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I really like the researcher diary, about the sundial observations. Turns students into researchers and active observers and developing language skills to describe their findings. Could then write a report and give a presentation on their observations. I always think it important to share findings.
I really like the idea of comparison within the country, so children can see the difference between their home and another place – to spark Curiosity of their area and beyond! I really like the idea of KWL, as some children might have experienced that feeling looking up and being in awe of the night sky. Also a nice talking point would be the northern lights that have been visible in recent years, could lead onto integrated approach with arts and music and drama even. Lovely to write stories in English, and even work out ratios in maths.
Consider how many Songs / Poems /Art can you think of to connect us with the Night Sky? <i>For example: Look up President Michael D Higgins’ “Stardust”</i>
– Light up, Snow Patrol
– Starry Starry Night, Vincent Van Gogh
-Rule the World – Take That
– Stand by Me – Ben E King
-Dancing in the Moonlight – Toploader
– Can’t fight the Moonlight
Night and Day
On my own – Les Mis
Defying Gravity
Harvest Moon
Angels, Robbie Williams
Patrick Kavanagh – Canal bank walk
Anything Jack B Yeats, some Heaney and definitely some WB Yeats!
Could look into Newgrange, and could look into Summer/Winter Solstice
the KWL, and WALT approach would really speak volumes in a classroom setting – as children could then have the opportunity to share their own lived experiences with each other – putting them as expert in the room – sometimes listen more to students, than to the teacher so it is a great way to solidify the learning outcomes through explorative discussion/s
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How you would incorporate the needs of nocturnal species, especially those that rely on dark skies into school biodiversity plans
– So I recently attended Oide Creativity’s Biodiversity Day in Wicklow on Biodiversity which made me think about the life/life cycle of bees, the nocturnal species of foxes, hawks and bats. Which are all nocturnal so it begs a wider question in our school population to respect such animals and their habitats – either by providing a habitat, or not using insecticide in the garden because of the possibilities of diminishing the population/s.
As part of the day, we also made a solitary bee habitat, which I thought was really important for students to understand – that everyone needs a home. Also, I can see that moths and hedgehogs are not really seen much more – so it is important to understand their place in the living cycle biodiversity model. As I live in Wicklow, but work in inner city Dublin – it is important to acknowledge that a lot of students wouldnt’ see the amount of wildlife I do – so I always share my lived experience- but this makes me want to make lesson plannning more direct.
I again, really enjoyed Niall’s comparison and would go further afield to New York where light pollution makes that inhabitants and visitors cannot see the skies. I would hold a class discussion where students have noticed this, and then test their geographical understanding of locations by giving them an option of do they think that light pollution occurs/does not occur in a range of different locations. Then looking at county to county comparisions. Then, we might disucss – what changes occur, and what changes we could make as a population, could we make might be an action that we could work on as part of our reflections on that discussion.
Plan to observe the Moon – which phase of the Moon is best for observing in the morning from school? What dates will that be in 2024- 2025?
I love focusing on the Moon! I teach the song, Harvest Moon – and the students will look and paint Pink Moons with their classteachers. But the idea of it waxing/waning and learning that language is significant. The man in the moon, button moon etc – so what I would do would be to create a musical based on the findings of observing the moon. That would be such a lovely way to start the morning – I’m only sad that I’m not a classteacher – because those daily captures would be fabulous! Along the rain collections and measuring those. A gorgeous way to embed looking up at the moon. I assume it means 2026-27, and I would probably look ahead and see if there is a pink moon, or an eclipse etc coming up. BUT more importantly I’d look to see if the Full moon has any direct impact on behaviour and sleep patterns!
That’s really nice, and there is opportunity to embed the arts too, by listening and discussing the Four Seasons, or Ailbhe McDonagh’s Irish Four Seasons new composition.
Construct a sundial in your immediate area or plan for your school grounds to see where a sundial could be placed
I really think this speaks to me and my situation. I remember being curious to the sundial and how it worked, and funnily enough have a sundial that my husband bought my father-in-law as a present which we have somehow ended up with. Now, I want to position it properly! I have often discussed this sundial, and the students seem genuinely shocked when we discuss together, as part of that teaching dialogue – a time before mobile phones! So, the students would love to check in on this sundial, at several times a day in fact if the classteacher will let them! This is a lovely activity that would link into Me and My Shadow, School SSE of belonging and DLT plan if I used Makey Makeys somehow in my planning!