[Sarah Murray]

The night sky has inspired artists, poets, musicians, and storytellers for thousands of years.
Here are some examples:

Songs
“Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star”
“Vincent (Starry, Starry Night)” by Don McLean – Inspired by The Starry Night.
“Fly Me to the Moon” – Frank Sinatra.
“Across the Universe” by The Beatles
“A Sky Full of Stars” by Coldplay.
“Starman”,”Moonage Daydream”, “Space Oddity” by David Bowie.
Traditional Irish songs that reference the moon, stars, and night, such as The Moonshiner and The Star of the County Down.
Poems.
“Stars” by Robert Frost.
“The Lake Isle of Innisfree” by W. B. Yeats
“Aedh Wishes for the Cloths of Heaven” by W. B. Yeats (“embroidered cloths… with golden and silver light”).
Novel-
The Owl who was Afraid of the Dark

[Sarah Murray]

Some really great ideas her Emer and some great examples of cross curricular integration.

[Sarah Murray]

I like the idea of comparing the rural night sky and the urban one. As I teach in a rural location, I think it’s important toto make the children aware that there is significant differences between the two.

[Sarah Murray]

I really like the idea of extending this lesson to include an activity at home, which allows the parents to play an active role in the children’s observations.

[Sarah Murray]

I really like this activity and agree that it is important to remind the children of the importance of sun safety.

[Sarah Murray]

I agree with Laura, it’s very important that children are familiar with the school grounds and are able to realise between that the area that they play in is also used by a whole host of different wildlife, both during the day and at night.

• This reply was modified 3 months, 4 weeks ago by Sarah Murray.

[Sarah Murray]

Many animals—including bats, moths, hedgehogs, owls, and some amphibians—depend on natural darkness for feeding, navigation, breeding, and avoiding predators.
When creating a school biodiversity plan I would consider the following actions:
Turn off unnecessary outdoor lights after school hours.
1. Use motion-activated lighting instead of lights that stay on all night.
2. Choose warm-coloured lights instead of bright blue-white lights.
3. Designate parts of the school grounds as “dark zones” where no artificial lighting is used.
4. Connect these areas with hedgerows or trees so nocturnal animals can move safely.
5. Install bat boxes and ensure they are placed away from bright lighting.
6.Maintain hedgerows, mature trees, and log piles that provide shelter for nocturnal wildlife.
7.Include native night-flowering plants such as evening primrose, honeysuckle, and jasmine to support moths and other night pollinators.

[Sarah Murray]

Light pollution is the excessive use of artificial light that affects the environment and our ability to see the night sky. In the local area, sources of light pollution may include streetlights, houses, shops, and sports facilities. Too much artificial light can disturb wildlife, affect animals’ natural behaviours, and make it harder to observe stars.

To engage learners, I would begin with a local investigation where pupils identify and record sources of artificial light around the school or community. They could create a light pollution map, comparing areas with high and low levels of lighting. Pupils could discuss how lighting impacts people, animals, and the environment.

As a STEM activity, pupils could design solutions to reduce light pollution, such as creating models of energy-efficient streetlights. They could present their ideas through posters, videos, or digital presentations, encouraging creativity, problem-solving, and environmental awareness.

[Sarah Murray]

The following is a plan for the observation of the moon for 3rd class.
I would do this lesson when the Moon is in its Last Quarter phase, as this phase is clearly visible during the morning. The Last Quarter Moon rises around midnight and remains visible until around midday, making it ideal for observation during school hours.
The objectives of the lesson are as follows-
Observe the Moon carefully and identify its shape.
Record observations using drawings and simple written descriptions.
Understand that the Moon changes appearance over time as it moves through different phases.
Develop scientific observation and recording skills.

The lesson begins with a class discussion about the Moon. Pupils are asked questions such as:

Have you ever seen the Moon during the day?
Does the Moon always look the same?
Why do you think the Moon changes shape?

I would then introduce the different phases of the Moon using a simple Moon phase chart and explains that the class will become scientists by observing the Moon and recording what they notice.

The class moves to an outdoor area with a clear view of the sky. Pupils work individually or in pairs to locate the Moon.

I would encourage the pupils to observe carefully by asking:

What shape is the Moon today?
Where is it in the sky?
Is it bright or faint?
What is the weather like today?

Each pupil records their observations by drawing the Moon and writing:

The date and time.
The weather conditions.
A short description of the Moon’s appearance.

The teacher circulates, encouraging pupils to use accurate observational language and to compare their observations with classmates.

Back in the classroom, pupils share what they observed. The teacher explains that although the Moon appears to change shape, it is always the same object. The different phases occur because we see different amounts of the Moon illuminated by the Sun as it orbits the Earth.

The class discusses why the Last Quarter Moon is visible in the morning and how the Moon will continue to change over the following days.

[Sarah Murray]

Observing the Sun is a great way to help children understand that the Earth’s rotation causes the Sun to appear to move across the sky. They should observe its position in the sky or the direction of shadows.
While studying the shadows or position in the sky, they will observe that the Sun appears to move across the sky during the day. They should then record where the Sun rises and sets.
This will allow them to recognise patterns in the Sun’s apparent movement. One activity that I have done with classes in the past is the following:

Step 1: Draw Around a Partner
Choose a sunny area of the playground.
One child stands still while another carefully draws around their feet or their whole body using chalk.
Mark the position of the child’s feet so they stand in exactly the same place each time.
Step 2: Trace the Shadow
Carefully trace the outline of the child’s shadow with a different coloured piece of chalk.
Label the shadow with the time (e.g., 9:30 a.m.).
Step 3: Repeat Throughout the Day

Return to the same spot:
Mid-morning
Lunchtime
Early afternoon
Late afternoon

Each time:
The child stands in exactly the same footprint.
Draw around the new shadow.
Label each shadow with the time.
Step 4: Observe and Discuss

Ask children:

Which shadow is the longest?
Which is the shortest?
Which direction is each shadow pointing?
How did the shadow change during the day?
Why do you think this happened?

[Author]

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