler, Sellotape, star map, 7 15cmx15cm squares of tin foil, 7 30cm lengths of black wool, pencil.
With my class I hope to make a 3D model of the plough based on the ESERO framework for inquiry. The children will engage with the topic by first creating 2D models of the plough with pegboards, plasticine etc and discuss the limitations of these models in terms of showing each star’s distance from each other. The children will then investigate various ways of overcoming this keeping the chart of distance from the earth in light years in mind. One method which could be used is the method in this module…. The children will stick the starmap to cardboard, poke a hole through each of the stars on the map, make the stars by sticking the end of a piece of wool to the centre of a piece of foil. Crumple the piece of foil and repeat this process for all seven stars in the constellation. I like that there is some maths involved when the children thread the string through each hole and have to consult the chart of distance from the earth in light years and measure the equivalent string lengths. This different perspective of the stars distances from each other is one that the children will probably have not encountered before. Taking the next step then may involve making different constellations using the same method or continuing to work on the topic of the plough by making a planetarium box.
I completely agree Orla about the value of a stargazing night at the school as I feel that last year’s incredible visibility of the northern lights really captivated the interest of the entire school population…even those who may not have previously been too interested! It also brings the opportunity for ICT integration with use of apps which identify planets and stars in the night sky
That is an excellent use of ChatGPT Dennis. I have not used it much and am only beginning to recognise its usefulness withing the classroom. Morning observations sound like a great idea, hopefully we will be able to do something like this in the year ahead. Linking it with other areas is also a very interesting idea.
That is a fantastic idea Mary. I think that making the sun dial a permanent fixture in the yard or garden would really motivate the children to research the absolute best location for the sun dial and to make sure that the area has light all day. It would also bring in art through the strand of paint and the elements of line, shape and colour. I think that having a permanent fixture would entice all classes to learn about time and the seasons due to the ease with which they could access the school sundial. Children are also naturally curious and will ask questions about the sun dial when they encounter it in the garden
Construct a sundial- I would plan this activity in advance with my class by going on a trip to visit a sundial in our area, maybe the sundial in Coole Park. This would stimulate the children’s interest and curiosity. Back at school we would research a sunny spot which receives sunlight all day and is not obscured by trees or buildings. We would first construct the model of the sundial with the upturned flower pot and the bamboo stick. Children would be sent out in pairs during the school day to mark the shadow with chalk and a rock. Maybe children who live near the school could mark the shadows before and after school when the school is closed. We would then paint the lines with yard paint to make the sun dial a permanent fixture. I would also construct the card sun dials with the children that were demonstrated as it is a good way on introducing the compass points and initiating a discussion on daylight savings.
Consider how many songs/poems/artwork connect us to the night sky- For the younger classes one of the first songs any child learns is Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. Another lovely song linked to the Disney Film Pinocchio is ‘When you wish Upon a Star’. A suitable poem for this age group would be ‘Star Light, Star Bright first star I see tonight. I wish I may, I wish I might, Have the wish I wish tonight’. Another fun song for this age group is by Raffi ‘Aikendrum’ and is all about a man who lived on the moon. Stories suitable would be ‘Bringing Down the Moon’ and ‘I Took the Moon for a Walk’.
For the Senior Classes Starry Night by Van Gogh and Moonlight by Winslow Homer would be sources of inspiration. The poem which most inspires in terms of imagery of dark skies and alludes to Cassiopeia is ‘A Christmas Childhood’ by Patrick Kavanagh.Some great example for the younger classes Anne. Two more books also suitable for the younger classes would be ‘I Took the Moon for a Walk’ and ‘Bringing down the Moon’.
Incorporating the needs of nocturnal animals especially those affected by light pollution into school biodiversity plans: We would first conduct a light pollution survey to ensure that the lighting on the school grounds is properly shielded and targeted to where needed, no brighter than necessary, used only when useful and warm in colour. We would map out the area and include areas with trees and wildflowers for moths such as honeysuckle. We would also make sure that there is adequate tree cover for bats. The children could look into the possibility of having a bat box installed depending on the suitability of the school environment. Raising a moth as described in this module would be a fantastic way for children to appreciate the level of intricacy in the life cycle of a moth. As described in this module releasing the moth into an appropriate place is key. As other participants have said, the children could use a night vision camera to see if there is any area of the school grounds attracting moths unnecessarily.
